theverge--2020-08-03--The Department of Justice is reviewing TurboTax maker Intuit’s $7.1 billion purchase of its free com

The Department of Justice is reviewing TurboTax maker Intuit’s $7.1 billion purchase of its free competitor

Intuit ’ s $ 7.1 billion purchase of Credit Karma earlier this year is now subjected to review by the US Department of Justice .
The department is concerned about possible antitrust issues if Intuit — owner of TurboTax , QuickBooks , and Mint — is allowed to take over a former rival that offered free tax preparation tools that were directly in competition with Intuit ’ s own offering , according to a report from ProPublica .
In a memo obtained by ProPublica , the DOJ ’ s lawyers are apparently concerned about “ the influence that Intuit ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on consumer tax preparation platforms and [ the ] software market.
” Currently , the DOJ has requested Intuit and Credit Karma provide more information before it rules on whether to allow the merger to go through .
Credit Karma was founded in 2007 , and the company made its mark offering services like free credit checks .
But in 2017 , it made one of its biggest expansions yet , adding free tax filing to its list of services .
That made it a potential threat to companies like Intuit , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market and makes billions of dollars a year providing tax filing services to Americans .
TurboTax has come under fire for hiding its Free File service before TurboTax — and other major tax companies , like H & R Block — already offered free filing options for years thanks to the IRS ’ s Free File program , which promises free tax filing for anyone with an adjusted gross income of $ 69,000 or less .
In exchange , the IRS promised it wouldn ’ t create its own free tax product .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Intuit , H & R Block , and other companies haven ’ t been particularly forthcoming about offering these programs to users .
In order to offset losses from changes in the tax laws , TurboTax intentionally pushed low-income taxpayers toward its pricier products instead of the Free File version of its software .
Intuit was also caught hiding its Free File service from Google search results , pointing customers toward its standard “ free ” service instead , which almost always requires taxpayers to upgrade to a paid tier to submit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IRS has recently started to fight back against such practices , amending the Free File program to prohibit hiding Free File services from search results and require clearer branding to highlight the Free File version of their software ( as opposed to other “ free ” options ) .
The IRS also eliminated the restriction against the organization making its own competing free filing software .
For its part , Intuit refuted the idea that the merger is about eliminating competition .
In a statement provided to ProPublica , an Intuit spokesman commented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax , ” and the company added , “ We are confident in the clear consumer and competitive benefits of our combination and look forward to continued engagement with regulators .
”

Intuit’s $7.1 billion purchase of Credit Karma earlier this year is now subjected to review by the US Department of Justice. The department is concerned about possible antitrust issues if Intuit — owner of TurboTax, QuickBooks, and Mint — is allowed to take over a former rival that offered free tax preparation tools that were directly in competition with Intuit’s own offering, according to a report from ProPublica.
In a memo obtained by ProPublica, the DOJ’s lawyers are apparently concerned about “the influence that Intuit’s purchase of Credit Karma will have on consumer tax preparation platforms and [the] software market.” Currently, the DOJ has requested Intuit and Credit Karma provide more information before it rules on whether to allow the merger to go through.
Credit Karma was founded in 2007, and the company made its mark offering services like free credit checks. But in 2017, it made one of its biggest expansions yet, adding free tax filing to its list of services. That made it a potential threat to companies like Intuit, which controls roughly two-thirds of the tax preparation market and makes billions of dollars a year providing tax filing services to Americans.
TurboTax has come under fire for hiding its Free File service before
TurboTax — and other major tax companies, like H&R Block — already offered free filing options for years thanks to the IRS’s Free File program, which promises free tax filing for anyone with an adjusted gross income of $69,000 or less. In exchange, the IRS promised it wouldn’t create its own free tax product.
But as earlier ProPublica reports have shown, Intuit, H&R Block, and other companies haven’t been particularly forthcoming about offering these programs to users. In order to offset losses from changes in the tax laws, TurboTax intentionally pushed low-income taxpayers toward its pricier products instead of the Free File version of its software.
Intuit was also caught hiding its Free File service from Google search results, pointing customers toward its standard “free” service instead, which almost always requires taxpayers to upgrade to a paid tier to submit their federal and state taxes. The IRS has recently started to fight back against such practices, amending the Free File program to prohibit hiding Free File services from search results and require clearer branding to highlight the Free File version of their software (as opposed to other “free” options). The IRS also eliminated the restriction against the organization making its own competing free filing software.


theverge--2020-08-03--Prosecutors are investigating Amazon’s treatment of third-party sellers

The New York and California attorneys general , along with the Federal Trade Commission , plan to investigate Amazon ’ s online Marketplace platform , Bloomberg News reported on Monday .
The agencies are going to interview witnesses jointly on conference calls over the next few weeks , in what Bloomberg suggests may be the beginnings of a formal antitrust enforcement action following last week ’ s landmark Big Tech antitrust hearing .
The news comes after intense questioning over Amazon ’ s Marketplace practices during the hearing .
Rep. Lucy McBath ( D-GA ) asked CEO Jeff Bezos whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern of behavior .
She played testimony from a third-party bookseller who believed Amazon had blocked their store , without providing an explanation why , effectively destroying her business .
Bezos responded that “ third-party sellers in aggregate are doing extremely well on Amazon.
” The Marketplace platform allows third-party sellers to peddle their wares to Amazon ’ s massive online customer base , accounting for more than half of all of the company ’ s e-commerce sales .
Marketplace products are often less expensive — and sometimes of lower quality — than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumers don ’ t always understand the difference between buying something from a third-party seller versus buying directly from Amazon or one of the company ’ s private-label brands .
Amazon ’ s Marketplace has been in the spotlight over the past few months , following a bombshell report in The Wall Street Journal exposing how the e-commerce giant secretly used data it gathered from third-party sellers to launch its own branded products , a practice Amazon executives have denied in the past .
At the hearing , Bezos said the company maintains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he could not guarantee that the policy had never been broken .
A request for comment from Amazon was not immediately returned Monday .
The attorneys general declined to comment .
UPDATE August 3rd 5:32PM ET : Added that both attorneys general declined to comment

The New York and California attorneys general, along with the Federal Trade Commission, plan to investigate Amazon’s online Marketplace platform, Bloomberg News reported on Monday. The agencies are going to interview witnesses jointly on conference calls over the next few weeks, in what Bloomberg suggests may be the beginnings of a formal antitrust enforcement action following last week’s landmark Big Tech antitrust hearing.
The news comes after intense questioning over Amazon’s Marketplace practices during the hearing. Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) asked CEO Jeff Bezos whether its actions toward Marketplace sellers was a pattern of behavior. She played testimony from a third-party bookseller who believed Amazon had blocked their store, without providing an explanation why, effectively destroying her business.
Bezos responded that “third-party sellers in aggregate are doing extremely well on Amazon.”
The Marketplace platform allows third-party sellers to peddle their wares to Amazon’s massive online customer base, accounting for more than half of all of the company’s e-commerce sales. Marketplace products are often less expensive — and sometimes of lower quality — than other products sold on Amazon. But consumers don’t always understand the difference between buying something from a third-party seller versus buying directly from Amazon or one of the company’s private-label brands.
Amazon’s Marketplace has been in the spotlight over the past few months, following a bombshell report in The Wall Street Journal exposing how the e-commerce giant secretly used data it gathered from third-party sellers to launch its own branded products, a practice Amazon executives have denied in the past.
At the hearing, Bezos said the company maintains a policy against using seller-specific data but said he could not guarantee that the policy had never been broken.
A request for comment from Amazon was not immediately returned Monday. The attorneys general declined to comment.


theverge--2020-08-03--This is how Xbox games are getting touch controls for xCloud

Microsoft is preparing to launch its xCloud game streaming service as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate next month , and we ’ re now starting to get some more details on how touch controls will work with the service .
Microsoft initially detailed touch controls last year , but the company has now been working with Xbox Game Studios developers like The Coalition and Ninja Theory to bring these controls to Xbox games .
During a Microsoft Game Stack stream today , Jarret Bradley , senior gameplay producer at The Coalition , showed off how touch controls will work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built custom layouts for anything you can do in the game , including buttons for aiming , shooting , reloading , and controls for driving vehicles .
The team has even built layers where you can push buttons to bring up different views when you ’ re weapon changing , so the D-Pad isn ’ t always on-screen .
The touchscreen controls even disappear automatically when a cinematic appears on-screen .
The Coalition has also added gyro aim controls , allowing you to use your phone or tablet to aim a gun .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , we were going a little over complicated because we weren ’ t sure what we needed to do , ” explains Bradley in the talk .
“ As we started to dig into it , we realized the best thing for us to do is to treat this as a different input device like we already support keyboard and mouse , controller , and we have customized controls and remapping.
” The Coalition has gone back over Gears 5 and painstakingly optimized it for touch controls , but Microsoft is hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls in mind at the beginning of development .
This will make it easier for developers to consider touch controls with xCloud , and for xCloud players to use them when a Bluetooth Xbox controller isn ’ t available .
Microsoft is now allowing existing xCloud testers to access touch controls for Hellblade : Senua ’ s Sacrifice today , and other games should launch with these touch controls as xCloud becomes available as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in September .

Microsoft is preparing to launch its xCloud game streaming service as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate next month, and we’re now starting to get some more details on how touch controls will work with the service. Microsoft initially detailed touch controls last year, but the company has now been working with Xbox Game Studios developers like The Coalition and Ninja Theory to bring these controls to Xbox games.
During a Microsoft Game Stack stream today, Jarret Bradley, senior gameplay producer at The Coalition, showed off how touch controls will work with Gears 5. The Coalition has built custom layouts for anything you can do in the game, including buttons for aiming, shooting, reloading, and controls for driving vehicles.
The team has even built layers where you can push buttons to bring up different views when you’re weapon changing, so the D-Pad isn’t always on-screen. The touchscreen controls even disappear automatically when a cinematic appears on-screen. The Coalition has also added gyro aim controls, allowing you to use your phone or tablet to aim a gun.
“When we first started talking about this, we were going a little over complicated because we weren’t sure what we needed to do,” explains Bradley in the talk. “As we started to dig into it, we realized the best thing for us to do is to treat this as a different input device like we already support keyboard and mouse, controller, and we have customized controls and remapping.”
Touchscreen controls on xCloud.
The Coalition has gone back over Gears 5 and painstakingly optimized it for touch controls, but Microsoft is hoping developers will consider designing games with these controls in mind at the beginning of development. This will make it easier for developers to consider touch controls with xCloud, and for xCloud players to use them when a Bluetooth Xbox controller isn’t available.


theverge--2020-08-03--How to use Google One to back up your Android phone

Backing up your Android phone is always smart — and backing it up to the cloud makes it easy to reload your data even if your phone is lost , stolen , or broken .
And now you can back up some of that data to Google ’ s cloud storage service , Google One , even if you aren ’ t on one of the company ’ s paid plans , which start at $ 1.99 for 100GB of storage .
If you ’ ve got a personal Google account ( not a G Suite account ) , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for backing up your mobile data ( although that can vary somewhat , depending on what other services / accounts you have ) .
Of course , you don ’ t need Google One to back up your app data , call history , contacts , settings , or SMS messages .
You could already do that easily using your Android settings and your Google Drive storage .
Just in case , here ’ s a reminder how to do that .
Note : Because Android phones can differ widely in how they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use to enable the backup may differ depending on whether you use a Pixel phone , a Samsung Galaxy phone , or one from another manufacturer .
This is the procedure if you ’ re using a Pixel phone ; yours could vary somewhat .
• Toggle on “ Back up to Google Drive.
” • Just under the toggle , you ’ ll see the account to which your phone will automatically back up .
If you have several Google accounts , and you have more free storage space in one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to that account .
• Below that , you can check how long it ’ s been since the last backup .
If you think it ’ s been too long , you can tap on “ Back up now ” to manually start a backup .
Once you ’ ve backed up your app history , etc .
via the Android “ back up to Google Drive ” feature , you ’ re covered if you need to switch to a new phone or had to wipe your current one .
Once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be prompted to restore it all .
If you want Google to back up the photos and videos in your Photos app , you can arrange this as well .
• Look for and tap on “ Google Photos , ” which is listed under “ Photos & videos.
” This will provide you with unlimited backup for what Google calls “ full resolution photos and videos.
” In other words , they are not in the original resolution but are somewhat compressed .
If you want to back up your photos in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that via the Google One storage plan , which is now available to Gmail users even if they don ’ t subscribe to a paid plan .
Back up with Google One If you are using an Android phone , the free version of the Google One service will back up device data , multimedia messages , and photos / videos in their original quality ( as opposed to the compressed format backed up in Google Photos ) .
• Install and open the Google One app .
• You should see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Google One.
” If the feature hasn ’ t rolled around to your phone yet , all you ’ ll see is an offer to upgrade to paid storage .
Try again in a day or two .
• Tap on the button that reads “ Setup data backup.
” Here you can decide what data you want to be backed up to Google One , including device data , multimedia messages , and photos / videos in their original quality .
Once you ’ ve backed up your data via Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via the app .
• Select the “ Storage ” tab at the top of the app ’ s screen .
You ’ ll be informed how much free storage you have left , how much you ’ ve used , and for what .
• Scroll down to find out when your last backup was .
If you want to immediately do another , tap on “ Back up now.
” • If you want to restore data from your last backup , tap on “ Get backup.
” • Choose what @ @ @ @ @ @

Backing up your Android phone is always smart — and backing it up to the cloud makes it easy to reload your data even if your phone is lost, stolen, or broken. And now you can back up some of that data to Google’s cloud storage service, Google One, even if you aren’t on one of the company’s paid plans, which start at $1.99 for 100GB of storage. If you’ve got a personal Google account (not a G Suite account), you can get up to 15GB of storage for backing up your mobile data (although that can vary somewhat, depending on what other services / accounts you have).
Back up data with Android
Of course, you don’t need Google One to back up your app data, call history, contacts, settings, or SMS messages. You could already do that easily using your Android settings and your Google Drive storage. Just in case, here’s a reminder on how to do that.
Note: Because Android phones can differ widely in how they handle various features, the procedure you use to enable the backup may differ depending on whether you use a Pixel phone, a Samsung Galaxy phone, or one from another manufacturer. This is the procedure if you’re using a Pixel phone; yours could vary somewhat.
Go to Setup > System > Backup
Toggle on “Back up to Google Drive.”
Just under the toggle, you’ll see the account to which your phone will automatically back up. If you have several Google accounts, and you have more free storage space in one of them, you may want to switch to that account.
Below that, you can check how long it’s been since the last backup. If you think it’s been too long, you can tap on “Back up now” to manually start a backup.
You can back up your app data, call history, and other info to your Google Drive. You get unlimited backup for “full resolution” photos and videos (limited backup for original resolution).
Once you’ve backed up your app history, etc. via the Android “back up to Google Drive” feature, you’re covered if you need to switch to a new phone or had to wipe your current one. Once you log in, you’ll be prompted to restore it all.
If you want Google to back up the photos and videos in your Photos app, you can arrange this as well.
Look for and tap on “Google Photos,” which is listed under “Photos & videos.”
Turn on “Back up & sync.”
This will provide you with unlimited backup for what Google calls “high quality photos and videos.” In other words, they are not in the original resolution but are somewhat compressed. If you want to back up your photos in their original resolution, you can do that via the Google One app, which is now available to Gmail users even if they don’t subscribe to a paid plan.
Back up with Google One
If you are using an Android phone, the free version of the Google One service will back up device data, multimedia messages, and photos / videos in their original quality (as opposed to the compressed format backed up in Google Photos).
Install and open the Google One app.
You should see a page that says “Storage and more with Google One.” If the feature hasn’t rolled around to your phone yet, all you’ll see is an offer to upgrade to paid storage. Try again in a day or two.
Tap on the button that reads “Setup data backup.”
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1 / 3 You can now use Google One for free storage up to 15GB.
Here you can decide what data you want to be backed up to Google One, including device data, multimedia messages, and photos / videos in their original quality.
Once you’ve backed up your data via Google One, you can easily access it via the app.
Select the “Storage” tab at the top of the app’s screen. You’ll be informed how much free storage you have left, how much you’ve used, and for what.
Scroll down to find out when your last backup was. If you want to immediately do another, tap on “Back up now.”
If you want to restore data from your last backup, tap on “Get backup.”
Choose what data you want to restore.
Select the “Storage” tab and tap on “Back up now.” The “Restore settings” screen will give you access to your backups.


theverge--2020-08-03--Google’s live-captioning feature will soon work with voice and video calls on Pixel phones

Android ’ s real-time captions feature , Live Caption , is gaining the ability to work with voice and video calls , Google announced on Monday .
Previously , Live Caption only worked with media that played on your phone , like a YouTube video , but this new functionality means you ’ ll soon be able to have a phone call with someone and get captions of what they ’ re saying as they say it .
If you want to see Live Caption with calls in action , check out my colleague Dieter Bohn ’ s video he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the newly announced Pixel 4A .
Google says the feature will be rolling out to the Pixel 2 , 3 , 3A , and 4 as well .
Google also announced that the new version of Google Assistant — which debuted with the Pixel 4 and brought a speed boost , a new design , and new capabilities — will be available in German , French , Italian , and Spanish .
The company says they ’ ll be “ available soon ” on a Google Assistant support page .
Google also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In addition to announcing the $ 349 Pixel 4A , its new midrange phone , Google also teased two new phones coming later this year : the Pixel 4A 5G , a version of the Pixel 4A with 5G , and the Pixel 5 , the company ’ s next flagship phone .

Android’s real-time captions feature, Live Caption, is gaining the ability to work with voice and video calls, Google announced on Monday. Previously, Live Caption only worked with media that played on your phone, like a YouTube video, but this new functionality means you’ll soon be able to have a phone call with someone and get captions of what they’re saying as they say it.
If you want to see Live Caption with calls in action, check out my colleague Dieter Bohn’s video he posted to Twitter using the feature on the newly announced Pixel 4A. Google says the feature will be rolling out to the Pixel 2, 3, 3A, and 4 as well.
Google also announced that the new version of Google Assistant — which debuted with the Pixel 4 and brought a speed boost, a new design, and new capabilities — will be available in German, French, Italian, and Spanish. The company says they’ll be “available soon” on a Google Assistant support page. Google also said that more languages are coming “soon.”


theverge--2020-08-03--Trump threatens that TikTok will ‘close down’ on September 15th unless an American company buys it

President Donald Trump claims that TikTok will “ be out of business in the United States ” on September 15th if its Chinese parent company ByteDance doesn ’ t sell it and provide the US Treasury Department with “ a lot of money , ” backing off an earlier claim that he planned to “ ban ” the app over the weekend .
This follows reports that Microsoft negotiated a 45-day window to acquire the company , something it confirmed yesterday in a blog post .
Trump announced the news at the White House today and elaborated on how he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ secure , ” and “ very American ” company should buy TikTok .
He argued that it should buy the entirety of the company from ByteDance — not just its operations in the US , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand — because “ I think buying 30 percent is complicated.
” The president also asserted that any deal will have to send “ a very substantial portion ” of the price into the Treasury Department ’ s coffers .
He didn ’ t explain what this meant , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US government ’ s relationship with companies and the relationship between a landlord and a tenant .
“ Right now they don ’ t have any rights unless we give it to them , so if we ’ re going to give them the rights then it has to come into this country .
It ’ s a little bit like the landlord-tenant [ relationship ] .
Without a lease the tenant has nothing , ” Trump said .
Trump says companies “ don ’ t have any rights unless we give it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will “ close down on September 15th unless Microsoft or somebody else is able to buy it and work out an appropriate deal so the Treasury , I guess you would say , of the United States gets a lot of money.
” Microsoft ’ s post about buying TikTok also referenced “ providing proper economic benefits to the United States , including the United States Treasury.
” The Trump administration has been floating a “ ban ” on TikTok for several weeks without much detail , citing a mix of potential national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China for its handling of the coronavirus .
In the past week , the administration has settled on requiring ByteDance to spin off TikTok — something that the administration ’ s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ( CFIUS ) can require .
CFIUS can penalize ByteDance if it doesn ’ t sell off TikTok , but Trump ’ s “ ban ” language has much more sweeping implications .
There ’ s virtually no precedent for the US government literally denying American access to an app , particularly one that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violations directly relating to that ban .
Trump also hasn ’ t explained in detail how he would effect this kind of American equivalent to China ’ s Great Firewall .
However , a spinoff of TikTok — particularly by Microsoft — looks increasingly likely .

President Donald Trump claims that TikTok will “be out of business in the United States” on September 15th if its Chinese parent company ByteDance doesn’t sell it and provide the US Treasury Department with “a lot of money,” backing off an earlier claim that he planned to “ban” the app over the weekend. This follows reports that Microsoft negotiated a 45-day window to acquire the company, something it confirmed yesterday in a blog post.
Trump announced the news at the White House today and elaborated on how he believes Microsoft or another “big,” “secure,” and “very American” company should buy TikTok. He argued that it should buy the entirety of the company from ByteDance — not just its operations in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — because “I think buying 30 percent is complicated.”
The president also asserted that any deal will have to send “a very substantial portion” of the price into the Treasury Department’s coffers. He didn’t explain what this meant, but he offered an ominous comparison between the US government’s relationship with companies and the relationship between a landlord and a tenant. “Right now they don’t have any rights unless we give it to them, so if we’re going to give them the rights then it has to come into this country. It’s a little bit like the landlord-tenant [relationship]. Without a lease the tenant has nothing,” Trump said.
Trump says companies “don’t have any rights unless we give it to them”
He says that TikTok will “close down on September 15th unless Microsoft or somebody else is able to buy it and work out an appropriate deal so the Treasury, I guess you would say, of the United States gets a lot of money.” Microsoft’s post about buying TikTok also referenced “providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury.”
Microsoft seems poised to acquire TikTok
The Trump administration has been floating a “ban” on TikTok for several weeks without much detail, citing a mix of potential national security threats and a desire to punish China for its handling of the coronavirus. In the past week, the administration has settled on requiring ByteDance to spin off TikTok — something that the administration’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) can require.


theverge--2020-08-04--EU launches full investigation into Google’s Fitbit acquisition over health data fears

The European Commission is launching a full investigation into Google ’ s acquisition of Fitbit .
EU regulators are worried that the deal will entrench Google ’ s position as a market leader in online advertising by giving the search giant access to data collected from Fitbit ’ s health tracking hardware that can be used for personalized advertisements .
“ The data collected via wrist-worn wearable devices appears ... [ to ] be an important advantage in the online advertising markets , ” wrote the commission in a press release .
“ By increasing the data advantage of Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serves via its search engine and displays on other internet pages , it would be more difficult for rivals to match Google ’ s online advertising services.
” In recent months , regulators and consumer groups have signaled their concerns about the $ 2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit , which was announced in November 2019 .
Google has responded to these concerns by promising not to use health data collected from Fitbit devices to target ads and placing it in a “ data silo ” separate from its ad tracking business .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the information Google promised to place in the silo “ did not cover all the data that Google would access as a result of the transaction and would be valuable for advertising purposes.
” In addition to its worries about Google strengthening its position in the ad business , the commission is also concerned about the effects the acquisition might have on the digital health market in Europe and interoperability of rival fitness tracking devices with Android .
The commission now has 90 days , until December 9th , 2020 , @ @ @ @ @

The European Commission is launching a full investigation into Google’s acquisition of Fitbit. EU regulators are worried that the deal will entrench Google’s position as a market leader in online advertising by giving the search giant access to data collected from Fitbit’s health tracking hardware that can be used for personalized advertisements.
“The data collected via wrist-worn wearable devices appears ... to be an important advantage in the online advertising markets,” wrote the commission in a press release. “By increasing the data advantage of Google in the personalization of the ads it serves via its search engine and displays on other internet pages, it would be more difficult for rivals to match Google’s online advertising services.”
In recent months, regulators and consumer groups have signaled their concerns about the $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit, which was announced in November 2019. Google has responded to these concerns by promising not to use health data collected from Fitbit devices to target ads, and placing it in a “data silo” separate from its ad tracking business.
But the EU says these assurances were insufficient, as the information Google promised to place in the silo “did not cover all the data that Google would access as a result of the transaction and would be valuable for advertising purposes.”
In addition to its worries about Google strengthening its position in the ad business, the commission is also concerned about the effects the acquisition might have on the digital health market in Europe and interoperability of rival fitness tracking devices with Android.
In a blog post, Google SVP of hardware Rick Osterloh stressed that there was “vibrant competition” to Fitbit’s devices, and the search giant would be happy to make legally binding commitments on how it will use the health data it collects as part of the deal. “We appreciate the opportunity to work with the European Commission on an approach that addresses consumers’ expectations of their wearable devices,” said Osterloh.
The commission now has 90 days, until December 9th, 2020, to conclude its investigation.


theverge--2020-08-04--Ford CEO Jim Hackett is retiring

Ford CEO Jim Hackett is retiring

Ford CEO Jim Hackett is retiring , the company announced on Tuesday , and he will be replaced by current @ @ @ @ @ .
Hackett will stay with Ford until October to help with the transition .
Hackett @ @ @ @ @ 2017 and spent the last three years leading a massive , company-wide restructuring effort .
@ @ @ @ @ CEO of Ford Smart Mobility , the company ’ s new technologies wing , but @ @ @ @ @ company when former CEO Mark Fields was pushed out .

Ford CEO Jim Hackett is retiring, the company announced on Tuesday, and he will be replaced by current chief operating officer Jim Farley. Hackett will stay with Ford until October to help with the transition and remain a “special advisor” through March 2021.
Farley has been with Ford for more than a decade, and came over from Toyota, where he launched (among other things) the Scion program. He said in a conference call that he wants to “swing for the fences” while in charge of Ford. “We know our competition today is Amazon, Baidu, Tesla, Apple, Toyota, and others,” he said. “They’re well-financed and voracious companies.”
Hackett was installed as CEO in 2017 after previously running Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s new technologies wing. He replaced Mark Fields, who was pushed out after also spending three years on the job. Hackett led a massive restructuring effort that cost around $11 billion but was ultimately supposed to save the company some $25 billion. That plan involved the company basically abandoning sedans in the US market; rethinking its flailing operations in China, Europe, and South America; and slashing thousands of jobs.
Hackett’s embrace of Silicon Valley was one of the reasons he was tapped to run the company. Ford and other legacy automakers have spent the last few years grappling with potentially existential threats like Tesla, self-driving cars, ride-hailing services, and micromobility.
Hackett oversaw Ford’s investment in Rivian, the development of the Mustang Mach-E, and more
Under Hackett, Ford also developed and revealed the Mustang Mach-E, the company’s first long-range all-electric car, and a flagship of the company’s $11 billion push into electric vehicles.
Not all of Hackett’s new tech initiatives have paid off or matured in such obvious ways, though. He showcased something called the “Ford Transportation Mobility Cloud” at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show that, at best, has disappeared into the background of what Ford is up to these days. He also has been a big proponent of so-called “V2X” technology (“vehicle to everything”) that involves making cars smart enough to talk to each other and the local transportation infrastructure — another idea that mostly remains on the horizon.
Meanwhile, Hackett’s grand restructuring plan did not stop Ford from losing money before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, or appreciably boost its stock price. The company lost $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019 alone.
“My goal ... was to prepare Ford to win in the future.”
“My goal when I took on the CEO role was to prepare Ford to win in the future,” Hackett said in a statement on Tuesday. “The hardest thing for a proud, long-lived company to do is change to meet the challenges of the world it’s entering rather than the world it has known. I’m very proud of how far we have come in creating a modern Ford and I am very optimistic about the future.”
In February, the company tapped Farley to become chief operating officer as part of a management shakeup.


theverge--2020-08-04--PowerA’s xCloud-ready controllers can keep your phone charged while you game

Gaming peripheral maker PowerA has debuted a few controllers designed with Microsoft ’ s new xCloud cloud gaming service in mind .
The first is the MOGA XP5-X , a $ 69.99 wireless controller that will launch in September alongside the service ’ s integration into Game Pass Ultimate .
You could just use Microsoft ’ s cheaper Xbox One Bluetooth controller ( which this model looks very similar to ) and pick up a cheap phone clip separately , but this pricier model might be worth it if you want to stay charged on the go .
It includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the controller itself has a 3,000mAh power reserve that can be tapped to keep your phone juiced up via USB while you play .
To do that , just flip the switch near the right joystick .
PowerA will include a few USB cables that you can plug into the controller , and each is outfitted with tips to accommodate phones that charge via Micro USB or USB-C. With the controller ’ s multiple ports , you can charge the controller and your phone simultaneously .
To that end , you can either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bluetooth or use it as a wired controller .
Remappable controls aren ’ t unique only to PowerA controllers , but the company definitely leans in hard on them and this device is no exception .
There are two buttons on the rear side of the controller , inside the curve of each grip , that can be mapped to any function in an xCloud game ( or really any game you want to play on your phone ) without the need for any additional software .
PowerA announced another battery-touting xCloud controller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not coming until the winter .
It ’ s called the MOGA XP7-X Plus , and with its 2,000mAh battery , it can charge your device via Qi charging .
Given that wireless charging is slower than over a wire , I wouldn ’ t expect to gain charge while using this controller , but hopefully it can at least keep your phone ’ s battery level .
As for the design , it spreads apart like the Razer Kishi to make room for your smartphone , though the large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the beloved Hori Split Pad Pro Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch .
This one will cost $ 99.99 .
If you ’ re going to get a controller just for cloud gaming , PowerA makes a strong argument that you might as well get the one that ’ s going to let you do it for the longest and with the most versatility in terms of button schemes .
It just comes down to how much you want to spend and whether you want wired or wireless charging .

Gaming peripheral maker PowerA has debuted a few controllers designed with Microsoft’s new xCloud cloud gaming service in mind. The first is the MOGA XP5-X, a $69.99 wireless controller that will launch in September alongside the service’s integration into Game Pass Ultimate.
You could just use Microsoft’s cheaper Xbox One Bluetooth controller (which this model looks very similar to) and pick up a cheap phone clip separately, but this pricier model might be worth it if you want to stay charged on the go. It includes an admittedly tough-looking phone clip, and the controller itself has a 3,000mAh power reserve that can be tapped to keep your phone juiced up via USB while you play. To do that, just flip the switch near the right joystick.
A look at the MOGA XP5-X’s array of USB ports. Image: PowerA
PowerA will include a few USB cables that you can plug into the controller, and each is outfitted with tips to accommodate phones that charge via Micro USB or USB-C. With the controller’s multiple ports, you can charge the controller and your phone simultaneously. To that end, you can either pair the controller to your phone via Bluetooth or use it as a wired controller.
Remappable controls aren’t unique only to PowerA controllers, but the company definitely leans in hard on them and this device is no exception. There are two buttons on the rear side of the controller, inside the curve of each grip, that can be mapped to any function in an xCloud game (or really any game you want to play on your phone) without the need for any additional software.
Some renders of the MOGA XP7-X that Microsoft shared in its blog post detailing xCloud.
PowerA announced another battery-touting xCloud controller with two rear remappable buttons, but it’s not coming until the winter. It’s called the MOGA XP7-X Plus, and with its 2,000mAh battery, it can charge your device via Qi charging. Given that wireless charging is slower than over a wire, I wouldn’t expect to gain charge while using this controller, but hopefully it can at least keep your phone’s battery level. As for the design, it spreads apart like the Razer Kishi to make room for your smartphone, though the large controller sections look more akin to those on the beloved Hori Split Pad Pro Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch. This one will cost $99.99.


theverge--2020-08-04--Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming will launch on September 15th on Android

Microsoft will launch its game streaming service , known as Project xCloud , on September 15th exclusively on Android devices .
Project xCloud will be bundled as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription , priced at $ 14.99 per month , with a promise of more than 100 games available on Android tablets and phones .
Game streaming will be limited initially to Android ; iPhone and iPad users will have to wait .
“ It ’ s our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices , but we have nothing further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge .
The lack of iOS support at launch will be disappointing to iPhone and iPad owners but not exactly surprising .
While Microsoft has been testing xCloud on iOS , the company previously revealed its testing was limited due to Apple ’ s App Store policies .
Microsoft hasn ’ t revealed which Apple policies are preventing xCloud from launching on iOS , but Google ’ s Stadia service is also not available on iPhones or iPads .
Valve ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Apple to approve even though it primarily streams games from your home PC .
Apple has also faced questions over its 30 percent cut of in-app purchases and strict App Store policies from the House Judiciary Committee recently as part of a tech antitrust hearing .
Microsoft is now pushing ahead with its xCloud launch on September 15th regardless , although it appears the company is referring to it as the “ cloud gaming ” feature of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate .
It ’ s launching in 22 countries next month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Czech Republic , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Hungary , Ireland , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Portugal , Slovakia , Spain , South Korea , Sweden , Switzerland , the United Kingdom , and the United States .
The Cloud gaming feature , or xCloud as we know it today , will also launch as a beta while Microsoft works to scale it to the millions it expects to use the service around the world .
Microsoft will end its free xCloud preview on September 11th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch an updated Xbox Game Pass app with game streaming on September 15th .
Interestingly , the versions that will be published on the One Store in Korea and Galaxy Store for Samsung users globally will both include “ in-app purchase capabilities , ” according to Microsoft , suggesting that the Google Play Store version will not .
Microsoft is also partnering with Razer , PowerA , 8BitDo , and Nacon to create accessories and controllers that are ready for xCloud .
You ’ ll also be able to use existing Xbox One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 controllers to play games on xCloud .
Microsoft isn ’ t detailing all 100-plus games that will be available for game streaming just yet , but the company is providing a list of 36 titles that are coming : • Ori and the Will of the Wisps • Tell Me Why

Microsoft will launch its game streaming service, known as Project xCloud, on September 15th exclusively on Android devices. Project xCloud will be bundled as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, priced at $14.99 per month, with a promise of more than 100 games available on Android tablets and phones. Game streaming will be limited initially to Android; iPhone and iPad users will have to wait.
“It’s our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices, but we have nothing further to share at this time regarding iOS,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. The lack of iOS support at launch will be disappointing to iPhone and iPad owners but not exactly surprising. While Microsoft has been testing xCloud on iOS, the company previously revealed its testing was limited due to Apple’s App Store policies.
Microsoft hasn’t revealed which Apple policies are preventing xCloud from launching on iOS, but Google’s Stadia service is also not available on iPhones or iPads. Valve’s Steam Link app took nearly a year for Apple to approve even though it primarily streams games from your home PC. Apple has also faced questions over its 30 percent cut of in-app purchases and strict App Store policies from the House Judiciary Committee recently as part of a tech antitrust hearing.
Microsoft is now pushing ahead with its xCloud launch on September 15th regardless, although it appears the company is referring to it as the “cloud gaming” feature of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It’s launching in 22 countries next month, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Cloud gaming feature, or xCloud as we know it today, will also launch as a beta while Microsoft works to scale it to the millions it expects to use the service around the world. Microsoft will end its free xCloud preview on September 11th, and the company is planning to launch an updated Xbox Game Pass app with game streaming on September 15th. Interestingly, the versions that will be published on the One Store in Korea and Galaxy Store for Samsung users globally will both include “in-app purchase capabilities,” according to Microsoft, suggesting that the Google Play Store version will not.
Microsoft is also partnering with Razer, PowerA, 8BitDo, and Nacon to create accessories and controllers that are ready for xCloud. You’ll also be able to use existing Xbox One controllers or even Sony’s DualShock 4 controllers to play games on xCloud. Microsoft isn’t detailing all 100-plus games that will be available for game streaming just yet, but the company is providing a list of 36 titles that are coming:


theverge--2020-08-04--Razer’s new xCloud-ready Kishi controller adds Xbox buttons for a $20 premium

Razer has made a variant of its shape-shifting Nintendo Switch-esque Kishi controller that ’ s ready for xCloud , Microsoft ’ s cloud gaming service that will let you play Xbox games on demand with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription .
The cloud service launches on September 15th , but this controller releases today for $ 99.99 .
This new version has the same design as the standard Kishi that I reviewed a few months ago , and it ’ s still made just for Android devices .
( Razer ’ s iOS version is still on track for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version has a dedicated Xbox button near the directional pad .
The familiar View and Menu buttons are here , too , flanking the left and right sides of your phone when it ’ s inserted .
This Kishi variant flipped the color scheme of the lettered face buttons to match Microsoft ’ s own styling .
The only other difference worth noting here is that purchase of the new Kishi comes with a 14-day trial to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate , so you can try out xCloud if you like .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DR , the Kishi splits in half to make room for most Android phones that have a center-aligned USB-C port ( excluding the S20 Ultra and any other phone that exceeds dimensions of 78.1 x 163.7 x 8.8mm ) , and it has a passthrough USB-C port on the lower edge that allows you to keep your phone charged all the while .
Despite looking flimsy , it has a comfortable build that doesn ’ t feel like much of a compromise when compared to Microsoft ’ s own wireless controller .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s standard Kishi without Xbox branding costs $ 80 , so $ 20 less than the officially licensed one announced today .
And despite the price difference , Razer confirmed the standard model will also work with xCloud .
It has generic Android navigation buttons instead of matching what the Xbox controller offers , and the Xbox Nexus button on the pricier Kishi apparently boots right into the Xbox mobile app .
But if you can get over those minor differences , you might be able to save some money .
Of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ xCloud launches if you already own an Xbox One wireless controller with Bluetooth .
Even the PS4 ’ s DualShock 4 will get official support when xCloud launches , and you can find one of those for $ 50 or less .

Razer has made a variant of its shape-shifting Nintendo Switch-esque Kishi controller that’s ready for xCloud, Microsoft’s cloud gaming service that will let you play Xbox games on demand with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The cloud service launches on September 15th, but this controller releases today for $99.99.
This new version has the same design as the standard Kishi that I reviewed a few months ago, and it’s still made just for Android devices. (Razer’s iOS version is still on track for a summer release). But this new version has a dedicated Xbox button near the directional pad.
The familiar View and Menu buttons are here, too, flanking the left and right sides of your phone when it’s inserted. This Kishi variant flipped the color scheme of the lettered face buttons to match Microsoft’s own styling. The only other difference worth noting here is that purchase of the new Kishi comes with a 14-day trial to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so you can try out xCloud if you like.
The Kishi folds up into a tiny package when your phone isn’t wedged inside of it. razer
In case you just want the TL;DR, the Kishi splits in half to make room for most Android phones that have a center-aligned USB-C port (excluding the S20 Ultra and any other phone that exceeds dimensions of 78.1 x 163.7 x 8.8mm), and it has a passthrough USB-C port on the lower edge that allows you to keep your phone charged all the while. Despite looking flimsy, it has a comfortable build that doesn’t feel like much of a compromise when compared to Microsoft’s own wireless controller.
It’s worth noting that Razer’s standard Kishi without Xbox branding costs $80, so $20 less than the officially licensed one announced today. And despite the price difference, Razer confirmed the standard model will also work with xCloud. It has generic Android navigation buttons instead of matching what the Xbox controller offers, and the Xbox Nexus button on the pricier Kishi apparently boots right into the Xbox mobile app.


theverge--2020-08-04--Garmin reportedly paid multi-million dollar ransom after suffering cyberattack

Fitness brand Garmin paid millions of dollars in ransom after an attack took many of its products and services offline last month , Sky News reports .
The payment was reportedly made through a ransomware negotiation company called Arete IR , in order for Garmin to recover data held hostage as a result of the attack .
BleepingComputer reported last week that Garmin had received a decryption key to access data encrypted by the virus , and that the initial ransom demand was for $ 10 million .
The attack itself began on July 23rd , and put Garmin ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even its call centers offline for several days .
Garmin confirmed that it had been the victim of a cyberattack on July 27th , as many of its services were starting to come back online .
Its statement did not say whether it had paid a ransom in response to the attack , but noted that no customer data was accessed , lost , or stolen .
The ransomware WastedLocker is thought to be responsible for the attack Early on , reports suggested that the fitness brand had been hit by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is believed to have been developed by individuals linked to a Russia-based hacking group .
The group , known as Evil Corp , was placed under sanctions by the US Treasury last December , and Sky News reports that one ransomware negotiation company declined to work with Garmin to resolve the incident over fears of breaking those sanctions .
Arete IR declined to confirm to Sky News whether it had worked with Garmin to respond to the incident citing “ contractual confidentiality obligations to all clients.
” The firm said that it “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insure compliance with US trade sanctions laws.
” On July 24th , Arete IR tweeted a white paper disputing reports of a link between WastedLocker and Evil Corp. A representative from the company did not immediately respond to The Verge ’ s request for comment .
The US government has not publicly attributed WastedLocker to the individuals it placed under sanction in December , Sky News reports , and since the software was developed after the sanctions were announced it does not appear in the original announcement .
BleepingComputer reports that it believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the lack of known weaknesses in the WastedLocker virus .
Code from a Garmin-developed executable reviewed by BleepingComputer suggests the company paid the ransom on either July 24th or July 25th , and the publication confirmed that the executable was able to decrypt sample files encrypted by WastedLocker .
Garmin did not immediately respond to The Verge ’ s request for comment , and told Sky News that it no additional comment to make .

Fitness brand Garmin paid millions of dollars in ransom after an attack took many of its products and services offline last month, Sky News reports. The payment was reportedly made through a ransomware negotiation company called Arete IR, in order for Garmin to recover data held hostage as a result of the attack.
BleepingComputer reported last week that Garmin had received a decryption key to access data encrypted by the virus, and that the initial ransom demand was for $10 million.
The attack itself began on July 23rd, and put Garmin’s wearables, apps, website, and even its call centers offline for several days. Garmin confirmed that it had been the victim of a cyberattack on July 27th, as many of its services were starting to come back online. Its statement did not say whether it had paid a ransom in response to the attack, but noted that no customer data was accessed, lost, or stolen.
The ransomware WastedLocker is thought to be responsible for the attack
Early on, reports suggested that the fitness brand had been hit by a strain of ransomware called WastedLocker, which is believed to have been developed by individuals linked to a Russia-based hacking group. The group, known as Evil Corp, was placed under sanctions by the US Treasury last December, and Sky News reports that one ransomware negotiation company declined to work with Garmin to resolve the incident over fears of breaking those sanctions.
Arete IR declined to confirm to Sky News whether it had worked with Garmin to respond to the incident citing “contractual confidentiality obligations to all clients.” The firm said that it “follows all recommended and required screenings to insure compliance with US trade sanctions laws.” On July 24th, Arete IR tweeted a white paper disputing reports of a link between WastedLocker and Evil Corp. A representative from the company did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.
The US government has not publicly attributed WastedLocker to the individuals it placed under sanction in December, Sky News reports, and since the software was developed after the sanctions were announced it does not appear in the original announcement.
BleepingComputer reports that it believes Garmin must have paid the ransom because of the lack of known weaknesses in the WastedLocker virus. Code from a Garmin-developed executable reviewed by BleepingComputer suggests the company paid the ransom on either July 24th or July 25th, and the publication confirmed that the executable was able to decrypt sample files encrypted by WastedLocker.
When contacted, a spokesperson from Garmin pointed The Verge towards its previous statement made on July 27th, and added that it could not comment on any additional details.


theverge--2020-08-04--Cloak your photos with this AI privacy tool to fool facial recognition

Ubiquitous facial recognition is a serious threat to privacy .
The idea that the photos we share are being collected by companies to train algorithms that are sold commercially is worrying .
Anyone can buy these tools , snap a photo of a stranger , and find out who they are in seconds .
But researchers have come up with a clever way to help combat this problem .
The solution is a tool named Fawkes , and was created by scientists at the University of Chicago ’ s Sand Lab .
Named after the Guy Fawkes masks donned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book and film , Fawkes uses artificial intelligence to subtly and almost imperceptibly alter your photos in order to trick facial recognition systems .
running Fawkes on your photos is like adding an invisible mask to your selfies The way the software works is a little complex .
Running your photos through Fawkes doesn ’ t make you invisible to facial recognition exactly .
Instead , the software makes subtle changes to your photos so that any algorithm scanning those images in future sees you as a different person altogether .
Essentially , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding an invisible mask to your selfies .
Scientists call this process “ cloaking ” and it ’ s intended to corrupt the resource facial recognition systems need to function : databases of faces scraped from social media .
Facial recognition firm Clearview AI , for example , claims to have collected some three billion images of faces from sites like Facebook , YouTube , and Venmo , which it uses to identify strangers .
But if the photos you share online have been run through Fawkes , say the researchers , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t actually be your own .
According to the team from the University of Chicago , Fawkes is 100 percent successful against state-of-the-art facial recognition services from Microsoft ( Azure Face ) , Amazon ( Rekognition ) , and Face++ by Chinese tech giant Megvii .
“ What we are doing is using the cloaked photo in essence like a Trojan Horse , to corrupt unauthorized models to learn the wrong thing about what makes you look like you and not someone else , ” Ben Zhao , a professor of computer science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create the Fawkes software , told The Verge .
“ Once the corruption happens , you are continuously protected no matter where you go or are seen.
” The group behind the work — Shawn Shan , Emily Wenger , Jiayun Zhang , Huiying Li , Haitao Zheng , and Ben Y. Zhao — published a paper on the algorithm earlier this year .
But late last month they also released Fawkes as free software for Windows and Macs that anyone can download and use .
To date they say it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In our own tests we found that Fawkes is sparse in its design but easy enough to apply .
It takes a couple of minutes to process each image , and the changes it makes are mostly imperceptible .
Earlier this week , The New York Times published a story on Fawkes in which it noted that the cloaking effect was quite obvious , often making gendered changes to images like giving women mustaches .
But the Fawkes team says the updated algorithm is much more subtle , and The Verge ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much difference can a tool like Fawkes make ?
But is Fawkes a silver bullet for privacy ?
It ’ s doubtful .
For a start , there ’ s the problem of adoption .
If you read this article and decide to use Fawkes to cloak any photos you upload to social media in future , you ’ ll certainly be in the minority .
Facial recognition is worrying because it ’ s a society-wide trend and so the solution needs to be society-wide , too .
If only the tech-savvy shield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and discrimination .
Secondly , many firms that sell facial recognition algorithms created their databases of faces a long time ago , and you can ’ t retroactively take that information back .
The CEO of Clearview , Hoan Ton-That , told the Times as much .
“ There are billions of unmodified photos on the internet , all on different domain names , ” said Ton-That .
“ In practice , it ’ s almost certainly too late to perfect a technology like Fawkes and deploy it at scale.
” Naturally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this assessment .
They note that although companies like Clearview claim to have billions of photos , that doesn ’ t mean much when you consider they ’ re supposed to identify hundreds of millions of users .
“ Chances are , for many people , Clearview only has a very small number of publicly accessible photos , ” says Zhao .
And if people release more cloaked photos in the future , he says , sooner or later the amount of cloaked images will outnumber the uncloaked ones .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team admits that for their software to make a real difference it has to be released more widely .
They have no plans to make a web or mobile app due to security concerns , but are hopeful that companies like Facebook might integrate similar tech into their own platform in future .
Integrating this tech would be in these companies ’ interest , says Zhao .
After all , firms like Facebook don ’ t want people to stop sharing photos , and these companies would still be able to collect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ features like photo tagging ) before cloaking them on the public web .
And while integrating this tech now might only have a small effect for current users , it could help convince future , privacy-conscious generations to sign up to these platforms .
“ Adoption by larger platforms , e.g .
Facebook or others , could in time have a crippling effect on Clearview by basically making [ their technology ] so ineffective that it will no longer be useful or financially viable as a service , ” says Zhao .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no longer relevant or accurate is something that we would be satisfied [ with ] as an outcome of our work .
”

Ubiquitous facial recognition is a serious threat to privacy. The idea that the photos we share are being collected by companies to train algorithms that are sold commercially is worrying. Anyone can buy these tools, snap a photo of a stranger, and find out who they are in seconds. But researchers have come up with a clever way to help combat this problem.
The solution is a tool named Fawkes, and was created by scientists at the University of Chicago’s Sand Lab. Named after the Guy Fawkes masks donned by revolutionaries in the V for Vendetta comic book and film, Fawkes uses artificial intelligence to subtly and almost imperceptibly alter your photos in order to trick facial recognition systems.
running Fawkes on your photos is like adding an invisible mask to your selfies
The way the software works is a little complex. Running your photos through Fawkes doesn’t make you invisible to facial recognition exactly. Instead, the software makes subtle changes to your photos so that any algorithm scanning those images in future sees you as a different person altogether. Essentially, running Fawkes on your photos is like adding an invisible mask to your selfies.
Scientists call this process “cloaking” and it’s intended to corrupt the resource facial recognition systems need to function: databases of faces scraped from social media. Facial recognition firm Clearview AI, for example, claims to have collected some three billion images of faces from sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Venmo, which it uses to identify strangers. But if the photos you share online have been run through Fawkes, say the researchers, then the face the algorithms know won’t actually be your own.
According to the team from the University of Chicago, Fawkes is 100 percent successful against state-of-the-art facial recognition services from Microsoft (Azure Face), Amazon (Rekognition), and Face++ by Chinese tech giant Megvii.
“What we are doing is using the cloaked photo in essence like a Trojan Horse, to corrupt unauthorized models to learn the wrong thing about what makes you look like you and not someone else,” Ben Zhao, a professor of computer science at the University of Chicago who helped create the Fawkes software, told The Verge. “Once the corruption happens, you are continuously protected no matter where you go or are seen.”
You’d hardly recognize her. Photos of Queen Elizabeth II before (left) and after (right) being run through Fawkes cloaking software. Image: The Verge
The group behind the work — Shawn Shan, Emily Wenger, Jiayun Zhang, Huiying Li, Haitao Zheng, and Ben Y. Zhao — published a paper on the algorithm earlier this year. But late last month they also released Fawkes as free software for Windows and Macs that anyone can download and use. To date they say it’s been downloaded more than 100,000 times.
In our own tests we found that Fawkes is sparse in its design but easy enough to apply. It takes a couple of minutes to process each image, and the changes it makes are mostly imperceptible. Earlier this week, The New York Times published a story on Fawkes in which it noted that the cloaking effect was quite obvious, often making gendered changes to images like giving women mustaches. But the Fawkes team says the updated algorithm is much more subtle, and The Verge’s own tests agree with this.
How much difference can a tool like Fawkes make?
But is Fawkes a silver bullet for privacy? It’s doubtful. For a start, there’s the problem of adoption. If you read this article and decide to use Fawkes to cloak any photos you upload to social media in future, you’ll certainly be in the minority. Facial recognition is worrying because it’s a society-wide trend and so the solution needs to be society-wide, too. If only the tech-savvy shield their selfies, it just creates inequality and discrimination.
Secondly, many firms that sell facial recognition algorithms created their databases of faces a long time ago, and you can’t retroactively take that information back. The CEO of Clearview, Hoan Ton-That, told the Times as much. “There are billions of unmodified photos on the internet, all on different domain names,” said Ton-That. “In practice, it’s almost certainly too late to perfect a technology like Fawkes and deploy it at scale.”
Comparisons of uncloaked and cloaked faces using Fawkes. Image: SAND Lab, University of Chicago
Naturally, though, the team behind Fawkes disagree with this assessment. They note that although companies like Clearview claim to have billions of photos, that doesn’t mean much when you consider they’re supposed to identify hundreds of millions of users. “Chances are, for many people, Clearview only has a very small number of publicly accessible photos,” says Zhao. And if people release more cloaked photos in the future, he says, sooner or later the amount of cloaked images will outnumber the uncloaked ones.
On the adoption front, however, the Fawkes team admits that for their software to make a real difference it has to be released more widely. They have no plans to make a web or mobile app due to security concerns, but are hopeful that companies like Facebook might integrate similar tech into their own platform in future.
Integrating this tech would be in these companies’ interest, says Zhao. After all, firms like Facebook don’t want people to stop sharing photos, and these companies would still be able to collect the data they need from images (for features like photo tagging) before cloaking them on the public web. And while integrating this tech now might only have a small effect for current users, it could help convince future, privacy-conscious generations to sign up to these platforms.


theverge--2020-08-04--Google’s Pixel conundrum and Microsoft’s TikTok conundrum

Hi everybody .
I ’ m back to writing this newsletter after some time off and somehow , magically , still somewhat refreshed by my week off in the woods of northern California .
If you ’ re a new subscriber , welcome !
This is a newsletter about computers and consumer tech .
I ’ m not going to try to catch you up on everything that happened last week , but the antitrust hearings were the main thing .
We have a full story stream of the biggest news here , I suggest you check some of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of last week ’ s goings-on , the things that jumped out to me were a couple funny bits : Amazon clocked Google ’ s Nest acquisition as having been a bit of a fiasco and Tim Cook forwards along long emails on Sunday evening with just a single “ Thoughts ?
” in the body , truly the mark of a terrifying boss .
This week is going to be a big one .
Samsung will announce the Note 20 on Wednesday , Microsoft is in the middle of a Trumpian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to acquire part of TikTok , and likely other weirdness is coming .
August is no longer a slow news month for consumer tech .
The week kicked off with reviews of the Pixel 4A from Google — here ’ s mine .
The phone is very good and at $ 350 , very inexpensive .
The fact that a budget phone can literally take photos of comets and the Milky Way is really something .
Using the Pixel 4A made me fall in love with the Pixel ’ s camera all over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how good the Pixel 4A is , it won ’ t be a smash hit .
Part of that will come down to the pandemic , but a lot of it will come down to marketing .
US carriers only want to push 5G phones and the 4A is not 5G .
Google ’ s answer to that conundrum was to just up and say that , well , there are 5G phones coming later this fall .
The conventional wisdom around the Pixel is that it ’ s in trouble .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-imposed deadline Google put on itself to see tangible success in the phone hardware business and it ’ s fair to say it hasn ’ t happened — at least not at the scale you ’ d expect from a company as big as Google .
I think it ’ s probably too much to ask of the Pixel 5 to solve that problem — especially since signs currently point to it not being a take-on-the-best flagship .
That doesn ’ t mean we should ignore it nor that it won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what Google thinks an Android phone should be , and often it gets a lot of things right when it does .
Here ’ s where I see it these days : the Pixel is the Nexus by another name .
Google ’ s old Nexus program made different phones with different manufacturers from year to year , but Nexus phones were never expected to sell in huge numbers .
Instead , the Nexus was a showcase for new technologies for Android and a north star for what Google hoped would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Until and unless Google can show quite a bit more ambition than it has to date , I think that ’ s the right way to think about the Pixel line .
They ’ re Nexus phones that happened to be made by Google .
Expecting them to be anything more is a recipe for disappointment .
That said , if you want an Android phone that costs less than four or five hundred dollars , I think the choice comes down to the OnePlus Nord and the Pixel 4A — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right LTE bands in the US , the decision is even easier .
┏ Google announces Pixel 5 , Pixel 4A 5G , and Pixel 4A all at once .
┏ Google ’ s live-captioning feature will soon work with voice and video calls on Pixel phones .
Google getting into other businesses ┏ Google Pay will support mobile checking accounts starting next year .
I still think this is a wholly unnecessary thing for Google to get into .
I sincerely hope that these “ digital bank accounts through Google Pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pay should a customer want to convert it to a direct relationship with the bank .
┏ Google invests in ADT , will integrate its Nest devices into smart home business .
Mostly , I ’ m just relieved that Google isn ’ t buying ADT outright .
Jon Porter explains the motivations behind the $ 450 million investment , which gives Google 6.6 percent and , most importantly , the chance for exclusivity : It is , as I said above , an absolute fiasco .
The basics are that Microsoft was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( in a weird list of regions that includes the US but not the UK ) .
Then negotiations got messy when President Trump tweeted about banning the app .
Then Microsoft put out an absolutely baffling blog post that was clearly designed to placate the Trump administration .
( Emphasis mine below ) Adi Robertson has a good Twitter thread showing just how bad all of this could be if it were to become more real than just Trump tweets .
Here are some scary questions .
Do we want the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do we want tech titans — in whom we have invested a lot of trust whether we like it or not because they run everything — pandering to specific administrations in this way ?
Do we want the already fraught relations between the US and China made even more complicated by these shenanigans ?
Do we want TikTok to continue to operate in such a way that our data could be used by the Chinese government and/or opaque algorithms could be limiting or changing speech ?
Is there even a mechanism for banning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule of law — aka a method that ’ s , you know , legal ?
My sincere hope is that things settle down and most of those questions end up being rhetorical .
That would mean that Microsoft will either buy parts of TikTok cleanly or the parts outside China will get spun out in some other fashion .
Either way you ’ re probably wondering why Microsoft would want TikTok in the first place .
Tom Warren runs down all the potential benefits .
Oh , one more thing , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding a TikTok-style music feature .
Jacob Kastrenakes : ┏ This is how Xbox games are getting touch controls for xCloud .
This looks quite well thought through .
┏ Microsoft reveals redesigned , much faster Xbox store .
One thing nobody ever seems to learn from Amazon : any millisecond slow-down in the buying process can and will result in lost sales .
Microsoft doesn ’ t deserve praise for making its store “ more than twice as fast as before , ” it needs to ask itself why it let the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first place .
┏ PlayStation 5 will support PS4 controllers , but only for playing PS4 games .

Hi everybody. I’m back to writing this newsletter after some time off and somehow, magically, still somewhat refreshed by my week off in the woods of northern California. If you’re a new subscriber, welcome! This is a newsletter about computers and consumer tech.
I’m not going to try to catch you up on everything that happened last week, but the antitrust hearings were the main thing. We have a full story stream of the biggest news here, I suggest you check some of it out.
Since I was only vaguely aware of last week’s goings-on, the things that jumped out to me were a couple funny bits: Amazon clocked Google’s Nest acquisition as having been a bit of a fiasco and Tim Cook forwards along long emails on Sunday evening with just a single “Thoughts?” in the body, truly the mark of a terrifying boss.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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This week is going to be a big one. Samsung will announce the Note 20 on Wednesday, Microsoft is in the middle of a Trumpian swamp of dangerous confusion over its desire to acquire part of TikTok, and likely other weirdness is coming. August is no longer a slow news month for consumer tech.
Google Pixel 5, 4A 5G, and 4A
The week kicked off with reviews of the Pixel 4A from Google — here’s mine. The phone is very good and at $350, very inexpensive. The fact that a budget phone can literally take photos of comets and the Milky Way is really something. Using the Pixel 4A made me fall in love with the Pixel’s camera all over again.
And yet, no matter how good the Pixel 4A is, it won’t be a smash hit. Part of that will come down to the pandemic, but a lot of it will come down to marketing. US carriers only want to push 5G phones and the 4A is not 5G. Google’s answer to that conundrum was to just up and say that, well, there are 5G phones coming later this fall.
The conventional wisdom around the Pixel is that it’s in trouble. We’re at or just beyond the self-imposed deadline Google put on itself to see tangible success in the phone hardware business and it’s fair to say it hasn’t happened — at least not at the scale you’d expect from a company as big as Google.
I think it’s probably too much to ask of the Pixel 5 to solve that problem — especially since signs currently point to it not being a take-on-the-best flagship. That doesn’t mean we should ignore it nor that it won’t be good: we should pay attention to what Google thinks an Android phone should be, and often it gets a lot of things right when it does.
Here’s where I see it these days: the Pixel is the Nexus by another name. Google’s old Nexus program made different phones with different manufacturers from year to year, but Nexus phones were never expected to sell in huge numbers. Instead, the Nexus was a showcase for new technologies for Android and a north star for what Google hoped would be trends for the hardware that ran it.
Until and unless Google can show quite a bit more ambition than it has to date, I think that’s the right way to think about the Pixel line. They’re Nexus phones that happened to be made by Google. Expecting them to be anything more is a recipe for disappointment.
That said, if you want an Android phone that costs less than four or five hundred dollars, I think the choice comes down to the OnePlus Nord and the Pixel 4A — and since the Nord doesn’t support the right LTE bands in the US, the decision is even easier.
Verge Deal of the day Apple’s AirPods Pro are $30 off at Amazon Normally $250, the Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are down to $220 at Amazon. Compared to the standard AirPods, these feature better sound quality and noise cancellation. We’ve seen these drop a bit lower in price before, but that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy . Prices displayed are based on the MSRP at time of posting.
Google getting into other businesses
┏ Google Pay will support mobile checking accounts starting next year. I still think this is a wholly unnecessary thing for Google to get into. I sincerely hope that these “digital bank accounts through Google Pay” are not locked down to Google Pay should a customer want to convert it to a direct relationship with the bank.
┏ Google invests in ADT, will integrate its Nest devices into smart home business. Mostly, I’m just relieved that Google isn’t buying ADT outright. Jon Porter explains the motivations behind the $450 million investment, which gives Google 6.6 percent and, most importantly, the chance for exclusivity:
Eventually, however, Google says its Nest devices will become the “cornerstone” of ADT’s smart home offering. The search giant says that its technology will mean fewer false alarms, better event detection, and more helpful notifications for ADT’s customers. Google says that ADT customers will also get access to Nest Aware, its subscription service that offers intelligent alerts and 30 days of event history recording.
Microsoft, TikTok, and Trump
It is, as I said above, an absolute fiasco. The basics are that Microsoft was thinking of buying some parts of TikTok (in a weird list of regions that includes the US but not the UK). Then negotiations got messy when President Trump tweeted about banning the app. Then Microsoft put out an absolutely baffling blog post that was clearly designed to placate the Trump administration. (Emphasis mine below)
Microsoft fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President’s concerns. It is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury.
What?
Adi Robertson has a good Twitter thread showing just how bad all of this could be if it were to become more real than just Trump tweets.
Here are some scary questions. Do we want the government this involved in a business deal? Do we want tech titans — in whom we have invested a lot of trust whether we like it or not because they run everything — pandering to specific administrations in this way? Do we want the already fraught relations between the US and China made even more complicated by these shenanigans? Do we want TikTok to continue to operate in such a way that our data could be used by the Chinese government and/or opaque algorithms could be limiting or changing speech? Is there even a mechanism for banning TikTok in the US that follows the rule of law — aka a method that’s, you know, legal?
My sincere hope is that things settle down and most of those questions end up being rhetorical. That would mean that Microsoft will either buy parts of TikTok cleanly or the parts outside China will get spun out in some other fashion. Either way you’re probably wondering why Microsoft would want TikTok in the first place. Tom Warren runs down all the potential benefits.
Oh, one more thing, just to further complicate matters: Snapchat is adding a TikTok-style music feature. Jacob Kastrenakes:
For now, it sounds like there won’t be a feed of videos set to music, and there won’t be a way to see other videos featuring the same song — two features key to TikTok. A Snap spokesperson emphasized that it’s designed for sharing music with your “real friends.” That said, Snap knows that TikTok is the target here. In an email detailing the new feature, Snap said that, “based on publicly available data,” its app “reaches more people in the U.S. than Twitter and TikTok combined.”
Some gaming news
┏ This is how Xbox games are getting touch controls for xCloud. This looks quite well thought through.


theverge--2020-08-04--WhatsApp adds search feature to help users debunk viral messages

WhatsApp is piloting a new feature that lets users quickly search the contents of viral messages to fact-check misinformation , the company has announced .
Starting today , a magnifying glass icon will start appearing next to messages that have been forwarded through a chain of five or more people .
Tapping it searches for the message ’ s contents online , with the idea being that this should reveal any common conspiracy theories or misinformation the message contains .
In a screenshot of the feature released by WhatsApp , it uses the example of a viral message which claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will cure COVID-19.
” A web search brings up three fact-checking websites , which flag this claim as false .
Back in March , CNN reported that medical misinformation was becoming a problem on the Facebook-owned messaging service .
Following new forwarding limits introduced in April Facebook ’ s attempts to police misinformation on WhatsApp are complicated by the service ’ s end-to-end encryption , which prevent it from being able to see the contents of any messages sent on the service .
With the new search feature WhatsApp is giving users the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the company proactively scanning messages for common conspiracy theories .
WhatsApp says that any message that a user chooses to search are sent directly to their browser “ without WhatsApp ever seeing the message itself.
” This is just the latest measure that WhatsApp has introduced to try and stop the spread of misinformation on its platform .
Back in April it placed new limits on the forwarding of viral messages .
After the changes , viral messages can only be forwarded on to one more person , down from the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the measure had cut the spread of viral messages by 70 percent , though it ’ s impossible to know how many of these messages contained misinformation .
The new search feature is rolling out now on iOS , Android , and Web in Brazil , Italy , Ireland , Mexico , Spain , UK , and US .

WhatsApp is piloting a new feature that lets users quickly search the contents of viral messages to fact-check misinformation, the company has announced. Starting today, a magnifying glass icon will start appearing next to messages that have been forwarded through a chain of five or more people. Tapping it searches for the message’s contents online, with the idea being that this should reveal any common conspiracy theories or misinformation the message contains.
In a screenshot of the feature released by WhatsApp, it uses the example of a viral message which claims that “drinking fresh boiled garlic water will cure COVID-19.” A web search brings up three fact-checking websites, which flag this claim as false. Back in March, CNN reported that medical misinformation was becoming a problem on the Facebook-owned messaging service.
Following new forwarding limits introduced in April
Facebook’s attempts to police misinformation on WhatsApp are complicated by the service’s end-to-end encryption, which prevent it from being able to see the contents of any messages sent on the service. With the new search feature WhatsApp is giving users the ability to fact-check information themselves, rather than the company proactively scanning messages for common conspiracy theories. WhatsApp says that any message that a user chooses to search are sent directly to their browser “without WhatsApp ever seeing the message itself.”
This is just the latest measure that WhatsApp has introduced to try and stop the spread of misinformation on its platform. Back in April it placed new limits on the forwarding of viral messages. After the changes, viral messages can only be forwarded on to one more person, down from the previous limit of five. WhatsApp later said the measure had cut the spread of viral messages by 70 percent, though it’s impossible to know how many of these messages contained misinformation.


theverge--2020-08-04--PS4 software sales spike during the pandemic

The PlayStation 4 era may be winding down , but people are playing their consoles more than ever at home .
Sony just announced as part of its first-quarter earnings that despite a 22 percent decrease in sales of hardware and packaged games , digital software sales are up 83 percent year-on-year , bringing in revenue of 395 trillion yen ( $ 3.72 billion ) .
At 599 trillion yen ( $ 5.65 billion ) , total PlayStation revenue was 36 percent higher than the same period last year and was the highest for any April-June quarter in PlayStation history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have now been shipped worldwide , and Sony has nearly 45 million PlayStation Plus subscribers .
Sony cites sales of The Last of Us Part II and also calls out Ghost of Tsushima as a strong performer , though the latter game wasn ’ t released last quarter so isn ’ t a contributor to these figures .
The company says that it has addressed slight COVID-19-related hitches in its PS4 supply chain and is still preparing to launch the PlayStation 5 this holiday season .
Sony also says “ no major problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game development .
This financial year , Sony expects a further 31-percent increase in gaming-related revenue due to the PS5 ’ s launch , though operating profit should only see a slight bump .
That ’ s because Sony ’ s expenses are going to increase significantly with the introduction of the new console ; the company says the cost of sales ratio will be higher with PS5 , which is normal when selling expensive new hardware at initially lower margins .
Sony has reportedly upped its production goals for PS5 by 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 10 million consoles through the end of the year .
The biggest first-party PS5 title this holiday season is likely to be Marvel ’ s Spider-Man : Miles Morales , the sequel to Insomniac ’ s excellent web-slinging action game from 2018 .

The PlayStation 4 era may be winding down, but people are playing their consoles more than ever at home. Sony just announced as part of its first-quarter earnings that despite a 22 percent decrease in sales of hardware and packaged games, digital software sales are up 83 percent year-on-year, bringing in revenue of 395 trillion yen ($3.72 billion).
At 599 trillion yen ($5.65 billion), total PlayStation revenue was 36 percent higher than the same period last year and was the highest for any April-June quarter in PlayStation history. More than 112 million PS4 consoles have now been shipped worldwide, and Sony has nearly 45 million PlayStation Plus subscribers.
Sony cites sales of The Last of Us Part II and also calls out Ghost of Tsushima as a strong performer, though the latter game wasn’t released last quarter so isn’t a contributor to these figures. The company says that it has addressed slight COVID-19-related hitches in its PS4 supply chain and is still preparing to launch the PlayStation 5 this holiday season. Sony also says “no major problems have arisen” with first-party or third-party game development.
This financial year, Sony expects a further 31-percent increase in gaming-related revenue due to the PS5’s launch, though operating profit should only see a slight bump. That’s because Sony’s expenses are going to increase significantly with the introduction of the new console; the company says the cost of sales ratio will be higher with PS5, which is normal when selling expensive new hardware at initially lower margins.


theverge--2020-08-04--Kris Kobach projected to lose Kansas primary, despite backing from Peter Thiel

Decision Desk is projecting that Rep. Roger Marshall will win the Republican primary for Senate in Kansas , a huge blow to contender Kris Kobach .
It ’ s also a blow to the political ambitions of billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel , who had enthusiastically supported Kobach , offering public support and significant PAC funding to the candidate ’ s primary bid .
Much of Thiel ’ s support came through the Free Forever Political Action Committee , which received the overwhelming majority of its funding from Thiel and purchased ads exclusively in support of Kobach and in opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PAC mailing accused Marshall of funding “ global warming musicals ” and “ transgender plays ” because of his votes in support of the National Endowment for the Arts .
Kobach has distinguished himself within Republican circles with his hardline anti-immigration positions , particularly his role in promoting a Muslim registry in the early days of the Trump administration .
As a result , many party leaders feared he would cost the party in a general election .
Last week , a leader from the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned colleagues that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s chances for retaining control of the Senate , as reported by Politico .

Decision Desk is projecting that Rep. Roger Marshall will win the Republican primary for Senate in Kansas, a huge blow to contender Kris Kobach. It’s also a blow to the political ambitions of billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel, who had enthusiastically supported Kobach, offering public support and significant PAC funding to the candidate’s primary bid.
Much of Thiel’s support came through the Free Forever Political Action Committee, which received the overwhelming majority of its funding from Thiel and purchased ads exclusively in support of Kobach and in opposition to Marshall. One recent Free Forever PAC mailing accused Marshall of funding “global warming musicals” and “transgender plays” because of his votes in support of the National Endowment for the Arts.


theverge--2020-08-04--Indie darling Alto’s Adventure and its sequel are finally coming to PS4, Xbox One and Switch

Alto ’ s Adventure and Alto ’ s Odyssey , two mobile games we at The Verge love because of their beautiful art style and polished gameplay , are finally coming to PS4 , Xbox One , and the Epic Games Store as The Alto Collection on August 13th .
This will also be the first time Alto ’ s Odyssey comes to Windows .
A Nintendo Switch port is “ coming soon , ” with no firm release date announced yet .
Originally released on iOS in 2015 and both Android and Linux in 2016 , Alto ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You play as Alto or one of his friends as they traverse the snowy landscape while being chased by village elders ; you control your character by tapping the screen , which lets you jump over obstacles and perform tricks .
Alto ’ s Adventure was well-received by critics and fans ; My colleague Andrew Webster pointed out in his review that it was “ the next great iPad game , ” and that it was one of his favorite mobile titles .
The Alto Collection will cost $ 9.99 on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Odyssey , was released on Android and iOS in 2018 and macOS in 2020 .
Like its predecessor , you are snowboarding ( well , sandboarding now ) down slopes and avoiding NPCs .
My colleague Chaim Gartenberg said Alto ’ s Odyssey was “ the perfect sequel ” because it takes everything great about the original in terms of gameplay and atmosphere , then enhances the experience by adding new features , like wall riding and balloon bouncing , while also adding more vibrant colors to each stage .
The Alto Collection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; additionally , it ’ ll be free on the Epic Games Store from August 13th through August 20th .
Alto ’ s Adventure and Alto ’ s Odyssey are also $ 4.99 each on iOS and $ 9.99 each on Mac .
It ’ s also free-to-play on Android , but includes ads and an optional in-app purchase that doubles the number of coins you receive .

Alto’s Adventure and Alto’s Odyssey, two mobile games we at The Verge love because of their beautiful art style and polished gameplay, are finally coming to PS4, Xbox One, and the Epic Games Store as The Alto Collection on August 13th. This will also be the first time Alto’s Odyssey comes to Windows. A Nintendo Switch port is “coming soon,” with no firm release date announced yet.
Originally released on iOS in 2015 and both Android and Linux in 2016, Alto’s Adventure is an endless runner snowboarding game. You play as Alto or one of his friends as they traverse the snowy landscape while being chased by village elders; you control your character by tapping the screen, which lets you jump over obstacles and perform tricks. Alto’s Adventure was well-received by critics and fans; My colleague Andrew Webster pointed out in his review that it was “the next great iPad game,” and that it was one of his favorite mobile titles.
The Alto Collection will cost $9.99 on all platforms
A sequel, Alto’s Odyssey, was released on Android and iOS in 2018 and macOS in 2020. Like its predecessor, you are snowboarding (well, sandboarding now) down slopes and avoiding NPCs. My colleague Chaim Gartenberg said Alto’s Odyssey was “the perfect sequel” because it takes everything great about the original in terms of gameplay and atmosphere, then enhances the experience by adding new features, like wall riding and balloon bouncing, while also adding more vibrant colors to each stage.