theverge--2020-06-13--Tesla reportedly adding USB-C ports and wireless phone charging to US-made Model 3 vehicles

Tesla has started adding a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports to Model 3 vehicles built at its Fremont , Calif. factory , Elektrek reported .
As first reported by Drive Tesla Canada , the features were already available in Tesla ’ s Model Y , and the carmaker began adding them last month to its Chinese-made Model 3 vehicles .
The Model Y , which Tesla began delivering to US customers in March , comes standard with the Qi wireless phone charger , but until now , it ’ s only been available to Model 3 vehicles as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tesla lowered the prices of its Model 3 , Model S , and Model X in North America last month , as well as the prices of the Model S and Model X cars sold in China .
Its Chinese-produced Model 3 cars didn ’ t see a price reduction .
The price cuts were reportedly an attempt to help boost sales .
Many automakers saw a decline in demand for vehicles in the first quarter as people have been homebound due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Tesla ’ s Fremont factory has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks ; after closing March 23rd as part of a shutdown order in Alameda County , the company began making cars again about a month ago even while it battled with local officials about whether it could resume operations .
Tesla CEO Elon Musk threatened to move operations out of California and filed a lawsuit over the stay-at-home order .

Tesla has started adding a wireless phone charger and USB-C ports to Model 3 vehicles built at its Fremont, Calif. factory, Elektrek reported. As first reported by Drive Tesla Canada, the features were already available in Tesla’s Model Y, and the carmaker began adding them last month to its Chinese-made Model 3 vehicles.
The Model Y, which Tesla began delivering to US customers in March, comes standard with the Qi wireless phone charger, but until now, it’s only been available to Model 3 vehicles as an aftermarket add-on, according to Elektrek .
Tesla lowered the prices of its Model 3, Model S, and Model X in North America last month, as well as the prices of the Model S and Model X cars sold in China. Its Chinese-produced Model 3 cars didn’t see a price reduction. The price cuts were reportedly an attempt to help boost sales. Many automakers saw a decline in demand for vehicles in the first quarter as people have been homebound due to the coronavirus pandemic.


theverge--2020-06-13--Microsoft Teams now lets you upload your own photos as background images on video calls

It might not necessarily make that early Monday morning video call more fun , but Microsoft Teams will now let users upload their own photos for custom backgrounds , the company announced in a blog post .
Custom images and other background effects are only available for scheduled Teams meetings , Microsoft says .
Teams has a background blurring effect and a library of pre-installed images to allow meeting participants to conceal their messy home offices .
But it ’ s still playing catch-up with rival Zoom , which has seen huge growth during the coronavirus pandemic ( despite multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been working and schooling remotely .
Zoom already allows the use of custom images for meeting backgrounds .
Microsoft said Teams saw a brisk uptick in users during the pandemic as well , and has continued to roll out new features .
One caution about using background images in Teams : the company says using the blurring effect or a custom image may not prevent others on a video call from being able to see sensitive information .
In addition to the custom images , Microsoft also rolled out some new features for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to schedule meetings and send out invites instead of just using the “ Meet Now ” option .
Free users of Teams also can now add live captions to their calls .
And Microsoft says it ’ s adding Pride-themed images to its collection of custom Teams backgrounds , which will begin rolling out June 16th .

It might not necessarily make that early Monday morning video call more fun, but Microsoft Teams will now let users upload their own photos for custom backgrounds, the company announced in a blog post. Custom images and other background effects are only available for scheduled Teams meetings, Microsoft says.
Teams has a background blurring effect and a library of pre-installed images to allow meeting participants to conceal their messy home offices. But it’s still playing catch-up with rival Zoom, which has seen huge growth during the coronavirus pandemic (despite multiple security issues), as people have been working and schooling remotely. Zoom already allows the use of custom images for meeting backgrounds. Microsoft said Teams saw a brisk uptick in users during the pandemic as well, and has continued to roll out new features.
Microsoft
One caution about using background images in Teams: the company says using the blurring effect or a custom image may not prevent others on a video call from being able to see sensitive information.


theverge--2020-06-13--Persona 4 Golden is out on Steam

Persona 4 Golden is out on Steam

Persona 4 Golden , the enhanced version of Persona 4 for PlayStation Vita , is launching for PC via Steam @ @ @ @ @ as a standard version for $ 19.99 or a deluxe edition — which includes the @ @ @ @ @ — for $ 24.99 .
The game ’ s launch on PC is a first @ @ @ @ @ , which has previously been restricted to PlayStation platforms .
Persona 4 Golden , released @ @ @ @ @ group of small town teens investigating a series of murders .
Golden adds new characters @ @ @ @ @ from the original game .
It ’ s one of the series ’ most highly @ @ @ @ @ s also inspired several spinoffs , including Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4 : Dancing @ @ @ @ @ game in the series , Persona 5 , recently had its own enhanced edition with @ @ @ @ @ far , spinoff games have launched for Nintendo 3DS ( Persona Q2 : New Cinema @ @ @ @ @ and Vita ( Persona 5 : Dancing in Starlight ) .

Persona 4 Golden, the enhanced version of Persona 4 for PlayStation Vita, is launching for PC via Steam. The game is available as a standard version for $19.99 or a deluxe edition — which includes the digital soundtrack and art book — for $24.99.
The game’s launch on PC is a first for the mainline Persona series, which has previously been restricted to PlayStation platforms. Persona 4 Golden, released in 2012, follows a group of small town teens investigating a series of murders. Golden adds new characters, dungeons, and more from the original game. It’s one of the series’ most highly praised games; it’s also inspired several spinoffs, including Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4: Dancing All Night.


theverge--2020-06-13--How to watch the PC Gaming Show and Future Games Show today, June 13

Even if the world ’ s biggest video game expos have been canceled this year , we ’ re being treated to an unprecedented array of virtual events in their place — and today , what ’ s been dubbed the Summer Game Fest will continue with the PC Gaming Show and the Future Games Show , starting at 11AM PT / 2PM ET .
Here ’ s what to look forward to , and how to watch .
What : The PC Gaming Show will showcase “ new games , never-before-seen gameplay footage , and announcements from some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interesting developers.
” You can see the full lineup of developers involved here .
The event will be two hours long , though unlike previous years , it will be pre-recorded instead of shown live .
The event was originally scheduled for June 6th , but was delayed to June 13th to “ make space for those speaking out and demonstrating about how to end the systemic oppression and police brutality experienced by black people.
” Among other announcements , rumor has it the Persona series will finally make its way to PC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PC Gamer ’ s Twitch and YouTube channels , or just click here to start the stream : What : The hour-long Future Games Show will include “ exclusive trailers , announcements , and deep dives on existing AAA and indie games.
” Content will cover “ 40+ games on console , PC , and mobile , ” according to GamesRadar , which is hosting the event .
Publishers participating include Square Enix , Devolver Digital , and more .
Nolan North and Emily Rose , who star in the Uncharted series as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be hosting .
The show was first planned for June 6th , but was postponed to June 13th “ in support of the protests demanding justice and change over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police.
” How to watch : Watch on GamesRadar ’ s Twitch , Twitter , and YouTube channels , or just click here : These aren ’ t the end of the Summer Game Fest , by the way — not by a long shot .
Here ’ s our running list of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Even if the world’s biggest video game expos have been canceled this year, we’re being treated to an unprecedented array of virtual events in their place — and today, what’s been dubbed the Summer Game Fest will continue with the PC Gaming Show and the Future Games Show, starting at 11AM PT / 2PM ET.
Here’s what to look forward to, and how to watch.
The PC Gaming Show
What: The PC Gaming Show will showcase “new games, never-before-seen gameplay footage, and announcements from some of PC gaming’s biggest and most interesting developers.” You can see the full lineup of developers involved here. The event will be two hours long, though unlike previous years, it will be pre-recorded instead of shown live.
The event was originally scheduled for June 6th, but was delayed to June 13th to “make space for those speaking out and demonstrating about how to end the systemic oppression and police brutality experienced by black people.”
Among other announcements, rumor has it the Persona series will finally make its way to PC!
When: Saturday, June 13th, 11AM PT / 2PM ET / 7PM London
How to watch: Watch on PC Gamer’s Twitch and YouTube channels, or just click here to start the stream:
The Future Games Show
What: The hour-long Future Games Show will include “exclusive trailers, announcements, and deep dives on existing AAA and indie games.” Content will cover “40+ games on console, PC, and mobile,” according to GamesRadar, which is hosting the event. Publishers participating include Square Enix, Devolver Digital, and more. Nolan North and Emily Rose, who star in the Uncharted series as Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher, will be hosting.
The show was first planned for June 6th, but was postponed to June 13th “in support of the protests demanding justice and change over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police.”
When: Saturday, June 13th, 2PM PT / 5PM ET / 10PM London
How to watch: Watch on GamesRadar’s Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube channels, or just click here:


theverge--2020-06-13--Twitter reinstates Zero Hedge account saying its earlier suspension was ‘an error’

Twitter has reinstated the account for markets blogging site Zero Hedge , and says its decision to suspend the account for “ platform manipulation ” earlier this year was a mistake , Bloomberg reported .
The January suspension of its Twitter account followed a report from Zero Hedge suggesting that a Chinese scientist had created the coronavirus in a lab , a theory that has since been widely debunked .
Zero Hedge says in a post on its site Saturday that Twitter told them the suspension was for violating its rules against abuse and harassment , and reiterated its position @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons other than the stated ones.
” Its post argues Zero Hedge did not dox the scientist in question , but used publicly available information in its report .
In its January blog post , Zero Hedge included what it said were the scientist ’ s name , photo , email , and phone number , adding that people should “ pay [ him ] a visit.
” Twitter did not say what specifically led to Zero Hedge ’ s account being reinstated , but its rules prohibit revealing someone else ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error in our enforcement action in this case , ” a spokesperson for Twitter said in an email to The Verge on Saturday .
“ Based on additional context from the account holder in appeal , we have reinstated the account .
We have a dedicated appeals process for all account holders.
” Zero Hedge ’ s Twitter account was previously wiped clean , but it appears many of its pre-suspension tweets are once again visible as of Saturday morning .
Its follower count is currently over 700,000 .

Twitter has reinstated the account for markets blogging site Zero Hedge, and says its decision to suspend the account for “platform manipulation” earlier this year was a mistake, Bloomberg reported. The January suspension of its Twitter account followed a report from Zero Hedge suggesting that a Chinese scientist had created the coronavirus in a lab, a theory that has since been widely debunked.
Zero Hedge says in a post on its site Saturday that Twitter told them the suspension was for violating its rules against abuse and harassment, and reiterated its position that the suspension was “motivated by reasons other than the stated ones.” Its post argues Zero Hedge did not dox the scientist in question, but used publicly available information in its report.
In its January blog post, Zero Hedge included what it said were the scientist’s name, photo, email, and phone number, adding that people should “pay [him] a visit.” Twitter did not say what specifically led to Zero Hedge’s account being reinstated, but its rules prohibit revealing someone else’s personal information.
“We made an error in our enforcement action in this case,” a spokesperson for Twitter said in an email to The Verge on Saturday. “Based on additional context from the account holder in appeal, we have reinstated the account. We have a dedicated appeals process for all account holders.”


theverge--2020-06-13--SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites on Falcon 9, and three Planet SkySats hitched a ride

SpaceX launched 58 new Starlink satellites on its Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday morning , and three satellites from Planet tagged along for the ride .
The SpaceX satellites are part of its growing Starlink constellation , which it ’ s building to provide internet connectivity on Earth .
The company has permission to launch some 12,000 satellites as part of the project .
The Falcon 9 rocket launched the satellites , then returned safely to Earth , landing on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean .
The Planet satellites are part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which includes just over a dozen washing machine-sized craft that generate high-resolution images of our home planet .
Three more Planet satellites will go up on SpaceX ’ s next Falcon 9 Starlink launch in July .
Both Planet launches are part of SpaceX ’ s new SmallSat Rideshare Program , which gives smaller satellite operators a chance to book a ride aboard a SpaceX launch .
SpaceX has opened its Starlink website to allow people to sign up for “ updates on Starlink news and service availability in your area.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beta testing of its internet-providing satellites later this summer , followed by a public beta test .
Two weeks ago , SpaceX launched its first two people into orbit , sending veteran NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station in its Crew Dragon capsule .

SpaceX launched 58 new Starlink satellites on its Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday morning, and three satellites from Planet tagged along for the ride. The SpaceX satellites are part of its growing Starlink constellation, which it’s building to provide internet connectivity on Earth. The company has permission to launch some 12,000 satellites as part of the project.
The Falcon 9 rocket launched the satellites, then returned safely to Earth, landing on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Planet satellites are part of that company’s existing SkySat constellation, which includes just over a dozen washing machine-sized craft that generate high-resolution images of our home planet. Three more Planet satellites will go up on SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 Starlink launch in July. Both Planet launches are part of SpaceX’s new SmallSat Rideshare Program, which gives smaller satellite operators a chance to book a ride aboard a SpaceX launch.
SpaceX has opened its Starlink website to allow people to sign up for “updates on Starlink news and service availability in your area.” The company is expected to conduct private beta testing of its internet-providing satellites later this summer, followed by a public beta test.


theverge--2020-06-13--Here are some Father’s Day deals that are happening now

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
Father ’ s Day in the US is coming up on Sunday , June 21st .
That ’ s next week , so you still have time to do some shopping .
Given that the COVID-19 pandemic still has many retail stores shuttered , we recommend doing most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though , if you ’ re running short on time to buy a gift , you might be able to arrange a curbside pickup depending on the store .
There are a lot of things you can get for the dad in your life , but of course we are here to recommend some tech gifts we think they ’ ll like .
You ’ ll find a few deals that we know about specific to Father ’ s Day below , followed by some good offers we ’ ve had on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals next week , so stay tuned for those later on .
Nomad is offering a 20 percent discount on all of its leather cases and charging supplies .
This sale excludes Nomad ’ s medical supplies , but once you ’ re ready to checkout , enter the code DADSNGRADS to save .
Moment is offering discounts on a range of products , including its attachable lenses , its own phone cases to which you can attach the lenses , as well as lens filters for your drone , and more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 150 , use the offer code DAD15 to save $ 15 on your purchase .
If your cart total goes over $ 250 , use the offer code DAD30 to save $ 30 on your purchase .
Satechi is also hosting a discount on its products for Father ’ s day , which include wireless chargers , USB-C hubs , and more .
Just enter the offer code FORDAD at checkout to save 15 percent on your purchase .
If you spend more than $ 100 , the code FORDAD20 will save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until June 17th .
DJI is hosting Father ’ s Day discounts across its catalog of drone products through June 21st .
A few examples include the DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone at DJI or Amazon for $ 1,419 ( $ 180 off the original cost ) .
You can find the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 with the same discount and price at DJI and Amazon .
For context , both of these products were priced at $ 1,729 — well above their usual cost — at the beginning of 2020 due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed on products made in China .
Now , for whatever reason , you can get one for less once again .
DJI ’ s camera and gimbal lineup is also more affordable than usual .
This includes the Ronin SC stabilizer , which is $ 299 instead of $ 439 at DJI and Amazon .
You can also get a $ 110 off discount for the Osmo Action cam , which now costs $ 259 at DJI .
The $ 369 Osmo Pocket , which has a stabilized camera built in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon .
Both the Osmo Action and Pocket will remain on sale until June 23rd .
You can stock up on some discounted games to play with dad on the Nintendo Switch until Tuesday , June 16th .
There are quite a few that are cheaper than usual , and we ’ ve pulled together the best deals right here .
While you ’ re at it , it might be a good idea to make sure you snag a 256GB microSD card at Amazon so they won ’ t run out of @ @ @ @ @ @

Father’s Day in the US is coming up on Sunday, June 21st. That’s next week, so you still have time to do some shopping. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic still has many retail stores shuttered, we recommend doing most of your shopping for dad online. Though, if you’re running short on time to buy a gift, you might be able to arrange a curbside pickup depending on the store.
There are a lot of things you can get for the dad in your life, but of course we are here to recommend some tech gifts we think they’ll like. You’ll find a few deals that we know about specific to Father’s Day below, followed by some good offers we’ve had on the site recently. There will be more deals next week, so stay tuned for those later on.
Nomad is offering a 20 percent discount on all of its leather cases and charging supplies. This sale excludes Nomad’s medical supplies, but once you’re ready to checkout, enter the code DADSNGRADS to save.
Moment is offering discounts on a range of products, including its attachable lenses, its own phone cases to which you can attach the lenses, as well as lens filters for your drone, and more. If you’re spending more than $150, use the offer code DAD15 to save $15 on your purchase. If your cart total goes over $250, use the offer code DAD30 to save $30 on your purchase.
One of Satechi’s USB-C hubs can provide 4K 60Hz signal to two monitors.
Satechi is also hosting a discount on its products for Father’s day, which include wireless chargers, USB-C hubs, and more. Just enter the offer code FORDAD at checkout to save 15 percent on your purchase. If you spend more than $100, the code FORDAD20 will save you 20 percent. This sale lasts until June 17th.
The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0
The DJI Ronin SC stabilizer Brennan King / The Verge
DJI’s camera and gimbal lineup is also more affordable than usual. This includes the Ronin SC stabilizer, which is $299 instead of $439 at DJI and Amazon. You can also get a $110 off discount for the Osmo Action cam, which now costs $259 at DJI. The $369 Osmo Pocket, which has a stabilized camera built in, is now $299 at DJI and Amazon. Both the Osmo Action and Pocket will remain on sale until June 23rd.
Mortal Kombat 11 is one of the many Switch titles you can save on.
You can stock up on some discounted games to play with dad on the Nintendo Switch until Tuesday, June 16th. There are quite a few that are cheaper than usual, and we’ve pulled together the best deals right here. While you’re at it, it might be a good idea to make sure you snag a 256GB microSD card at Amazon so they won’t run out of internal storage on the Switch.


theverge--2020-06-13--7 new trailers to watch this week

7 new trailers to watch this week

I watched Spirited Away a few weeks ago for the first time in years , and it was just such a stunning encapsulation of how good Studio Ghibli is at building magical but meaningful worlds .
When you first enter the film , you ’ re lost inside this bewilderingly strange new universe , much like its main character .
But quickly , the logic to it all falls into place , and the bathhouse that the film centers around ends up feeling specific and small .
The moment that stood out most to me was when you learn that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some weirdo villain with trash coming out of its body , but is meant to represent a polluted river in need of help .
It sounds ridiculous typed out like that , but in the context of the film , it starts to show that there ’ s order to the world and a real emotional purpose behind the confusing events going on .
Check out seven trailers from this week below .
The long rumored , long in the works sequel to Bill & Ted is somehow actually happening , nearly three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one hand , it ’ s a little rough seeing an older Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter try to revive these characters .
On the other , the series is kind of ridiculous enough not to matter .
There ’ s no release date just yet .
I ’ ll Be Gone In the Dark HBO has a documentary coming up based on I ’ ll Be Gone In the Dark , Michelle McNamara ’ s investigation into the Golden State Killer .
The film also talks to McNamara ’ s husband , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after her death .
It comes out June 28th .
Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in this thriller about a pilot locked inside the cockpit of a plane while terrorists try to break in .
The film takes the style of a single-location thriller , which can get pretty creative sometimes , though from the trailer it ’ s not totally clear how much more happens than Gordon-Levitt screaming over the intercom .
It comes to Amazon Prime Video on June 19th .
You Should Have Left Blumhouse ’ s latest horror film is basically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a haunted Airbnb .
It heads on demand June 18th .
Netflix has an over-the-top new comedy coming up that stars Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a duo from Iceland trying to win Eurovision .
The film was originally meant to come out as Eurovision was happening in May , but this year ’ s event was canceled .
It ’ s now coming out June 26th .
Netflix has a new movie from Olivier Assayas that ’ s based on a real story about Cuban spies in the 1990s .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernal .
It comes out June 19th .
Relic looks like a pretty straightforward haunted house story on the surface , but some very positive reviews out of Sundance suggest it tells a far more complicated story about dementia .
The film comes out July 10th .

I watched Spirited Away a few weeks ago for the first time in years, and it was just such a stunning encapsulation of how good Studio Ghibli is at building magical but meaningful worlds.
When you first enter the film, you’re lost inside this bewilderingly strange new universe, much like its main character. But quickly, the logic to it all falls into place, and the bathhouse that the film centers around ends up feeling specific and small.
The moment that stood out most to me was when you learn that a sludge-covered spirit isn’t just some weirdo villain with trash coming out of its body, but is meant to represent a polluted river in need of help. It sounds ridiculous typed out like that, but in the context of the film, it starts to show that there’s order to the world and a real emotional purpose behind the confusing events going on.
Check out seven trailers from this week below.
Bill & Ted Face the Music
The long rumored, long in the works sequel to Bill & Ted is somehow actually happening, nearly three decades after the last film. On one hand, it’s a little rough seeing an older Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter try to revive these characters. On the other, the series is kind of ridiculous enough not to matter. There’s no release date just yet.
I’ll Be Gone In the Dark
HBO has a documentary coming up based on I’ll Be Gone In the Dark, Michelle McNamara’s investigation into the Golden State Killer. The film also talks to McNamara’s husband, Patton Oswalt, about finishing the book after her death. It comes out June 28th.
7500
Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in this thriller about a pilot locked inside the cockpit of a plane while terrorists try to break in. The film takes the style of a single-location thriller, which can get pretty creative sometimes, though from the trailer it’s not totally clear how much more happens than Gordon-Levitt screaming over the intercom. It comes to Amazon Prime Video on June 19th.
You Should Have Left
Blumhouse’s latest horror film is basically about Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried renting a haunted Airbnb. It heads on demand June 18th.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Netflix has an over-the-top new comedy coming up that stars Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a duo from Iceland trying to win Eurovision. The film was originally meant to come out as Eurovision was happening in May, but this year’s event was canceled. It’s now coming out June 26th.
Wasp Network
Netflix has a new movie from Olivier Assayas that’s based on a real story about Cuban spies in the 1990s. The film stars Penélope Cruz and Gael García Bernal. It comes out June 19th.
Relic


theverge--2020-06-14--Samsung’s latest special edition phone is a BTS-branded Galaxy S20 Plus

Samsung is no stranger to themed special-edition smartphones , having offered Galaxy phones emblazoned with Batman logos and Star Wars themes in the past .
The latest collaboration is a Galaxy S20 Plus BTS Edition , with a matching set of Galaxy Buds Plus to go with it .
The Galaxy S20 Plus BTS Edition looks like Samsung ’ s regular flagship , but with a unique iridescent purple exterior ( the color is heavily associated with the K-pop group ) that has a BTS logo on the back and the band ’ s heart iconography on the camera array @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also includes BTS-inspired Android themes , along with a preinstalled copy of the Weverse app ( a social media platform used by BTS band members to communicate with fans and share content ) .
Lastly , photo cards of the band are included in the similarly BTS-themed box .
The Galaxy Buds Plus BTS Edition , on the other hand , are purely a cosmetic change , switching the standard hues for a pair of BTS-purple earbuds and a charging case , along with decorative BTS and heart icons on each of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal for fans , Samsung is offering a free BTS poster for anyone who preorders the branded S20 Plus or the Galaxy Buds ( customers who preorder both will receive two posters ) .
Additionally , preordering the Galaxy S20 Plus BTS Edition will get customers a 50 percent discount on the matching Galaxy Buds , while preorders for the Galaxy Buds will include a BTS-themed wireless charger ( it ’ s also purple ) .
The BTS Edition Galaxy S20 Plus and Galaxy Buds Plus will be available on Samsung ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the seventh anniversary of the BTS ARMY fan collective — with preorders beginning on June 19th .

Samsung is no stranger to themed special-edition smartphones, having offered Galaxy phones emblazoned with Batman logos and Star Wars themes in the past. The latest collaboration is a Galaxy S20 Plus BTS Edition, with a matching set of Galaxy Buds Plus to go with it.
The Galaxy S20 Plus BTS Edition looks like Samsung’s regular flagship, but with a unique iridescent purple exterior (the color is heavily associated with the K-pop group) that has a BTS logo on the back and the band’s heart iconography on the camera array.
The BTS Edition of the phone also includes BTS-inspired Android themes, along with a preinstalled copy of the Weverse app (a social media platform used by BTS band members to communicate with fans and share content). Lastly, photo cards of the band are included in the similarly BTS-themed box. It’ll cost $1249, or $50 more than the retail price of the standard S20 Plus.
The Galaxy Buds Plus BTS Edition, on the other hand, are purely a cosmetic change, switching the standard hues for a pair of BTS-purple earbuds and a charging case, along with decorative BTS and heart icons on each of the earbuds. The Galaxy Buds Plus BTS Edition will cost $199, also a $50 increase over the price of the standard edition.
In order to sweeten the deal for fans, Samsung is offering a free BTS poster for anyone who preorders the branded S20 Plus or the Galaxy Buds (customers who preorder both will receive two posters). Additionally, preordering the Galaxy S20 Plus BTS Edition will get customers a 50 percent discount on the matching Galaxy Buds, while preorders for the Galaxy Buds will include a BTS-themed wireless charger (it’s also purple).
The BTS Edition Galaxy S20 Plus and Galaxy Buds Plus will be available on Samsung’s website and Amazon starting on July 9th — the seventh anniversary of the BTS ARMY fan collective — with preorders beginning on June 19th.


theverge--2020-06-14--The Internet Archive has ended its ‘emergency library’ early

After four commercial publishers filed a lawsuit earlier this month , the Internet Archive ended its National Emergency Library program earlier than planned , the organization said in a blog post ( via ArsTechnica ) .
It opened the “ emergency ” program in March , providing free access to 1.4 million books for people unable to get to classrooms or libraries during the coronavirus pandemic .
The Emergency Library is part of the Open Libraries initiative , in which the Internet Archive scans libraries ’ books , allowing digital “ check-outs ” via a waiting list .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lists and made the scanned books immediately available .
The intent was to keep the Emergency Library up and running through June 30th .
But on June 1st , publishers Hachette , Penguin Random House , Wiley , and HarperCollins sued the Internet Archive for copyright violations .
The Authors Guild said in March that the Internet Archive was “ acting as a piracy site ” that violates authors ’ rights to their works .
“ We moved up our schedule because , last Monday , four commercial publishers chose to sue Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Internet Archive Brewster Kahle wrote in the blog post .
The Internet Archive isn ’ t completely ending the online lending program , but rather switching back to its controlled digital lending model , according to the blog post It wasn ’ t immediately clear Sunday whether ending the emergency library would compel the publishers to end the lawsuit .

After four commercial publishers filed a lawsuit earlier this month, the Internet Archive ended its National Emergency Library program earlier than planned, the organization said in a blog post (via ArsTechnica). It opened the “emergency” program in March, providing free access to 1.4 million books for people unable to get to classrooms or libraries during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Emergency Library is part of the Open Libraries initiative, in which the Internet Archive scans libraries’ books, allowing digital “check-outs” via a waiting list. But the Emergency Library did away with the waiting lists and made the scanned books immediately available.
The intent was to keep the Emergency Library up and running through June 30th. But on June 1st, publishers Hachette, Penguin Random House, Wiley, and HarperCollins sued the Internet Archive for copyright violations. The Authors Guild said in March that the Internet Archive was “acting as a piracy site” that violates authors’ rights to their works.
“We moved up our schedule because, last Monday, four commercial publishers chose to sue Internet Archive during a global pandemic,” Internet Archive Brewster Kahle wrote in the blog post. The Internet Archive isn’t completely ending the online lending program, but rather switching back to its controlled digital lending model, according to the blog post


theverge--2020-06-14--Germany says its coronavirus contact tracing app is ready

Germany ’ s health minister said Sunday that its contact tracing smartphone app will be launched this week , Reuters @ @ @ @ @ short-range Bluetooth to contact people who may have been exposed to someone who contracts the @ @ @ @ @ t rely on a centralized database , according to Reuters .
Contact tracing involves interviewing @ @ @ @ @ where they ’ ve been and who they may have been in contact with , @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus .
While several other countries have already launched contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ slower in the US , with concerns about privacy and accuracy .
Germany is set @ @ @ @ @ for European Union countries and the UK on Monday , and Health Minister Jens Spahn @ @ @ @ @ travel advice to foreign visitors .
Germany has had more than 186,000 cases of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ has been hailed for its widespread testing efforts and social distancing measures .

Germany’s health minister said Sunday that its contact tracing smartphone app will be launched this week, Reuters reported. The app uses short-range Bluetooth to contact people who may have been exposed to someone who contracts the coronavirus, and doesn’t rely on a centralized database, according to Reuters.
Contact tracing involves interviewing infected people to find out where they’ve been and who they may have been in contact with, with the goal of slowing the spread of the virus. While several other countries have already launched contact tracing apps, progress has been slower in the US, with concerns about privacy and accuracy.


theverge--2020-06-14--Computex 2020 is officially canceled

Computex 2020 is officially canceled

After initially postponing it from June to September , organizers have now canceled Computex 2020 due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
The show will miss a year , like many other tech conferences that were planned for 2020 .
The next Computex event is slated for June 1st through 5th , 2021 .
The pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions to help curb its spread meant many participants would not have been able to attend a show in Taipei in September , the organizers explained in a blog post .
Taiwan has been hailed for isolating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early compared to the rest of the world , resulting in fewer than 500 total cases and seven deaths from COVID-19 .
Computex 2019 drew nearly 43,000 visitors from 171 countries , organizers said .
It ’ s not the only annual tech trade show to cancel its 2020 installment .
MWC canceled its 2020 show in February , and E3 was canceled in March around the same time Google canceled I/O 2020 .
Some other shows , like Facebook ’ s F8 developer conference , opted to go with pared-down , virtual @ @ @ @ @ @

After initially postponing it from June to September, organizers have now canceled Computex 2020 due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The show will miss a year, like many other tech conferences that were planned for 2020. The next Computex event is slated for June 1st through 5th, 2021.
The pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions to help curb its spread meant many participants would not have been able to attend a show in Taipei in September, the organizers explained in a blog post. Taiwan has been hailed for isolating coronavirus patients and imposing travel restrictions relatively early compared to the rest of the world, resulting in fewer than 500 total cases and seven deaths from COVID-19.


theverge--2020-06-14--Microsoft reportedly restores custom Xbox Live gamerpic uploads

Microsoft has restored custom Xbox Live gamerpics , Windows Central reported .
The software giant turned off the ability to upload gamerpics , club pics , and club backgrounds near the end of March amid a surge in demand .
Microsoft ’ s other cloud services , including Windows Virtual Desktop , Teams , Mixer , and Xbox Game Pass , also saw huge increased demand in March , as many people were on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The company also said at the time that it was working with game publishers to deliver higher-bandwidth activities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours .
Reinstating features like custom gamerpics may mean the strain of demand for Xbox Live has eased , with many areas loosening lockdowns and social distancing measures .
Microsoft didn ’ t immediately reply to a request for comment Sunday .
Microsoft reported in April that Xbox content and services increased by 2 percent year-over-year during its third quarter .
During a call with investors to discuss third quarter results , Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Xbox Game Pass hit 10 million subscribers and Xbox Live had nearly 90 million monthly active @ @

Microsoft has restored custom Xbox Live gamerpics, Windows Central reported. The software giant turned off the ability to upload gamerpics, club pics, and club backgrounds near the end of March amid a surge in demand.
Microsoft’s other cloud services, including Windows Virtual Desktop, Teams, Mixer, and Xbox Game Pass, also saw huge increased demand in March, as many people were on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company also said at the time that it was working with game publishers to deliver higher-bandwidth activities, like game updates, during off-peak gaming hours.
Reinstating features like custom gamerpics may mean the strain of demand for Xbox Live has eased, with many areas loosening lockdowns and social distancing measures. Microsoft didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment Sunday.


theverge--2020-06-15--Samsung’s big, curved Odyssey G7 and G9 gaming monitors are up for preorder

Samsung has opened up preorders for both of the new , curved QHD gaming monitors that debuted at CES 2020 .
The first , the Odyssey G7 , comes in two sizes , 27 and 32 inches , which are priced at $ 699.99 and $ 799.99 , respectively .
The bigger 49-inch Odyssey G9 with a 32:9 aspect ratio costs $ 1,699.99 .
Each model has a 1440p QLED 1000R curved VA panel with a 240Hz refresh rate , 1ms response time , and support for FreeSync 2 and G-Sync variable refresh rate technologies .
These should make gameplay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ card can deliver high frame rates .
There are some differences aside from the size .
The Odyssey G9 ’ s display is at 5120 x 1440 resolution , while the G7 ’ s is at 2560 x 1440 .
The more expensive G9 version has an HDR1000 rating , which is brighter than the HDR600 rating for both sizes of the G7 .
In terms of aesthetics , these two monitors look similar at a distance ; however , the G9 has glossy white plastic on the back whereas the G7 uses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small blue triangular vents on the front .
Both carry the futuristic Iron Man-esque reactor core design where the stand meets the monitor .
Both models will ship on July 13th through Samsung and other retailers .

Samsung has opened up preorders for both of the new, curved QHD gaming monitors that debuted at CES 2020. The first, the Odyssey G7, comes in two sizes, 27 and 32 inches, which are priced at $699.99 and $799.99, respectively. The bigger 49-inch Odyssey G9 with a 32:9 aspect ratio costs $1,699.99.
Each model has a 1440p QLED 1000R curved VA panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and support for FreeSync 2 and G-Sync variable refresh rate technologies. These should make gameplay look super smooth, assuming your graphics card can deliver high frame rates.
There are some differences aside from the size. The Odyssey G9’s display is at 5120 x 1440 resolution, while the G7’s is at 2560 x 1440. The more expensive G9 version has an HDR1000 rating, which is brighter than the HDR600 rating for both sizes of the G7.
In terms of aesthetics, these two monitors look similar at a distance; however, the G9 has glossy white plastic on the back whereas the G7 uses matte black plastic around the rear with small blue triangular vents on the front. Both carry the futuristic Iron Man-esque reactor core design where the stand meets the monitor.
Both models will ship on July 13th through Samsung and other retailers.


theverge--2020-06-15--How to watch today’s Fortnite event at the Agency

Fortnite ’ s next big in-game event is happening soon .
An ominous countdown in the Fortnite lobby , in Midas ’ room in the battle pass menu , and above the central Agency building on the map is marking the time until 2:05PM ET .
Hopefully , when the countdown reaches zero , Epic Games will treat players to another in-game spectacle on par with the rocket launch , the destruction of beloved landmark Tilted Towers , or the black hole event .
Epic hasn ’ t said much about what ’ s to come , but mysterious hatches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency and a large pulsing orb can be seen in Midas ’ room .
It seems likely the hatches and the orb will be part of the event in some way , but in a game that has transported players to interdimensional realms , anything is possible .
If you want to participate in the event or watch it online , here ’ s what you need to know .
When is the Fortnite event ?
The Fortnite event at the Agency takes place today , June 15th , at 2:05PM ET .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-game ?
Like it has for past events , Epic will presumably shut down other playlists and let you jump into one dedicated to the event soon before it happens .
Event matches are typically Team Rumble free-for-alls to start .
But right before the countdown reaches zero , Epic will likely stop players from shooting so they can experience the event without distraction .
Epic recommends showing up 30 minutes before the event starts and says that space will be “ limited.
” It could take longer than usual to get into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people trying to join , so hopping online early can help ensure that you ’ ll get into a game with time to spare .
Where can I watch the Fortnite event online ?
Epic typically doesn ’ t stream its events , but it seems likely that many popular Fortnite streamers will be broadcasting the event on their channels .
Here are a few channels to keep your eye on : Streamers and other content creators usually post a replay of the event shortly after it ’ s completed , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on YouTube after the event if you can ’ t catch it live .

Fortnite’s next big in-game event is happening soon (though it’s already reached capacity, so you’ll need to watch it online if you aren’t in a game). An ominous countdown in the Fortnite lobby, in Midas’ room in the battle pass menu, and above the central Agency building on the map is marking the time until 2:05PM ET. Hopefully, when the countdown reaches zero, Epic Games will treat players to another in-game spectacle on par with the rocket launch, the destruction of beloved landmark Tilted Towers, or the black hole event.
Epic hasn’t said much about what’s to come, but mysterious hatches have appeared in the water around the Agency and a large pulsing orb can be seen in Midas’ room. It seems likely the hatches and the orb will be part of the event in some way, but in a game that has transported players to interdimensional realms, anything is possible.
If you want watch the event online, here’s what you need to know.
When is the Fortnite event?
The Fortnite event at the Agency takes place today, June 15th, at 2:05PM ET.
How do I watch the Fortnite event in-game?
Today’s event has already reached capacity, according to Epic. That means you won’t be able to experience it in-game if you haven’t already gotten into an event match.
Where can I watch the Fortnite event online?
Since the event is full, you might need to catch the event streaming online if you want to experience it live. Epic typically doesn’t stream its events, but many popular Fortnite streamers are broadcasting today’s event on their channels. Here’s a few you can check out:
Streamers and other content creators usually post a replay of the event shortly after it’s completed, so you should be able to find one on YouTube after the event if you can’t catch it live.


theverge--2020-06-15--The Simpsons’ iconic Lee Carvello’s Putting Challenge now exists as a playable game

In season 7 episode 11 of The Simpsons , everyone ’ s going mad for Bonestorm , the hot new ultra-violent video game loosely based on the Mortal Kombat franchise .
Bart wants Bonestorm , but eventually receives a much less thrilling alternative , the golfing — nay , the putting — simulator , Lee Carvello ’ s Putting Challenge .
Now , finally , almost a quarter of a century ( ! )
after the episode originally aired , the game is available to play online in fan-made form .
Putting Challenge is a game where you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Make sure you use a putter , its titular protagonist advises .
Hit the ball with “ feather touch ” rather than “ power drive.
” You get the idea .
Reportedly it was based on Lee Trevino ’ s Fighting Golf , which looks absolutely thrilling in comparison .
The fan-made remake is the work of Aaron Demeter , who uploaded it to itch.io two days ago .
It doesn ’ t attempt to expand on the version that appears in the original episode , but don ’ t worry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the parking lot if you ignore Mr. Carvello ’ s helpful advice .
The fan-made version even has the blessing of Bill Oakley , who served as The Simpsons executive producer and showrunner for its seventh and eight seasons .
If you ’ re anything like me , then you ’ re probably going to be spending the rest of this week eagerly anticipating the release of the critically acclaimed , and yet undeniable ultra-violent Last of Us Part II .
But when the day finally comes , spare a thought for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be shielded from the game by parents who ’ d rather they played something more pastoral .

In season 7 episode 11 of The Simpsons, everyone’s going mad for Bonestorm, the hot new ultra-violent video game loosely based on the Mortal Kombat franchise. Bart wants Bonestorm, but eventually receives a much less thrilling alternative, the golfing — nay, the putting — simulator, Lee Carvello’s Putting Challenge. Now, finally, almost a quarter of a century (!) after the episode originally aired, the game is available to play online in fan-made form.
Putting Challenge is a game where you’re warned away from fun at every opportunity. Make sure you use a putter, its titular protagonist advises. Hit the ball with “feather touch” rather than “power drive.” You get the idea. Reportedly it was based on Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf, which looks absolutely thrilling in comparison.
The fan-made remake is the work of Aaron Demeter, who uploaded it to itch.io two days ago. It doesn’t attempt to expand on the version that appears in the original episode, but don’t worry, you can still yeet the golf ball into the parking lot if you ignore Mr. Carvello’s helpful advice. The fan-made version even has the blessing of Bill Oakley, who served as The Simpsons executive producer and showrunner for its seventh and eight seasons.


theverge--2020-06-15--Sony promises redesigned PS5 dashboard with ‘no pixel untouched’

Sony showed off its PlayStation 5 console design last week and briefly teased the OS , now Sony ’ s VP of UX design at PlayStation , Matt MacLaurin , is promising an overhauled user interface for the PS5 .
Describing the new software interface as a “ very interesting evolution of the OS , ” MacLaurin says it ’ s a “ 100 percent overhaul of the PS4 UI and some very different new concepts ” in a LinkedIn thread .
“ As it ’ s UI it ’ s practical first , but it ’ s a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the user interface , ” explains MacLaurin .
The new PS5 OS is “ more subtle than flashy , but no pixel is untouched , ” he adds .
MacLaurin says the team will show off the new OS soon , after Sony briefly teased part of it during its PS5 games stream .
The PS5 OS was shown as part of several Easter eggs throughout Sony ’ s event last week , culminating in the hardware reveal .
While Sony is promising a totally overhauled dashboard for the PS5 , Microsoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead of a radical redesign , Microsoft is focused on optimizing its existing Xbox One dashboard for the upcoming Xbox Series X so the UI is as familiar as possible .
The Xbox Series X dashboard will stay aligned with the Xbox One , but with some enhancements and updates made before the new console launch .
MacLaurin also teases a “ maybe ” in response to a question about changes in the homescreen interface , but doesn ’ t reveal any specifics for the PS5 OS .
Perhaps more interestingly , MacLaurin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PS5 in the future that will go beyond what we ’ re used to with the PS4 .
“ This [ hardware ] is also customizable in ways previous gens weren ’ t , ” reveals MacLaurin .
He even teases a “ maybe ” response to questions about a black version of the PS5 , and that “ there will be a special edition for everyone.
” It ’ s clear we haven ’ t heard every detail about the PS5 hardware or software just yet .

Sony showed off its PlayStation 5 console design last week and briefly teased the OS, now Sony’s VP of UX design at PlayStation, Matt MacLaurin, is promising an overhauled user interface for the PS5. Describing the new software interface as a “very interesting evolution of the OS,” MacLaurin says it’s a “100 percent overhaul of the PS4 UI and some very different new concepts” in a LinkedIn thread.
“As it’s UI it’s practical first, but it’s a whole new visual language and a complete rearchitecting of the user interface,” explains MacLaurin. The new PS5 OS is “more subtle than flashy, but no pixel is untouched,” he adds.
MacLaurin says the team will show off the new OS soon, after Sony briefly teased part of it during its PS5 games stream. The PS5 OS was shown as part of several Easter eggs throughout Sony’s event last week, culminating in the hardware reveal.
While Sony is promising a totally overhauled dashboard for the PS5, Microsoft is taking a slightly different approach. Instead of a radical redesign, Microsoft is focused on optimizing its existing Xbox One dashboard for the upcoming Xbox Series X so the UI is as familiar as possible. The Xbox Series X dashboard will stay aligned with the Xbox One, but with some enhancements and updates made before the new console launch.
MacLaurin also teases a “maybe” in response to a question about changes in the homescreen interface, but doesn’t reveal any specifics for the PS5 OS. Perhaps more interestingly, MacLaurin also hints at custom hardware designs for the PS5 in the future that will go beyond what we’re used to with the PS4.


theverge--2020-06-15--Hey is a wildly opinionated new email service from the makers of Basecamp

With the world now in a seemingly permanent state of crisis , you may not be in the market for a new email address .
And why would you be ?
Even in the best of times , getting a new email address comes with all the hassle of changing your phone number , without the minor upgrades that a new phone brings .
Changing your email address feels like a pointless struggle in a world where the existing options , however unremarkable , work basically fine .
Like changing banks , really .
Or moving into a new apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , I ’ m sorry to report that it ’ s time to consider getting a new email address .
The reason is Hey , a new email service from Basecamp .
It ’ s a genuinely original take on messaging that feels like the first interesting thing to happen to email since clever apps like Mailbox and Sparrow repurposed your Gmail account , and it ’ s available in an open beta starting today .
With a $ 99-a-year price tag and some pungent opinions about how email should work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most people .
But if you find yourself chafing at the stagnation of Gmail and Outlook , or are just looking for a way to screen out most people who would ever send you a message , Hey is well worth considering .
“ The last time I think anyone was really excited about email was like 16 years ago , when Gmail launched , ” says Jason Fried , Basecamp ’ s founder and CEO .
“ Not much has changed since then .
... We ’ re trying to bring some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The last time anyone was excited about email was 16 years ago.
” The core insight of Hey is that , after 16 years of Gmail and Outlook and years more of Hotmail and other services before that , we now have a good idea of what email actually is .
And in Hey ’ s view , email is basically three things .
It ’ s things you need to respond to , things you want to read , and receipts .
Each gets their own home within the app , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this is in keeping with one of the new philosophical points of view Basecamp wanted to bring to Basecamp , which is that not too many people should email you .
When someone first sends a message to your Hey.com email address , it arrives in a holding pen for first-time senders .
At your leisure , you can browse the various human beings , newsletters , and marketing messages all hoping for a spot in your inbox .
From there you can decide where they belong — or that they don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
With a click of a thumbs-down button , the sender disappears forever .
( Unless you take pity on them and restore them to the inbox via a setting elsewhere in the app . )
“ You actually get less email — that ’ s the thing we ’ re trying to get to , ” Fried says .
But with Hey , you don ’ t just decide what comes into your inbox — you decide where it should go .
If you screen a first-time sender in , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s inbox — which , for absolutely no good reason , Hey calls the Imbox .
( It ’ s short for “ important box , ” and no thank you . )
Email from friends , family , and coworkers you ’ ll likely want to keep in the Imbox .
All unread email appears on top , and previously read email sits underneath in reverse-chronological order .
Gmail asks you to archive old emails and search them if you need to ; Hey keeps everything in full view , giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fat middle finger .
A lot of necessary email consists of receipts , shipping notifications , and other ephemera , and Hey lets you filter all that into a section called “ Paper Trail.
” And for longer reads , like editorial newsletters or electronic catalogs , there ’ s a section called “ The Feed ” designed to let you browse : the email inbox as RSS reader .
But what about emails that actually require a response ?
Those messages get their own section , too .
Below every email is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” and a second labeled “ reply later.
” Click the latter one and the message gets added to an attractive pile at the bottom of your Imbox .
When you ’ re ready to reply , click the reply-later stack to see your emails that need responses in a clever side-by-side view called “ focus and reply , ” with the original in one pane and your response in another .
The setup allows you to plow through a big stack of emails quickly , and it ’ s a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Outlook require .
The final category Hey makes space for is emails that , for whatever reason , you want to have close at hand .
Maybe it ’ s a movie ticket , or a boarding pass , or a receipt .
You can mark the message to be “ set aside ” and it will show up in a dedicated viewer when you need it .
Hey also has a file viewer to see every attachment in your inbox , which seems like something Gmail might have thought to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outlook did . )
Click “ All Files ” and you ’ ll see the attachments people have sent you in reverse chronological order , which is hardly revolutionary but could be a revelation for Gmail users .
( One quibble : you can ’ t preview a file by clicking it ; instead a click on the thumbnail image will download the file to your computer . )
If you ’ re a labels person , you can add labels to create custom groupings for your emails .
But there are no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of differentiating your emails , because in Hey ’ s opinion those are “ workaround hacks that can mean one of a million things , ” Fried told me .
Reply or reply not : there is no star , and there is no flag .
Another nice touch in Hey is a feature called Clippings .
If you see something in an email that you like , you can highlight it , and and it will be added to a collection of other highlights that you can view at any time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ email . )
It ’ s nothing you couldn ’ t do in a plain text file , but I can see it becoming a lovely archive for digital packrats — particularly for those reading a lot of newsletters in their inboxes .
Or you could just use it for quick access to confirmation numbers and other handy details .
Because it ’ s a soup-to-nuts email platform and not just a new user interface for Gmail or Exchange , Hey can do other strange and powerful things .
You can merge disparate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example .
( It won ’ t affect the way the recipient views the email on their end . )
Or you can change the subject line of an email to something more useful to you , without changing it for the person you ’ re corresponding with .
“ Most apps think they ’ re the center of the world.
” Hey has other opinions .
It blocks all tracking pixels , disabling read receipts and other surveillance .
It will insist that you use two-factor authentication , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; none of that insecure SMS business .
It will let you try it out before charging you , but only for 14 days .
Its apps will not notify you of any new email at all unless you tell them to , and Hey is so wonderfully skeptical about the idea of email generally that you ’ ll have to enable notifications on a per-sender basis .
“ Most apps think they ’ re the center of the world .
They ’ re the most important thing in the world .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , ” Fried says .
“ We ’ re not that important.
” Hey isn ’ t the first independent email platform to arrive since Gmail ; privacy-focused ProtonMail , for example , has been open to the public since 2016 .
Silicon Valley has lately been enamored of Superhuman , a $ 30-a-month service that uses Gmail ’ s servers to provide a speedy alternate interface .
( It is also still in closed beta after six years , reinforcing the idea that it ’ s a country club for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hey is less expensive than Superhuman , but it ’ s much more expensive than a Gmail or Outlook.com account .
And stodgy as those giants are , they also come with developer ecosystems full of extensions that can replicate various aspects of Hey ’ s offering .
You could also opt into one of many services that re-skins Outlook or Gmail , such as Mailplane , Airmail , or Newton ( no relation to the author ) .
But I ’ m not sure any of them match Hey for its sheer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and in two years , they spun up an email platform and built six native clients — iOS , Android , web , Mac , Windows , and Linux .
After frequent promotion by Fried and his co-founder , David Heinemeier Hansson — they have more than 650,000 Twitter followers between them — more than 50,000 people have joined a waiting list to try Hey .
Over the next few weeks , they ’ ll let people in off the waiting list to begin using it .
“ It ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done.
” Fried is under no illusions that he is about to crush Gmail .
“ It ’ s the most ambitious thing we ’ ve ever done , ” he says .
“ And also , I would say , the stupidest thing we ’ ve ever done — in , like , the most positive sense of the word .
We ’ re just saying we want to provide an alternative .
We want to do some things that we think fundamentally need to be done to solve email.
” Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fried says he ’ ll be happy if Hey can attract 100,000 customers .
A version for businesses will launch later with features for teams , and could help Hey expand beyond an initial audience of Basecamp cultists and productivity nerds .
In the meantime , Hey is giving email users everywhere some fresh new ideas to consider .
And it ’ s giving the tech giants something they desperately need : competition .

With the world now in a seemingly permanent state of crisis, you may not be in the market for a new email address. And why would you be? Even in the best of times, getting a new email address comes with all the hassle of changing your phone number, without the minor upgrades that a new phone brings. Changing your email address feels like a pointless struggle in a world where the existing options, however unremarkable, work basically fine. Like changing banks, really. Or moving into a new apartment in the same building.
In any case, I’m sorry to report that it’s time to consider getting a new email address. The reason is Hey, a new email service from Basecamp. It’s a genuinely original take on messaging that feels like the first interesting thing to happen to email since clever apps like Mailbox and Sparrow repurposed your Gmail account, and it’s available in an open beta starting today. With a $99-a-year price tag and some pungent opinions about how email should work, Hey is not for all or even most people. But if you find yourself chafing at the stagnation of Gmail and Outlook, or are just looking for a way to screen out most people who would ever send you a message, Hey is well worth considering.
“The last time I think anyone was really excited about email was like 16 years ago, when Gmail launched,” says Jason Fried, Basecamp’s founder and CEO. “Not much has changed since then. ... We’re trying to bring some new philosophical points of view.”
“The last time anyone was excited about email was 16 years ago.”
The core insight of Hey is that, after 16 years of Gmail and Outlook and years more of Hotmail and other services before that, we now have a good idea of what email actually is. And in Hey’s view, email is basically three things. It’s things you need to respond to, things you want to read, and receipts. Each gets their own home within the app, and basically nothing else is welcome.
All of this is in keeping with one of the new philosophical points of view Basecamp wanted to bring to Basecamp, which is that not too many people should email you. When someone first sends a message to your Hey.com email address, it arrives in a holding pen for first-time senders. At your leisure, you can browse the various human beings, newsletters, and marketing messages all hoping for a spot in your inbox. From there you can decide where they belong — or that they don’t belong in your email at all. With a click of a thumbs-down button, the sender disappears forever. (Unless you take pity on them and restore them to the inbox via a setting elsewhere in the app.)
“You actually get less email — that’s the thing we’re trying to get to,” Fried says.
But with Hey, you don’t just decide what comes into your inbox — you decide where it should go. If you screen a first-time sender in, by default they’ll go to Hey’s inbox — which, for absolutely no good reason, Hey calls the Imbox. (It’s short for “important box,” and no thank you.)
Email from friends, family, and coworkers you’ll likely want to keep in the Imbox. All unread email appears on top, and previously read email sits underneath in reverse-chronological order. Gmail asks you to archive old emails and search them if you need to; Hey keeps everything in full view, giving the whole concept of Inbox Zero a fat middle finger.
A lot of necessary email consists of receipts, shipping notifications, and other ephemera, and Hey lets you filter all that into a section called “Paper Trail.” And for longer reads, like editorial newsletters or electronic catalogs, there’s a section called “The Feed” designed to let you browse: the email inbox as RSS reader.
But what about emails that actually require a response? Those messages get their own section, too. Below every email is one button that says “reply now,” and a second labeled “reply later.” Click the latter one and the message gets added to an attractive pile at the bottom of your Imbox. When you’re ready to reply, click the reply-later stack to see your emails that need responses in a clever side-by-side view called “focus and reply,” with the original in one pane and your response in another. The setup allows you to plow through a big stack of emails quickly, and it’s a significant improvement on the hopscotching around that Gmail and Outlook require.
The final category Hey makes space for is emails that, for whatever reason, you want to have close at hand. Maybe it’s a movie ticket, or a boarding pass, or a receipt. You can mark the message to be “set aside” and it will show up in a dedicated viewer when you need it.
Hey also has a file viewer to see every attachment in your inbox, which seems like something Gmail might have thought to build in the past 16 years. (Outlook did.) Click “All Files” and you’ll see the attachments people have sent you in reverse chronological order, which is hardly revolutionary but could be a revelation for Gmail users. (One quibble: you can’t preview a file by clicking it; instead a click on the thumbnail image will download the file to your computer.)
If you’re a labels person, you can add labels to create custom groupings for your emails. But there are no stars, flags, or other ways of differentiating your emails, because in Hey’s opinion those are “workaround hacks that can mean one of a million things,” Fried told me. Reply or reply not: there is no star, and there is no flag.
Another nice touch in Hey is a feature called Clippings. If you see something in an email that you like, you can highlight it, and and it will be added to a collection of other highlights that you can view at any time. (Think Kindle highlights, but for email.) It’s nothing you couldn’t do in a plain text file, but I can see it becoming a lovely archive for digital packrats — particularly for those reading a lot of newsletters in their inboxes. Or you could just use it for quick access to confirmation numbers and other handy details.
Because it’s a soup-to-nuts email platform and not just a new user interface for Gmail or Exchange, Hey can do other strange and powerful things. You can merge disparate email threads into one for easier browsing, for example. (It won’t affect the way the recipient views the email on their end.) Or you can change the subject line of an email to something more useful to you, without changing it for the person you’re corresponding with.
“Most apps think they’re the center of the world.”
Hey has other opinions. It blocks all tracking pixels, disabling read receipts and other surveillance. It will insist that you use two-factor authentication, for example — and via QR code, too; none of that insecure SMS business. It will let you try it out before charging you, but only for 14 days. Its apps will not notify you of any new email at all unless you tell them to, and Hey is so wonderfully skeptical about the idea of email generally that you’ll have to enable notifications on a per-sender basis.
“Most apps think they’re the center of the world. They’re the most important thing in the world. They’ve got to push everything to you,” Fried says. “We’re not that important.”
Hey isn’t the first independent email platform to arrive since Gmail; privacy-focused ProtonMail, for example, has been open to the public since 2016. Silicon Valley has lately been enamored of Superhuman, a $30-a-month service that uses Gmail’s servers to provide a speedy alternate interface. (It is also still in closed beta after six years, reinforcing the idea that it’s a country club for the most self-important emailers in business.)
Hey is less expensive than Superhuman, but it’s much more expensive than a Gmail or Outlook.com account. And stodgy as those giants are, they also come with developer ecosystems full of extensions that can replicate various aspects of Hey’s offering. You could also opt into one of many services that re-skins Outlook or Gmail, such as Mailplane, Airmail, or Newton (no relation to the author).
But I’m not sure any of them match Hey for its sheer audacity. Basecamp is just 56 people, and in two years, they spun up an email platform and built six native clients — iOS, Android, web, Mac, Windows, and Linux. After frequent promotion by Fried and his co-founder, David Heinemeier Hansson — they have more than 650,000 Twitter followers between them — more than 50,000 people have joined a waiting list to try Hey. Over the next few weeks, they’ll let people in off the waiting list to begin using it.
“It’s the most ambitious thing we’ve ever done.”
Fried is under no illusions that he is about to crush Gmail. “It’s the most ambitious thing we’ve ever done,” he says. “And also, I would say, the stupidest thing we’ve ever done — in, like, the most positive sense of the word. We’re just saying we want to provide an alternative. We want to do some things that we think fundamentally need to be done to solve email.”
Unlike most founders I’ve spoken with, Fried says he’ll be happy if Hey can attract 100,000 customers. A version for businesses will launch later with features for teams, and could help Hey expand beyond an initial audience of Basecamp cultists and productivity nerds.


theverge--2020-06-15--The FDA just approved the first prescription video game — it’s for kids with ADHD

It might not look like much of a video game , but Akili Interactive ’ s EndeavorRX , formerly Project EVO , may go down in history : it ’ s the first video game that can legally be marketed and prescribed as medicine in the US .
That ’ s the landmark decision from the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , which is authorizing doctors to prescribe the iPhone and iPad game for kids between ages eight and 12 years old with ADHD , after it underwent seven years of clinical trials that studied over 600 children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually make a difference .
According to the company ’ s favorite of the five studies , the answer is yes : one-third of kids treated “ no longer had a measurable attention deficit on at least one measure of objective attention ” after playing the obstacle-dodging , target-collecting game for 25 minutes a day , five days a week for four weeks .
“ Improvements in ADHD impairments following a month of treatment with EndeavorRx were maintained for up to a month , ” the company cites , with the most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemingly mild compared to traditional drugs , as you ’ d hope from so-called virtual medicine .
Note : authors of the game ’ s flagship study may have conflicts of interest That said , we are talking about a study by doctors who work for the game ’ s developer , according to disclosures at the bottom of the study , and even their conclusion is that the results “ are not sufficient to suggest that AKL-T01 should be used as an alternative to established and recommended treatments for ADHD.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially try , and it ’ s pretty exciting to see an idea we ’ ve followed for years make it this far .
In 2014 , we wrote how “ this video game might be the future of ADHD and Alzheimer ’ s treatment , ” and in 2017 we explored how “ prescription video games may be the future of medicine.
” Now , a prescription video game is a real thing .
It ’ s not in the future anymore .
It ’ s intriguing to see a video game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or exercise , too .
Even one of the most stunning examples we ’ ve heard — that of the burn victims who use virtual reality to ease their pain — was still mostly about providing a compelling distraction in the moment .
With EndeavorRX , the next step is to actually launch the game , an Akali rep tells The Verge , though it did technically open up enrollment for a limited number of families under the FDA ’ s relaxed COVID-19 enforcement back in April .
If you ’ re interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s website , which currently has a waitlist you can join .

It might not look like much of a video game, but Akili Interactive’s EndeavorRX, formerly Project EVO, may go down in history: it’s the first video game that can legally be marketed and prescribed as medicine in the US.
That’s the landmark decision from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is authorizing doctors to prescribe the iPhone and iPad game for kids between ages eight and 12 years old with ADHD, after it underwent seven years of clinical trials that studied over 600 children to figure out whether a game could actually make a difference.
According to the company’s favorite of the five studies, the answer is yes: one-third of kids treated “no longer had a measurable attention deficit on at least one measure of objective attention” after playing the obstacle-dodging, target-collecting game for 25 minutes a day, five days a week for four weeks.
“Improvements in ADHD impairments following a month of treatment with EndeavorRx were maintained for up to a month,” the company cites, with the most common side effects being frustration and headache — seemingly mild compared to traditional drugs, as you’d hope from so-called virtual medicine.
Note: authors of the game’s flagship study may have conflicts of interest
That said, we are talking about a study by doctors who work for the game’s developer, according to disclosures at the bottom of the study, and even their conclusion is that the results “are not sufficient to suggest that AKL-T01 should be used as an alternative to established and recommended treatments for ADHD.”
But it’s one more treatment to potentially try, and it’s pretty exciting to see an idea we’ve followed for years make it this far. In 2014, we wrote how “this video game might be the future of ADHD and Alzheimer’s treatment,” and in 2017 we explored how “prescription video games may be the future of medicine.” Now, a prescription video game is a real thing. It’s not in the future anymore.
It’s intriguing to see a video game treatment used for something other than distraction or exercise, too. Even one of the most stunning examples we’ve heard — that of the burn victims who use virtual reality to ease their pain — was still mostly about providing a compelling distraction in the moment.
With EndeavorRX, the next step is to actually launch the game, an Akili rep tells The Verge, though it did technically open up enrollment for a limited number of families under the FDA’s relaxed COVID-19 enforcement back in April. If you’re interested, here’s the company’s website, which currently has a waitlist you can join.
While the FDA says EndeavorRX is the first prescription video game it’s approved, a Verge reader points out that Bayer did introduce an FDA-approved glucose meter called Didget that could plug into a Nintendo DS back in 2010, which gave kids points for testing their glucose levels that they could spend in the “exclusive Knock Em Downs™: World’s Fair video game.” Here’s a Wayback Machine link to Bayer’s old website.
Nintendo also tried to create a Wii Vitality Sensor back in 2009, but ended up shelving the project by 2013.


theverge--2020-06-15--Apple says the App Store created $517 billion in commerce last year

Apple on Monday touted the findings of a new study from economic consulting firm Analysis Group that says the App Store was responsible for $ 517 billion in estimated total billings and sales of both physical products and services and digital goods in 2019 .
Of that amount , Apple says it takes a 30 percent cut of just $ 61 billion of those sales , as that ’ s the portion of total billings that constitutes digital-only goods .
That includes the biggest category , mobile games , as well as in-app purchases , subscriptions , and unit sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also largely dedicated to mobile gaming , makes up another $ 45 billion .
Of everything else — from ride-hailing software to food delivery apps to mobile retail shops from Best Buy and Target — making up the remaining $ 413 billion , Apple takes no cut , the study says .
These figures are generally in line with what we know about the company ’ s fast-growing services business and how much it makes on a weekly and monthly basis from the App Store .
But it is interesting to see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is facing increasing regulatory pressure over its operation of the App Store economy Why are these numbers particularly important to Apple ?
Well , the company wants not just developers but also regulators to think of the App Store as a sprawling economy that is , in Apple 's words , “ dynamic , competitive , and flourishing.
” The iPhone maker is just one of the many large tech companies now under a closer regulatory microscope in Washington , as tech-focused task forces within the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon , Apple , Facebook , Google , and Microsoft have too much power and wield it in anti-competitive ways .
Apple in particular has faced criticism over the years for its mandatory 30 percent cut , earning the ire of companies that run competing services , like Spotify , and accusations and at least one lawsuit from developers who say it runs the App Store like a monopoly .
In the case of Apple ’ s long-running feud with Spotify , the European Union is now investigating Apple after its music streaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The added pressure appears to have led to some consumer-friendly new features , like Siri support for Spotify .
Much of the conversation around Apple ’ s relationship with developers these days centers on whether it ’ s become a benevolent dictator that risks overstepping its bounds or , as Apple sees it , a mutual benefactor in a symbiotic ecosystem .
Regulation aside , there are some fascinating figures in the report , which breaks out app categories by revenue .
The study reveals that travel apps like Expedia and airline mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion in bookings and sales while ride-hailing apps and food delivery generate $ 40 billion and $ 31 billion , respectively .
But far and away the biggest revenue generators , as the study calculates them , is the retail industry ’ s mobile counterparts , which includes the mobile apps of big chains like Walmart and Target : Of the $ 519 billion the App Store ecosystem supported in 2019 , the study found that sales from physical goods and services accounted for the largest share , at $ 413 billion .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority of sales , and of those , retail was the largest , at $ 268 billion .
Retail apps include those that digitally represent brick-and-mortar stores such as Target and Best Buy , as well as virtual marketplaces that sell physical goods , such as Etsy , but do not include grocery delivery , which is its own category .
Other types of m-commerce apps were among the largest sources of sales from physical goods and services .
Travel apps , including Expedia and United , accounted for $ 57 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Lyft , comprised $ 40 billion in sales , and food delivery apps , including DoorDash and Grubhub , made up $ 31 billion .
There ’ s also an interesting geographic breakdown that says the US accounts for less than half of the total $ 517 billion at just $ 138 billion while China contributes an estimated $ 246 billion .

Apple on Monday touted the findings of a new study from economic consulting firm Analysis Group that says the App Store was responsible for $519 billion in estimated total billings and sales of both physical products and services and digital goods in 2019.
Of that amount, Apple says just $61 billion constitutes digital items the company may receive a 30 percent cut of (or 15 percent in the case of longer-lasting subscriptions). That includes the biggest category, mobile games, as well as in-app purchases, some subscriptions, and unit sales of paid apps.
The study is careful to say that this figure is not the same as total App Store billings; Analysis Group says it counts some items, like streaming video subscriptions, that may be purchased elsewhere but primarily involve consumption of the media on an iOS device, as well as enterprise app services that are typically purchased by a large company for employee use.
In-app advertising, also largely dedicated to mobile gaming, makes up another $45 billion. Of everything else — from ride-hailing software to food delivery apps to mobile retail shops from Best Buy and Target — making up the remaining $413 billion, Apple takes no cut, the study says.
Apple is facing increasing regulatory pressure over its operation of the App Store economy
Why are these numbers particularly important to Apple? Well, the company wants not just developers but also regulators to think of the App Store as a sprawling economy that is, in Apple's words, “dynamic, competitive, and flourishing.”
The iPhone maker is just one of the many large tech companies now under a closer regulatory microscope in Washington, as tech-focused task forces within the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission take a closer look at whether Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft have too much power and wield it in anti-competitive ways.
Image: Apple
Apple in particular has faced criticism over the years for its mandatory 30 percent cut, earning the ire of companies that run competing services, like Spotify, and accusations and at least one lawsuit from developers who say it runs the App Store like a monopoly. In the case of Apple’s long-running feud with Spotify, the European Union is now investigating Apple after its music streaming rival filed a formal antitrust complaint.
The added pressure appears to have led to some consumer-friendly new features, like Siri support for Spotify. Much of the conversation around Apple’s relationship with developers these days centers on whether it’s become a benevolent dictator that risks overstepping its bounds or, as Apple sees it, a mutual benefactor in a symbiotic ecosystem.
Regulation aside, there are some fascinating figures in the report, which breaks out app categories by revenue. The study reveals that travel apps like Expedia and airline mobile apps are responsible for generating $57 billion in bookings and sales while ride-hailing apps and food delivery generate $40 billion and $31 billion, respectively.
But far and away the biggest revenue generators, as the study calculates them, is the retail industry’s mobile counterparts, which includes the mobile apps of big chains like Walmart and Target:
Of the $519 billion the App Store ecosystem supported in 2019, the study found that sales from physical goods and services accounted for the largest share, at $413 billion. Within that category, m-commerce apps generated the vast majority of sales, and of those, retail was the largest, at $268 billion. Retail apps include those that digitally represent brick-and-mortar stores such as Target and Best Buy, as well as virtual marketplaces that sell physical goods, such as Etsy, but do not include grocery delivery, which is its own category. Other types of m-commerce apps were among the largest sources of sales from physical goods and services. Travel apps, including Expedia and United, accounted for $57 billion. Ride-hailing apps, including Uber and Lyft, comprised $40 billion in sales, and food delivery apps, including DoorDash and Grubhub, made up $31 billion.
There’s also an interesting geographic breakdown that says the US accounts for less than half of the total $519 billion at just $138 billion while China contributes an estimated $246 billion.
Update June 16th, 12:04AM ET: Clarified how the study differentiates between estimated sales and billings and total App Store billings.


theverge--2020-06-15--Ferrari ruined its ‘Rendez-vous’ revival with digital image stabilization

Ferrari has released a six minute video called Le Grand Rendez-Vous , a modern spin on C ’ était un Rendez-vous , the classic 1976 single-take short film that features a driver recklessly tearing through the dawn-lit streets of Paris .
While there was zero chance Ferrari was going to recreate that rogue run through the City of Lights , the homage — which takes place in Monaco and features F1 star Charles Leclerc — is already being criticized for its soullessness .
The thing that really kills it , though , is how smooth the footage is .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is typically a cinematic hallmark .
And the original C ’ était un Rendez-vous was filmed by a gyroscopically stabilized camera mounted to the front of the Mercedes-Benz that was used to make the mad dash through Paris .
But the footage in Le Grand Rendez-Vous is too smooth .
This is largely thanks to the digital image stabilization being performed by what appears to be a GoPro mounted to lip of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale featured in the video .
Digital image stabilization is a great tool for masking small amounts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , counteracting an unsteady hand .
But there ’ s a time and a place for shaky footage , like when you ’ re trying to convey the speed of a very fast car .
( For instance , the production house that shot Bugatti ’ s record-breaking 250 mph run actually added some shake to its footage in post-production because the filmmakers felt it looked too “ lifeless.
” ) The smoothness of the Ferrari footage is also enhanced by the fact that it appears to have been filmed using GoPro ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view setting , which — while enhancing the sense of speed — makes any shaking even harder to spot .
These are bad choices because they sap the footage of the small bumps and shakes that make the original film so hair-raising , and they ’ re especially frustrating because they could have been changed with just a few taps .
( The decisions are even more puzzling in light of the fact that Ferrari had Claude Lelouch — the director of C ’ était un Rendez-vous — film Le Grand Rendez-Vous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the omnipresent sounds of engine noise and tire squeal .
Just a few taps , and the footage would have been far more lively The mechanical stabilizer used on the camera in C ’ était un Rendez-vous surely helped cut down on big wobbles and vibrations from the engine , but there was enough life left in the footage to convey the chaos of what was happening .
That was aided by a narrower field of view , too , which is more prone to showing camera shake .
Ferrari isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to C ’ était un Rendez-vous that was met criticism .
Ford released one a few years ago ( shot in Paris , no less ) .
The final video was heavily edited , though , which many felt broke the one-take spirit of the original .
But Ford ’ s footage still has some of the life that Ferrari ’ s lacks .
There are certainly other things to critique about the video Ferrari released , like its general cheesiness , Prince Albert II ’ s awkward cameo , or just how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those things would be more forgivable if the footage didn ’ t look so lifeless .
Ferrari put an F1 driver in its new 1,000-horsepower hybrid hypercar , blocked off thousands of square feet of roads in Monaco , and turned him loose .
The video the company ultimately released lacks pretty much all of the excitement of that premise .

Ferrari has released a six minute video called Le Grand Rendez-Vous, a modern spin on C’était un Rendez-vous, the classic 1976 single-take short film that features a driver recklessly tearing through the dawn-lit streets of Paris. While there was zero chance Ferrari was going to recreate that rogue run through the City of Lights, the homage — which takes place in Monaco and features F1 star Charles Leclerc — is already being criticized for its soullessness. The thing that really kills it, though, is how smooth the footage is.
This may seem counterintuitive, as stabilized footage is typically a cinematic hallmark. And the original C’était un Rendez-vous was filmed by a gyroscopically stabilized camera mounted to the front of the Mercedes-Benz that was used to make the mad dash through Paris.
But the footage in Le Grand Rendez-Vous is too smooth. This is largely thanks to the digital image stabilization being performed by what appears to be a GoPro mounted to lip of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale featured in the video.
Digital image stabilization is a great tool for masking small amounts of camera shake, or in a smartphone, counteracting an unsteady hand. But there’s a time and a place for shaky footage, like when you’re trying to convey the speed of a very fast car. (For instance, the production house that shot Bugatti’s record-breaking 250 mph run actually added some shake to its footage in post-production because the filmmakers felt it looked too “lifeless.”)
The smoothness of the Ferrari footage is also enhanced by the fact that it appears to have been filmed using GoPro’s ultra-wide “Superview” field of view setting, which — while enhancing the sense of speed — makes any shaking even harder to spot.
These are bad choices because they sap the footage of the small bumps and shakes that make the original film so hair-raising, and they’re especially frustrating because they could have been changed with just a few taps. (The decisions are even more puzzling in light of the fact that Ferrari had Claude Lelouch — the director of C’était un Rendez-vous — film Le Grand Rendez-Vous.) The only real saving grace are the omnipresent sounds of engine noise and tire squeal.
Just a few taps, and the footage would have been far more lively
The mechanical stabilizer used on the camera in C’était un Rendez-vous surely helped cut down on big wobbles and vibrations from the engine, but there was enough life left in the footage to convey the chaos of what was happening. That was aided by a narrower field of view, too, which is more prone to showing camera shake.
Ferrari isn’t the first automaker to film an homage to C’était un Rendez-vous that was met criticism. Ford released one a few years ago (shot in Paris, no less). The final video was heavily edited, though, which many felt broke the one-take spirit of the original. But Ford’s footage still has some of the life that Ferrari’s lacks.


theverge--2020-06-15--Instagram’s CEO says the platform is examining how its policies affect black users

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said Monday that the platform is taking steps to “ better support the black community ” and will review how it recommends content and deals with harassment and verification .
Mosseri didn ’ t provide specifics about what the Facebook-owned photo sharing app will do , but he laid out some key areas where Instagram has heard complaints from black users about bias .
“ The irony that we ’ re a platform that stands for elevating Black voices , but at the same time Black people are often harassed , afraid of being ‘ shadowbanned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takedowns , is not lost on me , ” Mosseri said in a statement .
Mosseri said Instagram is “ hearing concern ” about whether it suppresses black voices and if it treats everyone equally in its products and policies .
“ This is a moment when people around the world are rightfully demanding actions over words , and we owe the same to our community.
” He said the company will focus on four areas : harassment , verification , distribution , and algorithmic bias .
To address harassment , Mosseri said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues its black users experience on and off Instagram , and how it can protect people from those issues .
It ’ s also going to examine whether the criteria it uses to verify Instagram users is inclusive , since it ’ s received questions about whether that process favors certain groups .
Instagram also will review how its content is filtered to see if there is bias involved , and it will be more transparent about how it distributes people ’ s posts .
It ’ s also going to “ take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bias is having an effect on its decision-making .
Mosseri said Instagram will also examine how well it ’ s serving other underrepresented groups .
“ Our goal is that Instagram is a place where everyone feels safe , supported , and free to express themselves , and I ’ m hoping this work will get us closer to that goal , ” he said .

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said Monday that the platform is taking steps to “better support the black community” and will review how it recommends content and deals with harassment and verification. Mosseri didn’t provide specifics about what the Facebook-owned photo sharing app will do, but he laid out some key areas where Instagram has heard complaints from black users about bias.
“The irony that we’re a platform that stands for elevating Black voices, but at the same time Black people are often harassed, afraid of being ‘shadowbanned’, and disagree with many content takedowns, is not lost on me,” Mosseri said in a statement.
Mosseri said Instagram is “hearing concern” about whether it suppresses black voices and if it treats everyone equally in its products and policies. “This is a moment when people around the world are rightfully demanding actions over words, and we owe the same to our community.”
He said the company will focus on four areas: harassment, verification, distribution, and algorithmic bias. To address harassment, Mosseri said the company will look at specific safety issues its black users experience on and off Instagram, and how it can protect people from those issues. It’s also going to examine whether the criteria it uses to verify Instagram users is inclusive, since it’s received questions about whether that process favors certain groups.
Instagram also will review how its content is filtered to see if there is bias involved, and it will be more transparent about how it distributes people’s posts. It’s also going to “take a harder look” at whether algorithmic bias is having an effect on its decision-making.


theverge--2020-06-15--Peloton will now allow users to identify as nonbinary on its app

Peloton announced today that users now have the option to select nonbinary as their gender , as part of the company ’ s broader commitment to Pride Month .
Nonbinary users will appear as “ NB ” on the leaderboard , where they compete against other people using the app .
Users will still be able to filter the leaderboard by age and gender .
Nonbinary gender options are still uncommon in many tech products , although Peloton ’ s move could push other companies to make the option standard across platforms .
Facebook has supported nonbinary gender designations since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps have already introduced the feature , including Tinder , OkCupid , and Grindr .
Even emoji now have nonbinary options , with both Google and Apple releasing gender inclusive icons last year .
Apple introduced 328 emoji , and Google launched 53 .
In many ways , tech companies are following states , which have increasingly recognized nonbinary genders in government functions .
In 2017 , Oregon became the first state to give drivers the option to self-identify as nonbinary on their driver ’ s license .
In the years since , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As part of Pride Month , Peloton is also donating $ 100,000 to the Ali Forney Center ( AFC ) , a nonprofit organization that provides resources for homeless LGBTQIA+ youth , as well as 20 percent of its Pride 2020 collection sales , up to an additional $ 25,000 .

Peloton announced today that users now have the option to select nonbinary as their gender, as part of the company’s broader commitment to Pride Month. Nonbinary users will appear as “NB” on the leaderboard, where they compete against other people using the app, bike, or treadmill. Users will still be able to filter the leaderboard by age and gender.
Nonbinary gender options are still uncommon in many tech products, although Peloton’s move could push other companies to make the option standard across platforms. Facebook has supported nonbinary gender designations since 2014, and a number of dating apps have already introduced the feature, including Tinder, OkCupid, and Grindr. Even emoji now have nonbinary options, with both Google and Apple releasing gender inclusive icons last year. Apple introduced 328 emoji, and Google launched 53.
In many ways, tech companies are following states, which have increasingly recognized nonbinary genders in government functions. In 2017, Oregon became the first state to give drivers the option to self-identify as nonbinary on their driver’s license. In the years since, ten other states have adopted the practice.
As part of Pride Month, Peloton is also donating $100,000 to the Ali Forney Center (AFC), a nonprofit organization that provides resources for homeless LGBTQIA+ youth, as well as 20 percent of its Pride 2020 collection sales, up to an additional $25,000.