theverge--2020-05-11--Newton Mail will be saved by fans after it was saved, and shut down again, by Essential

Newton Mail is returning to life once again under new ownership , marking the unexpected third life for the premium email app .
Newton Mail was originally set to shut down on April 30th after Essential — which previously owned the service — shut down earlier this year .
But in the latest plot twist in the long-running history of the application , instead of shutting down again , Newton Mail has been bought from Essential by a pair of new owners : Maitrik Kataria and Justin Mitchell .
Neither of the two are new to the software space ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over as Newton Mail ’ s new CEO — is a product designer at a software development called Simform , while Mitchell is the founder of the SoFriendly design agency , in addition to running a messaging app called Yac .
The two fully acknowledge in a letter announcing their new ownership that they ’ re not a “ well-funded VC backed company ” or looking for assets to mine .
They ’ re just big fans of Newton Mail ( so much so that Mitchell had actually tried to reach out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down back in 2018 to try to save it himself . )
Newton will still cost $ 50 per year In the short term , the purchase will be business as usual for Newton Mail customers .
The service will still charge $ 50 per year to use , and the same apps will continue to work as they have in the past .
Kataria and Mitchell have big ambitions for the latest reincarnation of Newton Mail , though .
First off , the two are promising that should their attempt at running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ open-source Newton and find a way for self-hosted servers to support the product indefinitely , ” so that customers who continue to rely on ( and pay for ) the service won ’ t be left completely in the lurch .
The two are also promising better communication and customer support for customers — including fixing the bugs and crashes that current plague the software .
After that , the goal is to start rolling out new features “ within three to six months , ” including a new dark mode .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a revamped privacy policy that will help given customers better control over their data and move towards GDPR compliance .
To sweeten the deal for subscribers , the pair is also offering three free months of service for current customers , a 20-percent discount for lapsed subscribers who want to give Newton Mail another shot , and a referral program for new customers .
Originally launched under the name CloudMagic in 2013 as a free alternative to the native Gmail app , the app that would become Newton Mail looked to stand out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ super-fast search .
It would then steadily expand to other platforms ( including Mac , Android , Android Wear and the Apple Watch ) over the years , before relaunching under the new Newton Mail branding in 2016 .
The switch to become Newton Mail would see the comapny ’ s apps overhauled with new features ( like snoozing emails , read reciept support , and the option to schedule emails later ) , and a pricier annual subscription of $ 50 per month .
Despite that new fee , Newton would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like automated inbox sorting and a native Windows 10 app , making it one of the only email applications out there with true cross platform support across Apple , Microsoft , and Google ’ s various operating systems .
It ’ s still really difficult to make money off of email apps Unfortunately , due to the simple fact that it ’ s really difficult to make money off of email applications and services when free options like Outlook , Gmail , Edison , Spark , and any number of other free apps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the service would be shutting down in September 2018 .
Somehow , though , that wasn ’ t the end for Newton : just a few months later , Essential would buy the shuttered email application .
Essential would go on to resurrect Newton Mail in February 2019 — one of the last commercial products that it would offer after the relative flop of its only smartphone , the Essential PH-1 .
The Essential purchase would prove to be a short stay of execution for Newton , however : when Essential announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 2020 , Newton Mail was set to close up shop yet again .
It ’ s hard to say whether or not Kataria and Mitchell will be able to succeed in turning Newton Mail into a viable business where so many others — including original Newton Mail founder Rohit Nadhani , who shut down the service originally after being unable to “ successfully figure out profitability & growth over the long term , ” — have failed .
$ 50 per year is still a big ask for email , and while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks to enact with the new company sound like welcome ones , Newton Mail will likely face an uphill battle to convince customers to take another chance on it .
Still , if there ’ s one thing the seven-year history of Newton Mail has shown , its to never count this particular service out until its truly dead .

Newton Mail is returning to life once again under new ownership, marking the unexpected third life for the premium email app. Newton Mail was originally set to shut down on April 30th after Essential — which previously owned the service — shut down earlier this year. But in the latest plot twist in the long-running history of the application, instead of shutting down again, Newton Mail has been bought from Essential by a pair of new owners: Maitrik Kataria and Justin Mitchell.
Neither of the two are new to the software space; Kataria — who’ll be taking over as Newton Mail’s new CEO — is a product designer at a software development called Simform, while Mitchell is the founder of the SoFriendly design agency, in addition to running a messaging app called Yac. The two fully acknowledge in a letter announcing their new ownership that they’re not a “well-funded VC backed company” or looking for assets to mine. They’re just big fans of Newton Mail (so much so that Mitchell had actually tried to reach out to the company when it had first shut down back in 2018 to try to save it himself.)
Newton will still cost $50 per year
In the short term, the purchase will be business as usual for Newton Mail customers. The service will still charge $50 per year to use, and the same apps will continue to work as they have in the past.
Kataria and Mitchell have big ambitions for the latest reincarnation of Newton Mail, though. First off, the two are promising that should their attempt at running Newton Mail fail, they’ll “open-source Newton and find a way for self-hosted servers to support the product indefinitely,” so that customers who continue to rely on (and pay for) the service won’t be left completely in the lurch.
The two are also promising better communication and customer support for customers — including fixing the bugs and crashes that current plague the software. After that, the goal is to start rolling out new features “within three to six months,” including a new dark mode. The new Newton Mail is also promising a revamped privacy policy that will help given customers better control over their data and move towards GDPR compliance.
To sweeten the deal for subscribers, the pair is also offering three free months of service for current customers, a 20-percent discount for lapsed subscribers who want to give Newton Mail another shot, and a referral program for new customers.
Originally launched under the name CloudMagic in 2013 as a free alternative to the native Gmail app, the app that would become Newton Mail looked to stand out from the crowd with an emphasis on super-fast search. It would then steadily expand to other platforms (including Mac, Android, Android Wear and the Apple Watch) over the years, before relaunching under the new Newton Mail branding in 2016. The switch to become Newton Mail would see the company’s apps overhauled with new features (like snoozing emails, read receipt support, and the option to schedule emails later), and a pricier annual subscription of $50 per year.
Despite that new fee, Newton would continue to grow, adding interesting new functionality like automated inbox sorting and a native Windows 10 app, making it one of the only email applications out there with true cross platform support across Apple, Microsoft, and Google’s various operating systems.
It’s still really difficult to make money off of email apps
Unfortunately, due to the simple fact that it’s really difficult to make money off of email applications and services when free options like Outlook, Gmail, Edison, Spark, and any number of other free apps exist, Newton founder Rohit Nadhani announced that the service would be shutting down in September 2018.
Somehow, though, that wasn’t the end for Newton: just a few months later, Essential would buy the shuttered email application. Essential would go on to resurrect Newton Mail in February 2019 — one of the last commercial products that it would offer after the relative flop of its only smartphone, the Essential PH-1. The Essential purchase would prove to be a short stay of execution for Newton, however: when Essential announced that it would be shutting down in February 2020, Newton Mail was set to close up shop yet again.
It’s hard to say whether or not Kataria and Mitchell will be able to succeed in turning Newton Mail into a viable business where so many others — including original Newton Mail founder Rohit Nadhani, who shut down the service originally after being unable to “successfully figure out profitability & growth over the long term” — have failed.
Fifty dollars per year is still a big ask for an email app that just accesses existing services, and while the changes and improvements that the duo looks to enact with the new company sound like welcome ones, Newton Mail will likely face an uphill battle to convince customers to take another chance on it. Still, if there’s one thing the seven-year history of Newton Mail has shown, its to never count this particular service out until its truly dead.


theverge--2020-05-11--Shanghai Disneyland reopens with mandatory face masks and social distancing

Mickey Mouse has returned to Disneyland : capitalism is healing .
After shutting its parks and resorts worldwide in March , Disney is starting to restart what is a core part of its business .
The company is beginning with the Shanghai Disney Resort , which began admitting visitors this week for the first time since January .
The park is operating under a slew of new healthy and safety measures , though , the most significant of which is a cap on visitor numbers .
A maximum of 24,000 people will be allowed to enter each day , representing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s regular capacity .
On the ground reports suggest much fewer guests than this showed up on on the first day , and that the mood was somewhat muted , as masked visitors were greeted by costumed cast members ( Disney ’ s term for staff ) shouting welcomes in both English and Chinese .
A number of new safety measures have been introduced in the park to keep workers and visitors safe .
Masks are now mandatory for all guests , and new bins have been dotted around the resort to dispose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their temperature taken on arrival and be able to show show an all-clear green QR code from Shanghai ’ s official diagnostic app .
Queues and rides also incorporate social-distancing measures , with purple mats placed on the ground to show visitors how far apart to stand , and alternate rows left empty on rollercoasters .
Seats and safety bars are regularly disinfected , while some interactive rides ( like the blaster-wielding Buzz Lightyear ’ s Planet Rescue ) now require disposable gloves .
“ We have a very dedicated team of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of [ ... ] throughout the park that are constantly wiping down all the surfaces , ” the SVP of operations at the resort , Andrew Bolstein , told CNN .
“ We ’ ll be able to strike that right balance between the safety and health and confident side , and then the magic that we ’ re able to deliver every day.
” Most notably , a staple of Disneyland resorts — meet-and-greets with costumed cast members — have been modified : characters can now only pose with visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the park ’ s more spectacular attractions , including parades , theater shows , and firework displays , have also been suspended to avoid a build-up of crowds .
The success of these measures will be closely watched by Disney executives , investors , and staff alike as a litmus test for future reopenings .
Some 43,000 park staff have been furloughed just from Walt Disney World in Florida , and the closure of parks is estimated to have cost the company $ 1 billion in operating income .
Disney has not indicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s possible that resorts in the US will be next .
Shanghai Disney reopened gradually , with a nearby shopping mall containing Nike , Starbucks , and Lego stores opening in March , reports The New York Times .
In what could be a similar sequence , the shopping mall in Florida ’ s Walt Disney World , Disney Springs , begins phased reopening on May 20th with limitations on visitor numbers .
Joe Schott , general manager of the Shanghai resort , said the reopening was going smoothly .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , very respectful about social distancing , ” Schott told the NYT .
“ It has been an emotional morning , ” he said , but “ [ t ] here is light at the end of the tunnel .
”

Mickey Mouse has returned to Disneyland: capitalism is healing.
After shutting its parks and resorts worldwide in March, Disney is starting to restart what is a core part of its business. The company is beginning with the Shanghai Disney Resort, which began admitting visitors this week for the first time since January.
The park is operating under a slew of new healthy and safety measures, though, the most significant of which is a cap on visitor numbers. A maximum of 24,000 people will be allowed to enter each day, representing around 30 percent of the park’s regular capacity.
On the ground reports suggest much fewer guests than this showed up on on the first day, and that the mood was somewhat muted, as masked visitors were greeted by costumed cast members (Disney’s term for staff) shouting welcomes in both English and Chinese.
Social distancing measures in place at Disneyland Shanghai. Photo by Hector Retamal / AFP via Getty Images
A number of new safety measures have been introduced in the park to keep workers and visitors safe. Masks are now mandatory for all guests, and new bins have been dotted around the resort to dispose of old masks safely. Guests must have their temperature taken on arrival and be able to show show an all-clear green QR code from Shanghai’s official diagnostic app.
Queues and rides also incorporate social-distancing measures, with purple mats placed on the ground to show visitors how far apart to stand, and alternate rows left empty on rollercoasters. Seats and safety bars are regularly disinfected, while some interactive rides (like the blaster-wielding Buzz Lightyear’s Planet Rescue) now require disposable gloves.
The re-opening is a litmus test for Disney’s parks worldwide. Photo by Hector Retamal / AFP via Getty Images
“We have a very dedicated team of custodial cleaners that we’ve increased the number of [...] throughout the park that are constantly wiping down all the surfaces,” the SVP of operations at the resort, Andrew Bolstein, told CNN. “We’ll be able to strike that right balance between the safety and health and confident side, and then the magic that we’re able to deliver every day.”
Most notably, a staple of Disneyland resorts — meet-and-greets with costumed cast members — have been modified: characters can now only pose with visitors for photos at distance. Many of the park’s more spectacular attractions, including parades, theater shows, and firework displays, have also been suspended to avoid a build-up of crowds.
Disney superfans were among the first to return to the parks. Photo by Hector Retamal / AFP via Getty Images
The success of these measures will be closely watched by Disney executives, investors, and staff alike as a litmus test for future reopenings. Some 43,000 park staff have been furloughed just from Walt Disney World in Florida, and the closure of parks is estimated to have cost the company $1 billion in operating income.
Disney has not indicated when other parks might reopen, but it’s possible that resorts in the US will be next. Shanghai Disney reopened gradually, with a nearby shopping mall containing Nike, Starbucks, and Lego stores opening in March, reports The New York Times. In what could be a similar sequence, the shopping mall in Florida’s Walt Disney World, Disney Springs, begins phased reopening on May 20th with limitations on visitor numbers.


theverge--2020-05-11--Qualcomm announces new Snapdragon 768G 5G processor

The first phones with Qualcomm ’ s Snapdragon 765 processor are just starting to trickle out , but that isn ’ t stopping the company from announcing an upgraded version today called the Snapdragon 768G , which offers better CPU and GPU performance than its predecessor .
The original 765G was announced back in December alongside the standard Snapdragon 765 and the flagship Snapdragon 865 .
The two 765 processors were notable in being Qualcomm ’ s first chipsets to feature integrated 5G modems .
( The Snapdragon 865 , while including 5G by default , requires a separate cellular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regular 765 and the 765G was the addition of a Qualcomm Adreno 620 GPU , which the company promised would offer up to 20 percent improved performance over the standard Snapdragon 765 .
Qualcomm says that it ’ s managed to improve that GPU performance by an additional 15 percent on the 768G , in addition to improving the clock speed on the CPU up to 2.8GHz from 2.4GHz ( for a similar 15 percent improvement over the 765G ) .
Other aspects of the 768G are the same as its predecessor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Snapdragon X52 modem with support for both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G as well as compatibility with both standalone and non-standalone 5G networks .
Like the original 765G , the 768G is meant mainly for devices that look to offer improved gaming experiences .
It ’ ll make its debut on the Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition , which was also announced today .

The first phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765 processor are just starting to trickle out, but that isn’t stopping the company from announcing an upgraded version today called the Snapdragon 768G, which offers better CPU and GPU performance than its predecessor.
The original 765G was announced back in December alongside the standard Snapdragon 765 and the flagship Snapdragon 865. The two 765 processors were notable in being Qualcomm’s first chipsets to feature integrated 5G modems. (The Snapdragon 865, while including 5G by default, requires a separate cellular modem.)
15 percent faster CPU and GPU performance
The main difference between the regular 765 and the 765G was the addition of a Qualcomm Adreno 620 GPU, which the company promised would offer up to 20 percent improved performance over the standard Snapdragon 765. Qualcomm says that it’s managed to improve that GPU performance by an additional 15 percent on the 768G, in addition to improving the clock speed on the CPU up to 2.8GHz from 2.4GHz (for a similar 15 percent improvement over the 765G).
Other aspects of the 768G are the same as its predecessor. It’ll feature an integrated Snapdragon X52 modem with support for both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G as well as compatibility with both standalone and non-standalone 5G networks.


theverge--2020-05-11--Slack’s new iPhone app hits the App Store ahead of official launch

Slack announced a redesigned iPhone app with a new navigation bar at the bottom of the app in update notes today .
However , it seems the redesign is still rolling out , even if you ’ ve updated to the latest version of the app — myself and another Verge colleague don ’ t have it yet , for example .
The new look appears to bring the iPhone app in line with the Android redesign that rolled out on May 5th .
“ Previously , it was complicated to get to the four main things people do on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ App Store update notes .
“ We ’ ve fixed this with a new nifty navigation bar at the bottom of the app containing : a Home view for your sidebar , DMs , ( still listed most recent first ) , Mentions ( for quickly catching up ) , and You ( because you ’ re great ) ( and also because setting your status/preferences on mobile needed to be easier ) .
” Here are some screenshots from the App Store of what the redesign looks like : The update also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places throughout the app as well as the ability to order your channels in the “ Home ” tab , much like how you can order your channels in Slack ’ s recent desktop redesign .
You may also have to re-adjust some of your muscle memory when using the app , as some of the swiping behaviors have changed .
“ Now , swiping right will reveal your workspace and preferences , and swiping left will get you back to the last conversation you were in , ” Slack says in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the iPhone version of the app , meaning the iPad version remains the same for now .
If you don ’ t have the redesign yet , it seems likely the update will be available more broadly soon , since Slack has laid out all of the new features of the update in the App Store already .

Slack announced a redesigned iPhone app with a new navigation bar at the bottom of the app in update notes today. However, it seems the redesign is still rolling out, even if you’ve updated to the latest version of the app — myself and another Verge colleague don’t have it yet, for example.
The new look appears to bring the iPhone app in line with the Android redesign that rolled out on May 5th. “Previously, it was complicated to get to the four main things people do on mobile,” Slack said in the App Store update notes. “We’ve fixed this with a new nifty navigation bar at the bottom of the app containing: a Home view for your sidebar, DMs, (still listed most recent first), Mentions (for quickly catching up), and You (because you’re great) (and also because setting your status/preferences on mobile needed to be easier).”
Here are some screenshots from the App Store of what the redesign looks like:
Image: Slack
The update also adds a floating compose button in many places throughout the app as well as the ability to order your channels in the “Home” tab, much like how you can order your channels in Slack’s recent desktop redesign. You may also have to re-adjust some of your muscle memory when using the app, as some of the swiping behaviors have changed. “Now, swiping right will reveal your workspace and preferences, and swiping left will get you back to the last conversation you were in,” Slack says in the update notes. The update appears specific to the iPhone version of the app, meaning the iPad version remains the same for now.


theverge--2020-05-11--Twitch is now selling digital gift cards

Twitch is now selling official gift cards you can use to buy items on the popular streaming platform , the @ @ @ @ @ being a free service , Twitch offers a number of ways you can spend money @ @ @ @ @ channels and paying for Twitch ’ s “ Bits ” virtual currency , and the @ @ @ @ @ put towards those purchases .
You can buy the gift cards here .
They ’ @ @ @ @ @ , $ 50 , $ 100 , and $ 200 denominations , and they can @ @ @ @ @ text message .
You can only get them digitally at the moment , but they @ @ @ @ @ Best Buy and GameStop “ soon , ” according to Twitch ’ s announcement blog @ @ @ @ @ only available to US residents for now , but “ we are looking to offer @ @ @ @ @ , ” according to Twitch .

Twitch is now selling official gift cards you can use to buy items on the popular streaming platform, the company announced today . Despite being a free service, Twitch offers a number of ways you can spend money, including buying subscriptions to channels and paying for Twitch’s “Bits” virtual currency, and the new gift cards can be put towards those purchases.
You can buy the gift cards here. They’re available in $25, $50, $100, and $200 denominations, and they can be sent over email or text message. You can only get them digitally at the moment, but they’ll be available at Best Buy and GameStop “soon,” according to Twitch’s announcement blog. They’re also only available to US residents for now, but “we are looking to offer them in other countries soon,” according to Twitch.


theverge--2020-05-11--Quibi will add sharing features as the app struggles to find subscribers

To say that Quibi is off to a disastrous start would be an understatement .
Co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg attributes “ everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus , ” he told The New York Times in a new interview published on Monday .
But Katzenberg is hopeful that rolling out new features will help , including giving subscribers the ability to share content from Quibi shows on social media .
When Quibi launched at the beginning of April , the app blocked sharing to platforms like Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , and Reddit .
Now , Katzenberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure Quibi is “ less walled off from the internet.
” People will eventually be able to share Quibi content on social media , but there ’ s no estimated time frame for when that feature will become available .
“ There are a whole bunch of things we have now seen in the product that we thought we got mostly right , ” Katzenberg said , “ but now that there are hundreds of people on there using it , you go , ‘ Uh-oh , we didn ’ t see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t take screenshots inside the app .
Although that restriction isn ’ t unique to Quibi ( Netflix and Disney Plus deal with the same problem in their mobile apps ) , without a desktop version of the app for people to watch Quibi shows on , the only way for people to share scenes was to use another phone to record the episode playing .
So that ’ s what people did , managing in some cases to go viral .
It ’ s unclear if people will be able to screenshot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of clips from the app to various social media apps .
The Verge has reached out for more information .
“ There are a whole bunch of things we have now seen in the product that we thought we got mostly right ” Another feature coming to Quibi ’ s iOS app this week is the ability to stream shows and “ movies-in-chapters ” on TV screens .
There ’ s no further explanation for how people will do this — considering the feature is rolling out to iOS first , the implication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AirPlay .
Android users might have to wait a bit longer for Chromecast support .
The bigger-screen experience was always part of the plan , but CEO Meg Whitman has admitted in the past that if they knew COVID-19 was going to happen , they might have launched with the feature .
It ’ s also unclear if or how the “ turnstyle ” technology — the bread-and-butter behind Quibi ’ s pitch to subscribers that orients videos based on how you hold your phone — will work if it ’ s playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be rotated .
Right now , the goal seems to be getting more people talking about and watching Quibi : social media can help turn Quibi shows into viral memes ( see : Netflix ’ s Tiger King ) , and allowing people to watch shows on their television gives subscribers another viewing choice .
Quibi currently has about 3.5 million app downloads and 1.3 million active users , according to Katzenberg .
That ’ s a far cry from Disney Plus ’ nearly 55 million subscribers and YouTube ’ s more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of which use the app on their phone .
Quibi isn ’ t available globally ( like YouTube ) and doesn ’ t have a library of popular intellectual property ( like Disney ) , which makes growth more difficult .
Its shows haven ’ t received positive reviews , and interest in the streaming service has plummeted since its initial launch on April 6th .
Comparatively , most other streaming services have seen an uptick in views .
People don ’ t seem interested in Quibi , and that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Whether the novel coronavirus is entirely to blame , as Katzenberg suggested , is questionable .
Industry insiders argued before Quibi ’ s launch that it would be difficult trying to sell a product in a highly competitive market that didn ’ t seem like it was particularly needed .
But Katzenberg acknowledged the team is far from happy with the results .
“ Is it the avalanche of people that we wanted and were going for out of launch ?
” Katzenberg told the Times .
“ The answer is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we wanted .
It ’ s not close to what we wanted .
”

To say that Quibi is off to a disastrous start would be an understatement. Co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg attributes “everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus,” he told The New York Times in a new interview published on Monday. But Katzenberg is hopeful that rolling out new features will help, including giving subscribers the ability to share content from Quibi shows on social media.
When Quibi launched at the beginning of April, the app blocked sharing to platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit. Now, Katzenberg and the team are working on ways to ensure Quibi is “less walled off from the internet.” People will eventually be able to share Quibi content on social media, but there’s no estimated time frame for when that feature will become available.
(Disclosure: Vox Media is partnered with Quibi on two shows and there are discussions for a Verge show in the future.)
“There are a whole bunch of things we have now seen in the product that we thought we got mostly right,” Katzenberg said, “but now that there are hundreds of people on there using it, you go, ‘Uh-oh, we didn’t see that.’”
People also couldn’t take screenshots inside the app. Although that restriction isn’t unique to Quibi (Netflix and Disney Plus deal with the same problem in their mobile apps), without a desktop version of the app for people to watch Quibi shows on, the only way for people to share scenes was to use another phone to record the episode playing. So that’s what people did, managing in some cases to go viral. It’s unclear if people will be able to screenshot or if Quibi will allow direct sharing of clips from the app to various social media apps. The Verge has reached out for more information.
“There are a whole bunch of things we have now seen in the product that we thought we got mostly right”
Another feature coming to Quibi’s iOS app this week is the ability to stream shows and “movies-in-chapters” on TV screens. There’s no further explanation for how people will do this — considering the feature is rolling out to iOS first, the implication would be that it’s using AirPlay. Android users might have to wait a bit longer for Chromecast support. The bigger-screen experience was always part of the plan, but CEO Meg Whitman has admitted in the past that if they knew COVID-19 was going to happen, they might have launched with the feature.
It’s also unclear if or how the “turnstyle” technology — the bread-and-butter behind Quibi’s pitch to subscribers that orients videos based on how you hold your phone — will work if it’s playing on a television set, which cannot be rotated.
Right now, the goal seems to be getting more people talking about and watching Quibi: social media can help turn Quibi shows into viral memes (see: Netflix’s Tiger King), and allowing people to watch shows on their television gives subscribers another viewing choice. Quibi currently has about 3.5 million app downloads and 1.3 million active users, according to Katzenberg.
That’s a far cry from Disney Plus’ nearly 55 million subscribers and YouTube’s more than 2 billion monthly users, 70 percent of which use the app on their phone. Quibi isn’t available globally (like YouTube) and doesn’t have a library of popular intellectual property (like Disney), which makes growth more difficult.
Its shows haven’t received positive reviews, and interest in the streaming service has plummeted since its initial launch on April 6th. Comparatively, most other streaming services have seen an uptick in views. People don’t seem interested in Quibi, and that’s the issue Katzenberg is trying to fix. Whether the novel coronavirus is entirely to blame, as Katzenberg suggested, is questionable. Industry insiders argued before Quibi’s launch that it would be difficult trying to sell a product in a highly competitive market that didn’t seem like it was particularly needed.


theverge--2020-05-11--Motorola’s foldable Razr gets some new features with its Android 10 update

Motorola is rolling out the Android 10 update for the foldable Razr and adding a host of new features for the external “ Quick View ” display and some new visual customization options for icons .
The bulk of the changes are in new features for the external display , which can now display Google Maps directions even when the phone is closed , do video calls using the main camera ( which is still not great , but is better than the internal one ) , and respond to text messages with a full keyboard ( instead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are also better music controls and new swiping gestures to quickly access your favorite contacts or the camera .
Also new in the update are better customization options with new themes — a feature Motorola added to its software with the recently released Motorola Edge Plus — that allows for changing the style of icons , fonts , and colors for the Android OS .
Unfortunately , none of these additions can help with the larger issues plaguing the Razr , like the extremely high $ 1,500 price , the unreliable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , poor camera , or lackluster battery life .
Motorola also promised in today ’ s announcement that the Razr will get a second Android OS update ( to Android 11 ) sometime in the future — good news for anyone who actually bought one .

Motorola is rolling out the Android 10 update for the foldable Razr and adding a host of new features for the external “Quick View” display and some new visual customization options for icons.
The bulk of the changes are in new features for the external display, which can now display Google Maps directions even when the phone is closed, do video calls using the main camera (which is still not great, but is better than the internal one), and respond to text messages with a full keyboard (instead of the canned responses it had previously offered). There are also better music controls and new swiping gestures to quickly access your favorite contacts or the camera.
Also new in the update are better customization options with new themes — a feature Motorola added to its software with the recently released Motorola Edge Plus — that allows for changing the style of icons, fonts, and colors for the Android OS.
Unfortunately, none of these additions can help with the larger issues plaguing the Razr, like the extremely high $1,500 price, the unreliable folding display, concerns about long-term durability, poor camera, or lackluster battery life.
Motorola also promised in today’s announcement that the Razr will get a second Android OS update (to Android 11) sometime in the future — good news for anyone who actually bought one.


theverge--2020-05-11--How big should Joe Biden be

How big should Joe Biden be

No one knows exactly what the Democratic National Convention will look like this year , with social distancing restrictions still in place in Wisconsin and across the country .
It ’ s already been moved to the end of the summer , and top Democrats like Nancy Pelosi have suggested holding it in a gigantic empty stadium to curb the spread of disease .
But Monday , Lis Smith , former advisor for the Pete Buttigieg campaign , touted a new idea that I ’ m quite fond of : replicating Travis Scott ’ s April Fortnite performance but with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Stefan Smith , who did digital work for Pete Buttigieg , cited the other day how Travis Scott ’ s takeover of Fortnite ... that was a really creative way to think about it , ” Lis Smith said Monday .
“ If we could do that with Joe Biden — Joe Biden projected against the Grand Canyon .
That might be a little bit ambitious , but we could have exclusive musical content from some of the biggest musical artists in the game at these , driving eyeballs to these conventions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That might be a little ambitious ” “ That might be a little ambitious ” is right .
But Smith raises important questions about virtual participation in coalition building and the mechanisms of democracy .
She then answers those questions with the tantalizing possibility of a gigantic hologram of Joe Biden .
But if Biden is really going to heal the fractures within the Democratic Party and deliver on his promise of a post-Trump future for America , he ’ ll have a lot of work to do — and his hologram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s going to do it .
Because the convention is a national event , I wanted to figure out how big Biden would have to be for every person in the continental US to see him .
To calculate this number , we ’ re assuming that the average Big Biden viewer is around five feet , six inches , using 2.871848 miles as our measurement for distance to the Earth ’ s horizon , and the distance from Arizona to Maine has 3,000 miles .
Plug these numbers into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Big Biden would need to be around 1,000 miles tall for folks in Maine to see the top of his head , according to Jason Evans , a mechanical engineer who answered my cold call on Twitter .
If we increase that another 400 or so miles , the upper half of his body should broadly be viewable .
Double it , and they ’ d see his entire body ; 1,400 miles of Biden would total to around 255 Mount Everests stacked on top of each other .
Holograms don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden coming in at 215 pounds would multiply to 258 million pounds , according to the Verge ’ s executive editor , TC Sottek .
That ’ s a big Biden .
If we wanted to place him in the geographic center of the US , which is roughly found in Kansas , Big Biden would need to be around 1,400 miles tall for his head to meet the Earth ’ s horizon .
Another 400 miles and folks would be able to see his face from Hawaii .
That might seem excessive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than is necessary .
Putting Biden in Fortnite would be relatively manageable but would do nothing to pull in the Facebook “ empathy mom ” voter base that the campaign is so focused on recruiting .
Moms , largely , don ’ t play Fortnite .
But they do look outside , and a Travis Scott-style appearance from an immense and looming Biden hologram could generate the kind of buzz that money simply can ’ t buy .
In conclusion , creating Big Biden would be an enormous undertaking by the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @

No one knows exactly what the Democratic National Convention will look like this year, with social distancing restrictions still in place in Wisconsin and across the country. It’s already been moved to the end of the summer, and top Democrats like Nancy Pelosi have suggested holding it in a gigantic empty stadium to curb the spread of disease. But Monday, Lis Smith, former advisor for the Pete Buttigieg campaign, touted a new idea that I’m quite fond of: replicating Travis Scott’s April Fortnite performance but with a gigantic hologram of Joe Biden.
“Stefan Smith, who did digital work for Pete Buttigieg, cited the other day how Travis Scott’s takeover of Fortnite... that was a really creative way to think about it,” Lis Smith said Monday. “If we could do that with Joe Biden — Joe Biden projected against the Grand Canyon. That might be a little bit ambitious, but we could have exclusive musical content from some of the biggest musical artists in the game at these, driving eyeballs to these conventions so that people could watch them.”
“That might be a little ambitious”
“That might be a little ambitious” is right. But Smith raises important questions about virtual participation in coalition building and the mechanisms of democracy. She then answers those questions with the tantalizing possibility of a gigantic hologram of Joe Biden. But if Biden is really going to heal the fractures within the Democratic Party and deliver on his promise of a post-Trump future for America, he’ll have a lot of work to do — and his hologram will need to be very large if he’s going to do it.
Because the convention is a national event, I wanted to figure out how big Biden would have to be for every person in the continental US to see him. To calculate this number, we’re assuming that the average Big Biden viewer is around five feet, six inches, using 2.871848 miles as our measurement for distance to the Earth’s horizon, and the distance from Arizona to Maine has 3,000 miles. Plug these numbers into the equation laid out in this GitHub calculator, and Big Biden would need to be around 1,000 miles tall for folks in Maine to see the top of his head, according to Jason Evans, a mechanical engineer who answered my cold call on Twitter.
GIF: Makena Kelly
If we increase that another 400 or so miles, the upper half of his body should broadly be viewable. Double it, and they’d see his entire body; 1,400 miles of Biden would total to around 255 Mount Everests stacked on top of each other. Holograms don’t weigh anything, but six-foot Biden coming in at 215 pounds would multiply to 258 million pounds, according to the Verge’s executive editor, TC Sottek. That’s a big Biden.
If we wanted to place him in the geographic center of the US, which is roughly found in Kansas, Big Biden would need to be around 1,400 miles tall for his head to meet the Earth’s horizon. Another 400 miles and folks would be able to see his face from Hawaii.
That might seem excessive, but it’s no less than is necessary. Putting Biden in Fortnite would be relatively manageable but would do nothing to pull in the Facebook “empathy mom” voter base that the campaign is so focused on recruiting. Moms, largely, don’t play Fortnite. But they do look outside, and a Travis Scott-style appearance from an immense and looming Biden hologram could generate the kind of buzz that money simply can’t buy.


theverge--2020-05-11--Elon Musk defies coronavirus order and asks to be arrested

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that he ’ s reopening his company ’ s car factory in California in violation of a local shelter-in-place order , as The Verge previously reported .
Musk said he ’ ll be on the company ’ s production line this week .
“ If anyone is arrested , I ask that it only be me , ” he wrote .
Musk spent parts of the weekend railing against the order , which was put in place in mid-March by Alameda County officials in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 .
The order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from performing anything other than the most minimal operations , like processing payroll .
After initially fighting the order , Tesla shut down the factory on March 23rd .
Musk has argued that the statewide stay-at-home order put in place by governor Gavin Newsom left room for Tesla ’ s auto manufacturing plant to remain open , and Musk had Tesla file a lawsuit against the county on Saturday in protest .
On Monday , Newsom said that the state has had “ very constructive conversations ” with the county officials and Tesla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could open up “ as early as next week.
” Alameda County supervisor Scott Haggerty told The New York Times this past weekend that the county and Tesla had been close to an agreement to reopen the factory on May 18th , but that was before Musk lashed out and filed the lawsuit on Saturday .
Tesla started making cars over the weekend , as The Verge reported earlier on Monday , and told all of the employees that it placed on furlough to get ready to go back to work .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home if they feel uncomfortable , but have to take unpaid leave in order to do so .
( Tesla cashed out many employees ’ paid leave after extending the furlough last month . )
Other automakers like Ford and General Motors are scheduled to get their US manufacturing back up and running later this month .
Some of those automakers wanted to open earlier , but faced resistance from the United Auto Workers union , which represents their workforces .
Alameda County finally responded late Monday , saying that it expects Tesla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later today ” for reopening the factory , and that it “ look [ s ] forward to reviewing Tesla ’ s plan and coming to agreement on protocol and a timeline to reopen safely ” — despite Musk already saying he would reopen the factory , and the fact that the company is already making cars .
“ Today , May 11 , we learned that the Tesla factory in Fremont had opened beyond Minimum Basic Operations .
We have notified Tesla that they can only maintain Minimum Basic Operations until we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented in accordance with the local public health Order , ” the county said .

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that he’s reopening his company’s car factory in California in violation of a local shelter-in-place order, as The Verge previously reported. Musk said he’ll be on the company’s production line this week. “If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me,” he wrote.
Musk spent parts of the weekend railing against the order, which was put in place in mid-March by Alameda County officials in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The order restricted all but “essential businesses” from performing anything other than the most minimal operations, like processing payroll. After initially fighting the order, Tesla shut down the factory on March 23rd.
Musk has argued that the statewide stay-at-home order put in place by governor Gavin Newsom left room for Tesla’s auto manufacturing plant to remain open, and Musk had Tesla file a lawsuit against the county on Saturday in protest. On Monday, Newsom said that the state has had “very constructive conversations” with the county officials and Tesla representatives and that he hoped the company could open up “as early as next week.”
Alameda County supervisor Scott Haggerty told The New York Times this past weekend that the county and Tesla had been close to an agreement to reopen the factory on May 18th, but that was before Musk lashed out and filed the lawsuit on Saturday.
Tesla started making cars over the weekend, as The Verge reported earlier on Monday, and told all of the employees that it placed on furlough to get ready to go back to work. Those employees have been told they can stay home if they feel uncomfortable, but have to take unpaid leave in order to do so. (Tesla cashed out many employees’ paid leave after extending the furlough last month.) Other automakers like Ford and General Motors are scheduled to get their US manufacturing back up and running later this month. Some of those automakers wanted to open earlier, but faced resistance from the United Auto Workers union, which represents their workforces.
Alameda County finally responded late Monday, saying that it expects Tesla to provide a “a site-specific plan later today” for reopening the factory, and that it “look[s] forward to reviewing Tesla’s plan and coming to agreement on protocol and a timeline to reopen safely” — despite Musk already saying he would reopen the factory, and the fact that the company is already making cars.


theverge--2020-05-11--The maker of the failed iBackPack agrees to never use crowdfunding again

Doug Monahan , the creator of the failed iBackPack crowdfunding project , is settling with the Federal Trade Commission and has agreed to never crowdfund again .
The agreement , filed today , comes after more than a year of back-and-forth between the agency and Monahan , who served as his own lawyer in the case .
The FTC sued Monahan over claims that he misused the nearly $ 800,000 he raised on Kickstarter and Indiegogo to bring the backpacks to life and instead spent the money on personal expenses and bitcoin .
The settlement expresses that Monahan doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched on Indiegogo in 2015 and again on Kickstarter in 2016 .
Monahan billed it as a bag of the future that would “ revolutionize ” wearers ’ lives .
They ’ d be able to charge all their gadgets from the backpack , which also featured a built-in gun sleeve , Kevlar , RFID-blocking pockets , a Bluetooth speaker , and a mobile hotspot for a portable Wi-Fi connection .
Thousands of people funded the bags across the two platforms .
Monahan told The Verge last year that he turned to crowdfunding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kickstarter ’ s most notorious , failed gadgets : a cooler with a Bluetooth speaker , USB chargers , and a built-in blender .
It raised over $ 13 million on Kickstarter and later sparked its own state investigation for failing to deliver units .
“ I saw the Coolest Cooler , and I ’ m thinking , ‘ Jesus , if people are going to give $ 14 million to a cooler for crying out loud that they only use every weekend , maybe , then what do they need ?
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a backpack .
Everybody uses backpacks … I never in my wildest dreams thought I ’ d get $ 800,000 and have the FTC breathing down my neck calling me a lying , cheating , scumbag thief.
” Five years after first launching his campaign , few backers have received a bag .
Monahan shipped a few beta units , but the vast majority of backers never got anything for the money they pledged .
The backers organized themselves in a Facebook group with the mission of getting refunds and tracking down Monahan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with the Better Business Bureau , and dug into his past and dropped everything they found , like tax liens , his address , and his favorite Austin restaurant , in the Facebook group .
It resulted in the FTC suing Monahan .
In May 2019 , the agency alleged that Monahan was operating a “ deceptive crowdfunding scheme ” and had “ used much of the funds for himself.
” Monahan claims he did nothing wrong , and that businesses simply fail sometimes .
He also blamed lithium-ion batteries and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The iBackPack saga occurred around that time , and Monahan said he didn ’ t feel comfortable shipping the batteries because someone could have died .
In an interview with The Verge earlier this year , Monahan said he was considering a settlement so long as he had permission to eventually ship the backpacks to his backers .
Today ’ s settlement stipulates that he ’ s allowed to do so , but without asking for more money from the backers or using crowdfunding .
The settlement also suggests that backers won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backpacks .
The monetary judgment of $ 797,502.20 is suspended , the settlement states , so long as Monahan accurately represented his financial status to the agency .
The judge still has to sign off on this settlement , but both parties have agreed to it .
This settlement also ensures that Monahan keeps the agency aware of his whereabouts and retains records related to his businesses for the next 20 years .
This makes iBackPack the second crowdfunding campaign to ever settle with the FTC .
The agency only once before investigated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised more than $ 122,000 for a board game and later sold backers ’ data to outside firms .
The game never shipped .
The FTC settled with Chevalier for close to $ 112,000 and ordered him to stop disclosing or benefitting from customers ’ personal information .
Monahan ’ s case will likely serve as a point of reference for crowdfunding gone bad .
Many times , crowdfunded gadgets don ’ t ship or are delayed for years , but few reach the point where the FTC feels like it should and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and justice .

Doug Monahan, the creator of the failed iBackPack crowdfunding project, is settling with the Federal Trade Commission and has agreed to never crowdfund again. The agreement, filed today, comes after more than a year of back-and-forth between the agency and Monahan, who served as his own lawyer in the case. The FTC sued Monahan over claims that he misused the nearly $800,000 he raised on Kickstarter and Indiegogo to bring the backpacks to life and instead spent the money on personal expenses and bitcoin. The settlement expresses that Monahan doesn’t agree to any wrongdoing.
iBackPack launched on Indiegogo in 2015 and again on Kickstarter in 2016. Monahan billed it as a bag of the future that would “revolutionize” wearers’ lives. They’d be able to charge all their gadgets from the backpack, which also featured a built-in gun sleeve, Kevlar, RFID-blocking pockets, a Bluetooth speaker, and a mobile hotspot for a portable Wi-Fi connection. Thousands of people funded the bags across the two platforms.
Monahan told The Verge last year that he turned to crowdfunding after seeing the success of one of Kickstarter’s most notorious, failed gadgets: a cooler with a Bluetooth speaker, USB chargers, and a built-in blender. It raised over $13 million on Kickstarter and later sparked its own state investigation for failing to deliver units.
Photo by Marie De Jesus for The Verge
“I saw the Coolest Cooler, and I’m thinking, ‘Jesus, if people are going to give $14 million to a cooler for crying out loud that they only use every weekend, maybe, then what do they need?’” he asks. “They need a backpack. Everybody uses backpacks … I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d get $800,000 and have the FTC breathing down my neck calling me a lying, cheating, scumbag thief.”
Five years after first launching his campaign, few backers have received a bag. Monahan shipped a few beta units, but the vast majority of backers never got anything for the money they pledged. The backers organized themselves in a Facebook group with the mission of getting refunds and tracking down Monahan. The backers contacted the FTC, along with the Better Business Bureau, and dug into his past and dropped everything they found, like tax liens, his address, and his favorite Austin restaurant, in the Facebook group.
It resulted in the FTC suing Monahan. In May 2019, the agency alleged that Monahan was operating a “deceptive crowdfunding scheme” and had “used much of the funds for himself.” Monahan claims he did nothing wrong, and that businesses simply fail sometimes. He also blamed lithium-ion batteries and the recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The iBackPack saga occurred around that time, and Monahan said he didn’t feel comfortable shipping the batteries because someone could have died.
In an interview with The Verge earlier this year, Monahan said he was considering a settlement so long as he had permission to eventually ship the backpacks to his backers. Today’s settlement stipulates that he’s allowed to do so, but without asking for more money from the backers or using crowdfunding. The settlement also suggests that backers won’t receive a refund for their backpacks. The monetary judgment of $797,502.20 is suspended, the settlement states, so long as Monahan accurately represented his financial status to the agency.
Photo by Marie De Jesus for The Verge
The judge still has to sign off on this settlement, but both parties have agreed to it. This settlement also ensures that Monahan keeps the agency aware of his whereabouts and retains records related to his businesses for the next 20 years.
This makes iBackPack the second crowdfunding campaign to ever settle with the FTC. The agency only once before investigated a creator, Erik Chevalier, who raised more than $122,000 for a board game and later sold backers’ data to outside firms. The game never shipped. The FTC settled with Chevalier for close to $112,000 and ordered him to stop disclosing or benefitting from customers’ personal information.


theverge--2020-05-11--Tesla has already started making cars again at its California factory

Tesla began making cars again at its Fremont , California plant over the weekend despite an ongoing battle with local officials about whether it should remain closed during the pandemic , The Verge has learned .
The company called back some of its workers and has completed around 200 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles , according to two current employees who spoke to The Verge on the condition of anonymity .
This all happened as CEO Elon Musk threatened on Twitter to move Tesla ’ s operations out of state and sued Alameda County over its stay-home order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were placed on furlough last month , according to an email viewed by The Verge .
The company had previously only told certain workers to report back to the factory later this week , as was reported by Business Insider .
After this article was published , Musk tweeted that Tesla is reopening in violation of Alameda County ’ s order and said he ’ ll work on the production line .
“ If anyone is arrested , I ask that it only be me , ” he wrote .
Tesla quietly started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it sued Alameda County Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
After this article was published , Alameda County ’ s Public Health Department issued a statement saying that it is waiting for Tesla to submit a plan on how it will reopen the factory , and says it has told Tesla it can only keep minimum operations running until that plan is approved .
Tesla ’ s Fremont factory has been closed since March 23rd , one week after Alameda County issued the initial stay-home order , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California issued a statewide version .
The company had spent that intervening time trying to convince local officials that it should be allowed to keep making its electric cars because of Department of Homeland Security guidance that auto manufacturing is “ national critical infrastructure.
” Alameda County officials said in a statement on Saturday that they were “ communicating directly and working closely with the Tesla team on the ground in Fremont , ” and that the company was engaged in “ a collaborative , good faith effort to develop and implement a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting the health and well-being of the thousands of employees who travel to and from work at Tesla ’ s factory.
” But the county officials said they had still not reached an agreement with the company on whether it could reopen its factory .
At the same time that the officials released their statement , Tesla sued the county over the stay-home order .
Musk also threatened to move Tesla out of California because the plant would not reopen , and urged Tesla supporters on Twitter to “ please voice your disagreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Alameda County supervisor Scott Haggerty told The New York Times over the weekend that health officials and Tesla had been close to an agreement to reopen the plant on May 18th before Musk lashed out on Saturday .
“ We were working on a lot of policies and procedures to help operate that plant and quite frankly , I think Tesla did a pretty good job , and that ’ s why I had it to the point where on May 18 , Tesla would have opened , ” Haggerty said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ But he wanted it this week.
” Musk has repeatedly underplayed the threat of COVID-19 .
He told SpaceX workers in March that they were more likely to die in a car crash , and later said on Twitter that he believed there would be “ close to zero ” new cases in the US by the end of April .
( Car crashes are not contagious , and more than 20,000 new cases have been confirmed every day in recent weeks . )
He ’ s also called the nationwide stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ’ s constitutional rights .
The workers who spoke to The Verge described difficult decisions they made about whether or not they should report in this week as their employer and CEO wages a public battle with local officials .
Since they are both hourly workers , they won ’ t be paid if they stay home .
If they do go in , they will make less than they used to thanks to recent company-wide pay cuts .
And while Tesla previously told its employees that they can use paid time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home if they feel uncomfortable coming in , the company recently cashed out many of those workers ’ remaining PTO days because of the extended furlough .
“ It ’ s either we feed our families or go hungry at this point , ” said one , who decided to go into the factory .
The other is staying home .
“ I love my job personally , just tired of feeling like a chess piece , ” this person said .
They also said they wouldn ’ t feel safe assembling cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
“ We get lured in by the ‘ Tesla Dream ’ of saving the planet only to get treated so poorly that even though I love my job , I ’ m not willing to risk my health for him.
” Update May 11th , 3:49PM ET : Added new information from Elon Musk ’ s tweet about Tesla reopening .
Update May 11th , 5:42PM ET : Added new information about statement from Alameda County .

Tesla began making cars again at its Fremont, California plant over the weekend despite an ongoing battle with local officials about whether it should remain closed during the pandemic, The Verge has learned. The company called back some of its workers and has completed around 200 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles, according to two current employees who spoke to The Verge on the condition of anonymity. This all happened as CEO Elon Musk threatened on Twitter to move Tesla’s operations out of state and sued Alameda County over its stay-home order.
Tesla is also calling back workers that were placed on furlough last month, according to an email viewed by The Verge. The company had previously only told certain workers to report back to the factory later this week, as was reported by Business Insider. After this article was published, Musk tweeted that Tesla is reopening in violation of Alameda County’s order and said he’ll work on the production line. “If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me,” he wrote.
Tesla quietly started production back up the same day that it sued Alameda County
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After this article was published, Alameda County’s Public Health Department issued a statement saying that it is waiting for Tesla to submit a plan on how it will reopen the factory, and says it has told Tesla it can only keep minimum operations running until that plan is approved.
Tesla’s Fremont factory has been closed since March 23rd, one week after Alameda County issued the initial stay-home order, and a few days after the governor of California issued a statewide version. The company had spent that intervening time trying to convince local officials that it should be allowed to keep making its electric cars because of Department of Homeland Security guidance that auto manufacturing is “national critical infrastructure.”
Alameda County officials said in a statement on Saturday that they were “communicating directly and working closely with the Tesla team on the ground in Fremont,” and that the company was engaged in “a collaborative, good faith effort to develop and implement a safety plan that allows for reopening while protecting the health and well-being of the thousands of employees who travel to and from work at Tesla’s factory.”
But the county officials said they had still not reached an agreement with the company on whether it could reopen its factory. At the same time that the officials released their statement, Tesla sued the county over the stay-home order. Musk also threatened to move Tesla out of California because the plant would not reopen, and urged Tesla supporters on Twitter to “please voice your disagreement as strongly as possible with Alameda County.”
Alameda County supervisor Scott Haggerty told The New York Times over the weekend that health officials and Tesla had been close to an agreement to reopen the plant on May 18th before Musk lashed out on Saturday.
“We were working on a lot of policies and procedures to help operate that plant and quite frankly, I think Tesla did a pretty good job, and that’s why I had it to the point where on May 18, Tesla would have opened,” Haggerty said. “I know Elon knew that. But he wanted it this week.”
Musk has called the stay-at-home orders “fascist”
The workers who spoke to The Verge described difficult decisions they made about whether or not they should report in this week as their employer and CEO wages a public battle with local officials. Since they are both hourly workers, they won’t be paid if they stay home. If they do go in, they will make less than they used to thanks to recent company-wide pay cuts. And while Tesla previously told its employees that they can use paid time off (PTO) days to stay home if they feel uncomfortable coming in, the company recently cashed out many of those workers’ remaining PTO days because of the extended furlough.
“It’s either we feed our families or go hungry at this point,” said one, who decided to go into the factory.
The other is staying home. “I love my job personally, just tired of feeling like a chess piece,” this person said. They also said they wouldn’t feel safe assembling cars right now because it requires such close-quarters work. “We get lured in by the ‘Tesla Dream’ of saving the planet only to get treated so poorly that even though I love my job, I’m not willing to risk my health for him.”
Update May 11th, 3:49PM ET: Added new information from Elon Musk’s tweet about Tesla reopening.


theverge--2020-05-11--Buy your quarantine snacks directly from PepsiCo’s new websites

PepsiCo , the insanely big multinational food and beverage giant , wants in on the direct-to-consumer action : they ’ @ @ @ @ @ good ) domain Snacks.com and the ( fine ) domain PantryShop.com to sell you things @ @ @ @ @ reported , the company saw a 10 percent bump in its earnings last month because @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
Concurrently , however , the situation has meant a lot of shopping @ @ @ @ @ — and PepsiCo has realized there ’ s more money to be made with fewer @ @ @ @ @ re just selling directly to the public .
Snacks.com will feature more than 100 Frito-Lay @ @ @ @ @ offer meal kit-esque bundles of snacks — think Gatorade and Sun Chips .
As FastCompany @ @ @ @ @ these new websites “ should arrive within two business days , ” which is very @ @ @ @ @ hoping employers around the country get it together enough to cover their employees ’ snacking @ @ @ @ @ to office snacks is out of the question for the foreseeable future .

PepsiCo, the insanely big multinational food and beverage giant, wants in on the direct-to-consumer action: they’ve bought the (incredibly good) domain Snacks.com and the (fine) domain PantryShop.com to sell you things faster.
As Fast Company reported, the company saw a 10 percent bump in its earnings last month because people were stocking up during the pandemic. Concurrently, however, the situation has meant a lot of shopping is now moving entirely online — and PepsiCo has realized there’s more money to be made with fewer market disruptions if they’re just selling directly to the public.


theverge--2020-05-11--PowerWash Simulator is an oddly satisfying game that lets you clean filthy houses

Sunday morning , I woke up feeling productive and decided to pull the hose out and give the house a good wash , cleaning the gunk and grime that littered the front porch and blasting away dirt stains that had changed the color of the roof .
It was relaxing , particularly because I was not doing this hard labor myself — I was in front of my gaming PC , playing a demo of PowerWash Simulator by FuturLab .
The game has you assume the role of a professional with your own power washing business .
You ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a home , from the front door to the porch .
Even the garage door and its accompanying driveway need a good washing .
There ’ s no winning or losing .
You receive feedback from the client when the job is done , a before and after picture to show the impact of your work , and a recap on how many gallons of water you used .
Attention to detail is key .
It does not focus so much on how quickly you clean , but rather how successful you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even when a spot looks clean , you will need to keep washing until you get the on-screen notification that a particular spot on the house is cleansed .
A hint feature can show you which portion of the specific area you may have missed , such as cracks on the sidewalk .
One of the challenges you ’ ll face is how you want to clean the house : choosing the right nozzle will determine how much surface area you cover , and some are better for certain situations .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dirt , the red one is ideal for removing dirt from small areas such as the balusters on porch railings , while the orange hose provides a balance between the two in terms of size .
I found myself using all three of the nozzles to effectively clean every nook and cranny , but there ’ s replay value to be had in seeing how you tackle certain areas with different tools .
The game is slated to launch this fall on Steam via Early Access .
However , due to the novel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early demo on itch.io “ because frankly , we thought folks could do with a relaxing stress reliever right now !
” the team writes on their website .
Although the current build is just a demo that lasts one to two hours ( I clocked in just over an hour on my first run ) , PowerWash Simulator is a palate cleanser game .
The risks are not high , but games don ’ t always need to be ; it ’ s a feel-good game that will surely help someone relieve @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Sunday morning, I woke up feeling productive and decided to pull the hose out and give the house a good wash, cleaning the gunk and grime that littered the front porch and blasting away dirt stains that had changed the color of the roof. It was relaxing, particularly because I was not doing this hard labor myself — I was in front of my gaming PC, playing a demo of PowerWash Simulator by FuturLab.
The game has you assume the role of a professional with your own power washing business. You’ll need to clean an entire exterior of a home, from the front door to the porch. Even the garage door and its accompanying driveway need a good washing.
Attention to detail is key
There’s no winning or losing. You receive feedback from the client when the job is done, a before and after picture to show the impact of your work, and a recap on how many gallons of water you used.
Attention to detail is key. It does not focus so much on how quickly you clean, but rather how successful you are in cleaning each portion of the house. Even when a spot looks clean, you will need to keep washing until you get the on-screen notification that a particular spot on the house is cleansed. A hint feature can show you which portion of the specific area you may have missed, such as cracks on the sidewalk.
One of the challenges you’ll face is how you want to clean the house: choosing the right nozzle will determine how much surface area you cover, and some are better for certain situations. The yellow nozzle covers a large amount of dirt, the red one is ideal for removing dirt from small areas such as the balusters on porch railings, while the orange hose provides a balance between the two in terms of size. I found myself using all three of the nozzles to effectively clean every nook and cranny, but there’s replay value to be had in seeing how you tackle certain areas with different tools.
I hope she leaves me a glowing review on Yelp.
The game is slated to launch this fall on Steam via Early Access. However, due to the novel coronavirus, FuturLab decided to release an early demo on itch.io “because frankly, we thought folks could do with a relaxing stress reliever right now!” the team writes on their website.


theverge--2020-05-12--Windows and macOS still haven’t found the right balance for managing apps

I ’ m reviewing two very different computers right now : the new 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro and the new 2020 Surface Go 2 .
You can click the links in the previous sentences for some first impressions and if you ’ ve got specific questions for the review , feel free to email me and I 'll do my best to address as many as I can later this week .
These are very different computers because the MacBook is powerful and meant for “ pros ” ( whatever that means anymore ) and the Surface Go is itty-bitty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are out and about ( whatever that means anymore ) .
They also have different answers to the age-old question , “ where does the computer go in a computer ?
” For the Mac , it ’ s under the keyboard ; for the Surface , it ’ s behind the screen .
( The Surface Book 3 has an even more interesting answer : both .
And yes , for those of you who listened to the Vergecast last week , I have heard you and do believe there really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) But I ’ m just as interested in something they share : their attempts to bring their desktop operating systems into the modern era of what I ’ ll call “ Managed Operating Systems.
” I ’ ve written and made videos about this before , so you may know where this is going : I ’ m fascinated by the spectrum that runs from the iPhone and iPad on one end to wild and woolly open PCs on the other end .
The “ managed ” systems roughly include those iOS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ re more tightly controlled , tend to have their native apps installed via an app store , and tend to have their updates applied as automatically as possible .
That ’ s not to say operating systems like macOS or Windows 10 are unmanaged , of course , but they ’ ve historically tended to be a little more open .
Linux , of course , is yet more open .
And app makers have been , well , a little greedy when it comes to taking advantage of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Activity Monitor and peruse your active processes and you may find things running that you don ’ t expect .
Both Windows and macOS have lots of little corners where apps can put themselves without showing up in your official list of apps that run at startup .
Some of those apps even re-install their startup daemons every time you use them , even if you ’ ve manually removed them .
Which is probably part of the reason why both Apple and Microsoft have been experimenting with ways to more tightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catalina represents a big shift in how often apps have to ask you permission to do stuff they could previously do freely — leading to Windows Vista Syndrome .
After a certain point , you just click “ yes ” on the box without really reading what it ’ s asking or thinking about its implications — assuming you could even understand what they are .
Catalina also wants to shame or scare you whenever you try to run an app you ’ ve installed from someplace other than the Mac App Store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of confusion and vexation about Apple ’ s policies towards app notarization .
As for Windows , Microsoft seemingly tries something different every year .
Most recently , there ’ s been an “ S Mode ” that only allows you to install apps from Microsoft ’ s app store .
Those apps theoretically follow more modern rules for what they can do in the background , leading to a better experience .
In practice , though , Microsoft ’ s app store lacks very common apps that you ’ ll definitely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mode is easy and nearly instantaneous .
so I expect a lot of people do .
I am glad that I can jump right on past these restrictions on both platforms .
When I do , I get a much more robust set of capabilities .
And , also , more problems .
On both platforms , the most noticeable hassle is on longevity .
I see a hit on battery life that ’ s somewhere between “ Huh I feel unsettled that something is draining my battery faster than it should ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have I done ?
I need to spend the next two days hunting down this battery drain.
” ( Yes , in both cases my first move was to stop using the Chrome browser ) .
Finding the right balance between managed and unmanaged operating systems is very difficult .
Keep things too locked down and people will complain that your computer can ’ t let them do “ real work ” — myself included !
Open things up too much and Adobe , Google , and god-knows-who will keep their stuff running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to tighten the screws a little on a previously-open OS and what you ’ ll get is many — perhaps most — users just loosening them .
I ’ m guilty of it !
But the whole point of running a machine with Windows , macOS , or Linux is to be able to do things and run apps that simply don ’ t work on ChromeOS or iPadOS .
S Mode on Windows is a bit like suddenly seeing a fence erected in your path as you ’ re trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Catalina ’ s permission dialogs are like warning signs that don ’ t exactly explain what the real danger is .
Sure , you know both might be for your own good as the trail ahead is treacherous — but you still want to get where you ’ re going .
So you jump the fence and walk the treacherous path .
They ’ re all or nothing kinds of fixes .
Instead of a fence blocking the path , I ’ d like guardrails along it .
I ’ d like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give me the option to use the power I need while tamping down on the worst excesses of the apps that provide that power .
I ’ d like to free up the part of my brain that stores the checklist of places to poke at when I think my computer is running slow or hot .
I don ’ t think Catalina or S Mode get that balance quite right — but I am genuinely glad both companies are trying to figure it out .
There ’ s always next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft seems to be taking yet another crack at it with Windows 10X .
We do n't know Apple ’ s plans yet , but given that the OS Catalina is most often compared to is Windows Vista , you have to assume some changes are coming .
┏ The best laptop you can buy ┏ HP Elite Dragonfly ( 2020 ) review : recycled in the right ways ┏ MacBook Pro 13-inch : come for the keyboard , stay for the performance ┏ Samsung ’ s Galaxy A51 has two good things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price .
Here ’ s my review of the Galaxy A51 , Samsung ’ s attempt to take on the iPhone SE .
┏ Tesla has already started making cars again at its California factory .
Quite the scoop from Sean O ’ Kane .
┏ Elon Musk defies coronavirus order and asks to be arrested ┏ The maker of the failed iBackPack agrees to never use crowdfunding again .
Ashley Carman : ┏ Xbox Series X Optimized games promise 4K up to 120fps , ray tracing , and fast load times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ optimized ” badge could mean , well , any number of things .
Unfortunately , when the time comes you will probably need to do a bit of research to figure out what next-gen features the game you ’ re buying actually supports : ┏ Watch the first Xbox Series X gameplay footage , showing off ray-tracing and graphics of the next-gen console .
The games look pretty , though !
┏ Here are the first 13 games optimized for the Xbox Series X ┏ These 11 new games will get free upgrades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Verge ┏ The new class of CEOs at Verizon , AT & T and T-Mobile .
We ’ re down to three big carriers now in the US , and all three of them have new leaders .
Julia Alexander and Chris Welch profile them .
┏ Google unifies all of its messaging and communication apps into a single team ┏ It ’ s already getting too hot and humid in some places for humans to survive

I’m reviewing two very different computers right now: the new 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro and the new 2020 Surface Go 2. You can click the links in the previous sentences for some first impressions and if you’ve got specific questions for the review, feel free to email me and I'll do my best to address as many as I can later this week.
These are very different computers because the MacBook is powerful and meant for “pros” (whatever that means anymore) and the Surface Go is itty-bitty and meant to maximize portability for when you are out and about (whatever that means anymore).
They also have different answers to the age-old question, “where does the computer go in a computer?” For the Mac, it’s under the keyboard; for the Surface, it’s behind the screen. (The Surface Book 3 has an even more interesting answer: both. And yes, for those of you who listened to the Vergecast last week, I have heard you and do believe there really are people who separate the screen.)
But I’m just as interested in something they share: their attempts to bring their desktop operating systems into the modern era of what I’ll call “Managed Operating Systems.” I’ve written and made videos about this before, so you may know where this is going: I’m fascinated by the spectrum that runs from the iPhone and iPad on one end to wild and woolly open PCs on the other end.
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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The “managed” systems roughly include those iOS devices, Chrome OS, and Android. They’re more tightly controlled, tend to have their native apps installed via an app store, and tend to have their updates applied as automatically as possible. That’s not to say operating systems like macOS or Windows 10 are unmanaged, of course, but they’ve historically tended to be a little more open. Linux, of course, is yet more open.
And app makers have been, well, a little greedy when it comes to taking advantage of that openness. Wander into your Task Manager or Activity Monitor and peruse your active processes and you may find things running that you don’t expect. Both Windows and macOS have lots of little corners where apps can put themselves without showing up in your official list of apps that run at startup. Some of those apps even re-install their startup daemons every time you use them, even if you’ve manually removed them.
Which is probably part of the reason why both Apple and Microsoft have been experimenting with ways to more tightly manage their desktop operating systems.
macOS Catalina represents a big shift in how often apps have to ask you permission to do stuff they could previously do freely — leading to Windows Vista Syndrome. After a certain point, you just click “yes” on the box without really reading what it’s asking or thinking about its implications — assuming you could even understand what they are. Catalina also wants to shame or scare you whenever you try to run an app you’ve installed from someplace other than the Mac App Store. There’s also quite a lot of confusion and vexation about Apple’s policies towards app notarization.
As for Windows, Microsoft seemingly tries something different every year. Most recently, there’s been an “S Mode” that only allows you to install apps from Microsoft’s app store. Those apps theoretically follow more modern rules for what they can do in the background, leading to a better experience. In practice, though, Microsoft’s app store lacks very common apps that you’ll definitely want to use. Turning off S Mode is easy and nearly instantaneous. so I expect a lot of people do.
I am glad that I can jump right on past these restrictions on both platforms. When I do, I get a much more robust set of capabilities. And, also, more problems.
On both platforms, the most noticeable hassle is on longevity. I see a hit on battery life that’s somewhere between “Huh I feel unsettled that something is draining my battery faster than it should” and “Oh my dear god what have I done? I need to spend the next two days hunting down this battery drain.” (Yes, in both cases my first move was to stop using the Chrome browser).
Finding the right balance between managed and unmanaged operating systems is very difficult. Keep things too locked down and people will complain that your computer can’t let them do “real work” — myself included! Open things up too much and Adobe, Google, and god-knows-who will keep their stuff running the background.
Most of all: try to tighten the screws a little on a previously-open OS and what you’ll get is many — perhaps most — users just loosening them. I’m guilty of it! But the whole point of running a machine with Windows, macOS, or Linux is to be able to do things and run apps that simply don’t work on ChromeOS or iPadOS.
S Mode on Windows is a bit like suddenly seeing a fence erected in your path as you’re trying to hike down a trail. And all of Catalina’s permission dialogs are like warning signs that don’t exactly explain what the real danger is. Sure, you know both might be for your own good as the trail ahead is treacherous — but you still want to get where you’re going. So you jump the fence and walk the treacherous path. They’re all or nothing kinds of fixes.
Instead of a fence blocking the path, I’d like guardrails along it. I’d like to believe that it’s possible to give me the option to use the power I need while tamping down on the worst excesses of the apps that provide that power. I’d like to free up the part of my brain that stores the checklist of places to poke at when I think my computer is running slow or hot.
I don’t think Catalina or S Mode get that balance quite right — but I am genuinely glad both companies are trying to figure it out.
There’s always next year. Or this year, actually. Microsoft seems to be taking yet another crack at it with Windows 10X. We don't know Apple’s plans yet, but given that the OS Catalina is most often compared to is Windows Vista, you have to assume some changes are coming.
Gadget news and reviews
┏ Samsung’s Galaxy A51 has two good things going for it: the screen and the price. Here’s my review of the Galaxy A51, Samsung’s attempt to take on the iPhone SE.
Meltdown May
┏ Tesla has already started making cars again at its California factory. Quite the scoop from Sean O’Kane.
┏ The maker of the failed iBackPack agrees to never use crowdfunding again. Ashley Carman:
Doug Monahan, the creator of the failed iBackPack crowdfunding project, is settling with the Federal Trade Commission and has agreed to never crowdfund again. The agreement, filed today, comes after more than a year of back-and-forth between the agency and Monahan, who served as his own lawyer in the case.
Xbox Series X
┏ Xbox Series X Optimized games promise 4K up to 120fps, ray tracing, and fast load times. Tom Warren explains that this “optimized” badge could mean, well, any number of things. Unfortunately, when the time comes you will probably need to do a bit of research to figure out what next-gen features the game you’re buying actually supports:
Optimized games will take advantage of Xbox Series X features like 4K resolution at up to 120fps, DirectStorage, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and faster load times. The optimized badge means titles will have been tweaked, in some way, by developers for the new console.
More from The Verge
┏ The new class of CEOs at Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. We’re down to three big carriers now in the US, and all three of them have new leaders. Julia Alexander and Chris Welch profile them.
Justine Calma:


theverge--2020-05-12--How anyone can videoconference with Google Meet

In a likely effort to stop the videoconferencing powerhouse that is Zoom , Google has expanded its Meet communications app to be available to anyone with a Gmail account ( previously , it had only been open to those with for-pay G Suite or education accounts ) .
You will be able to meet with up to 100 people and there is currently no time limit ; after September 30th , meetings will be limited to 60 minutes .
You don ’ t have to do anything to get the app : it automatically appears in your Gmail app as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the left-hand column , right below your list of categories .
As is Google ’ s habit , it is slowly rolling out the app to Gmail users over the next few weeks : a colleague with Gmail reported that he got the app last week , and I found it sitting in my Gmail account over the weekend , but at least one colleague reported this morning that she still hasn ’ t gotten it in her Gmail account .
However , if you can ’ t wait , you can go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you do see the “ Meet ” section in your desktop Gmail , you ’ ll find that your new videoconferencing app is actually very convenient and simple to use .
• To start a video session , click on “ Start a meeting ” just below the “ Meet ” subhead .
( If you ’ ve received an invitation to someone else ’ s Meet session , you can click on “ Join a meeting ” and copy in the meeting code that you were emailed . )
• You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a preview video window on the left .
On the right , below the words “ Meeting ready ” you ’ ll find the link address for your meeting .
You can copy and send that to other participants .
Click on “ Join now ” to start the meeting .
• If you want to begin the meeting with a presentation , click on “ Present ” instead of “ Join Now.
” You ’ ll be given a choice of which of the open windows on your computer to present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presentation later , there will be an icon at the bottom of our window to let you switch . )
• After selecting “ Join Now , ” a pop-up window will give you a chance to send an invitation to your participants .
When you ’ re done , exit the window to start the meeting .
• When any of your guests want to join , you ’ ll receive a notification ; you can select “ Admit ” or “ Deny entry.
” Google Meet has a very clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have the same number of features that apps like Zoom do ( for example , you can ’ t record a session ) , there are several useful options .
• You can choose one of three different layouts in which to view the participants by clicking the three dots in the corner and selecting “ Change layout.
” You can choose between sidebar ( where the speaker is in a large window and the others are in thumbnails ) ; spotlight ( where you only see the speaker ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only available if you have at least three people in your meeting .
And you won ’ t be included in the tiles ; your own video image is minimized in the tiled layout .
• By clicking on “ Turn on captions ” at the bottom of the screen , you can use Google ’ s captioning feature to show what each person is saying .
• And , of course , you can mute your audio or turn off your video by using icons at the bottom of the screen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the participants in your meeting and to chat with them .
On the top right of your window , you ’ ll see a button with people and chat icons on it ; click on that to open a side window with two tabs .
• The contacts tab lets you see the names of all the attendees ; click on the arrow on the right of each entry , and a drop-down menu will let you pin the person to your main window , mute them , or remove them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lets you chat to everyone or to individuals who are in your meeting .
To end a meeting , either click on the red telephone icon at the bottom of the window or just remove the tab .
Gmail isn ’ t the only place you ’ ll find the new app — when you schedule a meeting using Google Calendar , you ’ ll now find a new button to “ Add Google Meet video conferencing.
” As you can imagine , the process for creating a video meeting is simple .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll get an opportunity to copy the web address of the meeting .
You can also add guests from your Google Contacts list or type in their email addresses .
If you add guests , you can then email them invitations to the meeting .
The emails will only include all the information about the meeting and allow them to send a reply ( Yes / Maybe / No ) or suggest an alternative time .
If you want to take advantage of your new access to Meet on your phone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Apple ’ s App Store .
In addition , if you use Google ’ s Calendar app , you ’ ll now see an “ Add video conferencing ” selection when you create an event .
Click on that , and all you ’ ll see is “ Google Meet : Video conferencing details added ” — the address of your meeting will be included in the final schedule entry .
Google is obviously trying to avoid some of the security problems that Zoom suffered back in April , when its relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way into meetings .
The safeguards that the company cites include : • The code for each meeting is different and randomized .
• Each new participant has to be individually approved by the host and can be muted or removed at any time .
• All users must have a Gmail account .
• And finally , according to Google , “ Meet video meetings are encrypted in transit , and all recordings stored in Google Drive are encrypted in transit and at rest .
”

In a likely effort to stop the videoconferencing powerhouse that is Zoom, Google has expanded its Meet communications app to be available to anyone with a Gmail account (previously, it had only been open to those with for-pay G Suite or education accounts). You will be able to meet with up to 100 people and there is currently no time limit; after September 30th, meetings will be limited to 60 minutes.
You don’t have to do anything to get the app: it automatically appears in your Gmail app as a small “Meet” section in the left-hand column, right below your list of categories. As is Google’s habit, it is slowly rolling out the app to Gmail users over the next few weeks: a colleague with Gmail reported that he got the app last week, and I found it sitting in my Gmail account over the weekend, but at least one colleague reported this morning that she still hasn’t gotten it in her Gmail account. However, if you can’t wait, you can go to meet.google.com to try it out.
The new Meet link will appear in Gmail’s left-hand column.
If you do see the “Meet” section in your desktop Gmail, you’ll find that your new videoconferencing app is actually very convenient and simple to use.
Use Meet with Gmail
To start a video session, click on “Start a meeting” just below the “Meet” subhead. (If you’ve received an invitation to someone else’s Meet session, you can click on “Join a meeting” and copy in the meeting code that you were emailed.)
You’ll get a new browser window with a preview video window on the left. On the right, below the words “Meeting ready” you’ll find the link address for your meeting. You can copy and send that to other participants. Click on “Join now” to start the meeting.
Click on “Join now” to start your meeting.
If you want to begin the meeting with a presentation, click on “Present” instead of “Join Now.” You’ll be given a choice of which of the open windows on your computer to present. (If you want to do a presentation later, there will be an icon at the bottom of our window to let you switch.)
After selecting “Join Now,” a pop-up window will give you a chance to send an invitation to your participants. When you’re done, exit the window to start the meeting.
When any of your guests want to join, you’ll receive a notification; you can select “Admit” or “Deny entry.”
You can admit or deny entry to each participant.
Google Meet has a very clean and easy-to-understand interface. While it doesn’t have the same number of features that apps like Zoom do (for example, you can’t record a session), there are several useful options.
You can choose one of three different layouts in which to view the participants by clicking the three dots in the corner and selecting “Change layout.” You can choose between sidebar (where the speaker is in a large window and the others are in thumbnails); spotlight (where you only see the speaker), and tiled. Note that tiled is only available if you have at least three people in your meeting. And you won’t be included in the tiles; your own video image is minimized in the tiled layout.
You can turn on captions or show a presentation by using icons at the bottom of the window.
By clicking on “Turn on captions” at the bottom of the screen, you can use Google’s captioning feature to show what each person is saying.
And, of course, you can mute your audio or turn off your video by using icons at the bottom of the screen.
There is also a way to monitor all the participants in your meeting and to chat with them. On the top right of your window, you’ll see a button with people and chat icons on it; click on that to open a side window with two tabs.
The contacts tab lets you see the names of all the attendees; click on the arrow on the right of each entry, and a drop-down menu will let you pin the person to your main window, mute them, or remove them from the meeting.
The chat tab lets you chat to everyone or to individuals who are in your meeting.
You can chat with or monitor your participants in the right-hand column.
To end a meeting, either click on the red telephone icon at the bottom of the window or just remove the tab.
Use Meet with Google Calendar
Gmail isn’t the only place you’ll find the new app — when you schedule a meeting using Google Calendar, you’ll now find a new button to “Add Google Meet video conferencing.” As you can imagine, the process for creating a video meeting is simple.
Click on the button, and you’ll get an opportunity to copy the web address of the meeting. You can also add guests from your Google Contacts list or type in their email addresses.
Google Meet is now part of your calendar.
If you add guests, you can then email them invitations to the meeting. The emails will only include all the information about the meeting and allow them to send a reply (Yes / Maybe / No) or suggest an alternative time.
Use Meet on mobile
If you want to take advantage of your new access to Meet on your phone, download the Meet app in Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
In addition, if you use Google’s Calendar app, you’ll now see an “Add video conferencing” selection when you create an event. Click on that, and all you’ll see is “Google Meet: Video conferencing details added” — the address of your meeting will be included in the final schedule entry.
How secure is Meet?
Google is obviously trying to avoid some of the security problems that Zoom suffered back in April, when its relatively open format meant intruders could find their way into meetings. The safeguards that the company cites include: