theverge--2020-01-12--Samsung’s removable-battery smartphone is coming to the US for $499

We ’ ve already seen Samsung ’ s new rugged smartphone with a removable battery , the Galaxy XCover Pro , because the company revealed it on its Finnish website before taking it down .
Today , though , the company is officially announcing the phone and that will cost $ 499 when it ’ s available in the US in the first half of 2020 .
Samsung says it ’ s working with Verizon to bring the phone to market .
For that $ 499 price , you ’ re getting a phone with a swappable battery that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone even supports 15W fast charging , as well as with special docks that use pogo pins .
The XCover Pro is intended to be used by workers in industrial settings or out in the field , so that huge battery should theoretically let workers use their phones for longer and give them the option to swap in a fresh battery in a pinch .
The phone also has two programmable buttons , which Samsung says can be programmed for applications like push-to-talk .
And if you ’ re a Microsoft Teams user @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new Microsoft Teams Walkie Talkie feature .
Samsung says the XCover Pro is also EMV Level 1 certified , meaning you might be able to run a business where customers pay you by tapping their NFC-equipped credit card , phone , or watch to your Galaxy handset .
The phone has Samsung ’ s point-of-sale software built in , and the company says Visa approved this phone for its Tap to Phone payments pilot program .
And to help the phone better survive the elements , Samsung says it has an IP68 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drops of up to 1.5 meters , and that it ’ s MIL-STD 810G certified , which means it should theoretically be able to withstand extreme altitudes , temperatures , humidity , and other difficult conditions .
Otherwise , the phone ’ s specs are mid-range : a 6.3-inch 2220 x 1080 display ( which Samsung says you can use when you have gloves on ) , a 2GHz octa-core Exynos 9611 processor , 4GB of RAM , and 64GB of internal storage ( with support for microSD storage up to 512GB ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 13-megapixel front-facing camera in a corner of the screen and two rear cameras : a 25-megapixel camera and an 8-megapixel camera .
It ’ ll also ship with the latest Android 10 and Samsung ’ s One UI 2.0 , contrary to information from the early reveal that indicated that the XCover Pro was running Android 9 Pie .
Update January 12th , 7:05PM ET : The XCover Pro does not have an AMOLED display , so we have removed that information from the article .

We’ve already seen Samsung’s new rugged smartphone with a removable battery, the Galaxy XCover Pro, because the company revealed it on its Finnish website before taking it down. Today, though, the company is officially announcing the phone and that it will cost $499 when it’s available in the US in the first half of 2020. Samsung says it’s working with Verizon to bring the phone to market.
For that $499 price, you’re getting a phone with a swappable battery that’s a meaty 4,050mAh, and the phone even supports 15W fast charging, as well as with special docks that use pogo pins. The XCover Pro is intended to be used by workers in industrial settings or out in the field, so that huge battery should theoretically let workers use their phones for longer and give them the option to swap in a fresh battery in a pinch.
The phone also has two programmable buttons, which Samsung says can be programmed for applications like push-to-talk. And if you’re a Microsoft Teams user, you can use that button with the new Microsoft Teams Walkie Talkie feature.
Samsung says the XCover Pro is also EMV Level 1 certified, meaning you might be able to run a business where customers pay you by tapping their NFC-equipped credit card, phone, or watch to your Galaxy handset. The phone has Samsung’s point-of-sale software built in, and the company says Visa approved this phone for its Tap to Phone payments pilot program.
And to help the phone better survive the elements, Samsung says it has an IP68 dust and water-resistance rating, can withstand drops of up to 1.5 meters, and that it’s MIL-STD 810G certified, which means it should theoretically be able to withstand extreme altitudes, temperatures, humidity, and other difficult conditions.
Image: Samsung
It has mid-range specs
Otherwise, the phone’s specs are mid-range: a 6.3-inch 2220 x 1080 display (which Samsung says you can use when you have gloves on), a 2GHz octa-core Exynos 9611 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage (with support for microSD storage up to 512GB). For cameras, the phone has a 13-megapixel front-facing camera in a corner of the screen and two rear cameras: a 25-megapixel camera and an 8-megapixel camera.
It’ll also ship with the latest Android 10 and Samsung’s One UI 2.0, contrary to information from the early reveal that indicated that the XCover Pro was running Android 9 Pie.


theverge--2020-01-13--Your iPhone XS or XR battery case could be due a free replacement from Apple

Apple has launched a new replacement program for its iPhone XS , XS Max , and XR smart battery cases , after charging issues were discovered in some devices .
According to the company , some of the cases may have a problem where they won ’ t charge when plugged into power , or may fail to charge your iPhone .
If your model is affected , then Apple or one of its authorized service providers will replace it free of charge .
At $ 129 , the battery cases aren ’ t cheap , but their tight integration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a few advantages .
iOS will display the charge level of your battery case in its top notification bar , for example , and it can also pass data through the battery case ’ s Lightning port .
If your case is eligible for a replacement , then it might be worth taking it into an Apple Store regardless of whether it ’ s having problems .
You ’ ll get a newer model , and there should be less chance of it developing problems in the future .
According to Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January and October 2019 ( the cases were announced in January ) .
If you want to take advantage of the program , then Apple says you ’ ll need to take it into an authorized service provider or an Apple store , where it will be examined to make sure it ’ s eligible .
If it is , then Apple says it will dispose of your old model in an environmentally friendly way .
Affected cases will be covered for two years following their original sale , according to Apple .

Apple has launched a new replacement program for its iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR smart battery cases, after charging issues were discovered in some devices. According to the company, some of the cases may have a problem where they won’t charge when plugged into power, or may fail to charge your iPhone. If your model is affected, then Apple or one of its authorized service providers will replace it free of charge.
At $129, the battery cases aren’t cheap, but their tight integration with the iPhone means that they come with a few advantages. iOS will display the charge level of your battery case in its top notification bar, for example, and it can also pass data through the battery case’s Lightning port. If your case is eligible for a replacement, then it might be worth taking it into an Apple Store regardless of whether it’s having problems. You’ll get a newer model, and there should be less chance of it developing problems in the future.


theverge--2020-01-13--OnePlus confirms its next phone will jump to a 120Hz screen

Speaking to us last week at CES , OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the company ’ s next major phones — presumably the OnePlus 8 — will feature screens with a refresh rate of 120Hz .
Lau is not one for subtlety , and claimed in a note to us sent later that it would be “ the best smartphone display in 2020.
” Having not seen it , we obviously can ’ t say if that claim is more than just bombast .
OnePlus says that it worked with Samsung to develop the OLED screen , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of Android to improve animations ( especially the core OS gestures ) so they ’ ll look smoother at 120Hz .
OnePlus also intends to use a custom MEMC ( motion estimation / motion compensation ) chip to insert extra frames into videos to bring them up to 120Hz .
It wouldn ’ t be completely inaccurate to call it motion smoothing for video on smartphones , though again we ’ d have to see whether it causes a “ soap opera effect ” in person before we called that a bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be toggled on and off in settings .
The image at the top of the post , sent to us by OnePlus , doesn ’ t convey a ton of information but does indicate where the MEMC hardware chip would sit .
It also , astute viewers will note , appears to show a pop-up camera mechanism .
It sounds a little like motion smoothing for phones Lastly , OnePlus claims its screen can hit 1000 nits peak brightness for HDR content , has a touch sampling rate of 240Hz , and supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you have what is clearly the next front in the Android phone chest thumping battle : screen specs .
The OnePlus 8 ( or whatever it will be called ) won ’ t be the first phone to hit 120Hz .
the ROG Phone 2 and Razer Phone 2 both did that last year .
Nor will it be the only Android phone that has a higher-than-60Hz refresh rate to come out this year .
Samsung ’ s Galaxy S series , for example , is expected to feature 120Hz refresh rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges facing all of those phones will include compensating for the higher battery cost of a high-refresh rate screen and convincing customers the extra cost it worth the improved smoothness .
Users should be able to switch between 60Hz and 120Hz , but it may not be a variable refresh rate as Google has tried ( somewhat unsuccessfully ) to do on the Pixel 4 ’ s 90Hz screen .
And while it may reduce the refresh rate in some cases when it ’ s not needed , it won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , 24FPS video .
Lau believes that last part won ’ t be hard .
“ It ’ s something you can definitely tell ” in the same way you could see 90Hz , he says , calling it a “ further level ” of smoothness , especially with scrolling and gestures .
Lau also argues that the company has been focused on optimizing for power consumption .
It ’ s already an issue with 90Hz screens , so it ’ s going to be even more of a concern with 120Hz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event in Shenzhen , China today to show off more of this new screen technology .
It seems as if companies announcing features of their phones before they announce their phones is just going to be the new normal now .

Speaking to us last week at CES, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed that the company’s next major phones — presumably the OnePlus 8 — will feature screens with a refresh rate of 120Hz. Lau is not one for subtlety, and claimed in a note to us sent later that it would be “the best smartphone display in 2020.” Having not seen it, we obviously can’t say if that claim is more than just bombast.
OnePlus says that it worked with Samsung to develop the OLED screen, and that in addition it has done work on top of Android to improve animations (especially the core OS gestures) so they’ll look smoother at 120Hz.
OnePlus also intends to use a custom MEMC (motion estimation / motion compensation) chip to insert extra frames into videos to bring them up to 120Hz. It wouldn’t be completely inaccurate to call it motion smoothing for video on smartphones, though again we’d have to see whether it causes a “soap opera effect” in person before we called that a bad idea. MEMC will be able to be toggled on and off in settings.
The image at the top of the post, sent to us by OnePlus, doesn’t convey a ton of information but does indicate where the MEMC hardware chip would sit. It also, astute viewers will note, appears to show a pop-up camera mechanism.
It sounds a little like motion smoothing for phones
Lastly, OnePlus claims its screen can hit 1000 nits peak brightness for HDR content, has a touch sampling rate of 240Hz, and supports 10-bit color. Add it all up and you have what is clearly the next front in the Android phone chest thumping battle: screen specs.
The OnePlus 8 (or whatever it will be called) won’t be the first phone to hit 120Hz. the ROG Phone 2 and Razer Phone 2 both did that last year. Nor will it be the only Android phone that has a higher-than-60Hz refresh rate to come out this year. Samsung’s Galaxy S series, for example, is expected to feature 120Hz refresh rates when announced on February 11th. The challenges facing all of those phones will include compensating for the higher battery cost of a high-refresh rate screen and convincing customers the extra cost it worth the improved smoothness.
Users should be able to switch between 60Hz and 120Hz, but it may not be a variable refresh rate as Google has tried (somewhat unsuccessfully) to do on the Pixel 4’s 90Hz screen. And while it may reduce the refresh rate in some cases when it’s not needed, it won’t be able match the refresh rate of, say, 24FPS video.
Lau believes that last part won’t be hard. “It’s something you can definitely tell” in the same way you could see 90Hz, he says, calling it a “further level” of smoothness, especially with scrolling and gestures. Lau also argues that the company has been focused on optimizing for power consumption. It’s already an issue with 90Hz screens, so it’s going to be even more of a concern with 120Hz.


theverge--2020-01-13--Elon Musk: ‘Teslas will soon talk to people if you want. This is real’

Elon Musk says that Tesla cars will “ soon ” be able to talk to nearby pedestrians .
In a tweet announcing the functionality , the CEO shared a short clip of a Model 3 driving past while its speaker plays a clip saying “ Well don ’ t just stand there staring , hop in.
” In his Tweet , Musk says , “ Teslas will soon talk to people if you want .
This is real.
” We already knew that Tesla has begun adding external speakers to its cars in order to comply with new safety regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noise .
Now it seems these speakers could be used for much more .
In a follow-up tweet , Musk indicated that the newly-announced functionality could work with the car ’ s existing sentry mode alarm system which already uses the car ’ s internal sound system to deter would-be thieves .
Alternatively , he said that you could just have your car fart in people ’ s general direction .
The specific audio message played in the clip brings to mind Musk ’ s master plan of eventually having all of Tesla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxi fleet , earning money for their owners when they ’ re not driving them .
In an autonomous state , with no driver to invite passengers into the taxi , the car itself could be left to tell people to “ hop in.
” Musk ’ s tweet says to expect the new functionality “ soon , ” but you might want to take this promise with a pinch of salt .
The CEO previously said that Tesla ’ s “ customized horn and movement sounds ” were coming “ soon ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still yet to arrive , and we ’ re still waiting to see a Tesla complete the autonomous Los Angeles to New York journey that was promised back in 2016 ( the plans were put on hold in 2018 ) .

Elon Musk says that Tesla cars will “soon” be able to talk to nearby pedestrians. In a tweet announcing the functionality, the CEO shared a short clip of a Model 3 driving past while its speaker plays a clip saying “Well don’t just stand there staring, hop in.” In his Tweet, Musk says, “Teslas will soon talk to people if you want. This is real.”
The specific audio message played in the clip brings to mind Musk’s master plan of eventually having all of Tesla’s cars operate as an autonomous taxi fleet, earning money for their owners when they’re not driving them. In an autonomous state, with no driver to invite passengers into the taxi, the car itself could be left to tell people to “hop in.”


theverge--2020-01-13--Asus’ ROG Chakram mouse has an analog stick and wireless charging

The last gadget I checked out at CES 2020 was Asus ’ latest Republic of Gamers-branded mouse , which was announced last year and offers a pretty long , potentially compelling list of features .
The ROG Chakram is designed for customizability and flexibility , and my overall impression was that most people could probably find a way to make it work for them .
The most prominent addition , literally , is a little analog stick that protrudes from next to the thumb buttons .
This is a full-on analog controller if you want it to be , similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switches that used to be popular on joysticks ; one common use case for those was looking around a flight simulator cockpit .
You can also set the Chakram ’ s stick to work like a four-way directional input , which could be handy for things like selecting weapons in a shooter as you would with a D-pad on a controller .
The Chakram has wireless charging , though unlike many competitors it ’ s compatible with the Qi standard and should work with the same phone charger you have on your desk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with support for both Bluetooth or RF , while you can also plug it in over USB-C. Asus says it lasts up to 79 hours on a charge .
DPI goes up to 16,000 and is designed to be easily adjustable on the fly .
There ’ s a dedicated button on the bottom of the mouse that , when depressed for a few seconds , lets you alter the sensitivity with the scroll wheel .
Further customization comes alongside the removable magnetic portions of the shell , which let you swap out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buttons or insert your own design over the custom ROG logo .
All in all , the ROG Chakram is looking like a solid all-round gaming mouse with a few features that may set it apart .
though it ’ s definitely aimed toward the higher end of the market .
It should be shipping later this month for around $ 150 .

The last gadget I checked out at CES 2020 was Asus’ latest Republic of Gamers-branded mouse, which was announced last year and offers a pretty long, potentially compelling list of features. The ROG Chakram is designed for customizability and flexibility, and my overall impression was that most people could probably find a way to make it work for them.
The most prominent addition, literally, is a little analog stick that protrudes from next to the thumb buttons. This is a full-on analog controller if you want it to be, similar in concept to the “hat” switches that used to be popular on joysticks; one common use case for those was looking around a flight simulator cockpit. You can also set the Chakram’s stick to work like a four-way directional input, which could be handy for things like selecting weapons in a shooter as you would with a D-pad on a controller.
Asus hasn’t announced a price yet
The Chakram has wireless charging, though unlike many competitors it’s compatible with the Qi standard and should work with the same phone charger you have on your desk. It’s a wireless mouse with support for both Bluetooth or RF, while you can also plug it in over USB-C. Asus says it lasts up to 79 hours on a charge.
DPI goes up to 16,000 and is designed to be easily adjustable on the fly. There’s a dedicated button on the bottom of the mouse that, when depressed for a few seconds, lets you alter the sensitivity with the scroll wheel. Further customization comes alongside the removable magnetic portions of the shell, which let you swap out the Omron switches for the main mouse buttons or insert your own design over the custom ROG logo.


theverge--2020-01-12--Westworld returns for a third season on March 15th

HBO ’ s Westworld will return for a puzzle-filled third season on March 15 , the network announced tonight .
The network announced the release date with a new teaser trailer that includes a series of ominous moments in the near future that spell apocalyptic disaster .
It starts with the impeachment of the 45th president , a second civil war breaking out in Russia , ecological disasters around the world , and a few more events that eventually collapse into one mega issue .
Show co-creator Jonathan Nolan said at last year ’ s San Diego Comic-Con that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott ’ s Blade Runner , and will focus on a dystopian future .
“ Dystopia can look pretty beautiful in the world , ” Nolan said , according to Deadline .
“ Just because the world is corrupt inside , doesn ’ t mean it can ’ t be smothered over and pretty .
We wanted to find a version of dystopia that we hadn ’ t seen before.
” Westworld ’ s second season wrapped up with some answers to some pretty big questions — and opened few more doors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official recap of the second season finale does an excellent job of breaking down everything you need to remember heading into the third season .
The show ’ s third season will see many of its stars return , including Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores , Thandie Newton as Maeve , Ed Harris as the Man in Black , Jeffrey Wright as Bernard , Tessa Thompson as Charlotte , and Luke Hemsworth as Stubbs , according to Deadline .

HBO’s Westworld will return for a puzzle-filled third season on March 15, the network announced tonight.
The network announced the release date with a new teaser trailer that includes a series of ominous moments in the near future that spell apocalyptic disaster. It starts with the impeachment of the 45th president, a second civil war breaking out in Russia, ecological disasters around the world, and a few more events that eventually collapse into one mega issue. Show co-creator Jonathan Nolan said at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con that the new season was partially inspired by Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, and will focus on a dystopian future.
“Dystopia can look pretty beautiful in the world,” Nolan said, according to Deadline. “Just because the world is corrupt inside, doesn’t mean it can’t be smothered over and pretty. We wanted to find a version of dystopia that we hadn’t seen before.”
Westworld’s second season wrapped up with some answers to some pretty big questions — and opened few more doors to even bigger mysteries. HBO’s official recap of the second season finale does an excellent job of breaking down everything you need to remember heading into the third season.
The show’s third season will see many of its stars return, including Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores, Thandie Newton as Maeve, Ed Harris as the Man in Black, Jeffrey Wright as Bernard, Tessa Thompson as Charlotte, and Luke Hemsworth as Stubbs, according to Deadline.


theverge--2020-01-12--Leaked photos confirm Samsung’s next flagship phone is called the Galaxy S20

There will be no Samsung Galaxy S11 .
Instead , Samsung is jumping ahead to the S20 .
Rumors had been swirling about the branding change in recent weeks , and today XDA Developers published the first real-world shots of the Galaxy S20 Plus .
The phone ’ s startup screen confirms the new name ; maybe Samsung is naming by year now .
And we also see that the front of the device has a center hole-punch cutout that ’ s similar to the selfie shooter from the Galaxy Note 10 .
Samsung has significantly toned down the curved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plus , with XDA ’ s source saying that the S20 Plus feels largely flat in hand .
On the back , we get a look at Samsung ’ s large camera array for the S20 Plus , which is rumored to contain a regular wide lens , an ultra-wide , portrait , and a macro lens as the new , fourth option .
On back is also one of the more optimistic , hopeful confidentiality stickers I ’ ve ever seen : it actually just flat out says “ do not leak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Samsung will unveil an entire line of Galaxy S20 devices at its Unpacked event on February 11th , including multiple screen sizes and some models with 5G connectivity .
The company ’ s next foldable phone , perhaps called the Galaxy Bloom , is also expected to debut next month .

There will be no Samsung Galaxy S11. Instead, Samsung is jumping ahead to the S20. Rumors had been swirling about the branding change in recent weeks, and today XDA Developers published the first real-world shots of the Galaxy S20 Plus.
The phone’s startup screen confirms the new name; maybe Samsung is naming by year now. And we also see that the front of the device has a center hole-punch cutout that’s similar to the selfie shooter from the Galaxy Note 10. Samsung has significantly toned down the curved sides of the Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus, with XDA’s source saying that the S20 Plus feels largely flat in hand.
On the back, we get a look at Samsung’s large camera array for the S20 Plus, which is rumored to contain a regular wide lens, an ultra-wide, portrait, and a macro lens as the new, fourth option. On back is also one of the more optimistic, hopeful confidentiality stickers I’ve ever seen: it actually just flat out says “do not leak info.” So much for that.


theverge--2020-01-14--SpaceX continues to blast satellites into orbit as the space community worries

Early in 2020 , SpaceX became the operator of the world ’ s largest active satellite constellation , with 180 satellites orbiting the planet .
The milestone is a mere starting point for Starlink , SpaceX ’ s ambitious project to provide internet capabilities to every inch of the globe .
To get that kind of connectivity , the company wants the option to launch up to 42,000 satellites over the next decade .
That ’ s about 21 times the number of operational satellites currently in space — and the true impact of the company ’ s nascent mega-constellation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the history of the world , dumping a large amount of new stuff into a place usually comes with some consequences , and many within the space community have expressed concern about Starlink ’ s potential side effects .
Perhaps the biggest outcry has come from astronomers who view Starlink as a huge threat to their work .
Satellites already muck up images of the night sky , so having even more spacecraft zooming above Earth could significantly hinder their ability to view distant objects in the Universe .
Dumping a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually comes with some consequences Meanwhile , people involved in tracking satellites are more concerned with how these spacecraft will influence an already fairly crowded space environment .
Space debris already creates an intricate space highway of crisscrossing lanes of traffic in orbit , dominated by satellites moving at many thousands of miles per hour .
Adding more will up the risk of collision and could make launching to space much more difficult in the future .
SpaceX has heard the complaints of concerned scientists and satellite watchers .
The company has taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many fear , and it has also released more data about the positioning of its satellites to help with tracking .
But those steps aren ’ t enough for some advocates .
And some of the decisions that various groups are lobbying for — like changing the design of the satellites — can potentially reduce an issue for one group but cause more problems for others .
SpaceX declined to comment on this story .
Here are the issues that will continue to play out as SpaceX launches its Starlink satellites , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SpaceX planning to send up so many satellites , the chances of these objects getting close to other satellites are a lot higher .
And that ’ s a scary prospect .
Collisions between high-speed objects in orbit are prone to create hundreds to thousands of pieces of debris , which can then threaten other objects in space .
Expertly tracking the Starlink satellites — and all satellites , for that matter — is key to ensuring these vehicles don ’ t accidentally run into one another .
Right now , the premier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force ’ s Space Surveillance Network , which is responsible for keeping tabs on everything in orbit using an array of ground-based sensors .
The problem is that the Air Force ’ s tracking data isn ’ t always precise .
It creates estimated orbits by taking periodic measurements of objects as they pass overhead ; it can ’ t track them directly .
For expert satellite trackers , the best way to understand where something is in space is to combine the Air Force ’ s estimates with positioning data gathered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data can provide a clearer view of where a satellite truly is in the sky .
things have changed since the company ’ s most recent launch in January When SpaceX first started launching , there was some frustration over the fact that the company wasn ’ t sharing as much satellite positioning data as it could .
The company also suffered an embarrassing miscommunication issue in September when one of its satellites got uncomfortably close to a European satellite .
But things have changed with the company ’ s most recent launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , SpaceX shared its estimates of the basic direction , speed , and location its satellites would take after they deployed , and the company will continue to share onboard GPS data through the Air Force .
That info can be accessed through a website called Space Track , for anyone who has an approved account with the website .
The move has been lauded by satellite trackers , but even with all of this information , it ’ s still somewhat difficult to know what SpaceX ’ s satellites are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be in the future .
Each Starlink spacecraft is equipped with a novel autonomous avoidance system that triggers the vehicle to move out of the way of a potential collision , all on its own .
It requires less input from people on the ground , but it also makes it difficult to predict what the satellites are going to do in the future , according to T.S .
Kelso , a satellite tracker who operates a tracking site called CelesTrak .
Most satellite operators can predict the paths of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future , whereas SpaceX predicts up to 32 hours , Kelso says .
“ it can be notoriously difficult for the ground to simulate what the satellite will actually do.
” “ This approach reduces resources on the ground , but it can be notoriously difficult for the ground to simulate what the satellite will actually do , ” Kelso wrote in an email to The Verge .
“ So , even if you propagated out further , your knowledge of the upcoming maneuvers becomes more and more uncertain.
” Additionally , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data more widely beyond just the Air Force ’ s website and that there shouldn ’ t be any barrier to getting this information .
“ If you ’ re really interested in space safety and that sort of stuff , then you want to let the widest audience possible know where your objects are located , ” Moriba Jah , an associate professor at the University of Texas who specializes in tracking orbital debris , tells The Verge .
“ It ’ s in your own best interest for everybody to know.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies like SpaceX making that positioning data public .
Fellow satellite operator Planet , which recently held the title for the world ’ s largest satellite constellation , has been sharing all of its data publicly since it first started launching its vehicles in 2013 .
“ Initially , there wasn ’ t a great mechanism to be able to share that data , so we just posted it on a public facing website , ” Mike Safyan , the vice president of launch at Planet , tells The Verge .
Ultimately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right direction with regard to transparency .
But the satellites themselves are far from transparent , and that ’ s causing problems for a different space community .
Astronomers had some concerns leading up to SpaceX ’ s first Starlink launch , but no one was prepared for what the satellites would look like .
“ I knew they would be bright , but not as bright as they are , ” Patrick Seitzer , a professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan , tells The Verge .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first group was launched , and you could see this chain of 60 satellites going across the sky.
” The brightness even took SpaceX officials by surprise , according to company representatives .
The Starlink satellites can catch the Sun ’ s light well beyond twilight hours , and because they are meant to orbit fairly close to Earth — about 550 kilometers high — that makes them even more visible than satellites located farther out .
Then there are the satellites themselves .
The combination of their orientation in space and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They are brighter than 99 percent of the objects on orbit now , ” says Seitzer .
Satellites — especially super bright ones — are a major nuisance to astronomers who are trying to observe stars , space rocks , and other objects throughout the Universe .
Astronomers say they could potentially handle the first proposed batch of 1,500 satellites .
“ What current simulations show is that we would be able to manage that in terms of observing , ” Vivienne Baldassare an Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow in astronomy at Yale , tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not just 1,500.
” The worry is that once the mega-constellation grows , astronomers may find it much harder to do their jobs .
In an attempt at a solution , SpaceX coated one of the 60 satellites on the most recent launch to make it appear dimmer in the sky .
Over the upcoming weeks and months , amateur trackers and astronomers will observe this dark horse satellite and calculate how bright it is compared to the rest of the herd .
“ They might manage to bring the brightness down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so bright already.
” “ They might manage to bring the brightness down a bit , but these things are so bright already , ” Marco Langbroek , a satellite tracker and space situational awareness consultant for the Space Security Center of the Royal Dutch Air Force , tells The Verge .
He notes that , even with a coating , the satellites may still interfere with astronomical instruments .
“ Even bright modest astronomical telescopes will still pick them up , ” Langbroek says .
The company might have other options to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change .
If the orientation of the satellites is partially to blame , then it ’ s possible that they could raise the spacecrafts ’ orbits , or point the vehicles and their extra shiny solar panels in a different direction to reduce the glow .
“ There ’ s probably a configuration of that solar array that wouldn ’ t produce those reflection , ” Hugh Lewis , a professor of engineering at the University of Southampton specializing in space debris , tells The Verge .
“ Though you ’ re affecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re making it a bit harder for it to climb , and potentially a bit harder for it to gather enough sunlight to generate power for the first day.
” For now , SpaceX plans to continue launching its ultra-bright satellites For now , SpaceX plans to continue launching its ultra-bright satellites to the same orbits as it figures out whether the coating will do the trick .
And that isn ’ t sitting well with astronomers .
“ Protective coating on one out of 60 satellites is not , to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue launching the ones that you already know are problematic , ” says Baldassare .
There could also be some trade-offs when it comes to coating the satellites .
For one , changing the outside of the satellite might alter how the vehicle responds to the harsh environment of space where temperatures swing wildly between sweltering and freezing .
Making the satellite darker could cause it to absorb more heat , throwing off the temperature of the precious electronics within .
“ Most of the electronic components will have been designed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature environment , ” says Lewis .
“ And that is the environment that they like.
” Too much of a temperature change could ultimately lead a satellite to break or fail while in orbit .
Dead satellites in space instantly become junk that can threaten nearby spacecraft .
And considering the potential size of the Starlink population , it ’ s best if as few satellites break as possible .
“ Let ’ s say what that does is it increases the chance of the failure of some of the electronic components @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ When you launch 50,000 of those , 1 percent is actually a significant number.
” The truth about Starlink is that there is no solid truth .
Depending on who you ask , the constellation either won ’ t be that much of a problem , or it will lead to a space apocalypse .
For instance , some are even concerned that such a large influx of satellites could overwhelm our tracking capabilities altogether , making it difficult to see every satellite that ’ s in orbit .
“ Currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amount of objects in orbit , ” says Langbroek .
“ They will probably need more computer power ; they will need more sensors .
You don ’ t build that kind of network in a short amount of time.
” Ultimately , we don ’ t really know how the constellation will change low Earth orbit Ultimately , we don ’ t really know how the constellation will change low Earth orbit , and there hasn ’ t been a lot of rigorous research that examines what will happen with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A handful of studies examined the risks of collision with Starlink and other proposed mega-constellations before they launched , but it wasn ’ t a lot of data , and there haven ’ t been many studies about the impact to astronomy .
Most people in the space community agree that they ’ d like to see more research and discussions about how to move forward .
Jah argues that more dialogue between SpaceX , astronomers , and satellite trackers is key since there are so many tradeoffs when a particular design or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to be that sort of scientific exchange , where we say ‘ We ’ re going to have this global project , ’ ” says Jah , “ It ’ s going to be voluntary , but we ’ re all going to make data available and we ’ re all going to do it for the greater good of the community to come to some consensus on how we should manage this finite resource.
” What ’ s worrisome to some is that these discussions are only just starting to happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a rapid pace .
SpaceX has licensing from the Federal Communications Commission to launch nearly 12,000 satellites if it wants , and the company is following international guidelines for how to manage its constellation .
It ’ s mostly up to SpaceX if the company feels like it ’ s doing enough to satisfy as many people as possible .

Early in 2020, SpaceX became the operator of the world’s largest active satellite constellation, with 180 satellites orbiting the planet. The milestone is a mere starting point for Starlink, SpaceX’s ambitious project to provide internet capabilities to every inch of the globe. To get that kind of connectivity, the company wants the option to launch up to 42,000 satellites over the next decade. That’s about 21 times the number of operational satellites currently in space — and the true impact of the company’s nascent mega-constellation is still very much a mystery.
In the history of the world, dumping a large amount of new stuff into a place usually comes with some consequences, and many within the space community have expressed concern about Starlink’s potential side effects. Perhaps the biggest outcry has come from astronomers who view Starlink as a huge threat to their work. Satellites already muck up images of the night sky, so having even more spacecraft zooming above Earth could significantly hinder their ability to view distant objects in the Universe.
Dumping a large amount of new stuff into a place usually comes with some consequences
Meanwhile, people involved in tracking satellites are more concerned with how these spacecraft will influence an already fairly crowded space environment. Space debris already creates an intricate space highway of crisscrossing lanes of traffic in orbit, dominated by satellites moving at many thousands of miles per hour. Adding more will up the risk of collision and could make launching to space much more difficult in the future.
SpaceX has heard the complaints of concerned scientists and satellite watchers. The company has taken some steps to mitigate the astronomy problems that many fear, and it has also released more data about the positioning of its satellites to help with tracking. But those steps aren’t enough for some advocates. And some of the decisions that various groups are lobbying for — like changing the design of the satellites — can potentially reduce an issue for one group but cause more problems for others. SpaceX declined to comment on this story.
Here are the issues that will continue to play out as SpaceX launches its Starlink satellites, 60 spacecraft at a time.
Space Traffic
With SpaceX planning to send up so many satellites, the chances of these objects getting close to other satellites are a lot higher. And that’s a scary prospect. Collisions between high-speed objects in orbit are prone to create hundreds to thousands of pieces of debris, which can then threaten other objects in space. Expertly tracking the Starlink satellites — and all satellites, for that matter — is key to ensuring these vehicles don’t accidentally run into one another.
Right now, the premier resource for satellite tracking is the Air Force’s Space Surveillance Network, which is responsible for keeping tabs on everything in orbit using an array of ground-based sensors. The problem is that the Air Force’s tracking data isn’t always precise. It creates estimated orbits by taking periodic measurements of objects as they pass overhead; it can’t track them directly. For expert satellite trackers, the best way to understand where something is in space is to combine the Air Force’s estimates with positioning data gathered by the satellite itself. Together, this data can provide a clearer view of where a satellite truly is in the sky.
things have changed since the company’s most recent launch in January
When SpaceX first started launching, there was some frustration over the fact that the company wasn’t sharing as much satellite positioning data as it could. The company also suffered an embarrassing miscommunication issue in September when one of its satellites got uncomfortably close to a European satellite. But things have changed with the company’s most recent launch in January. Before the mission took place, SpaceX shared its estimates of the basic direction, speed, and location its satellites would take after they deployed, and the company will continue to share onboard GPS data through the Air Force. That info can be accessed through a website called Space Track, for anyone who has an approved account with the website.
The move has been lauded by satellite trackers, but even with all of this information, it’s still somewhat difficult to know what SpaceX’s satellites are going to do and where they’re going to be in the future. Each Starlink spacecraft is equipped with a novel autonomous avoidance system that triggers the vehicle to move out of the way of a potential collision, all on its own. It requires less input from people on the ground, but it also makes it difficult to predict what the satellites are going to do in the future, according to T.S. Kelso, a satellite tracker who operates a tracking site called CelesTrak. Most satellite operators can predict the paths of their satellites up to seven days in the future, whereas SpaceX predicts up to 32 hours, Kelso says.
“it can be notoriously difficult for the ground to simulate what the satellite will actually do.”
“This approach reduces resources on the ground, but it can be notoriously difficult for the ground to simulate what the satellite will actually do,” Kelso wrote in an email to The Verge. “So, even if you propagated out further, your knowledge of the upcoming maneuvers becomes more and more uncertain.”
Additionally, one researcher argues that SpaceX should share its data more widely beyond just the Air Force’s website and that there shouldn’t be any barrier to getting this information. “If you’re really interested in space safety and that sort of stuff, then you want to let the widest audience possible know where your objects are located,” Moriba Jah, an associate professor at the University of Texas who specializes in tracking orbital debris, tells The Verge. “It’s in your own best interest for everybody to know.”
There is some precedent for private companies like SpaceX making that positioning data public. Fellow satellite operator Planet, which recently held the title for the world’s largest satellite constellation, has been sharing all of its data publicly since it first started launching its vehicles in 2013. “Initially, there wasn’t a great mechanism to be able to share that data, so we just posted it on a public facing website,” Mike Safyan, the vice president of launch at Planet, tells The Verge.
Ultimately, trackers agree that SpaceX is moving in the right direction with regard to transparency. But the satellites themselves are far from transparent, and that’s causing problems for a different space community.
Astronomy
Astronomers had some concerns leading up to SpaceX’s first Starlink launch, but no one was prepared for what the satellites would look like. “I knew they would be bright, but not as bright as they are,” Patrick Seitzer, a professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan, tells The Verge. “It was a stunning moment last May when the first group was launched, and you could see this chain of 60 satellites going across the sky.” The brightness even took SpaceX officials by surprise, according to company representatives.
The Starlink satellites can catch the Sun’s light well beyond twilight hours, and because they are meant to orbit fairly close to Earth — about 550 kilometers high — that makes them even more visible than satellites located farther out. Then there are the satellites themselves. The combination of their orientation in space and their design makes them abnormally bright. “They are brighter than 99 percent of the objects on orbit now,” says Seitzer.
The Starlink satellites captured as they passed overhead of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Image: NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory / CTIO / AURA / DELVE
Satellites — especially super bright ones — are a major nuisance to astronomers who are trying to observe stars, space rocks, and other objects throughout the Universe. Astronomers say they could potentially handle the first proposed batch of 1,500 satellites. “What current simulations show is that we would be able to manage that in terms of observing,” Vivienne Baldassare an Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow in astronomy at Yale, tells The Verge. “But it’s not just 1,500.” The worry is that once the mega-constellation grows, astronomers may find it much harder to do their jobs.
In an attempt at a solution, SpaceX coated one of the 60 satellites on the most recent launch to make it appear dimmer in the sky. Over the upcoming weeks and months, amateur trackers and astronomers will observe this dark horse satellite and calculate how bright it is compared to the rest of the herd.
“They might manage to bring the brightness down a bit, but these things are so bright already.”
“They might manage to bring the brightness down a bit, but these things are so bright already,” Marco Langbroek, a satellite tracker and space situational awareness consultant for the Space Security Center of the Royal Dutch Air Force, tells The Verge. He notes that, even with a coating, the satellites may still interfere with astronomical instruments. “Even bright modest astronomical telescopes will still pick them up,” Langbroek says.
Timelapse video of the Starlink satellites passing over Maunakea / Video: Gemini Observatory/NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory/AURA
The company might have other options to bring down the brightness beyond a cosmetic change. If the orientation of the satellites is partially to blame, then it’s possible that they could raise the spacecrafts’ orbits, or point the vehicles and their extra shiny solar panels in a different direction to reduce the glow. “There’s probably a configuration of that solar array that wouldn’t produce those reflection,” Hugh Lewis, a professor of engineering at the University of Southampton specializing in space debris, tells The Verge. “Though you’re affecting the performance of the spacecraft because you’re making it a bit harder for it to climb, and potentially a bit harder for it to gather enough sunlight to generate power for the first day.”
For now, SpaceX plans to continue launching its ultra-bright satellites
For now, SpaceX plans to continue launching its ultra-bright satellites to the same orbits as it figures out whether the coating will do the trick. And that isn’t sitting well with astronomers. “Protective coating on one out of 60 satellites is not, to me, enough if you’re going to continue launching the ones that you already know are problematic,” says Baldassare.
There could also be some trade-offs when it comes to coating the satellites. For one, changing the outside of the satellite might alter how the vehicle responds to the harsh environment of space where temperatures swing wildly between sweltering and freezing. Making the satellite darker could cause it to absorb more heat, throwing off the temperature of the precious electronics within. “Most of the electronic components will have been designed, built, and assembled in a room temperature environment,” says Lewis. “And that is the environment that they like.” Too much of a temperature change could ultimately lead a satellite to break or fail while in orbit.
Dead satellites in space instantly become junk that can threaten nearby spacecraft. And considering the potential size of the Starlink population, it’s best if as few satellites break as possible. “Let’s say what that does is it increases the chance of the failure of some of the electronic components by 1 percent,” says Lewis. “When you launch 50,000 of those, 1 percent is actually a significant number.”
What’s going to happen?
The truth about Starlink is that there is no solid truth. Depending on who you ask, the constellation either won’t be that much of a problem, or it will lead to a space apocalypse. For instance, some are even concerned that such a large influx of satellites could overwhelm our tracking capabilities altogether, making it difficult to see every satellite that’s in orbit. “Currently the tracking network already has problems with the amount of objects in orbit,” says Langbroek. “They will probably need more computer power; they will need more sensors. You don’t build that kind of network in a short amount of time.”
Ultimately, we don’t really know how the constellation will change low Earth orbit
Ultimately, we don’t really know how the constellation will change low Earth orbit, and there hasn’t been a lot of rigorous research that examines what will happen with the full Starlink constellation up and running. A handful of studies examined the risks of collision with Starlink and other proposed mega-constellations before they launched, but it wasn’t a lot of data, and there haven’t been many studies about the impact to astronomy.
Most people in the space community agree that they’d like to see more research and discussions about how to move forward. Jah argues that more dialogue between SpaceX, astronomers, and satellite trackers is key since there are so many tradeoffs when a particular design or operational choice is made. “There needs to be that sort of scientific exchange, where we say ‘We’re going to have this global project,’” says Jah, “It’s going to be voluntary, but we’re all going to make data available and we’re all going to do it for the greater good of the community to come to some consensus on how we should manage this finite resource.”


theverge--2020-01-14--Insta360’s One R shape-shifts between a 360 and an action camera

This is the Insta360 One R. Like Insta360 ’ s prior cameras , it ’ s capable of shooting 360 degrees of footage .
But it ’ s also a standard 4K action camera .
For someone on the fence about taking a full leap into buying a 360 camera , this is the perfect in-between device .
The One R is made up of three components : the lens ; the core , which houses the screen , power and record buttons , USB-C port , and microSD card slot ; and the battery base .
There are two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prongs for the lens attachments and the battery just snaps onto the bottom .
Once it ’ s all put together , it feels solid , compact , and complete .
The Insta360 One R Twin Edition is available to purchase starting today for $ 479.99 and will come with one core , one battery , a 360 camera mod , and a 4K camera mod .
Insta360 will also be selling just the 4K camera mod with one battery and one core for $ 299.99 .
I was able to spend some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 360 attachment , and 4K camera attachment ahead of today ’ s announcement .
Insta360 says that it is working on the image processing for video and still images and it will be improved from what I experienced when the camera ships to customers , so keep that in mind when reading about image quality impressions .
As a complete unit , the One R is waterproof up to five meters .
There ’ s a slim gap between the battery grip and the rest of the camera on the preproduction unit I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not affect waterproofing , but will ultimately be removed from the final version for aesthetic reasons .
The One R also comes with a plastic housing for mounting .
There are two very familiar prongs on the bottom that connect to pretty much any mount you could want .
Image quality from the 360 camera is comparable to the Insta360 ’ s One X , but with slightly better night time stabilization and HDR video .
The night time stabilization is a big improvement for steadying shots , but it doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can see in the blacks .
It can shoot 5.7K 30 fps spherical video just like the One X .
The big upgrade , though , is having a real , full-color touchscreen .
Although it is very low resolution , you can use it to change frame rates , view playback , and scroll around the frame .
Double tapping the screen will switch between which lens you ’ re viewing .
Despite the super low resolution , the screen is extremely responsive .
The bigger issue is the screen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small fingers , so this wasn ’ t a total deal-breaker , but I could see how this might be frustrating with gloves or for anyone with bigger hands .
Also when switching between the GoPro Max and the One R , it felt like a relief to use the Max ’ s screen because it ’ s almost twice the size .
The best feature of the 4K camera attachment is the ability to use the same screen for both rear and front-facing capture , since you can just flip the lens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It can shoot up to 60 fps at 4K and up to 200 fps at 1080p resolution .
Take away the ability to quickly convert it to a 360 camera , though , and the One R isn ’ t the most compelling action camera .
Firstly , I prefer the color profile GoPro uses .
GoPro isn ’ t afraid of the shadows and therefore produces an image with more contrast .
Secondly , Insta360 ’ s stabilization just isn ’ t as good as GoPro ’ s .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s stabilized footage .
The buildings or trees will have a jittering effect .
I mostly used the 4K camera attachment to take photos .
There is a lot of smoothing happening in the image , at least in the preproduction firmware , especially in the backgrounds , and I found the image to be a bit over-processed .
The software works hard to even out the low light and highlights .
I also thought the auto-exposure mode was a bit slow , often leading to blurry subjects even while shooting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 1-inch Edition mod co-engineered with Leica for $ 549.99 .
It will be capable of 5.3K resolution .
Insta360 will be shipping this mod in February 2020 , but I was unable to try it out for this article .
The process of editing footage from the camera has changed very little since the One X .
The desktop app is still not intuitive , but does now have ProRes and H.265 export options .
I am still frustrated with Insta360 ’ s .insv file format , though .
If your footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this doesn ’ t matter , but not being able to see a preview of the file in macOS ’ s Finder is annoying .
The mobile app is still easy to use and adds a few new features including Deep Track active subject tracking , Auto Framing , and CineShots , which are auto-editing tools .
I was pretty impressed by the tracking .
It holds people or objects right in the center of the frame without you having to set key frames .
The other new feature is being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ download it onto your phone .
You can use Deep Track and set key frames all without having to wait for the file to download , and everything is really snappy with no lag .
It also doesn ’ t kill your camera ’ s battery in the process .
Battery life , at least with this preproduction unit , is right on par with the One X .
You can get a full day out of it if you are careful to shut it off when you ’ re not using it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an 80 percent charge in half an hour on a 2 amp charger .
It ’ s great to see a 360 camera getting smaller , more durable , and not locked into a 360 ecosystem .
For someone curious about 360 , but interested in something that ’ s more versatile , the One R is ideal .
And although the 4K camera falls flat in terms of image quality , Insta360 will be releasing a 5.3K Leica-branded attachment in a few months that they are hoping will satisfy the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitched to me , I had very little faith that adding more parts to a camera system would be a success or actually work well at all .
But by shrinking down the same One X camera system into a smaller package and giving you the option to use it as a standard action camera , Insta360 made a more approachable and easier-to-use 360 camera .
Update January 13th , 2020 5:34PM ET : Article updated to include expected shipping date for 1-inch Edition mod .
Update January 14th , 2020 10:00AM ET @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January 7 , 2020 and has been updated to include video .

This is the Insta360 One R. Like Insta360’s prior cameras, it’s capable of shooting 360 degrees of footage. But it’s also a standard 4K action camera. For someone on the fence about taking a full leap into buying a 360 camera, this is the perfect in-between device.
The One R is made up of three components: the lens; the core, which houses the screen, power and record buttons, USB-C port, and microSD card slot; and the battery base. There are two ports on the core that coincide with prongs for the lens attachments and the battery just snaps onto the bottom. Once it’s all put together, it feels solid, compact, and complete. The Insta360 One R Twin Edition is available to purchase starting today for $479.99 and will come with one core, one battery, a 360 camera mod, and a 4K camera mod. Insta360 will also be selling just the 4K camera mod with one battery and one core for $299.99.
I was able to spend some time with a preproduction One R, 360 attachment, and 4K camera attachment ahead of today’s announcement. Insta360 says that it is working on the image processing for video and still images and it will be improved from what I experienced when the camera ships to customers, so keep that in mind when reading about image quality impressions.
The 360 camera mod (left) and the 4K action camera mod (right).
The removable battery pack. The core (left) and 360 camera mod (right).
As a complete unit, the One R is waterproof up to five meters. There’s a slim gap between the battery grip and the rest of the camera on the preproduction unit I was shown. Insta360 tells me this does not affect waterproofing, but will ultimately be removed from the final version for aesthetic reasons. The One R also comes with a plastic housing for mounting. There are two very familiar prongs on the bottom that connect to pretty much any mount you could want.
The 360 camera mod.
Image quality from the 360 camera is comparable to the Insta360’s One X, but with slightly better night time stabilization and HDR video. The night time stabilization is a big improvement for steadying shots, but it doesn’t reduce the amount of noise you can see in the blacks. It can shoot 5.7K 30 fps spherical video just like the One X.
The big upgrade, though, is having a real, full-color touchscreen. Although it is very low resolution, you can use it to change frame rates, view playback, and scroll around the frame. Double tapping the screen will switch between which lens you’re viewing. Despite the super low resolution, the screen is extremely responsive. The bigger issue is the screen’s 1.3-inch size, though. I have small fingers, so this wasn’t a total deal-breaker, but I could see how this might be frustrating with gloves or for anyone with bigger hands. Also when switching between the GoPro Max and the One R, it felt like a relief to use the Max’s screen because it’s almost twice the size.
GoPro Max (left), Insta360 One R (middle), and GoPro Hero 8 (right).
The best feature of the 4K camera attachment is the ability to use the same screen for both rear and front-facing capture, since you can just flip the lens around to face it the other way. It can shoot up to 60 fps at 4K and up to 200 fps at 1080p resolution.
Take away the ability to quickly convert it to a 360 camera, though, and the One R isn’t the most compelling action camera. Firstly, I prefer the color profile GoPro uses. GoPro isn’t afraid of the shadows and therefore produces an image with more contrast. Secondly, Insta360’s stabilization just isn’t as good as GoPro’s. This is most noticeable in the background of Insta360’s stabilized footage. The buildings or trees will have a jittering effect.
I mostly used the 4K camera attachment to take photos. There is a lot of smoothing happening in the image, at least in the preproduction firmware, especially in the backgrounds, and I found the image to be a bit over-processed. The software works hard to even out the low light and highlights. I also thought the auto-exposure mode was a bit slow, often leading to blurry subjects even while shooting in daylight.
Insta360 will also be releasing a 1-inch Edition mod co-engineered with Leica for $549.99. It will be capable of 5.3K resolution. Insta360 will be shipping this mod in February 2020, but I was unable to try it out for this article.
The process of editing footage from the camera has changed very little since the One X. The desktop app is still not intuitive, but does now have ProRes and H.265 export options. I am still frustrated with Insta360’s .insv file format, though. If your footage will never make it onto a desktop this doesn’t matter, but not being able to see a preview of the file in macOS’s Finder is annoying.
The mobile app is still easy to use and adds a few new features including Deep Track active subject tracking, Auto Framing, and CineShots, which are auto-editing tools. I was pretty impressed by the tracking. It holds people or objects right in the center of the frame without you having to set key frames. The other new feature is being able to edit your footage without having to first download it onto your phone. You can use Deep Track and set key frames all without having to wait for the file to download, and everything is really snappy with no lag. It also doesn’t kill your camera’s battery in the process.
Battery life, at least with this preproduction unit, is right on par with the One X. You can get a full day out of it if you are careful to shut it off when you’re not using it. It also supports quick-charging with up to an 80 percent charge in half an hour on a 2 amp charger.
It’s great to see a 360 camera getting smaller, more durable, and not locked into a 360 ecosystem. For someone curious about 360, but interested in something that’s more versatile, the One R is ideal. And although the 4K camera falls flat in terms of image quality, Insta360 will be releasing a 5.3K Leica-branded attachment in a few months that they are hoping will satisfy the more professional among us.
When this was pitched to me, I had very little faith that adding more parts to a camera system would be a success or actually work well at all. But by shrinking down the same One X camera system into a smaller package and giving you the option to use it as a standard action camera, Insta360 made a more approachable and easier-to-use 360 camera.
Photography by Becca Farsace / The Verge
Update January 13th, 2020 5:34PM ET: Article updated to include expected shipping date for 1-inch Edition mod.
Update January 14th, 2020 10:00AM ET: This article was originally published on January 7, 2020 and has been updated to include video.


theverge--2020-01-14--Google to ‘phase out’ third-party cookies in Chrome, but not for two years

Google will join Safari and Firefox in blocking third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser .
However , unlike those browsers ( which have already started blocking them by default ) , Google intends to take a phased approach .
Justin Schuh , the director at engineering for Chrome , writes that Google ’ s “ intention is to do this within two years.
” In those cookies ’ place , Google is hoping that it can institute a new set of technical solutions for various things that cookies are currently used for .
To that end , it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as have other browser makers ) that may be less invasive and annoying than tracking cookies have become .
These new technologies are supposed to make it easier for advertisers to target certain demographics without laser-sighting down to specific people , ensure that the infrastructure many sites use for logins don ’ t break , and help provide some level of anonymous tracking so advertisers can know if their ads actually converted into sales .
If it all came to pass , it would radically shift the way ad tracking and privacy work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open up entirely new vectors of tracking we have yet to imagine .
The rhetoric between browser makers is getting sharper The context for Google ’ s cookie-killing proposal is that there ’ s a pitched battle being waged between browser makers to remake the future of privacy on the web .
On the one hand are browsers like Safari and Firefox , browsers with code that increasingly take an absolutist stance against cross-site tracking .
On the other is Google and Chrome , whose developers are trying to cut down on tracking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between them all isn ’ t just whether and how to implement that tech , but when .
Google wants to wait a bit , Apple and Firefox believe the crisis is already too big and have already started blocking third-party cookies — perhaps before there ’ s a viable replacement for some use cases ( and in some cases , they may not want there to be one ) .
The battle is big and the rhetoric is getting sharp .
People accuse Apple of wanting to smother the web in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others accuse Google of wanting to maintain an ad-tracking dystopia .
Google worries that cutting off cookies now will encourage bad actors to switch to harder-to-stop fingerprinting methods , but then everybody notices that it ’ s awfully convenient that Google doesn ’ t want to stop ad tracking until later .
But because these are web people , the fights are happening in places you ’ re probably not really watching : email lists , github , and W3C panels and working groups .
Compared to other tech fights , it probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards bodies — moves quite slowly .
But the stakes are sky high : a huge proportion of the ads you see on the web are driven by third-party cookies and part of an infrastructure that tracks and trades on your data and even your identity .
The technical replacements for cookies are complex , political , and not finished yet The specifics of the proposals get very complicated very quickly , unfortunately , and make explaining third-party cookies seem elementary by comparison .
At a high level , Google wants to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ websites are able to gather some information but ultimately hit a wall where the browser cuts them off .
Apple has proposed an API for helping retail websites track conversions that Google seems to like , but the two companies don ’ t agree on how much information should be allowed .
There are proposals for grouping people into large demographic “ flocks ” and replacement mechanisms for logging in with third-party services .
These ideas and more are getting hashed out — and hopefully they will be , because failing to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how different people experience the web .
There ’ s unlikely to be anything like 100 percent agreement , but the hope is that we ’ ll get some kind of consensus on what should replace third-party cookies .
Those cookies were never really meant to do as much work — or contain and share as much information — as they currently do .
The list of things that third-party cookies do is very long and finding agreement on how ( or whether ! )
to replace them is going to take a @ @ @

Google will join Safari and Firefox in blocking third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser. However, unlike those browsers (which have already started blocking them by default), Google intends to take a phased approach. Justin Schuh, the director at engineering for Chrome, writes that Google’s “intention is to do this within two years.”
In those cookies’ place, Google is hoping that it can institute a new set of technical solutions for various things that cookies are currently used for. To that end, it has proposed a bunch of new technologies (as have other browser makers) that may be less invasive and annoying than tracking cookies have become.
These new technologies are supposed to make it easier for advertisers to target certain demographics without laser-sighting down to specific people, ensure that the infrastructure many sites use for logins don’t break, and help provide some level of anonymous tracking so advertisers can know if their ads actually converted into sales.
If it all came to pass, it would radically shift the way ad tracking and privacy work on the web. It could also open up entirely new vectors of tracking we have yet to imagine.
The rhetoric between browser makers is getting sharper
The context for Google’s cookie-killing proposal is that there’s a pitched battle being waged between browser makers to remake the future of privacy on the web. On the one hand are browsers like Safari and Firefox, browsers with code that increasingly take an absolutist stance against cross-site tracking. On the other is Google and Chrome, whose developers are trying to cut down on tracking without kneecapping revenue for websites.
The difference between them all isn’t just whether and how to implement that tech, but when. Google wants to wait a bit, Apple and Firefox believe the crisis is already too big and have already started blocking third-party cookies — perhaps before there’s a viable replacement for some use cases (and in some cases, they may not want there to be one).
The battle is big and the rhetoric is getting sharp. People accuse Apple of wanting to smother the web in favor of a walled-garden App Store. Others accuse Google of wanting to maintain an ad-tracking dystopia. Google worries that cutting off cookies now will encourage bad actors to switch to harder-to-stop fingerprinting methods, but then everybody notices that it’s awfully convenient that Google doesn’t want to stop ad tracking until later.
But because these are web people, the fights are happening in places you’re probably not really watching: email lists, github, and W3C panels and working groups. Compared to other tech fights, it probably looks relatively tame and — like all standards bodies — moves quite slowly. But the stakes are sky high: a huge proportion of the ads you see on the web are driven by third-party cookies and part of an infrastructure that tracks and trades on your data and even your identity.
The technical replacements for cookies are complex, political, and not finished yet
The specifics of the proposals get very complicated very quickly, unfortunately, and make explaining third-party cookies seem elementary by comparison. At a high level, Google wants to create a “privacy sandbox,” where websites are able to gather some information but ultimately hit a wall where the browser cuts them off. Apple has proposed an API for helping retail websites track conversions that Google seems to like, but the two companies don’t agree on how much information should be allowed. There are proposals for grouping people into large demographic “flocks” and replacement mechanisms for logging in with third-party services.
These ideas and more are getting hashed out — and hopefully they will be, because failing to do so will mean a further fracturing of how different people experience the web. There’s unlikely to be anything like 100 percent agreement, but the hope is that we’ll get some kind of consensus on what should replace third-party cookies.


theverge--2020-01-14--Instagram starts bringing DMs to the web

Instagram is finally bringing direct messages to the web .
Starting today , a “ small percentage ” of the platform ’ s global users will be able to access their DMs from Instagram ’ s website , which should be useful for businesses , influencers , and anyone else who sends lots of DMs , while also helping to round out the app ’ s experience across devices .
Today ’ s rollout is only a test , the company says , and more details on a potential wide-scale rollout will come in the future .
The direct messaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the browser as it is on mobile .
You can create new groups or start a chat with someone either from the DM screen or a profile page ; you can also double-tap to like a message , share photos from the desktop , and see the total number of unread messages you have .
You ’ ll be able to receive desktop DM notifications if you enable notifications for the entire Instagram site in your browser .
Instagram says it ’ ll “ continue to iterate ” on this during the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the future of Facebook When asked why Instagram prioritized web DMs over something like an iPad app , a company spokesperson referred The Verge back to its usual justification and said that DMs on the web help its users “ stay in touch with the people you care about.
” Facebook has increasingly placed a focus on messaging over the past year .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told The New York Times last spring that “ private messaging , groups , and Stories ” were the “ three fastest-growing areas of online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the web , and with today ’ s announcement , Instagram now allows some of its users to access group chats and private messages from the browser , too , which aligns with what Zuckerberg said he and the company would prioritize .
Zuckerberg said last year that the company plans to eventually allow Facebook , WhatsApp , and Instagram users to message each other , regardless of the platform they ’ re using .
We haven ’ t heard how the company plans to pull this feat off , but the browser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if only to give users even more flexibility about where they have conversations .
I ’ ve lobbied for Instagram DMs on the web , mostly because I ’ m a reporter who occasionally reaches sources through Instagram .
I also live on my laptop for most of the day , so treating Instagram DMs like I do any other desktop chat app streamlines my process and makes it faster and easier to chat with my friends and sources .

Instagram is finally bringing direct messages to the web. Starting today, a “small percentage” of the platform’s global users will be able to access their DMs from Instagram’s website, which should be useful for businesses, influencers, and anyone else who sends lots of DMs, while also helping to round out the app’s experience across devices. Today’s rollout is only a test, the company says, and more details on a potential wide-scale rollout will come in the future.
The direct messaging experience will be essentially the same through the browser as it is on mobile. You can create new groups or start a chat with someone either from the DM screen or a profile page; you can also double-tap to like a message, share photos from the desktop, and see the total number of unread messages you have. You’ll be able to receive desktop DM notifications if you enable notifications for the entire Instagram site in your browser. Instagram says it’ll “continue to iterate” on this during the test.
Zuckerberg has framed messaging as key to the future of Facebook
When asked why Instagram prioritized web DMs over something like an iPad app, a company spokesperson referred The Verge back to its usual justification and said that DMs on the web help its users “stay in touch with the people you care about.”
Facebook has increasingly placed a focus on messaging over the past year. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told The New York Times last spring that “private messaging, groups, and Stories” were the “three fastest-growing areas of online communication.” Instagram Stories are already on the web, and with today’s announcement, Instagram now allows some of its users to access group chats and private messages from the browser, too, which aligns with what Zuckerberg said he and the company would prioritize.
Zuckerberg said last year that the company plans to eventually allow Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram users to message each other, regardless of the platform they’re using. We haven’t heard how the company plans to pull this feat off, but the browser could potentially play an important role, if only to give users even more flexibility about where they have conversations.


theverge--2020-01-14--Coral is Google’s quiet initiative to enable AI without the cloud

AI allows machines to carry out all sorts of tasks that used to be the domain of humans alone .
Need to run quality control on a factory production line ?
Set up an AI-powered camera to spot defects .
How about interpreting medical data ?
Machine learning can identify potential tumors from scans and flag them to a doctor .
But applications like this are useful only so long as they ’ re fast and secure .
An AI camera that takes minutes to process images isn ’ t much use in a factory , and no patient wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data if it ’ s sent to the cloud for analysis .
These are the sorts of problems Google is trying to solve through a little-known initiative called Coral .
“ Traditionally , data from [ AI ] devices was sent to large compute instances , housed in centralized data centers where machine learning models could operate at speed , ” Vikram Tank , product manager at Coral , explained to The Verge over email .
“ Coral is a platform of hardware and software components from Google that help you build devices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for neural networks ... right on the edge device.
” You might not have heard of Coral before ( it only “ graduated ” out of beta last October ) , but it ’ s part of a fast-growing AI sector .
Market analysts predict that more than 750 million edge AI chips and computers will be sold in 2020 , rising to 1.5 billion by 2024 .
And while most of these will be installed in consumer devices like phones , a great deal are destined for enterprise customers in industries like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customers ’ needs Coral offers two main types of products : accelerators and dev boards meant for prototyping new ideas , and modules that are destined to power the AI brains of production devices like smart cameras and sensors .
In both cases , the heart of the hardware is Google ’ s Edge TPU , an ASIC chip optimized to run lightweight machine learning algorithms — a ( very ) little brother to the water-cooled TPU used in Google ’ s cloud servers .
While its hardware can be used by lone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers guides on how to build an AI marshmallow-sorting machine and smart bird feeder , for example ) , the long-term focus , says Tank , is on enterprise customers in industries like the automotive world and health care .
As an example of the type of problem Coral is targeting , Tank gives the scenario of a self-driving car that ’ s using machine vision to identify objects on the street .
“ A car moving at 65 mph would traverse almost 10 feet in 100 milliseconds , ” he says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — caused by a slow mobile connection , for example — “ add risk to critical use cases.
” It ’ s much safer to do that analysis on-device rather than waiting on a slow connection to find out whether that ’ s a stop sign or a street light up ahead .
Tank says similar benefits exist with regard to improved privacy .
“ Consider a medical device manufacturer that wants to do real time analysis of ultrasound images using image recognition , ” he says .
Sending those images to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hackers to target , but analyzing images on-device allows patients and doctors to “ have confidence that data processed on the device doesn ’ t go out of their control.
” Although Coral is targeting the world of enterprise , the project actually has its roots in Google ’ s “ AIY ” range of do-it-yourself machine learning kits , says Tank .
Launched in 2017 and powered by Raspberry Pi computers , AIY kits let anyone build their own smart speakers and smart cameras , and they were a big success in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tank says the AIY team quickly noticed that while some customers just wanted to follow the instructions and build the toys , others wanted to cannibalize the hardware to prototype their own devices .
Coral was created to cater to these customers .
The problem for Google is that there are dozens of companies with similar pitches to Coral .
These run the gamut from startups like Seattle-based Xnor , which makes AI cameras efficient enough to run on solar power , to powerful incumbents like Intel , which unveiled one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and paid $ 2 billion last December for the chipmaker Habana Labs to improve its edge AI offerings ( among other things ) .
Given the large number of competitors out there , the Coral team says it differentiates itself by tightly integrating its hardware with Google ’ s ecosystem of AI services .
This stack of products — which covers chips , cloud training , dev tools , and more — has long been a key strength of Google ’ s AI work .
In Coral ’ s case , there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compiled for its hardware , as well as AI services on Google Cloud that integrate directly with individual Coral modules like its environment sensors .
In fact , Coral is so tightly integrated with Google ’ s AI ecosystem that its Edge TPU-powered hardware only works with Google ’ s machine learning framework , TensorFlow , a fact that rivals in the AI edge market The Verge spoke to said was potentially a limiting factor .
Coral ’ s commitment to Google products might put off some customers “ Coral products process specifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products support all the major AI frameworks and models in the market , ” a spokesperson for AI edge firm Kneron told The Verge .
( Kneron said there was “ no negativity ” in its assessment and that Google ’ s entry into the market was welcome as it “ validates and drives innovation in the space.
” ) But exactly how much business Coral is doing right now is impossible to say .
Google is certainly not pushing Coral with anywhere near as much intensity as its cloud AI services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any sales figures or targets for the group .
A source familiar with the matter , though , did tell The Verge that the majority of Coral ’ s orders are for single units ( e.g .
AI accelerators and dev boards ) , while only a few customers are making enterprise purchases on the order of 10,000 units .
For Google , the attraction of Coral may not necessarily be revenue , but simply learning more about how its AI is being applied in the places that matter .
In the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all roads lead , inexorably , to the edge .

AI allows machines to carry out all sorts of tasks that used to be the domain of humans alone. Need to run quality control on a factory production line? Set up an AI-powered camera to spot defects. How about interpreting medical data? Machine learning can identify potential tumors from scans and flag them to a doctor.
But applications like this are useful only so long as they’re fast and secure. An AI camera that takes minutes to process images isn’t much use in a factory, and no patient wants to risk the exposure of their medical data if it’s sent to the cloud for analysis.
These are the sorts of problems Google is trying to solve through a little-known initiative called Coral.
“Traditionally, data from [AI] devices was sent to large compute instances, housed in centralized data centers where machine learning models could operate at speed,” Vikram Tank, product manager at Coral, explained to The Verge over email. “Coral is a platform of hardware and software components from Google that help you build devices with local AI — providing hardware acceleration for neural networks ... right on the edge device.”
Coral’s products, like the dev board (above), can be used to prototype new AI devices. Image: Google
You might not have heard of Coral before (it only “graduated” out of beta last October), but it’s part of a fast-growing AI sector. Market analysts predict that more than 750 million edge AI chips and computers will be sold in 2020, rising to 1.5 billion by 2024. And while most of these will be installed in consumer devices like phones, a great deal are destined for enterprise customers in industries like automotive and health care.
To meet customers’ needs Coral offers two main types of products: accelerators and dev boards meant for prototyping new ideas, and modules that are destined to power the AI brains of production devices like smart cameras and sensors. In both cases, the heart of the hardware is Google’s Edge TPU, an ASIC chip optimized to run lightweight machine learning algorithms — a (very) little brother to the water-cooled TPU used in Google’s cloud servers.
Build an AI marshmallow-sorting machine or a smart bird feeder
While its hardware can be used by lone engineers to create fun projects (Coral offers guides on how to build an AI marshmallow-sorting machine and smart bird feeder, for example), the long-term focus, says Tank, is on enterprise customers in industries like the automotive world and health care.
As an example of the type of problem Coral is targeting, Tank gives the scenario of a self-driving car that’s using machine vision to identify objects on the street.
“A car moving at 65 mph would traverse almost 10 feet in 100 milliseconds,” he says, so any “delays in processing” — caused by a slow mobile connection, for example — “add risk to critical use cases.” It’s much safer to do that analysis on-device rather than waiting on a slow connection to find out whether that’s a stop sign or a street light up ahead.
Tank says similar benefits exist with regard to improved privacy. “Consider a medical device manufacturer that wants to do real time analysis of ultrasound images using image recognition,” he says. Sending those images to the cloud creates a potential weak link for hackers to target, but analyzing images on-device allows patients and doctors to “have confidence that data processed on the device doesn’t go out of their control.”
Google’s Edge TPU, a tiny processing chip optimized for AI that sits at the heart of most Coral products. Image: Google
Although Coral is targeting the world of enterprise, the project actually has its roots in Google’s “AIY” range of do-it-yourself machine learning kits, says Tank. Launched in 2017 and powered by Raspberry Pi computers, AIY kits let anyone build their own smart speakers and smart cameras, and they were a big success in the STEM toys and maker markets.
Tank says the AIY team quickly noticed that while some customers just wanted to follow the instructions and build the toys, others wanted to cannibalize the hardware to prototype their own devices. Coral was created to cater to these customers.
The problem for Google is that there are dozens of companies with similar pitches to Coral. These run the gamut from startups like Seattle-based Xnor, which makes AI cameras efficient enough to run on solar power, to powerful incumbents like Intel, which unveiled one of the first USB accelerators for enterprise in 2017 and paid $2 billion last December for the chipmaker Habana Labs to improve its edge AI offerings (among other things).
Given the large number of competitors out there, the Coral team says it differentiates itself by tightly integrating its hardware with Google’s ecosystem of AI services.
This stack of products — which covers chips, cloud training, dev tools, and more — has long been a key strength of Google’s AI work. In Coral’s case, there’s a library of AI models specifically compiled for its hardware, as well as AI services on Google Cloud that integrate directly with individual Coral modules like its environment sensors.
In fact, Coral is so tightly integrated with Google’s AI ecosystem that its Edge TPU-powered hardware only works with Google’s machine learning framework, TensorFlow, a fact that rivals in the AI edge market The Verge spoke to said was potentially a limiting factor.
Coral’s commitment to Google products might put off some customers
“Coral products process specifically for their platform [while] our products support all the major AI frameworks and models in the market,” a spokesperson for AI edge firm Kneron told The Verge. (Kneron said there was “no negativity” in its assessment and that Google’s entry into the market was welcome as it “validates and drives innovation in the space.”)
But exactly how much business Coral is doing right now is impossible to say. Google is certainly not pushing Coral with anywhere near as much intensity as its cloud AI services, and the company wouldn’t share any sales figures or targets for the group. A source familiar with the matter, though, did tell The Verge that the majority of Coral’s orders are for single units (e.g. AI accelerators and dev boards), while only a few customers are making enterprise purchases on the order of 10,000 units.


theverge--2020-01-14--How to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free

Microsoft ’ s free upgrade offer for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users ended a few years ago , but you can still technically upgrade to Windows 10 free of charge .
While Microsoft has removed the special upgrade offer sites , the company continues to activate Windows 10 licenses for people who upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 .
ZDNet ’ s Ed Bott has been testing this method for years , and the free upgrade still works .
It ’ s also really simple for anyone to upgrade from Windows 7 , especially as support ends for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PC supports the minimum requirements for Windows 10 , you ’ ll be able to upgrade from Microsoft ’ s site .
The most important thing to remember is that the Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade could wipe your settings and apps .
There ’ s an option to keep your files and personal data , but because of differences between Windows 10 and Windows 7 , it ’ s not always possible to keep all of your existing apps .
Make sure you ’ ve noted what apps you use regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downloading the installers again .
Windows 8.1 can also be upgraded the same way , but without needing to wipe your apps and settings .
Here ’ s how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 : • Back up all of your important documents , apps , and data • In the Create Windows 10 installation media section , select “ Download tool now , ” and run the app • You ’ ll then be asked whether you want to keep your personal files or start fresh .
Remember : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means that all apps and settings will be deleted for the Windows 10 upgrade .
• Once the upgrade is complete , you should receive a digital license for Windows 10 , which can be found under Settings > Update & Security > Activation .
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These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
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Microsoft’s free upgrade offer for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users ended a few years ago, but you can still technically upgrade to Windows 10 free of charge. While Microsoft has removed the special upgrade offer sites, the company continues to activate Windows 10 licenses for people who upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. That may even mean you’ll be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free as well — here’s how the free Windows 11 upgrade works.
Related How to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free
ZDNet’s Ed Bott has been testing the Windows 10 method for years, and the free upgrade still works. It’s also really simple for anyone to upgrade from Windows 7, especially as support ends for the operating system today. Assuming your PC supports the minimum requirements for Windows 10, you’ll be able to upgrade from Microsoft’s site.
The most important thing to remember is that the Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade could wipe your settings and apps. There’s an option to keep your files and personal data, but because of differences between Windows 10 and Windows 7, it’s not always possible to keep all of your existing apps. Make sure you’ve noted what apps you use regularly so you can easily obtain them by downloading the installers again. Windows 8.1 can also be upgraded the same way, but without needing to wipe your apps and settings.
Related The best laptop you can buy right now
Here’s how to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10:
Back up all of your important documents, apps, and data
Head over to Microsoft’s Windows 10 download site
In the Create Windows 10 installation media section, select “Download tool now,” and run the app
When prompted, choose “Upgrade this PC now.”
Windows 7 upgrade prompt Microsoft
You’ll then be asked whether you want to keep your personal files or start fresh. Remember: starting fresh or keeping your files still means that all apps and settings will be deleted for the Windows 10 upgrade.
starting fresh or keeping your files still means that all apps and settings will be deleted for the Windows 10 upgrade. Once the upgrade is complete, you should receive a digital license for Windows 10, which can be found under Settings > Update & Security > Activation.


theverge--2020-01-14--Time zones mess up more than just your sense of time

I hate time zones .
I manage to screw up my time zone math every time I call someone in a different part of the country , to say nothing of calls abroad .
True story : in reporting the very video I ’ m introducing here , I scheduled a call with a source on the East Coast of the United States .
I ’ m on the West Coast .
I missed the call by six hours .
In truth , though , time zones are a modern necessity .
Globally , they facilitate communication and commerce ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social schedules .
But increasingly , researchers are finding evidence that this global parceling out of time may have unintentional side effects .
Oddly enough , where you live within your own time zone may indirectly affect your body ’ s synchronization of its own internal clocks with the natural day / night cycle .
And messing with that syncing process is not good for your health — or your wallet .
Why is this happening ?
The answer involves a lot of maps , some dreaded time zone math , and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Check out the video above to find out how it all connects .

I hate time zones. I manage to screw up my time zone math every time I call someone in a different part of the country, to say nothing of calls abroad. True story: in reporting the very video I’m introducing here, I scheduled a call with a source on the East Coast of the United States. I’m on the West Coast. I missed the call by six hours.
In truth, though, time zones are a modern necessity. Globally, they facilitate communication and commerce; regionally, they synchronize our work and social schedules. But increasingly, researchers are finding evidence that this global parceling out of time may have unintentional side effects. Oddly enough, where you live within your own time zone may indirectly affect your body’s synchronization of its own internal clocks with the natural day / night cycle. And messing with that syncing process is not good for your health — or your wallet.
Why is this happening? The answer involves a lot of maps, some dreaded time zone math, and an entire field of study called chronobiology. Check out the video above to find out how it all connects.