theverge--2020-04-26--Tesla reportedly plans to recall some workers to its California plant this week

Tesla plans to call some workers back to its assembly plant in Fremont , California staring April 29th , despite a shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area in effect through May 3rd , Bloomberg News reported .
Plant leaders sent messages to workers in the Fremont factory ’ s paint and stamping operations asking them to respond and confirm whether they plan to come to work , according to Bloomberg .
Tesla temporarily shut down its Fremont plant March 23rd but continued trying to convince local officials that the factory was an “ essential business ” that shouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order .
The company argued it should be categorized as “ national critical infrastructure ” under the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) .
However , the Alameda County health officer determined that keeping the plant open was a public health risk , and Fremont police chief Kimberly Petersen told Tesla the rules would not be suspended for the Fremont facility .
A spokesperson for Alameda County said in an email to The Verge on Sunday that the health order was still in effect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which could carry a fine or imprisonment .
Several other automakers are looking to restart production in early May .
Ford said on Sunday it was recalling a small crew of workers Monday to prep factories to reopen , the Detroit Free Press reported , but did not say which sites or how many workers were involved .
The Freep reported that the callbacks were voluntary , meaning workers would be paid if they worked but would not be required to do so .
GM still has not announced an official reopening date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its members , it believes opening in early May is “ too soon and too risky.
” Ford and GM are union shops , Tesla is not .
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from The Verge on Sunday .
UPDATED April 26th 4:50PM ET : Added comment from Alameda County official and details about Ford recalling some workers .

Tesla plans to call some workers back to its assembly plant in Fremont, California staring April 29th, despite a shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area in effect through May 3rd, Bloomberg News reported.
Plant leaders sent messages to workers in the Fremont factory’s paint and stamping operations asking them to respond and confirm whether they plan to come to work, according to Bloomberg.
Tesla temporarily shut down its Fremont plant March 23rd but continued trying to convince local officials that the factory was an “essential business” that shouldn’t be subject to the shelter-in-place order. The company argued it should be categorized as “national critical infrastructure” under the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
The Fremont plant produces Tesla’s Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles.
However, the Alameda County health officer determined that keeping the plant open was a public health risk, and Fremont police chief Kimberly Petersen told Tesla the rules would not be suspended for the Fremont facility.
A spokesperson for Fremont police said in an email to The Verge on Sunday that the health order was still in effect. Violation of the order is a misdemeanor which could carry a fine or imprisonment.
Several other automakers are looking to restart production in early May. Ford said on Sunday it was recalling a small crew of workers Monday to prep factories to reopen, the Detroit Free Press reported, but did not say which sites or how many workers were involved. The Freep reported that the callbacks were voluntary, meaning workers would be paid if they worked but would not be required to do so.
GM still has not announced an official reopening date. The United Auto Workers union says for its members, it believes opening in early May is “too soon and too risky.” Ford and GM are union shops, Tesla is not.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from The Verge on Sunday.


theverge--2020-04-26--A Fold Apart turns working through anxiety into puzzle solving

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game , especially if you only have a few hours a week to play .
In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend .
A style of storytelling that ’ s really only possible in video games is gameplay as metaphor .
It ’ s a form of narrative that happens through the interactivity and problem-solving of playing the game instead of through the typical avenues of storytelling like text or visuals .
Brothers : A Tale of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control two brothers cooperating to solve puzzles , with each represented by separate sides of the controller .
When one of the brothers isn ’ t around you feel that loss not just empathically through the writing , but also as a hindrance to the gameplay since you effectively lost the use of half your controller .
In A Fold Apart , the puzzles and how you solve them act as a metaphor for the two main characters working through their anxieties about their relationship .
The game follows who we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have names and their genders are selectable by the player .
Red is a teacher and Blue is an architect .
They both live together and are clearly very in love .
Blue is offered an amazing job to help design a major skyscraper , but the job is for a year and a half in a city far away from Red .
They decide that they can maintain their relationship apart for that long , and Blue moves away .
While separated , the two communicate with text messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but then a seemingly innocuous phrasing in a text causes one of them to fall into a bit of an anxiety spiral .
This is when the actual puzzle solving takes place .
The game ’ s puzzles require you to navigate one of the characters across various platforms to an endpoint .
But the characters can only walk , so in order to bridge the gaps , you need to fold the level .
The best way to think about these puzzles is as a piece of paper .
There are two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and you need to fold the paper to line up the platforms in order to get the character to the end .
Initially , you can only fold the paper in the cardinal directions , but as the game progresses you also get diagonal folding and the ability to rotate the paper .
Aside from the puzzles being well designed , what ’ s actually fascinating about them is how they work to help tell the story .
Each set of puzzles , usually about five or so , has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different message .
The puzzles in a set will get progressively harder over the first few as their anxiety grows , before getting easier over the last few as Red and Blue work through things by realizing the message likely wasn ’ t intended the way they read it .
This helps to make the folding and other mechanics not only a metaphor for trying to bridge the characters ’ separation , but also how a person can twist and complicate things for themselves when communication breaks down .
The issues that arise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem from their separation , are more about a lack of communication .
While they agreed to mutually endure the separation , by not voicing their issues with each other are not able to work through them together .
Which actually just made things worse as it let their imaginations and anxieties run wild .
All of this is also conveyed in the actual written text of A Fold Apart .
But it ’ s the game ’ s mechanics and pacing that help to accentuate and amplify those turbulent moments .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are working in concert toward a specific experience .
It isn ’ t just a series of puzzles with a story about long distance relationships , but a game about communication .
A Fold Apart was created by Lightning Rod Games .
You can get it for $ 19.99 on Nintendo Switch and Steam ( Windows ) or on Apple iOS with an Apple Arcade subscription .
It ’ s also coming soon to Playstation 4 and Xbox One .
It takes about three to four hours to finish .

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game, especially if you only have a few hours a week to play. In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend.
A style of storytelling that’s really only possible in video games is gameplay as metaphor. It’s a form of narrative that happens through the interactivity and problem-solving of playing the game instead of through the typical avenues of storytelling like text or visuals. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons did this by having you control two brothers cooperating to solve puzzles, with each represented by separate sides of the controller. When one of the brothers isn’t around you feel that loss not just empathically through the writing, but also as a hindrance to the gameplay since you effectively lost the use of half your controller.
In A Fold Apart, the puzzles and how you solve them act as a metaphor for the two main characters working through their anxieties about their relationship. The game follows who we’ll call Red and Blue, since they don’t have names and their genders are selectable by the player. Red is a teacher and Blue is an architect. They both live together and are clearly very in love.
Blue is offered an amazing job to help design a major skyscraper, but the job is for a year and a half in a city far away from Red. They decide that they can maintain their relationship apart for that long, and Blue moves away. While separated, the two communicate with text messages, which are cute and lovey, but then a seemingly innocuous phrasing in a text causes one of them to fall into a bit of an anxiety spiral. This is when the actual puzzle solving takes place.
The game’s puzzles require you to navigate one of the characters across various platforms to an endpoint. But the characters can only walk, so in order to bridge the gaps, you need to fold the level. The best way to think about these puzzles is as a piece of paper. There are two sides, each usually having platforms on them, and you need to fold the paper to line up the platforms in order to get the character to the end. Initially, you can only fold the paper in the cardinal directions, but as the game progresses you also get diagonal folding and the ability to rotate the paper.
Aside from the puzzles being well designed, what’s actually fascinating about them is how they work to help tell the story. Each set of puzzles, usually about five or so, has the characters working through their anxiety about a different message. The puzzles in a set will get progressively harder over the first few as their anxiety grows, before getting easier over the last few as Red and Blue work through things by realizing the message likely wasn’t intended the way they read it.
This helps to make the folding and other mechanics not only a metaphor for trying to bridge the characters’ separation, but also how a person can twist and complicate things for themselves when communication breaks down. The issues that arise for Red and Blue, though they stem from their separation, are more about a lack of communication. While they agreed to mutually endure the separation, by not voicing their issues with each other are not able to work through them together. Which actually just made things worse as it let their imaginations and anxieties run wild.
All of this is also conveyed in the actual written text of A Fold Apart. But it’s the game’s mechanics and pacing that help to accentuate and amplify those turbulent moments. The writing and gameplay feel as though they are working in concert toward a specific experience. It isn’t just a series of puzzles with a story about long distance relationships, but a game about communication.


theverge--2020-04-27--WhatsApp says its forwarding limits have cut the spread of viral messages by 70 percent

The spread of “ highly forwarded ” messages on WhatsApp has dropped by 70 percent as a result of the company ’ s new forwarding limits , TechCrunch reports .
The new measures were introduced at the beginning of April in response to the spread of coronavirus-related misinformation on the service .
The changes meant that any message that ’ s already been forwarded by five or more people can now only be forwarded to a single person or group .
The news means that WhatsApp ’ s new limit is successfully slowing down the spread of viral messages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option of manually forwarding a message to multiple people or groups .
However , it ’ s impossible to know how many of these messages contain the misinformation that WhatsApp is trying to halt , versus how many of them are helpful advice or harmless memes .
WhatsApp is reportedly being used to spread misinformation about COVID-19 cures WhatsApp has faced intense scrutiny about the role of its service in spreading misinformation during the pandemic .
WhatsApp groups can contain as many as 256 participants , meaning messages can spread quickly between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , CNN and other news organizations reported that the service was being used to share misinformation about coronavirus cures , and the Indian government has asked WhatsApp and other social media firms to do more to control the spread of viral misinformation on their platforms .
“ We ’ ve seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation , ” the company said when it announced the new measures .
“ We believe it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.
” This isn ’ t the first time WhatsApp has introduced changes to help slow the spread of misinformation .
In 2018 , it started labeling forwarded messages to let you know that the person you received a message from might not be the original sender , and last year , it introduced a five-person forwarding limit for messages .
The service has also promoted the use of a World Health Organization bot to provide verified information about the COVID-19 pandemic .

The spread of “highly forwarded” messages on WhatsApp has dropped by 70 percent as a result of the company’s new forwarding limits, TechCrunch reports. The new measures were introduced at the beginning of April in response to the spread of coronavirus-related misinformation on the service. The changes meant that any message that’s already been forwarded by five or more people can now only be forwarded to a single person or group.
The news means that WhatsApp’s new limit is successfully slowing down the spread of viral messages, despite the fact that people still have the option of manually forwarding a message to multiple people or groups. However, it’s impossible to know how many of these messages contain the misinformation that WhatsApp is trying to halt, versus how many of them are helpful advice or harmless memes.
WhatsApp is reportedly being used to spread misinformation about COVID-19 cures
WhatsApp has faced intense scrutiny about the role of its service in spreading misinformation during the pandemic. WhatsApp groups can contain as many as 256 participants, meaning messages can spread quickly between a large number of users. Last month, CNN and other news organizations reported that the service was being used to share misinformation about coronavirus cures, and the Indian government has asked WhatsApp and other social media firms to do more to control the spread of viral misinformation on their platforms.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation,” the company said when it announced the new measures. “We believe it’s important to slow the spread of these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.”


theverge--2020-04-27--Apple reportedly delays iPhone 12 mass production by a month

Apple is reportedly delaying mass production of its upcoming iPhone 12 handsets by around a month .
The Wall Street Journal reports that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across supply chains and manufacturing has disrupted Apple ’ s iPhone 12 mass production plans .
Rumors suggest Apple will introduce four new iPhone models later this year , all with 5.4- , 6.1- , or 6.7-inch OLED screens .
Apple typically unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of the month .
The iPhone maker is able to do this thanks to mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company to quickly ship devices to retailers after the handsets are officially unveiled .
The iPhone 12 will likely still launch in September The rumored mass production delays might not have a direct impact on when Apple launches the iPhone 12 , though .
WSJ reports that Apple will still be manufacturing new iPhones during July to September , but the mass production delay could mean we ’ ll see shortages of the new handsets later this year .
Apple has experienced iPhone production delays before .
The iPhone X was announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it didn ’ t arrive in stores until November thanks to some production issues .
Apple ’ s iPhone XR was also announced in September 2018 , and hit stores in October after reports suggested Apple was having issues with LCD display production .

Apple is reportedly delaying mass production of its upcoming iPhone 12 handsets by around a month. The Wall Street Journal reports that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across supply chains and manufacturing has disrupted Apple’s iPhone 12 mass production plans. Rumors suggest Apple will introduce four new iPhone models later this year, all with 5.4-, 6.1-, or 6.7-inch OLED screens.
Apple typically unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of the month. The iPhone maker is able to do this thanks to mass manufacturing over the summer months, allowing the company to quickly ship devices to retailers after the handsets are officially unveiled.
The iPhone 12 will likely still launch in September
The rumored mass production delays might not have a direct impact on when Apple launches the iPhone 12, though. WSJ reports that Apple will still be manufacturing new iPhones during July to September, but the mass production delay could mean we’ll see shortages of the new handsets later this year.


theverge--2020-04-27--Amazon pilots using video calls to verify third-party sellers

Amazon is testing using video calls to verify third-party sellers as it attempts to minimize the amount of fraudulent accounts and listings on its platform , the company has announced .
The live verification initiative initially used in-person meetings when it began earlier this year , but pivoted to video conferencing as the COVID-19 pandemic made social distancing measures necessary .
“ As we practice social distancing , we are testing a process that allows us to validate prospective sellers ’ identification via video conferencing , ” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement , “ This pilot allows us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it even more difficult for fraudsters to hide.
” “ This pilot allows us to connect one-on-one with prospective sellers while making it even more difficult for fraudsters to hide ” In recent years , Amazon has faced intense scrutiny over the products sold by third-party sellers on its platform .
Last year , for example , an investigation by The Wall Street Journal found thousands of items for sale on Amazon that were mislabeled , banned , or had been declared unsafe by federal agencies .
There have also been reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last year , Amazon announced that third-party sales account for over half of items sold on its platform .
The new live verification process is currently being trialed in countries including the US , UK , China , and Japan , and involves an Amazon associate checking that a seller matches their ID and the documents they ’ ve provided as part of their application .
It does not involve using any facial recognition technology to verify their identity , Amazon confirmed to GeekWire .
The call also provides an opportunity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ application process .
Amazon says that over 1,000 prospective sellers have gone through the pilot program so far .
Amazon says its existing verification process for third-party sellers uses a combination of machine learning and human review to weed out suspected bad actors .
The company said these processes stopped 2.5 million accounts from listing items for sale in 2019 .

Amazon is testing using video calls to verify third-party sellers as it attempts to minimize the amount of fraudulent accounts and listings on its platform, the company has announced. The live verification initiative initially used in-person meetings when it began earlier this year, but pivoted to video conferencing as the COVID-19 pandemic made social distancing measures necessary.
“As we practice social distancing, we are testing a process that allows us to validate prospective sellers’ identification via video conferencing,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement, “This pilot allows us to connect one-on-one with prospective sellers while making it even more difficult for fraudsters to hide.”
“This pilot allows us to connect one-on-one with prospective sellers while making it even more difficult for fraudsters to hide”
In recent years, Amazon has faced intense scrutiny over the products sold by third-party sellers on its platform. Last year, for example, an investigation by The Wall Street Journal found thousands of items for sale on Amazon that were mislabeled, banned, or had been declared unsafe by federal agencies. There have also been reports of counterfeit goods being sold on Amazon. Last year, Amazon announced that third-party sales account for over half of items sold on its platform.
The new live verification process is currently being trialed in countries including the US, UK, China, and Japan, and involves an Amazon associate checking that a seller matches their ID and the documents they’ve provided as part of their application. It does not involve using any facial recognition technology to verify their identity, Amazon confirmed to GeekWire. The call also provides an opportunity for the associate to answer questions about the application process. Amazon says that over 1,000 prospective sellers have gone through the pilot program so far.


theverge--2020-04-27--Vivo overtakes Samsung in Indian smartphone sales

Vivo shipped more smartphones in India than Samsung for the first time ever last quarter , according to data from Canalys .
The company ’ s sales to vendors nearly doubled year-on-year to 6.7 million units , almost 20 percent of the market , securing it second place behind Xiaomi ’ s 10.3 million units and 31-percent share .
Samsung ’ s shipments slid 14 percent to 6.3 million units , making it the third-biggest brand ahead of Realme and Oppo .
Overall , the Indian market grew 12 percent year-on-year despite the country going into lockdown in late March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Vivo is a BBK Electronics brand alongside Realme and Oppo .
If the sales of all three were combined , the huge Chinese conglomerate — which also owns OnePlus — would easily take the number one spot with more than 40 percent market share .
Canalys analyst Madhumita Chaudhary , however , calls Vivo ’ s victory “ bittersweet.
” The company is the main sponsor of the Indian Premier League , a massively popular Twenty20 cricket league that takes place every spring , and Chaudhary says Vivo ’ s shipments were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since the IPL season has been postponed , it will be harder for Vivo to achieve its expected sell-through to consumers even if the lockdown is lifted .
Still , the figures demonstrate Vivo ’ s growing brand power in India even if it ’ s unable to account for an unprecedented pandemic .
BBK ’ s dominance , too , is only getting stronger — Realme in particular has grown its shipments by 200 percent over the past year .

Vivo shipped more smartphones in India than Samsung for the first time ever last quarter, according to data from Canalys. The company’s sales to vendors nearly doubled year-on-year to 6.7 million units, almost 20 percent of the market, securing it second place behind Xiaomi’s 10.3 million units and 31-percent share. Samsung’s shipments slid 14 percent to 6.3 million units, making it the third-biggest brand ahead of Realme and Oppo.
Overall, the Indian market grew 12 percent year-on-year despite the country going into lockdown in late March. It’s worth pointing out that Vivo is a BBK Electronics brand alongside Realme and Oppo. If the sales of all three were combined, the huge Chinese conglomerate — which also owns OnePlus — would easily take the number one spot with more than 40 percent market share.
Canalys analyst Madhumita Chaudhary, however, calls Vivo’s victory “bittersweet.” The company is the main sponsor of the Indian Premier League, a massively popular Twenty20 cricket league that takes place every spring, and Chaudhary says Vivo’s shipments were intended to ensure high levels of stock. Since the IPL season has been postponed, it will be harder for Vivo to achieve its expected sell-through to consumers even if the lockdown is lifted.


theverge--2020-04-27--DJI’s new Mavic Air 2 has an upgraded camera and much longer flying time

Two and a half years after introducing the first Mavic Air , DJI is announcing its successor : the Mavic Air 2 .
It comes with a bigger image sensor , ditches Wi-Fi in favor of DJI ’ s own OccuSync transmission technology , has up to 34 minutes of flight time , and is packaged with a completely redesigned controller .
The Mavic Air 2 is available for preorder starting today for $ 799 and will begin shipping May 11th in the US .
The Fly More bundle , which , for the first time , includes ND filters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bag , prop guards , charging hub , and three batteries will be available for $ 988 .
DJI also touts this as its smartest and safest drone yet .
It comes with preprogrammed scene detection modes for photos that include snow , trees , grass , blue skies , sunsets , and sunrises .
All of DJI ’ s autonomous flying modes are getting a performance update , as well .
The new sensor inside the Mavic Air 2 is a half-inch , “ Quad Bayer ” sensor .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been available in smartphones for the past year or two .
By default , it captures a 12-megapixel image , but it ’ s possible to snap shots using the full resolution .
The sensor is behind a fixed 28mm ( equivalent ) f/2.8 lens .
For video , the Air 2 can shoot 4K footage at up to 60fps .
It also has HDR capabilities for video ( up to 4K 30fps ) and HDR panorama photos .
The Mavic Air 2 is also capable of exporting 8K time-lapse videos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at launch and are expected to be available around the end of June .
The Mavic Air 2 is also the first drone to come equipped with AirSense , a technology that detects and warns the drone operator of nearby aircrafts .
It will be available in North America first , while other regions will begin shipping units with AirSense this summer due to supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic .
As far as other drone safety features go , the Mavic Air 2 has obstacle sensors on the front and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottom sensors next to auxiliary lights to help with landing in low light .
While DJI says that its autonomous flight modes have been upgraded , the company says you should not expect the same kind of self-flying experience that ’ s possible with the Skydio drone in this model .
In terms of the design , the new Mavic Air 2 is slightly bigger and heavier than the prior generation , but still looks like a smaller sibling to the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom .
All three drones finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing — and now look more like part of a lineup .
Lastly , the new , slightly bigger controller doesn ’ t have visible antennas sticking out on top of the controller .
Instead , that area is now used for a spring-loaded phone mount .
We ’ ll be taking a closer look at the new Mavic Air 2 and testing DJI ’ s claims in our forthcoming review , so stay tuned .
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These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ links .
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Two and a half years after introducing the first Mavic Air, DJI is announcing its successor: the Mavic Air 2. It comes with a bigger image sensor, ditches Wi-Fi in favor of DJI’s own OcuSync transmission technology, has up to 34 minutes of flight time, and is packaged with a completely redesigned controller.
The Mavic Air 2 is available for preorder starting today for $799 and will begin shipping May 11th in the US. The Fly More bundle, which, for the first time, includes ND filters (finally) along with a carrying bag, prop guards, charging hub, and three batteries will be available for $988.
DJI also touts this as its smartest and safest drone yet. It comes with preprogrammed scene detection modes for photos that include snow, trees, grass, blue skies, sunsets, and sunrises. All of DJI’s autonomous flying modes are getting a performance update, as well.
The DJI Mavic Air 2 is still compact enough to fit in a small bag when all folded up. Image: DJI
The new sensor inside the Mavic Air 2 is a half-inch, “Quad Bayer” sensor. It’s similar to the 48-megapixel sensor that’s been available in smartphones for the past year or two. By default, it captures a 12-megapixel image, but it’s possible to snap shots using the full resolution. The sensor is behind a fixed 28mm (equivalent) f/2.8 lens.
For video, the Air 2 can shoot 4K footage at up to 60fps. It also has HDR capabilities for video (up to 4K 30fps) and HDR panorama photos. The Mavic Air 2 is also capable of exporting 8K time-lapse videos, however not all modes will support 8K at launch and are expected to be available around the end of June.
The Mavic Air 2 is also the first drone to come equipped with AirSense, a technology that detects and warns the drone operator of nearby aircrafts. It will be available in North America first, while other regions will begin shipping units with AirSense this summer due to supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As far as other drone safety features go, the Mavic Air 2 has obstacle sensors on the front and rear to help avoid collisions. And bottom sensors next to auxiliary lights to help with landing in low light. While DJI says that its autonomous flight modes have been upgraded, the company says you should not expect the same kind of self-flying experience that’s possible with the Skydio drone in this model.
The Mavic Air 2’s redesigned controller. Image: DJI
In terms of the design, the new Mavic Air 2 is slightly bigger and heavier than the prior generation, but still looks like a smaller sibling to the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom. All three drones finally share a similar design language — gray housing — and now look more like part of a lineup.
Lastly, the new, slightly bigger controller doesn’t have visible antennas sticking out on top of the controller. Instead, that area is now used for a spring-loaded phone mount.
We’ll be taking a closer look at the new Mavic Air 2 and testing DJI’s claims in our forthcoming review, so stay tuned.
DJI Mavic Air 2 / DJI’s successor to the Mavic Air. From $799 at DJI


theverge--2020-04-27--Go read this analysis of the new iPhone SE’s AI-powered depth camera system

Unlike most phones released these days , Apple ’ s new iPhone SE has just one 12-megapixel rear camera lens .
But it turns out that one camera is still pretty good , at least in well-lit situations , my colleague Dieter Bohn found in his iPhone SE review .
For portrait photos , the iPhone SE ’ s camera uses machine learning to estimate depth of field , and Ben Sandofsky , one of the developers of mobile photography app Halide , took a closer look at how at how portrait photos taken by the SE ’ s single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the iPhone SE ’ s portrait mode is that can do something called “ monocular depth estimation , ” which is enabled by the iPhone SE ’ s A13 Bionic processor ( the same processor in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro ) .
That processor and the depth estimation allows the phone capture depth maps for photos differently than , say , the iPhone XR , which also has a single lens .
Sandofsky found that the SE could even estimate depth for flat photos .
In one example , Sandofsky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an iPhone XR and an iPhone SE : In this image slider , you can see how the two phones estimated depth .
The iPhone XR ’ s depth map is on the left , and the iPhone SE ’ s is on the right .
The iPhone SE ’ s depth map isn ’ t a perfect representation of the actual depth of the scene by any means , but pretty darn cool that the SE can estimate the actual depth of a flat photo entirely using machine learning .
I highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sandofsky ’ s blog in full .
He goes into a lot more detail about how the SE ’ s camera captures depth , and has a bunch more examples of its depth mapping in action — including one example where it finds depth in a 50-year old slide film of his grandmother !
And check out Dieter ’ s review if you want to see more of his thoughts about the SE ’ s camera .

Unlike most phones released these days, Apple’s new iPhone SE has just one 12-megapixel rear camera lens. But it turns out that one camera is still pretty good, at least in well-lit situations, my colleague Dieter Bohn found in his iPhone SE review.
For portrait photos, the iPhone SE’s camera uses machine learning to estimate depth of field, and Ben Sandofsky, one of the developers of mobile photography app Halide, took a closer look at how at how portrait photos taken by the SE’s single camera actually work.
The key feature of the iPhone SE’s portrait mode is that can do something called “monocular depth estimation,” which is enabled by the iPhone SE’s A13 Bionic processor (the same processor in the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro). That processor and the depth estimation allows the phone capture depth maps for photos differently than, say, the iPhone XR, which also has a single lens. Sandofsky found that the SE could even estimate depth for flat photos.
In one example, Sandofsky took a picture of this photo with an iPhone XR and an iPhone SE:
Image: Halide
In this image slider, you can see how the two phones estimated depth. The iPhone XR’s depth map is on the left, and the iPhone SE’s is on the right.
iPhone XR depth map (left) vs iPhone SE 2020 (right)
The iPhone SE’s depth map isn’t a perfect representation of the actual depth of the scene by any means, but pretty darn cool that the SE can estimate the actual depth of a flat photo entirely using machine learning.
I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read Sandofsky’s blog in full. He goes into a lot more detail about how the SE’s camera captures depth, and has a bunch more examples of its depth mapping in action — including one example where it finds depth in a 50-year old slide film of his grandmother!


theverge--2020-04-27--Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast extend policies to waive late fees due to the pandemic through June 30th

AT & T , Comcast , Cox , and Verizon have all extended their policies to not charge late fees @ @ @ @ @ and small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through June 30th .
Virtually every major @ @ @ @ @ had committed to waiving late fees and not canceling service for 60 days in mid-March @ @ @ @ @ those policies are being extended .
If you are unable to pay your bill due @ @ @ @ @ , you ’ ll likely have to tell the company that your service is with @ @ @ @ @ hardships and need more time to pay .
Here are links with information on how @ @ @ @ @ & T , Comcast , or Verizon .
Verizon said last week that it would @ @ @ @ @ 15GB of data to wireless customers through May 31st .
Update April 27th , 6:48PM @ @ @ @ @ , Comcast , and Cox have all extended their policies to June 30th .

AT&T, Comcast, Cox, Verizon, and T-Mobile have all extended their policies to not charge late fees or cancel service for customers and small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through June 30th. Virtually every major US broadband and telecom company had committed to waiving late fees and not canceling service for 60 days in mid-March, and now some of those policies are being extended.
If you are unable to pay your bill due to the pandemic, though, you’ll likely have to tell the company that your service is with that you’re experiencing hardships and need more time to pay. Here are links with information on how to do that for AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile, or Verizon.
Verizon said last week that it would continue to offer an additional 15GB of data to wireless customers through May 31st.


theverge--2020-04-27--Amazon faces lawsuit over Chinese battery that allegedly burned down a garage

A mislabeled battery that allegedly caused a fire in a Minnesota man ’ s garage last year is the subject of a new lawsuit against Amazon .
Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company claims the e-commerce giant sold the battery to its client , Dane Meyer of Cottonwood , Minnesota , last April and should be responsible for the $ 75,000 in damages caused by the fire .
In its complaint , Farm Bureau claims the battery was eligible for Amazon ’ s Prime shipping and was spotlighted as an “ Amazon ’ s Choice ” product .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ program , Amazon ‘ recommends highly rated , well- priced products available to ship immediately , ’ ” the complaint states .
According to the complaint , the battery caught fire when it was used with an incompatible charger , a model listed as “ compatible ” in the product listing information on Amazon ’ s website .
The insurance company is suing for negligence , failure to warn , and liability , saying Amazon “ played a direct role in the promotion , sales , fulfillment , and distribution ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered to Meyer in a box with the Amazon logo on it .
The lawsuit is the latest test of how much responsibility Amazon bears for products sold by third-party sellers on its platform .
In the past , Amazon has maintained that , for some products , it serves only as the conduit between buyer and seller and thus is not responsible for defects in those products .
In July 2019 , the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that Amazon was liable as the seller of third-party vendor ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case of a Pennsylvania woman who said she was blinded in one eye after a dog collar she bought from a third party via Amazon broke and struck her in the face .
“ We do not believe that Pennsylvania law shields a company from strict liability simply because it adheres to a business model that fails to prioritize consumer safety , ” according to the Third Circuit ’ s majority opinion .
Amazon did not respond to a request from The Verge seeking comment about the pending lawsuit in Minnesota @

A mislabeled battery that allegedly caused a fire in a Minnesota man’s garage last year is the subject of a new lawsuit against Amazon. Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company claims the e-commerce giant sold the battery to its client, Dane Meyer of Cottonwood, Minnesota, last April and should be responsible for the $75,000 in damages caused by the fire.
In its complaint, Farm Bureau claims the battery was eligible for Amazon’s Prime shipping and was spotlighted as an “Amazon’s Choice” product. “Through its ‘Amazon’s Choice’ program, Amazon ‘recommends highly rated, well- priced products available to ship immediately,’” the complaint states.
According to the complaint, the battery caught fire when it was used with an incompatible charger, a model listed as “compatible” in the product listing information on Amazon’s website.
The insurance company is suing for negligence, failure to warn, and liability, saying Amazon “played a direct role in the promotion, sales, fulfillment, and distribution” of the battery, which it claims was delivered to Meyer in a box with the Amazon logo on it.
The lawsuit is the latest test of how much responsibility Amazon bears for products sold by third-party sellers on its platform. In the past, Amazon has maintained that, for some products, it serves only as the conduit between buyer and seller and thus is not responsible for defects in those products.
In July 2019, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that Amazon was liable as the seller of third-party vendor’s products. The court made its ruling in the case of a Pennsylvania woman who said she was blinded in one eye after a dog collar she bought from a third party via Amazon broke and struck her in the face.
“We do not believe that Pennsylvania law shields a company from strict liability simply because it adheres to a business model that fails to prioritize consumer safety,” according to the Third Circuit’s majority opinion.


theverge--2020-04-27--The Library of Congress wants to help you remix public domain audio clips

The Library of Congress has launched a new website that allows you to create short remixes of royalty-free audio clips @ @ @ @ @ open-source hip-hop project created by New York-based artist and computer scientist Brian Foo .
The @ @ @ @ @ sound recordings spanning centuries that are divided into six different collections , including audio clips @ @ @ @ @ music , which you can edit directly from your web browser .
The website allows @ @ @ @ @ these libraries then remix them to create your own brief track .
Using a drop-down @ @ @ @ @ various clips you like , then remix them in a few ways , such as @ @ @ @ @ choosing parts of an audio clip to include in your custom sound .
Any music @ @ @ @ @ and downloaded onto your computer .
The project is currently in a preview phase , @ @ @ @ @ expected to roll out sometime this summer , according to The Library fo Congress ’ @ @ @ @

The Library of Congress has launched a new website that allows you to create short remixes of royalty-free audio clips.
Citizen DJ is an open-source hip-hop project created by New York-based artist and computer scientist Brian Foo. The website includes roughly 3 million sound recordings spanning centuries that are divided into six different collections, including audio clips from government films to free music, which you can edit directly from your web browser.
The website allows you to pull clips from these libraries then remix them to create your own brief track. Using a drop-down menu, you can add various clips you like, then remix them in a few ways, such as modifying the drum beats or choosing parts of an audio clip to include in your custom sound. Any music you create can be recorded and downloaded onto your computer.


theverge--2020-04-27--YouTube’s new chapters experiment makes listening to game soundtracks even better

YouTube is currently experimenting with adding chapters to “ a small selection ” of videos on Android , iOS , and desktop devices .
Instead of finding and clicking on hyperlinked timestamps and song titles in the video description , this new feature incorporates that metadata right into the red progress bar built within the video player .
This experiment started in early April , which is when publications like Android Police first wrote about it , but it could be rolling out to more people .
This is welcome news if you , like me , use YouTube as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game soundtracks and other obscure music that ’ s not available on Spotify or other major streaming services .
It also seems useful for all sorts of content creators who wish to break up their video content into bite-sized chapters .
Timestamps are more important than ever I found myself totally winning the lottery on this one and was able to access this new chapters feature within a few videos I frequently watch on my home desktop and Android phone .
Your mileage may vary , but for me , it worked on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Persona 5 soundtrack as well as an upload of Masayoshi Takanaka ’ s An Insatiable High , a 1977 album that imbues me with good feelings .
That being said , despite several of my favorite videos having a comprehensive list of timestamps in the description , many of them didn ’ t have chapters in the video player .
Plus , chapters in videos that support the feature didn ’ t show up when I tried to embed them in this post .
It ’ s a work in progress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To my knowledge , this doesn ’ t work with playlists comprised of several videos ; the experiment seems focused on inserting breaks into longer videos .
Perhaps this is a step toward making YouTube ’ s vast trove of videos , specifically music-focused ones like those above , easier to play track-by-track on YouTube Music .
That said , the chapter breaks that I saw on YouTube weren ’ t yet visible in the YouTube Music app .
Now , I don ’ t have qualms with navigating to the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to gracious commenters for doing the service ) , though , admittedly , it ’ s far easier to scrub between chapters directly through the video .
Perhaps my favorite part of the experiment is a small interface touch in the Android app ( it wasn ’ t present in the iOS app when I tried ) that fires off a small vibration as you move a finger across the video progress bar to tell you when you ’ ve passed over the start of a new chapter .
This is great if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of the next song .
I presume that this feature still isn ’ t available for most people , and it doesn ’ t work for many of the long album uploads that I enjoy listening to on YouTube .
But if you have a minute , it can ’ t hurt to check your computer and mobile device to see if you can jump around to different chapters in your favorite long videos .

YouTube is currently experimenting with adding chapters to “a small selection” of videos on Android, iOS, and desktop devices. Instead of finding and clicking on hyperlinked timestamps and song titles in the video description, this new feature incorporates that metadata right into the red progress bar built within the video player. This experiment started in early April, which is when publications like Android Police first wrote about it, but it could be rolling out to more people.
This is welcome news if you, like me, use YouTube as a source for listening to long video game soundtracks and other obscure music that’s not available on Spotify or other major streaming services. It also seems useful for all sorts of content creators who wish to break up their video content into bite-sized chapters.
Timestamps are more important than ever
I found myself totally winning the lottery on this one and was able to access this new chapters feature within a few videos I frequently watch on my home desktop and Android phone. Your mileage may vary, but for me, it worked on a video compilation of chill tunes from the Persona 5 soundtrack as well as an upload of Masayoshi Takanaka’s An Insatiable High, a 1977 album that imbues me with good feelings.
That being said, despite several of my favorite videos having a comprehensive list of timestamps in the description, many of them didn’t have chapters in the video player. Plus, chapters in videos that support the feature didn’t show up when I tried to embed them in this post. It’s a work in progress, so it’s forgivable for now.
The titles and timestamp match what’s in the video description metadata.
To my knowledge, this doesn’t work with playlists comprised of several videos; the experiment seems focused on inserting breaks into longer videos. Perhaps this is a step toward making YouTube’s vast trove of videos, specifically music-focused ones like those above, easier to play track-by-track on YouTube Music. That said, the chapter breaks that I saw on YouTube weren’t yet visible in the YouTube Music app.
Now, I don’t have qualms with navigating to the video description to find a timestamp (thanks to gracious commenters for doing the service), though, admittedly, it’s far easier to scrub between chapters directly through the video. Perhaps my favorite part of the experiment is a small interface touch in the Android app (it wasn’t present in the iOS app when I tried) that fires off a small vibration as you move a finger across the video progress bar to tell you when you’ve passed over the start of a new chapter. This is great if you’re quickly trying to find the beginning of the next song.


theverge--2020-04-27--Airbnb’s new cleaning protocols include 24-hour vacancies between bookings

Short-term home rental platform Airbnb is introducing a new “ enhanced cleaning initiative ” that will take effect in May and include a 24-hour vacancy period between bookings , according to a company blog post .
The new cleaning protocol is not required for property hosts , but guests will be able to see which hosts are participating in the cleaning initiative in search results on the platform .
Airbnb claims that this is the “ first overarching standardized protocol for cleaning and sanitization in the home sharing industry ” and that its work to come up with the cleaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) published standards ; leading experts such as Dr. Vivek Murthy , former Surgeon General of the United States ; and companies in the hospitality and medical hygiene sector , such as Ecolab.
” Pressed for specifics about the science behind its cleaning initiative , an Airbnb spokesperson said in an email to The Verge that “ the science behind COVID-19 continues to evolve , and we will continue to work to ensure that our guidance reflects the most recent information made available by leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to abide by local social distancing and shelter-in-place rules The CDC ’ s current recommendations for cleaning a building after a person infected with the novel coronavirus has visited is to close off areas used by the sick person , opening windows to increase air circulation , and wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting .
Airbnb says hosts should continue to abide by local social distancing and shelter-in-place rules that might affect whether they can book guests at their properties .
“ Airbnb ’ s Enhanced Cleaning Initiative is a program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of travel , when movement and travel restrictions are eased , ” according to the company .
“ This guidance does not substitute or override local rules and guidelines issued by health and governmental authorities , and we urge our community to adhere to official guidance and do everything they can to take necessary precautions.
” The cleaning protocol will require hosts to use a list of approved products , Airbnb said .
If hosts aren ’ t able to commit to the requirements of the cleaning protocol , they can opt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a booking buffer , where the hosts agree to keep their properties vacant — except for cleaning — for 72 hours .
The same 24-hour waiting period before entering the building to clean would apply .
Airbnb did not address a question about whether hosts would be reimbursed for purchasing the approved cleaning products .
The guidelines for the cleaning protocols also include recommendations for what personal protective gear — such as masks and gloves— hosts should wear while cleaning their properties .
“ We are working with leading experts in health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s president of homes , said in the company blog post .
The goal is to get “ hosts and guests uniting to offer , manage , and enjoy cleaner accommodations.
” Airbnb had plans to go public this year that were sidelined by the pandemic .
The company saw revenue of more than $ 4.8 billion for 2019 , according to Reuters .
The company has run afoul of some of its hosts as it adjusts to the pandemic .
Last month , Airbnb extended its extenuating circumstances policy allowing guests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged for bookings between March 14th and April 14th .
At first , there was no compensation available to hosts under the new cancellation terms , but the company later announced it was setting aside $ 250 million to help pay hosts for the lost bookings .
It also extended the penalty-free cancellation period to bookings between March 14th and May 31st .

Short-term home rental platform Airbnb is introducing a new “enhanced cleaning initiative” that will take effect in May and include a 24-hour vacancy period between bookings, according to a company blog post. The new cleaning protocol is not required for property hosts, but guests will be able to see which hosts are participating in the cleaning initiative in search results on the platform.
Airbnb claims that this is the “first overarching standardized protocol for cleaning and sanitization in the home sharing industry” and that its work to come up with the cleaning protocol is “informed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published standards; leading experts such as Dr. Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States; and companies in the hospitality and medical hygiene sector, such as Ecolab.”
Pressed for specifics about the science behind its cleaning initiative, an Airbnb spokesperson said in an email to The Verge that “the science behind COVID-19 continues to evolve, and we will continue to work to ensure that our guidance reflects the most recent information made available by leading medical experts and authorities.”
Hosts should continue to abide by local social distancing and shelter-in-place rules
The CDC’s current recommendations for cleaning a building after a person infected with the novel coronavirus has visited is to close off areas used by the sick person, opening windows to increase air circulation, and wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting.
Airbnb says hosts should continue to abide by local social distancing and shelter-in-place rules that might affect whether they can book guests at their properties.
“Airbnb’s Enhanced Cleaning Initiative is a program to support hosts and guests in a future of travel, when movement and travel restrictions are eased,” according to the company. “This guidance does not substitute or override local rules and guidelines issued by health and governmental authorities, and we urge our community to adhere to official guidance and do everything they can to take necessary precautions.”
The cleaning protocol will require hosts to use a list of approved products, Airbnb said. If hosts aren’t able to commit to the requirements of the cleaning protocol, they can opt to use what the company is calling a booking buffer, where the hosts agree to keep their properties vacant — except for cleaning — for 72 hours. The same 24-hour waiting period before entering the building to clean would apply.
Airbnb did not address a question about whether hosts would be reimbursed for purchasing the approved cleaning products. The guidelines for the cleaning protocols also include recommendations for what personal protective gear — such as masks and gloves— hosts should wear while cleaning their properties.
“We are working with leading experts in health and hygiene,” Greg Greeley, Airbnb’s president of homes, said in the company blog post. The goal is to get “hosts and guests uniting to offer, manage, and enjoy cleaner accommodations.”
Airbnb had plans to go public this year that were sidelined by the pandemic. The company saw revenue of more than $4.8 billion for 2019, according to Reuters.
The company has run afoul of some of its hosts as it adjusts to the pandemic. Last month, Airbnb extended its extenuating circumstances policy allowing guests to cancel an eligible reservation without being charged for bookings between March 14th and April 14th.


theverge--2020-04-27--Teslas can now see and slow for traffic lights and stop signs

Tesla is rolling out a software update to some of its newest cars that will allow them to see and respond to traffic lights and stop signs , a feature that CEO Elon Musk has teased for years .
The update is available only to owners of Tesla vehicles equipped with the third version of the onboard computer that powers Autopilot , which it refers to as “ Hardware 3.
” The company started installing this computer on all new vehicles last year ( and offers upgrades to those with older vehicles ) , though owners also have to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of Autopilot to use the new “ Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control ” feature .
When activated , the feature will slow the car down to a stop for traffic lights and stop signs .
The driver will have to pull down once on the Autopilot stalk or tap the accelerator pedal to continue through the intersection after that — even if the light is green .
Tesla reiterates in the release notes that Autopilot still won ’ t perform turns , and says that the new feature “ will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it won ’ t work at railroad crossings or pedestrian crosswalks .
Drivers should “ be ready to take immediate action at all times.
” Tesla also stresses in the software update release notes that the Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control feature is in “ beta , ” and that it “ may be conservative and slowdown often at first.
” “ Over time , as we learn from the fleet , the feature will control more naturally .
Performance may be degraded in difficult environments with pedestrians , rain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are obstructed , ” the company writes .
Therefore , Tesla says drivers should pay close attention and “ be ready to take immediate action at all times , including braking.
” Musk has long promised that Tesla vehicles will one day be able to drive themselves in all situations .
But none of Tesla ’ s vehicles are currently capable of doing that , despite the company selling a “ full self-driving ” version of Autopilot .
Instead , what owners really get when they pay for “ full self-driving ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Light and Stop Sign Control , or automatic lane changes , as they roll out , with the promise that one day the sum of those features will equal full autonomy .
Exactly when owners will realize that full value is a total guessing game , as are most things with Tesla when it comes to timelines .
When Musk teased a development version of the Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control feature in 2018 , for example , he said : “ Your Tesla will soon be able to go from your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no driver input at all .
”

Tesla is rolling out a software update to some of its newest cars that will allow them to see and respond to traffic lights and stop signs, a feature that CEO Elon Musk has teased for years.
The update is available only to owners of Tesla vehicles equipped with the third version of the onboard computer that powers Autopilot, which it refers to as “Hardware 3.” The company started installing this computer on all new vehicles last year (and offers upgrades to those with older vehicles), though owners also have to have paid for the “full self-driving” version of Autopilot to use the new “Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control” feature.
When activated, the feature will slow the car down to a stop for traffic lights and stop signs. The driver will have to pull down once on the Autopilot stalk or tap the accelerator pedal to continue through the intersection after that — even if the light is green. Tesla reiterates in the release notes that Autopilot still won’t perform turns, and says that the new feature “will not control for all intersections.” For example, it won’t work at railroad crossings or pedestrian crosswalks.
Drivers should “be ready to take immediate action at all times.”
Tesla also stresses in the software update release notes that the Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control feature is in “beta,” and that it “may be conservative and slowdown often at first.”
“Over time, as we learn from the fleet, the feature will control more naturally. Performance may be degraded in difficult environments with pedestrians, rain, direct sunlight or when approaching traffic controls that are obstructed,” the company writes. Therefore, Tesla says drivers should pay close attention and “be ready to take immediate action at all times, including braking.”
Musk has long promised that Tesla vehicles will one day be able to drive themselves in all situations. But none of Tesla’s vehicles are currently capable of doing that, despite the company selling a “full self-driving” version of Autopilot. Instead, what owners really get when they pay for “full self-driving” is access to incremental features like Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control, or automatic lane changes, as they roll out, with the promise that one day the sum of those features will equal full autonomy.


theverge--2020-04-27--WarnerMedia expands free HBO Max deal to HBO subscribers who pay through Apple’s services

WarnerMedia and Apple have reached a deal that will give free HBO Max access to existing HBO customers who subscribe to the service through Apple .
Free access begins when the new streaming service launches on May 27th , via Deadline .
It ’ s a change from the original announcement , where AT & T — which owns WarnerMedia , and by extension , HBO Max — said that only customers who subscribe through hbonow.com and are billed directly by HBO would get the additional service .
In a similar vein , customers who are billed for HBO through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HBO Max now .
( Technically , neither of these groups is getting HBO for “ free ” — customers will still have to pay for their existing HBO or HBO Now subscriptions . )
Apple gets in on free HBO Max for current HBO subscribers The deal includes both customers who subscribe to HBO Now through an App Store in-app purchase on the iOS version of the streaming app , as well as subscribers to HBO through the Apple TV app ’ s “ Channels ” feature .
As part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Apple TV app when it comes to suggesting content and will offer the option for new subscribers to enroll through Apple ’ s store — just like with HBO Now .
The new deal appears to apply just to Apple customers , meaning that anyone who subscribes to HBO through a different means — like Amazon Prime — won ’ t get HBO Max for free , at least for now .
Update April 27th , 8:20pm : Added additional details about which customers will be getting access to HBO Max through @ @ @ @

WarnerMedia and Apple have reached a deal that will give free HBO Max access to existing HBO customers who subscribe to the service through Apple. Free access begins when the new streaming service launches on May 27th, via Deadline.
It’s a change from the original announcement, where AT&T — which owns WarnerMedia, and by extension, HBO Max — said that only customers who subscribe through hbonow.com and are billed directly by HBO would get the additional service. In a similar vein, customers who are billed for HBO through Apple services will also get access to HBO Max now. (Technically, neither of these groups is getting HBO for “free” — customers will still have to pay for their existing HBO or HBO Now subscriptions.)
Apple gets in on free HBO Max for current HBO subscribers
The deal includes both customers who subscribe to HBO Now through an App Store in-app purchase on the iOS version of the streaming app, as well as subscribers to HBO through the Apple TV app’s “Channels” feature.
As part of the agreement, HBO Max will integrate into the Apple TV app when it comes to suggesting content and will offer the option for new subscribers to enroll through Apple’s store — just like with HBO Now.
The new deal appears to apply just to Apple customers, meaning that anyone who subscribes to HBO through a different means — like Amazon Prime — won’t get HBO Max for free, at least for now.


theverge--2020-04-27--Pollution rollbacks show a ‘callous disregard’ for communities hard hit by COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis hasn ’ t stopped the Trump administration ’ s efforts to roll back key environmental protections in the US , alarming both environmental and public health experts .
Since the pandemic took hold in the United States , the Environmental Protection Agency has relaxed fuel economy standards — a decision that will lead to more emissions from tailpipes .
It also weakened a rule meant to keep mercury pollution in check , which could make it harder to regulate other toxins , too .
And in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic unfolding , the EPA announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect ” to penalize polluters for a broad range of violations related to routine monitoring and reporting requirements .
“ No shame .
I don ’ t know how else to put it.
” “ They just seem to have no , I don ’ t know — no shame .
I don ’ t know how else to put it , ” says former EPA administrator during the Obama administration , Gina McCarthy , who now heads the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council .
The Verge spoke with McCarthy about what impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our environment now and into the future .
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity .
What effects do you see the COVID-19 crisis having on the environment ?
One of the things that I think people now realize after COVID-19 is just how small the world is , how we can be so immediately devastated worldwide by a public health threat , and how important it is for us to think about that and its application to other worldwide concerns like climate change .
Obviously , our reactions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavioral changes and adaptations that we had to make .
And some of those may continue to have an influence into the future .
It just shows you that in a moment of crisis , the world can , people can change their behavior .
“ This isn ’ t the way you want to see pollution to be reduced.
” But certainly , this isn ’ t the way you want to see pollution to be reduced .
A path to a more sustainable future isn ’ t to react and adapt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our ability to have a strong economy and keep people working .
There has been a lot of attention on how air quality has improved as a result of stay-at-home orders .
What , if any , takeaways we can gather from that ?
Number one is that people begin to see the impact human beings actually have on the environment .
When you have a country like India where much of the population are seeing the Himalayas for the first time , that ’ s pretty shocking .
When you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just in air pollution but in water pollution , like looking at Venice and looking at the canals and they don ’ t look horrible anymore .
The sediment isn ’ t churning , and they ’ re not black and brown .
And so people are beginning to recognize that we do have an influence on the world in a way that could end up resulting in systemic change .
One of the biggest takeaways for me has been that people are wondering why African Americans are getting hit so much harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of deaths that are happening compared to the percentage of the population .
That ’ s not at all shocking to anybody who does public health work because it ’ s always been true that people of color in low-income communities are hit hardest because they always are facing the highest levels of pollution , the lowest levels of services like fresh food and health services .
And so , if there ’ s anything that comes out of this that ’ s positive , maybe it ’ s an understanding that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change is going to make it continually inequitable .
If we look at who ’ s losing their lives to COVID-19 in larger numbers , it ’ s the same people that have been facing the air pollution that ’ s been impacting their lungs that may make them predisposed to being harmed by pollution .
And that ’ s why it ’ s so unconscionable to me that this administration at this point in time is doing everything they can think of to make pollution standards weakened and to roll back their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from industries that are operating even today .
It ’ s just shocking to me because this just means it ’ s a callous disregard for the communities that have been left behind .
It ’ s a callous acknowledgment that they care less about people who are in poverty and people who are of communities of color than they do the people that are trying to benefit through stimulus dollars — which is those who are already rich and are already powerful .
It just shocks me that it could be so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the communities that have been left behind ” The decision the EPA made to relax its oversight of polluters during the pandemic shocked a lot of people who worry that it gives a break to powerful , polluting industries .
What are your thoughts on what effect that decision might have on people ?
The “ don ’ t ask , don ’ t tell ” policy looks sort of reasonable on its face but has no limits .
It basically says if COVID-19 is presenting any problem to you , then it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reporting .
And it specifically says that the EPA will not initiate penalties in those circumstances , and it doesn ’ t require the industries themselves to basically tell them in advance that they ’ re having problems so that the agency itself can monitor whether it ’ s legitimate or not .
And most importantly , let the communities around them know that there may be opportunities to increase pollution that directly impact their ability to monitor their own health .
So , the very industries that have caused all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the shadows of these facilities to health consequences [ and ] to having greater impacts from COVID-19 , these industries are the ones that could take advantage of this policy .
They could be sending more pollution their way that makes them dramatically more unable to cope against the challenge of COVID-19 .
And so this is an unlimited get-out-of-jail-free card with no end in sight .
And they did it with the full understanding that people wouldn ’ t be able to know what was happening or protect themselves .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in sight ” I read it , and I ’ ve never seen anything like it .
Nobody has ever done any rule that provided this breadth of leeway to industries in the middle of a crisis that impacts lungs where people die if they don ’ t have clean air to breathe .
We ’ re also facing the economic fallout of the pandemic .
What could a recession mean for environmental protection in the US ?
What it would mean for an administration that has real integrity here and is doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you put people back to work .
You use the stimulus dollars as an opportunity to help those most in need .
And then you hopefully look at , “ So what does the future look like ?
” If I ’ m investing trillions of dollars , how do we do that in a way that builds a better future ?
So it ought to acknowledge that we have air pollution challenges that are keeping communities of color and low-income people at higher risk of all kinds of ailments , including COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits to those communities so that they can address some of the income inequality we face .
They should be looking forward and investing in clean energy jobs .
They should be putting people to work in infrastructure that is necessary today for our water , for our sewer , for our adaptation challenges to climate change now .
There are so many ways in which they could look at this as building the next economy that doesn ’ t continue to rely on fossil fuels as the future .
And instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do exactly the opposite .
They ’ re going to use their “ Back to the Future ” strategy of investing in fossil fuels over people and polluters over people .
What lessons are we learning from how we responded to the coronavirus crisis that could be applied to how we take action on climate change ?
“ Nobody wants to hear from politicians about their view of science.
” One of the things that it is teaching is the value of science .
We have been struggling through this administration with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think they can continue .
So there ’ s going to be a real demand for people to pay attention to facts , and for science , and to listen to experts .
Nobody wants to hear from politicians about their view of science as opposed to looking at experts .
So maybe there ’ ll be a resurgence like there was 50 years ago with Earth Day , with people standing up and saying , “ Okay , enough with this nonsense .
Let ’ s look at real facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s listen to experts , and let ’ s find a way forward.
” I ’ m pretty confident that that shift will be enormously important .
And people will start getting engaged again because they realize if they don ’ t , then they ’ re going to lose — then they ’ re going to have a democracy that doesn ’ t work .
And if they get engaged , they ’ ll be able to make demands for a future they care about , one that protects their families and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stability and opportunity that they deserve .

The COVID-19 crisis hasn’t stopped the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back key environmental protections in the US, alarming both environmental and public health experts. Since the pandemic took hold in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has relaxed fuel economy standards — a decision that will lead to more emissions from tailpipes. It also weakened a rule meant to keep mercury pollution in check, which could make it harder to regulate other toxins, too. And in direct response to the coronavirus pandemic unfolding, the EPA announced in March that it “does not expect” to penalize polluters for a broad range of violations related to routine monitoring and reporting requirements.
“No shame. I don’t know how else to put it.”
“They just seem to have no, I don’t know — no shame. I don’t know how else to put it,” says former EPA administrator during the Obama administration, Gina McCarthy, who now heads the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.
The Verge spoke with McCarthy about what impact the coronavirus crisis is having on people and our environment now and into the future.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What effects do you see the COVID-19 crisis having on the environment?
One of the things that I think people now realize after COVID-19 is just how small the world is, how we can be so immediately devastated worldwide by a public health threat, and how important it is for us to think about that and its application to other worldwide concerns like climate change. Obviously, our reactions to COVID-19 have led to some significant behavioral changes and adaptations that we had to make. And some of those may continue to have an influence into the future. It just shows you that in a moment of crisis, the world can, people can change their behavior.
“This isn’t the way you want to see pollution to be reduced.”
But certainly, this isn’t the way you want to see pollution to be reduced. A path to a more sustainable future isn’t to react and adapt in these immediate ways that also diminish our ability to have a strong economy and keep people working.
There has been a lot of attention on how air quality has improved as a result of stay-at-home orders. What, if any, takeaways we can gather from that?
Number one is that people begin to see the impact human beings actually have on the environment. When you have a country like India where much of the population are seeing the Himalayas for the first time, that’s pretty shocking. When you’re seeing that kind of reduction, not just in air pollution but in water pollution, like looking at Venice and looking at the canals and they don’t look horrible anymore. The sediment isn’t churning, and they’re not black and brown. And so people are beginning to recognize that we do have an influence on the world in a way that could end up resulting in systemic change.
One of the biggest takeaways for me has been that people are wondering why African Americans are getting hit so much harder by COVID-19 in terms of the number of deaths that are happening compared to the percentage of the population. That’s not at all shocking to anybody who does public health work because it’s always been true that people of color in low-income communities are hit hardest because they always are facing the highest levels of pollution, the lowest levels of services like fresh food and health services. And so, if there’s anything that comes out of this that’s positive, maybe it’s an understanding that the world is unfair right now and climate change is going to make it continually inequitable.
If we look at who’s losing their lives to COVID-19 in larger numbers, it’s the same people that have been facing the air pollution that’s been impacting their lungs that may make them predisposed to being harmed by pollution. And that’s why it’s so unconscionable to me that this administration at this point in time is doing everything they can think of to make pollution standards weakened and to roll back their ability to be able to control pollution from industries that are operating even today. It’s just shocking to me because this just means it’s a callous disregard for the communities that have been left behind. It’s a callous acknowledgment that they care less about people who are in poverty and people who are of communities of color than they do the people that are trying to benefit through stimulus dollars — which is those who are already rich and are already powerful. It just shocks me that it could be so blatant.
“a callous disregard for the communities that have been left behind”
The decision the EPA made to relax its oversight of polluters during the pandemic shocked a lot of people who worry that it gives a break to powerful, polluting industries. What are your thoughts on what effect that decision might have on people?
The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy looks sort of reasonable on its face but has no limits. It basically says if COVID-19 is presenting any problem to you, then it gives you an excuse for not monitoring and reporting. And it specifically says that the EPA will not initiate penalties in those circumstances, and it doesn’t require the industries themselves to basically tell them in advance that they’re having problems so that the agency itself can monitor whether it’s legitimate or not. And most importantly, let the communities around them know that there may be opportunities to increase pollution that directly impact their ability to monitor their own health.
So, the very industries that have caused all of these predispositions for human beings who live in the shadows of these facilities to health consequences [and] to having greater impacts from COVID-19, these industries are the ones that could take advantage of this policy. They could be sending more pollution their way that makes them dramatically more unable to cope against the challenge of COVID-19. And so this is an unlimited get-out-of-jail-free card with no end in sight. And they did it with the full understanding that people wouldn’t be able to know what was happening or protect themselves.
“An unlimited get-out-of-jail-free card with no end in sight”
I read it, and I’ve never seen anything like it. Nobody has ever done any rule that provided this breadth of leeway to industries in the middle of a crisis that impacts lungs where people die if they don’t have clean air to breathe.
We’re also facing the economic fallout of the pandemic. What could a recession mean for environmental protection in the US?
What it would mean for an administration that has real integrity here and is doing its mission. It would mean that you put people back to work. You use the stimulus dollars as an opportunity to help those most in need. And then you hopefully look at, “So what does the future look like?” If I’m investing trillions of dollars, how do we do that in a way that builds a better future? So it ought to acknowledge that we have air pollution challenges that are keeping communities of color and low-income people at higher risk of all kinds of ailments, including COVID-19. They should put in place economic benefits to those communities so that they can address some of the income inequality we face. They should be looking forward and investing in clean energy jobs. They should be putting people to work in infrastructure that is necessary today for our water, for our sewer, for our adaptation challenges to climate change now.
There are so many ways in which they could look at this as building the next economy that doesn’t continue to rely on fossil fuels as the future. And instead, my fear is they’re going to do exactly the opposite. They’re going to use their “Back to the Future” strategy of investing in fossil fuels over people and polluters over people.
What lessons are we learning from how we responded to the coronavirus crisis that could be applied to how we take action on climate change?
“Nobody wants to hear from politicians about their view of science.”
One of the things that it is teaching is the value of science. We have been struggling through this administration with attacks on science, and I don’t think they can continue. So there’s going to be a real demand for people to pay attention to facts, and for science, and to listen to experts.


theverge--2020-04-28--WhatsApp ups limit on video calls to eight people

WhatsApp video calls can now include up to eight people instead of just four .
In order to reach the @ @ @ @ @ on the call will need to be running the updated version of the app .
@ @ @ @ @ call , you can either initiate the call directly from a group chat or add @ @ @ @ @ a one-on-one call .
WhatsApp ’ s site notes that its video calls are end-to-end @ @ @ @ @ track , WhatsApp ’ s new limit compares to the 12-person limit that was recently @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , Apple ’ s FaceTime supports 32 , Houseparty supports eight , Skype and @ @ @ @ @ Rooms service support 50 , and Zoom ’ s free tier supports 100 .
The @ @ @ @ @ now on iOS , but it doesn ’ t appear to be available from the @ @ @ @ @ .
If you ’ re an impatient Android user , then MSPowerUser reports that you @ @ @ @ @ directly from WhatsApp ’ s website .

WhatsApp video calls can now include up to eight people instead of just four. In order to reach the new upper limit, everyone on the call will need to be running the updated version of the app. To start a group video call, you can either initiate the call directly from a group chat or add extra people manually after starting a one-on-one call. WhatsApp’s site notes that its video calls are end-to-end encrypted.


theverge--2020-04-28--Facebook to stream a virtual graduation ceremony with Oprah Winfrey as commencement speaker

Students around the world are going to miss their opportunity to have an in-person graduation ceremony , so Facebook has decided to host its own version .
The social media platform announced today that it ’ ll stream a live graduation event on May 15th over Facebook , which will feature a commencement speech from Oprah Winfrey , as well as smaller speeches by Awkwafina , Jennifer Garner , Lil Nas X , and Simone Biles .
Miley Cyrus will also perform .
Although the show will be broadcast over Facebook , select clips will show up on Instagram , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremony will be a live graduation event streamed on Facebook and Instagram Starting May 11th , that same account will host senior-related content , like senior superlatives and portrait showcases .
Instagram itself will be getting some product updates , too , including a graduation countdown sticker , celebratory sticker pack , music stickers that connect to graduation songs , new AR effects , and a custom hashtag page for # Graduation2020 .
The core Facebook app is getting an information page on how to host virtual graduation ceremonies on the platform that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s new video conference software , Messenger Rooms , can facilitate everything .
Facebook isn ’ t the only company to volunteer its platform as a home for rites of passage .
TikTok hosted its own prom night .
In that case , it brought in a few stars , but mostly leaned on its own platform ’ s talent .
Facebook is seemingly using its scale and famous names to its advantage in order to promote its own internal tools , especially its newly launched Messenger Rooms .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremonies and parties to Zoom .

Students around the world are going to miss their opportunity to have an in-person graduation ceremony, so Facebook has decided to host its own version.
The social media platform announced today that it’ll stream a live graduation event on May 15th over Facebook, which will feature a commencement speech from Oprah Winfrey, as well as smaller speeches by Awkwafina, Jennifer Garner, Lil Nas X, and Simone Biles. Miley Cyrus will also perform. Although the show will be broadcast over Facebook, select clips will show up on Instagram, at @instagram, too.
The ceremony will be a live graduation event streamed on Facebook and Instagram
Starting May 11th, that same account will host senior-related content, like senior superlatives and portrait showcases. Instagram itself will be getting some product updates, too, including a graduation countdown sticker, celebratory sticker pack, music stickers that connect to graduation songs, new AR effects, and a custom hashtag page for #Graduation2020.
The core Facebook app is getting an information page on how to host virtual graduation ceremonies on the platform that’ll highlight custom filters and how the company’s new video conference software, Messenger Rooms, can facilitate everything.