theverge--2020-07-17--Ten years in, Netflix is watching the throne

Netflix ’ s last decade turned a video rental startup into streaming ’ s king .
The next decade will see executives doing everything in their power to keep the crown .
Yesterday , Netflix announced its second quarter earnings to investors , and executives spent much of the call addressing what they have planned for the next few years , including continued international expansion and ambitious bets on new content .
While some executives might play coy about their conquest plans , Hastings didn ’ t shy away from wanting Netflix to be the streamer that makes people forget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have so many hits that when you come to Netflix you can just go from hit to hit to hit and never have to think about any of those other services , ” Hastings said on the call .
“ We want to be your primary , your best friend .
And of course , occasionally there ’ s Hamilton and you ’ re going to go to someone else ’ s service for an extraordinary film , but for the most part we want to be the one that always pleases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many hits that when you come to Netflix you can just go from hit to hit to hit and never have to think about those other services.
” At this point , Netflix is a foundational streaming service .
With nearly 200 million subscribers around the world , and continuously growing , it ’ s one of the few streamers that many people keep as a constant in their homes .
Just over a few years ago , that was partially because Netflix was one of the only major streamers available .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hulu , people came to Netflix as the place “ they used to watch what they missed on other networks , ” newly minted co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on the same call .
Original content didn ’ t begin until 2013 and didn ’ t pick up in earnest until later .
Netflix still has the lead on its competitors , but the space has changed radically since the early days .
Disney Plus , Peacock , and HBO Max have all launched .
CBS All Access is getting a major rebrand now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
Hulu , under Disney ’ s control , is undergoing a big facelift .
People are figuring out where they want to spend their money and their time .
Then there are different streaming platforms outside of the traditional entertainment competitors that Netflix has to compete with for time and attention , like Twitch , Facebook , and YouTube .
Still , Hastings said he isn ’ t focused on the competition .
Even if people leave Netflix to go check out other services , Hastings told analysts he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s always temporary , ” Hastings said , speaking to Netflix ’ s churn , a word used in the industry to describe when subscribers cancel their subscriptions .
“ They ’ re going to come back .
We want people to get a taste of Netflix , [ and ] we hope they stay for 50 years , but if they drop out we think it ’ s always temporary.
” “ We want to be the one that always pleases you.
” A big part of Netflix ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes from its content .
Under Sarandos ’ watchful eye — and a powerful executive team of Hollywood talent — Netflix transformed itself from that place people finally watched AMC ’ s Breaking Bad into the streamer “ where they come to us for their favorite show , ” Sarandos said on the call .
If Netflix is “ trying to become more your go-to destination ” for everyone ’ s favorite form of entertainment , the service has to expand its offerings .
After starting out with prestige scripted series like House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black , and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , Netflix now produces reality TV shows , competition series , anime , documentaries , stand-up comedy , and animated films .
It ’ s not just about building the brand ; it ’ s about producing anything and everything subscribers want .
That includes content that executives like Sarandos weren ’ t interested in developing even five years ago .
In 2015 , Sarandos spoke about “ the kind of disposable nature of reality ” programming at an investor conference , as reported by Bloomberg .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ basically doesn ’ t have much of a long shelf life , ” noting “ it hasn ’ t been a great category for us.
” Now , Sarandos has changed his tune .
Netflix is all in on unscripted programming and reality television — and numbers cited by Sarandos seem to back it up .
( Netflix doesn ’ t release public numbers for all of its programming , so it ’ s hard to say for certain . )
It ’ s not just about building the brand ; it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscribers want But two of Netflix ’ s most recent reality TV shows , Floor is Lava and Too Hot to Handle are some of its “ biggest hits ever , ” Sarandos said on the call .
Prior to Floor is Lava and Too Hot to Handle , shows like Love is Blind and The Circle dominated pop culture conversation ; Netflix renewed both for two more seasons right out the gate .
Sarandos added that Too Hot to Handle was just as popular in Japan as it was in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find content that ’ s received well around the world , it ’ s a good sign of what to expect .
Sarandos said as much on the call , arguing that “ the biggest motivation to invest in reality and unscripted is not that it ’ s a cost saving production , ” but rather “ how important it becomes in people ’ s lives.
” “ If we ’ re trying to become more of your go-to-destination for entertainment , to ignore a form of programming that kind of dominates broadcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarandos said .
Netflix is also betting big on franchises , which may help its library compete with Disney , NBCUniversal , WarnerMedia , and ViacomCBS ’ s incredible well of IP .
Four of Netflix ’ s most popular movies are either actively developing sequels or end with enough room for a sequel : Chris Hemsworth ’ s Extraction , Mark Wahlberg ’ s Spenser Confidential , Sandra Bullock ’ s Bird Box , and Ryan Reynolds ’ 6 Underground .
Today , Netflix announced a new $ 200 million spy movie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Russo that is designed as a franchise builder .
Blockbuster movies and franchise plays , which also include shows like Stranger Things , Money Heist , and The Witcher , not only bring in subscribers , but they keep people engaged .
Extraction and Spenser Confidential were watched by 99 million and 85 million accounts , respectively , within their first four weeks of release , according to Bloomberg .
Having access to big IP and building franchises is key to Netflix ’ s future , and even though some may flop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excited that we ’ re taking those risks.
” “ We got lots of places to put the money .
We ’ re definitely focused on creating franchises.
” “ Ted has big plans to spend future billions on movies and [ TV ] series and animation , ” Hastings said .
“ We got lots of places to put the money .
We ’ re definitely focused on creating franchises.
” The problem is , everyone else is spending billions , too .
Netflix wants to rule the next decade , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Disney Plus is growing at incredible speeds , WarnerMedia is investing everything into HBO Max , and other services are trying to figure out how to take attention away from Netflix .
Netflix was the undeniable king of the last decade , and now it ’ s going to have to fight to keep that crown .

Netflix’s last decade turned a video rental startup into streaming’s king. The next decade will see executives doing everything in their power to keep the crown.
Yesterday, Netflix announced its second quarter earnings to investors, and executives spent much of the call addressing what they have planned for the next few years, including continued international expansion and ambitious bets on new content. While some executives might play coy about their conquest plans, Hastings didn’t shy away from wanting Netflix to be the streamer that makes people forget about everyone else.
“We want to have so many hits that when you come to Netflix you can just go from hit to hit to hit and never have to think about any of those other services,” Hastings said on the call. “We want to be your primary, your best friend. And of course, occasionally there’s Hamilton and you’re going to go to someone else’s service for an extraordinary film, but for the most part we want to be the one that always pleases you.”
“We want to have so many hits that when you come to Netflix you can just go from hit to hit to hit and never have to think about those other services.”
At this point, Netflix is a foundational streaming service. With nearly 200 million subscribers around the world, and continuously growing, it’s one of the few streamers that many people keep as a constant in their homes. Just over a few years ago, that was partially because Netflix was one of the only major streamers available. Back when it was mainly Netflix and Hulu, people came to Netflix as the place “they used to watch what they missed on other networks,” newly minted co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on the same call. Original content didn’t begin until 2013 and didn’t pick up in earnest until later.
Netflix still has the lead on its competitors, but the space has changed radically since the early days. Disney Plus, Peacock, and HBO Max have all launched. CBS All Access is getting a major rebrand now that Viacom and CBS are one company again. Hulu, under Disney’s control, is undergoing a big facelift. People are figuring out where they want to spend their money and their time. Then there are different streaming platforms outside of the traditional entertainment competitors that Netflix has to compete with for time and attention, like Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube.
Still, Hastings said he isn’t focused on the competition. Even if people leave Netflix to go check out other services, Hastings told analysts he’s confident people never leave for good.
“It’s always temporary,” Hastings said, speaking to Netflix’s churn, a word used in the industry to describe when subscribers cancel their subscriptions. “They’re going to come back. We want people to get a taste of Netflix, [and]we hope they stay for 50 years, but if they drop out we think it’s always temporary.”
“We want to be the one that always pleases you.”
A big part of Netflix’s approach to reducing its churn rate comes from its content. Under Sarandos’ watchful eye — and a powerful executive team of Hollywood talent — Netflix transformed itself from that place people finally watched AMC’s Breaking Bad into the streamer “where they come to us for their favorite show,” Sarandos said on the call.
If Netflix is “trying to become more your go-to destination” for everyone’s favorite form of entertainment, the service has to expand its offerings. After starting out with prestige scripted series like House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Netflix now produces reality TV shows, competition series, anime, documentaries, stand-up comedy, and animated films. It’s not just about building the brand; it’s about producing anything and everything subscribers want.
That includes content that executives like Sarandos weren’t interested in developing even five years ago. In 2015, Sarandos spoke about “the kind of disposable nature of reality” programming at an investor conference, as reported by Bloomberg. He added at the time that it “basically doesn’t have much of a long shelf life,” noting “it hasn’t been a great category for us.” Now, Sarandos has changed his tune. Netflix is all in on unscripted programming and reality television — and numbers cited by Sarandos seem to back it up. (Netflix doesn’t release public numbers for all of its programming, so it’s hard to say for certain.)
It’s not just about building the brand; it’s about producing anything and everything subscribers want
But two of Netflix’s most recent reality TV shows, Floor is Lava and Too Hot to Handle are some of its “biggest hits ever,” Sarandos said on the call. Prior to Floor is Lava and Too Hot to Handle, shows like Love is Blind and The Circle dominated pop culture conversation; Netflix renewed both for two more seasons right out the gate. Sarandos added that Too Hot to Handle was just as popular in Japan as it was in the United States, and as Netflix tries to find content that’s received well around the world, it’s a good sign of what to expect. Sarandos said as much on the call, arguing that “the biggest motivation to invest in reality and unscripted is not that it’s a cost saving production,” but rather “how important it becomes in people’s lives.”
“If we’re trying to become more of your go-to-destination for entertainment, to ignore a form of programming that kind of dominates broadcast would be silly of us,” Sarandos said.
Netflix is also betting big on franchises, which may help its library compete with Disney, NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia, and ViacomCBS’s incredible well of IP. Four of Netflix’s most popular movies are either actively developing sequels or end with enough room for a sequel: Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction, Mark Wahlberg’s Spenser Confidential, Sandra Bullock’s Bird Box, and Ryan Reynolds’ 6 Underground. Today, Netflix announced a new $200 million spy movie from Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo that is designed as a franchise builder.
Blockbuster movies and franchise plays, which also include shows like Stranger Things, Money Heist, and The Witcher, not only bring in subscribers, but they keep people engaged. Extraction and Spenser Confidential were watched by 99 million and 85 million accounts, respectively, within their first four weeks of release, according to Bloomberg. Having access to big IP and building franchises is key to Netflix’s future, and even though some may flop, Hastings said he’s “excited that we’re taking those risks.”
“We got lots of places to put the money. We’re definitely focused on creating franchises.”
“Ted has big plans to spend future billions on movies and [TV] series and animation,” Hastings said. “We got lots of places to put the money. We’re definitely focused on creating franchises.”


theverge--2020-07-17--Metacritic stops letting you review games on the day they’re released

Metacritic wants people to actually play a game before reviewing it , so the site now requires users to wait 36 hours from when a new game is released before leaving a score .
The intention is to prevent review-bombing campaigns , where people leave negative scores on a title sometimes as a way to punish the developer .
Heading to a review page for a recently released title on Metacritic will now display the message “ Please spend some time playing the game , ” with a specific date and time when a user can publish a review for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new policy change has locked user reviews for two big games that came out today : Ghosts of Tsushima and Paper Mario : The Origami King .
Users have to wait until July 18th at 12PM PT to review them .
The new policy was first spotted by PlayStation Universe last week , but Forbes brought attention to it today .
Review bombing — when a large group of users goes to a digital storefront or review aggregator to leave poor scores on a product — is done to retaliate against a company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Last of Us Part II was targeted on Metacritic following its release in June in part because of its story and inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters .
Metacritic is not the only platform tackling a review bomb problem .
Valve ’ s gaming distribution platform Steam has also been subjected to review bombing .
In 2017 , Valve added a bar graph to show positive and negative scores over a game ’ s lifetime .
Last year , Valve said it would investigate Steam games being review bombed and hide off-topic reviews @

Metacritic wants people to actually play a game before reviewing it, so the site now requires users to wait 36 hours from when a new game is released before leaving a score. The intention is to prevent review-bombing campaigns, where people leave negative scores on a title sometimes as a way to punish the developer. Heading to a review page for a recently released title on Metacritic will now display the message “Please spend some time playing the game,” with a specific date and time when a user can publish a review for that game on the site.
The new policy change has locked user reviews for two big games that came out today: Ghosts of Tsushima and Paper Mario: The Origami King. Users have to wait until July 18th at 12PM PT to review them. The new policy was first spotted by PlayStation Universe last week, but Forbes brought attention to it today.
Review bombing — when a large group of users goes to a digital storefront or review aggregator to leave poor scores on a product — is done to retaliate against a company or a public figure for perceived slights. The Last of Us Part II was targeted on Metacritic following its release in June in part because of its story.


theverge--2020-07-18--8 new trailers to watch this week

8 new trailers to watch this week

Palm Springs , the new Andy Samberg comedy , likely would have gone to theaters if the world weren ’ t ... you know ... right now .
But with theaters still closed , the film landed straight on Hulu , and it ’ s kind of the perfect movie for streaming from home — short , funny , and about being stuck in the same place endlessly .
It even broke first-weekend records for Hulu .
I watched the movie last weekend , too , and really enjoyed it .
The film takes the premise of Groundhog Day and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern results .
What makes Palm Springs work so well is both a twist to the formula — multiple people stuck together in the loop — and the film ’ s trust that the audience needs little explanation of what ’ s going on .
The premise is quickly established , and then the film just moves on to the fun part .
Check out eight trailers from this week below .
Disney put together a fully 2020 trailer for its new Muppets show , which has the cast making their pitch for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It hits a little too close to home , but it ’ s very well done .
The show premieres July 31st .
Netflix keeps searching for summer blockbusters , and Project Power looks like its latest .
Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this dark superhero film about city troubled by users of a drug that temporarily gives you superpowers .
It comes out August 14th .
CBS clearly knows that Star Trek is the only reason to sign up for its All Access subscription service , so now it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the property with an animated comedy about some of the otherwise ignored crew members on a Starfleet ship .
The series debuts August 6th .
Ethan Hawke stars as Nikola Tesla in this odd and theatrical looking biopic that seems to flit between the past and present .
For some reason , it also involves Hawke occasionally standing against backdrops that look like they ’ d be in a classic Hollywood film .
The movie comes out August 21st .
How to Fake A War has Jay Pharoah starring as a Kanye-esque superstar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a philanthropic hero , accidentally starts an actual conflict .
It comes out August 21st .
Brandon Cronenberg ’ s new film is a stylish thriller about an assassin who takes over other people ’ s bodies and uses them to do her bidding .
Cronenberg , like his father , seems to have an eye toward infusing creepy body horror into the film ’ s imagery .
There ’ s no release date just yet .
Apple TV Plus has a very Apple TV-ish new comedy coming up with the wild @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro soccer team in England .
Let the hijinks ensue .
The film stars Jason Sudeikis and comes out August 14th .
Feels Good Man talks to the creator of Pepe the Frog about having his creation stolen by white supremacists — and what he ’ s doing to try to take Pepe back .
My colleague Adi Robertson reviewed the film at Sundance , writing that it has a “ unique and uncomfortable appeal.
” It comes out on September 4th .

Palm Springs, the new Andy Samberg comedy, likely would have gone to theaters if the world weren’t... you know... right now. But with theaters still closed, the film landed straight on Hulu, and it’s kind of the perfect movie for streaming from home — short, funny, and about being stuck in the same place endlessly. It even broke first-weekend records for Hulu.
I watched the movie last weekend, too, and really enjoyed it. The film takes the premise of Groundhog Day and revamps it to slightly more ridiculous and modern results. What makes Palm Springs work so well is both a twist to the formula — multiple people stuck together in the loop — and the film’s trust that the audience needs little explanation of what’s going on. The premise is quickly established, and then the film just moves on to the fun part.
Check out eight trailers from this week below.
Muppets Now
Disney put together a fully 2020 trailer for its new Muppets show, which has the cast making their pitch for the series inside of a video meeting. It hits a little too close to home, but it’s very well done. The show premieres July 31st.
Project Power
Netflix keeps searching for summer blockbusters, and Project Power looks like its latest. Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this dark superhero film about city troubled by users of a drug that temporarily gives you superpowers. It comes out August 14th.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
CBS clearly knows that Star Trek is the only reason to sign up for its All Access subscription service, so now it’s putting a new twist on the property with an animated comedy about some of the otherwise ignored crew members on a Starfleet ship. The series debuts August 6th.
Tesla
Ethan Hawke stars as Nikola Tesla in this odd and theatrical looking biopic that seems to flit between the past and present. For some reason, it also involves Hawke occasionally standing against backdrops that look like they’d be in a classic Hollywood film. The movie comes out August 21st.
How to Fake A War
How to Fake A War has Jay Pharoah starring as a Kanye-esque superstar who, in a quest to look like a philanthropic hero, accidentally starts an actual conflict. It comes out August 21st.
Possessor
Brandon Cronenberg’s new film is a stylish thriller about an assassin who takes over other people’s bodies and uses them to do her bidding. Cronenberg, like his father, seems to have an eye toward infusing creepy body horror into the film’s imagery. There’s no release date just yet.
Ted Lasso
Apple TV Plus has a very Apple TV-ish new comedy coming up with the wild premise of... an American coaching a pro soccer team in England. Let the hijinks ensue. The film stars Jason Sudeikis and comes out August 14th.
Feels Good Man


theverge--2020-07-18--The Verge Guide to Gmail

The Verge Guide to Gmail

Since its launch in 2004 , Google ’ s Gmail email app has grown to be the most popular email @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s gone through a lot of changes since then and has added a @ @ @ @ @ its main goal — and main advantage — remains that it provides free online email @ @ @ @ @ format .
However , behind that clean interface is actually a plethora of features , @ @ @ @ @ .
In The Verge Guide to Gmail , we look at the wide variety of @ @ @ @ @ make Gmail fit your particular needs , such as vacation responders , templates , snoozing @ @ @ @ @ replies .
We also help you back up your emails just in case and get @ @ @ @ @ out of your inbox .
Whatever you need to do with your email , you @ @ @ @ @ Gmail .
And we ’ re here to help .

The Verge Guide to Gmail
Get the most out of Google’s email app
Since its launch in 2004, Google’s Gmail email app has grown to be the most popular email service out there. While it’s gone through a lot of changes since then and has added a wide variety of features, its main goal — and main advantage — remains that it provides free online email in an easy-to-understand and use format.
However, behind that clean interface is actually a plethora of features, add-ons, and possible tweaks. In The Verge Guide to Gmail, we look at the wide variety of things you can do to make Gmail fit your particular needs, such as vacation responders, templates, snoozing, signatures, and smart replies. We also help you back up your emails just in case and get those hundreds of promotional emails out of your inbox.


theverge--2020-07-18--Read Twitter’s update on the huge hack — 8 accounts may have had private messages stolen

On Friday evening , Twitter issued its first full blog post about what happened after the biggest security lapse in the company ’ s history , one that led to attackers getting hold of some of the highest profile Twitter accounts in the world — including Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , President Barack Obama , Tesla CEO Elon Musk , Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates , Kanye West , Michael Bloomberg , and more .
The bad news : Twitter has now revealed that the attackers may indeed have downloaded the private direct messages ( DMs ) of up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and were able to see “ personal information ” including phone numbers and email addresses for every account they targeted .
That ’ s because Twitter has confirmed that attackers attempted to download the entire “ Your Twitter Data ” archive for those 8 individuals , which contains DMs among other info .
They may even have DMs that the 8 individuals tried to delete , given that Twitter stores DMs on its servers as long as either party to a conversation keeps them around — we learned last February that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Your Twitter Data ” archive , even if you ’ ve deleted them yourself .
The archive can also include other personal information like your address book and any images and videos you may have attached to those private messages as well .
The good news : Twitter claims none of those 8 accounts were verified users , suggesting that none of the highest-profile individuals targeted had their data downloaded .
It ’ s still possible that the hackers looked at their DMs , but no , Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get their DMs stolen outright .
According to Twitter , hackers targeted 130 accounts ; successfully triggered a password reset , logged in , and tweeted from 45 of them ; and only attempted to download data for that “ up to eight ” non-verified accounts .
We do not know how many accounts they may have scanned for personal information or how many DMs they might have simply accessed or read .
And for the larger batch of 130 accounts — including high-profile ones like the Democratic presidential candidate — Twitter says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other sorts of personal information .
Twitter also allows logged in users to see a location history of the places and times that they ’ ve logged in , as an example .
Twitter previously confirmed that its own internal employee tools were used to facilitate the account takeovers , and suspected that its employees had fallen for a social engineering scam — now , the company is going further to say definitively that the attackers “ successfully manipulated a small number of employees and used their credentials to access Twitter ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-factor protections.
” That aligns with the prevailing theories , which you can read more about in the NYT ’ s impressive report here .
There are still many , many more questions and serious investigations still ahead .
You can read Twitter ’ s full blog post here .

On Friday evening, Twitter issued its first full blog post about what happened after the biggest security lapse in the company’s history, one that led to attackers getting hold of some of the highest profile Twitter accounts in the world — including Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, President Barack Obama, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Kanye West, Michael Bloomberg, and more.
The bad news: Twitter has now revealed that the attackers may indeed have downloaded the private direct messages (DMs) of up to 8 individuals while conducting their Bitcoin scam, and were able to see “personal information” including phone numbers and email addresses for every account they targeted.
That’s because Twitter has confirmed that attackers attempted to download the entire “Your Twitter Data” archive for those 8 individuals, which contains DMs among other info.
They may even have DMs that the 8 individuals tried to delete, given that Twitter stores DMs on its servers as long as either party to a conversation keeps them around — we learned last February that you can retrieve deleted DMs by downloading the “Your Twitter Data” archive, even if you’ve deleted them yourself. The archive can also include other personal information like your address book and any images and videos you may have attached to those private messages as well.
The good news: Twitter claims none of those 8 accounts were verified users, suggesting that none of the highest-profile individuals targeted had their data downloaded. It’s still possible that the hackers looked at their DMs, but no, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and others probably didn’t just get their DMs stolen outright.
According to Twitter, hackers targeted 130 accounts; successfully triggered a password reset, logged in, and tweeted from 45 of them; and only attempted to download data for that “up to eight” non-verified accounts. We do not know how many accounts they may have scanned for personal information or how many DMs they might have simply accessed or read.
And for the larger batch of 130 accounts — including high-profile ones like the Democratic presidential candidate — Twitter says they may have been able to see other sorts of personal information. Twitter also allows logged in users to see a location history of the places and times that they’ve logged in, as an example.
Twitter previously confirmed that its own internal employee tools were used to facilitate the account takeovers, and suspected that its employees had fallen for a social engineering scam — now, the company is going further to say definitively that the attackers “successfully manipulated a small number of employees and used their credentials to access Twitter’s internal systems, including getting through our two-factor protections.”


theverge--2020-07-18--Disney has reportedly paused its spending on Facebook ads

Disney has significantly reduced its spending on Facebook and Instagram ads amid concerns about the social media platform ’ s enforcement of its content policies , The Wall Street Journal reported .
It joins a list of large companies that have cut back on Facebook ads as part of an effort to compel Facebook to change how it handles hate speech and misinformation on its platforms .
The monthlong # StopHateforProfit boycott organized by a coalition of civil rights organizations including the Anti-Defamation League , the NAACP , Color of Change , and Sleeping Giants kicked off July 1st and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben & Jerry ’ s , and Verizon .
Other companies not part of the formal boycott that have pulled ads from Facebook and other social platforms included Coca-Cola , Lego , Starbucks , and Unilever .
And Microsoft suspended its advertising on Facebook and Instagram through August .
According to the WSJ , Disney has paused ads for its news Disney Plus streaming service on Facebook , and paused ads for its Hulu streaming service on Facebook ’ s Instagram platform .
Disney spent about $ 210 million for Disney Plus ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first half of 2020 , the WSJ reports , and spent $ 16 million for Hulu ads on Instagram between April 15th and June 30th .
Disney and Facebook did not respond to requests for comment Saturday .
A Facebook spokesperson said in a statement last month that it remains “ focused on the important work of removing hate speech and providing critical voting information .
”

Disney has significantly reduced its spending on Facebook and Instagram ads amid concerns about the social media platform’s enforcement of its content policies, The Wall Street Journal reported. It joins a list of large companies that have cut back on Facebook ads as part of an effort to compel Facebook to change how it handles hate speech and misinformation on its platforms.
The monthlong #StopHateforProfit boycott organized by a coalition of civil rights organizations including the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Color of Change, and Sleeping Giants kicked off July 1st and includes companies like Hershey, Honda, Ben & Jerry’s, and Verizon.
Other companies not part of the formal boycott that have pulled ads from Facebook and other social platforms included Coca-Cola, Lego, Starbucks, and Unilever. And Microsoft suspended its advertising on Facebook and Instagram through August.
According to the WSJ, Disney has paused ads for its news Disney Plus streaming service on Facebook, and paused ads for its Hulu streaming service on Facebook’s Instagram platform. Disney spent about $210 million for Disney Plus ads on Facebook in the US in the first half of 2020, the WSJ reports, and spent $16 million for Hulu ads on Instagram between April 15th and June 30th.


theverge--2020-07-18--GM is planning a full-size electric pickup truck

According to its just-released sustainability report , GM is planning a full-size electric Chevrolet pickup truck with 400 miles of range .
The report describes the “ Chevrolet BET Truck , which will be the brand ’ s first electric full-size pickup , offering 400+ miles of range on a single charge.
” GM CEO Mary Barra said last November that an electric pickup was coming in late 2021 , and most assumed she was referring to the Hummer EV , but it ’ s possible she was speaking about this unnamed Chevy pickup .
When the automaker unveiled its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company said it was targeting range of up to “ 400 miles or more ” for its electric vehicles .
The company said it was changing the chemistry of its battery cells to reduce the amount of cobalt they use and make them more cost-efficient .
The electric Chevy pickup will be one of 20 electric vehicles GM plans to release by 2023 .
There ’ s no further description of the truck in the sustainability report , and no word on when it will be available .
It will be interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets when towing , a feature that many customers expect from legacy automakers like GM .
GM competitors have already announced plans for their own electric pickup trucks .
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled its Cybertruck last November , expected to come in three versions , with 250 miles , 300 miles , and 500 miles of range , respectively .
Its starting price is $ 39,900 , and is slated for release in late 2021 .
And Ford said last month an electric version of its F-150 pickup will go on sale @ @ @

According to its just-released sustainability report, GM is planning a full-size electric Chevrolet pickup truck with 400 miles of range. The report describes the “Chevrolet BET Truck, which will be the brand’s first electric full-size pickup, offering 400+ miles of range on a single charge.”
GM CEO Mary Barra said last November that an electric pickup was coming in late 2021, and most assumed she was referring to the Hummer EV, but it’s possible she was speaking about this unnamed Chevy pickup. When the automaker unveiled its new EV platform earlier this year, the company said it was targeting range of up to “400 miles or more” for its electric vehicles. The company said it was changing the chemistry of its battery cells to reduce the amount of cobalt they use and make them more cost-efficient.
The electric Chevy pickup will be one of 20 electric vehicles GM plans to release by 2023. There’s no further description of the truck in the sustainability report, and no word on when it will be available. It will be interesting to see what range the electric pickup gets when towing, a feature that many customers expect from legacy automakers like GM.


theverge--2020-07-18--TikTok turned his song into a creepy meme — until fans took it back

For years , Absofacto ’ s “ Dissolve ” has been a fixture on TikTok — specifically the first few seconds of the chorus , a hooky rising vocal line singing the words , “ I just wanted you to watch me dissolve ... ” The song never broke as big as “ Old Town Road ” or “ The Box , ” but TikTok fame has given it millions of streaming plays and even a minor chart breakthrough in 2019 , a full four years after it was released .
But last weekend , Jonathan Visger ( who records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarming news from his followers .
“ I started getting messages from people that were survivors of childhood sexual abuse , ” says Visger .
“ They told me there were videos on TikTok using my song that were extremely upsetting to them.
” “ The stress probably took a year off my life , but it was worth it ” The messages were about an unsettling meme that had grown up around Visger ’ s song .
Described as “ daddy daughter POV ” videos , the videos show young users making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setting a scene of a daughter accidentally walking in on her father .
The lighter instances of the meme were only vaguely creepy , but others seemed to be straightforward references to incest and sexual abuse .
None were explicit enough to trigger moderation , but they were still deeply disturbing .
For longtime fans , it was jarring to see it soundtracked by a song they loved .
“ I probably wouldn ’ t have understood the meaning behind this trend , if the people who had been affected hadn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do something , ” Visger says .
“ This is uncharted territory for me.
” The result has been an unusual fight to reclaim “ Dissolve.
” Unlike most content fights , this one has mostly taken place among users , avoiding top-down moderation in favor of mass action within the strange ecosystem of TikTok .
But for Visger and other musicians who have used the platform to reach a new audience , it ’ s an ugly reminder of how little control there is over how a song is used , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take back your work .
From the beginning , Visger seemed to be fighting an uphill battle against TikTok ’ s algorithm .
Users who register likes on a lot of “ Dissolve ” memes are likely to be shown more of them , which means the users who already had an attachment to Visger ’ s song were the ones most likely to see the unsettling meme .
And because recommendation algorithms tend to surface content that gets a lot of reactions — whether it ’ s likes , comments or TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have only promoted them more .
Visger ’ s first response was a TikTok post , calling on fans to take back the song and beat back the “ gross daddy POV trend , ” as he called it .
“ This song means a lot to me , ” he wrote in a caption .
“ Please save it from being associated with this daddy play acting thing.
” The post brought in half a million likes , and launched a wave of countermemes under the same audio tag , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiar hook .
One popular user posted a POV video with the caption “ I ’ m your cool aunt looking at a picture you just colored with your other aunt after I get back from burying your creepy pedophilic dad in the woods , ” which spun off an entire wave of response videos .
In another response , a gay couple poses with their infant child under the caption “ POV : you got taken away from your creepy dad and adopted by a lesbian witch family.
” Along the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original daddy-daughter meme have gotten the message .
Many have taken down their posts , sometimes posting apologies alongside them .
( Visger duetted one on Friday , trying to boost the message . )
After last week ’ s flood , the memes are now difficult to find on TikTok , and far less likely to pop into the pivotal For You page .
Still , the experience has left Visger unsettled , and with a radically new perspective on what it means to be a popular artist on TikTok .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a while , he ’ ll dedicate his TikTok account to spreading awareness about child sexual abuse , hoping to comfort survivors and turn the experience into something more positive .
“ I ’ m so happy I spoke up and I ’ m so thankful to the CSA survivors who put it on my radar , ” he says .
“ The stress probably took a year off my life , but it was worth it .
”

For years, Absofacto’s “Dissolve” has been a fixture on TikTok — specifically the first few seconds of the chorus, a hooky rising vocal line singing the words, “I just wanted you to watch me dissolve...” The song never broke as big as “Old Town Road” or “The Box,” but TikTok fame has given it millions of streaming plays and even a minor chart breakthrough in 2019, a full four years after it was released.
But last weekend, Jonathan Visger (who records under the Absofacto name) got some alarming news from his followers. “I started getting messages from people that were survivors of childhood sexual abuse,” says Visger. “They told me there were videos on TikTok using my song that were extremely upsetting to them.”
“The stress probably took a year off my life, but it was worth it”
The messages were about an unsettling meme that had grown up around Visger’s song. Described as “daddy daughter POV” videos, the videos show young users making direct eye contact with the viewer, setting a scene of a daughter accidentally walking in on her father. The lighter instances of the meme were only vaguely creepy, but others seemed to be straightforward references to incest and sexual abuse. None were explicit enough to trigger moderation, but they were still deeply disturbing. For longtime fans, it was jarring to see it soundtracked by a song they loved.
“I probably wouldn’t have understood the meaning behind this trend, if the people who had been affected hadn’t told me about it and asked me to do something,” Visger says. “This is uncharted territory for me.”
The result has been an unusual fight to reclaim “Dissolve.” Unlike most content fights, this one has mostly taken place among users, avoiding top-down moderation in favor of mass action within the strange ecosystem of TikTok. But for Visger and other musicians who have used the platform to reach a new audience, it’s an ugly reminder of how little control there is over how a song is used, and how hard it can be to take back your work.
From the beginning, Visger seemed to be fighting an uphill battle against TikTok’s algorithm. Users who register likes on a lot of “Dissolve” memes are likely to be shown more of them, which means the users who already had an attachment to Visger’s song were the ones most likely to see the unsettling meme. And because recommendation algorithms tend to surface content that gets a lot of reactions — whether it’s likes, comments or TikTok duets — the controversy around the videos may have only promoted them more.
Visger’s first response was a TikTok post, calling on fans to take back the song and beat back the “gross daddy POV trend,” as he called it. “This song means a lot to me,” he wrote in a caption. “Please save it from being associated with this daddy play acting thing.” The post brought in half a million likes, and launched a wave of countermemes under the same audio tag, a slowed down version of Dissolve’s familiar hook. One popular user posted a POV video with the caption “I’m your cool aunt looking at a picture you just colored with your other aunt after I get back from burying your creepy pedophilic dad in the woods,” which spun off an entire wave of response videos. In another response, a gay couple poses with their infant child under the caption “POV: you got taken away from your creepy dad and adopted by a lesbian witch family.”
Along the way, many of the users behind the original daddy-daughter meme have gotten the message. Many have taken down their posts, sometimes posting apologies alongside them. (Visger duetted one on Friday, trying to boost the message.) After last week’s flood, the memes are now difficult to find on TikTok, and far less likely to pop into the pivotal For You page.
Still, the experience has left Visger unsettled, and with a radically new perspective on what it means to be a popular artist on TikTok. He’s decided that, at least for a while, he’ll dedicate his TikTok account to spreading awareness about child sexual abuse, hoping to comfort survivors and turn the experience into something more positive.


theverge--2020-07-18--KFC is working with a Russian 3D bioprinting firm to try to make lab-produced chicken nuggets

KFC is trying to create the world ’ s first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets , part of its “ restaurant of the future ” concept , the company announced .
The chicken restaurant chain will work with Russian company 3D Bioprinting Solutions to develop bioprinting technology that will “ print ” chicken meat , using chicken cells and plant material .
KFC plans to provide the bioprinting firm with ingredients like breading and spices “ to achieve the signature KFC taste ” and will seek to replicate the taste and texture of genuine chicken .
It ’ s worth noting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material , so any nuggets it produced wouldn ’ t be vegetarian .
KFC does offer a vegetarian option at some of its restaurants ; last year it became the first US fast-food chain to test out Beyond Meat ’ s plant-based chicken product , which it plans to roll out to more of its locations this summer .
Bioprinted nuggets would be more environmentally friendly to produce than standard chicken meat , KFC says , citing ( but not linking to ) a study by the American Environmental Science and Technology Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meat from cells , including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption compared to traditional farming methods .
“ 3D bioprinting technologies , initially widely recognized in medicine , are nowadays gaining popularity in producing foods such as meat , ” Yusef Khesuani , co-founder of 3D Bioprinting Solutions said in a statement announcing the KFC partnership .
“ In the future , the rapid development of such technologies will allow us to make 3D-printed meat products more accessible and we are hoping that the technology created as a result of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch of cell-based meat products on the market.
” 3D bioprinting is a slow , laborious process .
although there have been some promising developments toward its use in medicine .
Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley working on a process to bioprint human organs for transplantation noted last year that biological materials tended to deteriorate before the process was completed .
Their method called for freezing the biological material as it was being printed .
Experts believe there ’ s still a long way to go before 3D bioprinting will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transplant patients , however .
KFC says its bioprinted nuggets will be available for final testing in Moscow this fall .
The announcement didn ’ t detail how the process it ’ s testing in Russia differs from other 3D bioprinting efforts , but said “ there are no other methods available on the market that could allow the creation of such complex products from animal cells.
” No word on when or if the printed nuggets might be available for KFC customers to sample .

KFC is trying to create the world’s first laboratory-produced chicken nuggets, part of its “restaurant of the future” concept, the company announced. The chicken restaurant chain will work with Russian company 3D Bioprinting Solutions to develop bioprinting technology that will “print” chicken meat, using chicken cells and plant material.
KFC plans to provide the bioprinting firm with ingredients like breading and spices “to achieve the signature KFC taste” and will seek to replicate the taste and texture of genuine chicken.
It’s worth noting that the bioprinting process KFC describes uses animal material, so any nuggets it produced wouldn’t be vegetarian. KFC does offer a vegetarian option at some of its restaurants; last year it became the first US fast-food chain to test out Beyond Meat’s plant-based chicken product, which it plans to roll out to more of its locations this summer.
Bioprinted nuggets would be more environmentally friendly to produce than standard chicken meat, KFC says, citing (but not linking to) a study by the American Environmental Science and Technology Journal it says shows the benefits of growing meat from cells, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption compared to traditional farming methods.
“3D bioprinting technologies, initially widely recognized in medicine, are nowadays gaining popularity in producing foods such as meat,” Yusef Khesuani, co-founder of 3D Bioprinting Solutions said in a statement announcing the KFC partnership. “In the future, the rapid development of such technologies will allow us to make 3D-printed meat products more accessible and we are hoping that the technology created as a result of our cooperation with KFC will help accelerate the launch of cell-based meat products on the market.”
3D bioprinting is a slow, laborious process. although there have been some promising developments toward its use in medicine. Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley working on a process to bioprint human organs for transplantation noted last year that biological materials tended to deteriorate before the process was completed. Their method called for freezing the biological material as it was being printed. Experts believe there’s still a long way to go before 3D bioprinting will be able to create functioning organs for transplant patients, however.


theverge--2020-07-18--The best electric scooters, according to experts

At a time when public transportation has never been less appealing , people are trying to get their hands on anything that can get them from point A to point B .
That means bikes , rollerblades , and electric scooters have been impossible to keep in stock .
Adding to the demand , New York State officially legalized electric bikes and scooters after a state budget agreement was reached in early April , making getting around on motorized wheels easier than ever .
If you ’ ve been considering a new mode of transportation , electric scooters are an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portable , they ’ re energy efficient , and they ’ re just really easy to ride .
It also doesn ’ t hurt that electric scooters have gotten better year over year .
“ Battery technology has vastly improved over the years , giving riders a quicker charge time and longer range , ” says Ben Gibson , managing director of Micro Scooters U.K. “ These technological improvements make electric scooters an even more viable method of commuting for more people.
” When you ’ re scooter shopping , the main factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and battery .
Typically , scooters weigh anywhere between 20 and 90 pounds , can go between 15 and 50 mph , and reach from 15 to 75 miles in distance , all things to keep in mind when you ’ re comparing models .
The experts we spoke to recommended that first-time buyers look for a scooter that is , above all , lightweight , because “ getting the scooter in and out of the apartment or office can be tedious , ” says Manuel Saez , the CEO and co-founder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many of the experts we spoke to also highlighted the importance of the suspension , which allows your scooter to glide along the road smoothly , even when the conditions are less than ideal .
As KC Cohen , the owner of Joulvert Electric Bikes and Scooters in NYC , says , without sufficient suspension , “ it will feel like riding a jackhammer.
” Gibson warns that the e-scooter market has been flooded with cheaper models , which “ are often made with less robust parts and can be prone to product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bicycles agrees , saying whatever you do , ” don ’ t buy a cheap scooter with a cheap suspension .
If the suspension breaks while at speed — well , it is not pretty.
” Another thing to keep in mind , says Eric Levenseller , the CEO of Levy Electric , is “ the level of post-sales support you ’ ll be getting.
” He adds that first-time purchasers often “ think owning an electric scooter will last them as long as a traditional bike with little maintenance required .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design , have complex electronics and battery systems that will likely require replacements over time.
” Almost every expert we spoke to echoed this sentiment .
Before buying , make sure your e-scooter can get proper maintenance and has a good warranty with replaceable parts .
With all of that in mind , we asked four electric scooter experts ( plus two other pros ) about some of their most highly rated electric scooters .
Here ’ s what they recommend .
Editors ’ note : Our friends at The Verge tell us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a company called E-TWOW and sold by other retailers under that name .
We ’ ve included a similar option to the Merlin below.
” Best electric scooter for even longer distances Best electric scooter for carrying more weight The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful , expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape .
Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments , rolling luggage , pillows for side sleepers , natural anxiety remedies , and bath towels .
We update links when possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all prices are subject to change .
Every editorial product is independently selected .
If you buy something through our links , New York may earn an affiliate commission .

Photo-Illustration: retailers
New York State officially legalized electric bikes and scooters after a state budget agreement was reached in early April 2020, making getting around on motorized wheels easier than ever—and just in time, as many city residents were looking for alternatives to public transit at the start of the pandemic. It also doesn’t hurt that current electric scooters are better than ever, too. “Battery technology has vastly improved over the years, giving riders a quicker charge time and longer range,” says Ben Gibson, managing director of MicroScootersUK. “These technological improvements make electric scooters an even more viable method of commuting for more people.”
When you’re scooter shopping, the main factors to consider are weight, distance, and battery life. Typically, scooters weigh between 20 and 90 pounds, can hit speeds of 15 to 50 mph, and cover as much as 75 miles in on a single charge. The experts we spoke to recommended that first time buyers look for a scooter that is, above all, lightweight because “getting the scooter in and out of the apartment or office can be tedious,” says Manuel Saez, the CEO and co-founder of Brooklyness, a scooter subscription service.
Many of the experts we spoke to also highlighted the importance of a good suspension, which allows your scooter to glide along the road smoothly, even when conditions are less than ideal. As KC Cohen, the owner of Joulvert Electric Bikes and Scooters in NYC, says, without sufficient suspension, “it will feel like riding a jackhammer.” Gibson also warns that the e-scooter market has been flooded with cheaper models, which “are often made with less robust parts and can be prone to product recalls.” And Damon Victor of Greenpath Electric Bicycles says, whatever you do, ”don’t buy a cheap scooter with a cheap suspension. If the suspension breaks while at speed — well, it is not pretty.”
Another thing to keep in mind, says Eric Levenseller, the CEO of Levy Electric, is “the level of post-sales support you’ll be getting.” He adds that first time purchasers often “think an electric scooter will last them as long as a traditional bike, with little maintenance required. But electric scooters, while simple in their design, have complex electronics and battery systems that will likely require replacements over time.” Almost every expert we spoke to echoed this sentiment, so before buying, make sure your e-scooter can get proper maintenance and has a good warranty with replaceable parts. We asked six electric scooter experts (plus two other pros) about the best scooters available right now. Here’s what they recommend.
Best budget electric scooters
Glion Dolly $499 $499 Victor says this one is “inexpensive and insanely reliable.” He says that while the Dolly is lightweight enough that you can haul it around the city with relative ease, “it also has a built in ‘dolly’ feature, where you can pull out a handle and roll it on two small dedicated wheels, like carry-on luggage.” It’s the only e-scooter on the list that has this feature, which is especially useful when your battery runs low. Instead of carrying your 30-pound deadweight scooter back to a charging station, at least you can roll it. Weight: 28 pounds
Range: 15 miles
Weight limit: 255 pounds
Recharge time: Four to six hours $499 at Amazon Buy $529 at Glion Buy
Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter $1,059 $1,059 This is the “ultimate budget scooter,” says Chuck Temple, founder of Electric Scooter Guide, who has tested more than 75 electric scooters for his site. “The M365 is quite sleek and well thought out. It’s also easy to use and uncomplicated, making it a great beginner scooter,” he says. The M365 has a 14.6-mile range, “a decent top speed of just under 16 mph, and a braking mechanism on each wheel, with the rear one being a disc, which we consider to be reliable,” he explains. Plus, there are pneumatic tires: “Large tires are safer because they take less force to roll over bumps, and being air-filled helps to cushion the ride.” They grip the road better, too. Weight: 26.9 pounds
Range: 18.6 miles
Weight limit: 220 pounds
Recharge time: Five hours $1,059 at Amazon Buy $399 at Walmart Buy
Best lightweight electric scooter
Micro Merlin $800 $800 The Micro Merlin is one of Micro Scooter U.K.’s best-selling electric scooters, says Gibson. “It is lightweight and has four speed settings, making it suitable for every type of journey.” He also notes that the Merlin has “cruise control for effortless riding and an integrated dual suspension for comfort, a three-hour full recharge with regenerative braking, LCD display, and a 15-mile range.” It weighs only 24 pounds — one of the lightest on our list — and can hold a weight of 220 pounds. Weight: 24 pounds
Range: 15 miles
Weight limit: 220 pounds
Recharge time: Three hours $800 at Micro Kickboard Buy
Best long-distance electric scooters
Segway Ninebot KickScooter Max $890 $890 “I would recommend this particular model for leisure rides. It has a wide base and tall standing height, both features that make longer distance riding more comfortable,” says Levenseller. This is a heavier scooter, weighing in over 40 pounds, so it’s less ideal for commuting. But if you need to leisurely get somewhere on the weekends, this could be perfect for you. The Ninebot KickScooter Max also stands out with a 40-mile range, though it does have a longer charge time, at six hours. It can reach a top speed of 18.6 mph and handle a 220-pound weight load. Plus, it has an LED dashboard, making it easier to check maintenance issues, power levels, and Bluetooth connectivity. Weight: 40 pounds
Range: 40 miles
Weight limit: 220 pounds
Recharge time: Six hours $890 at Best Buy Buy
EMOVE Cruiser 52V Long-Range Electric Scooter $1,399 $1,399 “The Cruiser is basically the Toyota Corolla or Honda Accord of electric scooters,” says Temple. “It’s super-practical and has features that make it comfortable for long-range commuting: huge tires, a large standing area (called a deck), turn signals, a good top speed, good hill-climbing ability, and legendary range.” Temple says the EMOVE has a range of about 50 miles, and it will charge in under 12 hours. At 50 pounds, it’s not exactly lightweight, but many riders will be willing to overlook that for the scooter’s long range and reliability. Weight: 59 pounds Range: 50 miles Weight limit: 350 pounds Recharge time: Nine to 12 hours $1,399 at Voro Motors Buy
Best electric scooter for even longer distances
Dualtron Thunder Electric Scooter $3,899 $3,899 “This is the Tesla Roadster of electric scooters,” says John Klinger, the brand manager of MiniMotors USA. Though it’s much heavier, at 95 pounds — almost three times the weight of some of the other recommended models — it “comes with a huge battery pack which will give you up to 75 miles of range, top speeds of over 50 mph (please ride responsibly), and great suspension, which is adjustable,” Kinger says. This scooter is perfect for longer distances, with almost triple the range of other models on our list. It also has ultrawide tires that are great if you travel on less than ideal road conditions. “It’s super impressive that you can have a personal transport device with 50 miles of range that will cost you 50 cents to charge up,” says Klinger. Weight: 95 pounds
Range: 75 miles
Weight limit: 265 pounds
Recharge time: 20 hours $3,899 at Mini Motor USA Buy
Best commuter electric scooter
Levy Electric Scooter $529 $529 “For someone that is using their scooter primarily for short-distance commuting, I don’t think there are many better options than our original Levy model,” says Levenseller. “It’s also the only electric scooter with a removable battery, meaning you don’t need to carry the whole scooter around with you to get a charge on it.” You can store a backup battery in the stem of the scooter, just below the handles. It has a ten-mile range, a three hour charge time, and it weighs around 27 pounds, “which means carrying it with you on the subway, up the stairs, and tucking it away in your office shouldn’t be an issue.” Weight: 27 pounds
Range: Ten miles
Weight limit: 230 pounds
Recharge time: Three hours $529 at Levy Electric Scooters Buy
Best electric scooter for carrying more weight
Magnum IMAX S1+ $999 $999 The IMAX S1 has an adjustable power setting via a “control panel on the handlebars,” says Victor. “This allows one to increase the wattage to either go faster or get up a hill. Or, one can choose a lower setting to go further in distance and get better range.” It takes only about three hours to reach full battery, and it has a range of up to 20 miles and can reach a top speed of 20 mph. The IMAX S1 is one of the heavier e-scooters, weighing around 36 pounds. But it has a powerful motor and pneumatic tires for long, comfortable rides. If your main concern is comfort, then the IMAX S1 will do the job over long distances, but it weighs almost 12 pounds more than some of the other models the experts recommended, which could be a major drawback for some people. Weight: 36 pounds
Range: 20 miles
Weight limit: 528 pounds
Recharge time: Three hours $999 at Amazon Buy $1,300 at Magnum Bikes Buy
Best electric scooter for a comfortable ride
Inokim OX $1,700 $1,700 “This thing is the Maserati of scooters,” says Victor. “Not because of its powerful motor that can go over 40 miles on a single charge, but rather,
because of its advanced suspension, system which makes it one of the easiest scooters to control and handle on the market.” The suspension, he says, also “makes it one of the most comfortable for long rides.” It reaches a top speed of 15.5 mph and it can reach a 68-mile range if you use the eco-mode setting, though you’ll have to wait seven hours for a full charge. Plus, it weighs only 27 pounds, and it can hold a maximum weight of 264 pounds. Weight: 27 pounds
Range: 68 miles
Weight limit: 264 pounds
Recharge time: Six hours $1,700 at Fluid Free Ride Buy
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The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.


theverge--2020-07-19--This week’s summer gaming events: the Xbox Games Showcase and the Summer Game Fest Developer Showcas

This week’s summer gaming events: the Xbox Games Showcase and the Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase

Even though E3 , Gamescom , and other summer gaming events have become online-only or outright canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic , there has already been a lot of gaming news this summer .
We finally know what the PlayStation 5 looks like and some of the games coming to the system , for example , and we ’ ve been given previews of Cyberpunk 2077 , Star Wars : Squadrons , Assassin ’ s Creed Valhalla , the future of Destiny 2 , and more .
But there are still more events ahead .
This week ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showcase , taking place Thursday , July 23rd , at 12PM ET .
The whole show will be about an hour long and focused on games , with “ no business , devices or similar news , ” said Aaron Greenberg , general manager of Xbox games marketing at Microsoft .
There ’ s one more notable event this week , too — on Monday at 11AM ET , you can look forward to the second Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase , which will include reveals from iam8bit , Panic , Ustwo Games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ve also rounded up included details on other summer gaming events , when they ’ re scheduled to happen , and how to watch them .
Be sure to check back here often ; we ’ ll be updating this post as more events are announced .
What is the Summer Game Fest ?
The “ Summer Game Fest ” is a shorthand phrase for all the gaming events that have sprung up in the wake of COVID cancellations .
Originally , Geoff Keighley , who created The Game Awards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital events throughout the summer featuring “ breaking news , in-game events , and free playable content.
” Many large publishers joined on , including Bethesda , Blizzard Entertainment , CD Projekt Red , Electronic Arts , Microsoft , Riot , Sony , and Square Enix .
There were multiple Summer Game Fest events in May and June , and more are planned for July and August .
You can see the full schedule here , which is updated as events are added , and watch them on a variety of platforms including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Note that some of these are the accounts for The Game Awards . )
What : The two Summer Game Fest Developer Showcases ( one in June and one in July ) will feature “ a select group of upcoming indie and AAA video games ” curated by Geoff Keighley and the Day of the Devs team , which includes Double Fine founder Tim Schafer .
The July showcase will feature a number of games , including reveals from iam8bit , Panic , MWM Interactive , Team17 and Ustwo Games , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song .
How to watch : Watch Summer Game Fest events on Twitch , Twitter , and YouTube .
( Note that some of these are the accounts for The Game Awards . )
What : Microsoft is hosting a digital event to show off Xbox Games Studios games .
That means we can expect to finally get a good look at Halo Infinite , and it seems likely that Ninja Theory ’ s Hellblade II , Double Fine ’ s Psychonauts 2 , and Rare ’ s Everwild could also make appearances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ xbox.com and on Xbox ’ s Facebook , Twitch , Twitter , and YouTube pages What : Geoff Keighley will be hosting another Opening Night Live event timed with Gamescom , which is now an all-digital event .
It will be a “ spectacular , industry-wide finale ” to the Summer Game Fest , according to the Summer Game Fest calendar .
How to watch : Since it ’ s a Summer Game Fest event , it seems likely you ’ ll be able to watch Opening Night Live on all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Twitter , and YouTube .
( Note that some of these are the accounts for The Game Awards . )
What : PAX Online is a nine-day virtual event that ’ s replacing PAX West and PAX Australia this year .
There will be three channels hosting content all day for each day of the conference and downloadable demos to replicate actually playing games on the show floor .
How to watch : TBA , though it seems likely that you ’ ll be able to watch some events on PAX ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would be revealing the “ next chapter of Destiny 2.
” How to watch : You can watch the presentation on YouTube .
Sony ’ s The Future of Gaming event for PS5 What : Sony hosted an event to provide “ a first look at the games you ’ ll be playing after PlayStation 5 launches this holiday ” on June 11th .
How to watch : You can watch a replay on YouTube What : The PC Gaming Show showcased “ new games , never-before-seen gameplay footage , and announcements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest and most interesting developers.
” You can see the full lineup of developers involved here .
The event was two hours long , though unlike previous years , it was pre-recorded instead of shown live .
The event was originally scheduled for June 6th , but was delayed to June 13th to “ make space for those speaking out and demonstrating about how to end the systemic oppression and police brutality experienced by black people.
” How to watch : Watch a replay of the event on YouTube What : The hour-long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , announcements , and deep dives on existing AAA and indie games.
” Content covered “ 40+ games on console , PC , and mobile , ” according to GamesRadar , which is hosting the event .
Publishers participating included Square Enix , Devolver Digital , and more .
Nolan North and Emily Rose , who star in the Uncharted series as Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher , hosted .
The show was first planned for June 6th , but was postponed to June 13th “ in support of the protests demanding justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd at the hands of the police.
” How to watch : You can watch the full event on YouTube What : Guerrilla Collective is a new “ digital games festival ” that took place from June 13th to June 15th , produced by Media Indie Exchange and the Kinda Funny Games Showcase .
Studios on board with the event included Humble Publishing , Larian Studios , Paradox Interactive , and many more .
The event was delayed from its original June 6th start date out of support for the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replays of day 1 , 2 , and 3 on YouTube What : EA says its EA Play Live 2020 will be a live digital broadcast , but the studio hasn ’ t shared many details beyond that just yet .
EA delayed the event on June 5th due to the “ important conversations taking place and important voices being heard around the world right now.
” How to watch : Watch the replay on YouTube What : The two Summer Game Fest Developer Showcases ( one in June and one in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of upcoming indie and AAA video games ” curated by Geoff Keighley and the Day of the Devs team , which includes Double Fine founder Tim Schafer .
The showcases will have gameplay , news , and musical performances , and Annapurna Interactive , The Behemoth , Panic , thatgamecompany , and Ustwo Games are among the developers that will be part of the events .
When : The first one took place on Monday , June 22nd , at 11AM ET How to watch : Watch the replay on YouTube What : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Koei Tecmo America , Natsume , Sega of America , SNK , and WayForward , hosted New Game Plus Expo ( NGPX ) , a digital event featuring “ dozens of games , ” including new game announcements and live demos .
How to watch : Watch the replay on YouTube What : Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red hosted a digital broadcast about the game .
It was delayed on June 2nd because “ more important discussions are happening right now and we want them to be heard.
” How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube What : IGN hosted a “ global , digital event ” to “ bring you the latest news and impressions around upcoming games and the next generation of console hardware.
” There will be live broadcasts and on-demand programming .
IGN ’ s event featured many publishers , including Blizzard , CD Projekt Red , EA , Facebook ( including Oculus ) , Google Stadia , Humble , Microsoft , PC Gaming Show , Sega , Square Enix , Twitter , and Ubisoft .
As part of the event , IGN also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for exclusive announcements and reveals from developers across the industry.
” When : Events took place throughout June starting on Wednesday , June 10th .
The IGN Expo events happened on June 10th , 11th , 12th , and 15th .
You can view the full Summer of Gaming schedule here .
On June 2nd , IGN announced it would delay the start of the Summer of Gaming event to June 8th “ out of respect for and in support of those rightfully demanding justice and change across the United States and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to June 10th out of respect for the funeral of George Floyd .
How to watch : IGN compiled a playlist of its Summer of Gaming coverage on its YouTube channel .
What : Play for All was a multi-week event with news , previews , interviews , and more .
The event also raised money for COVID-19 relief efforts in partnership with Direct Relief and for Black Lives Matter .
Publishers including EA , Bethesda , CD Projekt Red , Deep Silver , Devolver Digital , Larian Studios , Google Stadia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enix , Sega , and 2K Games participated in the event .
When : Play for All began on June 1st and ran through the middle of July .
How to watch : GameSpot has a number of Play for All video playlists on its YouTube channel What : Limited Run Games ’ # LRG3 was a digital press conference focused on news and announcements for physical video games .
The event was postponed from its original June 8th air date on June 4th .
How to watch : Watch a replay on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Ubisoft held a digital “ E3-style showcase ” with “ plenty of exclusive game news , exciting reveals , and much more.
” How to watch : Watch a replay on Ubisoft ’ s YouTube channel What : Google hosted its latest Stadia Connect digital broadcast on July 14th featuring “ some of the games coming to Stadia later this year.
” How to watch : Watch a replay show on YouTube Update July 19th , X : XXAM ET : Updated headline and introduction to reflect this week ’ s gaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20th Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase , and moved Stadia Connect to the “ Completed Events ” section .
Correction : We originally called the Cyberpunk 2077 event “ Nightly Wire.
” It is called “ Night City Wire.
” We regret the error .

Even though E3, Gamescom, and other summer gaming events have become online-only or outright canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has already been a lot of gaming news this summer.
Although the pace of events is starting to slow down, they aren’t all over yet. There’s Gamescom to look forward to in August and the new, multi-day PAX Online event in September. We’ve rounded up some details about those events in this post, and we’ll add other major events if they’re announced.
We’ve also been tracking events that have already happened, so if you want to relive some of the biggest moments in summer gaming news, check out our archive in the “Completed Events” section.
What is the Summer Game Fest?
The “Summer Game Fest” is a shorthand phrase for all the gaming events that have sprung up in the wake of COVID cancellations. Originally, Geoff Keighley, who created The Game Awards, created it as a series of digital events throughout the summer featuring “breaking news, in-game events, and free playable content.” Many large publishers joined on, including Bethesda, Blizzard Entertainment, CD Projekt Red, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Riot, Sony, and Square Enix.
You can see the full schedule here, which is updated as events are added, and watch them on a variety of platforms including Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube. (Note that some of these are the accounts for The Game Awards.)
August Events
Gamescom’s Opening Night Live
What: Geoff Keighley will be hosting another Opening Night Live event timed with Gamescom, which is now an all-digital event. It will be a “spectacular, industry-wide finale” to the Summer Game Fest, according to the Summer Game Fest calendar.
When: Thursday, August 27th, TBA time
How to watch: Since it’s a Summer Game Fest event, it seems likely you’ll be able to watch Opening Night Live on all of the Summer Game Fest platforms, including Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube. (Note that some of these are the accounts for The Game Awards.)
September Events
PAX Online
What: PAX Online is a nine-day virtual event that’s replacing PAX West and PAX Australia this year. There will be three channels hosting content all day for each day of the conference and downloadable demos to replicate actually playing games on the show floor.
When: Saturday, September 12th through Sunday, September 20th, TBA time
How to watch: TBA, though it seems likely that you’ll be able to watch some events on PAX’s Twitch channel
The Verge Guide to Gaming Gear Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Gaming today is more than just play. It means being immersed in fabulous universes, testing your reflexes against imaginary opponents, interacting with other players in strange environments, and solving complex puzzles. In The Verge Guide to Gaming Gear, you’ll find a load of gaming tips and tricks, whether you’re a master or are just starting out. We’ll also tell you how to get around issues like moving your games from one console to another or getting a refund for a package that just didn’t work out. Enjoy!
Completed Events
Destiny 2 event
What: Bungie said it would be revealing the “next chapter of Destiny 2.”
When: Tuesday, June 9th, 12PM ET
How to watch: You can watch the presentation on YouTube.
Sony’s The Future of Gaming event for PS5
What: Sony hosted an event to provide “a first look at the games you’ll be playing after PlayStation 5 launches this holiday” on June 11th.
When: Thursday, June 11th, 4PM ET
How to watch: You can watch a replay on YouTube
The PC Gaming Show
What: The PC Gaming Show showcased “new games, never-before-seen gameplay footage, and announcements from some of PC gaming’s biggest and most interesting developers.” You can see the full lineup of developers involved here. The event was two hours long, though unlike previous years, it was pre-recorded instead of shown live.
The event was originally scheduled for June 6th, but was delayed to June 13th to “make space for those speaking out and demonstrating about how to end the systemic oppression and police brutality experienced by black people.”
When: Saturday, June 13th, 2PM ET
How to watch: Watch a replay of the event on YouTube
The Future Games Show
What: The hour-long Future Games Show included “exclusive trailers, announcements, and deep dives on existing AAA and indie games.” Content covered “40+ games on console, PC, and mobile,” according to GamesRadar, which is hosting the event. Publishers participating included Square Enix, Devolver Digital, and more. Nolan North and Emily Rose, who star in the Uncharted series as Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher, hosted.
The show was first planned for June 6th, but was postponed to June 13th “in support of the protests demanding justice and change over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police.”
When: Saturday, June 13th, 5PM ET
How to watch: You can watch the full event on YouTube
Guerrilla Collective
What: Guerrilla Collective is a new “digital games festival” that took place from June 13th to June 15th, produced by Media Indie Exchange and the Kinda Funny Games Showcase. Studios on board with the event included Humble Publishing, Larian Studios, Paradox Interactive, and many more. The event was delayed from its original June 6th start date out of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
When:
Saturday, June 13th, 12PM ET
Sunday, June 14th, 12PM ET
Monday, June 15th, 12PM ET
How to watch: Watch replays of day 1, 2, and 3 on YouTube
EA Play Live 2020
What: EA says its EA Play Live 2020 will be a live digital broadcast, but the studio hasn’t shared many details beyond that just yet. EA delayed the event on June 5th due to the “important conversations taking place and important voices being heard around the world right now.”
When: Thursday, June 18th, 7PM ET
How to watch: Watch the replay on YouTube
Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase
What: The two Summer Game Fest Developer Showcases (one in June and one in July) will feature “a select group of upcoming indie and AAA video games” curated by Geoff Keighley and the Day of the Devs team, which includes Double Fine founder Tim Schafer. The showcases will have gameplay, news, and musical performances, and Annapurna Interactive, The Behemoth, Panic, thatgamecompany, and Ustwo Games are among the developers that will be part of the events.
When: The first one took place on Monday, June 22nd, at 11AM ET
How to watch: Watch the replay on YouTube
New Game Plus Expo
What: 14 publishers from North America and Japan, including Koei Tecmo America, Natsume, Sega of America, SNK, and WayForward, hosted New Game Plus Expo (NGPX), a digital event featuring “dozens of games,” including new game announcements and live demos.
When: Tuesday, June 23rd, 11AM ET
How to watch: Watch the replay on YouTube
Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City Wire
What: Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red hosted a digital broadcast about the game. It was delayed on June 2nd because “more important discussions are happening right now and we want them to be heard.”
When: Thursday, June 25th, 12PM ET
How to watch: Watch the replay on YouTube
IGN’s Summer of Gaming
What: IGN hosted a “global, digital event” to “bring you the latest news and impressions around upcoming games and the next generation of console hardware.” There will be live broadcasts and on-demand programming. IGN’s event featured many publishers, including Blizzard, CD Projekt Red, EA, Facebook (including Oculus), Google Stadia, Humble, Microsoft, PC Gaming Show, Sega, Square Enix, Twitter, and Ubisoft.
As part of the event, IGN also hosted IGN Expo, a “showcase for exclusive announcements and reveals from developers across the industry.”
On June 2nd, IGN announced it would delay the start of the Summer of Gaming event to June 8th “out of respect for and in support of those rightfully demanding justice and change across the United States and the world.” IGN delayed the event again to June 10th out of respect for the funeral of George Floyd.
How to watch: IGN compiled a playlist of its Summer of Gaming coverage on its YouTube channel.
GameSpot’s Play for All
What: Play for All was a multi-week event with news, previews, interviews, and more. The event also raised money for COVID-19 relief efforts in partnership with Direct Relief and for Black Lives Matter. Publishers including EA, Bethesda, CD Projekt Red, Deep Silver, Devolver Digital, Larian Studios, Google Stadia, Bandai Namco, Private Division, Square Enix, Sega, and 2K Games participated in the event.
When: Play for All began on June 1st and ran through the middle of July.
How to watch: GameSpot has a number of Play for All video playlists on its YouTube channel
Limited Run Games’ #LRG3
What: Limited Run Games’ #LRG3 was a digital press conference focused on news and announcements for physical video games. The event was postponed from its original June 8th air date on June 4th.
When: Wednesday, July 8th, 3PM ET
How to watch: Watch a replay on Limited Run Games’ YouTube channel
Ubisoft Forward
What: Ubisoft held a digital “E3-style showcase” with “plenty of exclusive game news, exciting reveals, and much more.”
When: Sunday, July 12th, 3PM ET
How to watch: Watch a replay on Ubisoft’s YouTube channel
Stadia Connect
What: Google hosted its latest Stadia Connect digital broadcast on July 14th featuring “some of the games coming to Stadia later this year.”
When: Tuesday, July 14th, 1PM ET
How to watch: Watch a replay show on YouTube
Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase
What: The two Summer Game Fest Developer Showcases (one in June and one in July) featured “a select group of upcoming indie and AAA video games” curated by Geoff Keighley and the Day of the Devs team, which includes Double Fine founder Tim Schafer. The July showcase highlighted a number of games, including reveals from iam8bit, Panic, MWM Interactive, Team17 and Ustwo Games, and also had a live performance of the Bugsnax theme song.
When: Monday, July 20th, 11AM ET
How to watch: Watch a replay on YouTube
Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase
What: Microsoft hosted a digital event to show off Xbox Games Studios games. Microsoft shared a first look at Halo Infinite’s campaign, revealed a new Fable and Forza Motorsport game, and showed a lot of trailers for new and upcoming games.
When: Thursday, July 23rd, 12PM ET
How to watch: Watch a replay on YouTube
Update July 24th, 12:19PM ET: Updated introduction and headline now that the Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase and the Xbox Games Showcase have happened and moved events to the “Completed Events” section.


theverge--2020-07-19--The United Arab Emirates successfully launches its first spacecraft bound for Mars

Today , the United Arab Emirates ’ first interplanetary mission successfully took off from the southern tip of Japan , sending up a car-sized probe bound for the planet Mars .
The launch marks the beginning of the country ’ s most ambitious space project yet , aimed at studying the weather on Mars as it evolves throughout the planet ’ s year .
The spacecraft , called Hope , took off on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket from Japan ’ s Tanegashima Space Center at 6:58AM at the launch site ( or 5:58PM ET this afternoon on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The probe will now spend the next seven months traveling through deep space , periodically correcting its course with a series of engine burns .
Then sometime in February of 2021 , it ’ ll attempt to put itself into an elongated orbit around Mars , where it will analyze the atmosphere and climate throughout the course of each Martian day .
For the UAE , the timing of this launch was absolutely critical For the UAE , the timing of this launch was absolutely critical .
The UAE government conceived of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teens , and as a bold way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the nation ’ s founding in December 2021 .
To ensure that Hope is in orbit by the anniversary , the team behind the spacecraft had to launch this summer , during a small window when Earth and Mars come closest together during their orbits around the Sun .
This planetary alignment happens once every 26 months , so the UAE team had to launch this year to meet the 2021 deadline .
So far the launch seems to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few minutes after the spacecraft deployed from the rocket , engineers feared that the vehicle hadn ’ t opened one of its two solar panels .
But the UAE eventually confirmed that both panels had been deployed .
The mission team noted that they were in communication with the spacecraft and that Hope appeared to be in good shape .
The engineers will continue to analyze data coming from the spacecraft and provide updates on the health of Hope in the coming hours .
But some in the UAE are already celebrating .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have paid off in a big way , ” Yousef Al Otaiba , the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States , said during a livestream following the launch .
“ Thanks to the mission team efforts , the UAE ’ s first spacecraft , which six years ago was just a concept , just an idea , is now flying into space well on its way to another planet .
This is a huge accomplishment .
But it ’ s just the beginning.
” Getting to this point proved to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which only had experience launching Earth-observing satellites up until now .
The engineers and scientists had just six years to get the probe ready for launch this year , and their government tasked them with building the spacecraft themselves — not buying it — within a set budget of $ 200 million for development and launch .
“ Years of hard work and dedication have paid off in a big way.
” “ The government was very clear to us about it : they wanted us to come up with a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such missions , ” Omran Sharaf , the project manager for the Emirates Mars Mission , said during a press conference ahead of the launch .
“ So they didn ’ t want something with a big , big budget .
They wanted something to be delivered quick , fast , and something that we can share with the rest of the world , about how they can approach missions.
” The team behind the mission decided they ultimately didn ’ t want to go it alone .
They partnered with various academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Colorado at Boulder , Arizona State University , and the University of California , Berkeley , all of which had experience designing instruments or equipment for deep space probes before .
The partnership allowed the UAE team to build upon known spacecraft designs and to utilize existing testing infrastructure , as well as gain knowledge from experienced aerospace engineers .
Today ’ s launch is a big win for the UAE and this new model for spacecraft development — but there ’ s still a long way to go before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared a success .
In about a month , the engineers will do the first maneuver to correct Hope ’ s path to Mars .
The vehicle will burn its onboard thrusters , slightly nudging the probe as it makes its way through space .
A series of these maneuvers is needed to make sure Hope reaches the right location at Mars upon arrival .
“ It ’ s a very small target , ” Pete Withnell , the program manager for the mission at the University Colorado Boulder , said during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s equivalent to an archer hitting a two-millimeter target , one kilometer away .
So this is not for the faint of heart.
” the biggest test of all will come in February And the biggest test of all will come in February , when Hope must conduct a 30-minute burn of its thrusters to insert itself into orbit around Mars .
The maneuver is meant to slow the spacecraft down from more than 75,000 miles an hour ( 121,000 km an hour ) to more than 11,000 miles an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The spacecraft will have to do this all on its own , without input from Earth .
At that point , it will take too long to get a signal to Mars in time to make any corrections , so the burn must be completely autonomous .
That ’ s still a ways off , and for now , the UAE is celebrating a successful launch .
If all goes well , the UAE ’ s launch should be the first of three missions to Mars that launch within the net month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is hoping to launch a Martian orbiter , a lander , and a rover to the Red Planet around July 23rd .
After that is NASA , which is launching its Perseverance rover , designed to look for signs of past life and dig up samples that will potentially be returned to Earth in the next decade for study .
All these groups are racing to launch while the planets are aligned , and time is running out to get them all off the ground .

Today, the United Arab Emirates’ first interplanetary mission successfully took off from the southern tip of Japan, sending up a car-sized probe bound for the planet Mars. The launch marks the beginning of the country’s most ambitious space project yet, aimed at studying the weather on Mars as it evolves throughout the planet’s year.
The spacecraft, called Hope, took off on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center at 6:58AM at the launch site (or 5:58PM ET this afternoon on the East Coast of the US). The probe will now spend the next seven months traveling through deep space, periodically correcting its course with a series of engine burns. Then sometime in February of 2021, it’ll attempt to put itself into an elongated orbit around Mars, where it will analyze the atmosphere and climate throughout the course of each Martian day.
For the UAE, the timing of this launch was absolutely critical
For the UAE, the timing of this launch was absolutely critical. The UAE government conceived of this project in 2014 to inspire young Emirati teens, and as a bold way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the nation’s founding in December 2021. To ensure that Hope is in orbit by the anniversary, the team behind the spacecraft had to launch this summer, during a small window when Earth and Mars come closest together during their orbits around the Sun. This planetary alignment happens once every 26 months, so the UAE team had to launch this year to meet the 2021 deadline.
Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images
So far the launch seems to have been a smooth one. For a few minutes after the spacecraft deployed from the rocket, engineers feared that the vehicle hadn’t opened one of its two solar panels. But the UAE eventually confirmed that both panels had been deployed. The mission team noted that they were in communication with the spacecraft and that Hope appeared to be in good shape. The engineers will continue to analyze data coming from the spacecraft and provide updates on the health of Hope in the coming hours.
But some in the UAE are already celebrating. “Years of hard work and dedication have paid off in a big way,” Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States, said during a livestream following the launch. “Thanks to the mission team efforts, the UAE’s first spacecraft, which six years ago was just a concept, just an idea, is now flying into space well on its way to another planet. This is a huge accomplishment. But it’s just the beginning.”
Getting to this point proved to be a particularly challenging process for the UAE, which only had experience launching Earth-observing satellites up until now. The engineers and scientists had just six years to get the probe ready for launch this year, and their government tasked them with building the spacecraft themselves — not buying it — within a set budget of $200 million for development and launch.
“Years of hard work and dedication have paid off in a big way.”
“The government was very clear to us about it: they wanted us to come up with a new model of executing such missions and delivering such missions,” Omran Sharaf, the project manager for the Emirates Mars Mission, said during a press conference ahead of the launch. “So they didn’t want something with a big, big budget. They wanted something to be delivered quick, fast, and something that we can share with the rest of the world, about how they can approach missions.”
The team behind the mission decided they ultimately didn’t want to go it alone. They partnered with various academic institutions in the United States, including the University of Colorado at Boulder, Arizona State University, and the University of California, Berkeley, all of which had experience designing instruments or equipment for deep space probes before. The partnership allowed the UAE team to build upon known spacecraft designs and to utilize existing testing infrastructure, as well as gain knowledge from experienced aerospace engineers.
Engineers at mission control in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai, monitoring the launch. Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images
Today’s launch is a big win for the UAE and this new model for spacecraft development — but there’s still a long way to go before the country’s Mars mission is declared a success. In about a month, the engineers will do the first maneuver to correct Hope’s path to Mars. The vehicle will burn its onboard thrusters, slightly nudging the probe as it makes its way through space. A series of these maneuvers is needed to make sure Hope reaches the right location at Mars upon arrival. “It’s a very small target,” Pete Withnell, the program manager for the mission at the University Colorado Boulder, said during a press call ahead of the launch. “It’s equivalent to an archer hitting a two-millimeter target, one kilometer away. So this is not for the faint of heart.”
the biggest test of all will come in February
And the biggest test of all will come in February, when Hope must conduct a 30-minute burn of its thrusters to insert itself into orbit around Mars. The maneuver is meant to slow the spacecraft down from more than 75,000 miles an hour (121,000 km an hour) to more than 11,000 miles an hour (18,000 km an hour). The spacecraft will have to do this all on its own, without input from Earth. At that point, it will take too long to get a signal to Mars in time to make any corrections, so the burn must be completely autonomous.


theverge--2020-07-19--OnePlus says the Nord will come with Google Messages and Phone pre-installed

Ahead of its debut on July 21st OnePlus released an Instagram video indicating its Nord phone will come with Google ’ s Messages and Phone apps installed instead of its own SMS and dialer , 9to5Google reported .
The device also will have Google ’ s Duo video chat app pre-installed , according to the video .
Why OnePlus decided to roll with Google ’ s apps isn ’ t clear , but it ’ s apparently in pursuit of the “ smoothest-est ” Android experience , according to the video .
As 9to5Google notes , using Google Messages provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
OnePlus has said the Nord , slated for an augmented reality launch event on Tuesday , will be a “ more affordable ” device .
The Instagram video references “ a pretty great price , ” but doesn ’ t offer specifics , however OnePlus said in a video last month the Nord will cost under $ 500 .
Along with several official announcements , other details about the new phone have leaked over the past few weeks .
OnePlus confirmed its name and said the Nord will be powered by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OLED display , 6GB of RAM , and 128GB of internal storage .
It ’ s also expected to have a 48-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel wide-angle lens .
The OnePlus Nord is expected to be released first to users in Europe and India .

Ahead of its debut on July 21st OnePlus released an Instagram video indicating its Nord phone will come with Google’s Messages and Phone apps installed instead of its own SMS and dialer, 9to5Google reported. The device also will have Google’s Duo video chat app pre-installed, according to the video.
Why OnePlus decided to roll with Google’s apps isn’t clear, but it’s apparently in pursuit of the “smoothest-est” Android experience, according to the video. As 9to5Google notes, using Google Messages provides Nord users with access to RCS messaging.
OnePlus has said the Nord, slated for an augmented reality launch event on Tuesday, will be a “more affordable” device. The Instagram video references “a pretty great price,” but doesn’t offer specifics, however OnePlus said in a video last month the Nord will cost under $500.
Along with several official announcements, other details about the new phone have leaked over the past few weeks. OnePlus confirmed its name and said the Nord will be powered by a Snapdragon 765G 5G processor, 6.55-inch 90Hz OLED display, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. It’s also expected to have a 48-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel wide-angle lens.