theverge--2020-08-17--Fall Guys pits brands against each other for an in-game costume

Fall Guys : Ultimate Knockout developer Mediatonic is forcing The Brands to fight in the name of charity .
The game ’ s official account tweeted today that because “ the thirst from brands has been unreal , ” it will create a special costume to the highest bidder .
All proceeds will go to Special Effect , a UK-based charity for gamers with physical disabilities .
Since its release earlier this month , Fall Guys has become an instant hit .
In the first 24 hours following its launch , the game drew more than 1.5 million players .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 players in a series of mini-game matches ; players are eliminated through several rounds of randomly picked games before a final player emerges victorious .
Part of the game ’ s fun is earning costumes and customization options to make your rubbery battle bean stand out .
After two weeks , Mediatonic says it will confirm the details with its winner and share confirmation of the donation publicly .
That being said , not just anyone with money to spend can get into the game .
“ If we decide that your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your pledge out and pick the next highest !
” the developer tweeted .

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout developer Mediatonic is forcing The Brands to fight in the name of charity. The game’s official account tweeted today that because “the thirst from brands has been unreal,” it will create a special costume to the highest bidder. All proceeds will go to Special Effect, a UK-based charity for gamers with physical disabilities.
Since its release earlier this month, Fall Guys has become an instant hit. In the first 24 hours following its launch, the game drew more than 1.5 million players. The battle royale game supports up to 60 players in a series of mini-game matches; players are eliminated through several rounds of randomly picked games before a final player emerges victorious. Part of the game’s fun is earning costumes and customization options to make your rubbery battle bean stand out.


theverge--2020-08-18--Watch SpaceX launch a Falcon 9 rocket on a record-breaking sixth flight to space

This morning , SpaceX is set to launch its latest batch of internet-beaming Starlink satellites into orbit , and the company is using one of its most space-worthy rockets for the job .
The Falcon 9 rocket launching on today ’ s mission has already been to space and back five times before , and if all goes well , it could become the first SpaceX booster to launch for the sixth time .
Loaded on top of the rocket are 58 of SpaceX ’ s own Starlink satellites as well as three small hitchhiking probes .
The added trio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company Planet .
It ’ s the second time that SkySats will ride along on a SpaceX Starlink mission ; three SkySats also flew to orbit with 58 Starlink satellites in June .
Typical launches consist of 60 Starlink satellites , but SpaceX sometimes makes space for companies willing to pay for a ride to orbit .
The company is using one of its most space-worthy rockets for the job So far , SpaceX has launched nearly 600 satellites for its Starlink initiative , aimed at creating a global constellation of spacecraft to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the system seems to have gotten underway for a small group of users who have been conducting speed tests of Starlink through Ookla .
Details of SpaceX ’ s Starlink testing found within the source code of the company ’ s website revealed that beta-testing will begin in rural Washington and then expand to the northern United States and southern Canada .
Liftoff for today ’ s launch is scheduled for 10:31AM ET out of SpaceX ’ s launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida .
The SkySats are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes after takeoff , followed by the Starlink satellites about half an hour after that .
After launching , SpaceX ’ s Falcon 9 rocket will attempt to land on one of the company ’ s autonomous drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean .
If successful , it ’ ll mark a record-breaking sixth landing for the Falcon 9 , paving the way for the vehicle to launch for an unprecedented seventh time .
So far , weather is looking okay for launch , with an 80 percent chance that conditions will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will begin about 15 minutes before takeoff , so check back then to watch the company ’ s 11th Starlink mission get off the ground .

Update August 18th, 11:20AM ET: SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket and then landed the vehicle on a drone ship in the ocean, potentially opening up the possibility of a seventh flight for the vehicle. All of the satellites on board the rocket successfully deployed into their intended orbits.
Original Story: This morning, SpaceX is set to launch its latest batch of internet-beaming Starlink satellites into orbit, and the company is using one of its most space-worthy rockets for the job. The Falcon 9 rocket launching on today’s mission has already been to space and back five times before, and if all goes well, it could become the first SpaceX booster to launch for the sixth time.
Loaded on top of the rocket are 58 of SpaceX’s own Starlink satellites as well as three small hitchhiking probes. The added trio are Earth-observing SkySat satellites operated by the company Planet. It’s the second time that SkySats will ride along on a SpaceX Starlink mission; three SkySats also flew to orbit with 58 Starlink satellites in June. Typical launches consist of 60 Starlink satellites, but SpaceX sometimes makes space for companies willing to pay for a ride to orbit.
The company is using one of its most space-worthy rockets for the job
So far, SpaceX has launched nearly 600 satellites for its Starlink initiative, aimed at creating a global constellation of spacecraft to provide broadband coverage from orbit. Beta-testing of the system seems to have gotten underway for a small group of users who have been conducting speed tests of Starlink through Ookla. Details of SpaceX’s Starlink testing found within the source code of the company’s website revealed that beta-testing will begin in rural Washington and then expand to the northern United States and southern Canada.
Liftoff for today’s launch is scheduled for 10:31AM ET out of SpaceX’s launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The SkySats are slated to deploy first, just 12.5 minutes after takeoff, followed by the Starlink satellites about half an hour after that. After launching, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will attempt to land on one of the company’s autonomous drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean. If successful, it’ll mark a record-breaking sixth landing for the Falcon 9, paving the way for the vehicle to launch for an unprecedented seventh time.


theverge--2020-08-18--How to hide your clutter using Zoom, Skype, Teams, or Jitsi

So you ’ re dealing with a pandemic , a full-time job that has gone remote , and / or kids who are heading back to school ( or not , as the case may be ) .
With all that , and more , who has time to clean ?
Rather than stress about the mess during business or family video meetings , why not hide it ?
Luckily , many videoconferencing apps offer features that either blur the background or replace it with something that will obscure the reality of your home environment .
Here is how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videoconferencing , using three well-known apps for consumer and business meetings — Zoom , Skype , and Microsoft Teams — and a lesser-known but often mentioned open-source app , Jitsi Meet .
( When this was being written , Google Meet was planning to offer blurring and backgrounds , but it was not yet available . )
Zoom , which has become the go-to videoconferencing app for many people , offers a wide range of interesting backgrounds to choose from .
( It does not have a blur feature . )
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a long list of requirements for using its backgrounds , depending on the type of system you ’ re using .
If you have a reasonably powerful computer , you will probably be able to use a virtual background immediately .
But if you have a slightly older or a lower-end system , you ’ ll need to have a physical green screen behind you .
• Click on the gear “ Setup ” icon on the upper right corner .
• You may be asked to download the Smart Virtual Background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only take a moment .
• Zoom has provided some sample backgrounds .
Click on the one you ’ d like to use .
• You can also select a background after your meeting has begun .
Click on the arrow next to “ Stop video ” at the bottom of the screen , and select “ Choose virtual background ... ” If you would rather supply your own background , click on the plus sign above and to the right of the sample backgrounds , choose an image from your computer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t capable of handling a virtual background without a physical green screen , you will get a warning and be urged to check the “ I have a green screen ” box below the sample images .
Skype offers both a blur feature and virtual backgrounds .
Unlike Zoom , it doesn ’ t come with any included backgrounds , although it ’ s easy enough to upload your own .
• Start your Skype app and go to your Settings ( by clicking on the three dots on top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on “ Blur ” or add an image by clicking on the plus icon .
If you ’ re using the free personal version of Microsoft Teams , you ’ re currently out of luck — that version is , for now , just available for iOS and Android mobile devices , and there are no backgrounds or blurring features available there .
However , if you have access to Microsoft Teams through your workplace or via G Suite , you can take advantage of both blurring and video backgrounds using the desktop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the online version ) .
• Open the app and click on “ Meetings ” in the left-hand column .
• Enter your scheduled meeting or begin a meeting by clicking on “ Meet now.
” • At the bottom of your video image , you ’ ll see three toggles .
The center one brings up your background menu ; toggle it on to see all your current virtual backgrounds .
You can also blur your background if you wish .
• Teams offers a nice variety of background choices .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ click on “ Add new ” just below where it says “ Background settings.
” When you ’ ve chosen your background , you can close the “ Background settings ” menu by setting the background toggle to “ Off.
” Next time you start a meeting , just put that center toggle to “ On ” and the last background you used will reappear .
This open-source videoconferencing app offers a variety of features for its free web-based app , including the ability to blur the background ( currently in beta ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your meeting by clicking on the “ Go ” button .
• Click on the three dots at the far right of the bottom menu , and select “ Blur my background.
” To go back to a normal background , click on “ Disable background blur .
”

So you’re dealing with a pandemic, a full-time job that has gone remote, and / or kids who are heading back to school (or not, as the case may be). With all that, and more, who has time to clean?
Rather than stress about the mess during business or family video meetings, why not hide it? Luckily, many videoconferencing apps offer features that either blur the background or replace it with something that will obscure the reality of your home environment.
Related The best free apps for video calling
Here is how to hide your clutter when you’re videoconferencing, using three well-known apps for consumer and business meetings — Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams — and a lesser-known but often mentioned open-source app, Jitsi Meet. (When this was being written, Google Meet was planning to offer blurring and backgrounds, but it was not yet available.)
Zoom
Zoom, which has become the go-to videoconferencing app for many people, offers a wide range of interesting backgrounds to choose from. (It does not have a blur feature.) You can also supply your own. The app has a long list of requirements for using its backgrounds, depending on the type of system you’re using. If you have a reasonably powerful computer, you will probably be able to use a virtual background immediately. But if you have a slightly older or a lower-end system, you’ll need to have a physical green screen behind you.
Open up your Zoom client.
Click on the gear “Setup” icon on the upper right corner.
Select “Background & Filters” in the left-hand menu.
You may be asked to download the Smart Virtual Background package. Go ahead; it will only take a moment.
Zoom has provided some sample backgrounds. Click on the one you’d like to use.
You can also select a background after your meeting has begun. Click on the arrow next to “Stop video” at the bottom of the screen, and select “Choose virtual background...”
If you would rather supply your own background, click on the plus sign above and to the right of the sample backgrounds, choose an image from your computer, and add it. If your computer isn’t capable of handling a virtual background without a physical green screen, you will get a warning and be urged to check the “I have a green screen” box below the sample images.
Skype
Skype offers both a blur feature and virtual backgrounds. Unlike Zoom, it doesn’t come with any included backgrounds, although it’s easy enough to upload your own.
Start your Skype app and go to your Settings (by clicking on the three dots on top of the left column).
Click on “Audio & Video.”
Click on “Blur” or add an image by clicking on the plus icon.
Microsoft Teams
If you’re using the free personal version of Microsoft Teams, you’re currently out of luck — that version is, for now, just available for iOS and Android mobile devices, and there are no backgrounds or blurring features available there.
However, if you have access to Microsoft Teams through your workplace or via G Suite, you can take advantage of both blurring and video backgrounds using the desktop app (they are not available in the online version).
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Open the app and click on “Meetings” in the left-hand column.
Enter your scheduled meeting or begin a meeting by clicking on “Meet now.”
At the bottom of your video image, you’ll see three toggles. The center one brings up your background menu; toggle it on to see all your current virtual backgrounds. You can also blur your background if you wish.
Teams offers a nice variety of background choices. If you want to upload your own, click on “Add new” just below where it says “Background settings.”
When you’ve chosen your background, you can close the “Background settings” menu by setting the background toggle to “Off.” Next time you start a meeting, just put that center toggle to “On” and the last background you used will reappear.
Jitsi Meet
This open-source videoconferencing app offers a variety of features for its free web-based app, including the ability to blur the background (currently in beta).


theverge--2020-08-18--Facebook and NYU use artificial intelligence to make MRI scans four times faster

If you ’ ve ever had an MRI scan before , you ’ ll know how unsettling the experience can be .
You ’ re placed in a claustrophobia-inducing tube and asked to stay completely still for up to an hour while unseen hardware whirs , creaks , and thumps around you like a medical poltergeist .
New research , though , suggests AI can help with this predicament by making MRI scans four times faster , getting patients in and out of the tube quicker .
The work is a collaborative project called fastMRI between Facebook ’ s AI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at NYU Langone Health .
Together , the scientists trained a machine learning model on pairs of low-resolution and high-resolution MRI scans , using this model to “ predict ” what final MRI scans look like from just a quarter of the usual input data .
That means scans can be done faster , meaning less hassle for patients and quicker diagnoses .
“ It ’ s a major stepping stone to incorporating AI into medical imaging , ” Nafissa Yakubova , a visiting biomedical AI researcher at FAIR who worked on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason artificial intelligence can be used to produce the same scans from less data is that the neural network has essentially learned an abstract idea of what a medical scan looks like by examining the training data .
It then uses this to make a prediction about the final output .
Think of it like an architect who ’ s designed lots of banks over the years .
They have an abstract idea of what a bank looks like , and so they can create a final blueprint faster .
“ The neural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medical image , ” Dan Sodickson , professor of radiology at NYU Langone Health , tells The Verge .
“ In some ways what we ’ re doing is filling in what is unique about this particular patient ’ s [ scan ] based on the data.
” The fastMRI team has been working on this problem for years , but today , they are publishing a clinical study in the American Journal of Roentgenology , which they say proves the trustworthiness of their method .
The study asked radiologists to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and AI-enhanced scans of patients ’ knees .
The study reports that when faced with both traditional and AI scans , doctors made the exact same assessments .
“ The key word here on which trust can be based is interchangeability , ” says Sodickson .
“ We ’ re not looking at some quantitative metric based on image quality .
We ’ re saying that radiologists make the same diagnoses .
They find the same problems .
They miss nothing.
” “ They find the same problems .
They miss nothing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine learning models are frequently used to create high-resolution data from low-resolution input , this process can often introduce errors .
For example , AI can be used to upscale low-resolution imagery from old video games , but humans have to check the output to make sure it matches the input .
And the idea of AI “ imagining ” an incorrect MRI scan is obviously worrying .
The fastMRI team , though , says this isn ’ t an issue with their method .
For a start , the input data used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the target area of the body .
The machine learning model isn ’ t guessing what a final scan looks like from just a few puzzle pieces .
It has all the pieces it needs , just at a lower resolution .
Secondly , the scientists created a check system for the neural network based on the physics of MRI scans .
That means at regular intervals during the creation of a scan , the AI system checks that its output data matches what is physically possible for an MRI machine to produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the network to create any arbitrary image , ” says Sodickson .
“ We require that any image generated through the process must have been physically realizable as an MRI image .
We ’ re limiting the search space , in a way , making sure that everything is consistent with MRI physics.
” Yakubova says it was this particular insight , which only came about after long discussions between the radiologists and the AI engineers , that enabled the project ’ s success .
“ Complementary expertise is key to creating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The next step , though , is getting the technology into hospitals where it can actually help patients .
The fastMRI team is confident this can happen fairly quickly , perhaps in just a matter of years .
The training data and model they ’ ve created are completely open access and can be incorporated into existing MRI scanners without new hardware .
And Sodickson says the researchers are already in talks with the companies that produce these scanners .
Karin Shmueli , who heads the MRI research team at University College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research , told The Verge this would be a key step to move forward .
“ The bottleneck in taking something from research into the clinic , is often adoption and implementation by manufacturers , ” says Shmueli .
She added that work like fastMRI was part of a wider trend incorporating artificial intelligence into medical imaging that was extremely promising .
“ AI is definitely going to be more in use in the future , ” she says .

If you’ve ever had an MRI scan before, you’ll know how unsettling the experience can be. You’re placed in a claustrophobia-inducing tube and asked to stay completely still for up to an hour while unseen hardware whirs, creaks, and thumps around you like a medical poltergeist. New research, though, suggests AI can help with this predicament by making MRI scans four times faster, getting patients in and out of the tube quicker.
The work is a collaborative project called fastMRI between Facebook’s AI research team (FAIR) and radiologists at NYU Langone Health. Together, the scientists trained a machine learning model on pairs of low-resolution and high-resolution MRI scans, using this model to “predict” what final MRI scans look like from just a quarter of the usual input data. That means scans can be done faster, meaning less hassle for patients and quicker diagnoses.
“It’s a major stepping stone to incorporating AI into medical imaging.”
“It’s a major stepping stone to incorporating AI into medical imaging,” Nafissa Yakubova, a visiting biomedical AI researcher at FAIR who worked on the project, tells The Verge.
The reason artificial intelligence can be used to produce the same scans from less data is that the neural network has essentially learned an abstract idea of what a medical scan looks like by examining the training data. It then uses this to make a prediction about the final output. Think of it like an architect who’s designed lots of banks over the years. They have an abstract idea of what a bank looks like, and so they can create a final blueprint faster.
“The neural net knows about the overall structure of the medical image,” Dan Sodickson, professor of radiology at NYU Langone Health, tells The Verge. “In some ways what we’re doing is filling in what is unique about this particular patient’s [scan] based on the data.”
The AI software can be incorporated into existing MRI scanners with minimal hassle, say researchers. Image: FAIR / NYU
The fastMRI team has been working on this problem for years, but today, they are publishing a clinical study in the American Journal of Roentgenology, which they say proves the trustworthiness of their method. The study asked radiologists to make diagnoses based on both traditional MRI scans and AI-enhanced scans of patients’ knees. The study reports that when faced with both traditional and AI scans, doctors made the exact same assessments.
“The key word here on which trust can be based is interchangeability,” says Sodickson. “We’re not looking at some quantitative metric based on image quality. We’re saying that radiologists make the same diagnoses. They find the same problems. They miss nothing.”
“They find the same problems. They miss nothing.”
This concept is extremely important. Although machine learning models are frequently used to create high-resolution data from low-resolution input, this process can often introduce errors. For example, AI can be used to upscale low-resolution imagery from old video games, but humans have to check the output to make sure it matches the input. And the idea of AI “imagining” an incorrect MRI scan is obviously worrying.
The fastMRI team, though, says this isn’t an issue with their method. For a start, the input data used to create the AI scans completely covers the target area of the body. The machine learning model isn’t guessing what a final scan looks like from just a few puzzle pieces. It has all the pieces it needs, just at a lower resolution. Secondly, the scientists created a check system for the neural network based on the physics of MRI scans. That means at regular intervals during the creation of a scan, the AI system checks that its output data matches what is physically possible for an MRI machine to produce.
A traditional MRI scan created from normal input data, known as k-space data. GIF: FAIR / NYU An AI-enhanced MRI scan created from a quarter of normal input data. GIF: FAIR / NYU
“We don’t just allow the network to create any arbitrary image,” says Sodickson. “We require that any image generated through the process must have been physically realizable as an MRI image. We’re limiting the search space, in a way, making sure that everything is consistent with MRI physics.”
Yakubova says it was this particular insight, which only came about after long discussions between the radiologists and the AI engineers, that enabled the project’s success. “Complementary expertise is key to creating solutions like this,” she says.
The next step, though, is getting the technology into hospitals where it can actually help patients. The fastMRI team is confident this can happen fairly quickly, perhaps in just a matter of years. The training data and model they’ve created are completely open access and can be incorporated into existing MRI scanners without new hardware. And Sodickson says the researchers are already in talks with the companies that produce these scanners.
Karin Shmueli, who heads the MRI research team at University College London and was not involved with this research, told The Verge this would be a key step to move forward.


theverge--2020-08-18--Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service is available on Chromebooks

I just played Death Stranding on my wife ’ s beat-up Samsung Chromebook Plus .
That ’ s because Nvidia just made it possible to do so with its GeForce Now cloud streaming service , which launched in beta for Chrome OS today .
While gaming natively isn ’ t necessarily a strong suit of Chrome OS , support for Google ’ s Stadia and GeForce Now means that you can probably access many of the games in your back catalog from the cloud , wherever you are with your Chromebook .
Nvidia is keeping tabs on supported games right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have one that ’ s capable enough to provide a decent experience , along with a mouse or gamepad plugged in for good measure since Chromebook trackpads usually aren ’ t great .
What ’ s cool about the beta is that Nvidia isn ’ t preventing any Chromebook user from going to play.geforcenow.com and giving it a try themselves , although the company does offer some recommended specs that it says ensure a good experience : • CPU : Intel Core M3 ( seventh gen or later ) or a Core i3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plus at least 15Mbps internet ( 25Mbps recommended ) To that end , it shared a bunch of models that Nvidia has tested internally and confirm provide a good experience .
It ’ s worth noting that some of these don ’ t match its recommended specs in every department : I spent time testing it out the beta on our 2017 Chromebook Plus , which straddles the line in terms of meeting the recommended specs .
It has a beautiful 2400 x 1600 resolution 3:2 aspect ratio display that still looks fantastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RAM requirement .
But I was more than a little worried about its Rockchip OP1 ARM processor , despite it being optimized at the time for Chrome OS , as my colleague Dieter Bohn dug up .
I briefly tested out Death Stranding and Rocket League through Steam and Control through the Epic Games Store to see how each looked and ran .
I have fairly speedy internet ( 250Mbps down , 25Mbps up ) , and since I ’ m at home , I was seated pretty close to our Wi-Fi router @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected from our then- $ 350 Chromebook .
Once I went to the front of the queue for a virtual rig and got booted into each game , the performance was great .
Generally , the games I tested seemed to swing between 40 and 50 frames per second .
It wasn ’ t a consistent , smooth 60 frames per second that I love to see .
Still , with a gamepad plugged in and headphones on , I sometimes forgot I was streaming games over the cloud .
Loading times were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves looked good on their recommended graphical settings .
Visuals aside , the input lag from my wired Nintendo Switch Pro controller was noticeable throughout my time testing GeForce Now on Chrome OS .
It was less of an issue in Control , where the movements are a little slower , but it was kind of a deal-breaker in Rocket League , especially if you ’ re playing online matches .
I should again note that I played exclusively over Wi-Fi , which Nvidia doesn ’ t suggest anyone do if they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I likely would have had an even better experience in terms of input lag and visual fidelity if I ’ d had an Ethernet to USB-C adapter .
One nitpick as someone using a 3:2 aspect ratio display : it was difficult to get each game to match my screen ’ s resolution .
Nvidia ’ s GeForce Now settings let me adjust my preferred resolution to a 16:10 aspect ratio , which reduced the black bars I saw with the default 16:9 aspect ratio presentation .
That was about as good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary “ game while I ’ m away from my PC ” experience , that ’ s good enough for me .
If your Chromebook has a 16:9 aspect ratio screen ( most of them do ) , you shouldn ’ t need to do any tweaking .
I ’ d love to test out the service on a more capable machine , like the new Acer Chromebook Spin 713 , and a weaker one , like the Samsung Chromebook 3 that released in 2016 .
It goes without saying that more powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I ’ m curious just how low you can go in price and still get relatively smooth gameplay .
You can join the service for free , though each game will take a few minutes to boot into , and sessions will be capped at one hour each .
If you have a Chromebook , give it a try and let us know in the comments how your experience was .

I just played Death Stranding on my wife’s beat-up Samsung Chromebook Plus. That’s because Nvidia just made it possible to do so with its GeForce Now cloud streaming service, which launched in beta for Chrome OS today. While gaming natively isn’t necessarily a strong suit of Chrome OS, support for Google’s Stadia and GeForce Now means that you can probably access many of the games in your back catalog from the cloud, wherever you are with your Chromebook. Nvidia is keeping tabs on supported games right here.
Granted, this assumes you have one that’s capable enough to provide a decent experience, along with a mouse or gamepad plugged in for good measure since Chromebook trackpads usually aren’t great.
What’s cool about the beta is that Nvidia isn’t preventing any Chromebook user from going to play.geforcenow.com and giving it a try themselves, although the company does offer some recommended specs that it says ensure a good experience:
CPU: Intel Core M3 (seventh gen or later) or a Core i3, i5, or i7 processor
GPU: Intel HD graphics 600 or higher
RAM: 4GB or higher
Plus at least 15Mbps internet (25Mbps recommended)
To that end, it shared a bunch of models that Nvidia has tested internally and confirm provide a good experience. It’s worth noting that some of these don’t match its recommended specs in every department:
Acer Chromebook 15 CB3-532-C4ZZ
Acer Chromebook 715*1
Acer Chromebook Spin 13
Asus C101P Flip
Asus Flip C302CA
Asus Chromebook Flip C434*
Google PixelBook
Google PixelBook Go
HP Chromebook x360*
Lenovo Yoga Chromebook C630
Samsung Chromebook 3
Samsung Chromebook Plus*
Samsung Chromebook XE350XBA (Chromebook 4)*
HP 15-de0517wm*
(Note: the asterisk denotes models where Nvidia says voice chat isn’t recommended)
I spent time testing it out the beta on our 2017 Chromebook Plus, which straddles the line in terms of meeting the recommended specs. It has a beautiful 2400 x 1600 resolution 3:2 aspect ratio display that still looks fantastic today, and it meets the 4GB RAM requirement. But I was more than a little worried about its Rockchip OP1 ARM processor, despite it being optimized at the time for Chrome OS, as my colleague Dieter Bohn dug up.
I briefly tested out Death Stranding and Rocket League through Steam and Control through the Epic Games Store to see how each looked and ran. I have fairly speedy internet (250Mbps down, 25Mbps up), and since I’m at home, I was seated pretty close to our Wi-Fi router. My experience was better than I expected from our then-$350 Chromebook.
Once I went to the front of the queue for a virtual rig and got booted into each game, the performance was great. Generally, the games I tested seemed to swing between 40 and 50 frames per second. It wasn’t a consistent, smooth 60 frames per second that I love to see. Still, with a gamepad plugged in and headphones on, I sometimes forgot I was streaming games over the cloud. Loading times were usually very fast, and the games themselves looked good on their recommended graphical settings.
Visuals aside, the input lag from my wired Nintendo Switch Pro controller was noticeable throughout my time testing GeForce Now on Chrome OS. It was less of an issue in Control, where the movements are a little slower, but it was kind of a deal-breaker in Rocket League, especially if you’re playing online matches. I should again note that I played exclusively over Wi-Fi, which Nvidia doesn’t suggest anyone do if they’re trying to get the best results. I likely would have had an even better experience in terms of input lag and visual fidelity if I’d had an Ethernet to USB-C adapter.
One nitpick as someone using a 3:2 aspect ratio display: it was difficult to get each game to match my screen’s resolution. Nvidia’s GeForce Now settings let me adjust my preferred resolution to a 16:10 aspect ratio, which reduced the black bars I saw with the default 16:9 aspect ratio presentation. That was about as good as it got, and for a temporary “game while I’m away from my PC” experience, that’s good enough for me. If your Chromebook has a 16:9 aspect ratio screen (most of them do), you shouldn’t need to do any tweaking.
I’d love to test out the service on a more capable machine, like the new Acer Chromebook Spin 713, and a weaker one, like the Samsung Chromebook 3 that released in 2016. It goes without saying that more powerful hardware will make for a better experience, but I’m curious just how low you can go in price and still get relatively smooth gameplay.
You can join the service for free, though each game will take a few minutes to boot into, and sessions will be capped at one hour each. If you have a Chromebook, give it a try and let us know in the comments how your experience was.


theverge--2020-08-18--Apple Music launches new radio stations for hits and country

Apple is beefing up its linear Apple Music radio stations today with the launch of two new stations and a rebranding of the popular Beats 1 station .
Apple Music Country and Apple Music Hits will be available today , and Beats 1 is now known as Apple Music 1 .
Apple is positioning the move as further asserting itself as the main tastemaker and music curator , seemingly in direct competition with radio companies and other streaming services , like Pandora and Spotify , for that title .
As expected , Apple Music Country will focus on country music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosts as well as exclusive shows from artists like Luke Bryan , Carrie Underwood , and Jimmie Allen .
Apple Music Hits will , of course , focus on mainstream top music .
On-air hosts include Estelle and Nicole Sky , while exclusive artist-oriented shows will come from Backstreet Boys , Ciara , Shania Twain , and Snoop Dogg , among others .
Along with the Beats 1 rebrand , Apple is releasing new shows on the channel with Lady Gaga , J Balvin , Travis Scott , and Haim .
Listeners can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Apple Music , although the company is also launching new Siri commands , like play “ Apple Music 1 , ” “ Apple Music Hits , ” or “ Apple Music Country , ” which will switch those stations on automatically .
The new Apple Music radio stations also come just months after Apple launched a beta version of the music service on the web .
It includes the same interface as Apple ’ s standalone Music app , which ships with macOS Catalina .
Apple also converted some of Apple Music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into podcasts , which allows listeners to tune into the show outside of its live airing .
It seems possible Apple could pull this off with other shows , of which it now has many .
That would not only set it up to have a robust live radio station offering but also a solid podcasting lineup .
Apple is also looking to build “ the next generation ” of its media apps for Windows .

Apple is beefing up its linear Apple Music radio stations today with the launch of two new stations and a rebranding of the popular Beats 1 station. Apple Music Country and Apple Music Hits will be available today, and Beats 1 is now known as Apple Music 1. Apple is positioning the move as further asserting itself as the main tastemaker and music curator, seemingly in direct competition with radio companies and other streaming services, like Pandora and Spotify, for that title.
As expected, Apple Music Country will focus on country music. It’ll have multiple on-air hosts as well as exclusive shows from artists like Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Jimmie Allen. Apple Music Hits will, of course, focus on mainstream top music. On-air hosts include Estelle and Nicole Sky, while exclusive artist-oriented shows will come from Backstreet Boys, Ciara, Shania Twain, and Snoop Dogg, among others. Along with the Beats 1 rebrand, Apple is releasing new shows on the channel with Lady Gaga, J Balvin, Travis Scott, and Haim.
Listeners can access the stations wherever they typically listen to Apple Music, although the company is also launching new Siri commands, like play “Apple Music 1,” “Apple Music Hits,” or “Apple Music Country,” which will switch those stations on automatically.
The new Apple Music radio stations also come just months after Apple launched a beta version of the music service on the web. It includes the same interface as Apple’s standalone Music app, which ships with macOS Catalina. Apple also converted some of Apple Music 1 host Zane Lowe’s interviews into podcasts, which allows listeners to tune into the show outside of its live airing. It seems possible Apple could pull this off with other shows, of which it now has many. That would not only set it up to have a robust live radio station offering but also a solid podcasting lineup.


theverge--2020-08-18--The ICE directive is gone, but international students still fear deportation

Caroline Poole was in her off-campus apartment in Maine when a high school friend texted her in a panic .
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) had released a new directive for the fall 2020 semester : international students who were taking an online course load could not remain in the US .
Poole ’ s college , Bowdoin , was planning to offer an almost entirely virtual semester .
Poole — who is from Toronto , Canada — could be deported .
“ I opened my computer and saw that everything was the worst that I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was terrifying.
” The ICE guidelines dropped on July 6th , after a number of schools had already announced plans for an online-only semester .
Even more , including Yale , Stanford , Georgetown , and Northwestern , were planning for a blend of remote and in-person instruction .
Other students had less measured responses .
“ I was like , ‘ What the fuck am I supposed to do with this ?
’ ” said Ameya Rao , a Cornell senior from Singapore .
The next day , Rao and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s student newspaper demanding that the university ’ s president denounce ICE ’ s restrictions , which they called “ a xenophobic , bigoted and inhumane political stunt designed to further nationalist rhetoric.
” The guidelines were in keeping with ICE ’ s established policy — students with F-1 visas can usually count a maximum of one online course per term toward their degree .
But they were an abrupt reversal of the guidance applied to the spring 2020 semester , which permitted international students to take multiple virtual classes after COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICE had previously stated that those exceptions would be in place for “ the duration of the emergency.
” Becca Niburg , a managing partner at Elpis Legal who previously worked as an immigration officer for the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) , believes the July 6th directive was “ boneheaded.
” “ The policy was just neglectful of common sense .
The students were already being impacted by this virus in ways that most people don ’ t understand , ” Niburg says .
“ Putting out a memo like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , exacerbated the situation they were already in with a real disregard for what they were doing.
” “ The policy was just neglectful of common sense.
” Universities agreed .
On July 8th , just two days after the directive dropped , Harvard and MIT sued the Trump administration in the US District Court in Boston .
ICE and DHS agreed to walk back the order on July 14th , less than five minutes into a hearing for the case .
With the directive rescinded , public attention has shifted away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no shortage of pressing immigration matters : the administration is currently being challenged in court over Trump ’ s suspension of a slew of nonimmigrant visa programs , including the H-1B .
But for many students , the eight-day ICE saga will color the upcoming semester — and the months and years that follow .
There were just over a million international college students enrolled in the United States for the 2018-2019 school year .
Only a small proportion left the US following the outbreak of COVID-19 — respondents to an Institute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained in the country .
Pandemic-driven border closures barred some students from returning home .
Others anticipated that if they left , the US ’ s travel restrictions would prevent them from returning for the fall semester .
Those fears have largely panned out : the US government is still barring foreign nationals from entering from a number of nations , including China , Iran , Brazil , the UK , Ireland , and the European Union ’ s Schengen area .
For many international students , the ruling was a sign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Trump administration didn ’ t want them .
I spoke to seven students for this article , and all of them were worried that the agency could drop more policies to abruptly upend their lives .
“ The previous announcement was very sudden , ” said Dilys Tan Chiat , an NYU senior from Singapore .
“ Even though they retracted their statement , they could just as well put out a different statement.
” Chiat is part of NYU ’ s Singapore Students Association and Malaysian Students Association — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nervous about returning to the US and driven many incoming freshmen to push their enrollment to the spring semester .
“ It will be in the back of a lot of people ’ s minds , ” Chiat said .
“ There ’ s a lingering thought of ‘ What if something changes , what if I have to leave suddenly ?
’ ” Chiat ’ s roommate Ginger Ooi , who is from Malaysia , wasn ’ t as concerned with the ICE directive — as a chemistry major , she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the more anti-immigrant policies she sees from the Trump administration , the more she worries that disaster is coming .
“ All these things , they ’ re little things , they ’ re not permanent things .
They ’ re ‘ We ’ re looking into it ’ or ‘ We ’ re suspending it , ’ they ’ re all just building up , ” Ooi told me .
“ I feel like they could accumulate into something else.
” Christopher Gaston , an immigration attorney who works with international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolutely founded.
” He believes the July 6th directive to be part of “ a more overarching policy of limiting lawful immigration.
” The Trump administration ’ s relationship with court rulings has certainly been dicey in recent months .
The DHS is not accepting new applications to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ( DACA ) , in defiance of a recent federal court order compelling the administration to restore the policy .
That ’ s an ominous precedent : when it comes to immigration , Trump is willing to reject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a lot of uncertainty ever since Trump came into office about what might happen to these students , ” says Carl Tobias , a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law where a number of international students are enrolled .
“ It ’ s difficult enough to go to another country to study , but to have this kind of cloud present and uncertainty ...
I think it creates a lot of confusion when a student needs to be thinking about studying and doing well , if and when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s extremely disruptive.
” Tobias says he plans to stay up to date on any new restrictions and to help students navigate them as much as he can .
But “ to have these things just pop up at the last minute when you ’ re trying to get ready for school , and in the face of COVID — it has exacerbated an already difficult situation.
” The uncertainty has driven Rao , the Cornell student , to shift her priorities .
Currently , F-1 students like her are able to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduation through the post-completion Optional Practical Training program ( OPT ) .
Rao had hoped to look for a job during that time .
Now , she ’ s scared that the administration might change the requirements for OPT or suspend the program entirely .
She ’ s applying for a consulting internship in DC , which she hopes will lead to a full-time offer right after she graduates .
If she gets the internship , she ’ ll shift to a more online course load so she can prioritize the job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave any room for error , ” Rao told me .
“ I have to think of the worst-case scenario and prepare myself for it , and make sure I am as well protected as I can be.
” For other students , there ’ s not much preparation they can do .
João Cardoso , a Yale senior from Portugal , has mentally come to terms with the fact that he might need to leave the US at some point in the semester .
But he ’ s still worried about future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small , rented room , and he wouldn ’ t have much space to study if he had to go home .
Plus , by sharing such close quarters with her after taking multiple flights and trains to get home , Cardoso worries he could put her health at risk .
There ’ s not much he can do to change that situation — “ I ’ m just taking it day by day and really hoping I won ’ t get sent back.
” Some students who went home for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not hard to see why .
The US has seen more COVID-19 cases and deaths than any other country .
“ Everyone around me is asking me why I ’ m going back , ” Chiat told me .
“ Everyone is concerned about you going to a different country where , at least what the media portrays of it is they don ’ t care about the safety and health of their citizens.
” She ’ s been home in Singapore since NYU went remote in mid-March — New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , with tens of thousands of confirmed cases .
Chiat will be coming back , though .
Her parents were reluctant , but she ’ s already signed a lease on her off-campus apartment , so they ’ d be paying the rent either way .
“ I am simply scared to get sick , ” said Vita Raskevičiūtė , a University of Pennsylvania student from Lithuania .
“ I know that some people in the US simply lack collective responsibility and refuse to comply with safety regulations.
” Several students expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — hospitals in some regions are still overflowing with COVID-19 cases .
But Raskevičiūtė is also coming back .
Lithuania is seven hours ahead of Philadelphia , and she ’ d need to attend class late at night if she stayed home .
“ Some people in the US simply lack collective responsibility ” The logistics of returning in the midst of the pandemic add another layer of stress .
Chiat was already planning her travel back in July ; the flights she usually takes aren ’ t operating , and she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can and can ’ t pass through .
US embassies and consulates around the world suspended routine services between March and mid-July , which has made it difficult for Raskevičiūtė to secure the documents she needs to get back .
Others won ’ t return at all .
Seventy percent of respondents to the IIE survey expect some of their international students not to be on campus this semester .
Eighty-eight percent expect international enrollment to decrease .
Akai , a senior at the University of Texas who requested that I withhold her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be taking her fall courses from her home in China .
It won ’ t be easy .
She ’ ll need to stay up late — her classes , scheduled for early afternoon in Austin , will take place at 3AM in her city .
She ’ ll also use a VPN to access some of her work , which is sometimes slow and unstable .
During the spring semester , connectivity issues sometimes caused her to miss parts of lectures .
Akai prefers that situation , though , to being in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever in China , ” she says .
While America ’ s COVID-19 cases rise , China has contained the virus — life in most of the country is returning to normal .
Akai spent the first part of her summer hanging out with friends , shopping , taking a class , and trying new restaurants .
If she were to return to Texas , “ I would freak out and be miserable and stay alone in my apartment all day.
” It ’ s clear that regardless of what policies are passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and America ’ s pandemic response as a whole — will have impacts beyond the fall 2020 semester .
America ’ s image has suffered internationally since Trump took office , in part due to a perception that the country doesn ’ t consider other nations ’ interests .
The ICE directive only adds to that narrative and will drive students around the world to study elsewhere , Gaston believes .
“ Everything you do to international students affects how the rest of the world views us .
I think it makes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students because it ’ s clear that just being admitted to the university and getting your student visa doesn ’ t actually mean you ’ ll be able to come to school and attend.
” That could spell trouble for American universities .
International students are a significant revenue source — they often pay out-of-state tuition and don ’ t qualify for financial aid at many colleges .
NAFSA estimated that international students contributed $ 41 billion to the US economy during the 2018-2019 academic year and supported over 400,000 jobs .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US after graduation are changing their minds .
The number of international college students who have stayed to work in the US via OPT has grown in the past few years — 223,085 students participated in the 2018-2019 academic year alone .
Research has shown that higher OPT participation is associated with lower unemployment among US workers and increased innovation .
But those days may be over .
“ The lasting impact of such a careless policy is perception , the perception that the US doesn ’ t want foreign students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bashyam Shah Immigration Law Group said .
“ Instead of coming to the US , foreign students will go to Canada , Australia , or elsewhere , all of whom are waiting for them with favorable immigration policies .
Maybe the next Tesla will be started in Canada instead of the US.
” Trump has toyed with the idea of suspending OPT but has not yet done so .
Still , the threat of suspension , combined with the ICE directive , has shaken some students ’ faith .
Akai isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to America .
She ’ s a classical archaeology major but hopes to become a game designer or an English tutor .
She ’ d been planning to stay in the US and pursue a PhD .
“ But now I don ’ t want to , because of the US government ’ s attitude and treatment towards international students.
” For a while , Poole had also planned to build a life in the US after graduation .
She was hoping to move out West to pursue her love of skiing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Given how ICE and the Trump government have responded to this pandemic , I ’ ve realized that it ’ s best for me to bring my life and experiences elsewhere , ” she said .
“ I came to the United States during a time in which I saw there was this politically , socially , culturally transformative moment .
I thought ‘ Wow , this is a great time to come to the US.
’ Trump was just elected , people were rethinking what it means to be an American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that I would also be arriving at a time when a government is making it extremely clear that they don ’ t want people like me around.
” Poole is considering moving to New Zealand , Australia , or the European Union — “ places where my immigration status isn ’ t a defining factor of my experience.
” She ’ s not quite sure yet where she wants to live — but she knows it isn ’ t America .

Part of / The Verge’s Back to School Special
Caroline Poole was in her off-campus apartment in Maine when a high school friend texted her in a panic. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had released a new directive for the fall 2020 semester: international students who were taking an online course load could not remain in the US.
Poole’s college, Bowdoin, was planning to offer an almost entirely virtual semester. Poole — who is from Toronto, Canada — could be deported.
“I opened my computer and saw that everything was the worst that I could have imagined,” she said. “It was terrifying.”
The ICE guidelines dropped on July 6th, after a number of schools had already announced plans for an online-only semester. Even more, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, and Northwestern, were planning for a blend of remote and in-person instruction.
Other students had less measured responses. “I was like, ‘What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?’” said Ameya Rao, a Cornell senior from Singapore. The next day, Rao and a friend published a letter in Cornell’s student newspaper demanding that the university’s president denounce ICE’s restrictions, which they called “a xenophobic, bigoted and inhumane political stunt designed to further nationalist rhetoric.”
The guidelines were in keeping with ICE’s established policy — students with F-1 visas can usually count a maximum of one online course per term toward their degree. But they were an abrupt reversal of the guidance applied to the spring 2020 semester, which permitted international students to take multiple virtual classes after COVID-19 drove universities to move instruction online. ICE had previously stated that those exceptions would be in place for “the duration of the emergency.”
Becca Niburg, a managing partner at Elpis Legal who previously worked as an immigration officer for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), believes the July 6th directive was “boneheaded.”
“The policy was just neglectful of common sense. The students were already being impacted by this virus in ways that most people don’t understand,” Niburg says. “Putting out a memo like that one just exacerbated their stress levels, exacerbated the situation they were already in with a real disregard for what they were doing.”
“The policy was just neglectful of common sense.”
Universities agreed. On July 8th, just two days after the directive dropped, Harvard and MIT sued the Trump administration in the US District Court in Boston. ICE and DHS agreed to walk back the order on July 14th, less than five minutes into a hearing for the case.
With the directive rescinded, public attention has shifted away from international students. And there’s no shortage of pressing immigration matters: the administration is currently being challenged in court over Trump’s suspension of a slew of nonimmigrant visa programs, including the H-1B. But for many students, the eight-day ICE saga will color the upcoming semester — and the months and years that follow.
Cornell University began closing its dorms on March 28th. It joined Harvard and MIT in a lawsuit against ICE and DHS on July 8th. Photo by: Education Images / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Fears for the future
There were just over a million international college students enrolled in the United States for the 2018-2019 school year. Only a small proportion left the US following the outbreak of COVID-19 — respondents to an Institute of International Education survey reported that 92 percent remained in the country.
Pandemic-driven border closures barred some students from returning home. Others anticipated that if they left, the US’s travel restrictions would prevent them from returning for the fall semester. Those fears have largely panned out: the US government is still barring foreign nationals from entering from a number of nations, including China, Iran, Brazil, the UK, Ireland, and the European Union’s Schengen area.
For many international students, the ruling was a sign, even a warning: it made clear that the Trump administration didn’t want them. I spoke to seven students for this article, and all of them were worried that the agency could drop more policies to abruptly upend their lives.
“The previous announcement was very sudden,” said Dilys Tan Chiat, an NYU senior from Singapore. “Even though they retracted their statement, they could just as well put out a different statement.” Tan is part of NYU’s Singapore Students Association and Malaysian Students Association — the announcement has made some of their members nervous about returning to the US and driven many incoming freshmen to push their enrollment to the spring semester. “It will be in the back of a lot of people’s minds,” Tan said. “There’s a lingering thought of ‘What if something changes, what if I have to leave suddenly?’”
Tan’s roommate Ginger Ooi, who is from Malaysia, wasn’t as concerned with the ICE directive — as a chemistry major, she’ll be taking an in-person lab. But the more anti-immigrant policies she sees from the Trump administration, the more she worries that disaster is coming. “All these things, they’re little things, they’re not permanent things. They’re ‘We’re looking into it’ or ‘We’re suspending it,’ they’re all just building up,” Ooi told me. “I feel like they could accumulate into something else.”
Christopher Gaston, an immigration attorney who works with international students, says those fears are “absolutely founded.” He believes the July 6th directive to be part of “a more overarching policy of limiting lawful immigration.”
The Trump administration’s relationship with court rulings has certainly been dicey in recent months. The DHS is not accepting new applications to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), in defiance of a recent federal court order compelling the administration to restore the policy. That’s an ominous precedent: when it comes to immigration, Trump is willing to reject judiciary authority.
“There’s been a lot of uncertainty ever since Trump came into office about what might happen to these students,” says Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law where a number of international students are enrolled. “It’s difficult enough to go to another country to study, but to have this kind of cloud present and uncertainty ... I think it creates a lot of confusion when a student needs to be thinking about studying and doing well, if and when they can matriculate. I think it’s extremely disruptive.”
Tobias says he plans to stay up to date on any new restrictions and to help students navigate them as much as he can. But “to have these things just pop up at the last minute when you’re trying to get ready for school, and in the face of COVID — it has exacerbated an already difficult situation.”
The uncertainty has driven Rao, the Cornell student, to shift her priorities. Currently, F-1 students like her are able to remain in the US for a year after graduation through the post-completion Optional Practical Training program (OPT). Rao had hoped to look for a job during that time. Now, she’s scared that the administration might change the requirements for OPT or suspend the program entirely. She’s applying for a consulting internship in DC, which she hopes will lead to a full-time offer right after she graduates. If she gets the internship, she’ll shift to a more online course load so she can prioritize the job.
“I know I can’t leave any room for error,” Rao told me. “I have to think of the worst-case scenario and prepare myself for it, and make sure I am as well protected as I can be.”
For other students, there’s not much preparation they can do. João Cardoso, a Yale senior from Portugal, has mentally come to terms with the fact that he might need to leave the US at some point in the semester. But he’s still worried about future ICE actions — his mother lives in a small, rented room, and he wouldn’t have much space to study if he had to go home. Plus, by sharing such close quarters with her after taking multiple flights and trains to get home, Cardoso worries he could put her health at risk. There’s not much he can do to change that situation — “I’m just taking it day by day and really hoping I won’t get sent back.”
Waiting it out
Some students who went home for the summer are weighing whether to return. It’s not hard to see why. The US has seen more COVID-19 cases and deaths than any other country.
NYU announced in May that it would offer a mix of in-person, blended, and online classes this fall. That’s still the plan. Xinhua / Wang Ying via Getty Images
“Everyone around me is asking me why I’m going back,” Tan told me. “Everyone is concerned about you going to a different country where, at least what the media portrays of it is they don’t care about the safety and health of their citizens.” She’s been home in Singapore since NYU went remote in mid-March — New York was the hardest-hit state at that point, with tens of thousands of confirmed cases. Tan will be coming back, though. Her parents were reluctant, but she’s already signed a lease on her off-campus apartment, so they’d be paying the rent either way.
“I am simply scared to get sick,” said Vita Raskevičiūtė, a University of Pennsylvania student from Lithuania. “I know that some people in the US simply lack collective responsibility and refuse to comply with safety regulations.” Several students expressed worry about medical care in the US — hospitals in some regions are still overflowing with COVID-19 cases. But Raskevičiūtė is also coming back. Lithuania is seven hours ahead of Philadelphia, and she’d need to attend class late at night if she stayed home.
“Some people in the US simply lack collective responsibility”
The logistics of returning in the midst of the pandemic add another layer of stress. Tan was already planning her travel back in July; the flights she usually takes aren’t operating, and she’s had to research which countries she can and can’t pass through. US embassies and consulates around the world suspended routine services between March and mid-July, which has made it difficult for Raskevičiūtė to secure the documents she needs to get back.
Others won’t return at all. Seventy percent of respondents to the IIE survey expect some of their international students not to be on campus this semester. Eighty-eight percent expect international enrollment to decrease.
Akai, a senior at the University of Texas who requested that I withhold her last name for privacy reasons, will be taking her fall courses from her home in China. It won’t be easy. She’ll need to stay up late — her classes, scheduled for early afternoon in Austin, will take place at 3AM in her city. She’ll also use a VPN to access some of her work, which is sometimes slow and unstable. During the spring semester, connectivity issues sometimes caused her to miss parts of lectures.
Akai prefers that situation, though, to being in the US. “I can do whatever in China,” she says. While America’s COVID-19 cases rise, China has contained the virus — life in most of the country is returning to normal. Akai spent the first part of her summer hanging out with friends, shopping, taking a class, and trying new restaurants. If she were to return to Texas, “I would freak out and be miserable and stay alone in my apartment all day.”
A long-lasting statement
It’s clear that regardless of what policies are passed this semester, the short-lived directive — and America’s pandemic response as a whole — will have impacts beyond the fall 2020 semester.
America’s image has suffered internationally since Trump took office, in part due to a perception that the country doesn’t consider other nations’ interests. The ICE directive only adds to that narrative and will drive students around the world to study elsewhere, Gaston believes. “Everything you do to international students affects how the rest of the world views us. I think it makes it harder for universities to market to international students because it’s clear that just being admitted to the university and getting your student visa doesn’t actually mean you’ll be able to come to school and attend.”
That could spell trouble for American universities. International students are a significant revenue source — they often pay out-of-state tuition and don’t qualify for financial aid at many colleges. NAFSA estimated that international students contributed $41 billion to the US economy during the 2018-2019 academic year and supported over 400,000 jobs.
Even students who had previously planned to work in the US after graduation are changing their minds. The number of international college students who have stayed to work in the US via OPT has grown in the past few years — 223,085 students participated in the 2018-2019 academic year alone. Research has shown that higher OPT participation is associated with lower unemployment among US workers and increased innovation.
But those days may be over. “The lasting impact of such a careless policy is perception, the perception that the US doesn’t want foreign students,” Murali Bashyam, managing partner of Bashyam Shah Immigration Law Group said. “Instead of coming to the US, foreign students will go to Canada, Australia, or elsewhere, all of whom are waiting for them with favorable immigration policies. Maybe the next Tesla will be started in Canada instead of the US.”
Trump has toyed with the idea of suspending OPT but has not yet done so. Still, the threat of suspension, combined with the ICE directive, has shaken some students’ faith.
Akai isn’t sure if she’ll return to America. She’s a classical archaeology major but hopes to become a game designer or an English tutor. She’d been planning to stay in the US and pursue a PhD. “But now I don’t want to, because of the US government’s attitude and treatment towards international students.”
For a while, Poole had also planned to build a life in the US after graduation. She was hoping to move out West to pursue her love of skiing. Since July, that has changed. “Given how ICE and the Trump government have responded to this pandemic, I’ve realized that it’s best for me to bring my life and experiences elsewhere,” she said.
“I came to the United States during a time in which I saw there was this politically, socially, culturally transformative moment. I thought ‘Wow, this is a great time to come to the US.’ Trump was just elected, people were rethinking what it means to be an American. What I didn’t anticipate was that I would also be arriving at a time when a government is making it extremely clear that they don’t want people like me around.”
Poole is considering moving to New Zealand, Australia, or the European Union — “places where my immigration status isn’t a defining factor of my experience.” She’s not quite sure yet where she wants to live — but she knows it isn’t America.


theverge--2020-08-18--More affordable Samsung Galaxy S20 ‘Fan Edition’ emerges in leaked renders

Samsung ’ s unannounced Galaxy S20 “ Fan Edition ” ( FE ) has leaked again in new renders from Evan Blass .
A series of leaks over the past few months from the likes of SamMobile , Ice Universe , and The Elec suggest the phone will be a cheaper alternative to Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 , similar to the Galaxy S10 Lite that it announced earlier this year .
The latest renders , which can be viewed over on XDA Developers , show the Galaxy S20 FE in six colors : blue , mint green , white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition looks to have a very similar design to the existing Galaxy S20 , as you ’ d expect .
Around the front there ’ s a hole-punch cutout for its selfie camera ( which reports have previously claimed will have a 32-megapixel sensor ) and around the back there appears to be a triple-camera array housed within a rectangular camera bump .
A report from The Elec has claimed that these consist of a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera , a 12-megapixel ultra-wide , and an 8-megapixel telephoto with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the S20 , smaller than the S20 Plus The renders from Evan Blass look broadly similar to a series of unofficial renders that were published over the weekend by Pricebaba based on information provided by tipster Onleaks .
Pricebaba reports that the phone ’ s screen will be between 6.4 and 6.5-inches big , which would make it slightly bigger than the standard 6.2-inch Galaxy S20 , but smaller than the 6.7-inch S20 Plus .
This screen is rumored to have a 120Hz refresh rate , and the phone will reportedly be powered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,500mAh battery .
If the “ Fan Edition ” moniker sounds familiar , it ’ s because Samsung previously used it when it re-released the Galaxy Note 7 way back in 2017 .
The handset featured a smaller battery than the original Note 7 , after the original device had to be recalled when its battery started suffering overheating issues and even caught fire in some cases .
The latest leak doesn ’ t offer any new information on when or where the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition might release , but The Elec @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in October this year for 900,000 won ( around $ 759 ) .
That compares to a base price of $ 999.99 for the original Galaxy S20 .

Samsung’s unannounced Galaxy S20 “Fan Edition” (FE) has leaked again in new renders from Evan Blass. A series of leaks over the past few months from the likes of SamMobile, Ice Universe, and The Elec suggest the phone will be a cheaper alternative to Samsung’s Galaxy S20, similar to the Galaxy S10 Lite that it announced earlier this year. The latest renders, which can be viewed over on XDA Developers, show the Galaxy S20 FE in six colors: blue, mint green, white, red, pink, and orange.
The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition looks to have a very similar design to the existing Galaxy S20, as you’d expect. Around the front there’s a hole-punch cutout for its selfie camera (which reports have previously claimed will have a 32-megapixel sensor) and around the back there appears to be a triple-camera array housed within a rectangular camera bump. A report from The Elec has claimed that these consist of a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and an 8-megapixel telephoto with a 3x optical zoom.
The renders show the phone in six different colors. Image: Evan Blass
The renders from Evan Blass look broadly similar to a series of unofficial renders that were published over the weekend by Pricebaba based on information provided by tipster Onleaks. Pricebaba reports that the phone’s screen will be between 6.4 and 6.5-inches big, which would make it slightly bigger than the standard 6.2-inch Galaxy S20, but smaller than the 6.7-inch S20 Plus. This screen is rumored to have a 120Hz refresh rate, and the phone will reportedly be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 with a 4,500mAh battery.
If the “Fan Edition” moniker sounds familiar, it’s because Samsung previously used it when it re-released the Galaxy Note 7 way back in 2017. The handset featured a smaller battery than the original Note 7, after the original device had to be recalled when its battery started suffering overheating issues and even caught fire in some cases.