theverge--2020-11-20--The best Black Friday deals you can get right now

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
The majority of Black Friday deals will launch the day after Thanksgiving ( November 26th ) in the US as usual , but the pandemic has shaken things up in yet another way .
The best deals will be happening online , with fewer in-person sales for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those great deals are already available , so you can get started on your holiday gift ( or personal ) shopping .
With this post , we ’ re rounding up the best early Black Friday deals from retailers like Amazon , Best Buy , Walmart , Target , Adorama , B & H Photo , Newegg , and anywhere else we find deals you should know about .
At Amazon , Best Buy , and B & H Photo , you can get Bose ’ s excellent Noise Cancelling 700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soapstone color .
If you are not a fan of the color , no problem , the Silver and Black models are $ 40 off , bringing the prices down to $ 339 .
Usually , these headphones cost $ 379 .
Apple ’ s AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are $ 190 at Woot right now .
This is the lowest we ’ ve seen yet on Apple ’ s flagship earbuds .
Compared to the standard AirPods , the Pro model features better sound quality and noise cancellation , plus support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Samsung ’ s Galaxy Buds Plus wireless earbuds are down to just $ 110 at Amazon and Best Buy .
This is the best price we ’ ve seen for this model , which usually costs $ 150 outside of any discounts .
Compared to the standard Galaxy Buds , this upgraded model that launched alongside the Galaxy S20 series of phones has improved sound quality , microphones , and battery life .
If you are looking to buy two pairs of Galaxy Buds Plus , Best Buy has a few bundles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only $ 200 .
You can mix and match which color you want for both pairs and are available in blue , black , light blue , red , and white .
Alongside the Plus wireless earbuds , Samsung ’ s Galaxy Buds are discounted at Amazon and Best Buy .
Normally , these earbuds would cost $ 130 , but you can get them for $ 70 at either retailer .
Unfortunately , the color options are limited at both retailers , so you can only buy these earbuds in either black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to upgrade your phone this year and Android is your preferred OS of choice , Amazon , B & H Photo , and Best Buy have discounted Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 FE 5G .
You can get the unlocked model with 128GB of storage for $ 549 and $ 550 respectively at both retailers .
You can get an unlocked Galaxy S20 5G for $ 650 at Microsoft ’ s eBay store , the phone support all major phone networks in the US and comes with a full US warranty .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options ; blue , gray , and pink .
If you have a Verizon as your phone carrier , unfortunately this model will not support mmWave 5G .
Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 Plus 5G is down to i $ 800 on Microsoft ’ s eBay store .
Like the S20 deal , this phone is an unlocked model and comes with a full US warranty .
Unlike the standard S20 , this phone does support mmWave 5G if Verizon is your phone carrier .
Normally , Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 Ultra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But you can buy an unlocked S20 Ultra for $ 925 at Microsoft ’ s eBay store .
You can choose either black and gray in this smartphone model .
If you are looking to pick up an iPad Air this Black Friday , Walmart has a pre-Black Friday deal that brings the price down to $ 559 if you are looking for the 64GB storage configuration .
But there ’ s a catch — you can only get it in green at the discounted price .
Acer ’ s Chromebook Spin 713 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy , and it ’ s $ 80 off its normal price .
Normally $ 629 , it ’ s now $ 549 .
That might not seem like much , but it ’ s a good value if you want a high-end Chromebook experience , with a 3:2 aspect ratio display , a decent processor , and 128GB of SSD storage .
The Apple Watch SE was already the most affordable Watch that Apple made at $ 279 , but it ’ s even cheaper at Target .
You can score the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the larger 44mm Watch for $ 260 at Walmart .
Each size looks similar to the more expensive Series 6 but lacks the always-on display and a few other features .
The Apple Watch SE aligns more with the Series 5 in terms of specs , but at $ 230 , it ’ s a fantastic value .
Here ’ s an in-depth post on how the SE differs from other recent Apple Watch models .
The Apple Watch Series 6 is also cheaper than usual at Amazon , Target , and Walmart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GPS model , it ’ s down to $ 350 for the first time for Black Friday .
Previously , just a $ 20 drop was noteworthy .
Samsung ’ s fast T7 USB-C SSD with 1TB of storage normally costs $ 200 , but you can buy this portable SSD for just $ 150 at Amazon and Best Buy .
It features an optional password protection with AES 256-bit encryption and Samsung claims the T7 has up to 1,050MB/s transfer speeds .
It ’ s compatible with a variety of operating systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Android .
Unfortunately , it will not work on iPad or iOS devices and it is not compatible as an external SSD for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S .
Peak Design has kicked off its “ Super Massive Black Friday sale ” with sizeable discounts on bags and tripods .
It might be tough to imagine when you might next need a durable backpack that can fit a lot of gadgets within , but the company ’ s “ Everyday ” lineup of bags is 20 percent off .
Its bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you ’ re into photography , Peak Design ’ s Travel Tripod and a few accessories that are compatible with it are cheaper than usual .
Watch Dogs : Legion , the latest installment in Ubisoft ’ s hack-anything , open-world game , is down to $ 45 at Ubisoft ’ s official website , that ’ s $ 15 off , while it ’ s not the lowest we have seen this game go down , this title recently came out and this is still a good discount .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each version will net you an upgrade to the Xbox Series X / S or PS5 copies for free .
Even if you don ’ t have much interest in the game , it ’ s an affordable way to check out what impressive ray-tracing graphics look like on the new console hardware .
If you ’ re having trouble narrowing down what games you want , why not get several ?
Target is hosting a “ get three for the price of two ” deal on video game purchases — even for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ops : Cold War , Assassin ’ s Creed Valhalla , and Yakuza : Like a Dragon , to name a few .
The list goes on , though one thing that isn ’ t eligible are first-party Sony games for the PS5 , like the Demon ’ s Souls remake , but you can pickup Godfall , which is available on Sony ’ s next-gen console ( and on PC . )
Even Cyberpunk 2077 , a game coming out next month is eligible for this promotion .
If you want 2TB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Samsung ’ s 2TB 970 Evo Plus NVMe SSD is $ 250 at Newegg and Amazon , beating the lowest price by about $ 40 .
Over the summer , the price was steady at $ 350 .
A PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD like this will fit in only certain kinds of motherboards ( so check before you buy ) .
Alternatively , it can also make for a very fast USB-C drive if you get an M.2 enclosure for it .
Either route you take , you ’ ll get a lot @ @ @ @

Cyber Monday is over, but some of the deals are still happening. We won’t be making any more updates to the post below, so if you you want to follow along with the Cyber Week developments, we’re tracking the latest deals here.
Original article follows below.
It’s the last big shopping opportunity of 2020, and if you didn’t already take advantage of some deals that debuted over the weekend, now’s your chance. Every retailer has debuted at least a few new deals earlier than ever, and we’re focused on adding them here — in addition to the great Black Friday deals you can still get. As you’re expecting, there are some great deals on gaming laptops, wireless noise-canceling headphones, earbuds, tablets, and much more.
We’ll be doing our best to keep this post updated during Cyber Monday, and stay tuned throughout Cyber Week as we give you as many chances as possible to get everything on your holiday wish list. We’ve put the latest deals right at the top for easy viewing.
Latest deals
You can still get Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds for $110 at Woot (normally $130 during Cyber Monday), but B&H Photo comes close with its new $120 price for the earbuds.
The latest August Wi-Fi smart lock is $40 off at Best Buy and includes a free Lenovo Smart Clock Essential. Your total checkout cost will be $210 (plus tax).
Jabra’s Elite 75t wireless earbuds (black) are $119 at Best Buy, which is the lowest price we’ve seen yet. All other colors are $140.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
B&H Photo is selling the very extreme 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor for $1,250 with an expected availability date of January 28th, 2021. It’s not quite as low as Amazon’s $1,190 deal from last week, but it’s the best currently running.
Target is selling Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Party for the Nintendo Switch together for $80. Given that each game usually costs $60, you’re saving $40 overall with this bundle. It’s lasting for the rest of Cyber Monday.
The $100 off deal on the latest MacBook Air with the M1 processor is back on at B&H Photo until the end of the day, or until stock sells out.
You can get two Amazon Echo Show 5 smart displays for $80 at Best Buy for Cyber Monday. Normally $45 each during Black Friday, this bundle will save you $10.
The best Cyber Monday deals on headphones
Whether you’re in the market for a set of wireless earbuds, noise-canceling headphones (or both!), Cyber Monday is delivering the goods with the best deals we’ve seen yet for models like the Apple AirPods, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Plus and Buds Live, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, and many more.
Sony’s WH-XB900N noise-canceling headphones are $118 at Amazon and Best Buy (usually $248)
Even more affordable yet, the Sony WH-CH710N noise-canceling headphones are just $88 at Amazon and Best Buy (usually $200)
Bose Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones (Certified Refurbished) $ 224 $ 380 41 % off $ 224 $ 224 $ 380 41 % off Bose’s flagship over-the-ear headphones allow you to connect two devices simultaneously and have a more modern design compared to other Bose headphones. You can grab a pair of Certified Refurbished ones for $224 (before tax) with code PREZDAY20 entered at checkout. $224 at eBay
Beats Solo Pro $ 145 $ 300 52 % off $ 145 $ 145 $ 300 52 % off Our top pick for best on-ear noise-canceling headphones. The Beats Solo Pro are ideal if you need a durable pair of headphones while you work out. $145 at Woot
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless noise-canceling headphones are $350 at Amazon and Best Buy, knocking $50 off the normal price
Shure’s Aonic 50 noise-canceling headphones are $300 at Amazon and Best Buy — a whole $100 off their usual price
Apple’s AirPods with a wireless charging case costs $140, which is officially the lowest price. These have been selling for $150 throughout Black Friday, but this early Cyber Monday deal is live now at Amazon.
You can snag a set of Amazon Echo Buds, which also sound good and have Bose noise reduction technology. They cost $80, down from $130, and you’ll get a six-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited.
The Galaxy Buds Plus dropped another $10 at Amazon, down to $100 from their original $150 price. Other retailers are holding steady at $110, at least for now.
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds are just $110 at Woot (normally $130 during Cyber Monday). The next best price is at B&H Photo for $120.
Also at $80 are 1More’s ColorBuds, a solid set of wireless earbuds that pop with color. These are normally $100, and you can get this deal through 1More
Related There are more Cyber Monday deals on wireless earbuds
The best Cyber Monday deals on TVs
Several TV models are discounted for Cyber Monday, but only a few of them are likely worth your money. We’ve plucked a few particularly good deals out from the bunch. There are very affordable TVs that have Amazon’s Fire TV software built-in, as well as more high-end options like QLED and OLED TVs that are best paired with a PS5 and Xbox Series X for gaming (or just if you want the best picture quality and contrast for TV shows and movies). Also, we’ve found deals on big-screened TVs that are cheaper than ever.
LG BX OLED $ 1620 $ 1800 10 % off $ 1620 $ 1620 $ 1800 10 % off The 65-inch BX Series supports 4K at 120Hz, a variable refresh rate, and has all the HDMI 2.1 features you could want in a new TV. $1620 at Best Buy (65-inch)
The best Cyber Monday deals on laptops
Laptops are always useful, but they’re especially handy to have amid the pandemic. Whether you’re planning to use one for school, work, or just to have fun browsing or gaming, we’ve selected some standout laptop deals.
HP’s Envy x360 13 2-in-1 is $750 at Best Buy (usually $1,000)
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 14-inch gaming laptop with AMD’s Ryzen 9 4900HS processor, Nvidia’s RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics chip, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is $1,200 at Best Buy, down from its usual $1,450 price.
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 gaming laptop with a six-core Intel Core i7 processor, the RTX 2060, and 16GB of RAM is $1,050 with a rebate card at Newegg (usually $1,300)
Lenovo’s 17-inch Legion 5 gaming laptop with a six-core Intel Core i7 processor, the RTX 2060, and 16GB of RAM is $1,200 at Newegg (normally $1,400)
The G5 15 SE playing Valorant Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
Dell’s 15-inch G5 15 SE gaming laptop with AMD’s Ryzen 7 4800H processor, the Radeon RX 5600M graphics chip, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 144Hz refresh rate display costs $850, down from $1,050. This is a capable machine for the price.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 $ 800 $ 1200 33 % off $ 800 $ 800 $ 1200 33 % off The Surface Pro 7 is one of the best Windows convertibles you can buy. This model includes an Intel Core i5, a 128GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM. $800 at Microsoft$850 at Target
The Acer Aspire 5 is a solid budget laptop with an 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It costs $550 at Newegg, down from $650.
The best Cyber Monday deals on smartwatches & wearables
If you’re looking to get a fitness tracker, or a smartwatch to funnel notifications to your wrist, Cyber Monday is serving up some deals you’ll probably take interest in. The latest models from Fitbit and Apple are present here, and you’ll find those below.
Fitbit Sense $ 200 $ 300 33 % off $ 200 $ 200 $ 300 33 % off One of Fitbit’s more recent product releases, the Sense includes FDA clearance and allows you to track your stress levels in addition to measuring your blood oxygen levels. The watch also includes Google Assistant support. $200 at Amazon$200 at Best Buy
The Apple Watch SE was already somewhat affordable at $279, but it’s even cheaper at Target. It’s $50 off, letting you score the 40mm GPS version for $230 or the larger 44mm Watch in black for $259 at Target.
The Apple Watch Series 6 is also cheaper than usual at Amazon and Walmart. Normally $400 for the 40mm GPS model, it’s down to $330 — but there’s a catch. You must buy this model in either red at Amazon .
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart speakers
For Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Amazon’s latest batch of ball-shaped Echo smart speakers, including the fourth-generation Echo and Echo Dots, are cheaper than ever. These feature better sound performance than the previous iteration.
Sonos One (two) $ 378 $ 398 5 % off $ 378 $ 378 $ 398 5 % off The Sonos One is the base smart speaker in the Sonos system, and it puts out a surprising amount of sound from its compact size. $378 at Sonos
Sonos Five (refurbished) $ 495 $ 549 10 % off $ 495 $ 495 $ 549 10 % off The Sonos Five is a Sonos speaker with powerful sound and lots of volume. $495 at Best Buy
Photo: Dan Seifert / The Verge
Google’s latest Nest Audio speakers are available as a duo for $170, knocking $20 off the usual price for buying two together. These can be paired for a stereo arrangement for music and podcasts, and at some point, you’ll be able to use them as a home theater setup with Chromecast.
Best Buy still has stock of the big Google Home Max smart speaker for $150. This speaker usually retails for $300 outside of a sale.
We’ve been enjoying this Sonos Move deal that drops the price from $400 to $300 for the first time. This speaker supports Bluetooth for on-the-go or outdoor listening, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity to let it give your other Sonos speakers a boost.
These aren’t smart speakers, but Marshall’s Emberton Bluetooth speaker usually costs $150, but it’s down to $100 at Best Buy
Ultimate Ears’ WonderBoom 2 Bluetooth speaker is $50, down from $100 at Best Buy and Amazon
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart displays
If someone close to you, be it a friend or family member, is into video chatting via Facebook, a Facebook Portal device might be a good gift. There’s a range of devices available for less than usual, starting at $65.
If you’re a Prime subscriber and heavily invested in Amazon’s services, an Echo Show smart display might be the best choice. You can get the Echo Show 5 for just $45, and it comes equipped with a camera for video chats. It’s tough to beat when it comes to value.
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2019, first-gen) $ 40 $ 80 50 % off $ 40 $ 40 $ 80 50 % off The first-gen Echo Show 5 is more than just an alarm clock with Alexa built in. Amazon’s small smart display also features a camera that enables video chats. $40 at Amazon
Google’s Nest Hub smart displays are great if you like to watch YouTube, or have a big Google Photos library you want to show off on their screens. The smallest Nest Hub starts at $50, though only the larger Nest Hub Max can make video calls.
The best Cyber Monday deals on phones
There are a handful of great deals on unlocked phones like the Google Pixel 5, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G and OnePlus 8 for Cyber Monday, and a few more that are worth exploring if you’re in the market to upgrade with your carrier. In case you’re hoping to find iPhone discounts, Apple is offering a $50 gift card with the purchase of one.
The Galaxy A51 has a big screen and a big battery
Google Pixel 5 (unlocked) $ 450 $ 699 36 % off $ 450 $ 450 $ 699 36 % off Google’s 2020 flagship phone comes in one size, with a six-inch OLED screen and 128GB of storage. $450 at Woot
If you’re on Verizon and don’t mind activating a phone on Verizon to get a deal, you can save an extra $150 on top of that $50 discount at Best Buy. You can either opt to pay $500 for the Pixel 5 or $20.86 each month for 24 months through a Verizon device payment plan. Taking $200 off the Pixel 5’s regular price is great. You’ll just need to keep the phone on Verizon service for 60 days before it becomes unlocked.
At the OnePlus site, you can get the standard OnePlus 8 for $200 off its usual price, costing $599. B&H Photo is actually offering a slightly bigger price cut of $230 off. This phone shares a few similarities to the 8 Pro, like the Snapdragon 865 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Though, it doesn’t have wireless charging and its camera array doesn’t quite stack up as favorably. Also, it has a 90Hz refresh rate display compared to 120Hz on the 8 Pro, and the display itself is smaller (about 6.5 inches versus 6.8 inches).
Speaking of the OnePlus 8 Pro, Amazon recently knocked an extra $50 off the Black Friday sale price.
OnePlus 8 Pro $ 750 $ 1000 25 % off $ 750 $ 750 $ 1000 25 % off The OnePlus 8 Pro is filled to the brim with high-end features, like fast charging, a 120Hz refresh rate display, wireless charging, a fast Snapdragon 865 processor, and lots of RAM. $750 at Amazon$800 at OnePlus
The Pixel 4A with 5G is $200 off when new customers purchase it through the Google Fi MVNO service, resulting in a $299 final price. If you’re an existing Google Fi subscriber, you can upgrade to the 4A with 5G and get $150 off, knocking the price down to $349. Not bad, considering that’s the same price as the standard Pixel 4A that doesn’t have 5G support.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Until December 7th, Visible (owned by Verizon, operating on Verizon LTE) will give you a complimentary set of AirPods Pro with the purchase of any phone in the iPhone 12 series. The catch is that you’ll need to buy the phone and port your number to a new line in the same transaction.
The best Cyber Monday deals on streaming services
For new and returning customers (who haven’t subscribed in the last three months and who haven’t taken advantage of last year’s promo), you can get on Hulu’s ad-supported streaming plan for just $1.99 per month for a full year. After that, your monthly rate goes back up to $5.99.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
If you subscribe to YouTube TV by December 31st, you’ll get a free Chromecast with Google TV.
1Password is offering an exclusive offer to readers of The Verge until Thursday, December 3rd. You can save 50 percent each month on the cost of a family subscription (up to five people, and not restricted to a single household) to 1Password’s services, costing $2.50 per month for up to one year. After that year is up, you’ll be charged the regular $5 per month rate.
The best Cyber Monday deals on sound systems
It doesn’t cost much to get a soundbar, and thanks to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s cheaper to get a particularly great setup. This list isn’t exhaustive, but we’ve picked out a few soundbar models that we like, and ones that are cheaper than usual.
Sonos Sub (third-gen) $ 599 $ 749 20 % off $ 599 $ 599 $ 749 20 % off The Sonos Sub is an add-on speaker that provides some extra low-end thump to any Sonos speaker system. $599 at Sonos (third-gen)
The best Cyber Monday deals on streaming devices
Unless you own a smart TV or a modern gaming console, you’ll probably want a streaming device to bring all of your favorite TV shows and movies to your television. Thankfully, you have plenty to choose between, and many options are discounted for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Related Find more the best Cyber Monday deals on TVs here
The best Cyber Monday deals on tablets & e-readers
Tablets are also worth considering if you need a tool for school, leisure, or to unwind on. From Amazon’s very affordable Fire tablets to the mid-range and high-end iPad models, we’ve included a little bit of everything, as well as accessories to help you get the most out of your purchase. Also, if you like to read and are interested in great Kindle e-reader deals, you’ll find those below as well.
The latest iPad mini tablet with 64GB of storage is $100 off at Best Buy, making for the biggest discount we’ve seen yet.
Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019, 64GB) $ 108 $ 190 43 % off $ 108 $ 108 $ 190 43 % off Amazon’s first USB-C-compatible device, which features a 10.1-inch screen, 64GB of internal storage with the option to expand via microSD, and a second antenna to maintain a better Wi-Fi signal. $108 at Amazon
The Kids Edition Fire HD 10 is $130 instead of $200. This version includes the tablet, a tough case, a year’s worth of the FreeTime Unlimited subscription, and a two-year replacement guarantee if it breaks.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (32GB, ad-supported) $ 50 $ 110 55 % off $ 50 $ 50 $ 110 55 % off Amazon’s Fire HD 8 Plus packs a lot of value in for the money. It’s a suitable vessel for all of your Prime content, and this model, in particular, supports wireless charging. $50 at Amazon (refurbished)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, a 10.4-inch Android tablet with 64GB of storage, costs $250 (usually $350) and includes a free $30 gift card with purchase
The Brydge Pro Plus keyboard has an integrated trackpad, so you don’t need to use the touchscreen (or, at least as much)
The Brydge Pro Plus 12.3-inch (left) and the Brydge Go Plus Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
If you have the Surface Pro 7 or any model going back to the Surface Pro 4, Brydge’s Pro Plus 12.3-inch keyboard with a trackpad is $30 off its usual price, totaling $120.
The Brydge Go Plus, made for the Surface Go, is $100 ($40 off)
The best Cyber Monday gaming deals
While there are no PS5 or Xbox Series X/S deals to speak of, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other great price cuts. In fact, for the Nintendo Switch you’ll find the best prices yet on first-party games and accessories. Plus, new releases for the Xbox One and PS4 (several of which include free next-gen upgrades) are discounted.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is $30 at GameStop (usually $60), lower than the best-ever price.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is $40 at GameStop (usually $60), lower than the best-ever price.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is $40 at GameStop (usually $60), its lowest price.
Super Mario Maker 2 is $40 at GameStop (usually $60), its lowest price.
Yoshi’s Crafted World is $30 at GameStop (usually $60), the lowest price ever.
The landscapes in Ghost of Tsushima are serene
Watch Dogs Legion is $30 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy (usually $60), its lowest price ever. If you buy the Xbox One version and upgrade to that console’s successor, you will receive the next-gen version free of charge.
A still from Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is $13 at Best Buy (usually $30), the lowest price ever. If you own or buy an Xbox Series X / S, you will receive a free upgrade for this game via Smart Delivery.
Gears 5 is $5 at Best Buy (usually $30), the lowest price ever. If you own or buy an Xbox Series X / S, you will receive a free upgrade for this game via Smart Delivery
The best Cyber Monday deals on PC tech
It’s always a good time to make some smart upgrades to your PC. And while that’s usually a costly endeavor, Cyber Monday is making some of it a little cheaper. You’ll have to continue your search for an Nvidia RTX 3080 another day, but for now you can save on monitors, storage and peripherals.
The W-Type keyboard next to the W-Touch wireless trackpad Photo: Brydge
For the first time, Brydge has discounted its W-Touch standalone trackpad for Windows 10. Normally $100, it’s down to $70.
The W-Type wireless, full-sized Bluetooth keyboard is discounted by $20, bringing the price down to $40.
Samsung’s 2TB 970 Evo Plus NVMe SSD is $250 at Newegg and Best Buy , beating the lowest price by about $40. A PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD like this will fit in only certain kinds of motherboards (so check before you buy).
Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe SSD (2TB) $ 250 $ 300 17 % off $ 250 $ 250 $ 300 17 % off Samsung’s PCIe 3.0 M.2 NVMe SSD like this will fit in only certain kinds of motherboards with read and write performance levels of up to 3,500MB/s and 3,300MB/s. $250 at Newegg
For an even faster M.2 drive that’s actually capable of delivering quicker read/write speeds for both PCIe 3.0 and motherboards with PCIe 4.0 support, Samsung’s 500GB 980 Pro NVMe SSD is $120 (usually $150) at Amazon.
Related Find many more deals on PC accessories right here
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart home tech
You can add some smarts to your home with a smart speaker, and you can go even deeper with tech like a smart lock for your door, a Wi-Fi-connected security cam, and an alarm kit. This can be expensive to do, but as you probably guessed, it’s a lot cheaper to outfit your home with these upgrades now that Cyber Monday is here.
If you need a security camera, the Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera is discounted to $100 from $130 at Amazon.
Ring Video Doorbell 3 $ 140 $ 180 22 % off $ 140 $ 140 $ 180 22 % off The latest Ring video doorbell features enhanced dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support, as well as a new motion zone feature that can spot movement within five to 15 feet of your front door, or wherever you prefer to install it. $140 at Amazon
Ring’s Video Doorbell 3 Plus, which offers four-second video previews of alerts, is $160 instead of $230. Likewise, you can add an Echo Show 5 to the order for $10 more.
The SimpliSafe base next to the keypad. Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
SimpliSafe’s home security systems are 50 percent off, starting at $114 for the most basic bundle. Each bundle includes a free SimpliCam (a $99 value).
Related Here are some more Cyber Monday deals on smart home tech
The best Cyber Monday deals on mesh Wi-Fi routers
One of the most practical upgrades you can make for yourself this weekend. Get a mesh Wi-Fi system if your current router isn’t cutting it in terms of speed or signal strength. A multi-router system casts a wide net of connectivity, so you’ll experience far fewer slow or drop-out zones. And if you have several people in your home — each using several devices to their name — there’s even more reason to make the upgrade.
Google’s Nest Wifi mesh routers are steeply discounted, starting with the single unit that’s $135 instead of $169 at Amazon and $139 at Best Buy.
Related Check out more deals on mesh routers here
The best Cyber Monday deals on misc. tech
A number of retailers are selling the DJI Osmo Action for $199, a discount of about $50 from its regular price. The Osmo Action is similar to GoPro’s line of action cameras, and comes with both front and rear facing screens.
The Oculus Quest 2 with 64GB of storage is $300 at Newegg, which is the normal price, but it comes with a $15 Newegg gift card today. While it’s currently backordered, you can still get the gift card with your purchase.
Segway Ninebot
Ninebot Segway’s Max electric scooter is $649 instead of its usual $800 purchase at Wellbots. This beats a recent discount we covered by $50. This purchase is also tax-free for US residents living outside of NY state.


theverge--2020-11-20--Rocket League developer reveals why the PS5 isn’t getting as many 120fps games

One of the big selling points of next-gen consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X is support for games running at 120fps on TVs and monitors that include 120Hz modes .
While we ’ ve already seen a number of new Xbox and PS5 games running at 120fps , some existing games are only being updated with 120fps for the Xbox Series X , and not the PS5 .
Both Call of Duty : Warzone and Rocket League , for example , only include support for 120fps on the Xbox Series X. Activision has not commented on why only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this support , but Rocket League developer Psyonix has revealed to Eurogamer that it ’ s more complicated to enable on the PS5 side .
“ Enabling 120Hz on Xbox Series X|S is a minor patch , but enabling it on PS5 requires a full native port due to how backwards compatibility is implemented on the console , and unfortunately wasn ’ t possible due to our focus elsewhere , ” explains Psyonix in a statement to Eurogamer .
The PS5 is capable of running existing PS4 games at 120fps , but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developers to enable it .
In the short term , this could mean we ’ ll see more instances of games running on the PS5 without 120fps , but appearing on Xbox Series X with the higher frame rate .
It ’ s only been easier for developers to implement this on the Xbox Series X side because Microsoft built 120Hz support into the Xbox One years ago .
The Xbox One X and Xbox One S were also updated to support variable refresh rates back in 2018 , alongside an option for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just started supporting 120Hz with the PS5 , but the console still doesn ’ t support a 1440p mode .
The 120fps support won ’ t be an issue in the long term , as more developers will be building native PS5 games .
But as developers continue to release cross-generation games for Xbox One and PS4 then there ’ s likely to be a mix of what ’ s supported .
There are signs this could improve , though .
Bungie is planning to update Destiny 2 on December 8th with 120fps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and PS5 for its crucible mode .

One of the big selling points of next-gen consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X is support for games running at 120fps on TVs and monitors that include 120Hz modes. While we’ve already seen a number of new Xbox and PS5 games running at 120fps, some existing games are only being updated with 120fps for the Xbox Series X, and not the PS5.
Both Call of Duty: Warzone and Rocket League, for example, only include support for 120fps on the Xbox Series X. Activision has not commented on why only Warzone on the Xbox Series X has this support, but Rocket League developer Psyonix has revealed to Eurogamer that it’s more complicated to enable on the PS5 side.
120Hz mode in DIRT 5 on Xbox Series X.
“Enabling 120Hz on Xbox Series X|S is a minor patch, but enabling it on PS5 requires a full native port due to how backwards compatibility is implemented on the console, and unfortunately wasn’t possible due to our focus elsewhere,” explains Psyonix in a statement to Eurogamer.
The PS5 is capable of running existing PS4 games at 120fps, but there’s clearly more work involved for developers to enable it. In the short term, this could mean we’ll see more instances of games running on the PS5 without 120fps, but appearing on Xbox Series X with the higher frame rate.
It’s only been easier for developers to implement this on the Xbox Series X side because Microsoft built 120Hz support into the Xbox One years ago. The Xbox One X and Xbox One S were also updated to support variable refresh rates back in 2018, alongside an option for 1440p video output. Sony has only just started supporting 120Hz with the PS5, but the console still doesn’t support a 1440p mode.


theverge--2020-11-20--Windows turns 35: a visual history

Windows turns 35: a visual history

The PC revolution started off life 35 years ago this week .
Microsoft launched its first version of Windows on November 20th , 1985 , to succeed MS-DOS .
It was a huge milestone that paved the way for the modern versions of Windows we use today .
While Windows 10 doesn ’ t look anything like Windows 1.0 , it still has many of its original fundamentals like scroll bars , drop-down menus , icons , dialog boxes , and apps like Notepad and MS paint .
Windows 1.0 also set the stage for the mouse .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in commands , but with Windows 1.0 you picked up a mouse and moved windows around by pointing and clicking .
Alongside the original Macintosh , the mouse completely changed the way consumers interacted with computers .
At the time , many complained that Windows 1.0 focused far too much on mouse interaction instead of keyboard commands .
Microsoft ’ s first version of Windows might not have been well received , but it kick-started a battle between Apple , IBM , and Microsoft to provide computing to the masses .
Back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disks , 256 kilobytes of memory , and a graphics card .
If you wanted to run multiple programs , then you needed a PC with a hard disk and 512 kilobytes of memory .
You wouldn ’ t be able to run anything with just 256 kilobytes of memory with modern machines , but those basic specifications were just the beginning .
While Apple had been ahead in producing mouse-driven GUIs at the time , it remained focused on the combination of hardware and software .
Microsoft had already created its low-cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and was firmly positioned as a software company .
With Windows 1.0 , Microsoft took the important step of focusing on apps and core software .
IBM held onto the fundamentals of the PC architecture for a few years , but Microsoft made it easy for rivals and software developers to create apps , ensuring that Windows was relatively open and easy to reconfigure and tweak .
PC manufacturers flocked to Windows , and the operating system attracted support from important software companies .
This approach to providing software for hardware partners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge platform for Microsoft .
It ’ s a platform that allows you to upgrade through every version of Windows , as a classic YouTube clip demonstrates .
Windows has now dominated personal computing for 35 years , and no amount of Mac vs. PC campaigns have come close to changing that , but they ’ ve certainly been entertaining .
Microsoft has continued to tweak Windows and create new uses for it across devices , in businesses , and now with the move to the cloud .
It ’ s only now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tablets , that Windows faces its toughest challenge yet .
Microsoft may yet weather its mobile storm , but it will only do so by rekindling its roots as a true software company .
In 2055 , it ’ s unlikely that we ’ ll be celebrating another 35 years of Windows in quite the same fashion , so let ’ s look back at how Microsoft ’ s operating system has changed since its humble beginnings .
Where it all began : Windows 1.0 introduced a GUI , mouse support , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up development of the operating system , after spending years working on software for the Mac .
Windows 1.0 shipped as Microsoft ’ s first graphical PC operating system with a 16-bit shell on top of MS-DOS .
Windows 2.0 continued 16-bit computing with VGA graphics and early versions of Word and Excel .
It allowed apps to sit on top of each other , and desktop icons made Windows feel easier to use at the time of the 2.0 release in December , 1987 .
Microsoft went on to release Windows 2.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first version of Windows to require a hard disk drive .
Windows 3.0 continued the legacy of a GUI on top of MS-DOS , but it included a better UI with new Program and File managers .
Minesweeper , a puzzle game full of hidden mines , also arrived with the Windows 3.1 update .
Windows NT 3.5 was the second release of NT , and it really marked Microsoft ’ s push into business computing with important security and file sharing features .
It also included support for TCP/IP , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access the internet today .
Windows 95 was where the modern era of Windows began .
It was one of the most significant updates to Windows .
Microsoft moved to a 32-bit architecture and introduced the Start menu .
A new era of apps emerged , and Internet Explorer arrived in an update to Windows 95 .
Windows 98 built on the success of Windows 95 by improving hardware support and performance .
Microsoft was also focused on the web at its launch , and bundled apps and features like Active Desktop , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chat , and NetMeeting .
Windows ME focused on multimedia and home users , but it was unstable and buggy .
Windows Movie Maker first appeared in ME , alongside improved versions of Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer .
Windows 2000 was designed for client and server computers within businesses .
Based on Windows NT , it was designed to be secure with new file protection , a DLL cache , and hardware plug and play .
Windows XP really combined Microsoft ’ s home and business efforts .
Windows XP was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
Based on Windows NT , it was designed to be secure with new file protection , a DLL cache , and hardware plug and play .
Windows Vista was poorly received like ME .
While Vista introduced a new Aero UI and improved security features , Microsoft took around six years to develop Windows Vista and it only worked well on new hardware .
User account control was heavily criticized , and Windows Vista remains part of the bad cycle of Windows releases .
Windows 7 arrived in 2009 to clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good job of performance , while tweaking and improving the user interface and making user account control less annoying .
Windows 7 is now one of the most popular versions of Windows .
Windows 8 was a drastic redesign of the familiar Windows interface .
Microsoft removed the Start menu and replace it with a fullscreen Start Screen .
New “ Metro-style ” apps were designed to replace aging desktop apps , and Microsoft really focused on touch screens and tablet PCs .
It was a little too drastic for most desktop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future of Windows .
Back to the Start : Windows 10 brings back the familiar Start menu , and introduces some new features like Cortana , Microsoft Edge , and the Xbox One streaming to PCs .
It ’ s more thoughtfully designed for hybrid laptops and tablets , and Microsoft has switched to a Windows as a service model to keep it regularly updated in the future .
Windows 10 hasn ’ t changed drastically over the past five years .
Microsoft has been tweaking various parts of the operating system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have moved from the traditional Control Panel over to the new Settings app , and the Start menu has a less blocky look to it now .
We ’ re still waiting to see what Windows 10X ( originally designed for dual-screen devices ) will bring , but Microsoft has also been improving the system icons for Windows 10 .
2021 could bring an even bigger visual refresh to Windows 10 .
Editor ’ s note : This story was originally published in 2015 to mark the 30th anniversary of Windows .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of Windows .

The PC revolution started off life 35 years ago this week. Microsoft launched its first version of Windows on November 20th, 1985, to succeed MS-DOS. It was a huge milestone that paved the way for the modern versions of Windows we use today. While Windows 10 doesn’t look anything like Windows 1.0, it still has many of its original fundamentals like scroll bars, drop-down menus, icons, dialog boxes, and apps like Notepad and MS paint.
Windows 1.0 also set the stage for the mouse. If you used MS-DOS then you could only type in commands, but with Windows 1.0 you picked up a mouse and moved windows around by pointing and clicking. Alongside the original Macintosh, the mouse completely changed the way consumers interacted with computers. At the time, many complained that Windows 1.0 focused far too much on mouse interaction instead of keyboard commands. Microsoft’s first version of Windows might not have been well received, but it kick-started a battle between Apple, IBM, and Microsoft to provide computing to the masses.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates with a boxed copy of Windows. Carol Halebia
Back in 1985, Windows 1.0 required two floppy disks, 256 kilobytes of memory, and a graphics card. If you wanted to run multiple programs, then you needed a PC with a hard disk and 512 kilobytes of memory. You wouldn’t be able to run anything with just 256 kilobytes of memory with modern machines, but those basic specifications were just the beginning. While Apple had been ahead in producing mouse-driven GUIs at the time, it remained focused on the combination of hardware and software. Microsoft had already created its low-cost PC DOS operating system for IBM PCs, and was firmly positioned as a software company.
Related A history of the Windows Start menu
With Windows 1.0, Microsoft took the important step of focusing on apps and core software. IBM held onto the fundamentals of the PC architecture for a few years, but Microsoft made it easy for rivals and software developers to create apps, ensuring that Windows was relatively open and easy to reconfigure and tweak. PC manufacturers flocked to Windows, and the operating system attracted support from important software companies. This approach to providing software for hardware partners to sell their own machines created a huge platform for Microsoft. It’s a platform that allows you to upgrade through every version of Windows, as a classic YouTube clip demonstrates.
Windows has now dominated personal computing for 35 years, and no amount of Mac vs. PC campaigns have come close to changing that, but they’ve certainly been entertaining. Microsoft has continued to tweak Windows and create new uses for it across devices, in businesses, and now with the move to the cloud. It’s only now, with the popularity of modern smartphones and tablets, that Windows faces its toughest challenge yet. Microsoft may yet weather its mobile storm, but it will only do so by rekindling its roots as a true software company. In 2055, it’s unlikely that we’ll be celebrating another 35 years of Windows in quite the same fashion, so let’s look back at how Microsoft’s operating system has changed since its humble beginnings.
Where it all began: Windows 1.0 introduced a GUI, mouse support, and important apps. Bill Gates headed up development of the operating system, after spending years working on software for the Mac. Windows 1.0 shipped as Microsoft’s first graphical PC operating system with a 16-bit shell on top of MS-DOS.
Windows 1.0 (1985)
Windows 2.0 continued 16-bit computing with VGA graphics and early versions of Word and Excel. It allowed apps to sit on top of each other, and desktop icons made Windows feel easier to use at the time of the 2.0 release in December, 1987. Microsoft went on to release Windows 2.1 six months later, and it was the first version of Windows to require a hard disk drive.
Windows 2.0 (1987)
Windows 3.0 continued the legacy of a GUI on top of MS-DOS, but it included a better UI with new Program and File managers. Minesweeper, a puzzle game full of hidden mines, also arrived with the Windows 3.1 update.
Windows 3.0 (1990)
Windows NT 3.5 was the second release of NT, and it really marked Microsoft’s push into business computing with important security and file sharing features. It also included support for TCP/IP, the network communications protocol we all use to access the internet today.
Windows NT 3.5 (1994)
Windows 95 was where the modern era of Windows began. It was one of the most significant updates to Windows. Microsoft moved to a 32-bit architecture and introduced the Start menu. A new era of apps emerged, and Internet Explorer arrived in an update to Windows 95.
Windows 95 (1995)
Windows 98 built on the success of Windows 95 by improving hardware support and performance. Microsoft was also focused on the web at its launch, and bundled apps and features like Active Desktop, Outlook Express, Frontpage Express, Microsoft Chat, and NetMeeting.
Windows 98 (1998)
Windows ME focused on multimedia and home users, but it was unstable and buggy. Windows Movie Maker first appeared in ME, alongside improved versions of Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer.
Windows ME (2000)
Windows 2000 was designed for client and server computers within businesses. Based on Windows NT, it was designed to be secure with new file protection, a DLL cache, and hardware plug and play.
Windows 2000 (2000)
Windows XP really combined Microsoft’s home and business efforts. Windows XP was designed for client and server computers within businesses. Based on Windows NT, it was designed to be secure with new file protection, a DLL cache, and hardware plug and play.
Windows XP (2001)
Windows Vista was poorly received like ME. While Vista introduced a new Aero UI and improved security features, Microsoft took around six years to develop Windows Vista and it only worked well on new hardware. User account control was heavily criticized, and Windows Vista remains part of the bad cycle of Windows releases.
Windows Vista (2007)
Windows 7 arrived in 2009 to clean up the Vista mess. Microsoft did a good job of performance, while tweaking and improving the user interface and making user account control less annoying. Windows 7 is now one of the most popular versions of Windows.
Windows 7 (2009)
Windows 8 was a drastic redesign of the familiar Windows interface. Microsoft removed the Start menu and replace it with a fullscreen Start Screen. New “Metro-style” apps were designed to replace aging desktop apps, and Microsoft really focused on touch screens and tablet PCs. It was a little too drastic for most desktop users, and Microsoft had to rethink the future of Windows.
Windows 8 (2012)
Back to the Start: Windows 10 brings back the familiar Start menu, and introduces some new features like Cortana, Microsoft Edge, and the Xbox One streaming to PCs. It’s more thoughtfully designed for hybrid laptops and tablets, and Microsoft has switched to a Windows as a service model to keep it regularly updated in the future.
Windows 10 (2015)
Windows 10 hasn’t changed drastically over the past five years. Microsoft has been tweaking various parts of the operating system to refine it. More system settings have moved from the traditional Control Panel over to the new Settings app, and the Start menu has a less blocky look to it now. We’re still waiting to see what Windows 10X (originally designed for dual-screen devices) will bring, but Microsoft has also been improving the system icons for Windows 10. 2021 could bring an even bigger visual refresh to Windows 10.
Windows 10 (2020)


theverge--2020-11-20--The MacBook Air is once again the benchmark by which other laptops will be measured

Last week I wrote that Apple seemed “ astonishingly confident ” in its new M1-based Macs .
This week we know why : they are astonishingly good .
I reviewed the MacBook Air , Nilay Patel reviewed the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro , and Chris Welch reviewed the new Mac mini .
All three are equally impressive , but it ’ s the Air in particular that stands out as offering incredible power at its price point .
I ’ m also impressed with battery life .
And the fact that Apple ’ s Rosetta 2 translation layer doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps .
Wins all around , then .
Not very often that happens in consumer tech !
The webcams are still terrible and there are lots of questions about what will happen with the truly pro Macs we will start seeing in the next couple of years .
But rather than constantly look ahead to the next thing , just for a moment , enjoy : a tech company made a big promise that it could do a hard thing and then did that thing .
Okay , moment ’ s over .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ little more attention to one point Chaim Gartenberg made when writing about the importance of these computers : It ’ s not difficult to divine the future of Intel and even Qualcomm ’ s roadmap — they are consistent ( and consistently dull ) in their year-over-year improvements .
Their customers are phone and laptop makers , so they need to be clear and transparent about what ’ s up .
And I don ’ t see either pulling a step change like the M1 out of a hat .
By contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s chip roadmap looks like .
We can make educated guesses based on what we would expect from the current chip and Apple ’ s philosophy .
We do know , however , that Apple is remarkably stable in its Mac product lineup .
It doesn ’ t introduce a ton of different models .
Different people could count differently , but I think there are eight distinct Macs that Apple sells : the Air , the entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro , the 13-inch MacBook Pro , the 16-inch MacBook Pro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( two sizes on this one ) , the iMac Pro , and the Mac Pro .
I ’ m listing them all out to make a point : if you ’ re familiar with Macs , you have a sort of inherent idea of what those computers are , relative to each other .
That ’ s the other way we can perhaps predict what ’ s next for Apple silicon .
For example , we know how much more powerful an iMac is than an Air , on a rough basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the baseline for that rough basis has just been radically improved .
So if the Apple silicon-based iMac continues to be as big a leap over the M1-based MacBook Air as it has been in the past , look out .
But even if that doesn ’ t happen , PC makers have a problem today .
So let ’ s come back to right now .
Apple has a thousand-dollar laptop that beats the pants off anything else in its price class , and so every Windows ultrabook is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and may likely be found wanting .
We have a running joke at The Verge that our old colleague Joanna Stern ( now at the WSJ ) would end every Windows laptop review with “ for a hundred dollars more , you could get a MacBook Air.
” For the next year or two , we all might be ending reviews of thin and light Windows laptops with something like “ for the same price , you can get a MacBook Air that ’ s faster , lasts longer on a battery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fan.
” Do Intel , Qualcomm , AMD , Microsoft , Dell , HP , Asus , Razer , or anybody else in the PC ecosystem have something that will start chopping clauses from that sentence ?
A brief programming note — I ’ m taking the next week off and may allow myself to be a a little intermittent in sending newsletters in December .
I appreciate you all reading and hope you are staying safe this Thanksgiving holiday — and always .
┏ Apple will pay $ 113 million for throttling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlement .
Sean Hollister : ┏ Apple will reduce App Store cut to 15 percent for most developers starting January 1st .
So this is a win for smaller developers , but I do think that a million dollars is kind of a low cap for a small business ( costs add up fast ! )
.
One thing to note , though , is that this probably isn ’ t costing Apple much — the vast majority of its App Store revenue comes from bigger fish .
Bottom line , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reacting to public pressure and the threat of regulation .
Nick Statt : ┏ Apple ’ s biggest App Store critics are not impressed with its new fee cut for small developers .
Tim Sweeney is not impressed .
┏ Nvidia ’ s GeForce Now cloud gaming service launches on iOS as a web app .
I am conflicted about this !
On the one hand , I like the idea of more people realizing that the web is a viable app platform .
On the other , I hate hate hate that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ridiculous App Store policies .
One thing Nick Statt notes : this technically means Fortnite is back on iOS , via this particular workaround .
┏ Google Stadia is coming to iOS officially as a web app .
Quite a day for web apps !
┏ AMD Radeon RX 6800 review : entry-level 4K .
Sean Hollister makes a good case for the entry-level GPUs being better than you might expect .
┏ Google Stadia survived a year , but its future depends on games like Cyberpunk 2077 .
Nick Statt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google Pay ’ s massive relaunch makes it an all-encompassing money app .
Just describing the many things this app does is enough to widen the eyes and make you wonder if maybe Google should be reined in .
And the methods by which Google collects the information it needs to enable all those features are all private and secure — but it ’ s very difficult to worry that they someday won ’ t be either .
┏ Google is rolling out end-to-end encryption for RCS in Android Messages beta .
Yours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon announces upgraded Echo Frames smart glasses as it opens availability to everyone .
┏ Intel ’ s new laptop is designed to help small companies take on HP and Dell .
It ’ s a 15-inch productivity laptop , Dan Seifert writes .
He says it looks nice in person .
I ’ ll take his word for it , as it ’ s not so great in pictures .
Will be curious to see which companies decide to pick this up and offer it .
┏ Pixelmator Pro gets update for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge Pixelmator ( and Acorn ) fan , so I am very excited to try this out .
It ’ s just super refreshing to use a photo editing app that isn ’ t loaded down with all the conventions ( and unnecessary features ) of Photoshop .
Pixelmator feels much more modern to me , even though it ’ s not quite as powerful .
┏ Wonder Woman 1984 will be released on HBO Max the same day it ’ s in theaters for no extra cost .
Good .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ d miss big fun popcorn blockbusters movies as much as I do .
Excited for them to come back and even more excited to make my own damn popcorn , at home .
Julia Alexander :

Last week I wrote that Apple seemed “astonishingly confident” in its new M1-based Macs. This week we know why: they are astonishingly good. I reviewed the MacBook Air, Nilay Patel reviewed the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Chris Welch reviewed the new Mac mini.
All three are equally impressive, but it’s the Air in particular that stands out as offering incredible power at its price point. I’m also impressed with battery life. And the fact that Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation layer doesn’t cause slowdown or bugs for legacy apps.
Wins all around, then. Not very often that happens in consumer tech! The webcams are still terrible and there are lots of questions about what will happen with the truly pro Macs we will start seeing in the next couple of years. But rather than constantly look ahead to the next thing, just for a moment, enjoy: a tech company made a big promise that it could do a hard thing and then did that thing.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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Okay, moment’s over. Sorry. I want to pay a little more attention to one point Chaim Gartenberg made when writing about the importance of these computers:
The most exciting — or frightening, if you’re a traditional PC chip company — part of Apple’s new chips is that the M1 is just the starting point. It’s Apple’s first-generation processor, designed to replace the chips in Apple’s weakest, cheapest laptops and desktops. Imagine what Apple’s laptops might do if the company can replicate that success on its high-end laptops and desktops or after a few more years of maturation for the M-series lineup.
It’s not difficult to divine the future of Intel and even Qualcomm’s roadmap — they are consistent (and consistently dull) in their year-over-year improvements. Their customers are phone and laptop makers, so they need to be clear and transparent about what’s up. And I don’t see either pulling a step change like the M1 out of a hat.
By contrast, we really have no idea what Apple’s chip roadmap looks like. We can make educated guesses based on what we would expect from the current chip and Apple’s philosophy.
We do know, however, that Apple is remarkably stable in its Mac product lineup. It doesn’t introduce a ton of different models. Different people could count differently, but I think there are eight distinct Macs that Apple sells: the Air, the entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the Mac mini, the iMac (two sizes on this one), the iMac Pro, and the Mac Pro.
I’m listing them all out to make a point: if you’re familiar with Macs, you have a sort of inherent idea of what those computers are, relative to each other. That’s the other way we can perhaps predict what’s next for Apple silicon. For example, we know how much more powerful an iMac is than an Air, on a rough basis. But now with the Air, the baseline for that rough basis has just been radically improved. So if the Apple silicon-based iMac continues to be as big a leap over the M1-based MacBook Air as it has been in the past, look out.
But even if that doesn’t happen, PC makers have a problem today. So let’s come back to right now. Apple has a thousand-dollar laptop that beats the pants off anything else in its price class, and so every Windows ultrabook is going to be compared to it for the foreseeable future — and may likely be found wanting.
We have a running joke at The Verge that our old colleague Joanna Stern (now at the WSJ) would end every Windows laptop review with “for a hundred dollars more, you could get a MacBook Air.” For the next year or two, we all might be ending reviews of thin and light Windows laptops with something like “for the same price, you can get a MacBook Air that’s faster, lasts longer on a battery, and doesn’t have a fan.”
Do Intel, Qualcomm, AMD, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Asus, Razer, or anybody else in the PC ecosystem have something that will start chopping clauses from that sentence?
A brief programming note — I’m taking the next week off and may allow myself to be a a little intermittent in sending newsletters in December. I appreciate you all reading and hope you are staying safe this Thanksgiving holiday — and always.
Apple news that isn’t so good
The settlement (PDF) hasn’t been fully approved by a judge yet, but there’s a chance states might see their money sooner than actual iPhone owners. If you applied for your $25 worth of the $500 million class-action settlement, you probably did so in July, but the process is still underway. There’s a fairness hearing on December 4th that’ll decide whether the settlement was handled properly.
┏ Apple will reduce App Store cut to 15 percent for most developers starting January 1st. So this is a win for smaller developers, but I do think that a million dollars is kind of a low cap for a small business (costs add up fast!). One thing to note, though, is that this probably isn’t costing Apple much — the vast majority of its App Store revenue comes from bigger fish. Bottom line, though, is that it seems Apple is finally reacting to public pressure and the threat of regulation. Nick Statt:
The new App Store Small Business Program, as it’s called, will allow any developer who earns less than $1 million in annual sales per year from all of their apps to qualify for a reduced App Store cut of 15 percent, half of Apple’s standard 30 percent fee, on all paid app revenue and in-app purchases.
┏ Apple’s biggest App Store critics are not impressed with its new fee cut for small developers. Tim Sweeney is not impressed.
Gaming news
┏ Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service launches on iOS as a web app. I am conflicted about this! On the one hand, I like the idea of more people realizing that the web is a viable app platform. On the other, I hate hate hate that it’s happening because of Apple’s ridiculous App Store policies. One thing Nick Statt notes: this technically means Fortnite is back on iOS, via this particular workaround.
┏ Google Stadia is coming to iOS officially as a web app. Quite a day for web apps!
Google says it has been building a progressive web app version of Stadia that will run in the mobile version of Apple’s Safari browser, similar to how Microsoft intends to deliver its competing xCloud service on iOS sometime next year. But Google intends to beat Microsoft to the punch with public testing of its version in the coming weeks. Nvidia also announced today that it a beta web app version of its GeForce Now cloud gaming service on iOS is available today.
┏ AMD Radeon RX 6800 review: entry-level 4K. Sean Hollister makes a good case for the entry-level GPUs being better than you might expect.
┏ Google Stadia survived a year, but its future depends on games like Cyberpunk 2077. Nick Statt on the state of Stadia:
But the key going forward will be moving beyond the “it’s good enough” strategy that has gotten Stadia to where it is now. That means convincing a prospective buyer of a game like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to buy it on Stadia and not one of the half-dozen other platforms it’s available on. That scenario represents Google’s biggest and most pivotal challenge going forward. It’s made only harder by the launch of next-gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony, with the Xbox Series X / S and PlayStation 5 offering many of the same (and in some cases, better) load times and performance benefits Stadia touted last year without any of the compromises of using a streaming platform.
Google news
┏ Google Pay’s massive relaunch makes it an all-encompassing money app. Just describing the many things this app does is enough to widen the eyes and make you wonder if maybe Google should be reined in. And the methods by which Google collects the information it needs to enable all those features are all private and secure — but it’s very difficult to worry that they someday won’t be either.
Google has announced that it’s finally beginning to enable a key privacy feature: end-to-end encryption. For Android users who use Android Messages, one-on-one chats will eventually be end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning neither carriers nor Google will be able to read the content of those messages. Even though encryption is only beginning to roll out to people who sign up for the public beta for Android Messages, turning on encryption for RCS is a very big deal.
More from The Verge
┏ Intel’s new laptop is designed to help small companies take on HP and Dell. It’s a 15-inch productivity laptop, Dan Seifert writes. He says it looks nice in person. I’ll take his word for it, as it’s not so great in pictures. Will be curious to see which companies decide to pick this up and offer it.
Intel is launching a new laptop. Yes, that’s right, Intel itself has a new laptop that it designed in-house and will be selling through various partners early in 2021. The NUC M15 is the latest computer in the company’s expanding Next Unit of Computing line, which is best known for making tiny desktop PCs.
┏ Pixelmator Pro gets update for M1 Macs. I have been a huge Pixelmator (and Acorn) fan, so I am very excited to try this out. It’s just super refreshing to use a photo editing app that isn’t loaded down with all the conventions (and unnecessary features) of Photoshop. Pixelmator feels much more modern to me, even though it’s not quite as powerful.
┏ Wonder Woman 1984 will be released on HBO Max the same day it’s in theaters for no extra cost. Good. I have to say I didn’t expect I’d miss big fun popcorn blockbusters movies as much as I do. Excited for them to come back and even more excited to make my own damn popcorn, at home. Julia Alexander:


theverge--2020-11-20--Google Assistant coming to Samsung TVs in 12 countries by year end

Google Assistant is now available on Samsung ’ s 2020 TVs in the UK , France , Germany , and Italy , and will be available in 12 countries by the end of the year , Samsung has announced .
This follows the launch of Google ’ s voice assistant on Samsung ’ s TVs in the US last month .
Samsung says it ’ ll roll out in Spain , Brazil , India and South Korea by late November .
The voice assistant is available alongside Amazon ’ s Alexa and Samsung ’ s own Bixby voice assistants .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice assistant can be used to control the TV directly with commands like changing channels or adjusting the volume , or else it can control other Google Assistant-compatible smart home devices like thermostats or lights .
You can also ask it for information on the weather or to play music , and it integrates with other Google services like Search , Photos , Maps , and Calendar .
Samsung ’ s 2019 TVs previously integrated with Google Assistant , but back then users had to give their commands via a separate device equipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Home smart speaker .
With the new models , however , users can issue voice commands to their TVs directly by holding down the microphone button on its remote .
With support for both Alexa and Google Assistant now onboard , Samsung ’ s own Bixby smart assistant looks increasingly sidelined on its smart TVs .
We can ’ t imagine many people would choose to use it when Google and Amazon ’ s popular assistants are now built in .
If you ’ re in a compatible country and want to enable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do so by heading into its Settings menu , selecting “ General , ” then “ Voice , ” and finally “ Voice Assistant.
” From there , Google Assistant can be selected as a voice assistant .
Samsung says it ’ s rolling out support on the following models : “ all 2020 4K and 8K QLED TVs , Crystal UHD TVs , The Frame , The Serif , The Sero and The Terrace .
”

Google Assistant is now available on Samsung’s 2020 TVs in the UK, France, Germany, and Italy, and will be available in 12 countries by the end of the year, Samsung has announced. This follows the launch of Google’s voice assistant on Samsung’s TVs in the US last month. Samsung says it’ll roll out in Spain, Brazil, India and South Korea by late November. The voice assistant is available alongside Amazon’s Alexa and Samsung’s own Bixby voice assistants.
According to Samsung, Google’s voice assistant can be used to control the TV directly with commands like changing channels or adjusting the volume, or else it can control other Google Assistant-compatible smart home devices like thermostats or lights. You can also ask it for information on the weather or to play music, and it integrates with other Google services like Search, Photos, Maps, and Calendar.
Joining Alexa and Bixby
Samsung’s 2019 TVs previously integrated with Google Assistant, but back then users had to give their commands via a separate device equipped with the voice assistant like a Google Home smart speaker. With the new models, however, users can issue voice commands to their TVs directly by holding down the microphone button on its remote.
With support for both Alexa and Google Assistant now onboard, Samsung’s own Bixby smart assistant looks increasingly sidelined on its smart TVs. We can’t imagine many people would choose to use it when Google and Amazon’s popular assistants are now built in.


theverge--2020-11-20--Microsoft Teams takes on Zoom with free all-day video calling on the web

Microsoft is making a big push to entice fans of Zoom over to Microsoft Teams with a new all-day video calling option that can be used for free .
While the software giant launched Microsoft Teams for consumers on mobile earlier this year , it ’ s now bringing Teams ’ friends and family features to the desktop and web allowing you to create a Microsoft Teams meeting for up to 300 friends and family that can run all day free of charge .
You won ’ t need a Microsoft Account or the Microsoft Teams app to join calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a web browser .
Microsoft Teams will also support seeing up to 49 friends or family members in a gallery view or through its Together Mode feature that puts you side by side in a virtual environment .
With Thanksgiving just a week away , it ’ s clear Microsoft is positioning Teams as a way for families to connect virtually during the pandemic .
That ’ s particularly relevant , as officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommend that people should not travel for Thanksgiving .
Zoom surged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people flocked to the video calling service to connect to coworkers , fellow students , or even friends and family .
Teams might be a little late to the consumer party , but with a long 24-hour limit on meeting length and an easy to use web app it suddenly looks like Microsoft is offering the best way ( until it imposes limits ) to connect with friends and family free of charge .
Zoom has its own 40-minute limit , which the company is lifting temporarily for Thanksgiving , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Cisco Webex ( 50-minute limit ) also have similar restrictions .
Microsoft had been trying to push Skype Meet Now for this previously , but everyone has mostly forgotten Skype exists .
To get started as a meeting host all you need to do is visit Microsoft ’ s new Teams web link and sign in with a Microsoft Account .
Once you ’ ve created a video meeting you can simply share the link with friends and family , and they ’ ll be able to join via the web @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Account .

Microsoft is making a big push to entice fans of Zoom over to Microsoft Teams with a new all-day video calling option that can be used for free. While the software giant launched Microsoft Teams for consumers on mobile earlier this year, it’s now bringing Teams’ friends and family features to the desktop and web allowing you to create a Microsoft Teams meeting for up to 300 friends and family that can run all day free of charge.
You won’t need a Microsoft Account or the Microsoft Teams app to join calls, as you can join free via a web browser. Microsoft Teams will also support seeing up to 49 friends or family members in a gallery view or through its Together Mode feature that puts you side by side in a virtual environment.
Microsoft Teams on the web.
With Thanksgiving just a week away, it’s clear Microsoft is positioning Teams as a way for families to connect virtually during the pandemic. That’s particularly relevant, as officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommend that people should not travel for Thanksgiving. Zoom surged in popularity earlier this year after thousands of people flocked to the video calling service to connect to coworkers, fellow students, or even friends and family.
Teams might be a little late to the consumer party, but with a long 24-hour limit on meeting length and an easy to use web app it suddenly looks like Microsoft is offering the best way (until it imposes limits) to connect with friends and family free of charge. Zoom has its own 40-minute limit, which the company is lifting temporarily for Thanksgiving, and other competitors like Google Meet (60-minute limit) and Cisco Webex (50-minute limit) also have similar restrictions. Microsoft had been trying to push Skype Meet Now for this previously, but everyone has mostly forgotten Skype exists.


theverge--2020-11-20--iFixit teardown shows just how similar the new M1 MacBooks are

iFixit has gotten its hands on Apple ’ s new M1-powered MacBook Air and MacBook Pro , which of course is to say that its team has torn the laptops apart to find out what ’ s inside .
And , while the Air and the Pro have set groundbreaking new standards for performance and efficiency , it turns out that this can be attributed almost entirely to the M1 chip rather than any particular design changes .
Take the new MacBook Pro , for instance .
Here ’ s this year ’ s Intel-based model on the left , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right : The internal layouts of the two computers are almost identical .
iFixit notes that the M1 model uses exactly the same fan component as its Intel predecessor , for example , which really does drive home the M1 chip ’ s efficiency considering the difference in noise levels between the two computers .
The MacBook Air , meanwhile , also looks very similar to the Intel version , but with the omission of the fan altogether .
iFixit expressed a little surprise that the design of the Air and Pro didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computers now use identical processors , but Apple ’ s design focus here was clearly on using the M1 as a drop-in replacement for its existing products .
Check out the full teardown at iFixit for more , including a closer look at the M1 processor itself , a complete list of other chips the team found inside , and thoughts on the laptops ’ repairability .

iFixit has gotten its hands on Apple’s new M1-powered MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, which of course is to say that its team has torn the laptops apart to find out what’s inside. And, while the Air and the Pro have set groundbreaking new standards for performance and efficiency, it turns out that this can be attributed almost entirely to the M1 chip rather than any particular design changes.
Take the new MacBook Pro, for instance. Here’s this year’s Intel-based model on the left, with the new M1 version on the right:
iFixit
The internal layouts of the two computers are almost identical. iFixit notes that the M1 model uses exactly the same fan component as its Intel predecessor, for example, which really does drive home the M1 chip’s efficiency considering the difference in noise levels between the two computers.
The MacBook Air, meanwhile, also looks very similar to the Intel version, but with the omission of the fan altogether. iFixit expressed a little surprise that the design of the Air and Pro didn’t converge more, considering the computers now use identical processors, but Apple’s design focus here was clearly on using the M1 as a drop-in replacement for its existing products.


theverge--2020-11-19--Rocket Lab successfully brings its rocket back to Earth underneath a parachute

After launching one of its rockets to orbit on Thursday , small satellite launcher Rocket Lab successfully brought the vehicle back to Earth and landed it gently in the ocean underneath a series of parachutes .
The maneuver was part of an intricate dress rehearsal , meant to practice nearly all of the steps Rocket Lab will take to recover and reuse its rockets in the future .
Rocket Lab ’ s primary rocket is the Electron , aimed at launching batches of small satellites into low Earth orbit .
For all of the company ’ s 15 launches up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expendable , with an entirely new rocket used for each new mission .
But in 2019 , Rocket Lab announced its plans to try to save the majority of the Electron rocket following future launches , in order to reuse the vehicles for subsequent missions .
And the company has been slowly progressing toward that goal ever since , testing out new maneuvers on its missions aimed at pulling off a recovery .
practicing the steps to recover and reuse rockets Rocket Lab ’ s recovery plan is quite different from that of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 rockets either on a landing pad or on an autonomous drone ship after launch .
For the Electron , Rocket Lab also envisions bringing the rocket back to Earth in a controlled manner following a flight .
But once at a certain altitude , the Electron will deploy a drogue parachute and a main parachute to slow its fall .
While the Electron slowly descends to Earth , Rocket Lab will send out a helicopter to snag hold of the parachutes ’ line , effectively catching the vehicle from mid-air and preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During this 16th launch , Rocket Lab practiced those steps , including the parachute deploy , after launching the Electron from the company ’ s main facility in New Zealand .
However , the company skipped the final step of snatching the Electron out of the air , and the rocket ultimately splashed down in the Pacific Ocean .
The goal all along was to see if the company could bring the rocket back intact and land it in one piece in the ocean .
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck tweeted out an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parachute , and hosts during the launch ’ s livestream said that more photos would be shared in the coming days .
Rocket Lab plans to fish the Electron rocket out of the water and get the hardware back to a factory to examine it in detail .
Engineers outfitted this Electron with extra sensors to collect data during the launch and descent , as the team wants to see what kind of state the vehicle is in after its whirlwind trip to space and back .
Then they ’ ll have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the helicopter mid-air grab .
It ’ s also possible this particular rocket could fly again if it ’ s in good enough shape .
The goal all along was to see if the company could bring the rocket back intact While the recovery got most of the attention , Rocket Lab launched 30 satellites into space on this mission , too .
The satellites ranged from surveillance to communication probes , and also included a vehicle tasked with demonstrating a new tether technology aimed at ridding space of unnecessary and dangerous debris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3D-printed statue of a garden gnome , provided by Gabe Newell , the founder of Valve Software .
Named Gnome Chompski , the statue is modeled after a prop from the Half-Life video game series and served as a fun way to simulate mass during the flight .
For this mission , Newell vowed to donate $ 1 to the Starship Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in New Zealand for every person who tuned into Rocket Lab ’ s launch livestream .

After launching one of its rockets to orbit on Thursday, small satellite launcher Rocket Lab successfully brought the vehicle back to Earth and landed it gently in the ocean underneath a series of parachutes. The maneuver was part of an intricate dress rehearsal, meant to practice nearly all of the steps Rocket Lab will take to recover and reuse its rockets in the future.
Rocket Lab’s primary rocket is the Electron, aimed at launching batches of small satellites into low Earth orbit. For all of the company’s 15 launches up until now, the Electron has been expendable, with an entirely new rocket used for each new mission. But in 2019, Rocket Lab announced its plans to try to save the majority of the Electron rocket following future launches, in order to reuse the vehicles for subsequent missions. And the company has been slowly progressing toward that goal ever since, testing out new maneuvers on its missions aimed at pulling off a recovery.
practicing the steps to recover and reuse rockets
Rocket Lab’s recovery plan is quite different from that of SpaceX, which famously lands its Falcon 9 rockets either on a landing pad or on an autonomous drone ship after launch. For the Electron, Rocket Lab also envisions bringing the rocket back to Earth in a controlled manner following a flight. But once at a certain altitude, the Electron will deploy a drogue parachute and a main parachute to slow its fall. While the Electron slowly descends to Earth, Rocket Lab will send out a helicopter to snag hold of the parachutes’ line, effectively catching the vehicle from mid-air and preventing the hardware from hitting the ocean.
During this 16th launch, Rocket Lab practiced those steps, including the parachute deploy, after launching the Electron from the company’s main facility in New Zealand. However, the company skipped the final step of snatching the Electron out of the air, and the rocket ultimately splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The goal all along was to see if the company could bring the rocket back intact and land it in one piece in the ocean. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck tweeted out an initial photo of the Electron underneath a parachute, and hosts during the launch’s livestream said that more photos would be shared in the coming days.
Rocket Lab plans to fish the Electron rocket out of the water and get the hardware back to a factory to examine it in detail. Engineers outfitted this Electron with extra sensors to collect data during the launch and descent, as the team wants to see what kind of state the vehicle is in after its whirlwind trip to space and back. Then they’ll have a better understanding of when they can try the helicopter mid-air grab. It’s also possible this particular rocket could fly again if it’s in good enough shape.
The goal all along was to see if the company could bring the rocket back intact


theverge--2020-11-20--Twitter will transfer presidential accounts to Joe Biden on Inauguration Day

Twitter will transfer the @ POTUS account to President-elect Joe Biden when he ’ s sworn in on Inauguration Day , the company told Politico .
Twitter will transfer the account to Biden even if President Donald Trump hasn ’ t conceded — which he still hasn ’ t done , despite the election widely being called for Biden earlier this month .
“ Twitter is actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th , 2021 , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge .
“ As we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this process is being done in close consultation with the National Archives and Records Administration.
” Other presidential accounts , including @ whitehouse , @ VP , and @ FLOTUS , will be moved over as well , Politico reports .
The existing content on all of the accounts will be archived before the transfer ( here ’ s Barack Obama ’ s @ POTUS archive , if you ’ re curious ) , and the accounts will be reset to show zero tweets .
Trump will continue to control his personal account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s inauguration , but the account will lose the special protections it gets due to Trump ’ s status as a world leader — meaning he will be subject to the same rules as the majority of the users on the platform .
Correction : We originally said in one sentence that Twitter hadn ’ t replied to a request for comment , but they had .
We regret the error .

Twitter will transfer the @POTUS account to President-elect Joe Biden when he’s sworn in on Inauguration Day, the company told Politico. Twitter will transfer the account to Biden even if President Donald Trump hasn’t conceded — which he still hasn’t done, despite the election widely being called for Biden earlier this month.
“Twitter is actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th, 2021,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. “As we did for the presidential transition in 2017, this process is being done in close consultation with the National Archives and Records Administration.”
Other presidential accounts, including @whitehouse, @VP, and @FLOTUS, will be moved over as well, Politico reports. The existing content on all of the accounts will be archived before the transfer (here’s Barack Obama’s @POTUS archive, if you’re curious), and the accounts will be reset to show zero tweets.
Trump will continue to control his personal account, @realDonaldTrump, after Biden’s inauguration, but the account will lose the special protections it gets due to Trump’s status as a world leader — meaning he will be subject to the same rules as the majority of the users on the platform.
On Saturday, Facebook told Reuters it would also transfer the official POTUS account on its platform to the incoming administration. “In 2017, we worked with both the Obama Administration and incoming Trump Administration to make sure the transition of their Facebook and Instagram accounts was seamless on January 20th, and we expect to do the same here,” the company said.
Update November 21st 4:40PM ET: Adds information that Facebook will transfer its POTUS account.


theverge--2020-11-20--Tesla workers in California are exempt from state’s new COVID-19 orders

Employees at Tesla ’ s Fremont plant are “ essential workers ” and therefore exempt from new statewide COVID-19 health orders , CNBC reported .
The California Department of Public Health says manufacturing is considered an “ essential workforce ” — and that applies to Tesla ’ s manufacturing , too .
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced new measures such as a “ limited stay-at-home order ” to slow new coronavirus cases in the state .
The rules , which take effect Saturday , prohibit non-essential work and personal gatherings between 10PM and 5AM .
The carmaker fought previous , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In March , Alameda County officials initially told the company it was not exempt from an order requiring nonessential businesses in six Bay Area counties to shut down .
The Tesla plant continued operating , with company executives arguing it was “ national critical infrastructure , ” even though it did not appear to fit the description of an “ essential business ” in the the order .
Tesla eventually said on March 19th that it would comply with the Bay Area order and shut down operations at the Fremont plant , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Model X , and Model Y were assembled , on March 23rd .
The company agreed to reduce its workforce there to “ basic operations.
” In May , CEO Elon Musk announced he was reopening Tesla ’ s Fremont plant even though it violated the local shelter-in-place order .
He filed a lawsuit against the county and threatened to move its operations out of California .
He was later accused of creating a “ public health risk ” by reopening his factory before being authorized to do so .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moderate case of covid.
” At least six Tesla employees tested positive for COVID-19 following the reopening of the Fremont plant .
Alameda County officials could still impose stricter stay-at-home orders which would supersede the state order , but have not done so yet .

Employees at Tesla’s Fremont plant are “essential workers” and therefore exempt from new statewide COVID-19 health orders, CNBC reported. The California Department of Public Health says manufacturing is considered an “essential workforce” — and that applies to Tesla’s manufacturing, too.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced new measures such as a “limited stay-at-home order” to slow new coronavirus cases in the state. The rules, which take effect Saturday, prohibit non-essential work and personal gatherings between 10PM and 5AM.
The carmaker fought previous, stricter shelter-in-place orders in the spring. In March, Alameda County officials initially told the company it was not exempt from an order requiring nonessential businesses in six Bay Area counties to shut down. The Tesla plant continued operating, with company executives arguing it was “national critical infrastructure,” even though it did not appear to fit the description of an “essential business” in the the order.
Tesla eventually said on March 19th that it would comply with the Bay Area order and shut down operations at the Fremont plant, where its Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y were assembled, on March 23rd. The company agreed to reduce its workforce there to “basic operations.”
In May, CEO Elon Musk announced he was reopening Tesla’s Fremont plant even though it violated the local shelter-in-place order. He filed a lawsuit against the county and threatened to move its operations out of California. He was later accused of creating a “public health risk” by reopening his factory before being authorized to do so.
Last week, Musk announced he likely had a “moderate case of covid.” At least six Tesla employees tested positive for COVID-19 following the reopening of the Fremont plant.


theverge--2020-11-20--Airbnb’s Chinese data policies reportedly cost it an executive

Airbnb ’ s chief trust officer Sean Joyce left the company after just six months in 2019 because the former FBI deputy director took issue with the company ’ s data sharing practices in China , according to a report in The Wall Street Journal .
For years , Airbnb has disclosed that it shares information such as phone numbers and email addresses with the Chinese government when a user books a rental in China .
That happens whether the user is a Chinese citizen or a foreign visitor — a policy that ’ s required from all hospitality businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who Airbnb hired in May 2019 to protect the platform ’ s users , was concerned with Airbnb ’ s willingness to share data .
Joyce also objected to the scope of the data shared , such as messages sent between guests and hosts , The Wall Street Journal reports .
He feared it could allow the Chinese government to track foreign visitors and its own citizens .
Airbnb ’ s Chinese business is specifically mentioned in the S-1 filing the company made public Monday ahead of its planned initial public offering .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] regulations or their interpretation changes in the future , ” the prospectus reads , “ we could be ... forced to cease our operations in China.
” American tech companies have had to navigate tricky relationships with China for years .
China currently blocks major companies like Facebook and Google for not complying with government requests for information .
Others like Apple turn a hefty profit in the country but are often criticized for making concessions to the country ’ s government .
China is one of the largest markets in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s preference for pervasive surveillance often has generated blowback from employees .
Despite that , American companies have continued to provide the tools for the surveillance and censorship of China ’ s marginalized communities , such as Uighur Muslims , including the use of DNA databases to track their movements .
These actions have directly lead to the persecution and detention of the group .
Airbnb did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
The company is in what ’ s known as a “ quiet period ” because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on what company spokespeople and executives are allowed to say .

Airbnb’s chief trust officer Sean Joyce left the company after just six months in 2019 because the former FBI deputy director took issue with the company’s data sharing practices in China, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
For years, Airbnb has disclosed that it shares information such as phone numbers and email addresses with the Chinese government when a user books a rental in China. That happens whether the user is a Chinese citizen or a foreign visitor — a policy that’s required from all hospitality businesses operating in the country. Joyce, who Airbnb hired in May 2019 to protect the platform’s users, was concerned with Airbnb’s willingness to share data. Joyce also objected to the scope of the data shared, such as messages sent between guests and hosts, The Wall Street Journal reports. He feared it could allow the Chinese government to track foreign visitors and its own citizens.
Airbnb’s Chinese business is specifically mentioned in the S-1 filing the company made public Monday ahead of its planned initial public offering. “If [China’s rental] regulations or their interpretation changes in the future,” the prospectus reads, “we could be ... forced to cease our operations in China.”
American tech companies have had to navigate tricky relationships with China for years. China currently blocks major companies like Facebook and Google for not complying with government requests for information. Others like Apple turn a hefty profit in the country but are often criticized for making concessions to the country’s government.


theverge--2020-11-20--You won’t be able to watch HBO on Amazon’s channels platform starting next year

Amazon and HBO-owner WarnerMedia finally came to an agreement this week to bring HBO Max to Amazon Fire TV devices , nearly six months after the streaming service first launched .
But as part of that agreement , Amazon will be removing HBO from Amazon ’ s Prime Video Channels selection starting next year , according to CNBC .
Amazon Prime Video Channels let you subscribe to individual streaming channels for a monthly fee and watch them on Amazon .
But the HBO Prime Video Channel has some differences from HBO Max .
HBO Max offers everything you ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as additional movies , shows , and original series .
As WarnerMedia is trying to build its subscriber base for HBO Max , it seems the company wants to remove some avenues to watch the standard HBO channel online .
And when HBO disappears from Amazon Prime Video Channels , it won ’ t be the first time WarnerMedia has removed HBO from an a la carte channels platform : the company yanked HBO from the Apple TV Channels platform the day HBO Max launched in May .
Amazon didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
WarnerMedia declined to comment .

Amazon and HBO-owner WarnerMedia finally came to an agreement this week to bring HBO Max to Amazon Fire TV devices, nearly six months after the streaming service first launched. But as part of that agreement, Amazon will be removing HBO from Amazon’s Prime Video Channels selection starting next year, according to CNBC.
Amazon Prime Video Channels let you subscribe to individual streaming channels for a monthly fee and watch them on Amazon. But the HBO Prime Video Channel has some differences from HBO Max. HBO Max offers everything you’d get with a normal HBO subscription as well as additional movies, shows, and original series.
As WarnerMedia is trying to build its subscriber base for HBO Max, it seems the company wants to remove some avenues to watch the standard HBO channel online. And when HBO disappears from Amazon Prime Video Channels, it won’t be the first time WarnerMedia has removed HBO from an a la carte channels platform: the company yanked HBO from the Apple TV Channels platform the day HBO Max launched in May.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. WarnerMedia declined to comment.