theverge--2020-08-25--Why Trump’s TikTok ban has Facebook worried

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On August 2nd of last year , TikTok celebrated its first birthday .
To mark the occasion , I wrote about the four biggest risks facing the company .
One was finding new customers .
Two was continuing to develop compelling new features .
Three was attracting top influencers .
And four was managing its relationship with regulators .
The big news over the past few weeks has been that TikTok , due to reasons largely outside its control , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump has ordered that the Chinese company ByteDance divest TikTok , transferring all of its assets to an American company .
And on Monday , TikTok sued the Trump administration .
Here are Mike Isaac and Ana Swanson in the New York Times : Two things about the TikTok case appear to be true at the same time .
One is that it really is unclear whether TikTok was afforded due process before Trump decided to ban it .
His initial action took the form of executive order , and like many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and offered no evidence supporting its claims .
The Council on Foreign Investment in the United States did conduct a separate , year-long investigation , but it unfolded in secret , and no report was ever made public .
But two is that even if you find Trump ’ s actions here disturbing , most experts who have weighed in so far have suggested that the president ’ s action was probably legal .
Courts generally give presidents wide latitude at the mere mention of national security , and there is a legitimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dominant American social platform being Chinese-owned .
All of that raises the question : why sue ?
Isn ’ t the outcome foreordained ?
Not necessarily .
It seems like a long shot , but a court could theoretically block Trump ’ s executive order .
Short of that , it could grant ByteDance more time to divest the company — which it might need , given the sheer technical complexity of unwinding TikTok from the mothership .
As for CFIUS , there are very limited options for contesting the council ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not said whether it will try .
In the meantime , TikTok continues to negotiate a sale with its investors , a source familiar with the matter told me .
While the legal case proceeds , it ’ s worth noting how effectively TikTok did manage the first three risks I laid out last year .
The company underlined its outsized success in its legal filing today .
Alex Sherman recapped some of the highlights at CNBC : Find new customers ?
Check — it has exploded in popularity , particularly during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Check : the company outpaced all its rivals in releasing popular new creative effects .
Attract top influencers ?
Check : every day a new hype house seems to open somewhere in Los Angeles , and several may turn into reality shows .
From a product and management standpoint , TikTok navigated the past year almost flawlessly .
I can ’ t help but wonder whether , if Trump successfully cleaves it from its parent company , the remnants of TikTok will retain all of the elements that have made the company so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hidden hand behind Trump ’ s executive order ... Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ?
That ’ s the ( somewhat faint ) suggestion in this Wall Street Journal piece on Zuckerberg ’ s Washington lobbying last year , which focused on the importance of American tech companies in projecting soft power around the world .
Zuckerberg has been publicly critical of ByteDance ’ s restrictive speech policies , so that part tracks .
But as the story goes on to acknowledge , and as I first reported here , Zuckerberg has told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precedent that Trump ’ s attempted TikTok ban has set .
My read here is that Zuckerberg was promoting the idea that a big , antitrust-proof Facebook was in the national interest .
For this purpose , TikTok has been an occasionally useful foil .
But Facebook would much rather live in a world where it has to compete with TikTok than one where a social network can be banned whenever it displeases the ruling party of one country or another .
To wit : Reuters reported on Monday that Facebook had blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members dedicated to discussing the king of Thailand after the government there said the group hosted defamatory posts .
That ban , which Facebook surely imposed against its will , contradicts the company ’ s oft-stated mission of giving people a voice .
But enforcement like this is now the price of admission for companies on a rapidly splintering internet .
If there ’ s one obvious lesson to be learned from TikTok ’ s fate in America , is that ’ s Facebook and its peers have to manage their relationship with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending down : Uploads of a sequel to “ Plandemic ” racked up well over 100,000 combined views on YouTube , despite the company ’ s efforts to remove copies of the film for violating its coronavirus misinformation rules .
( Alex Kaplan / Media Matters ) Trending down : A smear campaign linked to the Cambodian government went viral on Facebook , sending a Buddhist monk into exile to protect himself .
His downfall shows how repressive governments can weaponize social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speed .
( Hannah Beech and Sun Narin / The New York Times ) ⭐ Facebook is preparing for the possibility of Trump using the platform to contest the results of the 2020 election in the United States .
One strategy could be shutting off political ads on the platform after the election , since that type of content isn ’ t fact-checked .
Here ’ s Mike Isaac and Sheera Frenkel at The New York Times : Facebook ’ s approach here ignores the fact that ads are not the major vector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The most successful content promoted by Russian Internet Research Agency operatives in 2016 spread organically .
( Nina Jankowicz / Wired ) A prominent Washington-based conservative advocacy organization is running a deceptive ad campaign on Facebook , stoking fears about mail-in voting .
Some of the ads feature an image of LeBron James and misconstrue a quote from the basketball star .
( Isaac Stanley-Becker / The Washington Post ) A parliamentary panel in India will question Facebook on how it regulates content in the country .
The news comes in the wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that Facebook executive Ankhi Das opposed applying hate-speech rules to some Hindu nationalists .
( Aditya Kalra and Nigam Prusty / Reuters ) The Facebook executive , Ankhi Das , apologized to Muslims employees for sharing a post on her Facebook page that called India ’ s Muslims a “ degenerate community ” for whom “ nothing except purity of religion and implementation of Shariah matter.
” ( Pranav Dixit / BuzzFeed ) Facebook has consistently courted right-wing nationalists in India at the expense of removing hate speech from the platform , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its more than 290 million users , is a critical market for the tech giant .
( Rana Ayyub / The Washington Post ) Facebook shut down the pages of antifascist and anti-capitalist organizing groups as part of an expansion of its “ Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy.
” The move follows a pattern established by the Trump administration that draws false equivalences between organized , racist fascists , and the antifascists who oppose them .
( Natasha Lennard / The Intercept ) Content moderation on platforms like Facebook and Twitter is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 study from the Oxford Internet Institute showed governments in Angola , Egypt , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Rwanda , Sudan , and Zimbabwe have started deploying information-control tactics to suppress , discredit , or drown out dissent on social platforms .
( Tomiwa Ilori / Slate ) Facebook asked the Federal Trade Commission for clear guidance on how to comply with new “ data portability ” laws without violating user privacy .
The laws allow consumers in Europe and California to collect and move their personal data to new websites .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s French subsidiary agreed to pay more than $ 118 million in back taxes after a ten-year audit of its accounts by French authorities .
France has said the big tech companies pay too little tax in the country where they have significant sales .
( Mathieu Rosemain / Reuters ) QAnon supporters are organizing “ Save The Children ” rallies on Facebook , bringing the conspiracy theory from the fringes of the internet to dozens of cities .
The movement has gone mainstream , and has benefited from credulous coverage by local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Brandy Zadrozny and Ben Collins / NBC ) TikTok has a long way to go to crack down on hate speech on the platform .
A study by Mediabrands found that the app ranked the lowest in media responsibility out of all social-media platforms , including YouTube , Twitter and Facebook .
( Renata S Geraldo / Bloomberg ) Russian government-supported organizations are playing a small but increasing role amplifying conspiracy theories promoted by QAnon .
Academics who study the movement say there were no signs Russia had a hand in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Joseph Menn / Reuters ) Startups and other smaller businesses are using antitrust lawsuits to try and rein in Big Tech .
Some feel government agencies are moving too slow with their investigations .
( Reed Albergotti and Jay Greene / The Washington Post ) Epic Games filed a new motion in its lawsuit against Apple , claiming the tech giant is threatening an entire ecosystem of game developers .
The motion centers on iOS support for the Unreal Engine , which Apple has threatened to revoke as part of Epic ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Kim Lyons and Russell Brandom / The Verge ) The Trump administration has been reaching out to tech companies including Apple to reassure them that they can still do business with WeChat .
The move comes two weeks after President Trump ordered a US ban on the Chinese-owned service .
( Jennifer Jacobs , Saleha Mohsin and Jenny Leonard / Bloomberg ) Apple proposed new measures to address antitrust concerns in South Korea , including $ 84.02 million in grants for small businesses .
Apple Korea has been under investigation by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abused its dominant position by forcing mobile carriers to pay for advertising and warranty repairs .
( Reuters ) Some 13,500 tech workers at companies like Facebook , Google , Netflix and Disney are volunteering their time to help down-ballot Democratic candidates in competitive state-level races .
Tech for Campaigns is aimed at helping Democrats with digital tools and marketing .
( Ashley Gold / Axios ) ⭐ Scammers are using Facebook to target people in Kenya .
BuzzFeed identified 52 scam loan and recruitment Facebook pages with more than 245,000 followers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Facebook ’ s “ classic ” experience , the interface with the iconic blue navigation bar at the top , is disappearing for good in September .
Starting next month , everyone will have the new design .
( Jon Porter / The Verge ) Facebook chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio is stepping down after two years .
Lucio came to the company amid fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal .
( Paige Leskin and Tanya Dua / Business Insider ) Gossip accounts like TikTokRoom are keeping pace with outlets like TMZ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sharing it on social media .
Here ’ s an interview with the creators , both of whom are under the age of 20 .
( Kate Lindsay / NoFilter ) Current and former Google employees are forming an online school aimed at preparing students for the workforce if they ’ re taking time off school due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Google executives have volunteered to mentor college students .
( Jennifer Elias / CNBC ) The move to remote work has led to an uptick in workplace bullying , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk to each other on Slack in a way they probably wouldn ’ t in person .
( Chip Cutter and Aaron Tilley / The Wall Street Journal ) Zoom had widespread outages early this morning .
Sadly , the service has now been restored .
( James Vincent / The Verge ) ⭐ Also : I talked to Alex Kantrowitz about why the backlash against tech journalists , covering Facebook , and why I love writing a newsletter .
This transcript captures the flavor of the discussion , but I really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s less than an hour long , and basically charts my entire worldview at the moment .
Thanks to Alex for having me on and letting me talk at great length !
Send us tips , comments , questions , and amicus briefs for TikTok : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

On August 2nd of last year, TikTok celebrated its first birthday. To mark the occasion, I wrote about the four biggest risks facing the company. One was finding new customers. Two was continuing to develop compelling new features. Three was attracting top influencers. And four was managing its relationship with regulators.
The big news over the past few weeks has been that TikTok, due to reasons largely outside its control, ultimately failed at the fourth task. President Trump has ordered that the Chinese company ByteDance divest TikTok, transferring all of its assets to an American company. And on Monday, TikTok sued the Trump administration. Here are Mike Isaac and Ana Swanson in the New York Times:
TikTok sued the U.S. government on Monday, accusing the Trump administration of depriving it of due process when President Trump used his emergency economic powers to issue an executive order that will block the app from operating in the country. [...] “We do not take suing the government lightly; however, we feel we have no choice but to take action to protect our rights, and the rights of our community and employees,” the company said in its suit. “Our more than 1,500 employees across the U.S. pour their hearts into building this platform every day,” the company said, noting that it planned to hire more than 10,000 more workers across eight states in the coming years.
Two things about the TikTok case appear to be true at the same time. One is that it really is unclear whether TikTok was afforded due process before Trump decided to ban it. His initial action took the form of executive order, and like many Trump executive orders it was hastily written and offered no evidence supporting its claims. The Council on Foreign Investment in the United States did conduct a separate, year-long investigation, but it unfolded in secret, and no report was ever made public.
But two is that even if you find Trump’s actions here disturbing, most experts who have weighed in so far have suggested that the president’s action was probably legal. Courts generally give presidents wide latitude at the mere mention of national security, and there is a legitimate national security case to be made against a dominant American social platform being Chinese-owned.
All of that raises the question: why sue? Isn’t the outcome foreordained? Not necessarily. It seems like a long shot, but a court could theoretically block Trump’s executive order. Short of that, it could grant ByteDance more time to divest the company — which it might need, given the sheer technical complexity of unwinding TikTok from the mothership. As for CFIUS, there are very limited options for contesting the council’s decisions; so far, ByteDance has not said whether it will try. In the meantime, TikTok continues to negotiate a sale with its investors, a source familiar with the matter told me.
While the legal case proceeds, it’s worth noting how effectively TikTok did manage the first three risks I laid out last year. The company underlined its outsized success in its legal filing today. Alex Sherman recapped some of the highlights at CNBC:
In the filing, TikTok revealed its monthly active users have grown nearly 800% since Jan. 2018, when the application was used by about 11 million Americans. About a year later, that figure had more than doubled to about 27 million. By June 2020, months into pandemic quarantines, TikTok’s total number of U.S. month active users had soared to more than 91 million. More than 100 million Americans are monthly active users today, the company said earlier this month. The company also revealed it has more than 50 million daily U.S. users.
Find new customers? Check — it has exploded in popularity, particularly during quarantine. Develop exciting new features? Check: the company outpaced all its rivals in releasing popular new creative effects. Attract top influencers? Check: every day a new hype house seems to open somewhere in Los Angeles, and several may turn into reality shows. From a product and management standpoint, TikTok navigated the past year almost flawlessly. I can’t help but wonder whether, if Trump successfully cleaves it from its parent company, the remnants of TikTok will retain all of the elements that have made the company so successful to date.
Elsewhere, was the hidden hand behind Trump’s executive order ... Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg? That’s the (somewhat faint) suggestion in this Wall Street Journal piece on Zuckerberg’s Washington lobbying last year, which focused on the importance of American tech companies in projecting soft power around the world. Zuckerberg has been publicly critical of ByteDance’s restrictive speech policies, so that part tracks. But as the story goes on to acknowledge, and as I first reported here, Zuckerberg has told employees that he is disturbed by the precedent that Trump’s attempted TikTok ban has set.
My read here is that Zuckerberg was promoting the idea that a big, antitrust-proof Facebook was in the national interest. For this purpose, TikTok has been an occasionally useful foil. But Facebook would much rather live in a world where it has to compete with TikTok than one where a social network can be banned whenever it displeases the ruling party of one country or another.
To wit: Reuters reported on Monday that Facebook had blocked access to a group with 1 million members dedicated to discussing the king of Thailand after the government there said the group hosted defamatory posts. That ban, which Facebook surely imposed against its will, contradicts the company’s oft-stated mission of giving people a voice. But enforcement like this is now the price of admission for companies on a rapidly splintering internet. If there’s one obvious lesson to be learned from TikTok’s fate in America, is that’s Facebook and its peers have to manage their relationship with regulators, too.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
🔽 Trending down: A smear campaign linked to the Cambodian government went viral on Facebook, sending a Buddhist monk into exile to protect himself. His downfall shows how repressive governments can weaponize social media to disgrace their opponents with stunning speed. (Hannah Beech and Sun Narin / The New York Times)
Governing
⭐ Facebook is preparing for the possibility of Trump using the platform to contest the results of the 2020 election in the United States. One strategy could be shutting off political ads on the platform after the election, since that type of content isn’t fact-checked. Here’s Mike Isaac and Sheera Frenkel at The New York Times:
In recent weeks, Mr. Trump, who uses social media as a megaphone, has sharpened his comments about the election. He has questioned the legitimacy of mail-in voting, suggested that people’s mail-in ballots would not be counted and avoided answering whether he would step down if he lost. Alex Stamos, director of Stanford University’s Internet Observatory and a former Facebook executive, said Facebook, Twitter and YouTube faced a singular situation where they “have to potentially treat the president as a bad actor” who could undermine the democratic process.
Facebook’s approach here ignores the fact that ads are not the major vector of misinformation, argues this author. The most successful content promoted by Russian Internet Research Agency operatives in 2016 spread organically. (Nina Jankowicz / Wired)
A prominent Washington-based conservative advocacy organization is running a deceptive ad campaign on Facebook, stoking fears about mail-in voting. Some of the ads feature an image of LeBron James and misconstrue a quote from the basketball star. (Isaac Stanley-Becker / The Washington Post)
A parliamentary panel in India will question Facebook on how it regulates content in the country. The news comes in the wake of a Wall Street Journal article which found that Facebook executive Ankhi Das opposed applying hate-speech rules to some Hindu nationalists. (Aditya Kalra and Nigam Prusty / Reuters)
Facebook has consistently courted right-wing nationalists in India at the expense of removing hate speech from the platform, this piece argues. The country, with its more than 290 million users, is a critical market for the tech giant. (Rana Ayyub / The Washington Post)
Facebook shut down the pages of antifascist and anti-capitalist organizing groups as part of an expansion of its “Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy.” The move follows a pattern established by the Trump administration that draws false equivalences between organized, racist fascists, and the antifascists who oppose them. (Natasha Lennard / The Intercept)
Content moderation on platforms like Facebook and Twitter is particularly hard in African countries. A 2019 study from the Oxford Internet Institute showed governments in Angola, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, and Zimbabwe have started deploying information-control tactics to suppress, discredit, or drown out dissent on social platforms. (Tomiwa Ilori / Slate)
Facebook asked the Federal Trade Commission for clear guidance on how to comply with new “data portability” laws without violating user privacy. The laws allow consumers in Europe and California to collect and move their personal data to new websites. (Sarah Frier / Bloomberg)
Facebook’s French subsidiary agreed to pay more than $118 million in back taxes after a ten-year audit of its accounts by French authorities. France has said the big tech companies pay too little tax in the country where they have significant sales. (Mathieu Rosemain / Reuters)
QAnon supporters are organizing “Save The Children” rallies on Facebook, bringing the conspiracy theory from the fringes of the internet to dozens of cities. The movement has gone mainstream, and has benefited from credulous coverage by local TV news stations covering the protests. (Brandy Zadrozny and Ben Collins / NBC)
TikTok has a long way to go to crack down on hate speech on the platform. A study by Mediabrands found that the app ranked the lowest in media responsibility out of all social-media platforms, including YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. (Renata S Geraldo / Bloomberg)
Russian government-supported organizations are playing a small but increasing role amplifying conspiracy theories promoted by QAnon. Academics who study the movement say there were no signs Russia had a hand in the early days of the conspiracy theory. (Joseph Menn / Reuters)
Startups and other smaller businesses are using antitrust lawsuits to try and rein in Big Tech. Some feel government agencies are moving too slow with their investigations. (Reed Albergotti and Jay Greene / The Washington Post)
Epic Games filed a new motion in its lawsuit against Apple, claiming the tech giant is threatening an entire ecosystem of game developers. The motion centers on iOS support for the Unreal Engine, which Apple has threatened to revoke as part of Epic’s broader loss of developer privileges. (Kim Lyons and Russell Brandom / The Verge)
The Trump administration has been reaching out to tech companies including Apple to reassure them that they can still do business with WeChat. The move comes two weeks after President Trump ordered a US ban on the Chinese-owned service. (Jennifer Jacobs, Saleha Mohsin and Jenny Leonard / Bloomberg)
Apple proposed new measures to address antitrust concerns in South Korea, including $84.02 million in grants for small businesses. Apple Korea has been under investigation by the Korea Fair Trade Commission over allegations it abused its dominant position by forcing mobile carriers to pay for advertising and warranty repairs. (Reuters)
Some 13,500 tech workers at companies like Facebook, Google, Netflix and Disney are volunteering their time to help down-ballot Democratic candidates in competitive state-level races. Tech for Campaigns is aimed at helping Democrats with digital tools and marketing. (Ashley Gold / Axios)
Industry
⭐ Scammers are using Facebook to target people in Kenya. BuzzFeed identified 52 scam loan and recruitment Facebook pages with more than 245,000 followers. Here’s Odanga Madung at BuzzFeed:
The scam pages falsely claim to belong to well-known banks, supermarkets, gas stations, and other companies known to give loans or recruit large numbers of people. They leverage the credibility of real brands to entrap people like Elizabeth into applying for fake loans or for nonexistent jobs that require real fees. And these ads appear to be working. The Tuskys supermarket fraud, which asked for 350 Kenyan shillings in order to be short-listed for a job interview had 24,772 interactions. Another supermarket fraud, using the Naivas brand name, which requested 370 Kenyan shillings in order to be short-listed for a job as well, had 6,576 interactions, according to analytics data provided by CrowdTangle. In total, BuzzFeed News found 78,936 interactions from the 52 forms. Going by current engagement rates on Facebook, this means that the fraudsters could have reached millions of Kenyans with the help of the platform’s ad program.
Facebook’s “classic” experience, the interface with the iconic blue navigation bar at the top, is disappearing for good in September. Starting next month, everyone will have the new design. (Jon Porter / The Verge)
Facebook chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio is stepping down after two years. Lucio came to the company amid fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal. (Paige Leskin and Tanya Dua / Business Insider)
Gossip accounts like TikTokRoom are keeping pace with outlets like TMZ, documenting drama in the influencer community and sharing it on social media. Here’s an interview with the creators, both of whom are under the age of 20. (Kate Lindsay / NoFilter)
Current and former Google employees are forming an online school aimed at preparing students for the workforce if they’re taking time off school due to the coronavirus pandemic. Google executives have volunteered to mentor college students. (Jennifer Elias / CNBC)
The move to remote work has led to an uptick in workplace bullying, according to some experts. People are willing to talk to each other on Slack in a way they probably wouldn’t in person. (Chip Cutter and Aaron Tilley / The Wall Street Journal)
Zoom had widespread outages early this morning. Sadly, the service has now been restored. (James Vincent / The Verge)
⭐ Also: I talked to Alex Kantrowitz about why the backlash against tech journalists, covering Facebook, and why I love writing a newsletter. This transcript captures the flavor of the discussion, but I really recommend listening to the full podcast — it’s less than an hour long, and basically charts my entire worldview at the moment. Thanks to Alex for having me on and letting me talk at great length!
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theverge--2020-08-25--Google makes NASA artifacts and prehistoric crustaceans viewable in AR

Google has made a number of prehistoric creatures and historical artifacts available to view in augmented reality in its Arts and Culture app , the company announced today .
If you want to take a closer look at the ancient crustacean Cambropachycope from your living room without having to visit Moscow ’ s State Darwin Museum , for example , then now ’ s your chance .
Or how about the Command Module from Apollo 11 or Neil Armstrong ’ s lunar spacesuit ?
The announcement comes as many museums around the world are starting to open up after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , in the immediate future , health and safety measures mean that many still aren ’ t as accessible as they once were .
AR will have to suffice , even if it can ’ t quite match the sense of awe you get at seeing a 25.2 meter-long blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling above you in London ’ s Natural History Museum .
Other exhibits include prehistoric creatures like the Aegirocassis , as well as objects like a pre-Inca statue that dates back to 500 BCE .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality like a self-portrait from Frida Kahlo , or Gustav Klimt ’ s The Kiss .
Once you ’ ve placed the exhibit into your room , you ’ re free to film it or take photos using your phone ’ s camera .
The exhibits are available to view in Google ’ s Arts and Culture app , which is best known for its art history features .
Over the years it ’ s also added a few AI twists on its collection , such as in 2018 when it launched a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famous portraits .
More recently it added a photo filter feature that edited your photos in the style of famous painters .
As well as museum exhibits , Google has adding augmented reality creatures to its search results .
Since Google I/O 2019 the company has made a number of 3D animals available to view , recently expanding its offering to include dinosaurs and insects .
Google ’ s blog doesn ’ t mention which hardware is required to view its latest museum exhibits in augmented reality , but its previous AR features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Android device , or an iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 and up .
You can find the augmented reality exhibits in the Arts and Culture app by searching for “ AR ” and then tapping the “ View in Augmented Reality ” button in the pages for supported exhibits .

The announcement comes as many museums around the world are starting to open up after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close. However, in the immediate future, health and safety measures mean that many still aren’t as accessible as they once were. AR will have to suffice, even if it can’t quite match the sense of awe you get at seeing a 25.2 meter-long blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling above you in London’s Natural History Museum.
The feature overlays exhibits into your environment, allowing you to view them from any angle and take photos. Image: Google
Other exhibits include prehistoric creatures like the Aegirocassis, as well as objects like a pre-Inca statue that dates back to 500 BCE. There are also paintings available to view in augmented reality like a self-portrait from Frida Kahlo, or Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. Once you’ve placed the exhibit into your room, you’re free to film it or take photos using your phone’s camera.
Supported exhibits include prehistoric creatures as well as more recent historical items. Image: Google
The exhibits are available to view in Google’s Arts and Culture app, which is best known for its art history features. Over the years it’s also added a few AI twists on its collection, such as in 2018 when it launched a feature that would match your selfies against famous portraits. More recently it added a photo filter feature that edited your photos in the style of famous painters.
As well as museum exhibits, Google has adding augmented reality creatures to its search results. Since Google I/O 2019 the company has made a number of 3D animals available to view, recently expanding its offering to include dinosaurs and insects.


theverge--2020-08-27--Activision is giving away 10,000 beta keys for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War this weekend

Activision has officially announced Call of Duty : Black Ops Cold War .
Like previous entries , there will be a beta , which will be open to the public , but you can receive early access if you pre-order specific versions of the game .
However , there ’ s another way to get early access without spending any money : Activision is giving away 10,000 beta keys this weekend .
This weekend , the Call of Duty League will be holding its first championship .
On Sunday , August 30th at 4PM ET , the publisher will give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching the stream on the league ’ s official website .
Activision has not said when it will hold the beta If you want to be eligible for the giveaway , you ’ ll need to sign up or log into your Activision account and link it with the official Call of Duty League website or companion app .
Then you ’ ll have to select if you want to play the beta on PC , PS4 , or Xbox One .
Digital keys for early access to the open beta are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend , either .
On Saturday , players can also watch the stream for a chance to win a code for the CDL Champs 2020 Pack , which includes Call of Duty League designs for several in-game items including virtual graffiti sprays and custom weapon designs .
If you tune in for at least 30 minutes at any point during the two-day event , you can receive a code for a virtual knife with the Call of Duty League logo printed on the blade , which can be used in Modern Warfare and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will hold the beta , but Call of Duty : Black Ops Cold War is set to launch on November 13th , meaning you shouldn ’ t have long to wait .

Activision has officially announced Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Like previous entries, there will be a beta, which will be open to the public, but you can receive early access if you pre-order specific versions of the game. However, there’s another way to get early access without spending any money: Activision is giving away 10,000 beta keys this weekend.
This weekend, the Call of Duty League will be holding its first championship. On Sunday, August 30th at 4PM ET, the publisher will give away early access beta keys to viewers watching the stream on the league’s official website.
Activision has not said when it will hold the beta
If you want to be eligible for the giveaway, you’ll need to sign up or log into your Activision account and link it with the official Call of Duty League website or companion app. Then you’ll have to select if you want to play the beta on PC, PS4, or Xbox One.
Digital keys for early access to the open beta are not the only thing you can snag this weekend, either. On Saturday, players can also watch the stream for a chance to win a code for the CDL Champs 2020 Pack, which includes Call of Duty League designs for several in-game items including virtual graffiti sprays and custom weapon designs. If you tune in for at least 30 minutes at any point during the two-day event, you can receive a code for a virtual knife with the Call of Duty League logo printed on the blade, which can be used in Modern Warfare and Warzone.


theverge--2020-08-27--Samsung’s own UK website is already selling the Galaxy Z Fold 2 for £1,799

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 2 on August 5th , but didn ’ t give a release date or price at the time , only promising to share more about the foldable on September 1st .
But if you check Samsung ’ s UK retail website right now , it seems you can already pre-order the Z Fold 2 for £1,799 , and it ’ s set to ship by September 17th ( via Max Weinbach ) .
While that price might be eye-popping , it ’ s actually less expensive than the original Fold ’ s £1,900 starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of £101 .
Assuming , of course , that the price listed there isn ’ t a mistake .
Samsung didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment .
We don ’ t know yet if a lower price would carry over to the US .
The first Fold launched at $ 1,980 , so perhaps the Z Fold 2 will cost less than that .
It ’ s also unclear if pre-orders for the Z Fold 2 would ship any sooner or later than ones sold in the UK .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Z Fold 2 will fix some of the shortcomings of the first Fold — but it does look like the upcoming phone could have some improvements .
The Z Fold 2 ’ s ultra thin glass screen could be more durable than the plastic screen on the original , for example .
The 6.2-inch outer screen is also much bigger than the tiny one on the first Fold , and the inner display is also larger , at 7.6 inches .
While we have to wait for the full reveal until September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what the phone looks like in action right now ; a Chinese YouTube channel has already posted a video review of the device .
And if you ’ re already interested in buying one and live in the US , you can line up for a pre-order before they go live .

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 2 on August 5th, but didn’t give a release date or price at the time, only promising to share more about the foldable on September 1st. But if you check Samsung’s UK retail website right now, it seems you can already pre-order the Z Fold 2 for £1,799, and it’s set to ship by September 17th (via Max Weinbach).
While that price might be eye-popping, it’s actually less expensive than the original Fold’s £1,900 starting price in the UK — a difference of £101. Assuming, of course, that the price listed there isn’t a mistake. Samsung didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
We don’t know yet if a lower price would carry over to the US. The first Fold launched at $1,980, so perhaps the Z Fold 2 will cost less than that. It’s also unclear if pre-orders for the Z Fold 2 would ship any sooner or later than ones sold in the UK.
A screenshot of the pre-order page on Samsung’s UK website.
And it remains to be seen if the Z Fold 2 will fix some of the shortcomings of the first Fold — but it does look like the upcoming phone could have some improvements. The Z Fold 2’s ultra thin glass screen could be more durable than the plastic screen on the original, for example. The 6.2-inch outer screen is also much bigger than the tiny one on the first Fold, and the inner display is also larger, at 7.6 inches.


theverge--2020-08-27--Kevin Mayer didn’t sign up for whatever happens to TikTok

Kevin Mayer is out as TikTok ’ s CEO less than four months after taking the job .
While his resignation comes in the middle of ongoing political turmoil brought on by the Trump administration , his decision to leave likely has less to do with politics and more to do with his own autonomy as an acquisition looms .
“ I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require , and what it means for the global role I signed up for , ” Mayer said in an email to staff , posted in full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon , it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company.
” Mayer became TikTok ’ s CEO on June 1st , tasked with helping the company navigate choppy political waters in the United States as pressure began mounting to investigate the app due to its Chinese ownership .
At the same time , he was also named chief operating officer of ByteDance , TikTok ’ s owner , giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
The offer was strong enough to convince Mayer to leave his cushy position as head of Disney ’ s DTCI ( direct to consumer and international ) team , where he oversaw the launch of Disney Plus .
It didn ’ t hurt that just three months earlier , Mayer was passed over for CEO after Bob Iger stepped down — a position many in the industry thought he was a frontrunner for .
“ He thought the grass was greener on the other side , so he hopped the fence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney employee within the company ’ s streaming division , who asked to remain anonymous , told The Verge .
Reports suggest that Mayer was not included in recent talks with two top TikTok suitors , Microsoft ( now joined by Walmart ) and Oracle .
That he was left out of the loop likely boded poorly for Mayer ’ s future in what was supposed to be a broad and increasingly powerful role .
“ He thought the grass was greener on the other side , so he hopped the fence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for the job of TikTok CEO in May , he was coming into a company that , although controversial , was also flourishing .
TikTok saw rapid growth between October 2019 and June 2020 , with the company adding 52 million users in those eight months alone .
Advertisers are flocking to the app , creators are building actual careers through their followings , and TikTok shows no signs of slowing down .
Companies like Instagram and YouTube are trying to figure out how to mimic some of its success as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It ’ s always a really tough decision to make , ” Brian Stafford , author of Governance in the Digital Age , told The Verge .
“ There are many CEOs who feel compelled to stay with a business to help it go through a transition .
Hence the whole mantra of ‘ the captain goes down with the ship.
’ ” There is a difference , however , between leading a global company with a great deal of autonomy and running a regional company being overhauled by a tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not likely to get the same lofty position from TikTok ’ s buyer .
The whole point of forcing a sale is to get ByteDance out of the picture — Mayer loses out on the bigger , global company he really wanted to be at , not just TikTok .
“ Being a divisional CEO as opposed to the CEO was likely a major calculus in that decision , ” Stafford said .
On top of running TikTok , Mayer was tasked with “ driving the global development of ByteDance , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as broad as “ music , gaming ” and “ emerging businesses , ” according to a press release announcing his appointment at the time .
Without ByteDance , Mayer ’ s position looks a whole lot smaller .
In an email to staff discussing the departure also posted on Pandaily , ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming noted that the sale would have a “ significant impact ” on Mayer ’ s job , “ particularly given his global role while he ’ s based in the US.
” “ There are many CEOs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business to help it go through a transition ” Once TikTok is acquired , Mayer could end up “ reporting to someone who likely wants to use TikTok for a different strategy , ” said Tal Chalozin , chief technology officer at analytics firm Innovid .
“ Kevin ’ s the type of guy who needs to be involved with something very special , ” Chalozin said .
“ He ’ s built a record for successful products .
He doesn ’ t want to be known as the guy who succeeded at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Chalozin and Stafford both think that Mayer will be fine .
He is known as one of the smartest strategists working , with a pretty good track record of success .
Whether or not he finds himself in another CEO position or heading up a specific division at another company — “ I don ’ t think the three letter CEO title is everything to him , ” Chalozin said — Mayer will move on .
TikTok ’ s new leader , for now For the time being , Vanessa Pappas will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a good fit : Pappas has worked with ByteDance on TikTok since 2018 , becoming the platform ’ s general manager in January 2019 .
Prior to joining ByteDance , Pappas spent seven years at YouTube , giving her a rich background in online video and social media platforms .
Pappas is arguably more associated with the company than Mayer was in his fewer-than-100 days on the job .
Pappas is the one who talks to the press , the person who writes many of the blog posts addressing updates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company longer .
Pappas is “ just as prepared to usher the business through a transaction as anyone else ” TikTok could have appointed , Stafford said .
“ The TikTok team has worked tirelessly to make this platform a place of joy for hundreds of millions of people around the world , and we ’ re just getting started , ” Pappas said in a statement to The Verge .
“ It ’ s incredible to look back on our last couple years and see how much we ’ ve accomplished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excited for what we ’ ll continue to bring to our community going forward .
The future for TikTok is bright.
” “ It ’ s as much the philosophy of the acquirer as anything else ” Whether or not Pappas remains in the job is largely dependent on who acquires TikTok .
Each company is likely to have a different goal for the app , and if big strategy changes happen , personnel changes will come with them .
Just months after Jason Kilar took over as CEO of WarnerMedia , longtime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ousted .
Randy Freer left his position as Hulu ’ s CEO after Disney acquired majority ownership , with everything moving under Mayer when he was still with the House of Mouse .
“ A company like Oracle is more likely to put that business under a different leader , ” Stafford said .
“ Microsoft has a history of keeping the current team .
It ’ s as much the philosophy of the acquirer as anything else.
” If Microsoft or Oracle want to keep TikTok as is , Pappas could stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to change the strategy of TikTok — Walmart , which today joined the list of possible acquirers , sees it as a potential e-commerce platform more than anything else — the leadership role could be given to someone with experiencing moving a product in that direction .
The “ evolution of strategy can steer leadership in a different direction , ” Stafford said .
Like everything with TikTok these days , it ’ s all a game of wait and see .

Kevin Mayer is out as TikTok’s CEO less than four months after taking the job. While his resignation comes in the middle of ongoing political turmoil brought on by the Trump administration, his decision to leave likely has less to do with politics and more to do with his own autonomy as an acquisition looms.
“I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require, and what it means for the global role I signed up for,” Mayer said in an email to staff, posted in full on Pandaily. “Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company.”
Mayer became TikTok’s CEO on June 1st, tasked with helping the company navigate choppy political waters in the United States as pressure began mounting to investigate the app due to its Chinese ownership. At the same time, he was also named chief operating officer of ByteDance, TikTok’s owner, giving him the executive reins of a global company. The offer was strong enough to convince Mayer to leave his cushy position as head of Disney’s DTCI (direct to consumer and international) team, where he oversaw the launch of Disney Plus. It didn’t hurt that just three months earlier, Mayer was passed over for CEO after Bob Iger stepped down — a position many in the industry thought he was a frontrunner for.
“He thought the grass was greener on the other side, so he hopped the fence and landed in quicksand,” a Disney employee within the company’s streaming division, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Verge.
Reports suggest that Mayer was not included in recent talks with two top TikTok suitors, Microsoft (now joined by Walmart) and Oracle. That he was left out of the loop likely boded poorly for Mayer’s future in what was supposed to be a broad and increasingly powerful role.
“He thought the grass was greener on the other side, so he hopped the fence and landed in quicksand”
When Mayer signed up for the job of TikTok CEO in May, he was coming into a company that, although controversial, was also flourishing. TikTok saw rapid growth between October 2019 and June 2020, with the company adding 52 million users in those eight months alone. Advertisers are flocking to the app, creators are building actual careers through their followings, and TikTok shows no signs of slowing down. Companies like Instagram and YouTube are trying to figure out how to mimic some of its success as the app continues to dominate the American market.
“It’s always a really tough decision to make,” Brian Stafford, author of Governance in the Digital Age and CEO of Diligent, told The Verge. “There are many CEOs who feel compelled to stay with a business to help it go through a transition. Hence the whole mantra of ‘the captain goes down with the ship.’”
There is a difference, however, between leading a global company with a great deal of autonomy and running a regional company being overhauled by a tech giant. Mayer, it seems, was not likely to get the same lofty position from TikTok’s buyer. The whole point of forcing a sale is to get ByteDance out of the picture — Mayer loses out on the bigger, global company he really wanted to be at, not just TikTok. “Being a divisional CEO as opposed to the CEO was likely a major calculus in that decision,” Stafford said.
On top of running TikTok, Mayer was tasked with “driving the global development of ByteDance,” and was put in charge of segments as broad as “music, gaming” and “emerging businesses,” according to a press release announcing his appointment at the time. Without ByteDance, Mayer’s position looks a whole lot smaller.
In an email to staff discussing the departure also posted on Pandaily, ByteDance CEO Zhang Yiming noted that the sale would have a “significant impact” on Mayer’s job, “particularly given his global role while he’s based in the US.”
“There are many CEOs who feel compelled to stay with a business to help it go through a transition”
Once TikTok is acquired, Mayer could end up “reporting to someone who likely wants to use TikTok for a different strategy,” said Tal Chalozin, chief technology officer at analytics firm Innovid.
“Kevin’s the type of guy who needs to be involved with something very special,” Chalozin said. “He’s built a record for successful products. He doesn’t want to be known as the guy who succeeded at Disney but couldn’t do TikTok.”
Chalozin and Stafford both think that Mayer will be fine. He is known as one of the smartest strategists working, with a pretty good track record of success. Whether or not he finds himself in another CEO position or heading up a specific division at another company — “I don’t think the three letter CEO title is everything to him,” Chalozin said — Mayer will move on.
TikTok’s new leader, for now
For the time being, Vanessa Pappas will act as interim CEO of TikTok. It’s a good fit: Pappas has worked with ByteDance on TikTok since 2018, becoming the platform’s general manager in January 2019. Prior to joining ByteDance, Pappas spent seven years at YouTube, giving her a rich background in online video and social media platforms.
Pappas is arguably more associated with the company than Mayer was in his fewer-than-100 days on the job. Pappas is the one who talks to the press, the person who writes many of the blog posts addressing updates at TikTok, and has been with the company longer. Pappas is “just as prepared to usher the business through a transaction as anyone else” TikTok could have appointed, Stafford said.
“The TikTok team has worked tirelessly to make this platform a place of joy for hundreds of millions of people around the world, and we’re just getting started,” Pappas said in a statement to The Verge. “It’s incredible to look back on our last couple years and see how much we’ve accomplished, and I’m even more excited for what we’ll continue to bring to our community going forward. The future for TikTok is bright.”
“It’s as much the philosophy of the acquirer as anything else”
Whether or not Pappas remains in the job is largely dependent on who acquires TikTok. Each company is likely to have a different goal for the app, and if big strategy changes happen, personnel changes will come with them. Just months after Jason Kilar took over as CEO of WarnerMedia, longtime executives Bob Greenblatt and Kevin Reilly were ousted. Randy Freer left his position as Hulu’s CEO after Disney acquired majority ownership, with everything moving under Mayer when he was still with the House of Mouse.
“A company like Oracle is more likely to put that business under a different leader,” Stafford said. “Microsoft has a history of keeping the current team. It’s as much the philosophy of the acquirer as anything else.”
If Microsoft or Oracle want to keep TikTok as is, Pappas could stay in the role. If the company wants to change the strategy of TikTok — Walmart, which today joined the list of possible acquirers, sees it as a potential e-commerce platform more than anything else — the leadership role could be given to someone with experiencing moving a product in that direction. The “evolution of strategy can steer leadership in a different direction,” Stafford said.


theverge--2020-08-27--Sewer systems can be used as COVID-19 early warning signs

Early this week , Robert Robbins , president of the University of Arizona , got a phone call about poop that helped him stop an outbreak of COVID-19 .
As part of the school ’ s return-to-campus plan , the university was analyzing the wastewater from on-campus dorms for signs of the coronavirus .
The professor heading the project was calling to say he ’ d found the virus in the sewage from a dorm called Likins Hall .
Administrators descended on the dorm , tested every person inside , and found two cases in people who didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a very valuable tool to help us get out in front , ” Robbins said in a briefing today .
Catching people who are infected with the virus but don ’ t have symptoms is critical to stopping its spread , he said , and wastewater was helping to find them .
When people get sick with COVID-19 , the virus shows up in their feces even before they might feel sick .
The virus-flecked feces then makes its way through sewage systems .
Monitoring that sewage helps public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread .
Other universities , like Michigan ’ s Hope College , are using wastewater to monitor COVID-19 on campus .
Cities , including New Haven , Connecticut and Carmel , Indiana , are doing the same thing .
Each day , workers at the wastewater treatment plant in New Haven siphon off a bit of sewage and put it in a cooler .
Then , researchers from Yale University swing by to pick it up .
In their hands , that pile of refuse is a key tool to predict the trajectory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It gives us a better idea of what ’ s going on in the city , ” says New Haven epidemiologist Brian Weeks , who uses the data collected by the Yale team .
The Yale research team analyzes samples collected from the treatment plant and reports the virus levels to the city once a week , says Jordan Peccia , a Yale professor of chemical and environmental engineering working on the project .
The samples collected by Peccia and his team are bits of sewage sludge — the concentrated material left behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared the levels of virus in the sludge with the numbers of cases reported in the city , they found that viral loads in the sludge went up around a week before the case counts did .
“ So it could be an early warning , ” he says .
Weeks says that he ’ s watching the sewage sludge data as New Haven starts to reopen .
“ We ’ re expecting cases to pick up again because people are moving forward with their lives , interacting with the community , going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Inevitably , there ’ s going to be an increased opportunity for exposure , ” he says .
“ This will give us an opportunity to kind of act a little quicker than depending on hospital data.
” Around 800 miles away , Carmel , Indiana , is taking the same approach .
“ It ’ s a way to see if we have a spike , we know we need to draw back on some of our reopening , ” Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard told The Verge .
“ Hopefully we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least we have the data to be making an informed decision.
” Brainard and the city ’ s utilities director both read about sewage testing in late April .
They decided to partner with the Massachusetts-based biotech company Biobot , which collects and analyzes wastewater samples from all over the country .
The turnaround time , though , is slow , Brainard says — they ’ ve only gotten one sample back so far , but hope to get more results this week .
The city is considering partnering with a lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the analysis done locally .
“ We wouldn ’ t have to FedEx it overnight , we could just literally drive it there , ” he says .
Biobot ’ s turnaround time was slow through March and April because it was a free service , spokesperson Sarah Pugsley said in an email to The Verge .
“ Given the high demand for this testing , we are now offering it as a paid service , which started June 1st with a guaranteed turnaround of 3-7 days to start , while aiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
Once the sewage data is available more consistently , Brainard says that it ’ ll be reported publicly in the same way case numbers are .
He also hopes they ’ ll eventually be able to test sewage from specific buildings , in addition to the overall city .
“ Geico , for instance , has a big facility here , ” he says .
In theory , they could take sewage samples from a manhole just outside the building .
“ Then if we saw a spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that building a test within a couple days , find out who ’ s spreading it , get the quarantine started , and do the contact tracing.
” Weeks hopes New Haven can test individual facilities , as well .
“ We ’ re hoping to in the future get data from important sites , like nursing homes , and places like that , ” he says .
Coronavirus levels in sewage are only one piece of data New Haven uses to monitor its outbreak , Weeks says , along with case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been a valuable addition , he says .
“ Marrying those different data sets , if they ’ re all in alignment , that ’ s phenomenal.
” Update August 27th , 5:14PM : Updated with information on colleges and universities .

Early this week, Robert Robbins, president of the University of Arizona, got a phone call about poop that helped him stop an outbreak of COVID-19.
As part of the school’s return-to-campus plan, the university was analyzing the wastewater from on-campus dorms for signs of the coronavirus. The professor heading the project was calling to say he’d found the virus in the sewage from a dorm called Likins Hall.
Administrators descended on the dorm, tested every person inside, and found two cases in people who didn’t have symptoms.
“This is going to be a very valuable tool to help us get out in front,” Robbins said in a briefing today. Catching people who are infected with the virus but don’t have symptoms is critical to stopping its spread, he said, and wastewater was helping to find them.
When people get sick with COVID-19, the virus shows up in their feces even before they might feel sick. The virus-flecked feces then makes its way through sewage systems. Monitoring that sewage helps public health officials keep an eye on any undetected viral spread.
Other universities, like Michigan’s Hope College, are using wastewater to monitor COVID-19 on campus. Cities, including New Haven, Connecticut and Carmel, Indiana, are doing the same thing.
Each day, workers at the wastewater treatment plant in New Haven siphon off a bit of sewage and put it in a cooler. Then, researchers from Yale University swing by to pick it up. In their hands, that pile of refuse is a key tool to predict the trajectory of the local COVID-19 outbreak.
“It gives us a better idea of what’s going on in the city,” says New Haven epidemiologist Brian Weeks, who uses the data collected by the Yale team.
The Yale research team analyzes samples collected from the treatment plant and reports the virus levels to the city once a week, says Jordan Peccia, a Yale professor of chemical and environmental engineering working on the project. The samples collected by Peccia and his team are bits of sewage sludge — the concentrated material left behind when wastewater is processed. When they compared the levels of virus in the sludge with the numbers of cases reported in the city, they found that viral loads in the sludge went up around a week before the case counts did. “So it could be an early warning,” he says.
Weeks says that he’s watching the sewage sludge data as New Haven starts to reopen.
“We’re expecting cases to pick up again because people are moving forward with their lives, interacting with the community, going to restaurants, and taking public transportation. Inevitably, there’s going to be an increased opportunity for exposure,” he says. “This will give us an opportunity to kind of act a little quicker than depending on hospital data.”
Around 800 miles away, Carmel, Indiana, is taking the same approach.
“It’s a way to see if we have a spike, we know we need to draw back on some of our reopening,” Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard told The Verge. “Hopefully we don’t have to, but at least we have the data to be making an informed decision.”
Brainard and the city’s utilities director both read about sewage testing in late April. They decided to partner with the Massachusetts-based biotech company Biobot, which collects and analyzes wastewater samples from all over the country. The turnaround time, though, is slow, Brainard says — they’ve only gotten one sample back so far, but hope to get more results this week. The city is considering partnering with a lab at the University of Notre Dame to get the analysis done locally. “We wouldn’t have to FedEx it overnight, we could just literally drive it there,” he says.
Biobot’s turnaround time was slow through March and April because it was a free service, spokesperson Sarah Pugsley said in an email to The Verge. “Given the high demand for this testing, we are now offering it as a paid service, which started June 1st with a guaranteed turnaround of 3-7 days to start, while aiming to get it at 3 days,” she said.
Once the sewage data is available more consistently, Brainard says that it’ll be reported publicly in the same way case numbers are. He also hopes they’ll eventually be able to test sewage from specific buildings, in addition to the overall city. “Geico, for instance, has a big facility here,” he says. In theory, they could take sewage samples from a manhole just outside the building. “Then if we saw a spike in that building, we could get everybody in that building a test within a couple days, find out who’s spreading it, get the quarantine started, and do the contact tracing.”
Weeks hopes New Haven can test individual facilities, as well. “We’re hoping to in the future get data from important sites, like nursing homes, and places like that,” he says.
Coronavirus levels in sewage are only one piece of data New Haven uses to monitor its outbreak, Weeks says, along with case counts and hospitalization rates. But it’s been a valuable addition, he says. “Marrying those different data sets, if they’re all in alignment, that’s phenomenal.”


theverge--2020-08-27--Watch a new trailer for Twelve Minutes, an ‘interactive thriller’ featuring Willem Dafoe

Annapurna Interactive debuted a new trailer for Twelve Minutes , which the studio describes as “ an interactive thriller about a man trapped in a time loop , ” at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2020 .
The trailer features an ominous voiceover from Willem Dafoe , and the game will also include the voice talents of James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley .
Twelve Minutes seems to take place entirely from a top-down perspective of a small apartment — much of the trailer shows a main living room , and there ’ s a brief shot of the two main characters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be reliving a twelve-minute time loop over and over again .
A tidbit on the game ’ s Steam page makes the game sound extremely intriguing : “ Twelve Minutes blends the dream-like tension of The Shining with the claustrophobia of Rear Window and the fragmented structure of Memento.
” Developer Luis Antonio “ hopes Twelve Minutes will be ready by the end of the year , ” according to EW .
The game will be available on Xbox Series X , Xbox One , and PC when it ’ s out @

Annapurna Interactive debuted a new trailer for Twelve Minutes, which the studio describes as “an interactive thriller about a man trapped in a time loop,” at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2020. The trailer features an ominous voiceover from Willem Dafoe, and the game will also include the voice talents of James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley.
Twelve Minutes seems to take place entirely from a top-down perspective of a small apartment — much of the trailer shows a main living room, and there’s a brief shot of the two main characters in a bedroom — and you’ll be reliving a twelve-minute time loop over and over again. A tidbit on the game’s Steam page makes the game sound extremely intriguing: “Twelve Minutes blends the dream-like tension of The Shining with the claustrophobia of Rear Window and the fragmented structure of Memento.”


theverge--2020-08-27--Watch seven minutes of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, releasing in PS5’s ‘launch window’

Sony debuted new gameplay footage for Ratchet & Clank : Rift Apart , the first PlayStation 5 entry in the long-running hit series from Insomniac Games , at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2020 .
Sony shared an initial look at Rift Apart at Sony ’ s big PS5 games reveal in June , including some gameplay , and today ’ s extended video built upon what has already been shown .
Today ’ s demo featured a lot of classic Ratchet & Clank gameplay — strafe shooting , jumping , platforming , and more — and it all looks great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rifts are also a major part of the new game , letting the two protagonists travel from point to point and between entirely new worlds , all with nearly instantaneous load times .
It was an impressive display of what the PS5 might be able to do with its custom SSD , which Sony has claimed will significantly speed up loading times in games .
In an interview with Opening Night Live host Geoff Keighley after the demo , Insomniac ’ s Marcus Smith said that Ratchet & Clank : Rift Apart will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hinted that there might be some fun nods to other games for longtime fans of the series .
The game is set to launch within the PS5 ’ s “ launch window.
” But it ’ s unclear when that could be , since we still have a release date for the PS5 beyond “ holiday 2020 .
”

Sony debuted new gameplay footage for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the first PlayStation 5 entry in the long-running hit series from Insomniac Games, at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2020. Sony shared an initial look at Rift Apart at Sony’s big PS5 games reveal in June, including some gameplay, and today’s extended video built upon what has already been shown.
Today’s demo featured a lot of classic Ratchet & Clank gameplay — strafe shooting, jumping, platforming, and more — and it all looks great. But as the title suggests, rifts are also a major part of the new game, letting the two protagonists travel from point to point and between entirely new worlds, all with nearly instantaneous load times. It was an impressive display of what the PS5 might be able to do with its custom SSD, which Sony has claimed will significantly speed up loading times in games.
In an interview with Opening Night Live host Geoff Keighley after the demo, Insomniac’s Marcus Smith said that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be a standalone adventure, but he hinted that there might be some fun nods to other games for longtime fans of the series.


theverge--2020-08-27--The 11 biggest trailers and announcements from Gamescom Opening Night Live

Gamescom 2020 may not be the in-person spectacle we ’ ve come to know , but that doesn ’ t mean it ’ s not a big deal .
The virtual version of the trade show kicked off with Gamescom Opening Night Live , a two-hour-long event that featured plentiful announcements and trailers , covering everything from the Fall Guys phenomenon to upcoming blockbusters like Star Wars : Squadrons and Call of Duty : Black Ops Cold War .
If you missed the show , here are all the biggest reveals .
It ’ s been a long time since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And while BioWare didn ’ t reveal a new trailer for the game , the studio at least proved it ’ s still in the works with a behind-the-scenes video full of concept art , early game renders , and lots of staff excited about the fantasy realm .
One of the biggest surprises of the show was the latest Star Wars experience , which takes place in the world of The Sims .
The latest expansion for The Sims 4 is called Journey to Batuu , and it ’ s launching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting a second season It feels like Fall Guys , the unofficial game of the summer , just launched , but it ’ s already getting a new season with a hefty helping of new content .
It ’ ll be out in October .
It was only yesterday that Activision officially unveiled Call of Duty : Black Ops Cold War , but we already have a second trailer for the game , complete with a long look at CG Ronald Reagan .
The shooter will be launching on November 13th .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star Wars : Squadrons , which promises to recreate the feeling of piloting an X-wing or TIE Fighter , continues to look impressive , making the wait until its October release all the more difficult .
The indie game Twelve Minutes has looked intriguing for some time , and the latest trailer makes it even more exciting , with a cast that includes Willem Dafoe , Daisy Ridley , and James McAvoy .
It ’ s listed as “ coming soon ” to both Xbox and PC .
The colorful Ratchet & Clank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that looks to be the case with the PS5 entry , Rift Apart .
You can get a good look at it in this lengthy , seven-minute gameplay demo .
A virtual reality take on Medal of Honor isn ’ t necessarily the most exciting proposition , but this version is helmed by Respawn , a studio that ’ s been on a roll with games like Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi : Fallen Order , not to mention the classic Titanfall 2 .
At Gamescom , we got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play .
The new Medal of Honor , called Above and Beyond , will be coming to the Oculus Rift .
The bombastic Doom Eternal is getting even bigger , with a new expansion for the story campaign called The Ancient Gods .
Part one of the expansion will be available on October 20th .
2017 saw the release of a seemingly strange mashup that worked well : Bridge Constructor Portal .
Now comes another , even less obvious take on the Bridge Constructor franchise with a Walking Dead spinoff .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just about everything : iOS , Android , PS4 , Xbox One , Switch , PC , and next-gen consoles .
World of Warcraft ’ s next expansion launches in October The long-running MMO World of Warcraft is expanding once again this year , with a new expansion , called Shadowlands , launching on October 27th .
It ’ s the eighth major add-on , and Blizzard describes it like this :

Gamescom 2020 may not be the in-person spectacle we’ve come to know, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a big deal. The virtual version of the trade show kicked off with Gamescom Opening Night Live, a two-hour-long event that featured plentiful announcements and trailers, covering everything from the Fall Guys phenomenon to upcoming blockbusters like Star Wars: Squadrons and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.
If you missed the show, here are all the biggest reveals.
It’s been a long time since we heard about the next Dragon Age. And while BioWare didn’t reveal a new trailer for the game, the studio at least proved it’s still in the works with a behind-the-scenes video full of concept art, early game renders, and lots of staff excited about the fantasy realm.
One of the biggest surprises of the show was the latest Star Wars experience, which takes place in the world of The Sims. The latest expansion for The Sims 4 is called Journey to Batuu, and it’s launching on September 8th.
It feels like Fall Guys, the unofficial game of the summer, just launched, but it’s already getting a new season with a hefty helping of new content. It’ll be out in October.
It was only yesterday that Activision officially unveiled Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, but we already have a second trailer for the game, complete with a long look at CG Ronald Reagan. The shooter will be launching on November 13th.
Star Wars: Squadrons, which promises to recreate the feeling of piloting an X-wing or TIE Fighter, continues to look impressive, making the wait until its October release all the more difficult.
The indie game Twelve Minutes has looked intriguing for some time, and the latest trailer makes it even more exciting, with a cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Daisy Ridley, and James McAvoy. It’s listed as “coming soon” to both Xbox and PC.
The colorful Ratchet & Clank series has long been a technical showcase, and that looks to be the case with the PS5 entry, Rift Apart. You can get a good look at it in this lengthy, seven-minute gameplay demo.
Medal of Honor in VR
A virtual reality take on Medal of Honor isn’t necessarily the most exciting proposition, but this version is helmed by Respawn, a studio that’s been on a roll with games like Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, not to mention the classic Titanfall 2. At Gamescom, we got a deeper look at how this iteration will play. The new Medal of Honor, called Above and Beyond, will be coming to the Oculus Rift.
Doom Eternal gets an expansion
The bombastic Doom Eternal is getting even bigger, with a new expansion for the story campaign called The Ancient Gods. Part one of the expansion will be available on October 20th.
Bridge Constructor meets The Walking Dead
2017 saw the release of a seemingly strange mashup that worked well: Bridge Constructor Portal. Now comes another, even less obvious take on the Bridge Constructor franchise with a Walking Dead spinoff. It’s slated to launch this year on just about everything: iOS, Android, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and next-gen consoles.
World of Warcraft’s next expansion launches in October
The long-running MMO World of Warcraft is expanding once again this year, with a new expansion, called Shadowlands, launching on October 27th. It’s the eighth major add-on, and Blizzard describes it like this:


theverge--2020-08-27--Facebook is blocking searches for the name of Kenosha shooter

Facebook is blocking searches for “ Kyle Rittenhouse , ” the gunman allegedly responsible for the killing of two protestors in Kenosha , Wisconsin Tuesday night .
The behavior was first reported by Rolling Stone , but The Verge was able to confirm the block through direct testing .
A search for the name returns no results , while a more general search returns a number of results with the shooter ’ s name included .
After Rittenhouse was identified and charged on Wednesday , Facebook removed his profile and blocked users from creating new profiles under the name , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used to spread disinformation .
But blocking searches for the name is a more drastic measure , particularly at a time when interest in the details of the attack are at their peak .
The platform does not appear to be blocking any content from being posted or shared , but it is apparently limiting its accessibility through search .
Reached by The Verge , Facebook confirmed it was blocking searches , but downplayed the significance of the measure .
“ It ’ s not actually new , ” a representative said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ton of stuff – for instance , child exploitation content.
” In a previous statement on the shooting , the platform emphasized that it was taking proactive measures to limit harmful information in the wake of the incident .
“ We ’ ve designated this shooting as a mass murder and have removed the shooter ’ s accounts from Facebook and Instagram , ” a Facebook representative said .
Rittenhouse has been at the center of a wave of controversy since he was identified on Wednesday by a flood of open-source intelligence gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrant for Rittenhouse ’ s arrest was issued by a local police department .
A number of self-proclaimed militia groups , including the Kenosha Guard , have also been banned in the wake of the shooting , after having previously been deemed acceptable by Facebook moderators .
Facebook says its internal investigation has produced no evidence linking Rittenhouse to the Kenosha Guard .

Facebook is blocking searches for “Kyle Rittenhouse,” the gunman allegedly responsible for the killing of two protestors in Kenosha, Wisconsin Tuesday night. The behavior was first reported by Rolling Stone, but The Verge was able to confirm the block through direct testing. A search for the name returns no results, while a more general search returns a number of results with the shooter’s name included.
After Rittenhouse was identified and charged on Wednesday, Facebook removed his profile and blocked users from creating new profiles under the name, out of concern that copycat profiles might be used to spread disinformation. But blocking searches for the name is a more drastic measure, particularly at a time when interest in the details of the attack are at their peak. The platform does not appear to be blocking any content from being posted or shared, but it is apparently limiting its accessibility through search.
A search for the name returned no results.
A search for “Kenosha shooter” turns up a variety of articles and posts that include Rittenhouse’s name.
Reached by The Verge, Facebook confirmed it was blocking searches, but downplayed the significance of the measure. “It’s not actually new,” a representative said. “We block searches for a ton of stuff – for instance, child exploitation content.”
In a previous statement on the shooting, the platform emphasized that it was taking proactive measures to limit harmful information in the wake of the incident. “We’ve designated this shooting as a mass murder and have removed the shooter’s accounts from Facebook and Instagram,” a Facebook representative said.
Rittenhouse has been at the center of a wave of controversy since he was identified on Wednesday by a flood of open-source intelligence gathering. The identification was confirmed when a warrant for Rittenhouse’s arrest was issued by a local police department.
A number of self-proclaimed militia groups, including the Kenosha Guard, have also been banned in the wake of the shooting, after having previously been deemed acceptable by Facebook moderators. Facebook says its internal investigation has produced no evidence linking Rittenhouse to the Kenosha Guard.


theverge--2020-08-27--Google Duo is coming to Android TV soon

Google Duo is coming to Android TV soon

After announcing Chromecast support for Google Meet , Google has now revealed that the company ’ s consumer video chat app , Duo , will be coming to Android TV in the form of a native app that lets users start video calls from their TV screen .
A beta of Google Duo for Android TV will be released “ in the coming weeks.
” You can launch both one-on-one and group video calls with the app .
“ If your TV doesn ’ t have a camera built-in , you can simply plug in a USB camera , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assuming your TV supports such a thing .
The move continues Google ’ s push to bring its video communication apps to bigger screens .
By adding Chromecast support for Google Meet , the company gave people more flexibility in where they can have their work meetings .
The combo of your couch and the TV screen will sometimes be a better fit than using a PC or phone .
Like Meet , Google Duo is already supported on the Nest Hub , Nest Hub Max , and other smart displays that run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of platforms and ways of using Meet can only help Google as it continues to scrap it out with Zoom and Microsoft Teams .
And it ’ ll be a long effort ; as the company says at the end of its blog post , “ video calls aren ’ t going anywhere ” anytime soon .

After announcing Chromecast support for Google Meet, Google has now revealed that the company’s consumer video chat app, Duo, will be coming to Android TV in the form of a native app that lets users start video calls from their TV screen. A beta of Google Duo for Android TV will be released “in the coming weeks.” You can launch both one-on-one and group video calls with the app. “If your TV doesn’t have a camera built-in, you can simply plug in a USB camera,” Google said in its blog post — assuming your TV supports such a thing.
The move continues Google’s push to bring its video communication apps to bigger screens. By adding Chromecast support for Google Meet, the company gave people more flexibility in where they can have their work meetings. The combo of your couch and the TV screen will sometimes be a better fit than using a PC or phone.


theverge--2020-08-27--The Sims 4 is getting a Star Wars expansion pack on September 8th

Joining the long list of expansion packs for Electronic Arts ’ The Sims 4 is one we haven ’ t quite seen before : a Star Wars-themed one , called Journey to Batuu .
The expansion , detailed in a Gamescom trailer aired during the virtual-only presentation on Thursday , is due out September 8th and brings with it a number of signature characters , items , and environments from the classic franchise .
There are droids , lightsabers , and even Rey and Kylo Ren .
The trailer also shows the Millennium Falcon , stormtroopers , and some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing Journey to Batuu , including lightsaber dueling .
The pack and its choice of Batuu as the prime destination was apparently inspired by Disney ’ s Star Wars : Galaxy ’ s Edge theme park .
Here ’ s how the press release describes it : In The Sims 4 Star Wars : Journey to Batuu , players will leave their homes to travel to the planet of Batuu where they ’ ll have to make a choice on which faction to work with , as the actions their Sims take will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outpost .
Sims can choose to support Rey and Vi Moradi as part of the Resistance , pledge loyalty to the First Order under Kylo Ren or shift their focus to gaining credits with Hondo Ohnaka and the scoundrels .
As Sims embark on exciting missions , they ’ ll increase their reputation , unlock new artifacts and one-of-kind clothing , customize their own droids and create a coveted lightsaber .
After players leave Batuu and return home , they can even bring back some of these items , like their lightsaber , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve already created .
“ With The Sims , we ’ ve always strived to create content that takes players ’ imaginations beyond their limits to tell fun and unique stories in the game , and with The Sims 4 Star Wars : Journey to Batuu , they ’ ll be able to take their Sims on an adventure to the edge of the galaxy , ” Lyndsay Pearson , the executive producer of The Sims , said in a statement .
“ We ’ re such big Star Wars fans , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immersive Star Wars experience for players that also embodies the self-expression and deep storytelling possibilities with The Sims.
” The Sims has also evolved over time with each new expansion , giving players lots of new stuff to experiment with , build , and design .
And while there have been Star Wars cosmetics and other tie-ins in the past , The Sims hasn ’ t had something at the scale of a full expansion pack before .
Thanks to developer Maxis being owned by Star Wars video game licensee EA , Journey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems has been a long time coming .

Joining the long list of updates for Electronic Arts’ The Sims 4 is one we haven’t quite seen before: a Star Wars-themed one, called Journey to Batuu. The game pack, detailed in a Gamescom trailer aired during the virtual-only presentation on Thursday, is due out September 8th and brings with it a number of signature characters, items, and environments from the classic franchise. (Just to be clear, this is a game pack, not an expansion pack, as those terms each have specific meanings in the world of The Sims.)
There are droids, lightsabers, and even Rey and Kylo Ren. The trailer also shows the Millennium Falcon, stormtroopers, and some of the apparent hijinks you can get into playing Journey to Batuu, including lightsaber dueling. The pack and its choice of Batuu as the prime destination was apparently inspired by Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park.
Here’s how the press release describes it:
In The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu, players will leave their homes to travel to the planet of Batuu where they’ll have to make a choice on which faction to work with, as the actions their Sims take will lead to control of the Black Spire Outpost. Sims can choose to support Rey and Vi Moradi as part of the Resistance, pledge loyalty to the First Order under Kylo Ren or shift their focus to gaining credits with Hondo Ohnaka and the scoundrels. As Sims embark on exciting missions, they’ll increase their reputation, unlock new artifacts and one-of-kind clothing, customize their own droids and create a coveted lightsaber. After players leave Batuu and return home, they can even bring back some of these items, like their lightsaber, to enjoy with other Sims they’ve already created.
“With The Sims, we’ve always strived to create content that takes players’ imaginations beyond their limits to tell fun and unique stories in the game, and with The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu, they’ll be able to take their Sims on an adventure to the edge of the galaxy,” Lyndsay Pearson, the executive producer of The Sims, said in a statement. “We’re such big Star Wars fans, and set out to create an authentic and immersive Star Wars experience for players that also embodies the self-expression and deep storytelling possibilities with The Sims.”
The Sims has also evolved over time with each new expansion, giving players lots of new stuff to experiment with, build, and design. And while there have been Star Wars cosmetics and other tie-ins in the past, The Sims hasn’t had something at the scale of a full game pack before. Thanks to developer Maxis being owned by Star Wars video game licensee EA, Journey to Batuu is a partnership that it seems has been a long time coming.


theverge--2020-08-28--Facebook’s OASIS-style VR playground Horizon enters public beta

Did you forget that Facebook was building the OASIS ?
The company has been working on its multiplayer virtual reality social space , Horizon , for a while now , which is comparable in concept if not scope to the fantastical VR world of Ready Player One .
This week the company announced it ’ s expanding access and making Horizon an invite-only public beta .
As it goes into public beta , Horizon has been kitted out with new games and environments .
Facebook is also introducing new tools to combat abuse on the platform , including the option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a “ Personal Safe Zone ” where you can mute , block , and report the people and content around you You can join Horizon ’ s waitlist here .
The app ( service ?
social network ?
gamespace ? )
is , in Facebook ’ s own words , “ an ever-expanding universe of virtual experiences designed and built by the entire community.
” That means you can hang out and chat with people in Horizon using custom VR avatars , or play games and activities built with the app ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Horizon is similar to Roblox , which has gained huge popularity by letting users build their own experiences .
First-hand reports from outlets including CNET and Engadget offer some interesting insight into what Horizon is like right now .
They describe playing simple games like Balloon Bash ( a water balloon “ shooter ” ) , taking part in a game show called Interdimensional ( built around a series of timed escape rooms and puzzles ) , and experimenting with a flexible creation mode that lets you build custom environments using 3D shapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it reminded me of the white void from The Matrix — a room filled with limitless potential and creativity , ” says Engadget ’ s Devindra Hardawar on Horizon ’ s creative mode .
“ Within a few minutes , my guide turned the empty space into a virtual beach , complete with sand , water and a golden sunset horizon .
All the while , I spent a few minutes trying to create a palm tree.
” Horizon is interesting in and of itself as a big experiment into the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s also possible Facebook wants to make more of the tool at a time when in-person socializing is so much more challenging .
The company ’ s big annual VR conference , Facebook Connect ( previously Oculus Connect ) is scheduled for September 16th , and it ’ ll be interesting to see whether or not Horizon takes center stage .

Did you forget that Facebook was building the OASIS? The company has been working on its multiplayer virtual reality social space, Horizon, for a while now, which is comparable in concept if not scope to the fantastical VR world of Ready Player One. This week the company announced it’s expanding access and making Horizon an invite-only public beta.
As it goes into public beta, Horizon has been kitted out with new games and environments. Facebook is also introducing new tools to combat abuse on the platform, including the option to step away from the VR world into a “Personal Safe Zone” where you can mute, block, and report the people and content around you You can join Horizon’s waitlist here.
The app (service? social network? gamespace?) is, in Facebook’s own words, “an ever-expanding universe of virtual experiences designed and built by the entire community.” That means you can hang out and chat with people in Horizon using custom VR avatars, or play games and activities built with the app’s internal tools. In that respect Horizon is similar to Roblox, which has gained huge popularity by letting users build their own experiences.
First-hand reports from outlets including CNET and Engadget offer some interesting insight into what Horizon is like right now. They describe playing simple games like Balloon Bash (a water balloon “shooter”), taking part in a game show called Interdimensional (built around a series of timed escape rooms and puzzles), and experimenting with a flexible creation mode that lets you build custom environments using 3D shapes and templates.
“In many ways, it reminded me of the white void from The Matrix — a room filled with limitless potential and creativity,” says Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar on Horizon’s creative mode. “Within a few minutes, my guide turned the empty space into a virtual beach, complete with sand, water and a golden sunset horizon. All the while, I spent a few minutes trying to create a palm tree.”