theverge--2020-07-08--The creators of the buzzy audio app Clubhouse made a depressingly common mistake

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Yesterday we talked about how a recent social media conflict between journalists and the tech world might be better framed as a conflict between managers and their employees .
Today I want to look at that conflict from another angle — how it played out on the buzzy , audio-only , invite-only social network Clubhouse .
Like many social startups before it , the company neglected to develop or enforce strong community guidelines before launch — and the oversight could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million while still in private beta .
Let me acknowledge up front that Clubhouse is barely a few months old , and currently has just two full-time employees — its founders , Paul Davison and Rohan Seth .
I ’ ve known Davison for about seven years , and have always found him fun to talk to .
He ’ s charming , he ’ s had multiple wild visions about what the future can look like , and he has repeatedly convinced venture capitalists to part with millions of dollars so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the core principles of The Interface says this : “ Most tech CEOs are intelligent , kind , hard-working people who want to make the world a better place , and this is largely beside the point.
” And so this is not a column about the co-founder ’ s intentions , which I assume to be good .
Instead , it ’ s about the way Davison has built products to date — and the gap between that style and the way I think modern social networks ought to be built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the summer of 2016 , that company had hired the team behind Highlight , a boldly invasive app that broadcast your name , photo and other information to other users in hopes of introducing you to strangers .
Highlight was led by Davison , a former Googler who had an expansive vision for transforming what previous generations would have regarded as privacy invasions into products .
“ If you don ’ t push things a little bit , you miss opportunities , ” Davison told me in 2013 .
“ Fifteen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to post your resume online .
This is new territory we ’ re figuring out.
” Highlight never got traction .
Neither did the company ’ s next boundary-pushing effort , Shorts , which invited you to share your camera roll with friends and friends of friends .
” If you look at the most interesting and loved and useful social products over the last 20 years , you ’ ll find that lots of them have pushed us to share a little more openly than perhaps we felt comfortable doing , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once he was acqui-hired by Pinterest , Davison took on a refreshingly mundane challenge : taking over the development of “ tried it ” pins , a feature that lets users post photos of the activities they ’ ve completed related to Pinterest posts .
If you find a recipe for a cake on Pinterest and make it , for example , the feature lets you post your version in a thread attached to the original pin .
The feature was in testing the summer that Davison joined , and he oversaw its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When it was released , though , there was a problem : the feature was not connected to the systems that screen content for pornography , harassment , and other violations of Pinterest ’ s content policies .
As a result , Pinterest saw a surge in pornographic content uploaded to the service , two former employees told me .
“ About one out of every dozen photos uploaded was a penis for a good while , ” one told me .
Pinterest told me the problem was fixed shortly after launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comment .
But to one former employee I spoke with , the lapse was emblematic of an overly laissez-faire attitude to content moderation on Davison ’ s part .
“ His entire perspective was always to push for , how do we get users to expose more data in the product ?
” the former employee said .
“ User trust and safety was completely an afterthought.
” All of that feels like necessary context for understanding how Clubhouse found itself at the center of a now much-discussed conflict between New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interface ) Taylor Lorenz and the investor Balaji Srinivasan .
When Lorenz joined a conversation about herself in the app — one in which she would eventually be accused of playing “ the woman card ” in complaining about harassment she was receiving on Twitter and elsewhere — she could not have reported it even if she wanted to .
The reason is that Clubhouse does not allow users to report harassment or other violations of its terms of service through the app .
And Lorenz , who wrote an enthusiastic early profile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me she has been besieged by Clubhouse trolls .
The app offers no ability to block users , and so some users are changing their profile pictures to Lorenz ’ s antagonists to taunt her while she uses the app .
Screenshots of beta tester forums that I obtained show users begging Clubhouse ’ s founders to , among other things , write comprehensive community guidelines .
( Its published terms of service are largely just legal boilerplate . )
“ Writing up community rules to include expected behaviors , actions and giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important , ” one woman wrote in the private user forums .
“ It ’ s just as important to enforce these actions including timeouts / re-education and suspension when warranted .
I don ’ t think Taylor ’ s incident is going to be the last , unfortunately.
” Davison called Lorenz to discuss the harassment she had faced , she told me , and asked her to offer suggestions for what Clubhouse could do .
She offered a variety of suggestions , including banning people that harass other users , none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lorenz told me she felt disappointed when Davison went on to like a tweet that read , “ Honestly in this whole Taylor vs Balaji S. , Clubhouse won.
” During my reporting , I ’ ve also heard from Clubhouse users who have reminded me , in exasperated fashion , that the app is currently in a closed beta .
Traditionally , the invitation-only stage of a social app has been used to build the exact systems these users are now clamoring for .
A two-person startup that goes from idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few weeks has countless problems to worry about , Clubhouse supporters tell me .
Also the founders give out their email addresses to users , and respond to many of their complaints personally .
At the same time , we ’ ve seen enough social networks come and go that we now understand the consequences of making content moderation an afterthought .
Ask Reddit , which just a few weeks ago thought to explicitly ban hate speech — years after nurturing communities of racists , nonconsensual porn distributors , and other blights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , moderation issues promise to be particularly difficult — and if the app is to ever escape closed beta successfully , will require sustained attention and likely some product innovation .
Tatiana Estévez , who worked on moderation efforts at the question-and-answer site Quora , outlined Clubhouse ’ s challenges in a Twitter thread .
Audio is fast and fluid ; will Clubhouse record it so that moderators can review bad interactions later ?
In an ephemeral medium , how will Clubhouse determine whether users have a bad pattern of behavior ?
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the age-old problem of men interrupting women ?
“ Is this impossible ?
Probably not , ” Estévez wrote .
“ But in my experience , moderation and culture have to be a huge priority for both the founding team as well as for the community as a whole.
” Moderation does not appear to have been a huge priority at Highlight , or at Shorts , or the team that built the “ Tried It ” feature at Pinterest .
If Clubhouse is to live up to the potential its investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should consider making it one , and soon .
⭐The civil rights leaders behind the major advertising boycott of Facebook say they are still not convinced that the company is taking enough action against hate speech and disinformation .
The news comes after a meeting between the leaders , Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg on Tuesday .
Russell Brandom has the story at The Verge : Scientists and other employees of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative are pushing Mark Zuckerberg to create stronger policies around misinformation on Facebook .
Their concerns echo employee discontent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see as Zuckerberg ’ s inaction on hate speech .
( Kurt Wagner and Sophie Alexander / Bloomberg ) A loose network of Facebook groups that organized protests over stay-at-home orders in April has pivoted to a variety of new targets .
Their latest includes Black Lives Matter and the nationwide protests of racial injustice .
( Amanda Seitz / Associated Press ) A climate scientist says Facebook is restricting her ability to share research and fact-check posts containing climate misinformation .
The company also recently overruled a fact-check from a group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers .
( Scott Waldman / E & E News ) Inside the difficulties of policing misinformation on WhatsApp .
The attributes that make the app appealing — end-to-end encryption and private group chats — also make it hard to moderate .
( William Davies / The Guardian ) ⭐ Meet Mmhmm , a virtual camera that turns your boring Zoom call into a Weekend Update-style TV show .
It can be used with Zoom , Google Meet , YouTube , and other video streaming services .
This is the first piece of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built since the COVID-19 pandemic that feels made for our times .
I wrote about it at The Verge : Mmhmm — “ it ’ s important to have a name you can say while eating , ” Libin jokes — is a virtual camera that can be used with Zoom , Google Meet , YouTube , and other video streaming services .
Turn it on , and the app transforms your room into a virtual stage .
Like other videoconferencing tools , Mmhmm offers a variety of still and animated virtual backgrounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just the start : the real power of Mmhmm comes in the way it lets you easily manipulate slides , backgrounds , and your own image — either for fun or for business reasons .
With a simple gesture on a trackpad , you can move your face around the screen , shrink or enlarge your image , or disappear completely .
( You can also turn a grainy , opaque blue in a touch modeled after Jedi holograms . )
You can post slides that appear over your shoulder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can team up with another Mmhmm user to create a collaborative presentation , with each of you able to manipulate images on the screen and advance the show .
Here are some features Twitter could design to foster healthier conversations on the platform , and deescalate conflict when it arises .
They ’ re less complicated than an edit button , and probably more effective .
( Nick Punt ) Major brands , including Amazon and Nvidia Ties are getting caught up in the # MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The brands have sponsorships with high-profile players and personalities .
( Olga Kharif and Ian King / Bloomberg ) Voice , a crypto-based social media platform , launched over the weekend .
The platform rewards users with Voice tokens for posting quality content , to incentivize good contributions .
( Greg Thomson / Decrypt ) Inside The Last Light , an ambitious project from a now-defunct division inside Magic Leap Studios .
After SXSW was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic , its future is uncertain .
( Adi Robertson / The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new CEO , though .
It ’ s Peggy Johnson , who comes to the company from Microsoft .
( Adi Robertson / The Verge ) The information security community reacted angrily to calls to abandon the use of the terms “ black hat ” and “ white hat , ” which are used to differentiate between criminal and non-criminal hackers .
Many said the terms have nothing to do with racial stereotyping .
( Catalin Cimpanu / ZDNet ) Send us tips , comments , questions , and Clubhouse community guidelines : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

I.
Yesterday we talked about how a recent social media conflict between journalists and the tech world might be better framed as a conflict between managers and their employees. Today I want to look at that conflict from another angle — how it played out on the buzzy, audio-only, invite-only social network Clubhouse. Like many social startups before it, the company neglected to develop or enforce strong community guidelines before launch — and the oversight could derail a company valued at $100 million while still in private beta.
Let me acknowledge up front that Clubhouse is barely a few months old, and currently has just two full-time employees — its founders, Paul Davison and Rohan Seth. I’ve known Davison for about seven years, and have always found him fun to talk to. He’s charming, he’s had multiple wild visions about what the future can look like, and he has repeatedly convinced venture capitalists to part with millions of dollars so that he can build it.
But one of the core principles of The Interface says this: “Most tech CEOs are intelligent, kind, hard-working people who want to make the world a better place, and this is largely beside the point.” And so this is not a column about the co-founder’s intentions, which I assume to be good. Instead, it’s about the way Davison has built products to date — and the gap between that style and the way I think modern social networks ought to be built.
Let’s start at Pinterest. In the summer of 2016, that company had hired the team behind Highlight, a boldly invasive app that broadcast your name, photo and other information to other users in hopes of introducing you to strangers. Highlight was led by Davison, a former Googler who had an expansive vision for transforming what previous generations would have regarded as privacy invasions into products. “If you don’t push things a little bit, you miss opportunities,” Davison told me in 2013. “Fifteen years ago, it would be crazy to post your resume online. This is new territory we’re figuring out.”
Highlight never got traction. Neither did the company’s next boundary-pushing effort, Shorts, which invited you to share your camera roll with friends and friends of friends. ”If you look at the most interesting and loved and useful social products over the last 20 years, you’ll find that lots of them have pushed us to share a little more openly than perhaps we felt comfortable doing,” Davison told me about that one.
Once he was acqui-hired by Pinterest, Davison took on a refreshingly mundane challenge: taking over the development of “tried it” pins, a feature that lets users post photos of the activities they’ve completed related to Pinterest posts. If you find a recipe for a cake on Pinterest and make it, for example, the feature lets you post your version in a thread attached to the original pin. The feature was in testing the summer that Davison joined, and he oversaw its development until it was released in November.
When it was released, though, there was a problem: the feature was not connected to the systems that screen content for pornography, harassment, and other violations of Pinterest’s content policies. As a result, Pinterest saw a surge in pornographic content uploaded to the service, two former employees told me. “About one out of every dozen photos uploaded was a penis for a good while,” one told me.
Pinterest told me the problem was fixed shortly after launch. Through a spokesperson, Davison declined to comment.
But to one former employee I spoke with, the lapse was emblematic of an overly laissez-faire attitude to content moderation on Davison’s part. “His entire perspective was always to push for, how do we get users to expose more data in the product?” the former employee said. “User trust and safety was completely an afterthought.”
II.
All of that feels like necessary context for understanding how Clubhouse found itself at the center of a now much-discussed conflict between New York Times reporter (and friend of The Interface) Taylor Lorenz and the investor Balaji Srinivasan. When Lorenz joined a conversation about herself in the app — one in which she would eventually be accused of playing “the woman card” in complaining about harassment she was receiving on Twitter and elsewhere — she could not have reported it even if she wanted to.
The reason is that Clubhouse does not allow users to report harassment or other violations of its terms of service through the app. And Lorenz, who wrote an enthusiastic early profile of the app in May, told me she has been besieged by Clubhouse trolls. The app offers no ability to block users, and so some users are changing their profile pictures to Lorenz’s antagonists to taunt her while she uses the app. Screenshots of beta tester forums that I obtained show users begging Clubhouse’s founders to, among other things, write comprehensive community guidelines. (Its published terms of service are largely just legal boilerplate.)
“Writing up community rules to include expected behaviors, actions and giving people a place to appeal is super important,” one woman wrote in the private user forums. “It’s just as important to enforce these actions including timeouts / re-education and suspension when warranted. I don’t think Taylor’s incident is going to be the last, unfortunately.”
Davison called Lorenz to discuss the harassment she had faced, she told me, and asked her to offer suggestions for what Clubhouse could do. She offered a variety of suggestions, including banning people that harass other users, none of which have so far been implemented. Lorenz told me she felt disappointed when Davison went on to like a tweet that read, “Honestly in this whole Taylor vs Balaji S., Clubhouse won.”
During my reporting, I’ve also heard from Clubhouse users who have reminded me, in exasperated fashion, that the app is currently in a closed beta. Traditionally, the invitation-only stage of a social app has been used to build the exact systems these users are now clamoring for. A two-person startup that goes from idea to a $100 million valuation within a few weeks has countless problems to worry about, Clubhouse supporters tell me. Also the founders give out their email addresses to users, and respond to many of their complaints personally.
At the same time, we’ve seen enough social networks come and go that we now understand the consequences of making content moderation an afterthought. Ask Reddit, which just a few weeks ago thought to explicitly ban hate speech — years after nurturing communities of racists, nonconsensual porn distributors, and other blights on the internet.
And for Clubhouse, moderation issues promise to be particularly difficult — and if the app is to ever escape closed beta successfully, will require sustained attention and likely some product innovation. Tatiana Estévez, who worked on moderation efforts at the question-and-answer site Quora, outlined Clubhouse’s challenges in a Twitter thread.
“Is this impossible? Probably not,” Estévez wrote. “But in my experience, moderation and culture have to be a huge priority for both the founding team as well as for the community as a whole.”
Moderation does not appear to have been a huge priority at Highlight, or at Shorts, or the team that built the “Tried It” feature at Pinterest. If Clubhouse is to live up to the potential its investors clearly see in it, its builders should consider making it one, and soon.
Governing
⭐The civil rights leaders behind the major advertising boycott of Facebook say they are still not convinced that the company is taking enough action against hate speech and disinformation. The news comes after a meeting between the leaders, Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg on Tuesday. Russell Brandom has the story at The Verge:
After months of escalating pressure, leaders from the #StopHateForProfit boycott campaign met with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives today. But in a call with reporters after the meeting, organizers from Color of Change, Free Press, the NAACP, and the Anti-Defamation League described the meeting as frustrating. “The meeting that we just left was a disappointment,” said Color of Change president Rashad Robinson. “At this point, we were expecting a very clear answer to the demands we are making, and we did not get that.”
Scientists and other employees of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative are pushing Mark Zuckerberg to create stronger policies around misinformation on Facebook. Their concerns echo employee discontent at the social platform over what some see as Zuckerberg’s inaction on hate speech. (Kurt Wagner and Sophie Alexander / Bloomberg)
A loose network of Facebook groups that organized protests over stay-at-home orders in April has pivoted to a variety of new targets. Their latest includes Black Lives Matter and the nationwide protests of racial injustice. (Amanda Seitz / Associated Press)
A climate scientist says Facebook is restricting her ability to share research and fact-check posts containing climate misinformation. The company also recently overruled a fact-check from a group of climate scientists — a move that concerned researchers. (Scott Waldman / E&E News)
Inside the difficulties of policing misinformation on WhatsApp. The attributes that make the app appealing — end-to-end encryption and private group chats — also make it hard to moderate. (William Davies / The Guardian)
Industry
⭐ Meet Mmhmm, a virtual camera that turns your boring Zoom call into a Weekend Update-style TV show. It can be used with Zoom, Google Meet, YouTube, and other video streaming services. This is the first piece of social tech that I’ve seen built since the COVID-19 pandemic that feels made for our times. I wrote about it at The Verge:
Mmhmm — “it’s important to have a name you can say while eating,” Libin jokes — is a virtual camera that can be used with Zoom, Google Meet, YouTube, and other video streaming services. Turn it on, and the app transforms your room into a virtual stage. Like other videoconferencing tools, Mmhmm offers a variety of still and animated virtual backgrounds to enliven your conversations. But that’s just the start: the real power of Mmhmm comes in the way it lets you easily manipulate slides, backgrounds, and your own image — either for fun or for business reasons. With a simple gesture on a trackpad, you can move your face around the screen, shrink or enlarge your image, or disappear completely. (You can also turn a grainy, opaque blue in a touch modeled after Jedi holograms.) You can post slides that appear over your shoulder and advance them with a tap. And you can team up with another Mmhmm user to create a collaborative presentation, with each of you able to manipulate images on the screen and advance the show.
Here are some features Twitter could design to foster healthier conversations on the platform, and deescalate conflict when it arises. They’re less complicated than an edit button, and probably more effective. (Nick Punt)
Major brands, including Amazon and Nvidia Ties are getting caught up in the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault that’s sweeping through video-game streaming. The brands have sponsorships with high-profile players and personalities. ( Olga Kharif and Ian King / Bloomberg)
Voice, a crypto-based social media platform, launched over the weekend. The platform rewards users with Voice tokens for posting quality content, to incentivize good contributions. (Greg Thomson / Decrypt)
Inside The Last Light, an ambitious project from a now-defunct division inside Magic Leap Studios. After SXSW was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, its future is uncertain. (Adi Robertson / The Verge)
Magic Leap does have a new CEO, though. It’s Peggy Johnson, who comes to the company from Microsoft. (Adi Robertson / The Verge)
The information security community reacted angrily to calls to abandon the use of the terms “black hat” and “white hat,” which are used to differentiate between criminal and non-criminal hackers. Many said the terms have nothing to do with racial stereotyping. (Catalin Cimpanu / ZDNet)
And finally...
Talk to us


theverge--2020-07-08--Mercedes-Benz embraces the touchscreen in the new version of MBUX

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the second generation of its MBUX infotainment system that will debut in the 2021 S-Class , which features a new touchscreen-forward user interface that requires fewer buttons .
It ’ s all powered by a new hardware suite that adds functionality and features across the car , like improvements to the “ Hey Mercedes ” voice command system , pseudo-3D display technology behind the steering wheel , and new personal profiles that can be accessed via a fingerprint sensor or facial and voice recognition .
First revealed in early 2018 , MBUX ( short for Mercedes-Benz User @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capable automaker-created infotainment systems on the market .
But it has so far been shoehorned into vehicles that were designed with button-based user interactions in mind .
That has led to some awfully cluttered cabins , even in Mercedes-Benz ’ s most futuristic car , the all-electric EQC .
That will change starting with the 2021 S-Class .
The new luxury sedan — due to be revealed in September — features a large 12.8-inch portrait OLED touchscreen with haptic feedback that rises up from the center console instead of being embedded in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and most others on the market ) .
The screen “ floats ” in front of of a mostly button-free dashboard , and sits just to the right of a steering wheel that still has buttons but looks much sleeker than previous iterations .
In total , Mercedes-Benz says there are 27 fewer “ hard keys ” in the new S-Class .
The new MBUX will let drivers save various preferences like seat settings , interior lighting color , favorite radio station , and more .
These personal profiles can be enabled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ features , or even loaded in other Mercedes-Benz vehicles with the new version of MBUX .
The the fingerprint sensor in the main S-Class touchscreen and voice recognition will come standard , and there is a PIN setting as well .
Buyers can opt for a version of the car with cameras that allow for facial recognition , too .
In front of the driver is a large , rounded rectangle of a display that is home to the digital instrument cluster .
Like the center screen , this one also “ floats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can tweak the color , layout , and overall presentation of information like speed , power output , and driver assistance features .
What ’ s more , Mercedes-Benz says this display can create an impression of depth without special glasses , sort of like what RED promised with its Hydrogen One smartphone , or Amazon tried once upon a time with the Fire Phone .
The automaker says it is an “ auto-stereoscopic display , ” and that , when working in concert with the facial recognition cameras , it can create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen .
The screen itself is a combination of conventional LCD display technology and “ a special pixel structure and a controllable LCD aperture grille ” that makes it so the driver ’ s left and right eyes see “ different pixels of the LCD.
” There ’ s a stereoscopic display behind the steering wheel that can create 3D effects Mercedes-Benz doesn ’ t say what this technology might be used for , or what kinds of benefits it could provide — which is disconcerting considering it ’ s an idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those two doomed smartphones from RED and Amazon .
Behind this screen is a heads-up display that can project augmented reality info ( like turn-by-turn directions ) onto the windshield so that it appears to be floating about 33 feet out in the driver ’ s vision .
Mercedes-Benz is also improving one of the central features of the original version of MBUX : voice commands .
The new MBUX recognizes up to 20 different commands triggered by saying “ Hey Mercedes , ” and 27 languages are now supported .
Smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , too , though Mercedes-Benz didn ’ t immediately clarify which systems will be compatible .
Best yet , saying “ Hey Mercedes ” will no longer be necessary for some actions , like answering an incoming call .
Mercedes-Benz says that the S-Class can feature as many as three screens in the rear section ( one for each passenger and a touchscreen in the rear center console ) , all of which are connected to the infotainment system up front .
The company says this allows passengers to share content between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like select or change the navigation route .
Rear seat passengers will also now have access to “ Hey Mercedes ” voice controls .
The car is equipped with “ several ” microphones that can discern who is speaking , and a system of lights that will signal which passenger the computer is responding to .
This is all running on a new hardware suite that includes a 320GB SSD , 16GB of RAM , and 50 percent more processing power than the previous version of MBUX .
This system will be capable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MBUX-enabled cars , and Mercedes-Benz has promised to release more details as it leads up to the global reveal of the 2021 S-Class in September .

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the second generation of its MBUX infotainment system that will debut in the 2021 S-Class, which features a new touchscreen-forward user interface that requires fewer buttons. It’s all powered by a new hardware suite that adds functionality and features across the car, like improvements to the “Hey Mercedes” voice command system, pseudo-3D display technology behind the steering wheel, and new personal profiles that can be accessed via a fingerprint sensor or facial and voice recognition.
First revealed in early 2018, MBUX (short for Mercedes-Benz User Experience) is one of the more capable automaker-created infotainment systems on the market. But it has so far been shoehorned into vehicles that were designed with button-based user interactions in mind. That has led to some awfully cluttered cabins, even in Mercedes-Benz’s most futuristic car, the all-electric EQC.
27 fewer “hard keys,” according to Mercedes-Benz
That will change starting with the 2021 S-Class. The new luxury sedan — due to be revealed in September — features a large 12.8-inch portrait OLED touchscreen with haptic feedback that rises up from the center console instead of being embedded in the dashboard, like in previous Mercedes-Benz cars (and most others on the market). The screen “floats” in front of of a mostly button-free dashboard, and sits just to the right of a steering wheel that still has buttons but looks much sleeker than previous iterations. In total, Mercedes-Benz says there are 27 fewer “hard keys” in the new S-Class.
The new MBUX will let drivers save various preferences like seat settings, interior lighting color, favorite radio station, and more. These personal profiles can be enabled or disabled by using the new security features, or even loaded in other Mercedes-Benz vehicles with the new version of MBUX. The the fingerprint sensor in the main S-Class touchscreen and voice recognition will come standard, and there is a PIN setting as well. Buyers can opt for a version of the car with cameras that allow for facial recognition, too.
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In front of the driver is a large, rounded rectangle of a display that is home to the digital instrument cluster. Like the center screen, this one also “floats” away from the dashboard. Drivers can tweak the color, layout, and overall presentation of information like speed, power output, and driver assistance features.
What’s more, Mercedes-Benz says this display can create an impression of depth without special glasses, sort of like what RED promised with its Hydrogen One smartphone, or Amazon tried once upon a time with the Fire Phone.
The automaker says it is an “auto-stereoscopic display,” and that, when working in concert with the facial recognition cameras, it can create a three-dimensional impression of objects on the screen. The screen itself is a combination of conventional LCD display technology and “a special pixel structure and a controllable LCD aperture grille” that makes it so the driver’s left and right eyes see “different pixels of the LCD.”
There’s a stereoscopic display behind the steering wheel that can create 3D effects
Mercedes-Benz doesn’t say what this technology might be used for, or what kinds of benefits it could provide — which is disconcerting considering it’s an idea that failed to provide any usefulness the case of those two doomed smartphones from RED and Amazon.
Behind this screen is a heads-up display that can project augmented reality info (like turn-by-turn directions) onto the windshield so that it appears to be floating about 33 feet out in the driver’s vision.
Mercedes-Benz is also improving one of the central features of the original version of MBUX: voice commands. The new MBUX recognizes up to 20 different commands triggered by saying “Hey Mercedes,” and 27 languages are now supported. Smart home tech can be linked to this now, too, though Mercedes-Benz didn’t immediately clarify which systems will be compatible. Best yet, saying “Hey Mercedes” will no longer be necessary for some actions, like answering an incoming call.
Mercedes-Benz says that the S-Class can feature as many as three screens in the rear section (one for each passenger and a touchscreen in the rear center console), all of which are connected to the infotainment system up front. The company says this allows passengers to share content between the screens, or even do things like select or change the navigation route. Rear seat passengers will also now have access to “Hey Mercedes” voice controls. The car is equipped with “several” microphones that can discern who is speaking, and a system of lights that will signal which passenger the computer is responding to.


theverge--2020-07-08--Samsung updates mid-range Galaxy A51 and A71 with flagship S20 camera features

Samsung is updating its Galaxy A51 and A71 handsets with a collection of new features from its flagship Galaxy S20 series .
These include new camera functionality like Single Take and Night Hyperlapse , along with new sharing , search , and translation features .
Samsung ’ s announcement doesn ’ t say exactly when the update is releasing , but GSMArena previously reported that the functionality had started rolling out to the A51 last month .
Among the new camera features are Single Take and Night Hyperlapse .
Single Take lets you capture using several different camera modes simultaneously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the fact , while Night Hyperlapse is designed to offer better hyperlapse videos in low-light .
There ’ s a new custom filter mode that lets you create filters using your existing photos , and the A51 and A71 are also being updated with manual focus and shutter speed controls for photography .
Outside of the camera , the phones are also being updated with Samsung ’ s Quick Share and Music Share features , which let you share media files and Bluetooth connections with nearby devices respectively .
The phones ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gallery app can now group similar images together to make them easier to navigate , and the phones ’ app search functionality is being improved .
The mid-range A-Series is one of Samsung ’ s most popular smartphone lineups , and the phones are much more affordable than its flagship Note and Galaxy S devices .
With updates like these , Samsung ’ s latest high-end features are becoming available much more cheaply .
A previous update saw many of these features come to last year ’ s S10 and Note 10 @ @

Samsung is updating its Galaxy A51 and A71 handsets with a collection of new features from its flagship Galaxy S20 series. These include new camera functionality like Single Take and Night Hyperlapse, along with new sharing, search, and translation features. Samsung’s announcement doesn’t say exactly when the update is releasing, but GSMArena previously reported that the functionality had started rolling out to the A51 last month.
Among the new camera features are Single Take and Night Hyperlapse. Single Take lets you capture using several different camera modes simultaneously, and then pick from the results after the fact, while Night Hyperlapse is designed to offer better hyperlapse videos in low-light. There’s a new custom filter mode that lets you create filters using your existing photos, and the A51 and A71 are also being updated with manual focus and shutter speed controls for photography.
Single Take lets you record with several camera modes simultaneously, and then pick your favorite shots. Image: Samsung
Outside of the camera, the phones are also being updated with Samsung’s Quick Share and Music Share features, which let you share media files and Bluetooth connections with nearby devices respectively. The phones’ keyboards can now directly translate text, the Gallery app can now group similar images together to make them easier to navigate, and the phones’ app search functionality is being improved.


theverge--2020-07-08--LinkedIn will let you upload audio clips to tell people how to pronounce your name

LinkedIn has added a new feature to its user profiles : the option to record 10-second audio clips to let others know how to pronounce your name .
The recordings can only be added via LinkedIn ’ s mobile apps on Android and iOS , but playback is accessible on both mobile and desktop .
To add a recording , simply head to your profile on a mobile app , click View Profile , then Edit , and then “ Record name pronunciation.
” Step by step instructions can be found here .
The feature is a simple one ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital pronunciations for years ) but extremely welcome on a networking site like LinkedIn .
It ’ s designed to minimize awkward or unprofessional mistakes when speaking to contacts for the first time : something that ’ s even more important when the pandemic has meant that face-to-face meetings are limited .
“ Everyone , including myself , makes mistakes when pronouncing other people ’ s names , ” Joseph Akoni , a product manager at LinkedIn who helped develop the feature , told The Wall Street Journal .
“ I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name — there ’ s a 99 % chance someone won ’ t pronounce it correctly on the first try.
” People have reported seeing tests of the feature for a while now , but LinkedIn said in a blog post this week it ’ s now rolling out the option to all of its 690 million users this month .
One question invited by the feature , though , is whether people will misuse the ability to place a 10-second audio recording of their choice on their profile .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall we say , zealous business types always willing and able to extoll their own virtues .
Let ’ s hope pronunciation guides don ’ t turn into 10-second CVs .

LinkedIn has added a new feature to its user profiles: the option to record 10-second audio clips to let others know how to pronounce your name.
The recordings can only be added via LinkedIn’s mobile apps on Android and iOS, but playback is accessible on both mobile and desktop. To add a recording, simply head to your profile on a mobile app, click View Profile, then Edit, and then “Record name pronunciation.” Step by step instructions can be found here.
“Everyone makes mistakes when pronouncing other people’s names”
The feature is a simple one (Facebook has offered a similar option with digital pronunciations for years) but extremely welcome on a networking site like LinkedIn. It’s designed to minimize awkward or unprofessional mistakes when speaking to contacts for the first time: something that’s even more important when the pandemic has meant that face-to-face meetings are limited.
“Everyone, including myself, makes mistakes when pronouncing other people’s names,” Joseph Akoni, a product manager at LinkedIn who helped develop the feature, told The Wall Street Journal. “I’ve encountered this personally with my Nigerian middle name — there’s a 99% chance someone won’t pronounce it correctly on the first try.”
People have reported seeing tests of the feature for a while now, but LinkedIn said in a blog post this week it’s now rolling out the option to all of its 690 million users this month.


theverge--2020-07-08--An external lens won’t completely fix your webcam woes, but it has its benefits

Recently , some of the most popular webcams have been difficult to buy at major online retailers as people bought them to help stay in contact while social distancing or working from home during the pandemic .
For example , as of this writing , Logitech ’ s popular C920 HD Pro webcam is sold out on Logitech ’ s US online store , and its listed price on Amazon US is currently well above Logitech ’ s own $ 79.99 asking price .
Other models are available , but the situation means you might not get the exact webcam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to get creative by using standalone cameras or even old iOS or Android devices as replacement webcams .
But today , I ’ ve been trying out a different approach : using an aftermarket lens from Moment to improve my laptop ’ s existing webcam , rather than replacing it entirely .
The lens mount was originally designed for smartphones ( where most of Moment ’ s focus has typically been ) , but Moment tells me it started targeting laptops in response to customer demand .
The Moment Webcam Set , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a $ 77.98 bundle ( currently discounted to $ 61.98 ) that includes an O-Series mount and an 18mm wide-angle lens .
Alternatively , if you ’ ve already got a Moment lens , you can buy a mount separately for $ 29.99 .
( There are versions for both its O-Series and newer M-Series lenses . )
It also works with phones and tablets .
Importantly , all of these kits are currently listed as available on Moment ’ s online store ; there are no stock shortages here .
Installation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screw with a rubber cap on it , which you turn to hold it steady against the back of your laptop screen , and you can shift the front part of the mechanism up and down so that the lens hole lines up with your webcam .
( I found it helped to have my camera app open while I was doing this so I could get the alignment right . )
Moment says the lens mount supports laptops as thick as 10.75mm , and there ’ s a thicker rubber screw cap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can attach the lens itself into place on the mount .
The effect of the wide-angle 18mm lens was obvious , as you can see from the photos below ; it gave my webcam a much wider field of view .
Whereas previously , my Surface Laptop ’ s webcam typically only included my face and the tops of my shoulders , with the lens installed , its field of view stretched down to my chest and included much more of my surroundings ( but also , regrettably , the mount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much wider field of view than the Logitech C920 HD Pro I included as a comparison .
Naturally , this effect will vary depending on which lens you use , which laptop you ’ re mounting it to , and whether you opt for the O-Series or the M-Series mount ( the latter of which is designed for larger lenses ) .
There are some limitations to this approach .
The biggest , obviously , is that it relies on your computer having an existing webcam to work .
So if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the webcam-less Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or a desktop computer with an external monitor , then an external lens won ’ t be much help .
Even if it does , it won ’ t do much to fundamentally change the quality of your webcam .
Putting a lens over it doesn ’ t change the fact that my first-generation Surface Laptop is still taking photos using a 720p webcam .
Compared to a decent standalone 1080p webcam like the C920 , the difference is stark .
And yes , I tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lens to the front of the C920 , but Logitech ’ s webcam was , unfortunately , too thick .
It ’ s also a little bulky .
Once installed , the arms on the Moment mount covered part of the top middle of my screen , and it goes without saying that you won ’ t be able to close your laptop with the lens mount installed .
Oh , and on my machine , the mount also seemed to break Windows Hello ’ s face unlock .
The limitations mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detach the lens whenever you ’ re not using it , but thankfully , that ’ s a fairly easy process .
That doesn ’ t mean the lens mount is without its uses .
Being able to change your webcam ’ s focal length could be really helpful .
The 18mm lens that comes in the bundle , for example , makes the field of view much wider , perfect for getting your whole family in frame for a Zoom call .
Better still , if you ’ ve already got one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , getting a mount for your laptop is a fairly cheap investment and something you can use across multiple devices .
I don ’ t think Moment ’ s webcam kit is for everyone .
The cost of the bundle is comparable to a decent standalone webcam ( if you can find one in stock ) .
And if you choose right , an external webcam should give you a good boost in image quality .
But if you ’ re someone who ’ s already invested in Moment ’ s lenses , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to get more out of your existing hardware .

Recently, some of the most popular webcams have been difficult to buy at major online retailers as people bought them to help stay in contact while social distancing or working from home during the pandemic. For example, as of this writing, Logitech’s popular C920 HD Pro webcam is sold out on Logitech’s US online store, and its listed price on Amazon US is currently well above Logitech’s own $79.99 asking price. Other models are available, but the situation means you might not get the exact webcam you want.
That means people have had to get creative by using standalone cameras or even old iOS or Android devices as replacement webcams. But today, I’ve been trying out a different approach: using an aftermarket lens from Moment to improve my laptop’s existing webcam, rather than replacing it entirely. The lens mount was originally designed for smartphones (where most of Moment’s focus has typically been), but Moment tells me it started targeting laptops in response to customer demand.
The Moment Webcam Set, which I’ve been testing, is a $77.98 bundle (currently discounted to $61.98) that includes an O-Series mount and an 18mm wide-angle lens. Alternatively, if you’ve already got a Moment lens, you can buy a mount separately for $29.99. (There are versions for both its O-Series and newer M-Series lenses.) It also works with phones and tablets. Importantly, all of these kits are currently listed as available on Moment’s online store; there are no stock shortages here.
When attached, the mount covered part of my screen. You secure the mount to a laptop with a screw on its back.
Installation is simple. The mount has a screw with a rubber cap on it, which you turn to hold it steady against the back of your laptop screen, and you can shift the front part of the mechanism up and down so that the lens hole lines up with your webcam. (I found it helped to have my camera app open while I was doing this so I could get the alignment right.) Moment says the lens mount supports laptops as thick as 10.75mm, and there’s a thicker rubber screw cap included for slimmer laptop lids. Then, you can attach the lens itself into place on the mount.
The effect of the wide-angle 18mm lens was obvious, as you can see from the photos below; it gave my webcam a much wider field of view. Whereas previously, my Surface Laptop’s webcam typically only included my face and the tops of my shoulders, with the lens installed, its field of view stretched down to my chest and included much more of my surroundings (but also, regrettably, the mount itself). It’s even a much wider field of view than the Logitech C920 HD Pro I included as a comparison. Naturally, this effect will vary depending on which lens you use, which laptop you’re mounting it to, and whether you opt for the O-Series or the M-Series mount (the latter of which is designed for larger lenses).
Previous Next
1 / 9 Surface Laptop, built-in webcam. Previous Next
1 / 9 Surface Laptop, built-in webcam.
There are some limitations to this approach. The biggest, obviously, is that it relies on your computer having an existing webcam to work. So if you’re working on a laptop like the webcam-less Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or a desktop computer with an external monitor, then an external lens won’t be much help.
Even if it does, it won’t do much to fundamentally change the quality of your webcam. Putting a lens over it doesn’t change the fact that my first-generation Surface Laptop is still taking photos using a 720p webcam. Compared to a decent standalone 1080p webcam like the C920, the difference is stark. And yes, I tried to see if I could mount Moment’s lens to the front of the C920, but Logitech’s webcam was, unfortunately, too thick.
Related How to look your best on a video call
It’s also a little bulky. Once installed, the arms on the Moment mount covered part of the top middle of my screen, and it goes without saying that you won’t be able to close your laptop with the lens mount installed. Oh, and on my machine, the mount also seemed to break Windows Hello’s face unlock. The limitations mean that you’d probably want to detach the lens whenever you’re not using it, but thankfully, that’s a fairly easy process.
The mount doesn’t entirely cover the screen, but its arms can get in the way. You can forget about closing your laptop with the lens attached.
That doesn’t mean the lens mount is without its uses. Being able to change your webcam’s focal length could be really helpful. The 18mm lens that comes in the bundle, for example, makes the field of view much wider, perfect for getting your whole family in frame for a Zoom call. Better still, if you’ve already got one of Moment’s lenses lying around, getting a mount for your laptop is a fairly cheap investment and something you can use across multiple devices.
I don’t think Moment’s webcam kit is for everyone. The cost of the bundle is comparable to a decent standalone webcam (if you can find one in stock). And if you choose right, an external webcam should give you a good boost in image quality. But if you’re someone who’s already invested in Moment’s lenses, then its webcam mount is a neat way to get more out of your existing hardware.
Moment Webcam Set / Was $78, on sale for 21% off $62 at Moment


theverge--2020-07-08--Quibi reportedly lost 90 percent of early users after their free trials expired

Streaming service Quibi only managed to convert a little under 10 percent of its early wave of users into paying subscribers , says mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower .
According to the firm ’ s new report on Quibi ’ s early growth , the short-form video platform signed up about 910,000 users in its first few days back in April .
Of those users , only about 72,000 stuck around after the three-month free trial , indicating the app had about an 8 percent conversion rate .
That ’ s not too bad .
But compare it to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debut of the last few years , Disney Plus , and the resulting picture is a grim one for Quibi , which has struggled both to find a hit among its mobile-centric shows and gain traction with its desired younger , TikTok-loving demographic , despite the surge in screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic .
According to Sensor Tower , Disney managed to convert a comparable 11 percent of early free trials users , but that was of out of whopping 9.5 million people the firm estimates signed up for Disney Plus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US and Canada .
Since then , Disney has added tens of millions more subscribers and now enjoys more than 50 million paying users as of April thanks in part to its international expansion .
Quibi converted just 8 percent of the people who downloaded the app in its first three days These numbers are not to be confused with the number of current paying subscribers Quibi has .
While the company has yet to disclose that all-important figure , it has said that more than 5.6 million people have downloaded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know how many people downloaded the app after its first few days and decided to then convert to a paid user after the free trial ended .
Sensor Tower also estimates only 4.5 million have downloaded Quibi in total .
The discrepancy between that figure and Quibi ’ s official one suggests Sensor Tower could also be far off in its estimates of how many users Quibi converted in its first three days .
In a statement given to The Verge , a Quibi spokesperson said , “ the number of paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude .
To date , over 5.6 million people have downloaded the Quibi app .
Our conversion from download to trial is above mobile app benchmarks , and we are seeing excellent conversion to paid subscribers — both among our 90-day free trial sign-ups from April , as well as our 14-day free trial sign-ups from May and June.
” That said , Sensor Tower is a reputable analytics company known for reporting accurate estimates and , in absence of concrete figures from Quibi itself , the picture its report paints of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rosy one .
Sensor Tower ’ s data also doesn ’ t account for situations like an iPad user downloading Quibi , even though it ’ s not optimized for anything but smartphone screens , or users deleting the app and downloading it again or onto a separate device , all situations that may lead to Quibi ’ s larger total download figure .
Regardless , it ’ s not exactly controversial to say Quibi is not having a very great launch — co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg outright blamed the coronavirus for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been written about the company ’ s shortcomings , from the app ’ s poor marketing and bad timing to the inability to share screenshots or captures on social media to Quibi ’ s lack of smart TV or casting support at launch .
Most importantly , the platform doesn ’ t appear to have shows worth signing up for , like the mind-numbing amount of Netflix content that gets added each month or big pop culture events like Disney Plus ’ The Mandalorian .
Quibi has no built-in install base , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of HBO Max , and it ’ s an open question how long its $ 1.8 billion war chest will keep it afloat if users don ’ t show up in greater numbers .

Streaming service Quibi only managed to convert a little under 10 percent of its early wave of users into paying subscribers, says mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower. According to the firm’s new report on Quibi’s early growth, the short-form video platform signed up about 910,000 users in its first few days back in April. Of those users, only about 72,000 stuck around after the three-month free trial, indicating the app had about an 8 percent conversion rate.
That’s not too bad. But compare it to the streaming video industry’s most successful debut of the last few years, Disney Plus, and the resulting picture is a grim one for Quibi, which has struggled both to find a hit among its mobile-centric shows and gain traction with its desired younger, TikTok-loving demographic, despite the surge in screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Sensor Tower, Disney managed to convert a comparable 11 percent of early free trials users, but that was of out of whopping 9.5 million people the firm estimates signed up for Disney Plus in its first three days of availability in the US and Canada. Since then, Disney has added tens of millions more subscribers and now enjoys more than 50 million paying users as of April thanks in part to its international expansion.
Quibi converted just 8 percent of the people who downloaded the app in its first three days
These numbers are not to be confused with the number of current paying subscribers Quibi has. While the company has yet to disclose that all-important figure, it has said that more than 5.6 million people have downloaded the app since April. We don’t know how many people downloaded the app after its first few days and decided to then convert to a paid user after the free trial ended.
Sensor Tower also estimates only 4.5 million have downloaded Quibi in total. The discrepancy between that figure and Quibi’s official one suggests Sensor Tower could also be far off in its estimates of how many users Quibi converted in its first three days. In a statement given to The Verge, a Quibi spokesperson said, “the number of paid subscribers is incorrect by an order of magnitude. To date, over 5.6 million people have downloaded the Quibi app. Our conversion from download to trial is above mobile app benchmarks, and we are seeing excellent conversion to paid subscribers — both among our 90-day free trial sign-ups from April, as well as our 14-day free trial sign-ups from May and June.”
That said, Sensor Tower is a reputable analytics company known for reporting accurate estimates and, in absence of concrete figures from Quibi itself, the picture its report paints of the streaming service’s business is not a rosy one. Sensor Tower’s data also doesn’t account for situations like an iPad user downloading Quibi, even though it’s not optimized for anything but smartphone screens, or users deleting the app and downloading it again or onto a separate device, all situations that may lead to Quibi’s larger total download figure.
Most importantly, the platform doesn’t appear to have shows worth signing up for, like the mind-numbing amount of Netflix content that gets added each month or big pop culture events like Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian. Quibi has no built-in install base, like HBO had for its recent launch of HBO Max, and it’s an open question how long its $1.8 billion war chest will keep it afloat if users don’t show up in greater numbers.


theverge--2020-07-08--Ford employees ask the company to stop making police cars

Employees inside Ford have asked the company ’ s leadership to stop making and selling police vehicles , according to Jalopnik .
In response , Ford CEO Jim Hackett has told employees in a letter that he doesn ’ t think it ’ s “ controversial that the Ford Police Interceptor helps officers do their job ” and that Ford will continue the business .
The internal discussion , which Ford confirmed to The Verge , comes as the country is gripped by national movements for racial justice and against police brutality that were sparked by the killing of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leading automaker in the US when it comes to making and selling specially-designed vehicles for law enforcement , making up some two-thirds of the market .
While it ’ s not a big source of the company ’ s annual revenue ( which was $ 156 billion in 2019 ) , Ford has long maintained that its overall lineup benefits from new technologies that get tested in the police vehicles ( like hybrid electric drivetrains , for example ) .
“ Our resources can and should be diverted to other forms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national protests , though , have inspired some Ford employees to rethink the company ’ s relationship with police .
The issue has been brought up at recent town hall meetings , and now employees — including Black workers who are part of Ford ’ s African Ancestry Network ( FAAN ) employee resource group — have circulated a letter asking the company to “ cease development , production , and sale of all custom police vehicles and products.
” Other employees have since signed onto the letter ( though it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company to take some kind of action by July 15th , according to Jalopnik .
“ Our resources can and should be diverted to other forms of first response and public safety , ” the employees wrote .
The seemingly endless footage of police violence captured across the last few months has caused a reckoning in some industries , especially tech .
Nextdoor stopped a program that allowed users to forward posts to law enforcement .
Amazon even announced it will stop allowing police to use its facial recognition technology for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar pledge .
This all came after employees across the tech industry have spent the last year pushing back against their companies ’ contracts with government agencies , too .
But the same couldn ’ t really be said for the transportation industry ( save for bike companies , which are split on the matter ) , even though some of the most horrific videos to go viral in the last two months featured protestors being run over by Ford police vehicles .
This is one reason why employees inside Ford are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship with police .
“ We can not claim to support the fight against systemic racism while supplying and supporting the very systems that perpetrate violence against Black Americans , ” the group wrote , according to Jalopnik .
Throughout our history , the vehicles that Ford employees design and build have been used as accessories to police brutality and oppression .
We know that while many join , support , or supply law enforcement with good intentions , these racist policing practices that plague our society are historic and systemic — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 70 years — ever since Ford introduced the first-ever police package in 1950 .
As an undeniable part of that history and system , we are long overdue to “ think and act differently ” on our role in racism .
When Hackett publicly addressed the nationwide protests in early June , he said “ [ t ] here are no easy answers , ” and that Ford is “ not interested in superficial actions.
” Hackett said that “ [ t ] his is our moment to lead from the front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just and inclusive culture that our employees deserve.
” But in his internal letter to employees , Hackett defended the company ’ s business of making vehicles for police .
And he argued that Ford ’ s police cars , SUVs , and trucks could make those police officers “ safer and more accountable ” — though without going into detail : The issues plaguing police credibility have nothing to do with the vehicles they ’ re driving .
In fact , as we imagine the future power of our connected vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to not only improve officers ’ ability to protect and serve , but also provide data that can make police safer and more accountable .
Just think , dating back to the Model T , Ford has more than 100 years in serving first responders and that leadership over the decades has been earned by co-developing our purpose-built vehicles and technologies with police and emergency agencies to make our vehicles the number one choice .
Hackett also said that taking away Ford ’ s specially-built vehicles “ would be doing harm to [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it harder for them to do their job.
” “ Again , this is why , given our insights , new capabilities and leadership , I believe these unfortunate circumstances present Ford with an even greater opportunity to not only innovate new solutions but also leverage our unique position to support the dialogue and reform needed to create safer communities for all , ” Hackett wrote .
He wrapped his letter by thanking employees for speaking up , but saying that Ford won ’ t change course .
“ I do appreciate people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue – it helped me generate this note to explain why we are continuing our commitment to police forces all over the world in our trusted products , ” he said .

Employees inside Ford have asked the company’s leadership to stop making and selling police vehicles, according to Jalopnik. In response, Ford CEO Jim Hackett has told employees in a letter that he doesn’t think it’s “controversial that the Ford Police Interceptor helps officers do their job” and that Ford will continue the business.
The internal discussion, which Ford confirmed to The Verge, comes as the country is gripped by national movements for racial justice and against police brutality that were sparked by the killing of George Floyd.
Ford is far and away the leading automaker in the US when it comes to making and selling specially-designed vehicles for law enforcement, making up some two-thirds of the market. While it’s not a big source of the company’s annual revenue (which was $156 billion in 2019), Ford has long maintained that its overall lineup benefits from new technologies that get tested in the police vehicles (like hybrid electric drivetrains, for example).
“Our resources can and should be diverted to other forms of first response and public safety”
The national protests, though, have inspired some Ford employees to rethink the company’s relationship with police. The issue has been brought up at recent town hall meetings, and now employees — including Black workers who are part of Ford’s African Ancestry Network (FAAN) employee resource group — have circulated a letter asking the company to “cease development, production, and sale of all custom police vehicles and products.”
Other employees have since signed onto the letter (though it’s unclear how many) and they want the company to take some kind of action by July 15th, according to Jalopnik. “Our resources can and should be diverted to other forms of first response and public safety,” the employees wrote.
Related Ford asked the government about giving police cars an off switch for mandatory EV noise rule
But the same couldn’t really be said for the transportation industry (save for bike companies, which are split on the matter), even though some of the most horrific videos to go viral in the last two months featured protestors being run over by Ford police vehicles.
This is one reason why employees inside Ford are now arguing that the company should sever its relationship with police. “We cannot claim to support the fight against systemic racism while supplying and supporting the very systems that perpetrate violence against Black Americans,” the group wrote, according to Jalopnik.
They continued:
Throughout our history, the vehicles that Ford employees design and build have been used as accessories to police brutality and oppression. We know that while many join, support, or supply law enforcement with good intentions, these racist policing practices that plague our society are historic and systemic — a history and system perpetuated by Ford for over 70 years — ever since Ford introduced the first-ever police package in 1950. As an undeniable part of that history and system, we are long overdue to “think and act differently” on our role in racism.
When Hackett publicly addressed the nationwide protests in early June, he said “[t]here are no easy answers,” and that Ford is “not interested in superficial actions.” Hackett said that “[t]his is our moment to lead from the front and fully commit to creating the fair, just and inclusive culture that our employees deserve.”
But in his internal letter to employees, Hackett defended the company’s business of making vehicles for police. And he argued that Ford’s police cars, SUVs, and trucks could make those police officers “safer and more accountable” — though without going into detail:
The issues plaguing police credibility have nothing to do with the vehicles they’re driving. In fact, as we imagine the future power of our connected vehicles, smarter Ford vehicles can be used to not only improve officers’ ability to protect and serve, but also provide data that can make police safer and more accountable. Just think, dating back to the Model T, Ford has more than 100 years in serving first responders and that leadership over the decades has been earned by co-developing our purpose-built vehicles and technologies with police and emergency agencies to make our vehicles the number one choice.
Hackett also said that taking away Ford’s specially-built vehicles “would be doing harm to [police officers’] safety and making it harder for them to do their job.”
“Again, this is why, given our insights, new capabilities and leadership, I believe these unfortunate circumstances present Ford with an even greater opportunity to not only innovate new solutions but also leverage our unique position to support the dialogue and reform needed to create safer communities for all,” Hackett wrote.
He wrapped his letter by thanking employees for speaking up, but saying that Ford won’t change course. “I do appreciate people speaking their mind to me on this issue – it helped me generate this note to explain why we are continuing our commitment to police forces all over the world in our trusted products,” he said.


theverge--2020-07-08--Amazon’s Alexa app will soon let you speak commands without pressing the blue button

Amazon is making a small tweak to the Alexa companion app on iOS and Android ; in a few days you ’ ll no longer need to tap the blue Alexa button on your screen to say a voice command , TechCrunch reports .
Unfortunately , the new “ hands-free ” mode apparently only works if you launch the app and continuously keep it open on your phone .
For me , it won ’ t be very useful until I can use Alexa on my iPhone without unlocking and launching it first .
If you really want a phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your phone ’ s voice assistant , Amazon sells a bunch of co-branded “ Alexa-Built In ” smartphones where it partners with Android manufacturers like OnePlus , Motorola and Sony to let you wake Alexa with just your voice .
If you ’ re like me and don ’ t want to ditch your iPhone , you can trick Siri to launch the Alexa app : first say “ Hey Siri , open the Alexa app , ” unlock your iPhone , and then you should be able to ask Alexa to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to touch your iPhone if you ’ ve got Face ID ; just give it a quick glance to unlock .
Hands-free voice commands provide convenience to consumers who multitask or have their hands full in addition giving to people with mobility or motor impairments a more accessible way to use their devices .
On Windows computers , Alexa has been hands-free since last year ; Amazon ’ s Music App also has had a hands-free mode since 2017 , allowing you to ask Alexa to play music using only your voice .

Amazon is making a small tweak to the Alexa companion app on iOS and Android; in a few days you’ll no longer need to tap the blue Alexa button on your screen to say a voice command, TechCrunch reports. Unfortunately, the new “hands-free” mode apparently only works if you launch the app and continuously keep it open on your phone. For me, it won’t be very useful until I can use Alexa on my iPhone without unlocking and launching it first.
If you really want a phone that allows you to use Alexa as your phone’s voice assistant, Amazon sells a bunch of co-branded “Alexa-Built In” smartphones where it partners with Android manufacturers like OnePlus, Motorola and Sony to let you wake Alexa with just your voice. If you’re like me and don’t want to ditch your iPhone, you can trick Siri to launch the Alexa app: first say “Hey Siri, open the Alexa app,” unlock your iPhone, and then you should be able to ask Alexa to do things. You won’t have to touch your iPhone if you’ve got Face ID; just give it a quick glance to unlock. You can also try Damian Mehers’ Voice in a Can app, which lets you to launch the app by saying “Alexa,” but you will need to create a Siri Shortcut.
Hands-free voice commands provide convenience to consumers who multitask or have their hands full in addition giving to people with mobility or motor impairments a more accessible way to use their devices. On Windows computers, Alexa has been hands-free since last year; Amazon’s Music App also has had a hands-free mode since 2017, allowing you to ask Alexa to play music using only your voice.


theverge--2020-07-08--Apple promises to support Thunderbolt on its new ARM Macs

Apple is moving away from Intel ’ s chipsets in favor of its new , custom-designed ARM chips — but the company is promising that it ’ ll still support Intel ’ s Thunderbolt USB-C connectivity standard on new Apple silicon computers , despite the lack of Intel processors .
“ Over a decade ago , Apple partnered with Intel to design and develop Thunderbolt , and today our customers enjoy the speed and flexibility it brings to every Mac .
We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple silicon , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement to The Verge .
While there was some concern that Apple might be losing support for Thunderbolt on its upcoming Macs , the fact that Apple is sticking with the standard makes a lot of sense , given that it had helped develop the original Thunderbolt standard in collaboration with Intel .
“ We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple silicon.
” Despite that collaboration , though , Apple has yet to offer Thunderbolt support on any products outside of Intel-powered Macs — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular , stands out as featuring a regular USB-C port , not a Thunderbolt 3 connector .
Apple ’ s ARM-based Developer Transition Kit also only features standard USB-C ports .
The news comes as Intel detailed its upcoming Thunderbolt 4 standard , which will be based on the USB4 spec standard and which uses the same USB-C connector that Thunderbolt 3 already does today .
Both Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 offer more guaranteed features ( like the ability to power external monitors , or charge laptops ) compared to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re built off of , and offer a consistency that regular USB-C standards can often be sorely lacking in .
Thunderbolt 4 , in particular , offers the same 40 Gbps speeds that Thunderbolt 3 had offered , but adds even stricter hardware requirements for manufacturers : devices will have to be able to support either two 4K displays or one 8K display , and allow for PCIe data transfer speeds of up to 32 Gbps — which should be a boon for external storage and external GPUs .
Apple is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the end of 2020 , and expects to completely transition its product lineup over to its own chips within two years .

Apple is moving away from Intel’s chipsets in favor of its new, custom-designed ARM chips — but the company is promising that it’ll still support Intel’s Thunderbolt USB-C connectivity standard on new Apple silicon computers, despite the lack of Intel processors.
“Over a decade ago, Apple partnered with Intel to design and develop Thunderbolt, and today our customers enjoy the speed and flexibility it brings to every Mac. We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple silicon,” commented an Apple spokesperson, in a statement to The Verge.
While there was some concern that Apple might be losing support for Thunderbolt on its upcoming Macs, the fact that Apple is sticking with the standard makes a lot of sense, given that it had helped develop the original Thunderbolt standard in collaboration with Intel.
“We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple silicon.”
Despite that collaboration, though, Apple has yet to offer Thunderbolt support on any products outside of Intel-powered Macs — Apple’s ARM-based iPad Pro, in particular, stands out as featuring a regular USB-C port, not a Thunderbolt 3 connector. Apple’s ARM-based Developer Transition Kit also only features standard USB-C ports.
The news comes as Intel detailed its upcoming Thunderbolt 4 standard, which will be based on the USB4 spec standard and which uses the same USB-C connector that Thunderbolt 3 already does today. Both Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 offer more guaranteed features (like the ability to power external monitors, or charge laptops) compared to the standard USB 3 and USB4 standards that they’re built off of, and offer a consistency that regular USB-C standards can often be sorely lacking in.
Thunderbolt 4, in particular, offers the same 40 Gbps speeds that Thunderbolt 3 had offered, but adds even stricter hardware requirements for manufacturers: devices will have to be able to support either two 4K displays or one 8K display, and allow for PCIe data transfer speeds of up to 32 Gbps — which should be a boon for external storage and external GPUs.


theverge--2020-07-08--Google reportedly abandoned a cloud computing product for the Chinese market

Google has abandoned plans to develop and launch a cloud computing product designed for the Chinese market , among other politically controversial countries , according to a report from Bloomberg .
The move marks the second high-profile initiative within Google to develop a product for the Chinese market , after the existence of a censored Chinese search product , codenamed “ Dragonfly , ” was revealed in media reports in 2018 and caused a firestorm of controversy until Google reportedly shut it down in December of that year .
This new project is referred to internally as “ Isolated Region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be countries intent on controlling the flow of data within their borders , Bloomberg reports .
The goal was to separate this product from Google ’ s central cloud computing systems and network infrastructure , so as to allow governments or third-party companies to oversee the data moving through without fear it would put the privacy of other Google business customers and individual users in other countries at risk .
This was Google ’ s second high-profile product planned for the Chinese market , after Dragonfly It ’ s unclear if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to G Suite or some other combination of cloud hosting and storage .
Rumors of the project first started back in 2018 , which is when Bloomberg says the initiative first started amid conversations at Google about how to offer cloud computing services in countries like China that often require a government-controlled entity to act as a business partner .
Google decided in January 2019 to momentarily pause the version of the product being tailored for the Chinese market ; Bloomberg says the reasons were due to tensions between the US and China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and existing privacy concerns related to doing business with the Chinese government .
The search giant then shifted the project to focus on other countries in Africa , Europe , and the Middle East .
But in May of this year , the project was canceled in its entirety , in part because of worsening geopolitical relationships between the US and other countries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , among other considerations , the report states .
In a statement to The Verge , Google characterizes its decision to shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and input from government stakeholders in Europe and elsewhere , ” and the company refutes the idea that it was due to geopolitical concerns or the COVID-19 pandemic : We ’ ve seen emerging requirements around adoption of cloud technology from customers and regulatory bodies in many different parts of the world .
We have a comprehensive approach to addressing these requirements that covers the governance of data , operational practices , and survivability of software .
Isolated Region was just one of the paths we explored to address these requirements .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from government stakeholders in Europe and elsewhere is that other approaches we were also actively pursuing offered better outcomes .
Isolated Region was not shut down over geopolitical concerns or the pandemic .
Google does not offer and has not offered cloud platform services inside China , and Google Cloud is not weighing options to offer the Google Cloud Platform in China .
The project wasn ’ t solely about serving countries that censor internet platforms or exercise authoritarian control over the flow of information on personal devices and the web .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also designed to serve European Union countries with strong privacy laws , allowing Google to operate a cloud product within one of those countries by giving oversight of the flow and storage of data to a government authority .
The project was also meant to help maneuver around US laws , like 2018 ’ s controversial Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act , that make it harder for companies like Google to resist government data requests when the data was stored offshore , Bloomberg reports .

Google has abandoned plans to develop and launch a cloud computing product designed for the Chinese market, among other politically controversial countries, according to a report from Bloomberg. The move marks the second high-profile initiative within Google to develop a product for the Chinese market, after the existence of a censored Chinese search product, codenamed “Dragonfly,” was revealed in media reports in 2018 and caused a firestorm of controversy until Google reportedly shut it down in December of that year.
This new project is referred to internally as “Isolated Region,” and the intended customer was to be countries intent on controlling the flow of data within their borders, Bloomberg reports. The goal was to separate this product from Google’s central cloud computing systems and network infrastructure, so as to allow governments or third-party companies to oversee the data moving through without fear it would put the privacy of other Google business customers and individual users in other countries at risk.
This was Google’s second high-profile product planned for the Chinese market, after Dragonfly
It’s unclear if the product was supposed to be an equivalent to G Suite or some other combination of cloud hosting and storage. Rumors of the project first started back in 2018, which is when Bloomberg says the initiative first started amid conversations at Google about how to offer cloud computing services in countries like China that often require a government-controlled entity to act as a business partner.
Google decided in January 2019 to momentarily pause the version of the product being tailored for the Chinese market; Bloomberg says the reasons were due to tensions between the US and China over President Trump’s trade war and existing privacy concerns related to doing business with the Chinese government. The search giant then shifted the project to focus on other countries in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. But in May of this year, the project was canceled in its entirety, in part because of worsening geopolitical relationships between the US and other countries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other considerations, the report states.
In a statement to The Verge, Google characterizes its decision to shut down Isolated Regions as coming from “conversations and input from government stakeholders in Europe and elsewhere,” and the company refutes the idea that it was due to geopolitical concerns or the COVID-19 pandemic:
We’ve seen emerging requirements around adoption of cloud technology from customers and regulatory bodies in many different parts of the world. We have a comprehensive approach to addressing these requirements that covers the governance of data, operational practices, and survivability of software. Isolated Region was just one of the paths we explored to address these requirements. What we learned from customer conversations and input from government stakeholders in Europe and elsewhere is that other approaches we were also actively pursuing offered better outcomes. Isolated Region was not shut down over geopolitical concerns or the pandemic. Google does not offer and has not offered cloud platform services inside China, and Google Cloud is not weighing options to offer the Google Cloud Platform in China.
The project wasn’t solely about serving countries that censor internet platforms or exercise authoritarian control over the flow of information on personal devices and the web. For instance, Bloomberg reports that Isolated Region was also designed to serve European Union countries with strong privacy laws, allowing Google to operate a cloud product within one of those countries by giving oversight of the flow and storage of data to a government authority.


theverge--2020-07-08--Facebook bans Roger Stone after linking him to fake accounts

On Wednesday , Facebook announced that it had removed accounts belonging to Roger Stone , a friend and confidant of President Donald Trump , after having linked them to fake accounts and pages that were active throughout the 2016 election .
The announcement came as part of Facebook ’ s release of its monthly report on disinformation on the platform .
The company connected Stone ’ s Facebook and Instagram accounts with a US-based disinformation network that also had ties to the Proud Boys far-right organization , the company said in a statement Wednesday .
The Proud Boys was founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended right-wing extremist gatherings like the “ Unite the Right ” rally in Charlottesville in 2017 .
Facebook said that it removed 54 accounts , 50 pages , and four Instagram accounts on Thursday for being involved in coordinated inauthentic behavior in the US .
According to the company , the individuals behind these accounts would pretend to be Florida residents and would post and comment on posts in order to amplify them , including material released by WikiLeaks ahead of the 2016 presidential election .
“ We first started looking into this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Proud Boys ’ attempts to return to Facebook after we had designated and banned them from the platform , ” Facebook said in a statement .
“ Our investigation linked this network to Roger Stone and his associates.
” In a statement provided to The New York Times , Stone denied any involvement in coordinated inauthentic behavior on Facebook ’ s platforms .
“ The banning of individuals who may choose to re-post things that I have posted is an even more extraordinary act of inappropriate censorship.
” He continued , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corporate parents of the social media platforms.
” Last November , Stone was convicted in federal court for obstructing a congressional inquiry and lying to investigators while under oath , among other charges , following the special counsel investigation under Robert Mueller .
Throughout Mueller ’ s probe , investigators looked into attempts from Stone throughout the 2016 election to communicate with WikiLeaks .
Stone is expected to go to prison later this month .

On Wednesday, Facebook announced that it had removed accounts belonging to Roger Stone, a friend and confidant of President Donald Trump, after having linked them to fake accounts and pages that were active throughout the 2016 election.
The announcement came as part of Facebook’s release of its monthly report on disinformation on the platform. The company connected Stone’s Facebook and Instagram accounts with a US-based disinformation network that also had ties to the Proud Boys far-right organization, the company said in a statement Wednesday. The Proud Boys was founded by Gavin McInnes, and members have attended right-wing extremist gatherings like the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville in 2017.
Facebook said that it removed 54 accounts, 50 pages, and four Instagram accounts on Thursday for being involved in coordinated inauthentic behavior in the US. According to the company, the individuals behind these accounts would pretend to be Florida residents and would post and comment on posts in order to amplify them, including material released by WikiLeaks ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
“We first started looking into this network as part of our investigation into the Proud Boys’ attempts to return to Facebook after we had designated and banned them from the platform,” Facebook said in a statement. “Our investigation linked this network to Roger Stone and his associates.”
In a statement provided to The New York Times, Stone denied any involvement in coordinated inauthentic behavior on Facebook’s platforms. “The banning of individuals who may choose to re-post things that I have posted is an even more extraordinary act of inappropriate censorship.” He continued, “I will bring immediate legal action against the corporate parents of the social media platforms.”


theverge--2020-07-08--Smart home platform Wink is finally rolling out its controversial subscription program on July 27th

Smart home platform Wink has announced that it ’ ll finally roll out its controversial new $ 4.99-per-month subscription on July 27th , following months of delays .
The subscription will put many of the service ’ s previously free features behind a paywall , including crucial aspects of the service like the ability to update firmware or add new devices .
“ Please know that we have adjusted our timelines since our initial announcement on May 6th to allow users more opportunity to make considerations .
We were able to extend our service so that subscriptions will now begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” reads the latest blog post announcing the delay .
Any users who don ’ t sign up will see their Wink devices severely limited in what they can do going forward .
Customers who don ’ t subscribe will have local access to a list of select devices but will be locked out of almost all of Wink ’ s features , including API support , voice controls , cloud controls , third-party integrations , advanced settings , the ability to add new devices , edit device names , or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hub and Relay hardware .
Wink — which has been owned by Will.i.am ’ s technology company i.am+ since 2017 — was already in trouble when i.am+ started to run out of money in 2019 , The Verge reported .
The announcement of the subscription service on May 6th seemed to confirm that , with Wink noting that “ long term costs and recent economic events have caused additional strain on our business.
” In a later post , Wink claimed that it “ had no other way to continue the Wink service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a paid subscription .
The monthly subscription was originally set to kick on just a week after Wink had announced it on May 13th , although the company has repeatedly pushed back that date : first to May 20th and then a second indefinite delay as it worked to give users more time to consider whether they ’ d like to sign up .
But with the July 27th announcement , it seems that Wink is finally going through with the new monthly fee .

Smart home platform Wink has announced that it’ll finally roll out its controversial new $4.99-per-month subscription on July 27th, following months of delays. The subscription will put many of the service’s previously free features behind a paywall, including crucial aspects of the service like the ability to update firmware or add new devices.
“Please know that we have adjusted our timelines since our initial announcement on May 6th to allow users more opportunity to make considerations. We were able to extend our service so that subscriptions will now begin on Monday, July 27th, 2020,” reads the latest blog post announcing the delay.
Any users who don’t sign up will see their Wink devices severely limited in what they can do going forward. Customers who don’t subscribe will have local access to a list of select devices but will be locked out of almost all of Wink’s features, including API support, voice controls, cloud controls, third-party integrations, advanced settings, the ability to add new devices, edit device names, or even update the firmware for Wink’s Hub and Relay hardware.
The full list of features that will require a Wink subscription to access.
Wink — which has been owned by Will.i.am’s technology company i.am+ since 2017 — was already in trouble when i.am+ started to run out of money in 2019, The Verge reported. The announcement of the subscription service on May 6th seemed to confirm that, with Wink noting that “long term costs and recent economic events have caused additional strain on our business.” In a later post, Wink claimed that it “had no other way to continue the Wink service as it is currently known” without a paid subscription.