theverge--2020-07-29--Jeff Bezos can’t promise Amazon employees don’t access independent seller data

During Wednesday ’ s antitrust hearing , Amazon and its CEO Jeff Bezos came under fire by lawmakers over the company ’ s alleged use of third-party seller data in developing its own products .
Earlier this year , The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon employees have accessed sales data from independent sellers on its marketplace to help the company develop competing products for its private-label .
Amazon has a policy barring the practice , but lawmakers like Rep. Pramila Jayapal ( D-WA ) focused in on the company ’ s enforcement of that policy .
“ Let me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon ever access and use seller data when making business decisions ?
” Jayapal asked .
“ I can ’ t guarantee you that that policy has never been violated.
” Bezos highlighted the company ’ s policy banning the practice , but said , “ I can ’ t guarantee you that that policy has never been violated.
” He continued , “ We continue to look into that very carefully .
I ’ m not yet satisfied that we ’ ve gotten to the bottom of it , and we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not as easy to do as you would think because some of the sources in the article are anonymous.
” Before the Journal ’ s report came out , Amazon had told Congress that it doesn ’ t access sales data to help guide the launch of its own products .
“ Our incentive is to help the seller succeed because we rely on them , ” Nate Sutton , Amazon ’ s associate general counsel , said at a hearing last July .
“ They have many options @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to both and we do not use their individual data when we ’ re making decisions to launch private brands.
” Antitrust activists have long been concerned about Amazon ’ s power over independent sellers on its platform and how it could use that power to launch competing products .
In a pivotal 2017 law review article , antitrust scholar Lina Khan described it as a classic example of discrimination in infrastructure , writing , “ Amazon itself effectively controls the infrastructure of the internet economy.
” Still , Jayapal cited documents obtained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s investigation that call into question Amazon ’ s ability to enforce its policies against tapping seller data .
“ The committee has interviewed employees that say these breaches typically occur , ” Jayapal said .
The collection of aggregate data is allowed under Amazon ’ s policies , just not specific seller data .
Still , Jayapal argued that aggregate data could still provide Amazon with “ detailed data ” on specific product categories .
“ So you can set the rules of the game for your competitors , but not actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Jayapal said .
Bezos also caught fire from Rep. Lucy McBath ( D-GA ) over Amazon ’ s ability to “ systematically block ” sellers from selling specific products , citing direct testimony from a seller who believed she had been blocked .
“ I do not think that ’ s systematically what ’ s going on , ” Bezos said .
“ Third-party sellers in aggregate are doing extremely well on Amazon .
”

During Wednesday’s antitrust hearing, Amazon and its CEO Jeff Bezos came under fire by lawmakers over the company’s alleged use of third-party seller data in developing its own products.
Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon employees have accessed sales data from independent sellers on its marketplace to help the company develop competing products for its private-label. Amazon has a policy barring the practice, but lawmakers like Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) focused in on the company’s enforcement of that policy.
“Let me ask you, Mr. Bezos, does Amazon ever access and use seller data when making business decisions?” Jayapal asked.
“I can’t guarantee you that that policy has never been violated.”
Bezos highlighted the company’s policy banning the practice, but said, “I can’t guarantee you that that policy has never been violated.” He continued, “We continue to look into that very carefully. I’m not yet satisfied that we’ve gotten to the bottom of it, and we’re going to keep looking at it. It’s not as easy to do as you would think because some of the sources in the article are anonymous.”
Before the Journal’s report came out, Amazon had told Congress that it doesn’t access sales data to help guide the launch of its own products. “Our incentive is to help the seller succeed because we rely on them,” Nate Sutton, Amazon’s associate general counsel, said at a hearing last July. “They have many options. So we apply the same criteria to both and we do not use their individual data when we’re making decisions to launch private brands.”
Antitrust activists have long been concerned about Amazon’s power over independent sellers on its platform and how it could use that power to launch competing products. In a pivotal 2017 law review article, antitrust scholar Lina Khan described it as a classic example of discrimination in infrastructure, writing, “Amazon itself effectively controls the infrastructure of the internet economy.”
Still, Jayapal cited documents obtained and interviews conducted over the committee’s investigation that call into question Amazon’s ability to enforce its policies against tapping seller data. “The committee has interviewed employees that say these breaches typically occur,” Jayapal said.
The collection of aggregate data is allowed under Amazon’s policies, just not specific seller data. Still, Jayapal argued that aggregate data could still provide Amazon with “detailed data” on specific product categories.
“So you can set the rules of the game for your competitors, but not actually follow those same rules for yourself,” Jayapal said.
Bezos also caught fire from Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) over Amazon’s ability to “systematically block” sellers from selling specific products, citing direct testimony from a seller who believed she had been blocked.


theverge--2020-07-29--Google’s business model ‘is the problem,’ David Cicilline says

During Wednesday ’ s tech antitrust hearing , Rep. David Cicilline ( D-RI ) tore into Google CEO Sundar Pichai over the company ’ s dominance in search and its use of data to monitor would-be competitors .
“ It is Google ’ s business model that is the problem , ” Cicilline said , alleging a pattern of anti-competitive behavior that allowed Google to grow while smaller businesses were crushed .
“ Our documents show that Google evolved from a turnstile to the rest of the web to a walled garden that increasingly keeps users within its sites.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decade ago ” between Google employees discussing sites that were growing and traffic .
Employees “ started to fear competition from certain websites [ and ] web pages that could divert search traffic and revenue from Google , ” Cicilline alleged .
For years , companies like Yelp have accused Google of stealing their content in search , diverting clicks from their own sites and onto Google ’ s .
According to Cicilline , the committee ’ s investigation shows that when Yelp raised these concerns with the company , Google threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to scrub its content .
Pichai did not outright address the competition concerns , responding , “ When I run the company , I ’ m really focused on giving users what they want .
We conduct ourselves to the highest standard.
” Google is already under several formal antitrust investigations by law enforcement .
Both the Justice Department and a coalition of state attorneys general are engaged in probes of the tech giant , and California opened its own antitrust investigation into the company earlier this month .
Cicilline specifically cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google employees that suggest that the company uses insights from surveillance over web traffic to identify potential competitors and that it boosts its own sites and products in search .
“ These documents show that Google ’ s staff discussed ‘ the proliferating threat ’ that these web pages pose to Google .
Any traffic lost to other sites was a loss in revenue , ” Cicilline said .
On Tuesday , The Markup released a report suggesting that Google prioritizes its own products and services in a significant portion of links on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The latter half of Cicilline ’ s questioning homed in on Google ’ s surveillance abilities over web traffic to identify up and coming competitors .
Cicilline asked outright , “ Did Google ever use its surveillance over web traffic to identify competitive threats ?
” Pichai did not deny the allegation directly .
“ Congressman , just like other businesses we try to understand trends from , you know , data , which we can see , and we use it to improve our products for users .
”

During Wednesday’s tech antitrust hearing, Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) tore into Google CEO Sundar Pichai over the company’s dominance in search and its use of data to monitor would-be competitors.
“It is Google’s business model that is the problem,” Cicilline said, alleging a pattern of anti-competitive behavior that allowed Google to grow while smaller businesses were crushed. “Our documents show that Google evolved from a turnstile to the rest of the web to a walled garden that increasingly keeps users within its sites.”
Cicilline cited specific emails from “over a decade ago” between Google employees discussing sites that were growing and traffic. Employees “started to fear competition from certain websites [and] web pages that could divert search traffic and revenue from Google,” Cicilline alleged.
For years, companies like Yelp have accused Google of stealing their content in search, diverting clicks from their own sites and onto Google’s. According to Cicilline, the committee’s investigation shows that when Yelp raised these concerns with the company, Google threatened to delist the website unless it was allowed to scrub its content.
“Isn’t that anti-competitive?” Cicilline asked Pichai.
Pichai did not outright address the competition concerns, responding, “When I run the company, I’m really focused on giving users what they want. We conduct ourselves to the highest standard.”
Google is already under several formal antitrust investigations by law enforcement. Both the Justice Department and a coalition of state attorneys general are engaged in probes of the tech giant, and California opened its own antitrust investigation into the company earlier this month.
Cicilline specifically cited interviews with small businesses and emails between Google employees that suggest that the company uses insights from surveillance over web traffic to identify potential competitors and that it boosts its own sites and products in search.
“These documents show that Google’s staff discussed ‘the proliferating threat’ that these web pages pose to Google. Any traffic lost to other sites was a loss in revenue,” Cicilline said.
On Tuesday, The Markup released a report suggesting that Google prioritizes its own products and services in a significant portion of links on the first page of search results.
The latter half of Cicilline’s questioning homed in on Google’s surveillance abilities over web traffic to identify up and coming competitors. Cicilline asked outright, “Did Google ever use its surveillance over web traffic to identify competitive threats?”


theverge--2020-07-29--The cheapest Cam Link clone you can buy actually works pretty well

As The Verge ’ s resident live-streaming reporter , I do a lot of streaming on my own time , both because it ’ s fun and because I want to know a little about what it ’ s like for the people I cover .
That ’ s meant I ’ ve gained a healthy appreciation for the various pieces of gear that make streaming possible — because streaming is the opposite of effortless .
Things break constantly , and most of the time for no obvious reason .
( There but for the grace of god go we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , I ’ ve found that upgrading my stream setup is one of the few true pleasures I have left ; there ’ s nothing quite as satisfying as adding a new camera or microphone or chat command that might elevate a viewer ’ s experience .
It is in that spirit — the spirit of perpetual tinkering and perpetual upgrades — that I bring you the cheapest , best piece of gear I own .
It is a no-brand cam link that retails between $ 11 ( eBay , but beware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon ) .
This device is one of those magical things that ’ s made possible by the confluence of online retail , consolidated manufacturing in China , and a global postal service .
It simply couldn ’ t have existed before .
As a clone of the popular Elgato Cam Link 4K ( which retails for $ 129.99 ) , all the device does is convert HDMI to USB , which is conceptually simple but technically more complex .
The best of these devices do this conversion very quickly and at high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handles 4K resolution .
Due to the pandemic and the legions of people who ’ ve joined Twitch and YouTube , however , the brand name models have become difficult to find , which is where this weird little knockoff model comes in .
My colleague Grayson , a motion designer at The Verge , tipped me off to it one day in early June , after he saw an excellent video review of the device from the YouTuber EposVox .
I thought the review was convincing , so I figured I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend and fellow streamer MikeAM took the plunge with me ; we decided we ’ d try to upgrade our video streams on the cheap because hey , why not ?
We each bought a 2018 GoPro Hero , some micro HDMI to HDMI cables , a non-HDCP HDMI splitter , and , of course , one of these cards .
The difference was instantly apparent .
I ’ d been switching between my Logitech C922 and a Panasonic Lumix GH5 ( which I borrow to shoot a late-night show on Twitch ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much clearer the GoPro ’ s video was than the C922 .
( With a splitter , the HDMI converter doubles as an extremely cheap capture card for a console , though I ’ d personally recommend shelling out for the more fully featured Elgato HD60 S. ) The experiment worked .
Naturally , the star of the show was the capture card .
It has a lot of limitations : it can only support 1080p / 60fps input , and its output maxes at 1080p / 30fps or 720p / 60fps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which means the colors are sometimes a little wonky .
( I used a filter in OBS to desaturate the image . )
It also sometimes lags , which is a problem because you can ’ t actually Google how to fix the problem — there ’ s no manual , really , and troubleshooting is nonexistent .
The other thing to remember is that not all of these cheap cards are created equal ; if you pick up one that ’ s billed as USB 3.0 , or one that looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely different device .
But if you can work within those limitations , the device is a dream .
It ’ s plug ‘ n ’ play : the card shows up on your computer as “ USB Video , ” and it works anywhere you ’ d put a webcam , which includes Zoom , Discord , OBS , and more .
The price point is also unbeatable .
Lately I ’ ve been using it with the Lumix .
It ’ s always a joy to plug in because I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you want to see what it looks like in action , feel free to follow me on Twitch .
Otherwise , if you have a camera that outputs HDMI and don ’ t want to ( or can ’ t ) shell out for an Elgato , I ’ d say pick this little guy up .
It ’ s a cheap upgrade that , for me , has absolutely been worth it .
Go see for yourself .

As The Verge’s resident live-streaming reporter, I do a lot of streaming on my own time, both because it’s fun and because I want to know a little about what it’s like for the people I cover. That’s meant I’ve gained a healthy appreciation for the various pieces of gear that make streaming possible — because streaming is the opposite of effortless. Things break constantly, and most of the time for no obvious reason. (There but for the grace of god go we, etc.) All of that said, I’ve found that upgrading my stream setup is one of the few true pleasures I have left; there’s nothing quite as satisfying as adding a new camera or microphone or chat command that might elevate a viewer’s experience.
It is in that spirit — the spirit of perpetual tinkering and perpetual upgrades — that I bring you the cheapest, best piece of gear I own. It is a no-brand cam link that retails between $11 (eBay, but beware shipping times) and $26.99 (Amazon). This device is one of those magical things that’s made possible by the confluence of online retail, consolidated manufacturing in China, and a global postal service. It simply couldn’t have existed before.
As a clone of the popular Elgato Cam Link 4K (which retails for $129.99), all the device does is convert HDMI to USB, which is conceptually simple but technically more complex. The best of these devices do this conversion very quickly and at high fidelities; Elgato’s version even handles 4K resolution. Due to the pandemic and the legions of people who’ve joined Twitch and YouTube, however, the brand name models have become difficult to find, which is where this weird little knockoff model comes in. My colleague Grayson, a motion designer at The Verge, tipped me off to it one day in early June, after he saw an excellent video review of the device from the YouTuber EposVox.
I thought the review was convincing, so I figured I’d try it for myself. My friend and fellow streamer MikeAM took the plunge with me; we decided we’d try to upgrade our video streams on the cheap because hey, why not? We each bought a 2018 GoPro Hero, some micro HDMI to HDMI cables, a non-HDCP HDMI splitter, and, of course, one of these cards. The difference was instantly apparent. I’d been switching between my Logitech C922 and a Panasonic Lumix GH5 (which I borrow to shoot a late-night show on Twitch), and I could immediately see how much clearer the GoPro’s video was than the C922. (With a splitter, the HDMI converter doubles as an extremely cheap capture card for a console, though I’d personally recommend shelling out for the more fully featured Elgato HD60 S.) The experiment worked.
Naturally, the star of the show was the capture card. It has a lot of limitations: it can only support 1080p / 60fps input, and its output maxes at 1080p / 30fps or 720p / 60fps. It also converts the image to MJPEG, which means the colors are sometimes a little wonky. (I used a filter in OBS to desaturate the image.) It also sometimes lags, which is a problem because you can’t actually Google how to fix the problem — there’s no manual, really, and troubleshooting is nonexistent. The other thing to remember is that not all of these cheap cards are created equal; if you pick up one that’s billed as USB 3.0, or one that looks a little different, that is an entirely different device.
But if you can work within those limitations, the device is a dream. It’s plug ‘n’ play: the card shows up on your computer as “USB Video,” and it works anywhere you’d put a webcam, which includes Zoom, Discord, OBS, and more. The price point is also unbeatable. Lately I’ve been using it with the Lumix. It’s always a joy to plug in because I know it’s going to work. If you want to see what it looks like in action, feel free to follow me on Twitch.
Otherwise, if you have a camera that outputs HDMI and don’t want to (or can’t) shell out for an Elgato, I’d say pick this little guy up. It’s a cheap upgrade that, for me, has absolutely been worth it. Go see for yourself.


theverge--2020-07-29--Snap’s first diversity report says only 4 percent of the company identifies as Black

Snap , the company behind Snapchat , released its first diversity report today after years of resisting pressure to make those statistics public .
The report details the minimal growth the 3,195-person company has made in regards to hiring people of color and women .
Black and African American people only represent 4.1 percent of the entire workforce , the report states , and Hispanic / Latinx people make up 6.8 percent .
Both groups account for only 3.2 percent of leadership ; Black and African American people make up 2.3 percent of tech roles while Hispanic/LatinX account for 3.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up 32.9 percent of Snap ’ s workforce with only 16 percent in technical roles .
Along with the numbers , Snap says it ’ s setting new goals , including doubling the number of women in tech at Snap by 2023 and doubling the number of underrepresented US racial and ethnic minorities at Snap by 2025 .
Long-term , the team says it wants to “ reflect the racial and gender diversity ( including non-binary ) of the different places where we operate.
” This is Snap ’ s first diversity report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll also implement new initiatives , like tying leadership performance to diversity , expanding its mentorship program , and innovating its machine learning tools to prevent bias .
Along with the diversity report , it released its “ CitizenSnap ” report , a 50-page document outlining its work in social and environmental causes .
It also mentions how Snap ’ s providing employees based out of its Santa Monica , California headquarters with a “ robust living wage ” of $ 70,000 and adjusting that number based on where employees are located .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after more than a month of increased scrutiny of Snap ’ s diversity and its product .
CEO Evan Spiegel told employees in an all-hands meeting last month that the team wouldn ’ t release these diversity numbers publicly because it might perpetuate the belief that Silicon Valley companies aren ’ t diverse .
( For comparison , Facebook released its seventh diversity report this year , and 45.3 percent of its employees identify as women , Black , or Hispanic . )
Spiegel made these comments after a Mashable report detailed claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One employee , for example , said they were asked to replace a lead image of Black performers with a “ friendlier face.
” The same manager told another employee that a story was “ too black-heavy ” and asked that some snaps of Black people be replaced with people of other races .
Although Snap was reportedly investigating those claims , the company has continued to struggle with representation .
Last month , it released an augmented reality lens for Juneteenth , a holiday celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and break the chains.
” People said this was an offensive interpretation of the holiday .
This wasn ’ t the first lens Snap apologized for , either — the company previously released a lens that depicted Bob Marley in 2016 and an anime-themed filter later that year .
With the Juneteenth lens , Oona King , Snap ’ s vice president of diversity and inclusion , apologized and said Black team members were directly involved in creating the lens and didn ’ t think of the implications of white people using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the standpoint of Black creative content , made by and for Black people , so did not adequately consider how it would look when used by non-Black members of our community , ” she wrote .
Now , Snap is joining many of its counterparts in releasing its diversity numbers , which , while not great , set it up to be more accountable to the public .
Correction 7/29 , 3:39 ET : This piece originally stated that Snap didn ’ t break out the technical roles , but that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those numbers .

Snap, the company behind Snapchat, released its first diversity report today after years of resisting pressure to make those statistics public. The report details the minimal growth the 3,195-person company has made in regards to hiring people of color and women. Black and African American people only represent 4.1 percent of the entire workforce, the report states, and Hispanic / Latinx people make up 6.8 percent. Both groups account for only 3.2 percent of leadership; Black and African American people make up 2.3 percent of tech roles while Hispanic/Latinx account for 3.4 percent.
Meanwhile, women only make up 32.9 percent of Snap’s workforce with only 16 percent in technical roles. Along with the numbers, Snap says it’s setting new goals, including doubling the number of women in tech at Snap by 2023 and doubling the number of underrepresented US racial and ethnic minorities at Snap by 2025. Long-term, the team says it wants to “reflect the racial and gender diversity (including non-binary) of the different places where we operate.”
This is Snap’s first diversity report
To reach these milestones, it’ll also implement new initiatives, like tying leadership performance to diversity, expanding its mentorship program, and innovating its machine learning tools to prevent bias. Along with the diversity report, it released its “CitizenSnap” report, a 50-page document outlining its work in social and environmental causes. It also mentions how Snap’s providing employees based out of its Santa Monica, California headquarters with a “robust living wage” of $70,000 and adjusting that number based on where employees are located.
The diversity report’s release arrives after more than a month of increased scrutiny of Snap’s diversity and its product. CEO Evan Spiegel told employees in an all-hands meeting last month that the team wouldn’t release these diversity numbers publicly because it might perpetuate the belief that Silicon Valley companies aren’t diverse. (For comparison, Facebook released its seventh diversity report this year, and 45.3 percent of its employees identify as women, Black, or Hispanic.) Spiegel made these comments after a Mashable report detailed claims of a racist and sexist workplace. One employee, for example, said they were asked to replace a lead image of Black performers with a “friendlier face.” The same manager told another employee that a story was “too black-heavy” and asked that some snaps of Black people be replaced with people of other races.
Although Snap was reportedly investigating those claims, the company has continued to struggle with representation. Last month, it released an augmented reality lens for Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the US, that allowed users to “smile and break the chains.” People said this was an offensive interpretation of the holiday. This wasn’t the first lens Snap apologized for, either — the company previously released a lens that depicted Bob Marley in 2016 and an anime-themed filter later that year. With the Juneteenth lens, Oona King, Snap’s vice president of diversity and inclusion, apologized and said Black team members were directly involved in creating the lens and didn’t think of the implications of white people using the lens.
“We reviewed the Lens from the standpoint of Black creative content, made by and for Black people, so did not adequately consider how it would look when used by non-Black members of our community,” she wrote.
Now, Snap is joining many of its counterparts in releasing its diversity numbers, which, while not great, set it up to be more accountable to the public.


theverge--2020-07-30--Twitter says a spear phishing attack led to the huge bitcoin scam

Twitter provided an update about the unprecedented July 15th attack that allowed hackers to tweet from some of the most high-profile accounts on the service , in a blog post and a series of tweets published Thursday evening .
Twitter now says that a few employees were targeted in a phone spear phishing attack .
While Twitter doesn ’ t quite say , that presumably means hackers called up Twitter employees while posing as colleagues or members of Twitter ’ s own security team , and got them to reveal the credentials they use to access internal systems .
Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromised in the attack , but up until this point , the company hadn ’ t specified how that had happened .
“ This attack relied on a significant and concerted attempt to mislead certain employees and exploit human vulnerabilities to gain access to our internal systems , ” Twitter said in a tweet from its support account .
Twitter also reiterated that the attackers targeted 130 accounts , tweeted from 45 , and accessed the direct messages of 36 , but lowered the number of accounts that had their Twitter data downloaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages ) from “ up to 8 ” to 7 .
Twitter limited features and locked accounts for some users in the immediate aftermath of the attack .
While many features have come back , “ some features ( namely , accessing the Your Twitter Data download feature ) and processes have been impacted , ” Twitter said in its blog post .
The company also said it has “ significantly limited ” access to its internal tools for the moment and is “ improving our methods for detecting and preventing inappropriate access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack , hackers tweeted a bitcoin scam from the Twitter accounts of President Barack Obama , Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden , Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk , Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates , and more .
The FBI has launched an investigation into the attack .

Twitter provided an update about the unprecedented July 15th attack that allowed hackers to tweet from some of the most high-profile accounts on the service, in a blog post and a series of tweets published Thursday evening. Twitter now says that a few employees were targeted in a phone spear phishing attack. While Twitter doesn’t quite say, that presumably means hackers called up Twitter employees while posing as colleagues or members of Twitter’s own security team, and got them to reveal the credentials they use to access internal systems.
Twitter had previously said its own tools were compromised in the attack, but up until this point, the company hadn’t specified how that had happened. “This attack relied on a significant and concerted attempt to mislead certain employees and exploit human vulnerabilities to gain access to our internal systems,” Twitter said in a tweet from its support account.
Twitter also reiterated that the attackers targeted 130 accounts, tweeted from 45, and accessed the direct messages of 36, but lowered the number of accounts that had their Twitter data downloaded (which would have also included direct messages) from “up to 8” to 7.
Twitter limited features and locked accounts for some users in the immediate aftermath of the attack. While many features have come back, “some features (namely, accessing the Your Twitter Data download feature) and processes have been impacted,” Twitter said in its blog post. The company also said it has “significantly limited” access to its internal tools for the moment and is “improving our methods for detecting and preventing inappropriate access to our internal systems.”


theverge--2020-07-30--In the pandemic economy, tech companies are raking it in

From a pure entertainment perspective , I am genuinely sorry that the House ’ s antitrust hearing targeting the big four tech companies — Amazon , Apple , Facebook and Google — took place Wednesday instead of next week .
Because literally a day after a meeting attempting to determine if Big Tech was too big , three of the four companies in the hearing got bigger .
( Google ’ s parent company , Alphabet , had a decline in revenue of about 2 percent , mostly due to a decline in search ads — but this was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these companies wanted their earnings numbers read aloud to them before questioning began The hearing was about how tech companies have consolidated their power .
The coronavirus seems to be making that consolidation even easier .
No wonder , when it became clear the antitrust hearing would be delayed , that the rescheduled hearing took place before earnings .
None of these companies wanted their earnings numbers read aloud to them before questioning began .
Those four companies combined took in $ 28.6 billion in profits in just one quarter .
Look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretend it ’ s a surprise that during the first full coronavirus quarter , the tech behemoths did well .
Most of us are staying home if we can !
There ’ s a virus out there !
Of course we ’ re looking for other ways to amuse ourselves — just check out those YouTube numbers .
Despite a massive decline in advertising spending , YouTube revenue rose to $ 3.8 billion this year from $ 3.6 billion last year .
Facebook ’ s business is largely ad-based as well — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion as its users doomscrolled their way through the pandemic , even though several companies publicly boycotted the platform .
Meanwhile , Amazon doubled its profit as more people ordered delivery to their homes : $ 5.2 billion this quarter , from $ 2.6 billion last year .
And Apple , which had many of its stores closed for chunks of the quarter , still made $ 11.25 billion in profit as people bought devices to entertain themselves .
The rest of the economy isn ’ t doing too hot , though .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last quarter from 2019 .
It ’ s a grim record , the worst-ever quarter in the 70 years we ’ ve kept track .
Compared to the overall contraction in the economy , you can see why Alphabet investors thought a 2 percent decline in revenue was a win .
Big Tech is composed of precisely the companies that stand to benefit from remote work It ’ s worth remembering that tech companies — including ones that didn ’ t report earnings today , such as Microsoft , which is also having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 by closing offices and stores .
Google said Monday it doesn ’ t expect its workers back in the office until July 2021 at the earliest ; Facebook said in May it expected to have a larger remote staff as a permanent feature .
Most Apple employees will work from home until 2021 , CEO Tim Cook told Bloomberg .
If other workplaces follow this trend , Big Tech is composed of precisely the companies that stand to benefit from remote work .
Amazon , for instance , was buoyed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloud services division AWS hosts a chunk of Zoom .
AWS even earned a shout-out in the Zoom earnings call !
Because of the rapid uptick in Zoom use during the pandemic , the company couldn ’ t scale its own data centers quickly enough .
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan thanked AWS in his prepared remarks for “ provisioning the majority of the new servers we needed , sometimes adding several thousands a day for several days in a row.
” Back in March , my friend , colleague , and drinking buddy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided these companies with a wave of good news : they reacted quickly and decisively .
“ In a dramatic change from only weeks before , news about Big Tech has been a bright spot at a time of great fear — and , increasingly , of grief , ” Casey wrote .
“ Increasingly , journalists are asking whether the backlash against technology companies that has defined coverage of them for the past three and a half years might have come to an end.
” The antitrust hearing suggests that the answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simultaneously more reliant than ever on Big Tech — and less trusting of it .
The newly-released emails from Mark Zuckerberg , for instance , show Facebook trying to kneecap its competitors any way it can .
Another batch of hearing-related emails , from Jeff Bezos this time , suggest Amazon bought Ring for “ market position.
” As more people become more dependent on the web for work , school , and social contact , it seems likely that scrutiny over the tech giants ’ anti-competitive practices will increase .
But not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these companies make a hefty chunk of change .

From a pure entertainment perspective, I am genuinely sorry that the House’s antitrust hearing targeting the big four tech companies — Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google — took place Wednesday instead of next week. Because literally a day after a meeting attempting to determine if Big Tech was too big, three of the four companies in the hearing got bigger. (Google’s parent company, Alphabet, had a decline in revenue of about 2 percent, mostly due to a decline in search ads — but this was still better than analysts predicted.)
None of these companies wanted their earnings numbers read aloud to them before questioning began
The hearing was about how tech companies have consolidated their power. The coronavirus seems to be making that consolidation even easier. No wonder, when it became clear the antitrust hearing would be delayed, that the rescheduled hearing took place before earnings. None of these companies wanted their earnings numbers read aloud to them before questioning began. Those four companies combined took in $28.6 billion in profits in just one quarter.
Look, I’m not going to pretend it’s a surprise that during the first full coronavirus quarter, the tech behemoths did well. Most of us are staying home if we can! There’s a virus out there! Of course we’re looking for other ways to amuse ourselves — just check out those YouTube numbers. Despite a massive decline in advertising spending, YouTube revenue rose to $3.8 billion this year from $3.6 billion last year. Facebook’s business is largely ad-based as well — and its revenue also rose to $18.7 billion as its users doomscrolled their way through the pandemic, even though several companies publicly boycotted the platform.
Meanwhile, Amazon doubled its profit as more people ordered delivery to their homes: $5.2 billion this quarter, from $2.6 billion last year. And Apple, which had many of its stores closed for chunks of the quarter, still made $11.25 billion in profit as people bought devices to entertain themselves.
The rest of the economy isn’t doing too hot, though. The overall US economy contracted 32 percent last quarter from 2019. It’s a grim record, the worst-ever quarter in the 70 years we’ve kept track. Compared to the overall contraction in the economy, you can see why Alphabet investors thought a 2 percent decline in revenue was a win.
Big Tech is composed of precisely the companies that stand to benefit from remote work
If other workplaces follow this trend, Big Tech is composed of precisely the companies that stand to benefit from remote work. Amazon, for instance, was buoyed by the video chat client Zoom, since its cloud services division AWS hosts a chunk of Zoom. AWS even earned a shout-out in the Zoom earnings call! Because of the rapid uptick in Zoom use during the pandemic, the company couldn’t scale its own data centers quickly enough. Zoom CEO Eric Yuan thanked AWS in his prepared remarks for “provisioning the majority of the new servers we needed, sometimes adding several thousands a day for several days in a row.”
Back in March, my friend, colleague, and drinking buddy Casey Newton noticed that the pandemic had provided these companies with a wave of good news: they reacted quickly and decisively. “In a dramatic change from only weeks before, news about Big Tech has been a bright spot at a time of great fear — and, increasingly, of grief,” Casey wrote. “Increasingly, journalists are asking whether the backlash against technology companies that has defined coverage of them for the past three and a half years might have come to an end.”
The antitrust hearing suggests that the answer to that is no. Americans are simultaneously more reliant than ever on Big Tech — and less trusting of it. The newly-released emails from Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, show Facebook trying to kneecap its competitors any way it can. Another batch of hearing-related emails, from Jeff Bezos this time, suggest Amazon bought Ring for “market position.”


theverge--2020-07-30--Microsoft’s Edge browser is crashing if you have Google set as default search

Microsoft ’ s new Edge browser is randomly crashing when users type into the address bar tonight .
The issues @ @ @ @ @ users who have selected Google as the default search engine .
Microsoft says it ’ @ @ @ @ @ and the company ’ s Edge team is investigating .
Microsoft recommends turning off Search @ @ @ @ @ .
The Verge has tested this workaround and it solves the problem if you have @ @ @ @ @ search engine .
The Microsoft Edge crashes started at around 7PM ET , and are @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not clear why they ’ re only limited to Google search @ @ @ @ @ .
If you switch to Microsoft ’ s Bing search engine within Edge , the @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve reached out to Microsoft for more information on the problems , and @ @ @ @ @ accordingly .

Microsoft’s new Edge browser started randomly crashing when users typed into the address bar tonight. The issues appear to have affected Edge users who had selected Google as the default search engine. Microsoft investigated the problem and now says it’s believed to have been resolved.
The Microsoft Edge crashes started at around 7PM ET, and were affecting macOS and Windows users. Microsoft resolved the problems after around four hours of crashes, but it’s not clear why they were only limited to Google search users in Edge. If users switched to Microsoft’s Bing search engine within Edge, the crashes never occured.
Microsoft recommended turning off Search Suggestions in edge://settings/search as a temporary workaround. The Verge tested this workaround and it solved the problem if you had Google set as your default search engine.
Microsoft is now recommending that Edge users revert any settings they changed as the address bar crashes are now resolved.


theverge--2020-07-30--After impassioned speech, AOC’s ban on US military recruiting via Twitch fails House vote

An amendment proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) that would ban the US military from recruiting on Twitch failed a House vote Thursday evening .
Had it passed , it would have been an amendment to the House Committee on Appropriations bill , which is part of the process in how the Pentagon ’ s annual budget is set .
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted her frustration at trying to win over her colleagues Thursday evening : Ocasio-Cortez gave an impassioned speech on the House floor in advance of the vote on Thursday .
“ Children should not be targeted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to military service , ” Ocasio-Cortez said .
“ Right now , currently , children on platforms such as Twitch are bombarded with banner ads linked to recruitment signup forms that can be submitted by children as young as 12 years old .
These are not education outreach programs for the military.
” The US military isn ’ t new to using streaming channels and video gaming to recruit people .
Several branches of the military — with the exception of the Marines — have had esports teams since 2018 .
And according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ esports efforts alone generated 3,500 recruiting leads in fiscal year 2019 .
Last week , the Army paused its use of Twitch for recruitment after its channel was criticized for banning viewers who asked about war crimes .
The Army told GameSpot : “ The team has paused streaming to review internal policies and procedures , as well as all platform-specific policies , to ensure those participating in the space are clear before streaming resumes.
” And earlier this month , Twitch told the Army to stop sharing phony prize giveaways on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 controller , only for users to be directed to a recruitment page when they clicked through .
The language of Ocasio-Cortez ’ s draft would have made that pause permanent , banning US military organizations from using funds to “ maintain a presence on Twitch.com or any video game , e-sports , or live-streaming platform.
” Update July 30th , 7:19PM ET : Made changes to reflect that the amendment failed a House vote .

An amendment proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) that would ban the US military from recruiting on Twitch failed a House vote Thursday evening. Had it passed, it would have been an amendment to the House Committee on Appropriations bill, which is part of the process in how the Pentagon’s annual budget is set.
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted her frustration at trying to win over her colleagues Thursday evening:
Ocasio-Cortez gave an impassioned speech on the House floor in advance of the vote on Thursday. “Children should not be targeted in general for many marketing purposes in addition to military service,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Right now, currently, children on platforms such as Twitch are bombarded with banner ads linked to recruitment signup forms that can be submitted by children as young as 12 years old. These are not education outreach programs for the military.”
The US military isn’t new to using streaming channels and video gaming to recruit people. Several branches of the military — with the exception of the Marines — have had esports teams since 2018. And according to Military.com, the Army’s esports efforts alone generated 3,500 recruiting leads in fiscal year 2019.
Last week, the Army paused its use of Twitch for recruitment after its channel was criticized for banning viewers who asked about war crimes. The Army told GameSpot: “The team has paused streaming to review internal policies and procedures, as well as all platform-specific policies, to ensure those participating in the space are clear before streaming resumes.”
And earlier this month, Twitch told the Army to stop sharing phony prize giveaways on its channel that promised an Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, only for users to be directed to a recruitment page when they clicked through.
The language of Ocasio-Cortez’s draft would have made that pause permanent, banning US military organizations from using funds to “maintain a presence on Twitch.com or any video game, e-sports, or live-streaming platform.”


theverge--2020-07-30--CVS is adding another kind of touch-free payment: PayPal and Venmo QR codes

CVS is expanding its payment options by teaming up with PayPal to use its QR codes as another touch-free form of payment at the retail pharmacy chain .
PayPal and Venmo users can pay with money that ’ s already in their account instead of having to pay with a credit card , and Venmo users can also use Venmo Rewards to pay for items , all “ without needing to touch a keypad or sign a receipt.
” CVS says the new QR codes will arrive at 8,200 of its US stores in the fourth quarter of 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an ongoing pandemic , it ’ s not the most ideal to be touching in public , so if you don ’ t have tap-to-pay on your phone or simply don ’ t use it , it ’ s another way to do touch-free payment at stores .
CVS says it will be the first nationwide retailer to accept PayPal and Venmo QR codes at checkout CVS has already offered touch-free payment options through NFC since 2018 , such as Apple and Google Pay — but for several years , CVS rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as CurrentC or its own app as a touch-free payment alternative .
While both NFC and QR codes allow you to pay for things contact-free , there are pros and cons .
With QR codes , you need to unlock your phone and open a specific app to scan a square pattern , but any phone with a camera should generally work ; NFC-based services like Apple and Google Play offer speedy tap-to-pay built into your phone ’ s OS , but some older phones may not have NFC and your bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CVS says it will be the first nationwide retailer to accept PayPal and Venmo QR codes at checkout without fees .
Previously , PayPal charged sellers 1.9 percent and $ 0.10 per transaction when a user paid using a QR code , though the company temporarily waived the fee until September 30th due to the negative impact of the coronavirus on businesses .
The US has been slow to adopt QR codes as a form of payment in many stores , but overseas , QR codes have become popular in countries like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced a system in 2011 that allowed offline stores to partner with them to accept real-time , contactless payment .
Other industries in China , such as public transportation , also use QR code payment services like WeChat to pay for fees .
By the end of 2017 , more than 65 percent of the population were using QR codes as a form of payment , according to the South China Morning Post .

CVS is expanding its payment options by teaming up with PayPal to use its QR codes as another touch-free form of payment at the retail pharmacy chain. PayPal and Venmo users can pay with money that’s already in their account instead of having to pay with a credit card, and Venmo users can also use Venmo Rewards to pay for items, all “without needing to touch a keypad or sign a receipt.”
CVS says the new QR codes will arrive at 8,200 of its US stores in the fourth quarter of 2020. Since we’re in the middle of an ongoing pandemic, it’s not the most ideal to be touching in public, so if you don’t have tap-to-pay on your phone or simply don’t use it, it’s another way to do touch-free payment at stores.
CVS says it will be the first nationwide retailer to accept PayPal and Venmo QR codes at checkout
CVS has already offered touch-free payment options through NFC since 2018, such as Apple and Google Pay — but for several years, CVS rejected NFC support and pushed QR code services such as CurrentC or its own app as a touch-free payment alternative.
While both NFC and QR codes allow you to pay for things contact-free, there are pros and cons. With QR codes, you need to unlock your phone and open a specific app to scan a square pattern, but any phone with a camera should generally work; NFC-based services like Apple and Google Play offer speedy tap-to-pay built into your phone’s OS, but some older phones may not have NFC and your bank needs to be partnered with these providers.
CVS says it will be the first nationwide retailer to accept PayPal and Venmo QR codes at checkout without fees. Previously, PayPal charged sellers 1.9 percent and $0.10 per transaction when a user paid using a QR code, though the company temporarily waived the fee until September 30th due to the negative impact of the coronavirus on businesses.


theverge--2020-07-30--FCC approves Amazon’s internet-from-space Kuiper constellation of 3,236 satellites

The Federal Communications Commission has approved Amazon ’ s plans for its ambitious Kuiper constellation , which entails sending 3,236 satellites into orbit to beam internet coverage down to Earth .
The decision is a crucial regulatory step that paves the way for Amazon to start launching the satellites when they ’ re ready .
The company plans to send the satellites to three different altitudes , and it claims it needs just 578 satellites in orbit to begin service , according to an FCC document announcing the approval .
Amazon said it will invest “ more than $ 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blog post .
Amazon has not announced which launch provider it plans to use to fly the satellites into orbit yet .
While Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also owns the rocket company Blue Origin , the launch provider will have to compete to launch the satellites along with other companies .
The company must launch half of the constellation by 2026 There are few caveats to Amazon ’ s FCC approval .
The company must launch half of the constellation by 2026 to retain its FCC license , and then the remaining satellites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the FCC a finalized plan for how it will mitigate orbital debris , since the design of its satellites aren ’ t finalized yet .
Amazon claims it will take its satellites out of orbit within 355 days , but the FCC argues the company didn ’ t “ present specific information concerning some required elements ” for its debris plan .
A big concern of a constellation of this size is that the influx of satellites will lead to more collisions in space , creating pieces of debris that could threaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a handful of companies aiming to create a giant constellation of satellites in orbit , in order to provide broadband connectivity to the surface below .
Most notable among these competitors is SpaceX , which has approval from the FCC to launch nearly 12,000 satellites for its Starlink project .
So far , SpaceX has launched more than 500 Starlink satellites , with plans to start beta testing the system this summer .
Meanwhile , UK-based OneWeb also hopes to build a constellation of 650 satellites , and has already launched 74 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , but was recently bailed out by a consortium that includes the UK government and Indian telecom company Bharti Global .
Amazon claims that Kuiper will “ provide broadband services to unserved and underserved consumers , businesses in the United States , and global customers by employing advanced satellite and earth station technologies , ” according to the FCC ’ s approval document .
Amazon also said that Project Kuiper will provide “ backhaul solutions for wireless carriers extending LTE and 5G service to new regions ” in its blog post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Added new details from an Amazon blog post .

The Federal Communications Commission has approved Amazon’s plans for its ambitious Kuiper constellation, which entails sending 3,236 satellites into orbit to beam internet coverage down to Earth. The decision is a crucial regulatory step that paves the way for Amazon to start launching the satellites when they’re ready.
The company plans to send the satellites to three different altitudes, and it claims it needs just 578 satellites in orbit to begin service, according to an FCC document announcing the approval. Amazon said it will invest “more than $10 billion” in Project Kuiper in a blog post.
Amazon has not announced which launch provider it plans to use to fly the satellites into orbit yet. While Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also owns the rocket company Blue Origin, the launch provider will have to compete to launch the satellites along with other companies.
The company must launch half of the constellation by 2026
There are few caveats to Amazon’s FCC approval. The company must launch half of the constellation by 2026 to retain its FCC license, and then the remaining satellites by 2029. Amazon also must submit to the FCC a finalized plan for how it will mitigate orbital debris, since the design of its satellites aren’t finalized yet. Amazon claims it will take its satellites out of orbit within 355 days, but the FCC argues the company didn’t “present specific information concerning some required elements” for its debris plan. A big concern of a constellation of this size is that the influx of satellites will lead to more collisions in space, creating pieces of debris that could threaten other satellites.
Amazon is one of a handful of companies aiming to create a giant constellation of satellites in orbit, in order to provide broadband connectivity to the surface below. Most notable among these competitors is SpaceX, which has approval from the FCC to launch nearly 12,000 satellites for its Starlink project. So far, SpaceX has launched more than 500 Starlink satellites, with plans to start beta testing the system this summer. Meanwhile, UK-based OneWeb also hopes to build a constellation of 650 satellites, and has already launched 74 of them. The company filed for bankruptcy this year, but was recently bailed out by a consortium that includes the UK government and Indian telecom company Bharti Global.
Amazon claims that Kuiper will “provide broadband services to unserved and underserved consumers, businesses in the United States, and global customers by employing advanced satellite and earth station technologies,” according to the FCC’s approval document. Amazon also said that Project Kuiper will provide “backhaul solutions for wireless carriers extending LTE and 5G service to new regions” in its blog post.


theverge--2020-07-30--Apple confirms new iPhones won’t arrive in September

Apple has confirmed it ’ s planning to launch its new iPhones a little later this year .
“ Last year we started selling new iPhones in late September , this year we expect supply to be available a few weeks later , ” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri in an earnings call with investors today .
Maestri didn ’ t reveal why this year ’ s iPhone supply is delayed or constrained , but rumors of an iPhone delay have been circulating for months .
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that Apple had delayed mass production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month .
Qualcomm also hinted at an iPhone delay earlier this week , highlighting a “ partial impact from the delay of a global 5G flagship phone launch ” for its fourth quarter projections .
Apple typically unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of the month .
It ’ s not clear if devices won ’ t be ready until October , but Apple could still choose to unveil its new handsets during an event in September .
This isn ’ t the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhone .
The iPhone X was announced alongside the iPhone 8 in September 2017 , but it didn ’ t arrive in stores until November due to production issues .
Apple ’ s iPhone XR was also announced in September 2018 , and it hit stores in October after reports suggested Apple was having issues with LCD display production .

Apple has confirmed it’s planning to launch its new iPhones a little later this year. “Last year we started selling new iPhones in late September, this year we expect supply to be available a few weeks later,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri in an earnings call with investors today.
Maestri didn’t reveal why this year’s iPhone supply is delayed or constrained, but rumors of an iPhone delay have been circulating for months. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that Apple had delayed mass production of its upcoming iPhone handsets by around a month. Qualcomm also hinted at an iPhone delay earlier this week, highlighting a “partial impact from the delay of a global 5G flagship phone launch” for its fourth quarter projections.
Apple typically unveils its annual iPhone refresh in September and begins shipping devices before the end of the month. It’s not clear if devices won’t be ready until October, but Apple could still choose to unveil its new handsets during an event in September.


theverge--2020-07-30--Amazon doubled its profit during a pandemic

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos warned investors earlier this year that they might want to take a seat and prepare for a possible loss in Q2 , as the company planned to spend $ 4 billion — all of its expected Q2 operating profit — on COVID 19-related expenses .
Amazon projected a potential loss of $ 1.5 billion this quarter .
But with the end of Q2 now behind us , Amazon shared its quarterly results , and they ’ re quite the opposite of gloomy .
Despite the pandemic , Amazon doubled its net profit year over year to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.6 billion at this time in 2019 .
This impressive figure comes after the company spent over $ 4 billion on what Bezos describes as “ incremental COVID-19 related costs in the quarter to help keep employees safe and deliver products to customers , ” suggesting profit could have more than doubled if not for those expenses .
Amazon touted that , since March , it created 175,000 new jobs , of which it is currently converting 125,000 into regular , full-time employees .
The company said that it committed $ 27 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 8.5 million in donations comes from employees .
It also distributed a one-time $ 500 million bonus among its frontline workers and partners , though Amazon didn ’ t share exactly how many employees received a bonus .
Some of the $ 4 billion in COVID expenses was used to pay higher wages for people working hourly .
It ’ s rare to see a company doing well during a pandemic that has left millions of people unemployed , though the tech industry has been doing remarkably well .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit twofold compared to this time last year .
It didn ’ t lose its footing during a time of economic turmoil — it grew .
Bezos says he expects the company to spend at least another $ 2 billion worth of operating income on COVID-related expenses in Q3 .

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos warned investors earlier this year that they might want to take a seat and prepare for a possible loss in Q2, as the company planned to spend $4 billion — all of its expected Q2 operating profit — on COVID 19-related expenses. Amazon projected a potential loss of $1.5 billion this quarter. But with the end of Q2 now behind us, Amazon shared its quarterly results, and they’re quite the opposite of gloomy.
Despite the pandemic, Amazon doubled its net profit year over year to $5.2 billion, compared to $2.6 billion at this time in 2019. This impressive figure comes after the company spent over $4 billion on what Bezos describes as “incremental COVID-19 related costs in the quarter to help keep employees safe and deliver products to customers,” suggesting profit could have more than doubled if not for those expenses.
Amazon touted that, since March, it created 175,000 new jobs, of which it is currently converting 125,000 into regular, full-time employees. The company said that it committed $27 million toward Black Lives Matter donations, though $8.5 million in donations comes from employees. It also distributed a one-time $500 million bonus among its frontline workers and partners, though Amazon didn’t share exactly how many employees received a bonus. Some of the $4 billion in COVID expenses was used to pay higher wages for people working hourly.


theverge--2020-07-30--The iconic Flip Video almost became Google’s first camera, emails show

Before Android , before the iPhone , and before GoPro became a known brand , the Flip Video camcorder took the world by storm , allowing millions to shoot digital home videos one-handed and easily save , share , and upload them to a nascent YouTube , thanks to an iconic flip-out USB port .
What you probably didn ’ t know : the Flip Video was almost a Google-branded camera , internal Google emails revealed by the House Judiciary Committee ’ s antitrust sub-committee show .
It would have been Google ’ s first camera and perhaps the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What we know In January 2006 , a year and a half before the first Flip Video went on sale , Google Video product manager Peter Chane tried to convince his colleagues that they should cut a deal to make Google Video the primary video hosting partner for an upcoming Pure Digital camera .
But by February , the offer had apparently evolved .
Now , Pure Digital was apparently interested in turning an upcoming device into a “ Google branded camera , ” suggesting that particular option could double or quadruple the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s amusing to think back on Pure Digital as “ the company that makes the disposable and one time use video cameras , ” that was true .
Back in 2005 , the Flip Video ’ s predecessor was launched as a $ 29.99 disposable digital camera .
You had to bring it back to CVS and pay $ 12.99 for employees to burn videos onto a DVD for you .
But Google Video director Jennifer Feikin had a different idea : Google should acquire YouTube instead .
And while colleagues like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube in the email thread — “ We ’ re focused on videos that have some broad public good , more so than hosting everyone ’ s personal video content ” is a quote for the ages — we know that ’ s exactly what Google did months later in October 2006 .
Pure Digital technically introduced the USB-equipped camera in May 2006 , months ahead of the YouTube deal , but it relaunched the camera in 2007 as the “ Flip Video ” with heavy ties to the newly Google-owned YouTube right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smartphones took off , Cisco bought Flip , and the camera brand died an ignominious death in 2011 .
Google didn ’ t have much luck trying to revive the idea in 2018 with the ill-fated Google Clips , either , as intriguing as its AI smarts sounded .
Incidentally , here ’ s what GoPro looked like in 2006 .
You can read Google ’ s full , if slightly redacted , email thread in our Scribd embed below .

Before Android, before the iPhone, and before GoPro became a known brand, the Flip Video camcorder took the world by storm, allowing millions to shoot digital home videos one-handed and easily save, share, and upload them to a nascent YouTube, thanks to an iconic flip-out USB port.
What you probably didn’t know: the Flip Video was almost a Google-branded camera, internal Google emails revealed by the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust sub-committee show. It would have been Google’s first camera and perhaps the first piece of Google-branded hardware as well.
What we know
In January 2006, a year and a half before the first Flip Video went on sale, Google Video product manager Peter Chane tried to convince his colleagues that they should cut a deal to make Google Video the primary video hosting partner for an upcoming Pure Digital camera.
But by February, the offer had apparently evolved. Now, Pure Digital was apparently interested in turning an upcoming device into a “Google branded camera,” suggesting that particular option could double or quadruple the number of uploaded videos:
While it’s amusing to think back on Pure Digital as “the company that makes the disposable and one time use video cameras,” that was true. Back in 2005, the Flip Video’s predecessor was launched as a $29.99 disposable digital camera. You had to bring it back to CVS and pay $12.99 for employees to burn videos onto a DVD for you.
Here’s photographic proof:
Photo by Tim Boyle / Getty Images
But Google Video director Jennifer Feikin had a different idea: Google should acquire YouTube instead. (It’s an idea other Googlers had been discussing, too, according to other email threads revealed this week.)
And while colleagues like Hunter Walk were a little skeptical about buying YouTube in the email thread — “We’re focused on videos that have some broad public good, more so than hosting everyone’s personal video content” is a quote for the ages — we know that’s exactly what Google did months later in October 2006, closing the YouTube deal for $1.65 billion a month later.
You can read Google’s full, if slightly redacted, email thread in our Scribd embed below.


theverge--2020-07-30--Apple reports strong Mac and iPad sales in record-breaking Q3 earnings

Apple today reported extremely strong third quarter earnings , offering another look at how the company is shaking off the toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on its business .
Analysts had been expecting around $ 52.3 billion in revenue and earnings per share of $ 2.07 , but Apple crushed those predictions with $ 59.7 billion in revenue — up 11 percent from last year ’ s third quarter — and EPS of $ 2.58 , up 18 percent .
The company announced a four-for-one stock split alongside the earnings , saying that “ each Apple shareholder of record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24th , 2020 will receive three additional shares for every share held on the record date.
” As has become the norm , Apple ’ s services and wearables divisions performed strongly .
But the iPhone , Mac , and iPad all fared well during Q3 as well .
With the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro released in the spring , the entire MacBook line has now made the switch to more reliable keyboards and left the controversial “ butterfly mechanism ” design behind .
That has likely only helped the already-high demand for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on for so many people .
This was the first quarter to factor in sales of the second-generation iPhone SE , which is Apple ’ s cheapest iPhone with a starting price of $ 399 .
iPhone sales were particularly slow for the first three weeks of April , according to a Bloomberg interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook , but picked up afterward .
The company is expected to announced a new lineup of “ iPhone 12 ” devices in early fall , including one with a 5.4-inch display that should appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the same all-screen design as the larger ones .
It ’ s rumored that this will be the year that Apple brings 5G to some iPhones , though there have been reports that 5G models might ship later than the usual September release window .
Other products rumored for release this year or early next year include premium Apple-branded headphones , a redesigned iMac , the first Macs running Apple ’ s own silicon , a Tile-like tracking device , and more .
Apple has already revealed many of the new software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , macOS Big Sur , watchOS , and tvOS , with public betas now available for most of the updates .
Apple declined to provide earnings guidance for this quarter due to continued uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic , and it ’ s not doing so for the fourth quarter either .
After briefly reopening them to customers , Apple has had to reclose a number of its retail stores in the United States as COVID-19 cases spike across many states .
Stores that remain open are operating at limited capacity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both employees and shoppers must wear face masks .
The pandemic has also pushed back Apple ’ s original time frame for returning to work at its offices .
The company has “ kicked the time period ” back to early next year , Cook told Bloomberg .
Apple ’ s earnings report comes one day after Cook testified alongside fellow Big Tech executives Jeff Bezos , Sundar Pichai , and Mark Zuckerberg as lawmakers continue to investigate potential antitrust violations and whether the massive companies now wield too much power .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Judiciary Committee mainly pressed Apple ’ s chief executive on how the company runs the App Store and the subscription fees it collects from developers .
“ We apply the rules to all developers evenly , ” Cook said , though documents obtained by the committee suggest companies like Amazon have gotten special treatment .
But that was yesterday .
Cook had a more triumphant tone today .
“ In uncertain times , this performance is a testament to the important role our products play in our customers ’ lives and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said in the earnings press release .

Apple today reported extremely strong third quarter earnings, offering another look at how the company is shaking off the toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on its business. Analysts had been expecting around $52.3 billion in revenue and earnings per share of $2.07, but Apple crushed those predictions with $59.7 billion in revenue — up 11 percent from last year’s third quarter — and EPS of $2.58, up 18 percent. The company announced a four-for-one stock split alongside the earnings, saying that “each Apple shareholder of record at the close of business on August 24th, 2020 will receive three additional shares for every share held on the record date.”
As has become the norm, Apple’s services and wearables divisions performed strongly. But the iPhone, Mac, and iPad all fared well during Q3 as well. With the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro released in the spring, the entire MacBook line has now made the switch to more reliable keyboards and left the controversial “butterfly mechanism” design behind. That has likely only helped the already-high demand for computers and tablets as remote work continues on for so many people.
This was the first quarter to factor in sales of the second-generation iPhone SE, which is Apple’s cheapest iPhone with a starting price of $399. iPhone sales were particularly slow for the first three weeks of April, according to a Bloomberg interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, but picked up afterward.
The company is expected to announced a new lineup of “iPhone 12” devices in early fall, including one with a 5.4-inch display that should appeal to consumers looking for a smaller-sized phone with the same all-screen design as the larger ones. It’s rumored that this will be the year that Apple brings 5G to some iPhones, though there have been reports that 5G models might ship later than the usual September release window.
Other products rumored for release this year or early next year include premium Apple-branded headphones, a redesigned iMac, the first Macs running Apple’s own silicon, a Tile-like tracking device, and more. Apple has already revealed many of the new software features coming to iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS, and tvOS, with public betas now available for most of the updates.
Apple declined to provide earnings guidance for this quarter due to continued uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s not doing so for the fourth quarter either. After briefly reopening them to customers, Apple has had to reclose a number of its retail stores in the United States as COVID-19 cases spike across many states. Stores that remain open are operating at limited capacity and require temperature checks before people can enter. Both employees and shoppers must wear face masks.
Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
The pandemic has also pushed back Apple’s original time frame for returning to work at its offices. The company has “kicked the time period” back to early next year, Cook told Bloomberg.
Apple’s earnings report comes one day after Cook testified alongside fellow Big Tech executives Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and Mark Zuckerberg as lawmakers continue to investigate potential antitrust violations and whether the massive companies now wield too much power. In Cook’s case, the House Judiciary Committee mainly pressed Apple’s chief executive on how the company runs the App Store and the subscription fees it collects from developers. “We apply the rules to all developers evenly,” Cook said, though documents obtained by the committee suggest companies like Amazon have gotten special treatment.


theverge--2020-07-31--There’s unproven tech in the NBA’s COVID-19 prevention plan

It didn ’ t surprise James Gilmore to hear that the NBA was turning to smart rings to help manage the risk of COVID-19 inside its “ bubble ” at Disney World , where the league hopes to finish the rest of the season .
“ The NBA , and the NBA Players Association , has been at the forefront of embracing wearable technology for individual players , ” says Gilmore , an assistant professor who studies the use of wearable technology in daily life at Clemson University .
All players inside the bubble have the option of wearing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleep and activity tracker .
Health data collected by the ring , the league says , will be used to flag changes that could indicate someone has symptoms of COVID-19 , even if they don ’ t feel sick .
The catch : it ’ s not clear if the Oura ring can actually do that .
Research is underway , but there ’ s still no published data showing that the ring can catch symptoms of any illness , including COVID-19 .
It ’ s still experimental .
The company isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on its own , can identify disease — but if you ’ ve been following the story online it ’ d be easy to think that they are .
After the NBA announced it was buying 2,000 rings , headlines announced that the league was using “ COVID-19 detecting rings.
” Now , WNBA athletes have the option of wearing the ring , as part of a recently announced partnership with Oura .
Pro sports leagues have turned to unproven tech solutions before .
For the past few decades , elite sports have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and athletes have looked for ways to carve out a competitive advantage .
Often , the products they use don ’ t have much data to back them up .
Adopting these products in a pandemic , though , ups the stakes .
“ It risks promoting what we sometimes call technological solutionism : the idea that a technology in and of itself becomes the solution to something , when the jury ’ s still out on that , ” Gilmore says .
Find out more about this weird intersection of sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a technological edge in our latest video on The Verge .

It didn’t surprise James Gilmore to hear that the NBA was turning to smart rings to help manage the risk of COVID-19 inside its “bubble” at Disney World, where the league hopes to finish the rest of the season. “The NBA, and the NBA Players Association, has been at the forefront of embracing wearable technology for individual players,” says Gilmore, an assistant professor who studies the use of wearable technology in daily life at Clemson University.
All players inside the bubble have the option of wearing an Oura ring, normally marketed as a sleep and activity tracker. Health data collected by the ring, the league says, will be used to flag changes that could indicate someone has symptoms of COVID-19, even if they don’t feel sick.
The catch: it’s not clear if the Oura ring can actually do that.
Research is underway, but there’s still no published data showing that the ring can catch symptoms of any illness, including COVID-19. It’s still experimental. The company isn’t explicitly claiming that the ring, on its own, can identify disease — but if you’ve been following the story online it’d be easy to think that they are. After the NBA announced it was buying 2,000 rings, headlines announced that the league was using “COVID-19 detecting rings.” Now, WNBA athletes have the option of wearing the ring, as part of a recently announced partnership with Oura.
Pro sports leagues have turned to unproven tech solutions before. For the past few decades, elite sports have turned to data to optimize athlete performance, and athletes have looked for ways to carve out a competitive advantage. Often, the products they use don’t have much data to back them up.
Adopting these products in a pandemic, though, ups the stakes. “It risks promoting what we sometimes call technological solutionism: the idea that a technology in and of itself becomes the solution to something, when the jury’s still out on that,” Gilmore says.
Find out more about this weird intersection of sports, disease, and the pursuit of a technological edge in our latest video on The Verge.


theverge--2020-07-31--The Verge’s back-to-school gift guide 2020

If you 're striking out on your own — whether that 's to college or a new apartment — you 're going to need some tools to put stuff together .
This Channellock screwdriver is the best around , with a wide variety of useful bits that store right in the handle , so you 've always got what you need when you need it .
Price : ~ $ 26 to $ 29 Smartwatches may be all the rage , but a good mechanical watch will outlast them all .
Tissot 's Everytime watches offer a classic design that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Swiss-made movement will keep ticking without any batteries , chargers , or even solar panels — just wind it , and you 're good to go .
It 's the kind of watch that lasts a lifetime , instead of just until the next hardware refresh .
Price : ~ $ 375 to $ 450 If you 're trying to isolate at home while studying , you 're probably not going to want to call repair people unless you absolutely have to .
Having a toolset like the DEKOPRO will give you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any basic repairs , while also being easy to move around and store away until needed .
Price : ~ $ 38 Wavelength is a board game that is great with friends , but possibly better with acquaintances .
First a player decides how something fits between two diametric ends of a spectrum , say whether buttered toast is mainstream or niche .
While the other players try to guess where on that spectrum that player would put it .
Leading to thrilling wins when the team guesses close to the right answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the player marked buttered toast as completely niche .
Price : ~ $ 30 Even the most dedicated student has to take time off sometimes , and the Nintendo Switch is the perfect way to relax .
It 's a home / handheld console hybrid , so you can play video games on car rides or on a TV at your house .
Not to mention it is one of the more popular gaming consoles on the market right now , thanks to its strong library of games .
( Is the regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this guide , which we update when we spot new inventory . )
Price : ~ $ 300 The Galaxy S20 is the smallest and least expensive of Samsung 's S20 lineup , but it 's also the best option .
The star of the show is the 6.2-inch OLED display that refreshes at 120Hz , which provides the smoothest scrolling and touch interactions you can get .
On top of that are a cutting edge processor , adept camera system , and 5G connectivity thrown in for good measure .
The S20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're looking for the best the Android world has to offer right now , it 's the one to get .
Price : ~ $ 1,000 For years , Amazon 's Kindles have ruled the e-reader space .
And for nearly as long , the Paperwhite has been the model that nearly everyone should get .
With an integrated light , a crisp display , and a virtually endless battery life — and only slightly more expensive than Amazon 's entry-level model — it 's not just the best e-reader ; it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : ~ $ 130 If you 're carrying around multiple devices that might need charges throughout the day , a wall charger with multiple USB ports can save a lot of space in your bag .
This model from Aukey has two USB-C ports that both support USB-PD for fast charging .
One can charge at up to 65W when used on its own , or you can get up to 45W per device if you 're using both .
Price : ~ $ 46

Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen Nothing makes writing feel better than using a fancy pen, and Kaweco's fountain pen is the perfect way to add some old-school charm to your note-taking, lease signing, or doodling without breaking the bank.
Price: ~$17 to $25 Amazon Newegg
Hario V60 Gooseneck kettle There are many cheaper vessels for hot water, but Hario's V60 Gooseneck kettle heats quickly, and rarely needs to be cleaned. What's best, though, is that it delivers a perfect, measured pour so you don't get carried away with a delicate drink.
Price: ~$46 to $78 Amazon Newegg
Dagne Dover Dakota backpack If you're going to carry your backpack all day, from home to school (or the library) to dinner and home again, you're going to need something that's well-designed without being ostentatious. The Dagne Dover Dakota neoprene backpack comes in three sizes and a bunch of colors, and it will carry all of your stuff efficiently and safely.
Price: ~$175 Dagne Dover
Apple Watch Series 5 If you've got an iPhone, there's basically one smartwatch to get: an Apple Watch. The latest model has an always-on display, works well even when you don't have your iPhone handy, and can track basically all of your fitness activities right from your wrist.
Price: ~$378 to $429 Apple Amazon Best Buy
Channellock 13-in-1 ratcheting screwdriver If you're striking out on your own — whether that's to college or a new apartment — you're going to need some tools to put stuff together. This Channellock screwdriver is the best around, with a wide variety of useful bits that store right in the handle, so you've always got what you need when you need it.
Price: ~$26 to $29 Amazon
Madewell Medium Transport Tote This leather tote bag not only offers ample room for all of your everyday stuff, but it's also big enough to carry your laptop while still having room to spare. If things happen to get a bit too cumbersome, you can attach the shoulder strap for additional support or just to free up your hands.
Price: ~$158 Madewell
Beats Solo Pro Beats' popular Solo line of on-ear headphones finally gets upgraded with noise-cancellation tech, along with Apple's own wireless technology (the same as it uses with its AirPods) to make connecting them to your devices a snap.
Price: ~$230 to $299 Amazon Best Buy Newegg
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 The Instant Pot pressure cooker is the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. With it, you can easily make a ton of different meals, or you can just use it to make batches of rice and broth. It's useful, and if you're short on space for appliances, it's well worth picking up.
Price: ~$79 to $100 Amazon Best Buy Newegg
Apple AirPods Pro Apple’s AirPods Pro are the company’s first true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, which means they can help muffle the world around you while you’re studying. Like the original AirPods, you can talk to Siri by saying “Hey Siri,” and the case charges wirelessly.
Price: ~$230 to $250 Apple Amazon Best Buy
Apple MacBook Air Apple’s refreshed MacBook Air has a reliable keyboard, a Retina display, faster processors, and it's finally back to that sweet-spot $999 price. Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel called it the best Mac for most people.
Price: ~$949 to $1,000 Apple Amazon Best Buy
Takeya water bottle No better way to stay hydrated — a thing adults do! — than drinking out of a big, beautiful water bottle. The Takeya stainless steel bottles have nicely designed spouts. But more importantly, they come in a bunch of pleasing colors.
Price: ~$28 to $35 Amazon Best Buy
UE Boom 3 Ultimate Ears' Boom speakers are some of the best around. Their bright colors, waterproof exteriors, and waterbottle-sized designs make them the perfect options to use at home, in a dorm, or at a park. The Boom 3 is the most recent model, with the best-sounding, longest-lasting, and most durable design yet.
Price: ~$140 to $150 Amazon Best Buy Ultimate Ears
Allbirds shoes Beloved by Silicon Valley startups, Allbirds are basically the internet's favorite shoes. But if you can get beyond all of the social media hype, what's left is actually a really comfortable, easy-to-clean pair of shoes that are great for hanging at home or a walk in the park.
Price: ~$95 to $135 Allbirds
Asus Zephyrus G14 The Asus Zephyrus G14 doesn't look like a gaming laptop, but it very much is one. This $1,450 machine has AMD's powerful, new Ryzen 4900HS processor, along with a host of other capable specs, like an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 120Hz refresh rate display. With its looks, you'll feel like you're a professional — even when you're playing.
Price: ~$1,450 to $1,600 Best Buy
Jawa plush toy If you're bored of Baby Yoda but still want something huggable and adorable, this talking Jawa plush is just the thing. It stares at you with those big yellow eyes and says cute, unintelligible things while planning to steal your iRobot for parts. What more could you want?
Price: ~$16 Amazon
Dell XPS 13 Every year, we say that Dell's XPS 13 gets better and better. This year's no different, but it might be the most definitive version yet. It has a nearly bezel-free 16:10 aspect ratio that's great for getting things done, fairly powerful specs, and an excellent keyboard and trackpad combo.
Price: ~$1,000 Dell
Google Nest Mini If you're in the market for a smart speaker, there are a few reasons why you should get the Google Nest Mini: it's affordable, it sounds good, and you can easily mount it to your wall. With it, you can play music, get a heads-up on traffic and weather, and more.
Price: ~$40 to $50 Best Buy Newegg
Tissot Everytime Swissmatic watch Smartwatches may be all the rage, but a good mechanical watch will outlast them all. Tissot's Everytime watches offer a classic design that looks good with nearly everything, while the Swiss-made movement will keep ticking without any batteries, chargers, or even solar panels — just wind it, and you're good to go. It's the kind of watch that lasts a lifetime, instead of just until the next hardware refresh.
Price: ~$375 to $450 Tissot
Apple iPad The iPad may be a computer — or it may not be. But one thing we know for sure is that it's a relatively low-cost tech product that can do a whole lot. The App Store is full of fun and useful apps, and iPadOS makes the iPad even more capable.
Price: ~$320 to $329 Apple Amazon
DEKOPRO 100-piece home repair tool set If you're trying to isolate at home while studying, you're probably not going to want to call repair people unless you absolutely have to. Having a toolset like the DEKOPRO will give you every tool you might need to do any basic repairs, while also being easy to move around and store away until needed.
Price: ~$38 Amazon
Apple iPhone 11 Apple’s $699 iPhone 11 has two cameras, including an ultrawide that allows for some fun shots, a terrific battery, the company’s speedy A13 Bionic processor, and it comes in six colors. It should be a great iPhone if you’re in the market for a new one but don’t want to spend $1,000.
Price: ~$699 Apple Best Buy
Fitbit Charge 4 Keeping track of your health has never been more important, and the latest Fitbit Charge 4 is the best the company offers in one tiny tracker. You can use it to control Spotify songs, make contactless payments, and track your location without ever bringing a phone along.
Price: ~$150 Amazon Best Buy
RavPower wireless charger Wireless chargers are a super convenient way to charge your phone, and RavPower's are cheap, solidly made, and super fast at charging. They come in both stand and pad versions, perfect for always making sure your gear is ready to go at your desk or nightstand.
Price: ~$54 Amazon
Wavelength Wavelength is a board game that is great with friends, but possibly better with acquaintances. First a player decides how something fits between two diametric ends of a spectrum, say whether buttered toast is mainstream or niche. While the other players try to guess where on that spectrum that player would put it. Leading to thrilling wins when the team guesses close to the right answer, or hilarious uproar when they discover the player marked buttered toast as completely niche.
Price: ~$30 Amazon
Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner Figuring out finances is something that most people will eventually, maybe accidentally, do at some point in their lives. If you're in your 20s or 30s, you should pick up Get a Financial Life, and just get it over with. Thankfully, this book makes the journey a little more fun.
Price: ~$10 Amazon
Sony WF-1000XM3 Sony's WF-1000XM3 truly wireless earphones put an emphasis on sound quality. Among the options from Apple, Jabra, and others, these are worth their price if the combo of excellent sound performance and noise cancellation is on your wishlist.
Price: ~$228 Amazon Best Buy Newegg
Nintendo Switch Even the most dedicated student has to take time off sometimes, and the Nintendo Switch is the perfect way to relax. It's a home / handheld console hybrid, so you can play video games on car rides or on a TV at your house. Not to mention it is one of the more popular gaming consoles on the market right now, thanks to its strong library of games. (Is the regular Nintendo Switch sold out? Check out this guide, which we update when we spot new inventory.)
Price: ~$300 Best Buy Amazon
Lodge cast iron dutch oven If there's a single pot that can transform your kitchen, its Lodge's cast iron combo cooker. It's a little more work to take care of, but the cast iron pot is perfect for making everything from casseroles to stews to homemade sourdough, while the lid actually doubles as its own cast iron pan. It's two great pots for the price of one!
Price: ~$50 Amazon
Filson Original Briefcase Sometimes a classy case will make you feel better about things. If you want to impress someone when you do go out, don't bring your beat-up backpack. Instead, class up your commute with a new briefcase, like this sleek and durable canvas / leather option from Filson, which will look great and keep your important gear safe.
Price: ~$245 to $325 Amazon Filson
Samsung Galaxy S20 The Galaxy S20 is the smallest and least expensive of Samsung's S20 lineup, but it's also the best option. The star of the show is the 6.2-inch OLED display that refreshes at 120Hz, which provides the smoothest scrolling and touch interactions you can get. On top of that are a cutting edge processor, adept camera system, and 5G connectivity thrown in for good measure. The S20 isn't cheap, but if you're looking for the best the Android world has to offer right now, it's the one to get.
Price: ~$1,000 Amazon Best Buy Newegg
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite For years, Amazon's Kindles have ruled the e-reader space. And for nearly as long, the Paperwhite has been the model that nearly everyone should get. With an integrated light, a crisp display, and a virtually endless battery life — and only slightly more expensive than Amazon's entry-level model — it's not just the best e-reader; it's almost better than physical paper.
Price: ~$130 Amazon


theverge--2020-07-31--Chrome’s autofill is getting more secure and convenient

Google is updating its Chrome browser to let you automatically enter saved passwords and credit card details into forms more easily and securely , the company has announced .
The browser will now use biometric authentication like a fingerprint to autofill credit card details without having to ask for your three-digit CVC each time , and a new dialog box will let you pick from a list of saved account credentials to sign into a website without having to tap into individual form fields .
As well as offering convenience , both features are designed to make transactions more secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it harder for someone to make an online purchase if they have access to your device .
You ’ ll still need to enter your CVC the first time you set up a credit card , but after that you can authenticate with security like a fingerprint .
Using Chrome to save and enter passwords also has its own security benefits over simply trying to enter them by memory ( using a dedicated password manager is another option ) .
For example , passwords can be more complex and unique for each site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guess ) because you don ’ t have to remember them and , unlike a human , the software also can ’ t easily be tricked into entering them into fake phishing sites , Google says .
Chrome ’ s new credit card autofill feature builds on its support for WebAuthn , a biometric authentication standard .
This is the same technology that allowed Google to start letting users log into some of its services without needing a password at all last year .
Google says the new credit card autofill feature is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both features , including the password autofill dialog , will be rolling out to Chrome on Android in the coming weeks .

Google is updating its Chrome browser to let you automatically enter saved passwords and credit card details into forms more easily and securely, the company has announced. The browser will now use biometric authentication like a fingerprint to autofill credit card details without having to ask for your three-digit CVC each time, and a new dialog box will let you pick from a list of saved account credentials to sign into a website without having to tap into individual form fields.
As well as offering convenience, both features are designed to make transactions more secure on the web. Biometric security makes it harder for someone to make an online purchase if they have access to your device. You’ll still need to enter your CVC the first time you set up a credit card, but after that you can authenticate with security like a fingerprint.
A new dialog box will make autofilling passwords more convenient. Image: Google
Using Chrome to save and enter passwords also has its own security benefits over simply trying to enter them by memory (using a dedicated password manager is another option). For example, passwords can be more complex and unique for each site or service (making them harder to guess) because you don’t have to remember them and, unlike a human, the software also can’t easily be tricked into entering them into fake phishing sites, Google says.
Chrome’s new credit card autofill feature builds on its support for WebAuthn, a biometric authentication standard. This is the same technology that allowed Google to start letting users log into some of its services without needing a password at all last year.