theverge--2020-11-17--Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting Christmas, Thanksgiving, and save data transfers

A few more holidays are coming to the virtual world of Animal Crossing : New Horizons .
Today , Nintendo announced that Turkey Day and Toy Day — the in-universe versions of Thanksgiving and Christmas — will take place over the next two months .
Additionally , the game ’ s next update will introduce save data transfers and expansion for your in-game storage .
Let ’ s start with the holidays .
Turkey Day will take place on November 26th , will involve a big meal in the town square , and players will be able to earn a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meanwhile , is much more elaborate .
It lasts from December 1st through the 25th , and players will be able to gather ornaments from trees to create new seasonal items , while holiday-themed decorations and clothing will also be available .
If that wasn ’ t enough holiday cheer , Nintendo says that New Year-themed items will also be available between December 26th and 31st .
Perhaps a bigger change , though , is the long-awaited addition of save data transfer , something that ’ s been sorely missing since New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s how Nintendo describes it : Two new features are arriving to offer expanded flexibility for your island and resident data .
The whole island transfer feature will enable you to move your user save data , along with the island itself and all the residents , to another system .
This service will be facilitated by the free Island Transfer Tool app in Nintendo eShop .
For players who are not the island ’ s Resident Representative , a single-player transfer feature allows you to transfer resident data to another system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name , appearance and equipment , along with your inventory , home and storage .
Additional details about the benefits and limitations of these new data transfer services can be found at https : //animal-crossing.com/new-horizons/ # transfer .
The update , which will be available for free starting on November 19th , also includes a handful of quality-of-life updates .
For those who have paid off their ( in-game ) debt , the maximum storage is now expanded to 2400 slots , while the update also introduces nine new reactions and six new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update is expected in late January .

Two new features are arriving to offer expanded flexibility for your island and resident data. The whole island transfer feature will enable you to move your user save data, along with the island itself and all the residents, to another system. This service will be facilitated by the free Island Transfer Tool app in Nintendo eShop.
For players who are not the island’s Resident Representative, a single-player transfer feature allows you to transfer resident data to another system. This includes your resident’s name, appearance and equipment, along with your inventory, home and storage. Additional details about the benefits and limitations of these new data transfer services can be found at https://animal-crossing.com/new-horizons/#transfer.


theverge--2020-11-17--Tanooki Mario will be available in Lego form next year

Lego ’ s next collection of Super Mario-themed sets includes Mario ’ s iconic Tanooki suit as a new “ Power-Up Pack ” launching on January 1st .
The Tanooki Suit is just one of the new Super Mario Lego sets launching next year , which include the new 366-piece Master Your Adventure Maker Set , three new expansion sets , 10 collectible character packs , and a second Power-Up pack with a Penguin costume for the Italian plumber .
For those unfamiliar with the Mario sets Lego launched earlier this year , the idea is to build 2D-style levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mario figurine through from start pipe to goal flag .
You get coins for walking the Mario figurine through the level , bopping it on top of enemies , or interacting with other level elements .
These new sets add new figurines , bricks , and options for levels , expanding what can be built and how levels can be played .
In the promotional video above , Lego shows how Mario can be swapped into his $ 9.99 Tanooki suit , and will then make sounds when players “ spin ” him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The $ 9.99 penguin costume , meanwhile , recognizes when Mario is sliding on his belly .
Previous costumes have included Fire Mario , Cat Mario , and Builder Mario .
The $ 59.99 Master Your Adventure Maker Set is the biggest of the new kits launching next year .
Lego says the set includes three “ Special Bricks ” that can be customized to create different effects for Mario when he interacts with them as well as a new start pipe that can create new rules for how players have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the new maker set , there are three expansion sets : the $ 19.99 Chain Chomp Jungle Encounter , the $ 29.99 Piranha Plant Puzzling Challenge , and the $ 39.99 Wiggler ’ s Poison Swamp .
Finally , there is a new set of $ 4.99 character packs , which include characters like Fly Guy , Parachute Goomba , and Thwimp .
It ’ s a pretty expansive collection , and it suggests Nintendo and Lego are nowhere near done with their collaboration .

Lego’s next collection of Super Mario-themed sets includes Mario’s iconic Tanooki suit as a new “Power-Up Pack” launching on January 1st. The Tanooki Suit is just one of the new Super Mario Lego sets launching next year, which include the new 366-piece Master Your Adventure Maker Set, three new expansion sets, 10 collectible character packs, and a second Power-Up pack with a Penguin costume for the Italian plumber.
For those unfamiliar with the Mario sets Lego launched earlier this year, the idea is to build 2D-style levels that players can manually hop their Lego Mario figurine through from start pipe to goal flag. You get coins for walking the Mario figurine through the level, bopping it on top of enemies, or interacting with other level elements. These new sets add new figurines, bricks, and options for levels, expanding what can be built and how levels can be played.
The $9.99 Tanooki Mario Power-Up Pack includes a new costume for the character. Image: Lego
In the promotional video above, Lego shows how Mario can be swapped into his $9.99 Tanooki suit, and will then make sounds when players “spin” him around or use him to hit enemies. The $9.99 penguin costume, meanwhile, recognizes when Mario is sliding on his belly. Previous costumes have included Fire Mario, Cat Mario, and Builder Mario.
The $59.99 Master Your Adventure Maker Set is the biggest of the new kits launching next year. Lego says the set includes three “Special Bricks” that can be customized to create different effects for Mario when he interacts with them as well as a new start pipe that can create new rules for how players have to run through the level.
The new Master Your Adventure Maker Set includes 366 pieces. Image: Lego
As well as the new maker set, there are three expansion sets: the $19.99 Chain Chomp Jungle Encounter, the $29.99 Piranha Plant Puzzling Challenge, and the $39.99 Wiggler’s Poison Swamp. Finally, there is a new set of $4.99 character packs, which include characters like Fly Guy, Parachute Goomba, and Thwimp.


theverge--2020-11-17--Hyundai-backed Motional to launch fully driverless cars in Las Vegas

Motional , the self-driving car operator backed by Hyundai and Aptiv , has received the green light to roll out a test fleet of fully driverless cars in Las Vegas .
The state of Nevada has granted the company permission to operate its autonomous vehicles without a human safety driver behind the wheel .
Currently , only a small handful of AV operators have actually deployed fully driverless vehicles , also known as Level 4 autonomous vehicles , on public roads .
Waymo , the self-driving unit of Alphabet , has been operating its Level 4 vehicles in the suburbs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it recently began offering rides to paying customers .
Yandex , the Russian tech giant , tested its Level 4 vehicles in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year .
Motional says it is preparing to launch its own vehicles in the “ coming months.
” Motional is a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv Motional as a joint venture was first announced in March 2020 when Hyundai said it would spend $ 1.6 billion to catch up to its rivals in the autonomous vehicle space .
Aptiv @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an offshoot of global auto parts supplier Delphi , owns 50 percent of the venture .
The company currently tests its vehicles in Las Vegas , Singapore , and Seoul .
Motional ’ s engineers were responsible for the world ’ s first robotaxi pilot in Singapore , as well as the first cross-country New York to San Francisco autonomous trip .
Over the last two years , Aptiv ’ s fleet of safety driver-monitored autonomous taxis in Las Vegas ( in partnership with Lyft ) have completed over 100,000 trips .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be kept separate from its ride-hailing program with Lyft , a spokesperson said .
That means members of the public won ’ t be getting rides in fully driverless cars .
“ We look forward to launching fully-driverless public services in the future , ” the spokesperson said .
Motional ’ s “ next-gen ” vehicles , which are currently under development , will be fully driverless and available to the public .
“ These robotaxis will be ‘ driverless-ready ’ — meaning they ’ ll come off the assembly line integrated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enable fully driverless operation , ” the spokesperson said .
“ We expect to make them available to fleet partners and operators in 2022 .
The details on implementation and integration will be worked through as these partnerships come together.
” Several companies have received permits to deploy Level 4 vehicles in California — including Waymo , Nuro , Zoox , Cruise , and AutoX — though none have actually begun testing .
Deploying vehicles without safety drivers on public roads is a huge risk that most AV operators have been extremely cautious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues permits to companies that wish to test autonomous vehicles , but it generally has less stringent rules about public operation than California .
“ We ’ re not taking the shortest or fastest route to driverless operation on public roads , ” Motional CEO Karl Iagnemma said in a blog post .
“ We ’ re taking the safe route — and sometimes reaching the figurative crosswalk takes a few extra steps .
We hope that others will follow our lead .
”

Motional, the self-driving car operator backed by Hyundai and Aptiv, has received the green light to roll out a test fleet of fully driverless cars in Las Vegas. The state of Nevada has granted the company permission to operate its autonomous vehicles without a human safety driver behind the wheel.
Currently, only a small handful of AV operators have actually deployed fully driverless vehicles, also known as Level 4 autonomous vehicles, on public roads. Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet, has been operating its Level 4 vehicles in the suburbs outside of Phoenix for several years now, and it recently began offering rides to paying customers. Yandex, the Russian tech giant, tested its Level 4 vehicles in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year. Motional says it is preparing to launch its own vehicles in the “coming months.”
Motional is a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv
Motional as a joint venture was first announced in March 2020 when Hyundai said it would spend $1.6 billion to catch up to its rivals in the autonomous vehicle space. Aptiv, a self-driving technology company that is an offshoot of global auto parts supplier Delphi, owns 50 percent of the venture. The company currently tests its vehicles in Las Vegas, Singapore, and Seoul.
The company’s Level 4 vehicles will be kept separate from its ride-hailing program with Lyft, a spokesperson said. That means members of the public won’t be getting rides in fully driverless cars. “We look forward to launching fully-driverless public services in the future,” the spokesperson said.
Motional’s “next-gen” vehicles, which are currently under development, will be fully driverless and available to the public. “These robotaxis will be ‘driverless-ready’ — meaning they’ll come off the assembly line integrated with the sensors, computers and software to enable fully driverless operation,” the spokesperson said. “We expect to make them available to fleet partners and operators in 2022. The details on implementation and integration will be worked through as these partnerships come together.”
Several companies have received permits to deploy Level 4 vehicles in California — including Waymo, Nuro, Zoox, Cruise, and AutoX — though only Nuro has begun testing. (The company aims to run a commercial delivery service, and doesn’t aspire to have human passengers.)
Deploying vehicles without safety drivers on public roads is a huge risk that most AV operators have been extremely cautious about taking. The state of Nevada issues permits to companies that wish to test autonomous vehicles, but it generally has less stringent rules about public operation than California.


theverge--2020-11-17--Uber is making it easier to redeem points in its loyalty program

Uber is loosening some of the rules in its two-year-old rewards program to make it easier for customers to access perks like discounted rides and food delivery , the company announced .
Under the new rules , customers can redeem rewards for fewer points and will have longer to use their points than under the previous rules .
The move comes as the ride-hail giant continues to struggle to woo customers back to its ride-hail business after a steep dropoff as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .
Gross bookings in its ride-hailing division , or the amount of money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is down 50 percent year over year , according to Uber ’ s third quarter earnings report .
And while its Uber Eats delivery business continues to soar , the company as a whole still lost over $ 1 billion over the last three months .
Uber Rewards lets ride-hail customers earn perks like cheaper fares , better customer support , and priority pickups at airports .
Opting in is free , and riders earn points for every dollar spent on Uber ’ s various products : one point for Uber Pool and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UberX , UberXL , Select , and wheelchair-accessible vehicles ; and three points for Uber Black and Black SUV .
Previously , customers were required to accrue 500 points to “ unlock ” certain rewards Previously , customers were required to accrue 500 points to “ unlock ” certain rewards .
Now , they will only need 250 points to access those perks .
The company is also extending the redemption period from 28 days to six months , giving customers more time to use their points before they expire .
Leftover points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there will now be no limit to how many rewards can be redeemed over a six-month period .
• 10 percent off your next trip ; 250 points • Four free trips ( up to $ 30 off each ) ; 8,000 points • 10 percent off all Uber Eats orders within a week ; 700 points • 50 percent off all Uber Eats orders within a month ; 8000 points Uber is also offering rewards affiliated with third-party corporate partners : • Up to four free months of Apple Music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial of HBO MAX for new subscribers ; 1,000 points • Free month of Rosetta Stone for one language ; 1,250 points

Uber is loosening some of the rules in its two-year-old rewards program to make it easier for customers to access perks like discounted rides and food delivery, the company announced. Under the new rules, customers can redeem rewards for fewer points and will have longer to use their points than under the previous rules.
The move comes as the ride-hail giant continues to struggle to woo customers back to its ride-hail business after a steep dropoff as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Gross bookings in its ride-hailing division, or the amount of money it takes in before paying drivers, is down 50 percent year over year, according to Uber’s third quarter earnings report. And while its Uber Eats delivery business continues to soar, the company as a whole still lost over $1 billion over the last three months.
Uber Rewards lets ride-hail customers earn perks like cheaper fares, better customer support, and priority pickups at airports. Opting in is free, and riders earn points for every dollar spent on Uber’s various products: one point for Uber Pool and Uber Eats orders; two points for UberX, UberXL, Select, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles; and three points for Uber Black and Black SUV.
Previously, customers were required to accrue 500 points to “unlock” certain rewards
Previously, customers were required to accrue 500 points to “unlock” certain rewards. Now, they will only need 100 points to access those perks. The company is also extending the redemption period from 28 days to six months, giving customers more time to use their points before they expire. Leftover points can be rolled over to new rewards, and there will now be no limit to how many rewards can be redeemed over a six-month period.
Rewards include:
10 percent off your next trip; 250 points
20 percent off Uber Comfort, 750 points
Free (up to $30) Uber X trip; 2,000 points
Four free trips (up to $30 off each); 8,000 points
Uber Eats rewards include:
Free coffee from Starbucks ($3 value); 250 points
40 percent off a pickup order; 500 points
10 percent off all Uber Eats orders within a week; 700 points
Free $25 Uber Eats order; 2,500 points
50 percent off all Uber Eats orders within a month; 8000 points
Uber is also offering rewards affiliated with third-party corporate partners:


theverge--2020-11-17--Apple MacBook Air with M1 review: new chip, no problem

The new MacBook Air with Apple ’ s M1 chip is a triumph .
In a week of testing , I have pushed this computer and its new Apple-made processor to its limits and found that those limits exceeded my expectations on nearly every level .
I ’ ve also used it in the way a MacBook Air is really meant to be used : as an everyday computer for workaday tasks .
When doing so , I clocked eight and sometimes 10 hours of continuous use on battery .
Coming into this review , I had a catalog of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into when switching from an Intel chip to its own processor .
Chip transitions are devilishly hard and don ’ t usually go smoothly .
This MacBook Air not only avoids almost all of those pitfalls , but it gleefully leaps over them .
Not everything is perfect , of course .
Apple ’ s insistence on using dumpy webcams continues to be a bummer , and running iPad apps is a mess .
But as I used the MacBook Air , I often found myself so impressed that I had a hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the most impressive laptop I ’ ve used in years .
Read more : 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 review and Mac mini with M1 review On the outside , the new MacBook Air is nearly identical to the Intel-based one Apple released earlier this year .
It has the same well-loved wedge-shaped design , 2560 x 1600 screen that maxes out at 400 nits of brightness , Touch ID fingerprint login , reasonably good speakers , Apple ’ s revised scissor-switch keyboard , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same starting price : $ 999 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage .
That base model also has one less core on its graphics processor compared to pricier configurations , though I can ’ t speak to what impact that might have .
( I bet it ’ s not much . )
The model I ’ m testing has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $ 1,649 .
As before , you can ’ t upgrade anything later on if you need to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new one and the last model : Apple swapped out some of the buttons on the function row for more useful ones .
Now , you get a button for Spotlight search ( which , on macOS Big Sur , finally can do Google searches ) , Do Not Disturb , and Dictation .
If , like me , you haven ’ t used Dictation much before this , I think you ’ ll be pleasantly surprised at how good it is .
The other differences are all on the inside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for one thing , just an aluminum heat spreader .
But even when pushing this machine to its absolute limit , I never felt it get more than a little warm .
Apple knows what the thermal ceiling for this system is , and it keeps the MacBook well within it .
Unfortunately , that similarity extends to the webcam , which is still 720p resolution and still terrible .
Apple has tried to borrow some of its real-time image processing from the iPhone to try to spruce up the image — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better job evenly lighting my face — but mostly what I notice is that it looks bad ( only now it ’ s a more processed version of bad ) .
One other internal change that will affect pro users and developers more than the average MacBook Air user is that Apple has switched to a unified memory architecture , so there ’ s no separate graphics memory .
Apple claims this is more efficient .
Unfortunately , I can ’ t speak to whether the 8GB model has enough RAM to comfortably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I haven ’ t had any problems with the 16GB on my review unit .
In fact , I have yet to run into any sort of performance problem at all — because this MacBook Air is fast .
The MacBook Air performs like a pro-level laptop .
It never groans under multiple apps .
( I ’ ve run well over a dozen at a time . )
It handles intensive apps like Photoshop and even video editing apps like Adobe Premiere without complaint .
It has never made me think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or 10 — even in Chrome .
Last week , I wrote that Apple was “ astonishingly confident in its new M1 Mac processors , ” rattling off huge claims and declining to lower expectations in any way .
Having used one , I ’ m simply astonished .
I ’ ve used Windows laptops with Arm processors from Qualcomm , and they are slower , buggier , and more complicated than Intel machines .
Even though I figured Apple would handle this Intel-to-Arm transition better , I didn ’ t expect everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I knew that macOS and Apple ’ s own apps would be fast , many of which have been coded specifically to work with this processor .
What has shocked me is how well every app runs .
Some background : apps are usually built to work with a specific kind of processor , so when they are run on a machine with a different processor , some kind of extra work has to happen under the hood .
On the Mac , that work is done by a piece of software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time you run an Intel-based app .
Unlike on Windows , Rosetta 2 isn ’ t really emulation but translation .
It means those apps take a beat longer to launch , but once they ’ re running , they just ... run .
I have yet to run into any app compatibility problems ( though there may be some I haven ’ t been able to track down ) .
We , of course , ran a suite of benchmarks .
The chart below shows some of our results .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , in particular : the frame rate on Shadow of the Tomb Raider .
Thirty-eight frames per second is a respectable number for a gaming laptop with a low-end graphics card .
It ’ s nigh unheard of for a computer with an integrated GPU .
I am doing work on this MacBook Air that would have brought my old MacBook Air to its knees .
We run a standard Adobe Premiere export test , and the MacBook Air beats the latest Intel laptops with integrated graphics and holds its own with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The thing to pay attention to isn ’ t the numbers .
I admit they ’ re impressive , and also they reflect my real experience with the computer .
Instead , the thing to pay attention to is that Tomb Raider and Adobe Premiere haven ’ t been optimized for this chip yet .
They ’ re running through Apple ’ s Rosetta 2 translation layer .
Apple has intimated that the M1 chip was designed in collaboration with the Rosetta team , so it ’ s likely that there are lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you currently have a MacBook Air , I am confident this new MacBook will perform better in every way .
I think it beats the pants off Intel-based ultrabooks running Windows , including its most recent chips .
Apple is claiming that this machine can get 18 hours of video playback and “ 15 hours of wireless web , ” both of which are very large claims .
The company tells me I should expect battery life to be as much as 50 percent better than the last Air , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any bigger than the previous models .
All of those improvements come down to increased efficiency .
My actual results ?
I ’ m getting between eight and 10 hours of real , sustained work depending on how hard I am pushing it .
That ’ s not quite 50 percent better than the last MacBook Air , but it ’ s very close .
The Air lasts longer than most other laptops in its class To be very clear , I ’ m getting those numbers using the apps I actually use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chrome and various apps that are also based on the Chrome engine , like Slack .
What ’ s remarkable about that is , for some applications , Rosetta 2 needs to do a bunch of real-time code translation , which further eats into battery life .
If and when these apps are rewritten to be “ universal ” apps that work natively on the M1 , I expect to see even better battery life .
It might seem odd to mention this in the context of battery life , but the MacBook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and apps that were running before you shut the laptop are much quicker to catch themselves up with the world .
It ’ s subtle , but I have found myself willing to shut the Air closed more often than I usually do with other laptops because waking it from sleep is so seamless .
If you ’ re trying to choose between the new 13-inch MacBook Pro and this MacBook Air , I think that battery life is going to be the deciding factor for most people .
In Nilay ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple more hours on a charge .
The Pro also has a Touch Bar and a slightly brighter screen , but the other major difference is that it has a fan .
That allows it to run heavy workloads for extended periods of time .
Same deal with the new Mac mini .
One benefit of the MacBook using the same processor architecture as the iPhone and iPad is that it can now run iPhone and iPad apps natively .
To find them , you need to specifically filter for them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allowed to distribute iOS apps to users directly , unfortunately .
When you do head over to the Mac app store to find your favorite apps , prepare to be disappointed .
Click on your name in the lower left , then click the tab for “ iPhone & iPad apps , ” which will show you all of the apps you ’ ve installed on your iOS devices .
What I found there was a gallery of abandonware , mostly apps from developers that haven ’ t been updated to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option to opt their apps out of being made available on the Mac , and many , many developers have done so .
Instagram , Slack , Gmail , and many others simply aren ’ t available .
I suspect these developers made that choice because they wanted to make sure they didn ’ t have a messy , weird app experience on the Mac .
Because iOS apps on the Mac are a messy , weird experience .
Apple should have slapped a beta label on this feature .
Apps that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest iPad coding standards are great .
Overcast , a podcasting app , is quite good and feels totally usable .
HBO Max , on the other hand , is a mess .
It appears in a little window that you can ’ t resize , nor can you full-screen videos .
What ?
The experience is also a little buggy , though Apple tells me the following issue I experienced will be resolved soon .
I installed the Telegram messaging iOS app , which works well at first .
But when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opens up on top of my other windows .
The larger bug is that I was unable to delete it using the usual method of clicking an X button in Launch Center .
Even when I deleted it manually in the Finder , it still seemed to stick around for a few minutes until I rebooted , receiving notifications .
Apple has built a new system for every iOS app that is available in the Mac menu called “ Touch Alternatives.
” It is a series of buttons , gestures , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a touchscreen work on a Mac .
It ’ s frankly ridiculous and the clearest sign yet that Apple is bending itself into knots to avoid doing what obviously needs to be done : put a touchscreen on the Mac .
Luckily , you can ignore all of these iOS apps until developers optimize them or Apple figures out a better way to clean up the weird stuff .
At the same time that it launched the new MacBook Air with an M1 processor , Apple discontinued the Intel-based version of the Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the MacBook Air is Apple ’ s best-selling computer , and Apple also just made more money selling Macs last quarter than it ever had before .
But it was the right decision .
There is not a single reason I can find to want the old Intel version .
Except for the webcam , the MacBook Air with the M1 is incredible For pro users , there are still improvements Apple needs to make to increase performance on the top end for intense workloads .
You can ’ t run an external @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to just one external display at a time , for example , and it ’ s likely that a true pro would find the ceiling on this integrated GPU fairly quickly .
But as an everyperson computer , there is nothing like this MacBook Air .
It has very good battery life , incredible performance for its class , and yes , a good keyboard .
Too bad about the webcam , though .
It ’ s the main reason we couldn ’ t give this laptop a 10/10 , which we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be messy and complicated .
Early adopters of the new chips usually sign up for broken apps , slowdowns , and weird bugs .
Through careful integration of its new processor and its software , Apple has avoided all of that .
You don ’ t have to worry about any of the technical details that have enabled the MacBook Air to successfully navigate that transition .
The fact that I can say that is perhaps the most impressive thing of all .
Because it just works .

The new MacBook Air with Apple’s M1 chip is a triumph.
In a week of testing, I have pushed this computer and its new Apple-made processor to its limits and found that those limits exceeded my expectations on nearly every level.
I’ve also used it in the way a MacBook Air is really meant to be used: as an everyday computer for workaday tasks. When doing so, I clocked eight and sometimes 10 hours of continuous use on battery.
Coming into this review, I had a catalog of potential pitfalls that Apple could have fallen into when switching from an Intel chip to its own processor. Chip transitions are devilishly hard and don’t usually go smoothly. This MacBook Air not only avoids almost all of those pitfalls, but it gleefully leaps over them.
Not everything is perfect, of course. Apple’s insistence on using dumpy webcams continues to be a bummer, and running iPad apps is a mess. But as I used the MacBook Air, I often found myself so impressed that I had a hard time believing it.
Believe it. The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the most impressive laptop I’ve used in years.
The MacBook Air is the most impressive laptop I’ve used in years
MacBook Air hardware
On the outside, the new MacBook Air is nearly identical to the Intel-based one Apple released earlier this year. It has the same well-loved wedge-shaped design, 2560 x 1600 screen that maxes out at 400 nits of brightness, Touch ID fingerprint login, reasonably good speakers, Apple’s revised scissor-switch keyboard, and that massive trackpad.
It also has the same starting price: $999 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That base model also has one less core on its graphics processor compared to pricier configurations, though I can’t speak to what impact that might have. (I bet it’s not much.) The model I’m testing has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $1,649. As before, you can’t upgrade anything later on if you need to.
Apple kept the design exactly the same
Apple has updated the options on the function row.
The MacBook Air still has a terrible webcam.
There is only one exterior difference between the new one and the last model: Apple swapped out some of the buttons on the function row for more useful ones. Now, you get a button for Spotlight search (which, on macOS Big Sur, finally can do Google searches), Do Not Disturb, and Dictation. If, like me, you haven’t used Dictation much before this, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
The other differences are all on the inside. There’s no fan anymore, for one thing, just an aluminum heat spreader. But even when pushing this machine to its absolute limit, I never felt it get more than a little warm. Apple knows what the thermal ceiling for this system is, and it keeps the MacBook well within it.
Unfortunately, that similarity extends to the webcam, which is still 720p resolution and still terrible. Apple has tried to borrow some of its real-time image processing from the iPhone to try to spruce up the image — and I do find that it does a better job evenly lighting my face — but mostly what I notice is that it looks bad (only now it’s a more processed version of bad).
One other internal change that will affect pro users and developers more than the average MacBook Air user is that Apple has switched to a unified memory architecture, so there’s no separate graphics memory. Apple claims this is more efficient. Unfortunately, I can’t speak to whether the 8GB model has enough RAM to comfortably handle both CPU and GPU needs, but I haven’t had any problems with the 16GB on my review unit.
In fact, I have yet to run into any sort of performance problem at all — because this MacBook Air is fast.
The new MacBook Air is fast.
MacBook Air performance
The MacBook Air performs like a pro-level laptop. It never groans under multiple apps. (I’ve run well over a dozen at a time.) It handles intensive apps like Photoshop and even video editing apps like Adobe Premiere without complaint. It has never made me think twice about loading up another browser tab or 10 — even in Chrome.
Last week, I wrote that Apple was “astonishingly confident in its new M1 Mac processors,” rattling off huge claims and declining to lower expectations in any way. Having used one, I’m simply astonished.
It has two Thunderbolt ports.
It uses Touch ID for biometrics. Overall, the hardware is identical to the last model.
I’ve used Windows laptops with Arm processors from Qualcomm, and they are slower, buggier, and more complicated than Intel machines. Even though I figured Apple would handle this Intel-to-Arm transition better, I didn’t expect everything to work as well as it does.
I knew that macOS and Apple’s own apps would be fast, many of which have been coded specifically to work with this processor. What has shocked me is how well every app runs.
Some background: apps are usually built to work with a specific kind of processor, so when they are run on a machine with a different processor, some kind of extra work has to happen under the hood. On the Mac, that work is done by a piece of software called Rosetta 2, which you install the first time you run an Intel-based app.
Unlike on Windows, Rosetta 2 isn’t really emulation but translation. It means those apps take a beat longer to launch, but once they’re running, they just... run. I have yet to run into any app compatibility problems (though there may be some I haven’t been able to track down).
We, of course, ran a suite of benchmarks. The chart below shows some of our results. But I just want to call out one, in particular: the frame rate on Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Thirty-eight frames per second is a respectable number for a gaming laptop with a low-end graphics card. It’s nigh unheard of for a computer with an integrated GPU. I am doing work on this MacBook Air that would have brought my old MacBook Air to its knees.
M1-based Mac benchmarks Benchmark MacBook Air MacBook Pro Mac mini Cinebench R23 Multi 6803 7729 7729 Cinebench R23 Single 1494 1519 1520 Cinebench R23 Multi looped for 30 minutes 5369 7729 7780 Geekbench 5.3 CPU Multi 7510 7554 7711 Geekbench 5.3 CPU Single 1730 1730 1754 Geekbench 5.3 OpenCL/ Compute 18357 19211 19654
We run a standard Adobe Premiere export test, and the MacBook Air beats the latest Intel laptops with integrated graphics and holds its own with some laptops with proper discrete GPUs.
The thing to pay attention to isn’t the numbers. I admit they’re impressive, and also they reflect my real experience with the computer. Instead, the thing to pay attention to is that Tomb Raider and Adobe Premiere haven’t been optimized for this chip yet. They’re running through Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation layer. Apple has intimated that the M1 chip was designed in collaboration with the Rosetta team, so it’s likely that there are lots of optimizations in the hardware itself.
(We did find one odd bug, however: Premiere encoded video at half the usual bitrate we expect when using variable bitrate on a YouTube 4K preset export. We had to set the slider to 80 to achieve the same bitrate Intel computers export on the default settings. Weird! We’ve let Adobe know, and as of publish time, the best answer is that Premiere isn’t officially supported on the M1.)
If you currently have a MacBook Air, I am confident this new MacBook will perform better in every way. I think it beats the pants off Intel-based ultrabooks running Windows, including its most recent chips.
Control Center on the MacBook Air.
MacBook Air battery life
Apple is claiming that this machine can get 18 hours of video playback and “15 hours of wireless web,” both of which are very large claims. The company tells me I should expect battery life to be as much as 50 percent better than the last Air, and the battery inside this computer isn’t any bigger than the previous models. All of those improvements come down to increased efficiency.
My actual results? I’m getting between eight and 10 hours of real, sustained work depending on how hard I am pushing it. That’s not quite 50 percent better than the last MacBook Air, but it’s very close.
The Air lasts longer than most other laptops in its class
To be very clear, I’m getting those numbers using the apps I actually use, which, of course, includes Chrome and various apps that are also based on the Chrome engine, like Slack. What’s remarkable about that is, for some applications, Rosetta 2 needs to do a bunch of real-time code translation, which further eats into battery life.
If and when these apps are rewritten to be “universal” apps that work natively on the M1, I expect to see even better battery life.
It might seem odd to mention this in the context of battery life, but the MacBook Air now wakes instantly from sleep, and apps that were running before you shut the laptop are much quicker to catch themselves up with the world. It’s subtle, but I have found myself willing to shut the Air closed more often than I usually do with other laptops because waking it from sleep is so seamless.
If you’re trying to choose between the new 13-inch MacBook Pro and this MacBook Air, I think that battery life is going to be the deciding factor for most people. In Nilay’s testing, the Pro is consistently getting a couple more hours on a charge. The Pro also has a Touch Bar and a slightly brighter screen, but the other major difference is that it has a fan. That allows it to run heavy workloads for extended periods of time. Same deal with the new Mac mini.
iOS apps running natively on the MacBook Air. Some are good; many are not.
iOS apps on the MacBook Air
One benefit of the MacBook using the same processor architecture as the iPhone and iPad is that it can now run iPhone and iPad apps natively. To find them, you need to specifically filter for them in the Mac app store. Developers are not allowed to distribute iOS apps to users directly, unfortunately.
When you do head over to the Mac app store to find your favorite apps, prepare to be disappointed. Click on your name in the lower left, then click the tab for “iPhone & iPad apps,” which will show you all of the apps you’ve installed on your iOS devices.
What I found there was a gallery of abandonware, mostly apps from developers that haven’t been updated to be aware of newer devices. Developers have the option to opt their apps out of being made available on the Mac, and many, many developers have done so. Instagram, Slack, Gmail, and many others simply aren’t available. I suspect these developers made that choice because they wanted to make sure they didn’t have a messy, weird app experience on the Mac.
Because iOS apps on the Mac are a messy, weird experience. Apple should have slapped a beta label on this feature.
Apple’s “Touch Alternatives” option for iOS apps.
Apps that have been coded to work with the latest iPad coding standards are great. Overcast, a podcasting app, is quite good and feels totally usable. HBO Max, on the other hand, is a mess. It appears in a little window that you can’t resize, nor can you full-screen videos. What?
The experience is also a little buggy, though Apple tells me the following issue I experienced will be resolved soon. I installed the Telegram messaging iOS app, which works well at first. But when a new message comes in, the app opens up on top of my other windows. The larger bug is that I was unable to delete it using the usual method of clicking an X button in Launch Center. Even when I deleted it manually in the Finder, it still seemed to stick around for a few minutes until I rebooted, receiving notifications.
Apple has built a new system for every iOS app that is available in the Mac menu called “Touch Alternatives.” It is a series of buttons, gestures, and other eldritch incantations to make apps that need a touchscreen work on a Mac.
It’s frankly ridiculous and the clearest sign yet that Apple is bending itself into knots to avoid doing what obviously needs to be done: put a touchscreen on the Mac.
Luckily, you can ignore all of these iOS apps until developers optimize them or Apple figures out a better way to clean up the weird stuff.
The new MacBook Air with the M1 chip.
At the same time that it launched the new MacBook Air with an M1 processor, Apple discontinued the Intel-based version of the Air. It was a bold move; the MacBook Air is Apple’s best-selling computer, and Apple also just made more money selling Macs last quarter than it ever had before. But it was the right decision. There is not a single reason I can find to want the old Intel version.
Except for the webcam, the MacBook Air with the M1 is incredible
For pro users, there are still improvements Apple needs to make to increase performance on the top end for intense workloads. You can’t run an external graphics card, and you’re limited to just one external display at a time, for example, and it’s likely that a true pro would find the ceiling on this integrated GPU fairly quickly. But as an everyperson computer, there is nothing like this MacBook Air. It has very good battery life, incredible performance for its class, and yes, a good keyboard. Too bad about the webcam, though. It’s the main reason we couldn’t give this laptop a 10/10, which we were considering.
Processor transitions are supposed to be messy and complicated. Early adopters of the new chips usually sign up for broken apps, slowdowns, and weird bugs. Through careful integration of its new processor and its software, Apple has avoided all of that.
You don’t have to worry about any of the technical details that have enabled the MacBook Air to successfully navigate that transition. The fact that I can say that is perhaps the most impressive thing of all.
Because it just works.
The Verge on YouTube / Exclusive first looks at new tech, reviews, and shows like Processor with Dieter Bohn. Subscribe!


theverge--2020-11-17--Apple Mac mini with M1 review: over-performer

The Mac mini has always been Apple ’ s most flexible desktop computer .
Sure , most people go for the traditional experience and plug in a display , mouse , and keyboard — but you can also have it serve as a home theater PC , or put it to work with professional photo or audio editing , or turn a group of minis into a server farm .
Apple opened new possibilities for the mini with the big upgrade it got in 2018 , and two years later , it ’ s one of the first three Macs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showcase the potential of Apple silicon and the M1 chip .
( It ’ s also worth noting that Apple was using the mini as its early Arm test unit for developers , so the company was already partway to a consumer product . )
Apple has dropped the starting price for the M1-powered Mac mini down to $ 699 , which is $ 100 less than before .
For that money , you get an eight-core CPU , eight-core GPU , 256GB of storage , and 8GB of RAM .
The review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it increases the SSD size to 1TB and doubles the memory .
But the Apple M1 chip stays the same no matter which configuration you choose , and it matches the one in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro .
Like that machine , the mini has a fan for cooling , but it also has the most efficiently cooled chassis of all the new M1 Macs .
As a result , it ’ s technically the best performer — even if only by a smidge .
Aside from returning to a silver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this mini looks mostly like the old one .
I say mostly because compared to the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro , the Mac mini has actually undergone the most significant outward design change : it lost a couple of ports .
Apple has gone from four USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 ports to just two — plus the pair of USB-A ports that are still present .
Technically , the USB-C ports are more advanced ( USB 4 ) , and you can daisy-chain Thunderbolt devices to your heart ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more convenient than built-in ports , and looking at this objectively , it ’ s a downgrade for the mini ’ s expandability .
( You ’ re also now limited to connecting two external displays directly to the mini instead of three , though one of them can be a 6K monitor . )
The Intel Mac mini remains available for those that demand maximum ports or more RAM , which I ’ ll get into later .
There ’ s still a speaker inside the Mac mini , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll never , ever want to use .
It ’ s tinny , hollow , and just plain bad ; even the macOS Big Sur startup chime sounds embarrassing compared to my thunderous 16-inch MacBook Pro .
Considering the speaker advancements Apple has made with its laptops , I wish it would put in some more effort here — even if the vast majority of people will plug external speakers into the mini ’ s headphone jack or use Bluetooth audio .
I ’ ve also got to point out that getting up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a hassle .
For initial setup , you need a wired keyboard and mouse ; my Logitech ergonomic keyboard and MX Master 3 , which both connect over Bluetooth , were useless .
They work fine after setting up the machine , but just be aware so you don ’ t run into this initial headache like I did .
If you read Dieter ’ s review of the MacBook Air and Nilay ’ s take on the 13-inch MacBook Pro , it shouldn ’ t come as a surprise that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mac mini .
I ’ ve thrown a lot at this tiny desktop computer over the last several days , and it chews through everything — Lightroom Classic , Plex transcodes , piles of Chrome tabs — with aplomb .
And those are all apps that are still designed to run on Intel chips .
Every app runs well enough to feel native on the M1 The first time you install an app built for Intel chips , you ’ ll be prompted to download Apple ’ s Rosetta 2 software , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those apps play so well with the M1 chip .
And since Apple doesn ’ t have to account for the tight confines of a laptop enclosure with the Mac mini , the M1 chip can hit the very best speeds it ’ s capable of and sustain them without throttling .
Heck , I never even heard the fan spin up during repeated 30-minute Cinebench tests or when transcoding several 4K Blu-ray rips back to back .
The mini has stayed silent no matter how hard I work it .
Outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonderfully fast day to day .
That said , I ’ ve noticed the occasional odd hitch : sometimes Spotify takes a noticeable amount of bounces in the dock ( up to 10 ) before it opens after a cold reboot of the system .
That ’ s been pretty rare , and once Intel-optimized apps are open , performance feels indistinguishable from how they run on my fully loaded 16-inch MacBook Pro .
I ’ ve also not run into any glaring app compatibility issues , though if there ’ s some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you , it ’ s probably worth waiting on reports of how it runs on the M1 .
Other benefits of the M1 chip , like instant on , aren ’ t as obvious when using a Mac mini compared to a laptop .
Unless you ’ ve got an Apple Watch , you ’ ll often be typing in your passcode when the mini wakes from sleep , which works against the speed improvements .
Would a Touch ID sensor somewhere on the Mac mini be that silly ?
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t a factor on the Mac mini , of course , and the M1 mini uses the same 150W power supply as the Intel model , so if there are power efficiency gains , they ’ re not obvious .
The appeal of running iPhone and iPad apps on a Mac mini seems much lower to me than it might on a MacBook .
You lose some handy use cases , like offline downloads for the HBO Max app , which can be convenient when traveling with a laptop .
The Mac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display .
That ’ s not exactly huge , but it ’ s large enough to make many iPhone apps — especially the ones that can ’ t be resized , of which there are many — feel very out of place .
Aside from the great Overcast podcast app , I ’ ve had a tough time finding iOS apps that I actually want to run on macOS .
If you head to the “ purchased ” area of the Mac App Store , you ’ ll now find a tab for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these will say that they haven ’ t been verified for Mac .
But even some that lack that warning — like Tumblr — totally crash when opened .
And many developers have opted out , meaning you won ’ t find mainstay apps like Gmail , Instagram ( though Facebook is listed ) , Netflix , TikTok , and countless others .
Some developers are likely holding off so they can polish their mobile apps to behave better on macOS .
But a lot of what ’ s available just… doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to run a utility app for Samsung earbuds on my Mac ?
Or the Dunkin ’ Donuts app ?
It ’ d be nice to use my favorite guitar tuner app ( Fender Tune ) , but it doesn ’ t recognize any sound input .
I think people are going to run into some confusion and disappointment , and it really seems like Apple should ’ ve made this an opt-in gallery instead of serving customers this weird mishmash .
iPhone apps feel just as out of place on the desktop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perhaps the biggest area where the Intel-based Mac mini trounces the M1 version is in RAM .
You can outfit the 2018 mini with up to 64GB of memory , whereas the new model tops out at 16GB just like the M1 MacBook Air and Pro .
( RAM could also be upgraded by anyone willing to open up the Intel Mac mini , but that isn ’ t so for this machine . )
Apple says the new unified memory structure of these Macs “ allows all of the technologies in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ copying it between multiple pools of memory , further improving performance and efficiency.
” It ’ s not hard to get a Mac with 16GB of memory to start swapping between RAM and the startup disk , and this is something I ’ ve noticed in Activity Monitor but haven ’ t felt in terms of diminished performance .
But if you ’ re wanting to use the Mac mini in a creative studio or some other environment where you ’ ll really be pushing it harder than average , it might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silicon Macs with 32GB and beyond of unified memory .
That can probably be said for high-end graphics , too .
Since the M1 Macs no longer support external GPUs , you ’ ll always be limited to the graphical horsepower you get out of the box .
That ’ s perfectly adequate for photo and 4K video editing , but the upper echelon of workloads might demand something more — which may warrant considering the Intel model and an eGPU .
The M1 Mac mini is the first to include Wi-Fi 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no option for getting it with a 10Gbps Ethernet port — just regular gigabit .
But Wi-Fi performance has been very strong .
And unlike the 2018 unit I owned for a few weeks back when it launched , this machine didn ’ t exhibit any frustrating Bluetooth interference issues .
I ’ m not sure whether Apple shored those up over time with software updates or made hardware tweaks , but it ’ s nice to see them gone .
Spending a few days with the 2020 Mac mini @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a barnburner of a miniature desktop PC .
It outperforms most Intel Macs in several benchmarks , runs apps reliably , and offers a fantastic day-to-day experience whether you ’ re using it for web browsing and email or for creative editing and professional work .
That potential will only grow when Apple inevitably raises the RAM ceiling and ( hopefully ) brings back those missing USB ports .
The $ 699 starting price is tempting , but most people will be better off upgrading to 16GB of unified memory , which puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ default 256GB storage makes that cost climb higher to $ 1,099 .
But even then , the price-to-performance ratio for the Mac mini has never been better than with this changeover to Apple silicon .
Even if you ignore iPhone apps completely , the transition is off to an impressive start considering just how smoothly everything comes together .
And just as ever , the Mac mini ’ s flexibility is what makes it special .

Part of / The Verge Guide to macOS
The Mac mini has always been Apple’s most flexible desktop computer. Sure, most people go for the traditional experience and plug in a display, mouse, and keyboard — but you can also have it serve as a home theater PC, or put it to work with professional photo or audio editing, or turn a group of minis into a server farm. Apple opened new possibilities for the mini with the big upgrade it got in 2018, and two years later, it’s one of the first three Macs to transition away from Intel processors and showcase the potential of Apple silicon and the M1 chip. (It’s also worth noting that Apple was using the mini as its early Arm test unit for developers, so the company was already partway to a consumer product.)
Apple has dropped the starting price for the M1-powered Mac mini down to $699, which is $100 less than before. For that money, you get an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, 256GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM. The review unit I received costs $1,299, as it increases the SSD size to 1TB and doubles the memory. But the Apple M1 chip stays the same no matter which configuration you choose, and it matches the one in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. Like that machine, the mini has a fan for cooling, but it also has the most efficiently cooled chassis of all the new M1 Macs. As a result, it’s technically the best performer — even if only by a smidge.
8 Verge Score Apple Mac mini (late 2020) $ 699 The Good Blazing performance
Existing apps run very well on M1 chip
Appealing price for the power it offers
Now with Wi-Fi 6 The Bad Fewer USB-C ports than Intel model
Unified memory tops out at 16GB
Doesn’t support external GPUs
Truly awful speaker $699 at Apple$699 at B&H Photo$1299 at B&H Photo How we rate and review products
Aside from returning to a silver exterior from the previous space gray, this mini looks mostly like the old one. I say mostly because compared to the new MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Mac mini has actually undergone the most significant outward design change: it lost a couple of ports. Apple has gone from four USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 ports to just two — plus the pair of USB-A ports that are still present. Technically, the USB-C ports are more advanced (USB 4), and you can daisy-chain Thunderbolt devices to your heart’s content. But there’s nothing more convenient than built-in ports, and looking at this objectively, it’s a downgrade for the mini’s expandability. (You’re also now limited to connecting two external displays directly to the mini instead of three, though one of them can be a 6K monitor.) The Intel Mac mini remains available for those that demand maximum ports or more RAM, which I’ll get into later.
The new Mac mini has a silver finish.
There’s still a speaker inside the Mac mini, but it’s the kind of speaker you’ll never, ever want to use. It’s tinny, hollow, and just plain bad; even the macOS Big Sur startup chime sounds embarrassing compared to my thunderous 16-inch MacBook Pro. Considering the speaker advancements Apple has made with its laptops, I wish it would put in some more effort here — even if the vast majority of people will plug external speakers into the mini’s headphone jack or use Bluetooth audio.
I’ve also got to point out that getting up and running with the Mac mini can be a hassle. For initial setup, you need a wired keyboard and mouse; my Logitech ergonomic keyboard and MX Master 3, which both connect over Bluetooth, were useless. They work fine after setting up the machine, but just be aware so you don’t run into this initial headache like I did.
The M1 Mac mini loses two USB-C ports compared to the Intel model, which has four. RAM can no longer be upgraded by users.
If you read Dieter’s review of the MacBook Air and Nilay’s take on the 13-inch MacBook Pro, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the theme of surprisingly great performance applies to the Mac mini. I’ve thrown a lot at this tiny desktop computer over the last several days, and it chews through everything — Lightroom Classic, Plex transcodes, piles of Chrome tabs — with aplomb. And those are all apps that are still designed to run on Intel chips.
Every app runs well enough to feel native on the M1
The first time you install an app built for Intel chips, you’ll be prompted to download Apple’s Rosetta 2 software, which is the secret sauce in how those apps play so well with the M1 chip. And since Apple doesn’t have to account for the tight confines of a laptop enclosure with the Mac mini, the M1 chip can hit the very best speeds it’s capable of and sustain them without throttling. Heck, I never even heard the fan spin up during repeated 30-minute Cinebench tests or when transcoding several 4K Blu-ray rips back to back. The mini has stayed silent no matter how hard I work it.
The Mac mini’s chassis allows Apple’s M1 chip to run at peak performance without throttling.
Outside of benchmark world, the Mac mini feels wonderfully fast day to day. That said, I’ve noticed the occasional odd hitch: sometimes Spotify takes a noticeable amount of bounces in the dock (up to 10) before it opens after a cold reboot of the system. That’s been pretty rare, and once Intel-optimized apps are open, performance feels indistinguishable from how they run on my fully loaded 16-inch MacBook Pro. I’ve also not run into any glaring app compatibility issues, though if there’s some piece of software that’s job-critical for you, it’s probably worth waiting on reports of how it runs on the M1.
M1-based Mac benchmarks Benchmark MacBook Air MacBook Pro Mac mini Cinebench R23 Multi 6803 7729 7729 Cinebench R23 Single 1494 1519 1520 Cinebench R23 Multi looped for 30 minutes 5369 7729 7780 Geekbench 5.3 CPU Multi 7510 7554 7711 Geekbench 5.3 CPU Single 1730 1730 1754 Geekbench 5.3 OpenCL/ Compute 18357 19211 19654
Other benefits of the M1 chip, like instant on, aren’t as obvious when using a Mac mini compared to a laptop. Unless you’ve got an Apple Watch, you’ll often be typing in your passcode when the mini wakes from sleep, which works against the speed improvements. Would a Touch ID sensor somewhere on the Mac mini be that silly? I’d use it. Battery life isn’t a factor on the Mac mini, of course, and the M1 mini uses the same 150W power supply as the Intel model, but it’s up to 60 percent more energy efficient than the comparable Intel model. AnandTech did some tests that highlight the reduced power draw.
iPhone and iPad apps on… a desktop?
The appeal of running iPhone and iPad apps on a Mac mini seems much lower to me than it might on a MacBook. You lose some handy use cases, like offline downloads for the HBO Max app, which can be convenient when traveling with a laptop. The Mac mini outputs to my 23.7-inch LG 4K display. That’s not exactly huge, but it’s large enough to make many iPhone apps — especially the ones that can’t be resized, of which there are many — feel very out of place. Aside from the great Overcast podcast app, I’ve had a tough time finding iOS apps that I actually want to run on macOS.
Some iPhone and iPad apps like Overcast feel right at home.
If you head to the “purchased” area of the Mac App Store, you’ll now find a tab for iPhone and iPad apps. Many of these will say that they haven’t been verified for Mac. But even some that lack that warning — like Tumblr — totally crash when opened. And many developers have opted out, meaning you won’t find mainstay apps like Gmail, Instagram (though Facebook is listed), Netflix, TikTok, and countless others. Some developers are likely holding off so they can polish their mobile apps to behave better on macOS. But a lot of what’s available just… doesn’t make sense. Why would I want to run a utility app for Samsung earbuds on my Mac? Or the Dunkin’ Donuts app? It’d be nice to use my favorite guitar tuner app, Fender Tune, but it doesn’t recognize any sound input since there’s no internal mic on the mini. (It works as intended on the new laptops.) I think people are going to run into some confusion and disappointment, and it really seems like Apple should’ve made this an opt-in gallery instead of serving customers this weird mishmash.
iPhone apps feel just as out of place on the desktop as expected
Back to normal apps. Perhaps the biggest area where the Intel-based Mac mini trounces the M1 version is in RAM. You can outfit the 2018 mini with up to 64GB of memory, whereas the new model tops out at 16GB just like the M1 MacBook Air and Pro. (RAM could also be upgraded by anyone willing to open up the Intel Mac mini, but that isn’t so for this machine.) Apple says the new unified memory structure of these Macs “allows all of the technologies in the SoC to access the same data without copying it between multiple pools of memory, further improving performance and efficiency.”
It’s not hard to get a Mac with 16GB of memory to start swapping between RAM and the startup disk, and this is something I’ve noticed in Activity Monitor but haven’t felt in terms of diminished performance. But if you’re wanting to use the Mac mini in a creative studio or some other environment where you’ll really be pushing it harder than average, it might be better to wait until there are Apple silicon Macs with 32GB and beyond of unified memory.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: Mac mini (late 2020) Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. In order to get past the setup and actually use the Mac mini, you are required to agree to: The macOS software license agreement, which includes Apple’s warranty agreement and the Game Center terms and conditions. These agreements are nonnegotiable, and you cannot use the laptop at all if you don’t agree to them. There are also several optional agreements, including: Location services
Using an iCloud account adds iCloud Terms and Conditions and Find My location services.
Sending crash and usage data to Apple to help app developers
Allowing Apple to use your Siri transcripts to improve voice recognition
Apple Pay Terms and Conditions The final tally is three mandatory agreements and six optional ones.
That can probably be said for high-end graphics, too. Since the M1 Macs no longer support external GPUs, you’ll always be limited to the graphical horsepower you get out of the box. That’s perfectly adequate for photo and 4K video editing, but the upper echelon of workloads might demand something more — which may warrant considering the Intel model and an eGPU.
The price to performance ratio is better than ever with the new Mac mini.
The M1 Mac mini is the first to include Wi-Fi 6, though unlike the Intel model, there’s no option for getting it with a 10Gbps Ethernet port — just regular gigabit. But Wi-Fi performance has been very strong. And unlike the 2018 unit I owned for a few weeks back when it launched, this machine didn’t exhibit any frustrating Bluetooth interference issues. I’m not sure whether Apple shored those up over time with software updates or made hardware tweaks, but it’s nice to see them gone.
Spending a few days with the 2020 Mac mini has shown me that it’s a barnburner of a miniature desktop PC. It outperforms most Intel Macs in several benchmarks, runs apps reliably, and offers a fantastic day-to-day experience whether you’re using it for web browsing and email or for creative editing and professional work. That potential will only grow when Apple inevitably raises the RAM ceiling and (hopefully) brings back those missing USB ports. The $699 starting price is tempting, but most people will be better off upgrading to 16GB of unified memory, which puts you at $899. Doubling the default 256GB storage makes that cost climb higher to $1,099. But even then, the price-to-performance ratio for the Mac mini has never been better than with this changeover to Apple silicon. Even if you ignore iPhone apps completely, the transition is off to an impressive start considering just how smoothly everything comes together. And just as ever, the Mac mini’s flexibility is what makes it special.
Update November 17th, 10:45AM ET: The review has been updated with more specifics on the mini’s power consumption.


theverge--2020-11-17--Nintendo’s collaboration with Champion includes bright red Mario overalls

Nintendo and Champion are attempting to turn Mario into a style icon with a new collaboration .
As part of @ @ @ @ @ anniversary , the two companies have announced a limited edition capsule collection that mashes streetwear @ @ @ @ @ The highlight is a pair of bright red overalls , but there ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ T-shirts with classic Mario box art , and a Princess Peach hoodie .
Nintendo says @ @ @ @ @ sale starting on November 18th in the US , with prices ranging from $ 30 @ @ @ @ @ pieces , like the overalls , will only be available in “ super-limited ” quantities @ @ @ @ @ latest in a very Mario-themed year for Nintendo .
To celebrate the franchise ’ s @ @ @ @ @ re-released classic 3D Super Mario games , launched a Mario battle royale , and designed @ @ @ @ @ original Game & Watch handheld .
Champion , meanwhile , has also been getting into @ @ @ @ @ , the company released oversized hoodies specifically for gamers .

Nintendo and Champion are attempting to turn Mario into a style icon with a new collaboration. As part of Super Mario’s 35th anniversary, the two companies have announced a limited edition capsule collection that mashes streetwear with the Mushroom Kingdom. The highlight is a pair of bright red overalls, but there’s also a tie-dye Toad shirt, T-shirts with classic Mario box art, and a Princess Peach hoodie.
Nintendo says the gear will go on sale starting on November 18th in the US, with prices ranging from $30 to $150. Certain pieces, like the overalls, will only be available in “super-limited” quantities.
Previous Next
1 / 5 Janelle Jones Previous Next
1 / 5 Janelle Jones


theverge--2020-11-17--Microsoft Pluton is a new processor with Xbox-like security for Windows PCs

Microsoft is creating a new security chip that ’ s designed to protect future Windows PCs .
Microsoft Pluton is a security processor that is built directly into future CPUs and will replace the existing Trusted Platform Module ( TPM ) , a chip that ’ s currently used to secure hardware and cryptographic keys .
Pluton is based on the same security technologies used to protect Xbox consoles , and Microsoft is working with Intel , AMD , and Qualcomm to combine it into future CPUs .
This new chip is designed to block new and emerging attack vectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including CPU security flaws like Spectre and Meltdown .
Intel revealed back in 2018 that it was redesigning its processors to protect against future attacks , and Pluton is an even bigger step in securing CPUs and Windows PCs in general .
Existing TPMs are separated from CPUs , and attackers have also been developing methods to steal the data and information that flows between a TPM and CPU when they have physical access to a device .
Just like you can ’ t easily hack into an Xbox One to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be a lot more difficult to physically hack into a Windows PC in the future by integrating Pluton into the CPU .
“ We shipped the Xbox which has this physical attack protection , so people can ’ t just hack it for games etc , ” explains David Weston , director of enterprise and OS security at Microsoft .
“ We learned principles of effective engineering strategies from that , and so we ’ re taking those learnings and partnering with Intel to build something for the PC that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” A number of firms sell kits , or 0-day vulnerabilities , that let attackers gain access to machines and literally crack open PCs to steal critical data that can unlock other ways to get into company systems or access personal information .
“ Our dream for the future is that ’ s just not possible on the PC platform , ” says Weston .
Pluton is essentially the evolution of the TPM , baked directly into a CPU .
“ This is a better , stronger , faster , more consistent TPM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide the same APIs as TPM today , so the idea is that anything that can use a TPM could use this.
” That means features like BitLocker encryption or Windows Hello authentication will transition over to using Pluton in the future .
Microsoft ’ s work with Intel , AMD , and Qualcomm also means that Pluton will be updated from the cloud .
Updates will be issued monthly on the same Patch Tuesday that regular Windows fixes arrive .
The hope is that this should improve system firmware updates for both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not clear when PCs with Pluton chips will start shipping , but Intel , AMD , and Qualcomm are all committing to build this functionality into their future CPUs .
You ’ ll still be able to build custom PCs with Pluton chips embedded inside , and there should even be support for Linux in the future , too .
“ This is a future thing we ’ re going to build in , ” says Mike Nordquist , director of strategic planning and architecture at Intel .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have to look for a motherboard with a TPM chip ... so you just get it.
” Nordquist says Intel also supports choice for operating systems , and that it doesn ’ t “ want to start doing different things for a bunch of different OS vendors.
” There are no firm details on Linux support just yet , but Microsoft already uses Linux with Pluton in its Azure Sphere devices , so it ’ s likely to be available whenever these chips ship .
New chips and security do mean new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that processors will now call back to Microsoft ’ s cloud infrastructure for updates .
“ This is about security , it ’ s not about DRM , ” explains Weston .
“ The reality is we ’ ll create an API where people can leverage it , it ’ s definitely possible for folks to use that for protection of content , but this is really about mainstream security and protecting identify and encryption keys.
” Microsoft , Intel , AMD , and Qualcomm all clearly believe that processors that are continually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future for Windows PCs .
Spectre and Meltdown were a wake up call for the entire industry , and Pluton is a significant response to the complex security threats that modern PCs now face .

Microsoft is creating a new security chip that’s designed to protect future Windows PCs. Microsoft Pluton is a security processor that is built directly into future CPUs and will replace the existing Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a chip that’s currently used to secure hardware and cryptographic keys. Pluton is based on the same security technologies used to protect Xbox consoles, and Microsoft is working with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm to combine it into future CPUs.
This new chip is designed to block new and emerging attack vectors that are being used to compromise PCs, including CPU security flaws like Spectre and Meltdown. Intel revealed back in 2018 that it was redesigning its processors to protect against future attacks, and Pluton is an even bigger step in securing CPUs and Windows PCs in general.
Existing TPMs are separated from CPUs, and attackers have also been developing methods to steal the data and information that flows between a TPM and CPU when they have physical access to a device. Just like you can’t easily hack into an Xbox One to run pirated games, the hope is that it will be a lot more difficult to physically hack into a Windows PC in the future by integrating Pluton into the CPU.
Pluton is the same security found in Xbox One consoles. Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
“We shipped the Xbox which has this physical attack protection, so people can’t just hack it for games etc,” explains David Weston, director of enterprise and OS security at Microsoft. “We learned principles of effective engineering strategies from that, and so we’re taking those learnings and partnering with Intel to build something for the PC that will stand up to that emerging attack vector.”
A number of firms sell kits, or 0-day vulnerabilities, that let attackers gain access to machines and literally crack open PCs to steal critical data that can unlock other ways to get into company systems or access personal information. “Our dream for the future is that’s just not possible on the PC platform,” says Weston.
Pluton is essentially the evolution of the TPM, baked directly into a CPU. “This is a better, stronger, faster, more consistent TPM,” explains Weston. “We provide the same APIs as TPM today, so the idea is that anything that can use a TPM could use this.” That means features like BitLocker encryption or Windows Hello authentication will transition over to using Pluton in the future.
Microsoft’s work with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm also means that Pluton will be updated from the cloud. Updates will be issued monthly on the same Patch Tuesday that regular Windows fixes arrive. The hope is that this should improve system firmware updates for both consumers and businesses that run Windows PCs.
Windows Hello will transition to Pluton in the future. Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
It’s not clear when PCs with Pluton chips will start shipping, but Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm are all committing to build this functionality into their future CPUs. You’ll still be able to build custom PCs with Pluton chips embedded inside, and there should even be support for Linux in the future, too.
“This is a future thing we’re going to build in,” says Mike Nordquist, director of strategic planning and architecture at Intel. “The idea is that you don’t have to look for a motherboard with a TPM chip... so you just get it.” Nordquist says Intel also supports choice for operating systems, and that it doesn’t “want to start doing different things for a bunch of different OS vendors.” There are no firm details on Linux support just yet, but Microsoft already uses Linux with Pluton in its Azure Sphere devices, so it’s likely to be available whenever these chips ship.
New chips and security do mean new fears about DRM, and the fact that processors will now call back to Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure for updates. “This is about security, it’s not about DRM,” explains Weston. “The reality is we’ll create an API where people can leverage it, it’s definitely possible for folks to use that for protection of content, but this is really about mainstream security and protecting identify and encryption keys.”


theverge--2020-11-17--Years later, Firefox finally adds pinch to zoom

Firefox is finally getting a feature that other major browsers have had for years : pinch to zoom .
It ’ s a foundational gesture control , and yet , Mozilla has taken an oddly long time to bring it to Firefox .
Apple first added pinch to zoom to desktop Safari in 2011 .
Microsoft supported pinch to zoom in Internet Explorer on Windows 8 touchscreens in 2012 .
I can ’ t quite nail down when pinch to zoom was added to Chrome , but Google was experimenting with the feature as early as 2013 and brought it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been the holdout all these years .
Pinch to zoom lets you naturally scroll in and out of a webpage by pinching in or out on a trackpad or touchscreen .
It ’ s not a game-changing addition , but it ’ s something I find myself regularly using to blow up images or text .
Firefox ’ s implementation of pinch to zoom works well enough , though it ’ s missing the double-tap to zoom option that other browsers offer .
( Double tapping in Firefox zooms you all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I asked Mozilla what took so long .
The company didn ’ t have an exact answer , but a spokesperson said that support for the gesture is more complicated than it looks .
“ The new pinch to zoom feature appears smooth and easy to use .
Behind the scenes it is rather a technical feature to build and test , ” the spokesperson said .
“ We ’ ve had several user requests to improve and we ’ re happy that we were able to ship it out in this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available as part of Firefox 83 , which comes out today .
It works on Windows and Mac trackpads and Windows touchscreens .

Firefox is finally getting a feature that other major browsers have had for years: pinch to zoom.
It’s a foundational gesture control, and yet, Mozilla has taken an oddly long time to bring it to Firefox. Apple first added pinch to zoom to desktop Safari in 2011. Microsoft supported pinch to zoom in Internet Explorer on Windows 8 touchscreens in 2012. I can’t quite nail down when pinch to zoom was added to Chrome, but Google was experimenting with the feature as early as 2013 and brought it to Chrome OS in 2014. Firefox has been the holdout all these years.
Pinch to zoom lets you naturally scroll in and out of a webpage by pinching in or out on a trackpad or touchscreen. It’s not a game-changing addition, but it’s something I find myself regularly using to blow up images or text. Firefox’s implementation of pinch to zoom works well enough, though it’s missing the double-tap to zoom option that other browsers offer. (Double tapping in Firefox zooms you all the way out but not in.)
I asked Mozilla what took so long. The company didn’t have an exact answer, but a spokesperson said that support for the gesture is more complicated than it looks.
“The new pinch to zoom feature appears smooth and easy to use. Behind the scenes it is rather a technical feature to build and test,” the spokesperson said. “We’ve had several user requests to improve and we’re happy that we were able to ship it out in this month’s release.”


theverge--2020-11-17--Google is launching a native version of Chrome for Apple’s Arm Macs on Wednesday

Google plans to release a version of Chrome that will run natively on Apple ’ s new Macs with Arm-based processors on Wednesday , according to Mark Chang , a Chrome product manager .
Google actually began rolling the new version out Tuesday , but paused the rollout because that version may have crashed unexpectedly .
In theory , a native version of the notoriously resource-hungry browser might run more efficiently on Apple ’ s Arm-based computers .
In our reviews of the MacBook Air , MacBook Pro , and Mac mini equipped with the new M1 chip , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chrome built for Intel chips already runs well on Apple ’ s new Macs , so hopefully this native version runs even better .
When the update is available , you be able to pick which version of Chrome to download from the browser ’ s website , according to Elvin Hu , an interaction designer on the Chrome team : Parker Ortolani , a BuzzFeed employee , said his version of Chrome updated from the emulated x86 version to the native Apple silicon version today , but now Ortolani says his version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ x86 version .
Google began rolling out a new version of Chrome on Tuesday , touting the “ the largest gain in Chrome performance in years ” thanks to some under-the-hood changes .
The company ’ s blog about the new release didn ’ t mention anything about a version optimized for Apple ’ s Arm-based Macs .

Google’s version of Chrome that will run natively on Apple’s new Macs with Arm-based processors is now available, according to Mark Chang, a Chrome product manager. Google initially began rolling the new version out Tuesday, but paused the rollout because that version may have crashed unexpectedly.
In theory, a native version of the notoriously resource-hungry browser might run more efficiently on Apple’s Arm-based computers. In our reviews of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini equipped with the new M1 chip, though, we found that the version of Chrome built for Intel chips already runs well on Apple’s new Macs, so hopefully this native version runs even better.
You’ll be able to pick which version of Chrome to download from the browser’s website. The Verge’s Dieter Bohn saw this prompt on his MacBook Air review unit with an M1 chip when he visited the site:
Image: Dieter Bohn
Google began rolling out a new version of Chrome on Tuesday, touting the “the largest gain in Chrome performance in years” thanks to some under-the-hood changes. The company’s blog about the new release didn’t mention anything about a version optimized for Apple’s Arm-based Macs.


theverge--2020-11-17--President Trump has fired the official in charge of election cybersecurity

President Donald Trump announced the firing the official in charge of election cybersecurity , Christopher Krebs , in a Tuesday evening tweet .
Before his firing , Krebs served as the first director of the Department of Homeland Security ’ s ( DHS ) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) .
Although the presidential election was widely called for Joe Biden on November 7th , Trump has not conceded , and he and his allies have made numerous claims about supposed election fraud that aren ’ t backed up by evidence .
Krebs , however , has actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a false conspiracy theory claiming that secret computer systems have been committing voter fraud .
Krebs himself reportedly expected to be fired , according to a November 12th report from Reuters .
And that same day , CISA released a statement signed by the members of the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council Executive Committee backing him up , saying that there was “ no evidence ” that voting in the US “ was in any way compromised ” and calling the election “ the most secure in American history.
” “ Chris Krebs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the person Americans want protecting the security of our elections , ” Sen. Mark Warner ( D-VA ) , vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence , said in a statement .
“ It speaks volumes that the president chose to fire him simply for telling the truth.
” Krebs was nominated for his former post by Trump in June 2018 , and joined the DHS to advise on cybersecurity issues in 2017 .
Before joining the DHS , Krebs led Microsoft ’ s policy work on cybersecurity and technology issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump announced the firing of the official in charge of election cybersecurity, Christopher Krebs, in a Tuesday evening tweet. Before his firing, Krebs served as the first director of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) after leading Microsoft’s policy work on cybersecurity and technology issues, according to his CISA bio.
In a Twitter response to being fired, Krebs said “Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomorrow,” in a call to protect the 2020 election.
Although the presidential election was widely called for Joe Biden on November 7th, Trump has not conceded, and he and his allies have made numerous claims about supposed election fraud that aren’t backed up by evidence. Krebs, however, has actively debunked voting misinformation, such as denying a false conspiracy theory claiming that secret computer systems have been committing voter fraud.
Krebs himself reportedly expected to be fired, according to a November 12th report from Reuters. And that same day, CISA released a statement signed by the members of the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council Executive Committee backing him up, saying that there was “no evidence” that voting in the US “was in any way compromised” and calling the election “the most secure in American history.”
Trump fired him anyway.
“Chris Krebs is an extraordinary public servant and exactly the person Americans want protecting the security of our elections,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement. “It speaks volumes that the president chose to fire him simply for telling the truth.”
“Director Krebs is a deeply respected cybersecurity expert who worked diligently to safeguard our elections, support state and local election officials and dispel dangerous misinformation,” Nancy Pelosi, Democratic House speaker, said in a statement. “Yet, instead of rewarding this patriotic service, the President has fired Director Krebs for speaking truth to power and rejecting Trump’s constant campaign of election falsehoods.”
Krebs was nominated for his former post by Trump in June 2018, and joined the DHS to advise on cybersecurity issues in 2017.


theverge--2020-11-17--The UK moves up deadline to ban the sale of combustion-engine vehicles

The United Kingdom will ban the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2030 , Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced today .
It will also ban the sale of new hybrid cars by 2035 .
Johnson made the announcement tonight as part of a new ten-point plan for a “ green industrial revolution.
” This is the second time Johnson has moved up the deadline .
The original plan was to stop sales of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles by 2040 .
Back in February , Johnson moved the target to 2035 .
He ’ s come under increasing pressure to crack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the UK ’ s broader goal of eliminating emissions contributing to climate change by 2050 .
“ Although this year has taken a very different path to the one we expected , the UK is looking to the future and seizing the opportunity to build back greener , ” Johnson said in an emailed statement released to the press .
“ The recovery of our planet and of our economies can and must go hand-in-hand.
” Speeding up the transition to all electric vehicles puts the UK ahead of much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ pledges to phase out cars running on fossil fuels .
France has a goal of ending the sale of new gas-guzzlers by 2040 .
California recently made a pledge to do so by 2035 .
Norway has a more ambitious goal of ending new sales by 2025 .
The “ green industrial revolution ” Johnson laid out for the UK includes a broad range of initiatives to spur economic growth and address climate change .
He also plans to cut transportation emissions by investing in public transportation and researching ways to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan also includes efforts to ramp up carbon-free energy , including offshore wind , hydrogen , and nuclear energy .
The entire plan will cost £12 billion of government investment ( $ 15.9 billion USD ) .

The United Kingdom will ban the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2030, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced today. It will also ban the sale of new hybrid cars by 2035. Johnson made the announcement tonight as part of a new ten-point plan for a “green industrial revolution.”
This is the second time Johnson has moved up the deadline. The original plan was to stop sales of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles by 2040. Back in February, Johnson moved the target to 2035. He’s come under increasing pressure to crack down on gas-guzzling cars in order to meet the UK’s broader goal of eliminating emissions contributing to climate change by 2050.
“Although this year has taken a very different path to the one we expected, the UK is looking to the future and seizing the opportunity to build back greener,” Johnson said in an emailed statement released to the press. “The recovery of our planet and of our economies can and must go hand-in-hand.”
Speeding up the transition to all electric vehicles puts the UK ahead of much of the pack when it comes to other governments’ pledges to phase out cars running on fossil fuels. France has a goal of ending the sale of new gas-guzzlers by 2040. California recently made a pledge to do so by 2035. Norway has a more ambitious goal of ending new sales by 2025.


theverge--2020-11-17--Verizon’s updated streaming box can help you find your remote

Verizon just launched an updated version of its Stream TV streaming box , with a new feature for finding lost remotes and built-in support for Amazon Prime and Netflix ( unlike its predecessor ) .
The new Stream TV features an updated rectangular design and a big button on the top for powering on the device and finding the Google Assistant-enabled remote .
You locate the remote by pressing the power button twice ; the remote will beep until you press any of its buttons , hopefully making your dig through the couch that much shorter .
The previous Stream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to Netflix and Amazon Prime , two apps that 9to5Google said took months to finally arrive .
This new version launches with both apps built in , along with access to the Play Store for additional downloads .
Verizon is also providing a new skin for Android TV that features “ bold text and streamlined organization ” to make it easier to find your favorite shows and movies .
Additionally , purchases and rentals made through Verizon ’ s store will be available on the go from a new Stream TV mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streaming boxes like Comcast ’ s Xfinity Flex and AT & T TV .
None are exactly ideal or cost effective , however .
All of these boxes feature clunky proprietary or skinned software and add-on prices that can bring the cost above better , entry-level boxes .
If you can afford to invest in your own streaming device such as the $ 49.99 Roku Streaming Stick Plus , we recommend that you do .
Verizon ’ s Stream TV is available now for $ 69.99 .
Verizon Fios and 5G Home Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a new installation .

Verizon just launched an updated version of its Stream TV streaming box, with a new feature for finding lost remotes and built-in support for Amazon Prime and Netflix (unlike its predecessor).
The new Stream TV features an updated rectangular design and a big button on the top for powering on the device and finding the Google Assistant-enabled remote. You locate the remote by pressing the power button twice; the remote will beep until you press any of its buttons, hopefully making your dig through the couch that much shorter.
The previous Stream TV’s biggest missing features were access to Netflix and Amazon Prime, two apps that 9to5Google said took months to finally arrive. This new version launches with both apps built in, along with access to the Play Store for additional downloads. Verizon is also providing a new skin for Android TV that features “bold text and streamlined organization” to make it easier to find your favorite shows and movies. Additionally, purchases and rentals made through Verizon’s store will be available on the go from a new Stream TV mobile app.
Stream TV joins other internet-provider streaming boxes like Comcast’s Xfinity Flex and AT&T TV. None are exactly ideal or cost effective, however. All of these boxes feature clunky proprietary or skinned software and add-on prices that can bring the cost above better, entry-level boxes. If you can afford to invest in your own streaming device such as the $49.99 Roku Streaming Stick Plus, we recommend that you do.


theverge--2020-11-17--The NFL Pro Bowl will be hosted in Madden this season

Last month , the National Football League announced it would cancel the 2021 Pro Bowl game — news that went largely unnoticed , since very few football fans care about it .
But today , first reported by CNBC , the NFL announced it will resurrect the Pro Bowl as a weeklong digital event with players competing in EA ’ s Madden NFL 21 instead .
Details are scant , outside of the promise of “ celebrities , NFL Legends , current players , and streamers , ” according to an EA press release .
Even the exact date is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down will depend on if the NFL season is extended into an 18th week , the rumored solution if COVID cases mess with the schedule further . )
Still , it ’ s a fun , inevitable solution to what has often been the NFL ’ s least necessary tradition .
The Pro Bowl fills the gap week between the playoffs and the Super Bowl , when the two competing teams rest .
Naturally , the NFL fills that empty space with their equivalent of an all-star game , though football being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tend to compete in the Pro Bowl at half speed and soft contact out of respect to each other .
( After all , the results of the game are essentially meaningless , unless you believe that an AFC / NFC rivalry is real . )
The result is often a kind of odd , low-stakes celebration that draws an audience smaller than your average Thursday night game — though hearing Ryan Tannehill fanboy out to fellow QB Deshaun Watson might make the whole thing worth it .
That said , the NFL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to test things .
Last year , the event introduced a rule that teased getting rid of kickoffs entirely , one of the most dangerous plays in the sport .
In 2021 , the NFL will see what it ’ s like taking football completely off the field .

Last month, the National Football League announced it would cancel the 2021 Pro Bowl game — news that went largely unnoticed, since very few football fans care about it. But today, first reported by CNBC, the NFL announced it will resurrect the Pro Bowl as a weeklong digital event with players competing in EA’s Madden NFL 21 instead.
Details are scant, outside of the promise of “celebrities, NFL Legends, current players, and streamers,” according to an EA press release. Even the exact date is still to come. (Pinning one down will depend on if the NFL season is extended into an 18th week, the rumored solution if COVID cases mess with the schedule further.)
Still, it’s a fun, inevitable solution to what has often been the NFL’s least necessary tradition. The Pro Bowl fills the gap week between the playoffs and the Super Bowl, when the two competing teams rest. Naturally, the NFL fills that empty space with their equivalent of an all-star game, though football being a sport with high injury rates, players tend to compete in the Pro Bowl at half speed and soft contact out of respect to each other. (After all, the results of the game are essentially meaningless, unless you believe that an AFC / NFC rivalry is real.) The result is often a kind of odd, low-stakes celebration that draws an audience smaller than your average Thursday night game — though hearing Ryan Tannehill fanboy out to fellow QB Deshaun Watson might make the whole thing worth it.


theverge--2020-11-17--1Password updated for Big Sur with Apple Watch unlock support

1Password , one of the most popular password management services , has been updated for macOS Big Sur today , adding several new features that take advantage of the new capabilities of the operating system .
Chief among those is the option to use your Apple Watch to unlock 1Password : if enabled , you ’ ll get a pop-up on your watch when you open the app , which you can then unlock by double clicking the side button on the smartwatch .
The Apple Watch feature doesn ’ t interfere with the usual Touch ID option for Macs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to use either method to unlock their passwords .
( That said , Touch ID will still be considered the “ default ” method . )
The new update for 1Password also increases its integration into Safari on Big Sur , allowing the service to automatically fill in your passwords directly from text fields on websites .
Lastly , the newly updated app features some light design changes that make it a bit easier to use ( as well as a new , Big Sur-style icon ) .
While 1Password has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s important to clarify that it hasn ’ t been updated with a new , Arm-based version of the app for Apple ’ s latest M1 chip Macs .
The app will run on those Macs through Apple ’ s Rosetta 2 translation software , and AgileBits tells MacRumors that it hopes to have more information regarding M1 support in the future .

1Password, one of the most popular password management services, has been updated for macOS Big Sur today, adding several new features that take advantage of the new capabilities of the operating system.
Chief among those is the option to use your Apple Watch to unlock 1Password: if enabled, you’ll get a pop-up on your watch when you open the app, which you can then unlock by double clicking the side button on the smartwatch. The Apple Watch feature doesn’t interfere with the usual Touch ID option for Macs that offer it — customers will be able to use either method to unlock their passwords. (That said, Touch ID will still be considered the “default” method.)
The new update for 1Password also increases its integration into Safari on Big Sur, allowing the service to automatically fill in your passwords directly from text fields on websites.
Lastly, the newly updated app features some light design changes that make it a bit easier to use (as well as a new, Big Sur-style icon).