theverge--2020-09-10--Go read this Motherboard report on what some people did with the ‘Chinese Mystery Seeds’

To say 2020 is a wild year is an understatement — aside from the obvious thing that ’ s defined 2020 , in July , some people across the US received an unsolicited parcel from China containing seeds .
Motherboard ’ s editor-in-chief went to great lengths to find out what people did with those seeds , and you should read his report .
As you ’ d expect , the strange packages caught the USDA ’ s attention , urging people to mail the seeds to the agency or to their state ’ s plant regulator .
Some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not so much .
Here are some interesting details from Motherboard ’ s report on how overwhelmed agricultural authorities were and what likely happened to people who kept the seeds : • A woman from New Mexico thought a seed company sent them to her , so she decided to plant the seeds and realized it was a bad idea because the seeds began to kill everything in her garden .
• According to several government documents obtained by Motherboard , some people actually ate the seeds .
• Over 600 people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planted them , including one resident who mistakenly thought they were the strawberry seeds they ordered on Amazon until they realized the seed produced black and green mold .
• North Carolina had about 1,300 reports , and 60 people decided to plant them with varying results .
One person managed to grow oregano , and they reportedly consumed that oregano .
Following the seed fiasco , Amazon announced this month that it would ban the sale of foreign plants entirely .
The way people reacted to the random seed packages are interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ odd .
You can read the entire report over at Motherboard .

To say 2020 is a wild year is an understatement — aside from the obvious thing that’s defined 2020, in July, some people across the US received an unsolicited parcel from China containing seeds. Motherboard’s editor-in-chief went to great lengths to find out what people did with those seeds, and you should read his report.
As you’d expect, the strange packages caught the USDA’s attention, urging people to mail the seeds to the agency or to their state’s plant regulator. Some people listened to the government and others, not so much. Here are some interesting details from Motherboard’s report on how overwhelmed agricultural authorities were and what likely happened to people who kept the seeds:
A woman from New Mexico thought a seed company sent them to her, so she decided to plant the seeds and realized it was a bad idea because the seeds began to kill everything in her garden.
According to several government documents obtained by Motherboard, some people actually ate the seeds.
Over 600 people in Michigan reported receiving seeds, and 30 planted them, including one resident who mistakenly thought they were the strawberry seeds they ordered on Amazon until they realized the seed produced black and green mold.
North Carolina had about 1,300 reports, and 60 people decided to plant them with varying results. One person managed to grow oregano, and they reportedly consumed that oregano.
Following the seed fiasco, Amazon announced this month that it would ban the sale of foreign plants entirely.


theverge--2020-09-10--Android 11 Go is available today, and it will launch apps 20 percent faster

Android 11 just launched this week for Pixel devices and phones from OnePlus , Xiaomi , Oppo , and Realme , and now Google has detailed its counterpart designed for low-powered devices : Android 11 ( Go edition ) .
One of the biggest new features is that Android 11 ( Go edition ) is supposed to work on devices with 2GB of RAM or less — a bump up from Android 10 ( Go edition ) , which was made for devices with less than 1.5GB of RAM .
But don ’ t necessarily expect to upgrade your existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only going to come out with new phones with that much memory , not earlier ones , Google tells The Verge .
Also , Google says it ’ s up to OEMs whether they want to put Android 11 Go on a device instead of Android 10 Go , contradicting what was suggested in a document obtained by XDA Developers back in July .
Google wouldn ’ t provide any examples of devices that can get the update .
But if you do happen to have a phone that can upgrade to Android @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can try out new features like grouped notifications from chat apps in your notifications , like Android 11 , and granting apps one-time permissions for things such as your microphone or camera .
Apps will also launch 20 percent faster than they did on Android 10 ( Go edition ) , according to Google .
And Android 11 ( Go edition ) adds a gesture-based navigation system you can use to swipe around the phone ’ s UI .
Update , 6:18 PM ET : Added clarification from Google about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 ( Go edition ) , though we still don ’ t have any examples of specific phones .

Android 11 just launched this week for Pixel devices and phones from OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Realme, and now Google has detailed its counterpart designed for low-powered devices: Android 11 (Go edition).
One of the biggest new features is that Android 11 (Go edition) is supposed to work on devices with 2GB of RAM or less — a bump up from Android 10 (Go edition), which was made for devices with less than 1.5GB of RAM. But don’t necessarily expect to upgrade your existing 2GB phone: Android 11 Go is only going to come out with new phones with that much memory, not earlier ones, Google tells The Verge.
Also, Google says it’s up to OEMs whether they want to put Android 11 Go on a device instead of Android 10 Go, contradicting what was suggested in a document obtained by XDA Developers back in July. Google wouldn’t provide any examples of devices that can get the update.
But if you do happen to have a phone that can upgrade to Android 11 (Go edition) right now, you can try out new features like grouped notifications from chat apps in your notifications, like Android 11, and granting apps one-time permissions for things such as your microphone or camera. Apps will also launch 20 percent faster than they did on Android 10 (Go edition), according to Google. And Android 11 (Go edition) adds a gesture-based navigation system you can use to swipe around the phone’s UI.


theverge--2020-09-10--Google promises to remove search suggestions that might seem political — even if they’re true

Google has sometimes gotten in trouble for the phrases that automatically appear when you ’ re trying to type in a new search .
Even if some of them make for amusing celebrity interviews , others have sometimes steered users toward problematic concepts and fake news in addition to harmless things like movie and video game spoilers .
The suggestions are based on what other people are searching for , after all .
But in the buildup to the 2020 US presidential election , Google is changing its autocomplete policies to theoretically weed out one particular category of suggestion : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be interpreted as favoring a particular candidate or political party .
The new policy is extremely short , so I ’ ll just give you the whole thing right here : We don ’ t allow predictions that could be interpreted as a position for or against any candidate or political party , nor which could be interpreted as claims about the participation in or integrity of the electoral process .
Mind you , Google already claimed in 2016 that “ autocomplete does not favor any candidate or cause , ” back when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results about Hillary Clinton .
It sounds like this will be a bit different , though : instead of making sure that searches for political candidates and parties aren ’ t biased in any way , Google will simply be removing search suggestions that could favor either party or candidate .
The company offered a few examples in a blog post today , and they seem heavy-handed in how “ balanced ” they ’ re trying to be : Google will apparently remove both the phrases “ You can vote by phone ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by phone , ” even though one of those things is true and the other is a lie .
Google tells The Verge this will mostly be automatically , proactively enforced : Also , similar but unbiased searches like “ can you vote by phone ?
” may still get autocompleted .
If you see a prediction that violates Google ’ s policies , you can report them here .
Update , 7:16 PM ET : Added Google ’ s clarification that this will mostly be automatically and proactively enforced by its systems @

Google has sometimes gotten in trouble for the phrases that automatically appear when you’re trying to type in a new search. Even if some of them make for amusing celebrity interviews, others have sometimes steered users toward problematic concepts and fake news in addition to harmless things like movie and video game spoilers. The suggestions are based on what other people are searching for, after all.
But in the buildup to the 2020 US presidential election, Google is changing its autocomplete policies to theoretically weed out one particular category of suggestion: “Election related predictions” that could be interpreted as favoring a particular candidate or political party.
The new policy is extremely short, so I’ll just give you the whole thing right here:
Elections related predictions We don’t allow predictions that could be interpreted as a position for or against any candidate or political party, nor which could be interpreted as claims about the participation in or integrity of the electoral process.
Mind you, Google already claimed in 2016 that “autocomplete does not favor any candidate or cause,” back when it was accused of hiding negative autocomplete results about Hillary Clinton. It sounds like this will be a bit different, though: instead of making sure that searches for political candidates and parties aren’t biased in any way, Google will simply be removing search suggestions that could favor either party or candidate.
Truth is not a defense
The company offered a few examples in a blog post today, and they seem heavy-handed in how “balanced” they’re trying to be: Google will apparently remove both the phrases “You can vote by phone” and “You can’t vote by phone,” even though one of those things is true and the other is a lie.
Google tells The Verge this will mostly be automatically, proactively enforced:
With Autocomplete, we primarily rely on automated systems to approximate our policies and prevent violating predictions from appearing. If any predictions slip through, and if we get reports or otherwise identify violations, then our trust and safety team enforces those policies.
Also, similar but unbiased searches like “can you vote by phone?” may still get autocompleted. If you see a prediction that violates Google’s policies, you can report them here.


theverge--2020-09-10--Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is still missing EKG, but here’s your consolation prize

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 was released last year , yet Samsung ’ s promised heart-tracking EKG feature is still not available to help it compete with the Apple Watch in the US .
Instead , Samsung has just released a new update to the watch that adds features that debuted in the newly released Galaxy Watch 3 to the less expensive Active 2 — including the long-rumored fall detection feature which could help if you trip and get seriously injured .
When the Galaxy Watch 3 released last month with the expensive starting price of $ 399 compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s $ 250 price , it added some fitness features that turned out to be hit or miss , as my colleague Dan Siefert pointed out in his review ( it ’ s a recurring problem in Samsung wearables ) .
Now , you ’ re getting some metrics like “ asymmetry , ” “ vertical oscillation , ” and “ contact time ” to help analyze your running form and a measurement of your maximum oxygen .
They ’ re not the EKG you ’ ve been waiting for , but adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cheaper model is a good entry point for people interested in testing out some of Galaxy Watch 3 ’ s new fitness smarts .
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 already seemed like a better deal Fall detection is a major feature that the Apple Watch has had since 2018 ; it ’ s a practical feature for users wearing the watch because if you fall and seriously injure yourself , say if you twist your ankle and can ’ t get up , the watch can detect the fall and ask if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency contacts .
Samsung ’ s Galaxy Watch 3 is a successor to the original Galaxy Watch ( yes , there was no Galaxy Watch 2 ) , adding a thinner , lighter design from its predecessor , plus an OLED display with a rotating bezel .
Alongside the previously mentioned new fitness smarts , the watch will soon allow you to monitor your blood oxygen levels .
Even with the remaining exclusive features , the Galaxy Watch Active 2 already seemed like a better deal as of Dan ’ s review , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new fitness smarts available .
Regardless of which wearable you buy , both are still missing EKG .
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 technically has this feature available in Korea , but it ’ s still unclear if US users will ever gain access .
Last month , the FDA confirmed that the Galaxy Watch 3 was cleared for EKG , but Samsung has yet to announce when it will be available .

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 was released last year, yet Samsung’s promised heart-tracking EKG feature is still not available to help it compete with the Apple Watch in the US. Instead, Samsung has just released a new update to the watch that adds features that debuted in the newly released Galaxy Watch 3 to the less expensive Active 2 — including the long-rumored fall detection feature which could help if you trip and get seriously injured.
When the Galaxy Watch 3 released last month with the expensive starting price of $399 compared to the Galaxy Watch Active 2’s $250 price, it added some fitness features that turned out to be hit or miss, as my colleague Dan Siefert pointed out in his review (it’s a recurring problem in Samsung wearables). Now, you’re getting some metrics like “asymmetry,” “vertical oscillation,” and “contact time” to help analyze your running form and a measurement of your maximum oxygen. They’re not the EKG you’ve been waiting for, but adding these features to Samsung’s older and cheaper model is a good entry point for people interested in testing out some of Galaxy Watch 3’s new fitness smarts.
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 already seemed like a better deal
Fall detection is a major feature that the Apple Watch has had since 2018; it’s a practical feature for users wearing the watch because if you fall and seriously injure yourself, say if you twist your ankle and can’t get up, the watch can detect the fall and ask if you need to reach one of your emergency contacts.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 is a successor to the original Galaxy Watch (yes, there was no Galaxy Watch 2), adding a thinner, lighter design from its predecessor, plus an OLED display with a rotating bezel. Alongside the previously mentioned new fitness smarts, the watch will soon allow you to monitor your blood oxygen levels. Even with the remaining exclusive features, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 already seemed like a better deal as of Dan’s review, and now it has a few extra new fitness smarts available.


theverge--2020-09-10--Epic says ‘Sign In with Apple’ will keep working for Fortnite after all

Just yesterday , Epic said that as soon as Friday , Apple would no longer let people use its single sign-on solution , “ Sign In with Apple , ” to access their Epic Games account .
That would mean that anyone who relied on their Apple credentials to log in to Epic services like Fortnite and the Epic Games Store would lose access when Apple pulled the plug , unless they changed their account first .
But the game studio is now saying Apple has given Epic an “ indefinite extension ” on supporting “ Sign In with Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still recommending that users “ prepare your accounts ” for a potential removal of “ Sign In with Apple , ” however , and continues to promote an explainer on its site showing how to change your login credentials .
When reached for comment about yesterday ’ s news , Apple told The Verge that it was not doing anything to stop “ Sign In with Apple ” accounts from working with Epic Games .
So there ’ s some kind of discrepancy in who is telling the truth , as Epic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shutoff ( and the way Epic is talking about it , still possibly could ) .
Apple did not immediately reply to a request for comment about today ’ s development .
Apple and Epic are locked in an ongoing battle over App Store policies and Epic ’ s standing as an Apple developer since Fortnite was kicked from the App Store in August for adding an in-app payment mechanism .

Just yesterday, Epic said that as soon as Friday, Apple would no longer let people use its single sign-on solution, “Sign In with Apple,” to access their Epic Games account. That would mean that anyone who relied on their Apple credentials to log in to Epic services like Fortnite and the Epic Games Store would lose access when Apple pulled the plug, unless they changed their account first. But the game studio is now saying Apple has given Epic an “indefinite extension” on supporting “Sign In with Apple” for Epic Games accounts.
Epic is still recommending that users “prepare your accounts” for a potential removal of “Sign In with Apple,” however, and continues to promote an explainer on its site showing how to change your login credentials.
When reached for comment about yesterday’s news, Apple told The Verge that it was not doing anything to stop “Sign In with Apple” accounts from working with Epic Games. So there’s some kind of discrepancy in who is telling the truth, as Epic is maintaining that Apple was previously enforcing the shutoff (and the way Epic is talking about it, still possibly could). Apple did not immediately reply to a request for comment about today’s development.


theverge--2020-09-10--Trump eyes social media bias hawk as next FCC commissioner

The Trump administration is considering an unconventional pick for the next FCC commissioner , a senior adviser at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration ( NTIA ) who has played a significant role in the agency ’ s social media regulation agenda .
The choice is still tentative , but if confirmed , the nomination would represent a significant blow to Republicans who favor a light-touch approach to telecom policy .
Three sources close to the matter say Nathan Simington , a senior advisor at the NTIA within the commerce department , has emerged as a leading candidate to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s seat at the FCC .
Simington is said to have helped draft the administration ’ s social media executive order , and his nomination would be a victory for Republicans who want to see the FCC take a larger role in regulating social networks .
Simington would be a significant break from O ’ Rielly , who had expressed concerns that Trump ’ s anti-bias efforts could violate constitutional law .
“ As a conservative , I ’ m troubled voices are stifled by liberal tech leaders , ” he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to news of Trump ’ s looming executive order .
“ At same time , I ’ m extremely dedicated to First Amendment which governs much here.
” In August , Trump abruptly withdrew O ’ Rielly ’ s nomination after the commissioner gave a speech opposing making changes to Section 230 .
O ’ Rielly has served at the FCC for six years and was expected to serve a third term .
In the wake of the unexpected withdrawal , the search for O ’ Rielly ’ s successor has been chaotic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether a nomination will be submitted before the November election .
Simington did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Historically , the White House does not comment on personnel and declined to do so when reached by The Verge .
In May , Trump signed an executive order responding to perceived bias against conservatives in the way social media companies moderate their platforms .
The order specifically targeted platforms ’ legal protections under Section 230 , instructing NTIA to draft a petition for submission to the FCC requesting that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law .
NTIA officially filed its petition with the FCC in July .
On August 3rd , FCC Chairman Ajit Pai opened the petition for public comment .
“ We should welcome vigorous debate—not foreclose it , ” Pai said in a statement at the time .
“ The American people deserve to have a say , and we will give them that chance.
” That commenting period was recently closed .

The Trump administration is considering an unconventional pick for the next FCC commissioner, a senior adviser at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) who has played a significant role in the agency’s social media regulation agenda. The choice is still tentative, but if confirmed, the nomination would represent a significant blow to Republicans who favor a light-touch approach to telecom policy.
Three sources close to the matter say Nathan Simington, a senior advisor at the NTIA within the commerce department, has emerged as a leading candidate to take over Republican Commissioner Mike O’Rielly’s seat at the FCC.
What is Section 230? Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which was passed in 1996, says an “interactive computer service” can’t be treated as the publisher or speaker of third-party content. This protects websites from lawsuits if a user posts something illegal, although there are exceptions for pirated and prostitution-related material. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Chris Cox (R-CA) crafted Section 230 so website owners could moderate sites without worrying about legal liability. The law is particularly vital for social media networks, but it covers many sites and services, including news outlets with comment sections — like The Verge. The Electronic Frontier Foundation calls it “the most important law protecting internet speech.” It’s increasingly controversial and frequently misinterpreted, however. Critics argue that its broad protections let powerful companies ignore real harm to users. On the other hand, some lawmakers incorrectly claim that it only protects “neutral platforms” — a term that’s irrelevant to the law.
Simington is said to have helped draft the administration’s social media executive order, and his nomination would be a victory for Republicans who want to see the FCC take a larger role in regulating social networks.
Simington would be a significant break from O’Rielly, who had expressed concerns that Trump’s anti-bias efforts could violate constitutional law. “As a conservative, I’m troubled voices are stifled by liberal tech leaders,” he wrote on Twitter in May, in response to news of Trump’s looming executive order. “At same time, I’m extremely dedicated to First Amendment which governs much here.”
In August, Trump abruptly withdrew O’Rielly’s nomination after the commissioner gave a speech opposing making changes to Section 230. O’Rielly has served at the FCC for six years and was expected to serve a third term.
In the wake of the unexpected withdrawal, the search for O’Rielly’s successor has been chaotic, and it’s still unclear whether a nomination will be submitted before the November election.
Simington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Historically, the White House does not comment on personnel and declined to do so when reached by The Verge.
In May, Trump signed an executive order responding to perceived bias against conservatives in the way social media companies moderate their platforms. The order specifically targeted platforms’ legal protections under Section 230, instructing NTIA to draft a petition for submission to the FCC requesting that the telecom agency reinterpret the protections granted by the law. NTIA officially filed its petition with the FCC in July. On August 3rd, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai opened the petition for public comment.


theverge--2020-09-10--AmazonBasics products are going up in flames, but not enough for Amazon to stop selling them

Many AmazonBasics products that have been reported as fire hazards are still for sale on Amazon , according to an extensive investigation by CNN .
Some of the stories about the dangerous products are harrowing .
In one , a man went to the hospital after his chair caught fire while he was sleeping , apparently due to a melted USB cord .
An AmazonBasics microwave caught fire when an eight-year-old heated up a macaroni and cheese cup .
One man saw fire coming from an AmazonBasics surge protector while only a single phone charger was plugged into it — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby .
Reports have apparently been piling up for years Reports have apparently been piling up for years .
CNN counted at least 1,500 reviews since 2016 for more than 70 items that described “ products exploding , catching on fire , smoking , melting , causing electrical malfunctions or otherwise posing risks.
” Amazon has taken down some of the items that customers reported to be dangerous , like the USB cable and the surge protector , though many still remain on the site , CNN says : Within the more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out items as potentially dangerous — using terms such as “ hazard ” or “ fire ” or saying the product should be recalled .
Around 30 items with three or more reviews like this remain for sale on Amazon.com today .
At least 11 other products that fit this criteria were no longer for sale at the time of publication .
Some became unavailable after CNN began its reporting , and at least four product pages were removed from the retailer ’ s site entirely — leaving behind dead URLs known by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed that at least eight of these products had been under investigation , but said the company determined they all met its safety standards .
Despite the many reported safety issues , however , Amazon has only ever issued two official recalls of AmazonBasics products , according to CNN .
The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission ( CPSC ) has only received at least 10 reports over eight years that mention an AmazonBasics product with concerns similar to those in the reviews CNN analyzed .
When confronted by CNN , Amazon pointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety standards or — in a few cases — how it had removed them after reports .
( The USB cable apparently met Amazon ’ s standards but was removed at some point as well . )
Amazon has come under frequent scrutiny over selling defective products in the past — The Verge counted more than 60 federal lawsuits over product liability toward Amazon in the past decade in a January report .
CNN ’ s investigation is worth reading in full , which also includes interviews with former Amazon employees discussing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in AmazonBasics products .
Update September 10th , 8:31PM ET : Amazon posted a blog in response to CNN ’ s article describing safety measures it takes for its products .

Many AmazonBasics products that have been reported as fire hazards are still for sale on Amazon, according to an extensive investigation by CNN.
Some of the stories about the dangerous products are harrowing. In one, a man went to the hospital after his chair caught fire while he was sleeping, apparently due to a melted USB cord. An AmazonBasics microwave caught fire when an eight-year-old heated up a macaroni and cheese cup. One man saw fire coming from an AmazonBasics surge protector while only a single phone charger was plugged into it — as his baby slept in a room nearby.
Reports have apparently been piling up for years
Reports have apparently been piling up for years. CNN counted at least 1,500 reviews since 2016 for more than 70 items that described “products exploding, catching on fire, smoking, melting, causing electrical malfunctions or otherwise posing risks.”
Amazon has taken down some of the items that customers reported to be dangerous, like the USB cable and the surge protector, though many still remain on the site, CNN says:
Within the more than 1,500 reviews, many consumers explicitly called out items as potentially dangerous — using terms such as “hazard” or “fire” or saying the product should be recalled. Around 30 items with three or more reviews like this remain for sale on Amazon.com today. At least 11 other products that fit this criteria were no longer for sale at the time of publication. Some became unavailable after CNN began its reporting, and at least four product pages were removed from the retailer’s site entirely — leaving behind dead URLs known by employees as “dog pages.” Amazon confirmed that at least eight of these products had been under investigation, but said the company determined they all met its safety standards.
Despite the many reported safety issues, however, Amazon has only ever issued two official recalls of AmazonBasics products, according to CNN. The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has only received at least 10 reports over eight years that mention an AmazonBasics product with concerns similar to those in the reviews CNN analyzed.
When confronted by CNN, Amazon pointed to specific reasons why certain products met its safety standards or — in a few cases — how it had removed them after reports. (The USB cable apparently met Amazon’s standards but was removed at some point as well.)
Amazon has come under frequent scrutiny over selling defective products in the past — The Verge counted more than 60 federal lawsuits over product liability toward Amazon in the past decade in a January report.
CNN’s investigation is worth reading in full, which also includes interviews with former Amazon employees discussing the measures taken to test for safety issues in AmazonBasics products.
Related How Amazon escapes liability for the riskiest products on its site


theverge--2020-09-10--All the biggest announcements from Ubisoft’s Forward event

Ubisoft just debuted another one of its Forward events , where the company previewed more upcoming titles and details on its fall lineup , including a better look at Immortals Fenyx Rising , the return of Scott Pilgrim vs .
The World : The Game , and the announcement of new games like Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time Remake and the massively multiplayer Riders Republic .
Here ’ s everything you need to know : Ubisoft CEO addresses the company ’ s problems with diversity , inclusion , racism , and sexual misconduct The most significant announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the actual Forward event at all — Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot finally made a statement addressing the reports of racism , sexual misconduct , and a lack of diversity and inclusion that have apparently been a part of Ubisoft ’ s company culture for years .
“ We are at the start of a long journey , ” Guillemot said .
“ Real change will take time.
” The company also announced two new programs designed to increase mentorship opportunities for women and “ individuals from underrepresented groups.
” Ubisoft said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t included in the main event due to “ timing constraints , ” but it noted that it would be added to the video when it ’ s posted for on-demand viewing .
Immortals Fenyx Rising gets a Breath of the Wild-esque gameplay reveal Ubisoft finally revealed more information on the upcoming Immortals Fenyx Rising ( previously known as Gods & Monsters ) , showing off the Greek mythology-inspired world and the gameplay that looks heavily inspired by Nintendo ’ s The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Switch , Xbox One , PlayStation 4 , PC , and Stadia .
For more information , check out our hands-on impressions here .
Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time is getting a modern remake The 2003 classic Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time is getting a new remake in 2021 for the Xbox One , PlayStation 4 , and PC .
Ubisoft says that it ’ s rebuilt the game from the ground up in its modern Anvil engine , and that the remake will feature improved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be out on January 21st .
Ubisoft is taking extreme sports to an even bigger online audience with Riders Republic , a massive multiplayer game from the creators of Steep , focused on all kinds of adrenaline-pumping activities , including biking , wingsuiting , skiing , snowboarding , and more .
The company promises huge maps based on actual GPS data from US national parks and the ability to race against 50 opponents at once .
It ’ ll launch on February 25th , 2021 for PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ S , Google Stadia , and PC .
Scott Pilgrim vs .
The World : The Game returns The adaption of Bryan Lee O ’ Malley ’ s iconic comic book series is returning a decade after its release ( and still unexplained removal from various digital storefronts ) .
It ’ ll be out this holiday season for Switch , Xbox One , PlayStation 4 , PC , and Stadia .
It ’ ll include bonus Knives Chau and Wallace Wells character add-ons and the return of the extremely good chiptune soundtrack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming to next-gen consoles this year Ubisoft ’ s popular esport shooter is making the jump to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X .
The company promises that it ’ ll support up to 4K and 120fps gameplay by the end of the year , with free next-gen upgrades for existing PS4 and Xbox One owners .
The company also announced a new , country-based Rainbow Six Siege World Cup competition and a new season of content based around Splinter Cell ’ s Sam Fisher .
The upcoming Watch Dogs Legion is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapper Stormzy , who ’ ll be featured in the game with a special “ Fall On My Enemies ” mission out on October 29th .
Additionally , Aidan Pearce — the bland , cap-wearing hero of the first Watch Dogs — is set to return to the franchise as a playable character in an upcoming DLC expansion .
Ubisoft is taking a page from Fortnite ’ s book with a new , limited-time “ Turbo Mode ” in its Hyper Scape battle royale , which — similar to Epic ’ s Solid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-paced game where all weapons are the maximum rarity .
It launches on September 15th .

Ubisoft just debuted another one of its Forward events, where the company previewed more upcoming titles and details on its fall lineup, including a better look at Immortals Fenyx Rising, the return of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, and the announcement of new games like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake and the massively multiplayer Riders Republic.
Here’s everything you need to know:
The most significant announcement Ubisoft made today was notably not part of the actual Forward event at all — Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot finally made a statement addressing the reports of racism, sexual misconduct, and a lack of diversity and inclusion that have apparently been a part of Ubisoft’s company culture for years. “We are at the start of a long journey,” Guillemot said. “Real change will take time.”
The company also announced two new programs designed to increase mentorship opportunities for women and “individuals from underrepresented groups.” Ubisoft said on Twitter that Guillemot’s message wasn’t included in the main event due to “timing constraints,” but it noted that it would be added to the video when it’s posted for on-demand viewing.
Ubisoft finally revealed more information on the upcoming Immortals Fenyx Rising (previously known as Gods & Monsters), showing off the Greek mythology-inspired world and the gameplay that looks heavily inspired by Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’ll be out on December 3rd on Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Stadia. For more information, check out our hands-on impressions here.
The 2003 classic Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is getting a new remake in 2021 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Ubisoft says that it’s rebuilt the game from the ground up in its modern Anvil engine, and that the remake will feature improved combat and camera controls. It’ll be out on January 21st.
Riders Republic turns extreme sports into a massive multiplayer online game
Ubisoft is taking extreme sports to an even bigger online audience with Riders Republic, a massive multiplayer game from the creators of Steep, focused on all kinds of adrenaline-pumping activities, including biking, wingsuiting, skiing, snowboarding, and more. The company promises huge maps based on actual GPS data from US national parks and the ability to race against 50 opponents at once. It’ll launch on February 25th, 2021 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S, Google Stadia, and PC.
The adaption of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s iconic comic book series is returning a decade after its release (and still unexplained removal from various digital storefronts). It’ll be out this holiday season for Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Stadia. It’ll include bonus Knives Chau and Wallace Wells character add-ons and the return of the extremely good chiptune soundtrack from Anamanaguchi.
Rainbow Six Siege is coming to next-gen consoles this year
Ubisoft’s popular esport shooter is making the jump to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The company promises that it’ll support up to 4K and 120fps gameplay by the end of the year, with free next-gen upgrades for existing PS4 and Xbox One owners. The company also announced a new, country-based Rainbow Six Siege World Cup competition and a new season of content based around Splinter Cell’s Sam Fisher.
Watch Dogs Legion will feature special Stormzy and Aidan Pierce missions
The upcoming Watch Dogs Legion is getting a cameo appearance by popular London rapper Stormzy, who’ll be featured in the game with a special “Fall On My Enemies” mission out on October 29th. Additionally, Aidan Pearce — the bland, cap-wearing hero of the first Watch Dogs — is set to return to the franchise as a playable character in an upcoming DLC expansion.
Hyper Scape is getting a limited-time “Turbo Mode”


theverge--2020-09-10--With Tell Me Why on Xbox Game Pass, episodic gaming has found its moment

Episodic gaming has always felt like an idea that was ahead of its time .
For many players , it ’ s a compelling concept : story-driven games broken up into digestible chunks that you can play over the course of weeks or months .
But the realities of game development and release schedules proved problematic .
Telltale Games , the studio behind episodic hits like The Walking Dead and Batman , infamously collapsed as it struggled with the demands of releasing new episodes every month .
Meanwhile , last year ’ s Life is Strange 2 was excellent but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched at an erratic pace , releasing every few months .
But with the advent of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass , episodic games may have finally found their moment .
I came to this realization while playing Tell Me Why on Xbox One , the latest release from French studio Dontnod , which is the same team behind the Life is Strange series .
It ’ s exactly what we ’ ve come to expect from the studio : a mix of prestige drama TV and a classic point-and-click adventure game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small town in Alaska , coming to grips with the death of their mother and her secretive life .
It ’ s as emotional and gripping as the studio ’ s previous work , and there ’ s even an intriguing new superpower to play around with ; the twins have a psychic connection , which they can use to talk to each other and relive old memories .
The story itself is great , and I ’ ve been hooked since the beginning .
The first episode of Tell Me Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chapters coming out on a weekly basis .
The third and final episode is out today .
That cadence has proven to be particularly compelling ; in the past , episodic games would typically release new chapters every month or two , making it hard to keep track of the story .
Usually , I ’ d just wait until every episode was released and play through it in one go .
But with Tell Me Why , knowing that a new episode would be out each week , I played differently , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next chapter released .
It ’ s a model that fits particularly well with a streaming service like Game Pass , which is increasingly starting to feel like the long-sought-after Netflix for games .
The whole process is seamless : I don ’ t have to worry about buying new episodes or keeping track of my save .
It all just works , so I can focus on enjoying the story .
The sales pitch for Game Pass has been access to Microsoft ’ s big exclusives ; if you subscribe , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new Halo or Gears game , since they ’ re part of the service .
But Microsoft has also done a great job of steadily building out Game Pass with a variety of different experiences .
There are big online worlds like Destiny , survival games like Grounded , and classic arcade titles like Battletoads .
There ’ s enough that Game Pass has become an important part of Microsoft ’ s next-gen strategy .
When I eventually buy an Xbox Series X , there ’ s a strong chance I won ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ ll just play things on Game Pass .
Episodic games fit perfectly with this strategy .
For one thing , they ’ re small , the kinds of experiences you can play in between bigger games .
But their story-driven nature also means that they tackle different subjects — and , in turn , can appeal to new audiences — compared to traditional blockbusters .
Dontnod has become particularly adept at this .
The first two seasons of Life is Strange covered difficult topics like suicide and racism in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a rarity amongst mainstream games .
Tell Me Why is attempting something similar with regards to its transgender lead character .
Being on a growing service like Game Pass could open these kinds of games up to brand-new audiences .
Subscription services don ’ t necessarily solve every issue with episodic games .
Releasing new games on a weekly or monthly basis is still a huge undertaking for any developer ; Tell Me Why appears to have been already complete before the episodes started launching , which could be one solution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two seem to be a perfect fit .
As services like Game Pass become increasingly like their streaming television counterparts , games that blend interactivity with TV-style storytelling start to make a lot more sense .
It took a few years , but the industry has finally caught up .

Episodic gaming has always felt like an idea that was ahead of its time. For many players, it’s a compelling concept: story-driven games broken up into digestible chunks that you can play over the course of weeks or months. But the realities of game development and release schedules proved problematic. Telltale Games, the studio behind episodic hits like The Walking Dead and Batman, infamously collapsed as it struggled with the demands of releasing new episodes every month. Meanwhile, last year’s Life is Strange 2 was excellent but difficult to keep up with as chapters launched at an erratic pace, releasing every few months.
But with the advent of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass, episodic games may have finally found their moment.
I came to this realization while playing Tell Me Why on Xbox One, the latest release from French studio Dontnod, which is the same team behind the Life is Strange series. It’s exactly what we’ve come to expect from the studio: a mix of prestige drama TV and a classic point-and-click adventure game. Players control two twins living in a small town in Alaska, coming to grips with the death of their mother and her secretive life. It’s as emotional and gripping as the studio’s previous work, and there’s even an intriguing new superpower to play around with; the twins have a psychic connection, which they can use to talk to each other and relive old memories.
The story itself is great, and I’ve been hooked since the beginning. The first episode of Tell Me Why launched on August 27th, with new chapters coming out on a weekly basis. The third and final episode is out today. That cadence has proven to be particularly compelling; in the past, episodic games would typically release new chapters every month or two, making it hard to keep track of the story. Usually, I’d just wait until every episode was released and play through it in one go. But with Tell Me Why, knowing that a new episode would be out each week, I played differently, diving right in as soon as the next chapter released.
It’s a model that fits particularly well with a streaming service like Game Pass, which is increasingly starting to feel like the long-sought-after Netflix for games. The whole process is seamless: I don’t have to worry about buying new episodes or keeping track of my save. It all just works, so I can focus on enjoying the story.
The sales pitch for Game Pass has been access to Microsoft’s big exclusives; if you subscribe, you won’t have to buy a new Halo or Gears game, since they’re part of the service. But Microsoft has also done a great job of steadily building out Game Pass with a variety of different experiences. There are big online worlds like Destiny, survival games like Grounded, and classic arcade titles like Battletoads. There’s enough that Game Pass has become an important part of Microsoft’s next-gen strategy. When I eventually buy an Xbox Series X, there’s a strong chance I won’t actually buy any games for it. I’ll just play things on Game Pass.
Episodic games fit perfectly with this strategy. For one thing, they’re small, the kinds of experiences you can play in between bigger games. But their story-driven nature also means that they tackle different subjects — and, in turn, can appeal to new audiences — compared to traditional blockbusters. Dontnod has become particularly adept at this. The first two seasons of Life is Strange covered difficult topics like suicide and racism in a way that was both direct and sensitive, a rarity amongst mainstream games. Tell Me Why is attempting something similar with regards to its transgender lead character. Being on a growing service like Game Pass could open these kinds of games up to brand-new audiences.
Subscription services don’t necessarily solve every issue with episodic games. Releasing new games on a weekly or monthly basis is still a huge undertaking for any developer; Tell Me Why appears to have been already complete before the episodes started launching, which could be one solution. Aside from that, though, the two seem to be a perfect fit. As services like Game Pass become increasingly like their streaming television counterparts, games that blend interactivity with TV-style storytelling start to make a lot more sense. It took a few years, but the industry has finally caught up.


theverge--2020-09-11--Subscribe to Antivirus: a weekly newsletter on COVID-19 research

Hi , everybody .
I ’ m Mary Beth , the science editor at The Verge .
This month we ’ re officially launching a newsletter version of Antivirus , a column that we ’ ve been quietly rolling out on the site every Saturday morning .
It ’ s all about the unflagging efforts scientists are making to understand the coronavirus — and figure out how to stop it .
I run our science desk , so the focus of the newsletter is mostly on scientific discoveries and debacles , from the first confirmed reinfections to interpretations of scientific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ll also highlight the human side of this pandemic — stories from around the internet that showcase how the disease is affecting individual people ’ s lives .
We ’ re months into this pandemic , and there ’ s still so much left to learn and so many lives on the line .
With so much at stake , all that information can be overwhelming , but it doesn ’ t have to be .
Join us each week for the latest , and in the meantime , stay safe @ @ @

Hi, everybody. I’m Mary Beth, the science editor at The Verge.
This month we’re officially launching a newsletter version of Antivirus, a column that we’ve been quietly rolling out on the site every Saturday morning. It’s all about the unflagging efforts scientists are making to understand the coronavirus — and figure out how to stop it.
A newsletter highlighting the COVID-19 research, developments, and stories that matter. Subscribe here!
I run our science desk, so the focus of the newsletter is mostly on scientific discoveries and debacles, from the first confirmed reinfections to interpretations of scientific studies that got ahead of themselves. We’ll also highlight the human side of this pandemic — stories from around the internet that showcase how the disease is affecting individual people’s lives.
We’re months into this pandemic, and there’s still so much left to learn and so many lives on the line. With so much at stake, all that information can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Join us each week for the latest, and in the meantime, stay safe out there.


theverge--2020-09-11--Amazon sold items at inflated prices during pandemic according to consumer watchdog

Amazon has been accused of price gouging on essential items like toilet paper and antibacterial soap in a report by consumer rights group Public Citizen .
The report analyzed over a dozen products , including those sold by third-party sellers and items listed as “ sold by Amazon.
” It found that between the months of May and August , prices on some items more than quadrupled in price , seemingly breaking Amazon ’ s own Fair Pricing Policy .
Responding to the report , Amazon said that there was “ no place for price gouging ” on its service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Our systems are designed to offers customers the best available online price and if we see an error , we work quickly to fix it , ” a spokesperson said .
But the report challenges Amazon ’ s claims that only third-party listings by “ bad actors ” have seen price increases on items like face masks and hand sanitizer during the pandemic .
Amazon has publicly taken a hard stance on sellers exploiting demand for hygiene products and household supplies , and says it ’ s banned thousands of sellers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ sold by Amazon ” have also been affected According to Public Citizen , items listed as “ sold by Amazon ” saw price increases of anywhere from 48 percent for hand sanitizer ( a product category that Amazon said it had placed restrictions on back in March ) , to 1,000 percent for packs of disposable face masks .
In the case of toilet paper , for example , the non-profit group said it found a pack of eight rolls being sold for $ 36.39 back in June , while other retailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same product .
One bottle of antibacterial soap was listed at a high of $ 7 , compared to a low of $ 1.49 , an increase of 470 percent .
As well as investigating ten essential items listed as sold by Amazon , the report also analyzed eight items sold by third-party sellers .
Such sellers account for a quarter of Amazon ’ s online retail revenue , according to its most recent earnings report .
Here Public Citizen found increases of up to 274 percent for antibacterial soap and 941 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plenty of examples where third-party price trackers found large disparities between the highest and lowest prices charged for items , in other cases it shows just how hard it is to see how much items have historically sold for , and hence get an idea of what their price should actually be .
Prices fluctuate rapidly , making it hard to gauge what a typical price is , and which prices are errors or outliers .
Take face masks as an example .
Although Public Citizen ’ s report highlights an alarming 1000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 to $ 39.99 now for a pack of 50 masks listed as “ sold by Amazon , ” it notes that the amount of new listings for face masks makes it “ difficult to make apples-to-apples comparisons.
” The report ’ s citation for this original $ 4 price for face masks comes via a Wired report published in February , which points towards a now-deleted listing for a pack of 100 , not 50 , masks .
Public Citizen is calling for new federal laws which clearly establish the point at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which items they apply to ( Amazon itself called for new federal regulation back in May ) , but also for Amazon to reform its own listings to make pricing more transparent .
The advocacy group wants Amazon to link to a price history next to each product listing , and end its practice of allowing new product pages to be created for items that are already listed on its service , among other reforms .
In a statement , a spokesperson from Amazon said that Public Citizen ’ s report had identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They said that Amazon has removed “ over a million offers for attempted price gouging ” and has suspended over 10,000 selling accounts .
“ We have referred the most egregious offenders to federal and state law enforcement across the country to hold them accountable , ” the spokesperson said .
“ We continue to actively monitor our store and remove offers that violate our policies .
”

Amazon has been accused of price gouging on essential items like toilet paper and antibacterial soap in a report by consumer rights group Public Citizen. The report analyzed over a dozen products, including those sold by third-party sellers and items listed as “sold by Amazon.” It found that between the months of May and August, prices on some items more than quadrupled in price, seemingly breaking Amazon’s own Fair Pricing Policy.
Responding to the report, Amazon said that there was “no place for price gouging” on its service, including on products it sells directly. “Our systems are designed to offers customers the best available online price and if we see an error, we work quickly to fix it,” a spokesperson said.
But the report challenges Amazon’s claims that only third-party listings by “bad actors” have seen price increases on items like face masks and hand sanitizer during the pandemic. Amazon has publicly taken a hard stance on sellers exploiting demand for hygiene products and household supplies, and says it’s banned thousands of sellers over the practice.
Products listed as “sold by Amazon” have also been affected
According to Public Citizen, items listed as “sold by Amazon” saw price increases of anywhere from 48 percent for hand sanitizer (a product category that Amazon said it had placed restrictions on back in March), to 1,000 percent for packs of disposable face masks. In the case of toilet paper, for example, the non-profit group said it found a pack of eight rolls being sold for $36.39 back in June, while other retailers have charged just $6.89 for the same product. One bottle of antibacterial soap was listed at a high of $7, compared to a low of $1.49, an increase of 470 percent.
As well as investigating ten essential items listed as sold by Amazon, the report also analyzed eight items sold by third-party sellers. Such sellers account for a quarter of Amazon’s online retail revenue, according to its most recent earnings report. Here Public Citizen found increases of up to 274 percent for antibacterial soap and 941 percent for flour.
Although the report found plenty of examples where third-party price trackers found large disparities between the highest and lowest prices charged for items, in other cases it shows just how hard it is to see how much items have historically sold for, and hence get an idea of what their price should actually be. Prices fluctuate rapidly, making it hard to gauge what a typical price is, and which prices are errors or outliers.
Take face masks as an example. Although Public Citizen’s report highlights an alarming 1000 percent increase in price from around $4 to $39.99 now for a pack of 50 masks listed as “sold by Amazon,” it notes that the amount of new listings for face masks makes it “difficult to make apples-to-apples comparisons.” The report’s citation for this original $4 price for face masks comes via a Wired report published in February, which points towards a now-deleted listing for a pack of 100, not 50, masks.
Public Citizen is calling for new federal laws which clearly establish the point at which price increases become price gouging and which items they apply to (Amazon itself called for new federal regulation back in May), but also for Amazon to reform its own listings to make pricing more transparent. The advocacy group wants Amazon to link to a price history next to each product listing, and end its practice of allowing new product pages to be created for items that are already listed on its service, among other reforms.
In a statement, a spokesperson from Amazon said that Public Citizen’s report had identified a small number of pricing errors. They said that Amazon has removed “over a million offers for attempted price gouging” and has suspended over 10,000 selling accounts.


theverge--2020-09-11--Three takeaways from a visit to TikTok’s new transparency center

The Interface is a daily column and newsletter about the intersection of social media and democracy .
Subscribe here .
In July , amid increasing scrutiny from the Trump administration , TikTok announced a novel effort to build trust with regulators : a physical office known as the Transparency and Accountability Center .
The center would allow visitors to learn about the company ’ s data storage and content moderation practices , and even to inspect the algorithms that power its core recommendation engine .
“ We believe all companies should disclose their algorithms , moderation policies , and data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kevin Mayer said at the time .
“ We will not wait for regulation to come.
” Regulation came a few hours later .
President Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he planned to ban TikTok from operating in the United States , and a few days later he did .
The president set a deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok by September 15th — that is , this coming Tuesday — and Mayer quit after fewer than 100 days on the job .
( The deadline has since been changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said today that the deadline is also still Tuesday ?
Help ? )
With so much turmoil , you might expect the company to set aside its efforts to show visitors its algorithms , at least temporarily .
But the TikTok Transparency and Accountability Center is now open for ( virtual ) business — and on Wednesday I was part of a small group of reporters who got to take a tour over Zoom .
Much of the tour functioned as an introduction to TikTok : what it is , where it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( It ’ s an American app , located in America , run by Americans , was the message delivered . )
We also got an overview of the app ’ s community guidelines , its approach to child safety , and how it keeps data secure .
All of it is basically in keeping with how American social platforms manage these concerns , though it ’ s worth noting that 2-year-old TikTok built this infrastructure much faster than its predecessors did .
More interesting was the section where Richard Huang , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s addictive For You page , explained to us how it works .
For You is the first thing you see when you open TikTok , and it reliably serves up a feed of personalized videos that leaves you saying “ I ’ ll just look at one more of these ” for 20 minutes longer than you intended .
Huang told us that when a new user opens TikTok , the algorithm fetches eight popular but diverse videos to show them .
Sara Fischer at Axios has a nice recap of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to use the app , TikTok shows you videos in clusters that are similar to ones you have already expressed interest in .
And the next thing you know , 80 minutes have passed .
Eventually the transparency center will be a physical location that invited guests can visit , likely both in Los Angeles and in Washington , DC .
The tour will include some novel hands-on activities , such as using the company ’ s moderation software , called Task Crowdsourcing System , to evaluate dummy posts .
Some visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app ’ s source code directly , TikTok says .
I think this is great .
Trust in technology companies has been in decline , and allowing more people to examine these systems up close feels like a necessary step toward rebuilding it .
If you work at a tech company and ever feel frustrated by the way some people discuss algorithms as if they ’ re magic spells rather than math equations — well , this how you start to demystify them .
( Facebook has a similar effort to describe what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feed here ; I found it vague and overly probabilistic compared to what TikTok is offering .
YouTube has a more general guide to how the service works , with fairly sparse commentary on how recommendations function . )
Three other takeaways from my day with TikTok : TikTok is worried about filter bubbles .
Facebook has long denied that it creates filter bubbles , saying that people find a variety of diverse viewpoints on the service .
That ’ s why I was interested to hear from TikTok executives that they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are regularly refining their recommendation algorithm to ensure you see a mix of things .
“ Within a filter bubble , there ’ s an informational barrier that limits opposing viewpoints and the introduction of diverse types of content , ” Huang said .
“ So , our focus today is to ensure that misinformation and disinformation does not become concentrated in users ’ For You page.
” The problems are somewhat different on the two networks — Facebook is primarily talking about ideological diversity , where TikTok is more concerned with promoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still found the distinction striking .
Do social networks pull us into self-reinforcing echo chambers , or don ’ t they ?
TikTok is building an incident command center in Washington , DC .
The idea is to be able to identify critical threats in real time and respond quickly , the company said , which feels particularly important during an election year .
I don ’ t know how big a deal this is , exactly — for the time being , it sounds like it could just be some trust and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel ?
But the effort does have an undeniably impressive and redundant official name : a “ monitoring , response and investigative fusion response center.
” OK !
You can ’ t prove a negative .
TikTok felt compelled to design these guided tours amid fears that the app would be used to share data with Chinese authorities or promote Communist Party propaganda to Americans .
( Ben Thompson has a great , subscribers-only interview with the New York Times ’ Paul Mozur that touches on these subjects today . )
The problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you can ’ t show TikTok not doing something .
And I wonder if that won ’ t make the transparency center less successful than the company hoped .
I asked Michael Beckerman , a TikTok vice president and head of US public policy , about that challenge .
“ That ’ s why we ’ re trying to be even more transparent — we ’ re meeting and talking to everybody that we can , ” Beckerman told me .
“ What a lot of people are saying — people that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — is that TikTok doesn ’ t rank .
So if you ’ re spending too much time worrying about TikTok , what are you missing ?
” Oh , I can think of some things .
Anyway , TikTok ’ s transparency center is great — a truly forward-leaning effort from a young company .
Assuming TikTok survives beyond November , I ’ d love to visit it in person sometime .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending up : Google is giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and universities using artificial intelligence and data analytics to better understand the coronavirus crisis , and its impact on vulnerable communities .
( Google ) ⭐ Russian government hackers have targeted 200 organizations tied to the 2020 presidential election in recent weeks , according to Microsoft ’ s threat intelligence team .
China has also launched cyberattacks against “ high-profile individuals ” linked to Joe Biden ’ s campaign , while Iranian actors have targeted people associated with President Trump ’ s campaign .
Dustin Volz at The Wall Street Journal has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing that could happen the night of the US presidential election ?
Experts have a few ideas .
Misinformation campaigns about voter fraud , disputed results , and Russian interference are all possible scenarios .
( The New York Times ) Voting machines have a bad reputation , but most of their problems are actually pretty minor and unlikely to impair a fair election .
They ’ re often the result of ancient technology — not hacking .
( Adrianne Jeffries / The Markup ) Google said it will remove autocomplete predictions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a political party , or that make claims about voting .
The move is an attempt to improve the quality of information available on Google before the election .
( Anthony Ha / TechCrunch ) Trump is considering nominating a senior adviser at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration — who helped draft the administration ’ s social media executive order — to the Federal Communications Commission .
Nathan Simington is known for supporting Republicans ’ “ bias against conservatives ” schtick , and helped to craft a recent executive order about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Verge ) A network of Facebook pages is spreading misinformation about the 2020 presidential election , funneling traffic through an obscure right-wing website , then amplifying it with increasingly false headlines .
The artificial coordination might break Facebook ’ s rules .
( Popular Information ) Facebook is re-evaluating its approach to climate misinformation .
The company is working on a climate information center , which will display information from scientific sources , although nothing has been officially announced .
It will look beautiful sandwiched in between the COVID-19 information center and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frier / Bloomberg ) Facebook reviews user data requests through its law enforcement portal manually , without screening the email address of people who request access .
The company prefers to let anyone submit a request and then check that it ’ s real , rather than block them with an automated system .
( Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai / Vice ) QAnon is attracting female supporters because the community isn ’ t as insular as other far-right groups , this piece argues .
That might be a bigger factor in its ability to convert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Annie Kelly / The New York Times ) China ’ s embassy in the UK is demanding Twitter open an investigation after its ambassador ’ s official account liked a pornographic clip on the platform earlier this week .
The embassy said the tweets were liked by a possible hacker who had gained access to the ambassador ’ s account .
That ’ s what they all say !
( Makena Kelly / The Verge ) GitHub has become a repository for censored documents during the coronavirus crisis .
Internet users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software site to save news articles , medical journals , and personal accounts censored by the Chinese government .
( Yi-Ling Liu / Wired ) Brazil is trying to address misinformation issues with a new bill that would violate the privacy and freedom of expression of its citizens .
If it passes , it could be one of the most restrictive internet laws in the world .
( Raphael Tsavkko Garcia / MIT Technology Review ) ⭐ Former NSA chief Keith Alexander has joined Amazon ’ s board of directors .
Alexander served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collection during the Edward Snowden leaks .
Here ’ s Russell Brandom at The Verge : Facebook launched new product called Campus , exclusively for college students .
It ’ s a new section of the main app where students can interact only with their peers , and it requires a .edu address to access .
I say open it up to everyone .
Worked last time !
( Ashley Carman / The Verge ) Ninja returned to Twitch with a new exclusive , multiyear deal .
Last August , he left Twitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which shut down at the end of June .
( Bijan Stephen / The Verge ) The Social Dilemma , the new Netflix documentary about the ills of big tech platforms , seems unclear on what exactly makes social media so toxic .
It also oversimplifies the impact of social media on society as a whole .
( Arielle Pardes / Wired ) You can make a deepfake without any coding experience in just a few hours .
One of our reporters just did !
( James Vincent / The Verge ) Stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Choose your own election adventure .
Explore some worst-case scenarios with this , uh , “ fun ” new game from Bloomberg .
Subscribe to The Verge ’ s new weekly newsletter about the pandemic .
Mary Beth Griggs ’ Antivirus brings you “ news from the vaccine and treatment fronts , and stories that remind us that there ’ s more to the case counts than just numbers.
” Subscribe to Kara Swisher ’ s new podcast for the New York Times .
The first episode of her new interview show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Social Dilemma .
The new social-networks-are-bad documentary is now on Netflix .
People are talking about it !
Send us tips , comments , questions , and an overview of how your algorithms work : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

In July, amid increasing scrutiny from the Trump administration, TikTok announced a novel effort to build trust with regulators: a physical office known as the Transparency and Accountability Center. The center would allow visitors to learn about the company’s data storage and content moderation practices, and even to inspect the algorithms that power its core recommendation engine.
“We believe all companies should disclose their algorithms, moderation policies, and data flows to regulators,” then-TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer said at the time. “We will not wait for regulation to come.”
With so much turmoil, you might expect the company to set aside its efforts to show visitors its algorithms, at least temporarily. But the TikTok Transparency and Accountability Center is now open for (virtual) business — and on Wednesday I was part of a small group of reporters who got to take a tour over Zoom.
Much of the tour functioned as an introduction to TikTok: what it is, where it’s located, and who runs it. (It’s an American app, located in America, run by Americans, was the message delivered.) We also got an overview of the app’s community guidelines, its approach to child safety, and how it keeps data secure. All of it is basically in keeping with how American social platforms manage these concerns, though it’s worth noting that 2-year-old TikTok built this infrastructure much faster than its predecessors did.
More interesting was the section where Richard Huang, who oversees the algorithm responsible for TikTok’s addictive For You page, explained to us how it works. For You is the first thing you see when you open TikTok, and it reliably serves up a feed of personalized videos that leaves you saying “I’ll just look at one more of these” for 20 minutes longer than you intended. Huang told us that when a new user opens TikTok, the algorithm fetches eight popular but diverse videos to show them. Sara Fischer at Axios has a nice recap of what happens from there:
The algorithm identifies similar videos to those that have engaged a user based on video information, which could include details like captions, hashtags or sounds. Recommendations also take into account user device and account settings, which include data like language preference, country setting, and device type. Once TikTok collects enough data about the user, the app is able to map a user’s preferences in relation to similar users and group them into “clusters.” Simultaneously, it also groups videos into “clusters” based on similar themes, like “basketball” or “bunnies.”
As you continue to use the app, TikTok shows you videos in clusters that are similar to ones you have already expressed interest in. And the next thing you know, 80 minutes have passed.
Eventually the transparency center will be a physical location that invited guests can visit, likely both in Los Angeles and in Washington, DC. The tour will include some novel hands-on activities, such as using the company’s moderation software, called Task Crowdsourcing System, to evaluate dummy posts. Some visitors will also be able to examine the app’s source code directly, TikTok says.
I think this is great. Trust in technology companies has been in decline, and allowing more people to examine these systems up close feels like a necessary step toward rebuilding it. If you work at a tech company and ever feel frustrated by the way some people discuss algorithms as if they’re magic spells rather than math equations — well, this how you start to demystify them. (Facebook has a similar effort to describe what you’ll find in the News Feed here; I found it vague and overly probabilistic compared to what TikTok is offering. YouTube has a more general guide to how the service works, with fairly sparse commentary on how recommendations function.)
Three other takeaways from my day with TikTok:
TikTok is worried about filter bubbles. Facebook has long denied that it creates filter bubbles, saying that people find a variety of diverse viewpoints on the service. That’s why I was interested to hear from TikTok executives that they are quite concerned about the issue, and are regularly refining their recommendation algorithm to ensure you see a mix of things. “Within a filter bubble, there’s an informational barrier that limits opposing viewpoints and the introduction of diverse types of content,” Huang said. “So, our focus today is to ensure that misinformation and disinformation does not become concentrated in users’ For You page.”
The problems are somewhat different on the two networks — Facebook is primarily talking about ideological diversity, where TikTok is more concerned with promoting different types of content — but I still found the distinction striking. Do social networks pull us into self-reinforcing echo chambers, or don’t they?
TikTok is building an incident command center in Washington, DC. The idea is to be able to identify critical threats in real time and respond quickly, the company said, which feels particularly important during an election year. I don’t know how big a deal this is, exactly — for the time being, it sounds like it could just be some trust and safety folks working in a shared Slack channel? But the effort does have an undeniably impressive and redundant official name: a “monitoring, response and investigative fusion response center.” OK!
You can’t prove a negative. TikTok felt compelled to design these guided tours amid fears that the app would be used to share data with Chinese authorities or promote Communist Party propaganda to Americans. (Ben Thompson has a great, subscribers-only interview with the New York Times’ Paul Mozur that touches on these subjects today.) The problem with the tour, though, is that you can’t show TikTok not doing something. And I wonder if that won’t make the transparency center less successful than the company hoped.
I asked Michael Beckerman, a TikTok vice president and head of US public policy, about that challenge.
“That’s why we’re trying to be even more transparent — we’re meeting and talking to everybody that we can,” Beckerman told me. “What a lot of people are saying — people that are really well read into global threats — is that TikTok doesn’t rank. So if you’re spending too much time worrying about TikTok, what are you missing?”
Oh, I can think of some things.
Anyway, TikTok’s transparency center is great — a truly forward-leaning effort from a young company. Assuming TikTok survives beyond November, I’d love to visit it in person sometime.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
Governing
⭐ Russian government hackers have targeted 200 organizations tied to the 2020 presidential election in recent weeks, according to Microsoft’s threat intelligence team. China has also launched cyberattacks against “high-profile individuals” linked to Joe Biden’s campaign, while Iranian actors have targeted people associated with President Trump’s campaign. Dustin Volz at The Wall Street Journal has the story:
Most of the attempted intrusions haven’t been successful, and those who were targeted or compromised have been directly notified of the malicious activity, Microsoft said. Russian, Chinese and Iranian officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The breadth of the attacks underscore widespread concerns among U.S. security officials and within Silicon Valley about the threat of foreign interference in the presidential election less than two months away. [...] The Russian actor tracked by Microsoft is affiliated with a military intelligence unit and is the same group that hacked and leaked Democratic emails during the 2016 presidential contest. In addition to political consultants and state and national parties, its recent targets have included advocacy organizations and think tanks, such as the German Marshall Fund, as well as political parties in the U.K., Microsoft said.
What’s the worst thing that could happen the night of the US presidential election? Experts have a few ideas. Misinformation campaigns about voter fraud, disputed results, and Russian interference are all possible scenarios. (The New York Times)
Voting machines have a bad reputation, but most of their problems are actually pretty minor and unlikely to impair a fair election. They’re often the result of ancient technology — not hacking. (Adrianne Jeffries / The Markup)
Google said it will remove autocomplete predictions that seem to endorse or oppose a candidate or a political party, or that make claims about voting. The move is an attempt to improve the quality of information available on Google before the election. (Anthony Ha / TechCrunch)
Trump is considering nominating a senior adviser at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration — who helped draft the administration’s social media executive order — to the Federal Communications Commission. Nathan Simington is known for supporting Republicans’ “bias against conservatives” schtick, and helped to craft a recent executive order about social media. (Makena Kelly / The Verge)
A network of Facebook pages is spreading misinformation about the 2020 presidential election, funneling traffic through an obscure right-wing website, then amplifying it with increasingly false headlines. The artificial coordination might break Facebook’s rules. (Popular Information)
Facebook is re-evaluating its approach to climate misinformation. The company is working on a climate information center, which will display information from scientific sources, although nothing has been officially announced. It will look beautiful sandwiched in between the COVID-19 information center and the voter information center. (Sarah Frier / Bloomberg)
Facebook reviews user data requests through its law enforcement portal manually, without screening the email address of people who request access. The company prefers to let anyone submit a request and then check that it’s real, rather than block them with an automated system. (Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai / Vice)
QAnon is attracting female supporters because the community isn’t as insular as other far-right groups, this piece argues. That might be a bigger factor in its ability to convert women than the save the children content. (Annie Kelly / The New York Times)
China’s embassy in the UK is demanding Twitter open an investigation after its ambassador’s official account liked a pornographic clip on the platform earlier this week. The embassy said the tweets were liked by a possible hacker who had gained access to the ambassador’s account. That’s what they all say! (Makena Kelly / The Verge)
GitHub has become a repository for censored documents during the coronavirus crisis. Internet users in China are repurposing the open source software site to save news articles, medical journals, and personal accounts censored by the Chinese government. (Yi-Ling Liu / Wired)
Brazil is trying to address misinformation issues with a new bill that would violate the privacy and freedom of expression of its citizens. If it passes, it could be one of the most restrictive internet laws in the world. (Raphael Tsavkko Garcia / MIT Technology Review)
Industry
⭐ Former NSA chief Keith Alexander has joined Amazon’s board of directors. Alexander served as the public face of US data collection during the Edward Snowden leaks. Here’s Russell Brandom at The Verge:
Alexander is a controversial figure for many in the tech community because of his involvement in the widespread surveillance systems revealed by the Snowden leaks. Those systems included PRISM, a broad data collection program that compromised systems at Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Facebook — but not Amazon. Alexander was broadly critical of reporting on the Snowden leaks, even suggesting that reporters should be legally restrained from covering the documents. “I think it’s wrong that that newspaper reporters have all these documents, the 50,000-whatever they have and are selling them and giving them out as if these — you know it just doesn’t make sense,” Alexander in an interview in 2013. “We ought to come up with a way of stopping it. I don’t know how to do that. That’s more of the courts and the policymakers but, from my perspective, it’s wrong to allow this to go on.”
Facebook launched new product called Campus, exclusively for college students. It’s a new section of the main app where students can interact only with their peers, and it requires a .edu address to access. I say open it up to everyone. Worked last time! (Ashley Carman / The Verge)
The Social Dilemma, the new Netflix documentary about the ills of big tech platforms, seems unclear on what exactly makes social media so toxic. It also oversimplifies the impact of social media on society as a whole. (Arielle Pardes / Wired)
You can make a deepfake without any coding experience in just a few hours. One of our reporters just did! (James Vincent / The Verge)
Things to do
Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine.
Choose your own election adventure. Explore some worst-case scenarios with this, uh, “fun” new game from Bloomberg.
Subscribe to The Verge’s new weekly newsletter about the pandemic. Mary Beth Griggs’ Antivirus brings you “news from the vaccine and treatment fronts, and stories that remind us that there’s more to the case counts than just numbers.”
Subscribe to Kara Swisher’s new podcast for the New York Times. The first episode of her new interview show drops later this month.
Watch The Social Dilemma. The new social-networks-are-bad documentary is now on Netflix. People are talking about it!
And finally...
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theverge--2020-09-11--Microsoft hid the Xbox Series S in plain sight and nobody noticed

The Xbox Series S might have leaked earlier this week before being officially unveiled , but Microsoft was hiding it in plain sight months ago .
Xbox chief Phil Spencer appeared in multiple interviews in July , ahead of Microsoft ’ s Xbox games showcase , and he hid an Xbox Series S on the shelves behind him .
The official Xbox account revealed the elaborate prank today , and Spencer added that the Xbox Series S appeared in at least three YouTube video interviews during July .
While it might sound surprising for an unannounced console to be hidden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hiding secrets and codes as teasers ahead of its console announcements .
Microsoft teased its Xbox One X console with a bunch of videos that hinted at its 6 teraflops of GPU performance ahead of E3 in 2017 .
The company also teased the Xbox Series X , under the codename Scarlett , in E3 teasers last year .
Microsoft was forced to announce the Xbox Series S a little earlier than planned this week , after the console and its $ 299 price leaked .
The Xbox Series S will use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more powerful Xbox Series X and a 512GB custom SSD .
Microsoft is targeting the Xbox Series S , with its 4 teraflops of GPU performance , at 1080p TVs and 1440p gaming on gaming monitors , rather than 4K .
The Xbox Series S will launch on November 10th , priced at $ 299 .

The Xbox Series S might have leaked earlier this week before being officially unveiled, but Microsoft was hiding it in plain sight months ago. Xbox chief Phil Spencer appeared in multiple interviews in July, ahead of Microsoft’s Xbox games showcase, and he hid an Xbox Series S on the shelves behind him.
The official Xbox account revealed the elaborate prank today, and Spencer added that the Xbox Series S appeared in at least three YouTube video interviews during July. While it might sound surprising for an unannounced console to be hidden in videos, Microsoft has a habit of hiding secrets and codes as teasers ahead of its console announcements.
Microsoft teased its Xbox One X console with a bunch of videos that hinted at its 6 teraflops of GPU performance ahead of E3 in 2017. The company also teased the Xbox Series X, under the codename Scarlett, in E3 teasers last year.


theverge--2020-09-11--TikTok influencer Addison Rae will star in Miramax’s gender-swapped She’s All That remake

TikTok star Addison Rae Easterling has been cast as the lead role in a new , gender-swapped version of 1999 teen romantic comedy She ’ s All That , called He ’ s All That .
Easterling , with over 60 million followers , is the second most popular TikTok user in the world ( after Charli D ’ Amelio ) , but He ’ s All That will mark her film debut .
The upcoming reboot is being produced by Miramax , Variety reports , which made the original film over 20 years ago , with R. Lee Fleming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and producers Jennifer Gibgot and Andrew Panay ( who also worked on She ’ s All That ) .
Mark Waters , best known for directing Mean Girls and Freaky Friday and producing 500 Days of Summer , is set to direct .
Like the original She ’ s All That , the remake will draw on George Bernard Shaw ’ s play Pygmalion , and the subsequent film and musical My Fair Lady that it inspired .
The 1999 film saw Freddie Prinze Jr. attempt to make a random girl into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s All That will flip the script , with Easterling playing a popular influencer who tries to change a nerdy male student into the prom king .
Given Easterling ’ s considerable platform as an influencer in the real world , it doesn ’ t seem like too much of a stretch to see her playing one in a film .
Miramax has yet to announce when He ’ s All That is expected to release or any additional casting details .
Correction , 6:28 PM ET : Waters produced 500 Days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that film .
We regret the error .

TikTok star Addison Rae Easterling has been cast as the lead role in a new, gender-swapped version of 1999 teen romantic comedy She’s All That, called He’s All That. Easterling, with over 60 million followers, is the second most popular TikTok user in the world (after Charli D’Amelio), but He’s All That will mark her film debut.
The upcoming reboot is being produced by Miramax, Variety reports, which made the original film over 20 years ago, with R. Lee Fleming (the writer of the original) and producers Jennifer Gibgot and Andrew Panay (who also worked on She’s All That). Mark Waters, best known for directing Mean Girls and Freaky Friday and producing 500 Days of Summer, is set to direct.
Like the original She’s All That, the remake will draw on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, and the subsequent film and musical My Fair Lady that it inspired. The 1999 film saw Freddie Prinze Jr. attempt to make a random girl into the school’s prom queen. He’s All That will flip the script, with Easterling playing a popular influencer who tries to change a nerdy male student into the prom king. Given Easterling’s considerable platform as an influencer in the real world, it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch to see her playing one in a film.
Miramax has yet to announce when He’s All That is expected to release or any additional casting details.


theverge--2020-09-11--Crysis Remastered will beat next-gen consoles to the punch with ray tracing on Xbox One and PS4

We already knew that Crysis Remastered would support ray tracing if you had the PC hardware to run it .
However , ahead of the release on PC and current-gen consoles , Crytek announced this week that , for the first time , in this console generation , the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X will offer ray-tracing support — because it ’ ll appear in the current-gen console versions of Crysis Remastered .
Crytek ’ s CryEngine provides software-based ray tracing , allowing current-gen hardware to support the feature .
Back in 2019 , the game studio showed off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Crytek , was developed using a modified version of CryEngine 5.5 .
Software-based ray tracing isn ’ t remotely new ; most recently , Nvidia added the feature to GTX cards in 2019 , but the experience was subpar compared to using the company ’ s more recent RTX cards with dedicated ray-tracing hardware .
Ray tracing is a rendering technique that can create lifelike lighting , reflections , and shadows in games .
The next generation of consoles — the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S — will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a feature of the AMD RDNA 2 GPUs each system will be using .
Eurogamer ’ s technical breakdown outlet Digital Foundry had the chance to visit Crytek in Germany and did a technical analysis of Crysis Remastered on the Xbox One X with ray tracing enabled .
As the outlet notes , while this is a technical achievement for both Sony and Microsoft ’ s Pro consoles , it might not be the way you want to play the game .
Without ray tracing , the PS4 Pro can run at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ X , but it dials back to under 1080p on PS4 Pro and 1080p and under 30fps on Xbox One X with ray tracing enabled .
Water reflections in the game will also not include ray tracing .
Crysis Remastered arrives on PC , PS4 , and Xbox One on September 18th .

We already knew that Crysis Remastered would support ray tracing if you had the PC hardware to run it. However, ahead of the release on PC and current-gen consoles, Crytek announced this week that, for the first time, in this console generation, the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X will offer ray-tracing support — because it’ll appear in the current-gen console versions of Crysis Remastered.
Crytek’s CryEngine provides software-based ray tracing, allowing current-gen hardware to support the feature. Back in 2019, the game studio showed off the Neon Noir Tech demo, which, according to Crytek, was developed using a modified version of CryEngine 5.5. Software-based ray tracing isn’t remotely new; most recently, Nvidia added the feature to GTX cards in 2019, but the experience was subpar compared to using the company’s more recent RTX cards with dedicated ray-tracing hardware.
Ray tracing is a rendering technique that can create lifelike lighting, reflections, and shadows in games. The next generation of consoles — the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S — will include hardware-accelerated ray tracing because it’s a feature of the AMD RDNA 2 GPUs each system will be using.
Eurogamer’s technical breakdown outlet Digital Foundry had the chance to visit Crytek in Germany and did a technical analysis of Crysis Remastered on the Xbox One X with ray tracing enabled.
As the outlet notes, while this is a technical achievement for both Sony and Microsoft’s Pro consoles, it might not be the way you want to play the game. Without ray tracing, the PS4 Pro can run at 1800p and 2160p on the Xbox One X, but it dials back to under 1080p on PS4 Pro and 1080p and under 30fps on Xbox One X with ray tracing enabled. Water reflections in the game will also not include ray tracing.


theverge--2020-09-11--Microsoft Surface Duo teardown: an engineering marvel that’s a chore to repair

I don ’ t think anyone expected an impressively thin gadget with two displays to be more repairable than single-screen smartphones , and iFixit ’ s teardown of Microsoft ’ s new Surface Duo confirms this is the case .
The takeaway is that while the displays and rear glass can be swapped without too much stress , replacing anything else will be a tedious , risky process .
As part of the teardown process , iFixit got this very cool X-ray shot of the Surface Duo .
The innards of the left half look close enough to an iPad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the right side “ looks like nothing we remember seeing before — it ’ s almost a solid wall of circuit board , with a little window in the middle for the second battery.
” There ’ s that engineering know-how of the Surface team .
But getting inside the thing is a chore .
Like most other phone makers , Microsoft has used a ton of adhesive to seal the Surface Duo , and iFixit warns there are a number of fragile cables and connectors that could be damaged if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the right way .
Even then , there are no guarantees .
Replacing the dual-battery system requires a near-complete disassembly of the whole device .
As our review says , the Surface Duo ’ s battery life isn ’ t a concern out of the box .
But after a year of heavy multitasking use , your $ 1,400 productivity machine might not have the same stamina .
Microsoft does offer its “ Microsoft Complete ” extended warranty for Duo , which might not be a bad idea considering the risk factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iFixit ’ s teardown reveals that the two OLED screens are manufactured by LG Display .
You ’ ll also get a close look at the “ simple ” hinge mechanism that ’ s one of the most impressive aspects of Microsoft ’ s latest hardware .

I don’t think anyone expected an impressively thin gadget with two displays to be more repairable than single-screen smartphones, and iFixit’s teardown of Microsoft’s new Surface Duo confirms this is the case. The takeaway is that while the displays and rear glass can be swapped without too much stress, replacing anything else will be a tedious, risky process.
As part of the teardown process, iFixit got this very cool X-ray shot of the Surface Duo. The innards of the left half look close enough to an iPad or any modern tablet, but iFixit says the right side “looks like nothing we remember seeing before — it’s almost a solid wall of circuit board, with a little window in the middle for the second battery.” There’s that engineering know-how of the Surface team.
But getting inside the thing is a chore. Like most other phone makers, Microsoft has used a ton of adhesive to seal the Surface Duo, and iFixit warns there are a number of fragile cables and connectors that could be damaged if you don’t go about things in just the right way. Even then, there are no guarantees.
Replacing the dual-battery system requires a near-complete disassembly of the whole device. As our review says, the Surface Duo’s battery life isn’t a concern out of the box. But after a year of heavy multitasking use, your $1,400 productivity machine might not have the same stamina. Microsoft does offer its “Microsoft Complete” extended warranty for Duo, which might not be a bad idea considering the risk factor of trying to fix it yourself.


theverge--2020-09-11--Microsoft snubs Apple’s olive branch to cloud gaming: ‘a bad experience for customers’

Apple issued new App Store rules earlier today , permitting game streaming services like xCloud or Stadia to exist on iOS or iPadOS with a big catch .
Apple wants companies like Microsoft to individually submit their games as separate apps using its streaming tech .
Microsoft and Google are free to create a “ catalog ” -style app that collects and links out to all of these individual apps as well .
“ This remains a bad experience for customers , ” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge .
“ Gamers want to jump directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within one app just like they do with movies or songs , and not be forced to download over 100 apps to play individual games from the cloud .
We ’ re committed to putting gamers at the center of everything we do , and providing a great experience is core to that mission.
” Microsoft isn ’ t happy about having to create individual apps for streaming games If Microsoft were to follow Apple ’ s suggestions , then it would mean every single game streamed to an iPhone or iPad from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s usual App Store rules , including the company ’ s contentious 30 percent cut of in-app purchases .
It ’ s a cut that ’ s at the center of a legal battle between Apple and Epic Games , and one that has caught the attention of regulators in the US and EU .
Microsoft purposely raises a point about streaming movies or songs not facing the same content restrictions as games .
Apple does not force Netflix , Disney Plus , or Spotify to submit each individual movie , TV show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Apple treats games differently in its App Store , and the company extracts large amounts of revenue from in-app purchases related to games .
Gaming is the biggest part of the App Store and the biggest entertainment industry in the US , an industry that Apple hasn ’ t competed in seriously until Apple Arcade .
Microsoft ’ s statement doesn ’ t say whether the company will or will not rework xCloud to work with Apple ’ s new rules .
Apple ’ s olive branch , with its many caveats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some form of game streaming from Microsoft or Google , as long as both companies are willing to pay the price .
Microsoft is launching its game streaming service , formerly named xCloud , as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate next week .
The game streaming option will be available in 22 countries on September 15th , but only available on Android smartphones and tablets at launch .

Apple issued new App Store rules earlier today, permitting game streaming services like xCloud or Stadia to exist on iOS or iPadOS with a big catch. Apple wants companies like Microsoft to individually submit their games as separate apps using its streaming tech. Microsoft and Google are free to create a “catalog”-style app that collects and links out to all of these individual apps as well.
Microsoft isn’t impressed.
“This remains a bad experience for customers,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “Gamers want to jump directly into a game from their curated catalog within one app just like they do with movies or songs, and not be forced to download over 100 apps to play individual games from the cloud. We’re committed to putting gamers at the center of everything we do, and providing a great experience is core to that mission.”
Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming service. Photo by Nick Statt / The Verge
Microsoft isn’t happy about having to create individual apps for streaming games
If Microsoft were to follow Apple’s suggestions, then it would mean every single game streamed to an iPhone or iPad from xCloud would be subject to Apple’s usual App Store rules, including the company’s contentious 30 percent cut of in-app purchases. It’s a cut that’s at the center of a legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, and one that has caught the attention of regulators in the US and EU.
Microsoft purposely raises a point about streaming movies or songs not facing the same content restrictions as games. Apple does not force Netflix, Disney Plus, or Spotify to submit each individual movie, TV show, or album into a separate app. Apple treats games differently in its App Store, and the company extracts large amounts of revenue from in-app purchases related to games. Gaming is the biggest part of the App Store and the biggest entertainment industry in the US, an industry that Apple hasn’t competed in seriously until Apple Arcade.
Microsoft’s statement doesn’t say whether the company will or will not rework xCloud to work with Apple’s new rules. Apple’s olive branch, with its many caveats, may still open the door to some form of game streaming from Microsoft or Google, as long as both companies are willing to pay the price.