theverge--2020-10-07--Facebook will ban US political ads indefinitely after election

Facebook will ban US-based political ads indefinitely after the presidential election , attempting to forestall confusion over its results .
“ While ads are an important way to express voice , we plan to temporarily stop running all social issue , electoral , or political ads in the US after the polls close on November 3rd , to reduce opportunities for confusion or abuse , ” the company says .
Facebook is responding to widespread concern that social media could muddle election results .
The company is also taking steps to stop candidates from prematurely declaring victory .
When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information box at the top of Facebook and Instagram ’ s apps , noting whether major media outlets like Reuters have declared a winner .
It already labels some election-related posts with a link to its Voting Information Center , but if a candidate falsely claims they ’ ve won the election , Facebook will add “ more specific information ” contradicting the claim .
Facebook previously announced that it would freeze political ad sales before the election , and before this blanket post-election ban , it had specifically barred ads that falsely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clegg has also raised the prospect of restricting other content if it could lead to violence .
In advance of the election , it ’ s pledged to remove content from the pro-Trump “ militarized social movement ” QAnon .
However , the prospect of election night chaos still looms .
President Donald Trump has refused to commit to peacefully transferring power if he loses the election .
Meanwhile , Democratic rival Joe Biden has criticized Facebook for not fact-checking or removing Trump ’ s false claims about mail-in voting , calling its @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Facebook will ban US-based political ads indefinitely after the presidential election, attempting to forestall confusion over its results. “While ads are an important way to express voice, we plan to temporarily stop running all social issue, electoral, or political ads in the US after the polls close on November 3rd, to reduce opportunities for confusion or abuse,” the company says.
Facebook is responding to widespread concern that social media could muddle election results. The company is also taking steps to stop candidates from prematurely declaring victory. When the polls close, it will add an information box at the top of Facebook and Instagram’s apps, noting whether major media outlets like Reuters have declared a winner. It already labels some election-related posts with a link to its Voting Information Center, but if a candidate falsely claims they’ve won the election, Facebook will add “more specific information” contradicting the claim.
Facebook previously announced that it would freeze political ad sales before the election, and before this blanket post-election ban, it had specifically barred ads that falsely claimed victory. Global affairs head Nick Clegg has also raised the prospect of restricting other content if it could lead to violence. In advance of the election, it’s pledged to remove content from the pro-Trump “militarized social movement” QAnon.


theverge--2020-10-07--Twitch seems to have picked up most of Mixer’s streamers

Streamers seem to have flocked to Twitch from Mixer after the Microsoft-owned live-streaming service announced plans to shut down in June .
A new report shows that Twitch ’ s share of hours broadcast on major live-streaming platforms jumped up by over 14 percentage points this quarter , taking away the nearly identical just over 14 percent market share that Mixer previously held .
With Mixer out of the picture , Twitch ended up with 91.1 percent of all hours spent streaming on these platforms between July and September , according to a new report from Streamlabs & Stream Hatchet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , YouTube , and Facebook Gaming .
Facebook Gaming grew slightly during that time period , to 3.4 percent from 2.4 percent , and YouTube shrunk slightly , to 5.5 percent from 6.7 percent .
Mixer encouraged streamers to switch to Facebook Gaming , but it seems not to have worked That Twitch won out is particularly notable because Facebook made a serious effort to pick up Mixer ’ s streamers .
It partnered with Mixer to help streamers get set up on the new platform , and Mixer started advertising Facebook Gaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s website still forwards to Facebook Gaming today .
Evidently , that wasn ’ t enough to convince Mixer streamers to pick yet another underdog in the streaming space .
“ Hours streamed ” is a useful metric for determining where streamers are spending their time , but it ’ s not necessarily the metric that matters .
These platforms are primarily competing for viewership , and in that area , Twitch actually lost some ground .
The report now puts Twitch at 63.6 percent market share , down from 67.6 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both YouTube and Facebook Gaming grew this quarter ; Mixer made up only 1.4 percent of hours streamed , so these services are growing at a faster pace than Twitch .
Streaming viewership has exploded this year , thanks in part to people being stuck inside and looking for new things to watch .
The report estimates that total viewership across all three services was 7.46 billion hours last quarter , up from 3.89 billion the year before .

Streamers seem to have flocked to Twitch from Mixer after the Microsoft-owned live-streaming service announced plans to shut down in June. A new report shows that Twitch’s share of hours broadcast on major live-streaming platforms jumped up by over 14 percentage points this quarter, taking away the nearly identical just over 14 percent market share that Mixer previously held.
With Mixer out of the picture, Twitch ended up with 91.1 percent of all hours spent streaming on these platforms between July and September, according to a new report from Streamlabs & Stream Hatchet that looked at streaming activity on Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming. Facebook Gaming grew slightly during that time period, to 3.4 percent from 2.4 percent, and YouTube shrunk slightly, to 5.5 percent from 6.7 percent.
Mixer encouraged streamers to switch to Facebook Gaming, but it seems not to have worked
That Twitch won out is particularly notable because Facebook made a serious effort to pick up Mixer’s streamers. It partnered with Mixer to help streamers get set up on the new platform, and Mixer started advertising Facebook Gaming during its final month online. Mixer’s website still forwards to Facebook Gaming today. Evidently, that wasn’t enough to convince Mixer streamers to pick yet another underdog in the streaming space.
“Hours streamed” is a useful metric for determining where streamers are spending their time, but it’s not necessarily the metric that matters. These platforms are primarily competing for viewership, and in that area, Twitch actually lost some ground. The report now puts Twitch at 63.6 percent market share, down from 67.6 percent. That should be particularly concerning because both YouTube and Facebook Gaming grew this quarter; Mixer made up only 1.4 percent of hours streamed, so these services are growing at a faster pace than Twitch.


theverge--2020-10-07--How to watch AMD’s Zen 3 event introducing Ryzen 5000 processors

With the proclamation that “ a new journey begins , ” AMD is announcing its new lineup of Ryzen 5000 @ @ @ @ @ its new Zen 3 architecture .
The new chips are , if you go by @ @ @ @ @ going to be focused specifically on gaming and content creation and could be a powerful @ @ @ @ @ s 10th gen desktop lineup .
( Intel ’ s 11th gen desktop chips won @ @ @ @ @ . )
While we can ’ t give you much more information about AMD ’ @ @ @ @ @ gamers and creators can definitely look forward to an interesting look at what could be @ @ @ @ @ to find out more ?
You can attend yourself : It starts tomorrow , October @ @ @ @ @ / 9AM PT / 5PM BST .
We will have the live stream video embedded @ @ @ @ @ post , so you can stick around here to watch when it begins .
Otherwise @ @ @ @ @ event live on YouTube .

With the proclamation that “a new journey begins,” AMD is announcing its new lineup of Ryzen 5000 processors for desktops, featuring its new Zen 3 architecture. The new chips are, if you go by AMD’s website, going to be focused specifically on gaming and content creation and could be a powerful new competitor to Intel’s 10th gen desktop lineup. (Intel’s 11th gen desktop chips won’t arrive till 2021.)
While we can’t give you much more information about AMD’s new chips yet, gamers and creators can definitely look forward to an interesting look at what could be your next processor.
Want to find out more? You can attend yourself:
WHEN DOES AMD’s EVENT START?
It starts today, October 8th, at 12PM ET / 9AM PT / 5PM BST.
WHERE CAN I WATCH AMD’s EVENT?


theverge--2020-10-07--GMC’s all-electric Hummer will be the first car with software built using Epic’s Unreal Engine

Fortnite creator Epic Games is partnering with carmakers , starting with General Motors , to use its Unreal Engine game development platform to build in-car software in what Epic is calling its “ human-machine interface ” ( HMI ) initiative .
The first car to use Unreal Engine , which is the primary software toolset with which developers make Fortnite and countless other big-budget video games , will be GMC ’ s upcoming Hummer EV , set to be unveiled on October 20th .
The logic is simple : modern cars are primarily designed using software , and assembled cars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on touchscreens and digital interfaces to power infotainment centers and other sources of information displayed to drivers .
And Unreal Engine is a great platform for building software , which Epic thinks makes it a great platform for building the software that goes into cars .
“ When you sit in the driver ’ s seat of a modern car today , the way you interact with the vehicle is different from a few years ago .
Buttons and screens dominate the dashboard , steering wheel , and instrument pane , providing features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electrification is at the root of many of these advances , with digital hardware such as cameras , sensors , and displays , combined with cutting-edge technology like Unreal Engine , forming a framework on which to build new experiences , ” the company explains in a blog post .
“ At Epic Games , we ’ ve long been interested in the way the requirements for HMI development overlap with those of game development .
Much of the functionality required to create HMI systems has been available in Unreal Engine for some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the user interface and user experience designers tasked with crafting the software that car owners will interact with in the finished product can do more and do it faster using tools like Unreal Engine .
Epic says this should empower designers to have a more active role in the development of the software .
“ In traditional HMI workflows , UI/ UX designers produce ‘ hero screens ’ or reference images that outline how the UI is supposed to look .
They rarely get to see their designs in action soon enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s up to engineers to implement the design and the functionality into the vehicle , ” Epic explains .
Unreal Engine is also a cross-platform game engine , which means designers could easily preview new builds in prototype vehicles on iOS or Android tablets without needing to duplicate efforts by rebuilding the software to work on mobile devices .
What will this actually mean for consumers using next-generation car software designed using Unreal Engine ?
Epic says it ’ s already enabling some pretty impressive advancements .
For instance , infotainment screens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up and running much faster , as Epic ’ s toolset allows developers to fire up various portions of the software in sequential order instead of all at once .
“ Content that is not needed at startup can be loaded after the initial boot , reducing boot time even further , ” the company says .
Because Unreal Engine is designed to enable photorealistic computer-generated graphics , car software can also display full , high-resolution renders of the vehicle as well as its various internal and underside parts and mechanical and software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ displays .
“ What if an automotive brand had their own games that only their vehicle users can access ?
” “ Unreal Engine provides best-in-class visuals for production HMI , with car paint materials and reflections that bring the highest quality real-time graphics to the vehicle , ” Epic says .
“ A comprehensive set of visual effects features that have been hardened by game development give automotive designers a robust set of tools to express creativity in their HMI designs.
” Epic says its work on in-car software and partnership with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that autonomous vehicles will one day make the act of driving less important than the activities you can do in the car when software is driving it for you .
Whether that ’ s streaming video , playing games , or using communication features for voice and video calls , Epic is interested in positioning the Unreal Engine as a core pillar of how all those features and functions get built .
“ What if an automotive brand had their own games that only their vehicle users can access ?
Or drivers could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the personality of their favorite video game character ?
” the company writes .
“ With Unreal Engine as the HMI platform , opportunities such as this become possible .
”

Fortnite creator Epic Games is partnering with carmakers, starting with General Motors, to use its Unreal Engine game development platform to build in-car software in what Epic is calling its “human-machine interface” (HMI) initiative. The first car to use Unreal Engine, which is the primary software toolset with which developers make Fortnite and countless other big-budget video games, will be GMC’s upcoming Hummer EV, set to be unveiled on October 20th.
The logic is simple: modern cars are primarily designed using software, and assembled cars carry scores of onboard computers and rely on touchscreens and digital interfaces to power infotainment centers and other sources of information displayed to drivers. And Unreal Engine is a great platform for building software, which Epic thinks makes it a great platform for building the software that goes into cars.
“When you sit in the driver’s seat of a modern car today, the way you interact with the vehicle is different from a few years ago. Buttons and screens dominate the dashboard, steering wheel, and instrument pane, providing features that may be new to you. Electrification is at the root of many of these advances, with digital hardware such as cameras, sensors, and displays, combined with cutting-edge technology like Unreal Engine, forming a framework on which to build new experiences,” the company explains in a blog post. “At Epic Games, we’ve long been interested in the way the requirements for HMI development overlap with those of game development. Much of the functionality required to create HMI systems has been available in Unreal Engine for some time.”
Image: Epic Games
Epic says carmakers like GMC and the user interface and user experience designers tasked with crafting the software that car owners will interact with in the finished product can do more and do it faster using tools like Unreal Engine. Epic says this should empower designers to have a more active role in the development of the software.
“In traditional HMI workflows, UI/ UX designers produce ‘hero screens’ or reference images that outline how the UI is supposed to look. They rarely get to see their designs in action soon enough to iterate on them, because it’s up to engineers to implement the design and the functionality into the vehicle,” Epic explains. Unreal Engine is also a cross-platform game engine, which means designers could easily preview new builds in prototype vehicles on iOS or Android tablets without needing to duplicate efforts by rebuilding the software to work on mobile devices.
Image: Epic Games
What will this actually mean for consumers using next-generation car software designed using Unreal Engine? Epic says it’s already enabling some pretty impressive advancements. For instance, infotainment screens built using the game engine can get up and running much faster, as Epic’s toolset allows developers to fire up various portions of the software in sequential order instead of all at once. “Content that is not needed at startup can be loaded after the initial boot, reducing boot time even further,” the company says.
Because Unreal Engine is designed to enable photorealistic computer-generated graphics, car software can also display full, high-resolution renders of the vehicle as well as its various internal and underside parts and mechanical and software mechanisms, on central screens and other displays.
“What if an automotive brand had their own games that only their vehicle users can access?”
“Unreal Engine provides best-in-class visuals for production HMI, with car paint materials and reflections that bring the highest quality real-time graphics to the vehicle,” Epic says. “A comprehensive set of visual effects features that have been hardened by game development give automotive designers a robust set of tools to express creativity in their HMI designs.”
Epic says its work on in-car software and partnership with General Motors is based on a prediction that autonomous vehicles will one day make the act of driving less important than the activities you can do in the car when software is driving it for you. Whether that’s streaming video, playing games, or using communication features for voice and video calls, Epic is interested in positioning the Unreal Engine as a core pillar of how all those features and functions get built.


theverge--2020-10-07--Netflix indicted by a Texas grand jury over ‘lewd depictions’ in Cuties

Netflix has been indicted in Texas on charges that the film Cuties contains lewd depictions of children .
The indictment follows controversial backlash from conservative groups over certain scenes in the film where young girls dance provocatively .
A grand jury in Tyler County , Texas , is charging Netflix with “ Promotion Of Lewd Visual Material Depicting A Child , ” a criminal act in Texas that was introduced into state law in 2018 , Reuters reported .
The charge alleges that Cuties , a movie about a group of young girls who form a dance troupe , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 years of age at the time the visual material was created , ” according to the indictment filing .
The filing also states that said content “ appeals to the prurient interest in sex , and has no serious , literary , artistic , political , or scientific value.
” ( The film screened at the Sundance Film Festival where it netted director and writer Maïmouna Doucouré the Sundance ’ s Global Filmmaking Award in 2017 . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1st , with co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos individually named .
The company rejects the justification for the charges ; a Netflix spokesperson tells The Verge that “ cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.
” The charge is one of “ the dumbest and most absurd ” in the state , Texas-based defense attorney Paul Saputo said .
Texas ’ law specifically notes that the content can ’ t possess any “ serious literary , artistic , political , or scientific value.
” The fact that Doucouré @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most renowned film festivals in the world , and achieved critical acclaim from some of the most respected critics , proves that Cuties contains serious artistic value , according to Saputo .
“ It ’ s absurd — the prosecutor believes he knows more about art than a Sundance jury , ” Saputo said .
Cuties was caught up in a maelstrom of controversy when it debuted on Netflix a few weeks ago .
The French film critiques society ’ s sexualization of girls and follows an 11-year-old Senegalese girl who rebels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dance troupe .
Cuties uses scenes that are designed to make the viewer feel uncomfortable , as Doucouré explores the loss of childhood innocence .
Film critics praised Doucouré and Cuties for its take on childhood , but prominent conservative personalities , QAnon conspiracy theorists , and parents groups used social media to get # CancelNetflix trending while decrying the movie as lewd .
The charge leads to some absurd consequences , Saputo said .
If the argument is that Netflix is promoting material that exhibits lewd behavior , it is also arguable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that contains depictions of children performing lewd behavior .
Does the state of Texas indict all Netflix subscribers ?
Since the ban on lewd material featuring children applies to anyone under the age of 18 , Saputo argued that , by the law ’ s definition , teenagers dancing on Instagram and TikTok could be seen as promoting lewd depictions of children .
Since the law was introduced in 2018 , he ’ s never had a client or heard of a client being brought up on charges because “ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who wants to take the argument on.
” Netflix ’ s situation is a different story , he added .
Saputo believes that if the prosecutors are going forward with it , the district attorney ’ s office is likely already backing the argument .
“ Netflix ’ s going to have to hire a criminal defender , and find some critics who can attest to the movie being art , ” Saputo said .
“ It ’ s not going to be difficult .
”

Netflix has been indicted in Texas on charges that the film Cuties contains lewd depictions of children. The indictment follows controversial backlash from conservative groups over certain scenes in the film where young girls dance provocatively.
A grand jury in Tyler County, Texas, is charging Netflix with “Promotion Of Lewd Visual Material Depicting A Child,” a criminal act in Texas that was introduced into state law in 2018, Reuters reported. The charge alleges that Cuties, a movie about a group of young girls who form a dance troupe, “depicts the lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 years of age at the time the visual material was created,” according to the indictment filing.
The filing also states that said content “appeals to the prurient interest in sex, and has no serious, literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.” (The film screened at the Sundance Film Festival where it netted director and writer Maïmouna Doucouré the Sundance’s Global Filmmaking Award in 2017.) Netflix was served a summons on October 1st, with co-CEOs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos individually named. The company rejects the justification for the charges; a Netflix spokesperson tells The Verge that “cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.”
The charge is one of “the dumbest and most absurd” in the state, Texas-based defense attorney Paul Saputo said. Texas’ law specifically notes that the content can’t possess any “serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.” The fact that Doucouré earned a top prize from one of the most renowned film festivals in the world, and achieved critical acclaim from some of the most respected critics, proves that Cuties contains serious artistic value, according to Saputo.
“It’s absurd — the prosecutor believes he knows more about art than a Sundance jury,” Saputo said.
Cuties was caught up in a maelstrom of controversy when it debuted on Netflix a few weeks ago. The French film critiques society’s sexualization of girls and follows an 11-year-old Senegalese girl who rebels against her strict parents by joining a dance troupe. Cuties uses scenes that are designed to make the viewer feel uncomfortable, as Doucouré explores the loss of childhood innocence. Film critics praised Doucouré and Cuties for its take on childhood, but prominent conservative personalities, QAnon conspiracy theorists, and parents groups used social media to get #CancelNetflix trending while decrying the movie as lewd.
The charge leads to some absurd consequences, Saputo said. If the argument is that Netflix is promoting material that exhibits lewd behavior, it is also arguable then that paying Netflix subscribers possess content that contains depictions of children performing lewd behavior. Does the state of Texas indict all Netflix subscribers?
“This entire scenario is laughable,” Saputo said.
Since the ban on lewd material featuring children applies to anyone under the age of 18, Saputo argued that, by the law’s definition, teenagers dancing on Instagram and TikTok could be seen as promoting lewd depictions of children. Since the law was introduced in 2018, he’s never had a client or heard of a client being brought up on charges because “I don’t think there’s any prosecutor who wants to take the argument on.”
Netflix’s situation is a different story, he added. Saputo believes that if the prosecutors are going forward with it, the district attorney’s office is likely already backing the argument.


theverge--2020-10-07--Valve’s latest Steam festival lets you try hundreds of PC games for free

To help shine the spotlight on independent game developers , Valve ’ s Steam Game Festival is back with an @ @ @ @ @ October 13th at 1PM ET / 10AM PT , PC gamers will have the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ indie games coming out within the next six months , free of charge .
Some @ @ @ @ @ fall game festival are Alpaca Ball : Allstars , Cake Bash , Ghostrunner , Garden @ @ @ @ @ .
Valve held a Spring Game Festival earlier this year to fill the void left @ @ @ @ @ Game Developers Conference .
It was a chance for indie developers who lost the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ get a feature on Valve ’ s digital storefront .
In addition to hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ Steam Game Festival : Autumn Edition also includes a week ’ s worth of live @ @ @ @ @ developers , such as interviews and special gameplay and commentary throughout the duration of the @ @

To help shine the spotlight on independent game developers, Valve’s Steam Game Festival is back with an autumn edition.
Now through October 13th at 1PM ET / 10AM PT, PC gamers will have the opportunity to access a slew of indie games coming out within the next six months, free of charge. Some notable titles included in the fall game festival are Alpaca Ball: Allstars, Cake Bash, Ghostrunner, Garden Story, and Smash Ball.
Valve held a Spring Game Festival earlier this year to fill the void left following the cancellation of the Game Developers Conference. It was a chance for indie developers who lost the opportunity to demo their titles to get a feature on Valve’s digital storefront.


theverge--2020-10-08--What Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook have at stake in the antitrust fight

On Tuesday afternoon , the House Judiciary Committee issued its final report on its investigation of competition in digital markets , the end result of years of research and hearings .
Technically , there were three reports : a majority opinion from Democrats and two others from different Republican factions , part of an ongoing split in congressional efforts to bring tech companies in line .
But while the politics of the documents are byzantine , the message of the majority report is crystal clear : Apple , Amazon , Facebook , and Google have gotten too powerful .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a playbook for how to pare back that power and use the conventional tools of antitrust law to reshape the digital world .
The report is comprehensive , and it takes on each company from a different angle , laying out different problems and proposing different solutions .
Despite the “ Big Tech ” moniker , these are four very different companies , and the usual antitrust remedies will affect them very differently .
In the piece below , we ’ ll walk through each step and break down exactly what the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future .
The new wave of antitrust efforts started with Amazon , so it ’ s no surprise that this latest report has the best feel for how to take on the e-commerce giant .
The case is roughly what legal scholar Lina Khan laid out in her pivotal 2017 paper “ Amazon ’ s Antitrust Paradox ” — no surprise since Khan served as senior counsel to the committee .
( Amazon offered a lengthy rebuttal to the argument on Tuesday , arguing it faces stiff competition from brick-and-mortar stores and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) The paper and the report both argue that Amazon is controlling the path to market for e-commerce goods .
If you want to sell socks online , the best place to do it is Amazon.com , which makes it awkward when Amazon starts its own white-label socks business .
In the words of the report , this means “ market participants that depend on Amazon ’ s retail platform are effectively forced to accept its demands—even in markets where Amazon would otherwise lack the power to set the terms of commerce.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to refer to brick-and-mortar competitors like Walmart , which have no problems offering store-brand cereal alongside name-brand competitors .
But the judiciary report argues the broad scope and far reach of digital markets makes Amazon different .
“ The dominant platforms collect real-time data which , given the scale of their user-base , is akin to near-perfect market intelligence , ” the report argues .
“ Whereas firms with a choice among business partners might seek to protect their proprietary data , the platforms ’ market power lets them compel the collection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By the standards of tech antitrust , the problem here is fairly simple : Amazon is running too many businesses at once .
The report proposes new rules that would prevent intermediaries like Amazon from competing with firms that depend on their infrastructure and , in some cases , prevent them from entering certain businesses at all .
( These are the “ structural separations and line of business restrictions ” described on page 377 . )
On the platform side , the report calls for new non-discrimination rules that would prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competitors — and hold it legally liable if it does .
Both are classic anti-monopoly measures , previously applied to railroads , cable companies , and banks .
But while we know what this kind of regulation looks like for railroads , it ’ s a harder question what it would mean for Amazon .
The company has run a successful white-label business with Amazon Basics , but it ’ s not that hard to imagine those brands being spun off or pared back .
Amazon ’ s balance sheet would certainly take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Amazon.com homepage might come out looking more or less the same .
The impact would be even harsher for Amazon Prime , which began with special deals and accelerated shipping from the commerce platform , but has sprawled out into a full-fledged streaming service and in-house movie studio .
It ’ s hard to say what an unbundled Prime would look like , and it might simply cease to exist .
In contrast to Amazon , Facebook gets off strangely light from the antitrust report .
As longtime Google antagonist Luther Lowe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ Dominant Online Platforms ” section spends the fewest pages on Facebook : just 37 , compared to 68 pages for Amazon and 71 for Google .
In large part , that ’ s because the committee isn ’ t dealing with data privacy ( where much of the regulatory action against Facebook has focused ) , and the company ’ s monolithic network power is a poor fit for traditional anti-monopoly action .
“ In the absence of competition , Facebook ’ s quality has deteriorated over time.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a new look into the circumstances surrounding the Instagram acquisition , which internal emails cast as a play to stifle a potential competitor before it could become a threat .
The report ’ s Facebook section mostly covers the same ground , unpacking exactly what it means and why Facebook ’ s market power as a social network is so difficult to challenge .
But splitting up Facebook and Instagram is more of a job for the Justice Department , and few of the report ’ s suggested remedies would change that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for future acquisitions , along with interoperability rules that would bring US law more in line with Europe ’ s General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) — but nothing that would impact the day-to-day dominance of Facebook .
The most significant measure is the non-discrimination rules , which would place limits on how Facebook is allowed to manage its network .
But compared to Google search or Amazon ’ s Everything Store , Facebook ’ s platform simply isn ’ t that important for competitors .
As a result , the Judiciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other agencies .
When Tim Cook appeared before the Judiciary Committee in July , there were few prominent examples of the company using its App Store powers to crush rivals — but it only took two weeks for that to change .
On August 13th , Apple had a high-profile split with Epic Games , ultimately cutting off the iOS version of Fortnite over a payment processing dispute .
The dispute is still working its way through the courts , but it has made Apple ’ s monopoly over iOS software impossible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a dominant market share in any category where we do business.
” The Fortnite case is only mentioned a few times in the report , but it looms in the background of most of the report ’ s analysis , alongside similar complaints from Basecamp and Protonmail .
It also casts a shadow on power plays that might have previously seen as benign , like making Safari the permanent default browser for iPhones until iOS 14 .
There ’ s a long history of Apple Sherlocking popular iPhone apps , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers see every case as a potential monopoly claim .
As you might expect , Apple vigorously contested the idea that it was a monopoly .
“ We have always said that scrutiny is reasonable and appropriate but we vehemently disagree with the conclusions reached in this staff report with respect to Apple , ” a representative said .
“ Our company does not have a dominant market share in any category where we do business.
” Still , the proposed non-discrimination rules would have a fairly immediate impact on Apple .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-party apps use NFC on the iPhone — a crucial barrier for any third-party payment apps hoping to compete with Apple Pay .
Default apps for music and weather would get a close look from regulators , and it ’ s likely that the App Store rankings would become more transparent and equitable .
But while the disruption would be significant , Apple ’ s core hardware business would likely remain untouched .
Even services like Apple Music and Apple TV Plus would likely remain unchanged , although they would have to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bigger question is what happens to Epic and all the other companies hit by the so-called “ Apple Tax.
” The committee talked to Match Group , Spotify , and lots of other companies pushing for some kind of rollback on Apple ’ s 30 percent App Store commission , but the judiciary report stops short of calling for an end to the fees .
In theory , the “ structural separations ” language could apply to the App Store , but it ’ s a stretch , and the committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out Apple as a particular offender .
And unlike Google and YouTube or Facebook and Instagram , it ’ s hard to imagine a regulator spinning off the App Store into a separate company from the iPhone .
The two products are too closely linked , and for the most part , the judiciary report doesn ’ t attempt the difficult work of separating them .
If Epic gets relief from Apple , it ’ s most likely to come from the courts , which will probably rule on the issue long before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these recommendations .
In the meantime , the Apple Tax seems to be outside the scope of the antitrust crusade .
Of the four companies at the antitrust hearing in July , Google is probably the one that has been investigated the most .
For years , European antitrust regulators have been paring back the company ’ s powers , and the US Department of Justice is expected to launch its own massive investigation in a matter of weeks .
For other tech companies , regulatory action is a hypothetical threat , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyday reality .
Because of that , Google seems to have done the most lawyering work on the specific details of the report .
Longtime critics of the company have marveled at Google ’ s maneuvers in dealing with the committee — first denying that it held dominant market share and then claiming that it didn ’ t track the metric , even as internal emails seemed to show otherwise .
On some level , it ’ s ridiculous : of course , Google is the most popular search engine , and Chrome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat around the bush ?
But if you accept that Google holds a central position on the web , a lot of other conduct starts to look more suspicious .
The report details intense data-scraping from sites like Genius and Celebrity Net Worth , essentially turning the sites into data-feeders for Google search .
Google ’ s own products like Maps and Shopping have been steadily eating up real estate on the search page .
At the same time , Google has been striking an ever-harder bargain with its business partners .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Google Maps API skyrocketed in late 2018 , changing their bill from $ 90 to $ 20,000 a month from October to December of that year .
To would-be regulators , that looks a lot like monopoly power at work .
There is a lot of soft power at work in these deals , and most of it has simply never been visible before , which makes it hard to say what Google would look like without them .
The remedies proposed by the judiciary report look an awful lot like what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what ’ s likely to be pressed as part of the Justice Department ’ s case .
Like most antitrust actions , they would be bad for their target and good for the competition — but how much of Google would be left on the other side ?
Would Chrome still be a dominant browser if it wasn ’ t getting a boost from Google search ?
Would search have faced more competition if it wasn ’ t bundled into Android ?
It ’ s a puzzling question , as much for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But with House Democrats pushing this hard , it ’ s more likely than ever that we ’ ll find out .

On Tuesday afternoon, the House Judiciary Committee issued its final report on its investigation of competition in digital markets, the end result of years of research and hearings. Technically, there were three reports: a majority opinion from Democrats and two others from different Republican factions, part of an ongoing split in congressional efforts to bring tech companies in line. But while the politics of the documents are byzantine, the message of the majority report is crystal clear: Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google have gotten too powerful. Over 449 pages, the report lays out a playbook for how to pare back that power and use the conventional tools of antitrust law to reshape the digital world.
The report is comprehensive, and it takes on each company from a different angle, laying out different problems and proposing different solutions. Despite the “Big Tech” moniker, these are four very different companies, and the usual antitrust remedies will affect them very differently. In the piece below, we’ll walk through each step and break down exactly what the Democrats’ antitrust plan could mean for their future.
AMAZON
Amazon has significant and durable market power in the U.S. online retail market…The platform has monopoly power over many small- and medium-sized businesses that do not have a viable alternative to Amazon for reaching online consumers.
The new wave of antitrust efforts started with Amazon, so it’s no surprise that this latest report has the best feel for how to take on the e-commerce giant. The case is roughly what legal scholar Lina Khan laid out in her pivotal 2017 paper “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” — no surprise since Khan served as senior counsel to the committee. (Amazon offered a lengthy rebuttal to the argument on Tuesday, arguing it faces stiff competition from brick-and-mortar stores and that the sprawling business lines benefit consumers.)
“The dominant platforms collect real-time data ... akin to near-perfect market intelligence.”
The paper and the report both argue that Amazon is controlling the path to market for e-commerce goods. If you want to sell socks online, the best place to do it is Amazon.com, which makes it awkward when Amazon starts its own white-label socks business. In the words of the report, this means “market participants that depend on Amazon’s retail platform are effectively forced to accept its demands—even in markets where Amazon would otherwise lack the power to set the terms of commerce.”
Amazon’s counterargument has traditionally been to refer to brick-and-mortar competitors like Walmart, which have no problems offering store-brand cereal alongside name-brand competitors. But the judiciary report argues the broad scope and far reach of digital markets makes Amazon different.
“The dominant platforms collect real-time data which, given the scale of their user-base, is akin to near-perfect market intelligence,” the report argues. “Whereas firms with a choice among business partners might seek to protect their proprietary data, the platforms’ market power lets them compel the collection of this data in the first place.”
By the standards of tech antitrust, the problem here is fairly simple: Amazon is running too many businesses at once. The report proposes new rules that would prevent intermediaries like Amazon from competing with firms that depend on their infrastructure and, in some cases, prevent them from entering certain businesses at all. (These are the “structural separations and line of business restrictions” described on page 377.) On the platform side, the report calls for new non-discrimination rules that would prevent the company from privileging its own products over competitors — and hold it legally liable if it does. Both are classic anti-monopoly measures, previously applied to railroads, cable companies, and banks.
But while we know what this kind of regulation looks like for railroads, it’s a harder question what it would mean for Amazon. The company has run a successful white-label business with Amazon Basics, but it’s not that hard to imagine those brands being spun off or pared back. Amazon’s balance sheet would certainly take a hit under non-discrimination rules, but the Amazon.com homepage might come out looking more or less the same. The impact would be even harsher for Amazon Prime, which began with special deals and accelerated shipping from the commerce platform, but has sprawled out into a full-fledged streaming service and in-house movie studio. It’s hard to say what an unbundled Prime would look like, and it might simply cease to exist.
FACEBOOK
The strong network effects associated with Facebook have tipped the market toward monopoly such that Facebook competes more vigorously among its own products—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger—than with actual competitors… Facebook’s monopoly power is firmly entrenched and unlikely to be eroded by competitive pressure from new entrants or existing firms…. In the absence of competition, Facebook’s quality has deteriorated over time, resulting in worse privacy protections for its users and a dramatic rise in misinformation on its platform.
In contrast to Amazon, Facebook gets off strangely light from the antitrust report. As longtime Google antagonist Luther Lowe pointed out on Twitter, the report’s “Dominant Online Platforms” section spends the fewest pages on Facebook: just 37, compared to 68 pages for Amazon and 71 for Google. In large part, that’s because the committee isn’t dealing with data privacy (where much of the regulatory action against Facebook has focused), and the company’s monolithic network power is a poor fit for traditional anti-monopoly action.
“In the absence of competition, Facebook’s quality has deteriorated over time.”
The biggest bombshell to emerge from the hearing was a new look into the circumstances surrounding the Instagram acquisition, which internal emails cast as a play to stifle a potential competitor before it could become a threat. The report’s Facebook section mostly covers the same ground, unpacking exactly what it means and why Facebook’s market power as a social network is so difficult to challenge.
But splitting up Facebook and Instagram is more of a job for the Justice Department, and few of the report’s suggested remedies would change that situation. The report proposes tougher scrutiny for future acquisitions, along with interoperability rules that would bring US law more in line with Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — but nothing that would impact the day-to-day dominance of Facebook. The most significant measure is the non-discrimination rules, which would place limits on how Facebook is allowed to manage its network. But compared to Google search or Amazon’s Everything Store, Facebook’s platform simply isn’t that important for competitors. As a result, the Judiciary Committee mostly leaves the Facebook problem to other agencies.
APPLE
Apple exerts monopoly power in the mobile app store market, controlling access to more than 100 million iPhones and iPads in the U.S…..In the absence of competition, Apple’s monopoly power over software distribution to iOS devices has resulted in harms to competitors and competition, reducing quality and innovation among app developers, and increasing prices and reducing choices for consumers.
When Tim Cook appeared before the Judiciary Committee in July, there were few prominent examples of the company using its App Store powers to crush rivals — but it only took two weeks for that to change. On August 13th, Apple had a high-profile split with Epic Games, ultimately cutting off the iOS version of Fortnite over a payment processing dispute. The dispute is still working its way through the courts, but it has made Apple’s monopoly over iOS software impossible to ignore.
“Our company does not have a dominant market share in any category where we do business.”
The Fortnite case is only mentioned a few times in the report, but it looms in the background of most of the report’s analysis, alongside similar complaints from Basecamp and Protonmail. It also casts a shadow on power plays that might have previously seen as benign, like making Safari the permanent default browser for iPhones until iOS 14. There’s a long history of Apple Sherlocking popular iPhone apps, and the judiciary report makes it clear that some lawmakers see every case as a potential monopoly claim.
As you might expect, Apple vigorously contested the idea that it was a monopoly. “We have always said that scrutiny is reasonable and appropriate but we vehemently disagree with the conclusions reached in this staff report with respect to Apple,” a representative said. “Our company does not have a dominant market share in any category where we do business.”
Still, the proposed non-discrimination rules would have a fairly immediate impact on Apple. For years, Apple has refused to let third-party apps use NFC on the iPhone — a crucial barrier for any third-party payment apps hoping to compete with Apple Pay. Default apps for music and weather would get a close look from regulators, and it’s likely that the App Store rankings would become more transparent and equitable. But while the disruption would be significant, Apple’s core hardware business would likely remain untouched. Even services like Apple Music and Apple TV Plus would likely remain unchanged, although they would have to work that much harder to fend off rivals.
The bigger question is what happens to Epic and all the other companies hit by the so-called “Apple Tax.” The committee talked to Match Group, Spotify, and lots of other companies pushing for some kind of rollback on Apple’s 30 percent App Store commission, but the judiciary report stops short of calling for an end to the fees. In theory, the “structural separations” language could apply to the App Store, but it’s a stretch, and the committee’s language doesn’t single out Apple as a particular offender. And unlike Google and YouTube or Facebook and Instagram, it’s hard to imagine a regulator spinning off the App Store into a separate company from the iPhone. The two products are too closely linked, and for the most part, the judiciary report doesn’t attempt the difficult work of separating them. If Epic gets relief from Apple, it’s most likely to come from the courts, which will probably rule on the issue long before Congress has a chance to act on these recommendations. In the meantime, the Apple Tax seems to be outside the scope of the antitrust crusade.
GOOGLE
Google has a monopoly in the markets for general online search and search advertising. Google’s dominance is protected by high entry barriers, including its click-and-query data and the extensive default positions that Google has obtained across most of the world’s devices and browsers. A significant number of entities—spanning major public corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs—depend on Google for traffic, and no alternate search engine serves as a substitute.
Of the four companies at the antitrust hearing in July, Google is probably the one that has been investigated the most. For years, European antitrust regulators have been paring back the company’s powers, and the US Department of Justice is expected to launch its own massive investigation in a matter of weeks. For other tech companies, regulatory action is a hypothetical threat, but for Google, it’s an everyday reality.
“No alternate search engine serves as a substitute.”
Because of that, Google seems to have done the most lawyering work on the specific details of the report. Longtime critics of the company have marveled at Google’s maneuvers in dealing with the committee — first denying that it held dominant market share and then claiming that it didn’t track the metric, even as internal emails seemed to show otherwise. On some level, it’s ridiculous: of course, Google is the most popular search engine, and Chrome is the most popular browser. Why beat around the bush?
But if you accept that Google holds a central position on the web, a lot of other conduct starts to look more suspicious. The report details intense data-scraping from sites like Genius and Celebrity Net Worth, essentially turning the sites into data-feeders for Google search. Google’s own products like Maps and Shopping have been steadily eating up real estate on the search page. At the same time, Google has been striking an ever-harder bargain with its business partners. One partner testified that the price of using the Google Maps API skyrocketed in late 2018, changing their bill from $90 to $20,000 a month from October to December of that year. To would-be regulators, that looks a lot like monopoly power at work.


theverge--2020-10-08--PocketBook Color review: is color E Ink finally ready?

I ’ ve been looking at color e-reader prototypes as long as I ’ ve been a tech journalist .
Back in the early days of The Verge , we ’ d often cover display technology like Qualcomm ’ s Mirasol or various E Ink prototypes and come away thinking that while it wasn ’ t quite ready , it was just a matter of time .
That ’ s how technology is meant to work , right ?
We see it in unfinished form at a trade show and it turns up in mainstream products a few years later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not turned out to be the case .
Amazon and Kobo still don ’ t sell color e-readers , and if anything the prospect seems even further off than it did a decade ago , now that it ’ s possible to sell passable LCD tablets for well under $ 100 .
They don ’ t have the battery life or the outdoor readability of E Ink , but it ’ s clear that that ’ s a niche concern .
E Ink is still working on the idea , though , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot yet at color screen tech that ’ s appropriate for e-readers : Kaleido .
I ’ ve been testing one of the first e-readers to use this type of display , the new €199 ( $ 234 ) PocketBook Color , and while it ’ s not a perfect device , it ’ s good enough to give me hope in the future of color E Ink .
PocketBook is an e-reader manufacturer headquartered in Switzerland and mostly selling to various European markets .
The company has been around since 2007 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s third largest maker of premium E Ink-based e-readers , presumably putting it behind Amazon and Rakuten ’ s Kobo .
Screen aside , the PocketBook Color doesn ’ t look much different to any other 6-inch e-reader .
It ’ s all plastic , but the design is fairly sleek with a matte silver finish on the back and a soft-touch texture on the front .
You ’ ll find a power button , a Micro USB port ( boo ) , and a microSD slot ( yay ) on the bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Micro USB-to-headphone jack adapter so you can listen to audiobooks , and the device also has Bluetooth support for wireless headphones .
There are home , menu , and page-turn buttons located below the screen , and they ’ re all easily accessible ; at 160g , the PocketBook Color is light enough to hold with your thumb resting at the bottom .
I actually prefer this to the side-mounted page-turn buttons on previous Kindles I ’ ve owned , which never quite felt like they were at the right height — at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PocketBook Color runs a custom Linux-based OS that includes various apps .
There ’ s a web browser , a notes app , and even some games like chess and sudoku .
Page-turn and menu performance is reasonable , if not quite as fast as my Kindle Oasis .
Battery life has been very good — I haven ’ t charged the PocketBook Color in weeks .
All of this is nice enough , but the PocketBook Color would be an entirely unremarkable device if not for the screen .
So let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key element of Kaleido screens is that E Ink has developed a thinner , higher quality color filter array than it used in its older Triton technology , which required a glass-based color filter layer on top of the monochrome panel .
E Ink says Kaleido displays can show up to 4,096 colors and 16 levels of grayscale , which is the same as it claimed for Triton , but the overall color reproduction is much improved .
The catch is that the color filter array severely reduces the screen ’ s overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the monochrome E Ink microcapsules .
The PocketBook Color ’ s 6-inch screen has a resolution of 1072 × 1448 when displaying black and white content , which makes for a high pixel density of 300 ppi , but areas of the screen that show color see pixel density drop to 100 .
The filter is also visible when reading monochrome content if you look closely , giving the screen a slightly grainier look than modern conventional e-readers .
The screen looks its best outdoors Kaleido screens obviously aren ’ t going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast , or vibrancy .
But I like using the PocketBook Color in the same situations where I ’ d prefer to use a Kindle over an iPad .
The screen looks its best outdoors in the sun — I ’ d compare the color reproduction to a newspaper that ’ s faded over a few days .
Not exactly stunning , then , but certainly readable and glare-free .
The resolution isn ’ t a big problem in practice , either , because the text remains sharp and images look fine at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less impressive indoors , because you really need to use the front light to see much of anything .
Crank it up too high and you don ’ t really feel like you ’ re looking at an e-reader any more , but the colors are hard to make out at too low a brightness .
I found setting it to around 30-percent brightness usually offered the best balance of color and comfort .
But with glare and power consumption less of a concern at home , I ’ d be more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first place .
Overall , I think Kaleido is imperfect but at least viable as an e-reader screen technology , and the PocketBook Color is by far the best color e-reader I ’ ve ever seen .
But its biggest problem is that I just didn ’ t know what to do with it .
PocketBook ’ s store has an extremely limited selection of English-language content .
I ’ m not going to criticize the product too hard for that , since it isn ’ t even sold in Anglophone markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to load it up with your own DRM-free content if you choose to import .
The PocketBook Color supports several book formats including EPUB , CBR , CBZ , MOBI , and PDF , and you can sync files to the device either over Dropbox or through PocketBook ’ s own cloud service , which is simple and fast .
But even in a world where the PocketBook store was stacked with bestsellers , or where you had legal , DRM-free copies of everything you ’ d ever want to read , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best way to make the most of a Kaleido screen .
Basically , it ’ s too small .
Magazines and comic books look good , but they ’ re just too hard to read on a 6-inch display .
Manga is a good fit , but tends to be overwhelmingly in black and white .
Regular books with the occasional color illustration or graphic work pretty well , but that ’ s not a very common or exciting use case , and monochrome e-readers have better overall screen quality .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewing individual panels , but I didn ’ t find them to be very convenient or effective .
While the PocketBook Color ’ s performance is generally fine , it isn ’ t really up to the task of manipulating a large PDF .
I would be really interested in a version of this device with an 8- or 9-inch screen , because I think it ’ d be a much better fit for the type of content that works best on the Kaleido display .
The one thing that does reliably look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covers , and you know what they say about judging books on those .
If anything , though , that could be the thing that drives adoption of the technology .
It ’ s definitely nice to look at your library and the book store in color — even E Ink itself sells Kaleido as enabling “ a more fully realized ebook shopping experience.
” If anything ’ s going to get Amazon on board , you ’ d think it would be that .
Color E Ink isn ’ t quite there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the best device of its kind to date , it ’ s hard to recommend over traditional e-readers unless you know what you want to read on it , considering it ’ s almost twice the price of a Kindle Paperwhite .
Do you have a 6-inch e-reader already and often use it for things that you wish you could read in color ?
This might be worth checking out .
Are you waiting for a perfect comic-reading device ?
This isn ’ t it .
I don ’ t think Kaleido @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s going to take color E Ink mainstream , but it ’ s getting there .
Even though the color reproduction is never going to compete with LCD tablets , a bigger screen with equal ( or ideally higher ) sharpness would be great for reading things like comics and magazines outdoors , and the battery life advantage remains significant .
Kaleido color E Ink is good for the same reasons as monochrome E Ink .
It still comes with a lot of trade-offs , though , and the PocketBook Color @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show off its true potential .
But keep an eye on this technology — for the first time in a long while , it actually feels like color e-readers could be viable soon .

I’ve been looking at color e-reader prototypes as long as I’ve been a tech journalist. Back in the early days of The Verge, we’d often cover display technology like Qualcomm’s Mirasol or various E Ink prototypes and come away thinking that while it wasn’t quite ready, it was just a matter of time. That’s how technology is meant to work, right? We see it in unfinished form at a trade show and it turns up in mainstream products a few years later.
Needless to say, that has not turned out to be the case. Amazon and Kobo still don’t sell color e-readers, and if anything the prospect seems even further off than it did a decade ago, now that it’s possible to sell passable LCD tablets for well under $100. They don’t have the battery life or the outdoor readability of E Ink, but it’s clear that that’s a niche concern.
E Ink is still working on the idea, though, and this year the company shipped its best shot yet at color screen tech that’s appropriate for e-readers: Kaleido. I’ve been testing one of the first e-readers to use this type of display, the new €199 ($234) PocketBook Color, and while it’s not a perfect device, it’s good enough to give me hope in the future of color E Ink.
7 Verge Score Pocketbook Color The Good Kaleido screen technology is a big step forward
Good battery life
Simple, solid design The Bad Too small for most color content
Screen doesn’t look great with monochrome books
Store is lacking How we rate and review products
PocketBook is an e-reader manufacturer headquartered in Switzerland and mostly selling to various European markets. The company has been around since 2007 and says it’s the world’s third largest maker of premium E Ink-based e-readers, presumably putting it behind Amazon and Rakuten’s Kobo.
Screen aside, the PocketBook Color doesn’t look much different to any other 6-inch e-reader. It’s all plastic, but the design is fairly sleek with a matte silver finish on the back and a soft-touch texture on the front. You’ll find a power button, a Micro USB port (boo), and a microSD slot (yay) on the bottom edge. There’s a bundled Micro USB-to-headphone jack adapter so you can listen to audiobooks, and the device also has Bluetooth support for wireless headphones.
There are home, menu, and page-turn buttons located below the screen, and they’re all easily accessible; at 160g, the PocketBook Color is light enough to hold with your thumb resting at the bottom. I actually prefer this to the side-mounted page-turn buttons on previous Kindles I’ve owned, which never quite felt like they were at the right height — at least not for my thumbs.
The PocketBook Color runs a custom Linux-based OS that includes various apps. There’s a web browser, a notes app, and even some games like chess and sudoku. Page-turn and menu performance is reasonable, if not quite as fast as my Kindle Oasis. Battery life has been very good — I haven’t charged the PocketBook Color in weeks.
All of this is nice enough, but the PocketBook Color would be an entirely unremarkable device if not for the screen. So let’s talk about the screen.
The key element of Kaleido screens is that E Ink has developed a thinner, higher quality color filter array than it used in its older Triton technology, which required a glass-based color filter layer on top of the monochrome panel. E Ink says Kaleido displays can show up to 4,096 colors and 16 levels of grayscale, which is the same as it claimed for Triton, but the overall color reproduction is much improved.
The catch is that the color filter array severely reduces the screen’s overall resolution, since it sits in front of the monochrome E Ink microcapsules. The PocketBook Color’s 6-inch screen has a resolution of 1072 × 1448 when displaying black and white content, which makes for a high pixel density of 300 ppi, but areas of the screen that show color see pixel density drop to 100. The filter is also visible when reading monochrome content if you look closely, giving the screen a slightly grainier look than modern conventional e-readers.
The screen looks its best outdoors
Kaleido screens obviously aren’t going to compete with tablets in brightness, contrast, or vibrancy. But I like using the PocketBook Color in the same situations where I’d prefer to use a Kindle over an iPad. The screen looks its best outdoors in the sun — I’d compare the color reproduction to a newspaper that’s faded over a few days. Not exactly stunning, then, but certainly readable and glare-free. The resolution isn’t a big problem in practice, either, because the text remains sharp and images look fine at normal viewing distances.
The screen is less impressive indoors, because you really need to use the front light to see much of anything. Crank it up too high and you don’t really feel like you’re looking at an e-reader any more, but the colors are hard to make out at too low a brightness. I found setting it to around 30-percent brightness usually offered the best balance of color and comfort. But with glare and power consumption less of a concern at home, I’d be more likely to reach for a regular tablet in the first place.
Overall, I think Kaleido is imperfect but at least viable as an e-reader screen technology, and the PocketBook Color is by far the best color e-reader I’ve ever seen. But its biggest problem is that I just didn’t know what to do with it.
PocketBook’s store has an extremely limited selection of English-language content. I’m not going to criticize the product too hard for that, since it isn’t even sold in Anglophone markets, but you should expect to have to load it up with your own DRM-free content if you choose to import. The PocketBook Color supports several book formats including EPUB, CBR, CBZ, MOBI, and PDF, and you can sync files to the device either over Dropbox or through PocketBook’s own cloud service, which is simple and fast.
It’s too small
But even in a world where the PocketBook store was stacked with bestsellers, or where you had legal, DRM-free copies of everything you’d ever want to read, the PocketBook Color wouldn’t be the best way to make the most of a Kaleido screen. Basically, it’s too small. Magazines and comic books look good, but they’re just too hard to read on a 6-inch display. Manga is a good fit, but tends to be overwhelmingly in black and white. Regular books with the occasional color illustration or graphic work pretty well, but that’s not a very common or exciting use case, and monochrome e-readers have better overall screen quality.
There are modes for zooming, scaling, and viewing individual panels, but I didn’t find them to be very convenient or effective. While the PocketBook Color’s performance is generally fine, it isn’t really up to the task of manipulating a large PDF. I would be really interested in a version of this device with an 8- or 9-inch screen, because I think it’d be a much better fit for the type of content that works best on the Kaleido display.
The one thing that does reliably look great on the PocketBook Color is book covers, and you know what they say about judging books on those. If anything, though, that could be the thing that drives adoption of the technology. It’s definitely nice to look at your library and the book store in color — even E Ink itself sells Kaleido as enabling “a more fully realized ebook shopping experience.” If anything’s going to get Amazon on board, you’d think it would be that.
Color E Ink isn’t quite there yet. Even though the PocketBook Color is the best device of its kind to date, it’s hard to recommend over traditional e-readers unless you know what you want to read on it, considering it’s almost twice the price of a Kindle Paperwhite. Do you have a 6-inch e-reader already and often use it for things that you wish you could read in color? This might be worth checking out. Are you waiting for a perfect comic-reading device? This isn’t it.
I don’t think Kaleido in its current form is the technology that’s going to take color E Ink mainstream, but it’s getting there. Even though the color reproduction is never going to compete with LCD tablets, a bigger screen with equal (or ideally higher) sharpness would be great for reading things like comics and magazines outdoors, and the battery life advantage remains significant.


theverge--2020-10-08--Best Buy misreads calendar, thinks Black Friday starts next Tuesday

Best Buy has announced that it will be kicking off its Black Friday deals not on the Friday following Thanksgiving in the US , but next Tuesday , October 13th .
This two-day deal fest will last through October 14th .
Of course , it ’ s no coincidence that this window of time matches when Amazon ’ s Prime Day 2020 takes place .
Best Buy usually runs anti-Prime Day deals each year , though this year ’ s Prime Day is different since it ’ s happening so close to the other big shopping holidays , Black Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the middle of the summer .
So here we are , writing about “ Black Friday ” deals in October .
As far as what deals you might expect to get next week , Best Buy ’ s only providing a tease .
It ’ s touting a 70-inch Samsung 4K television for $ 530 — a deal so good , Best Buy says , it will grace the cover of its Black Friday ad when it launches later this month .
$ 530 for a 70-inch TV does seem good , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s this model that ’ s already $ 600 outside of any sale or a slightly more expensive model that ’ s currently $ 750 .
So here we are , writing about Black Friday deals in October Best Buy is also touting laptops that start at $ 120 .
There are no other specifics provided in terms of what brands or models will be up for grabs at this price .
I definitely wouldn ’ t expect too much out of whatever laptop ends up selling for this price , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know about it once we know more .
Lastly , the JBL Free wireless headphones will be $ 70 .
Best Buy claims that this is $ 80 off the original price , which seems notable .
We ’ ll have to see if Amazon matches it during Black Friday .
Speaking of price matching , Best Buy is addressing what happens if something you buy now in October sells for a better price during Black Friday .
Simply put , it ’ s going to refund you the difference , presumably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that for items that have “ Black Friday Price Guaranteed ” messaging on the product page and only for purchases made while signed into a free My Best Buy account .
It says those reimbursements will take place by December 14th , 2020 .

Best Buy has announced that it will be kicking off its Black Friday deals not on the Friday following Thanksgiving in the US, but next Tuesday, October 13th. This two-day deal fest will last through October 14th.
Of course, it’s no coincidence that this window of time matches when Amazon’s Prime Day 2020 takes place. Best Buy usually runs anti-Prime Day deals each year, though this year’s Prime Day is different since it’s happening so close to the other big shopping holidays, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, instead of in the middle of the summer. So here we are, writing about “Black Friday” deals in October.
As far as what deals you might expect to get next week, Best Buy’s only providing a tease. It’s touting a 70-inch Samsung 4K television for $530 — a deal so good, Best Buy says, it will grace the cover of its Black Friday ad when it launches later this month. $530 for a 70-inch TV does seem good, though we don’t know if it’s this model that’s already $600 outside of any sale or a slightly more expensive model that’s currently $750.
So here we are, writing about Black Friday deals in October
Best Buy is also touting laptops that start at $120. There are no other specifics provided in terms of what brands or models will be up for grabs at this price. I definitely wouldn’t expect too much out of whatever laptop ends up selling for this price, but we’ll be sure to let you know about it once we know more.
Lastly, the JBL Free wireless headphones will be $70. Best Buy claims that this is $80 off the original price, which seems notable. We’ll have to see if Amazon matches it during Black Friday.


theverge--2020-10-08--Global TV shipments hit record high last quarter, report says

Global TV shipments hit a “ historical high ” in the third quarter of this year , according to a new report from TrendForce .
62.05 million units were shipped over the course of the quarter , a 12.9 percent increase over the same period last year , and 38.8 percent increase from the previous quarter .
Both Samsung and LG , the two largest TV manufacturers , said today that they ’ re expecting profits to increase this quarter compared to last year .
TrendForce gave a couple of different factors for the historic high .
It said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 20 percent as people spent more time at home due to the pandemic .
The quarterly spike also accounts for TV shipment that were delayed from the first half of the year , according to the supply-chain analytics company .
Although all five TV manufacturers saw their shipments increase , TCL lead the pack with a 52.7 percent increase year-over-year .
Samsung ’ s shipments were up 36.4 percent year-over-year , and 67.1 percent compared to Q2 .
LG , meanwhile , saw a smaller increase of 6.7 percent compared to Q3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jump since last quarter .
Samsung and LG both seem to have benefited from the uptick in TV demand based upon the preliminary guidance each announced today .
However , CNBC reports that Samsung ’ s profit increase is thought to have been largely driven by smartphone sales and earnings from its memory division .
Meanwhile LG has seen strong performance in both its TV and home appliance businesses , according to Yonhap , but it ’ s more modest 4.3 percent profit increase was helped by cost-cutting in its mobile division .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not all good news for the TV industry .
TrendForce predicts that TV shipments are expected to be down slightly overall in 2020 compared to 2019 .
It also notes that panel prices are likely to continue to increase even as the average price paid for TVs in North America decreases , eating into profit margins .

Global TV shipments hit a “historical high” in the third quarter of this year, according to a new report from TrendForce. 62.05 million units were shipped over the course of the quarter, a 12.9 percent increase over the same period last year, and 38.8 percent increase from the previous quarter. Both Samsung and LG, the two largest TV manufacturers, said today that they’re expecting profits to increase this quarter compared to last year.
TrendForce gave a couple of different factors for the historic high. It said that in North America, TV demand increased by 20 percent as people spent more time at home due to the pandemic. The quarterly spike also accounts for TV shipment that were delayed from the first half of the year, according to the supply-chain analytics company.
TrendForce’s report says the top five TV manufacturers all saw profit increases last quarter. Image: TrendForce
Although all five TV manufacturers saw their shipments increase, TCL lead the pack with a 52.7 percent increase year-over-year. Samsung’s shipments were up 36.4 percent year-over-year, and 67.1 percent compared to Q2. LG, meanwhile, saw a smaller increase of 6.7 percent compared to Q3 2019, but a massive 81.7 percent jump since last quarter.
Samsung and LG both seem to have benefited from the uptick in TV demand based upon the preliminary guidance each announced today. However, CNBC reports that Samsung’s profit increase is thought to have been largely driven by smartphone sales and earnings from its memory division. Meanwhile LG has seen strong performance in both its TV and home appliance businesses, according to Yonhap, but it’s more modest 4.3 percent profit increase was helped by cost-cutting in its mobile division.


theverge--2020-10-08--The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies are being released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

It ’ s going to be your best look at Middle Earth yet — The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies are finally getting a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release , with preorders now available and shipping starting from December 1st in the US .
That ’ s just in time for the holidays .
The news was shared by none other than Samwise Gamgee himself via fansite TheOneRing , with actor Sean Astin announcing the remaster in the video below .
“ Now , because it ’ s in 4K UHD you know it ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , ” said Astin .
“ Peter Jackson oversaw the remastering himself , and I can say that working with Peter was the adventure of a lifetime , and the friendships that I made will last forever .
Enjoy.
” The Lord of the Rings is going to be particularly delightful to see in 4K UHD , as the original trilogy was shot on 35mm film using a great deal of practical effects ( including massive miniatures ) which means scaling up the resolution should work quite naturally for the most part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was shot digitally with copious CGI ) , well , some people enjoyed those films and some people didn ’ t .
And that ’ s all I ’ ll say about that .
That ’ s not all , though .
In addition to the two 4K UHD trilogy boxsets — which will include both the theatrical and extended versions of all six films — there ’ s also an Ultimate Collectors Edition with new bonus content and remastered LotR Blu-ray discs that ’ s due to arrive in summer 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperate you can grab the 4K UHD editions of the films now , or you can wait until next year for the most complete and advanced versions .
According to The Digital Bits , the remastered films out this year will support the Dolby Vision and HDR10 High Dynamic Range standards , as well as Dolby Atmos audio .
It ’ s a bit confusing trying to track down all the different editions and prices currently available , but here ’ s what we found at the time of writing .
Prices may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rings : Motion Picture Trilogy ( Extended & Theatrical ) ( 4K Ultra HD + Digital ) [ Blu-ray ] — Amazon , $ 89.99 .
• The Lord of the Rings : Motion Picture Trilogy Giftset ( Extended & Theatrical ) ( 4K Ultra HD + Digital ) [ Blu-ray ] — Amazon , $ 149.99 • The Lord of the Rings : The Motion Picture Trilogy [ SteelBook ] [ Includes Digital Copy ] [ 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray ] — BestBuy , $ 119.99

It’s going to be your best look at Middle Earth yet — The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies are finally getting a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release, with preorders now available and shipping starting from December 1st in the US. That’s just in time for the holidays.
The news was shared by none other than Samwise Gamgee himself via fansite TheOneRing, with actor Sean Astin announcing the remaster in the video below. “Now, because it’s in 4K UHD you know it’s going to be the most incredible home-viewing experience possible,” said Astin. “Peter Jackson oversaw the remastering himself, and I can say that working with Peter was the adventure of a lifetime, and the friendships that I made will last forever. Enjoy.”
The Lord of the Rings is going to be particularly delightful to see in 4K UHD, as the original trilogy was shot on 35mm film using a great deal of practical effects (including massive miniatures) which means scaling up the resolution should work quite naturally for the most part. As for The Hobbit trilogy (which was shot digitally with copious CGI), well, some people enjoyed those films and some people didn’t. And that’s all I’ll say about that.
That’s not all, though. In addition to the two 4K UHD trilogy boxsets — which will include both the theatrical and extended versions of all six films — there’s also an Ultimate Collectors Edition with new bonus content and remastered LotR Blu-ray discs that’s due to arrive in summer 2021. So, if you’re desperate you can grab the 4K UHD editions of the films now, or you can wait until next year for the most complete and advanced versions.
According to The Digital Bits, the remastered films out this year will support the Dolby Vision and HDR10 High Dynamic Range standards, as well as Dolby Atmos audio.
It’s a bit confusing trying to track down all the different editions and prices currently available, but here’s what we found at the time of writing. Prices may change.


theverge--2020-10-08--Drone truck startup Einride unveils new driverless vehicles for autonomous freight hauling

Einride , the Swedish autonomous trucking startup , unveiled a new vehicle type that the company hopes to have on the road delivering freight starting in 2021 .
The vehicles , dubbed Autonomous Electric Transport ( AET ) , came in four different variations .
And much like Einride ’ s previous prototypes , they come without steering wheels , pedals , windshields , and , in general , no cab at all .
Einride has been in the business of releasing interesting , eye-catching prototype vehicles since it was founded in 2016 .
There was the cab-less T-Pod , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are operating on public roads hauling freight for Oatly , the Swedish food producer .
A year later , the company unveiled the T-Log , built to be more powerful than its predecessor for the job of ( you guessed it ) hauling tons of giant tree logs .
Now it has a next-generation vehicle that it hopes it can put into production .
Einride ’ s also been engaged with the less glamorous part of the job , which is testing , validating , and seeking regulatory approval for its vehicles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be controlled remotely by a human operator , in addition to operating autonomously without human intervention .
The company has yet to reveal its plans for production and manufacturing .
Design-wise , the AET vehicles look almost identical to Einride ’ s Pod ( previously T-Pod ) prototype : sleek , white , cab-less pods with smooth lines and an otherworldly feel .
Einride CEO Robert Falck said the AET is more aerodynamic than previous iterations , which will help when the company starts to scale up its manufacturing .
“ When you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why reinvent the wheel ?
” Falck said .
The new AET vehicles come in four levels .
The first two — AET 1 and AET 2 — have top speeds of 30 km/h ( 18 mph ) , weigh 26 tons , have payloads of 16 tons , and a battery range of 130-180 km ( 80-110 miles ) .
AET 3 and AET 4 have similar weight and payload capacity , with top speeds of 45 km/h and 85 km/h , respectively .
The main difference between the four variants is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the car can drive autonomously .
The AET 1 is designed to operate within a geofence , or a defined geographic area , while AET 2 is permitted to travel outside a geofence using teleoperation .
AET 3 is designed for rural settings , and AET 4 for highway driving .
Or as Falck puts it : The next generation Pod is a singular vehicle , but operates in up to four different operational domains ( AET levels ) .
So for example if a customer orders a Pod with AET 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in closed facilities ( AET 1 - Fenced ) , on nearby delivery routes ( AET 2 - Nearby ) , and on back roads between destinations at speeds up to 45 km/h ( AET 3 - Rural ) .
Every Pod , regardless of AET level , is capable of SAE level 4 autonomous drive and able to be remotely operated when necessary .
In terms of tech features , each Pod will be nearly identical , with some different hardware and software configurations depending both on unique customer needs and operational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drivetrain , proprietary telematics hardware that interfaces with the freight mobility platform , and autonomous drive hardware such as LIDAR , cameras , and sensors on each Pod .
Einride claims its new vehicles will “ reduce transport costs by up to 60 percent and CO2 emissions by a staggering 90 percent ” — a bold but impossible to fact-check claim , given the company doesn ’ t have a fully scaled business yet .
Einride ’ s vision for cab-less freight haulers has helped it raise a modest amount of money : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 10 million earlier this month from existing investors .
The company recently demonstrated how one operator , essentially working as a traffic controller , can control multiple pods at once .
The company says it is using Nvidia ’ s self-driving software to achieve Level 4 ( meaning completely driverless under certain conditions ) driving .
The trucks can also be controlled by a remote operator who is located hundreds of miles away using Phantom Auto ’ s teleoperation technology .
The use of this technology may help Einride overcome the hurdles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that the first industry to be affected by autonomous driving will be the trucking sector .
What better use case for driverless technology than long-haul trucking where most of the driving is confined to the highway ?
But Einride has a bolder vision that includes off-roading and heavy-duty cargo .
No doubt the image of a cab-less truck will further stoke fears that autonomous technology will lead to enormous displacement in the workforce — or just fears about the safety of a tractor-trailer sized vehicle without a human driver .
( Remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , 4.4 million jobs are related to driving ; of those , trucking jobs comprise about 2.5 million .
A recent study found that automated trucks could reduce the demand for drivers by as much as 50 to 70 percent in the US and Europe by 2030 , with 4.4 million of the 6.4 million professional drivers on both continents rendered obsolete .

Einride, the Swedish autonomous trucking startup, unveiled a new vehicle type that the company hopes to have on the road delivering freight starting in 2021. The vehicles, dubbed Autonomous Electric Transport (AET), came in four different variations. And much like Einride’s previous prototypes, they come without steering wheels, pedals, windshields, and, in general, no cab at all.
Einride has been in the business of releasing interesting, eye-catching prototype vehicles since it was founded in 2016. There was the cab-less Pod, released in 2017, which has been used in partnership with German logistics firm DB Schenker. The company also has electric trucks hauling freight for Oatly, the Swedish food producer. A year later, the company unveiled the T-Log, built to be more powerful than its predecessor for the job of (you guessed it) hauling tons of giant tree logs. Now it has a next-generation vehicle that it hopes it can put into production.
No cab, no problem
Einride’s also been engaged with the less glamorous part of the job, which is testing, validating, and seeking regulatory approval for its vehicles, all of which are electric and can be controlled remotely by a human operator, in addition to operating autonomously without human intervention. The company has yet to reveal its plans for production and manufacturing.
Design-wise, the AET vehicles look almost identical to Einride’s Pod (previously T-Pod) prototype: sleek, white, cab-less pods with smooth lines and an otherworldly feel. Einride CEO Robert Falck said the AET is more aerodynamic than previous iterations, which will help when the company starts to scale up its manufacturing. “When you nail a design the first time, why reinvent the wheel?” Falck said.
The new AET vehicles come in four levels. The first two — AET 1 and AET 2 — have top speeds of 30 km/h (18 mph), weigh 26 tons, have payloads of 16 tons, and a battery range of 130-180 km (80-110 miles). AET 3 and AET 4 have similar weight and payload capacity, with top speeds of 45 km/h and 85 km/h, respectively.
The main difference between the four variants is their operational domain, or conditions under which the car can drive autonomously. The AET 1 is designed to operate within a geofence, or a defined geographic area, while AET 2 is permitted to travel outside a geofence using teleoperation. AET 3 is designed for rural settings, and AET 4 for highway driving. Or as Falck puts it:
The next generation Pod is a singular vehicle, but operates in up to four different operational domains (AET levels). So for example if a customer orders a Pod with AET 3 capability, it is able to operate in closed facilities (AET 1 - Fenced), on nearby delivery routes (AET 2 - Nearby), and on back roads between destinations at speeds up to 45 km/h (AET 3 - Rural). Every Pod, regardless of AET level, is capable of SAE level 4 autonomous drive and able to be remotely operated when necessary. In terms of tech features, each Pod will be nearly identical, with some different hardware and software configurations depending both on unique customer needs and operational domain demands. That means an electric drivetrain, proprietary telematics hardware that interfaces with the freight mobility platform, and autonomous drive hardware such as LIDAR, cameras, and sensors on each Pod.
Einride claims its new vehicles will “reduce transport costs by up to 60 percent and CO2 emissions by a staggering 90 percent” — a bold but impossible to fact-check claim, given the company doesn’t have a fully scaled business yet.
Einride’s vision for cab-less freight haulers has helped it raise a modest amount of money: $25 million in 2019 and another $10 million earlier this month from existing investors. The company recently demonstrated how one operator, essentially working as a traffic controller, can control multiple pods at once.
The company says it is using Nvidia’s self-driving software to achieve Level 4 (meaning completely driverless under certain conditions) driving. The trucks can also be controlled by a remote operator who is located hundreds of miles away using its own in-house teleoperation technology. The use of this technology may help Einride overcome the hurdles presented by off-road driving. (The company previously used teleoperation technology provided by Phantom Auto.)
Most experts believe that the first industry to be affected by autonomous driving will be the trucking sector. What better use case for driverless technology than long-haul trucking where most of the driving is confined to the highway? But Einride has a bolder vision that includes off-roading and heavy-duty cargo.


theverge--2020-10-08--Microsoft is bringing xCloud to iOS via the web

Microsoft is working on a “ direct browser-based solution ” to bring xCloud to iOS early next year .
Sources familiar with Microsoft ’ s plans tell The Verge that the company has been developing a web version of xCloud to run on iOS and iPadOS devices , alongside continuing its work on an app that it hopes will also eventually run on Apple ’ s platform .
Microsoft ’ s gaming chief , Phil Spencer , revealed the company ’ s browser-based xCloud work during a recent internal all-hands meeting .
“ We absolutely will end up on iOS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting that he “ feels good ” about the company ’ s iOS progress .
“ We ’ ll end up on iPhones , and iPads with Game Pass.
” Business Insider first reported the news of the web version for iOS .
Apple has been blocking services like xCloud and Stadia from running on iOS devices via its App Store , and recently offered an olive branch to these services with some big restrictions .
Apple insists that developers must individually submit their games as separate apps using their streaming tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a “ catalog ” -style app that collects and links out to all of these individual apps .
Microsoft wasn ’ t impressed with Apple ’ s approach , and xCloud ’ s potential launch on iPhones and iPads has been left in limbo as a result .
We understand Microsoft is targeting an early 2021 release for a web-based version of xCloud for Apple ’ s devices .
This browser version would bypass the App Store , just like Amazon is doing with its new Luna game streaming service .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spencer also discussed the company ’ s plans for xCloud on PC .
Spencer described PC as a “ great opportunity ” for both Game Pass and game streaming .
Microsoft is now aiming to bring xCloud to Windows 10 PCs in 2021 .
The software giant has been testing a preview version with employees for months , and it will debut at some point next year .

Microsoft is working on a “direct browser-based solution” to bring xCloud to iOS early next year. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company has been developing a web version of xCloud to run on iOS and iPadOS devices, alongside continuing its work on an app that it hopes will also eventually run on Apple’s platform.
Microsoft’s gaming chief, Phil Spencer, revealed the company’s browser-based xCloud work during a recent internal all-hands meeting. “We absolutely will end up on iOS,” said Spencer during the meeting, noting that he “feels good” about the company’s iOS progress. “We’ll end up on iPhones, and iPads with Game Pass.” Business Insider first reported the news of the web version for iOS.
Apple has been blocking services like xCloud and Stadia from running on iOS devices via its App Store, and recently offered an olive branch to these services with some big restrictions. Apple insists that developers must individually submit their games as separate apps using their streaming tech. Microsoft and Google are free to create a “catalog”-style app that collects and links out to all of these individual apps.
Microsoft wasn’t impressed with Apple’s approach, and xCloud’s potential launch on iPhones and iPads has been left in limbo as a result. We understand Microsoft is targeting an early 2021 release for a web-based version of xCloud for Apple’s devices. This browser version would bypass the App Store, just like Amazon is doing with its new Luna game streaming service.


theverge--2020-10-08--Alienware has its own RTX 3080 GPU, and its new monitors are bringing the hertz

When it comes to pre-built desktops , I ’ ve nearly bought an Alienware Aurora several times over the years , because the company ’ s toolless upgradable chassis and bang-for-the-buck has been pretty hard to beat .
Now , the Alienware Aurora R11 and R10 Ryzen Edition have also become a way to get Nvidia ’ s extremely hard to find RTX 3080 and 3090 GPUs — and they ’ re like no RTX 3080 or 3090 you ’ ve seen .
The boards and cooling have been tweaked by Alienware itself to be shorter than any RTX 3000-series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at just 267mm ( 10.5 inches ) in length , the better to fit into smaller cases like the Aurora R11 .
Believe it or note , Nvidia ’ s own RTX 3080 Founder ’ s Edition is actually one of the smallest cards on the market at 285mm ( 11.2 inches ) long , and this is even shorter .
Plus , Alienware says its custom 10mm-heat-pipe-and-vapor-chamber solution , with dual fans , only takes up 2.5 PCIe slots .
It uses a standard pair of 8-pin power connectors , instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , the new cards don ’ t come cheap , adding $ 825 to the base price of either Aurora , or an additional $ 1,625 for an RTX 3090 .
Still , you could walk away with a full RTX 3080 PC for as little as $ 1,800 — after adding the 1,000-watt power supply .
( Dell ships a 550W PSU by default , but Nvidia recommends 750W or higher for these cards . )
Personally , I ’ d recommend spending at least $ 2,000 to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a solid-state boot drive , and I might drop an extra $ 100 for a faster CPU unless you ’ re pairing this PC with a fairly high-resolution monitor .
I ’ m currently running a RTX 3080 in a rig with a slightly slower processor and a 1080p screen , and benchmarks suggest my CPU is what ’ s holding back the framerate .
Speaking of screens , though , Alienware also has a new set that might intrigue you , including three new gaming monitors and a new 360Hz 1080p @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll cost you an extra $ 150 .
( It also requires an RTX 2060 or better ; we ’ re seeing configs with it as low as $ 2,419.99 . )
Meanwhile , the Alienware 25 ( AW2521H ) , Alienware 27 ( AW2721D ) and Alienware 38 ( AW3821DW ) monitors will start at $ 899.99 , $ 1099.99 and $ 1899.99 respectively when they arrive next month .
While their screen sizes should be pretty obvious from their names , they ’ re separated by more than a vast expanse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blazing fast 360Hz 1ms Fast IPS G-Sync monitor with a fairly standard 400-nits of brightness and 1080p resolution , while the Alienware 27 has a 240Hz , 2560 x 1440 1ms Fast IPS panel with 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut , G-Sync Ultimate and DisplayHDR 600 certifications ( though it ’ s rated at a typical brightness of 450 nits , FYI ) .
DisplayHDR 600 is better than DisplayHDR 400 , but it ’ s no DisplayHDR 1000 Then there ’ s the Alienware 38 , a 144Hz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a 2300R curved screen , a 21:9 aspect ratio and 95 percent DCI-P3 coverage , G-Sync Ultimate and the same DisplayHDR 600 cert ( and 450-nit typical brightness ) as the Alienware 27 .
All three monitors come with a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports , a DisplayPort 1.4 ( which you ’ ll need to use for maximum refresh rate ) , a bevy of USB 3.2 ports , and an ambient light sensor for auto-adjusting brightness .
The Alienware 25 had previously been tipped as one of four 360Hz monitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latency Analyzer feature for what could potentially be a slight edge in e-sports , and as we predicted , it doesn ’ t come cheap .

The boards and cooling have been tweaked by Alienware itself to be shorter than any RTX 3000-series card we’ve heard about yet, at just 267mm (10.5 inches) in length, the better to fit into smaller cases like the Aurora R11. Believe it or not, Nvidia’s own RTX 3080 Founder’s Edition is actually one of the smallest cards on the market at 285mm (11.2 inches) long, and this is even shorter.
Plus, Alienware says its custom 10mm-heat-pipe-and-vapor-chamber solution, with dual fans, only takes up 2.5 PCIe slots. It uses a standard pair of 8-pin power connectors, instead of Nvidia’s 12-pin cable.
Of course, the new cards don’t come cheap, adding $825 to the base price of either Aurora, or an additional $1,625 for an RTX 3090. Still, you could walk away with a full RTX 3080 PC for as little as $1,800 — after adding the 1,000-watt power supply. (Dell ships a 550W PSU by default, but Nvidia recommends 750W or higher for these cards.)
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1 / 17 Dell
Personally, I’d recommend spending at least $2,000 to make sure you’re getting 16GB of RAM and a solid-state boot drive, and I might drop an extra $100 for a faster CPU unless you’re pairing this PC with a fairly high-resolution monitor. I’m currently running a RTX 3080 in a rig with a slightly slower processor and a 1080p screen, and benchmarks suggest my CPU is what’s holding back the framerate.
Speaking of screens, though, Alienware also has a new set that might intrigue you, including three new gaming monitors and a new 360Hz 1080p panel for the Area-51m laptop that’ll cost you an extra $150. (It also requires an RTX 2060 or better; we’re seeing configs with it as low as $2,419.99.)
Meanwhile, the Alienware 25 (AW2521H), Alienware 27 (AW2721D) and Alienware 38 (AW3821DW) monitors will start at $899.99, $1099.99 and $1899.99 respectively when they arrive next month.
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While their screen sizes should be pretty obvious from their names, they’re separated by more than a vast expanse of pixels: the Alienware 25 is a blazing fast 360Hz 1ms Fast IPS G-Sync monitor with a fairly standard 400-nits of brightness and 1080p resolution, while the Alienware 27 has a 240Hz, 2560 x 1440 1ms Fast IPS panel with 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, G-Sync Ultimate and DisplayHDR 600 certifications (though it’s rated at a typical brightness of 450 nits, FYI).
DisplayHDR 600 is better than DisplayHDR 400, but it’s no DisplayHDR 1000
Then there’s the Alienware 38, a 144Hz, 3840 x 1600 1ms Fast IPS monitor with a 2300R curved screen, a 21:9 aspect ratio and 95 percent DCI-P3 coverage, G-Sync Ultimate and the same DisplayHDR 600 cert (and 450-nit typical brightness) as the Alienware 27. All three monitors come with a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 (which you’ll need to use for maximum refresh rate), a bevy of USB 3.2 ports, and an ambient light sensor for auto-adjusting brightness.
The Alienware 25 had previously been tipped as one of four 360Hz monitors to support Nvidia’s new Reflex Latency Analyzer feature for what could potentially be a slight edge in e-sports, and as we predicted, it doesn’t come cheap.