theverge--2020-03-20--GameStop to close all California stores indefinitely

GameStop is closing its California retail stores until “ further notice , ” according to Kotaku , only a day after the video game retailer instructed all of its US employees to disregard coronavirus-related lockdowns .
“ We are closing our stores in California , ” GameStop said in a letter to stores leaked to Kotaku .
“ The closure will remain in effect until further notice as we obtain more information from the California Governor ’ s Office.
” Kotaku also notes that GameStop will not pay its employees during the shutdown , though some may be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order requiring all California residents to “ stay home or at their place of residence.
” To help minimize the spread of the virus , many states across the US have shut down businesses from bars to theme parks .
However , “ essential businesses ” like grocery stores remain open to aid Americans who need to restock on essential supplies .
On Thursday , GameStop defended its decision to stay open , claiming its business is “ essential retail.
” Instead of instructing its employees to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ instituting multiple social distancing practices , ” such as “ providing all [ its ] stores with the necessary supply of disinfectant materials and hand sanitizer , ” limiting stores to 10 customers at a time and suspending trade-ins until March 29th .
The Verge has reached out to GameStop for comment .

GameStop is closing its California retail stores until “further notice,” according to Kotaku, only a day after the video game retailer instructed all of its US employees to disregard coronavirus-related lockdowns.
“We are closing our stores in California,” GameStop said in a letter to stores leaked to Kotaku. “The closure will remain in effect until further notice as we obtain more information from the California Governor’s Office.” Kotaku also notes that GameStop will not pay its employees during the shutdown, though some may be able to use personal time off.
GameStop defended its decision to stay open claiming it’s “essential retail”
Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order requiring all California residents to “stay home or at their place of residence.” To help minimize the spread of the virus, many states across the US have shut down businesses from bars to theme parks. However, “essential businesses” like grocery stores remain open to aid Americans who need to restock on essential supplies.
On Thursday, GameStop defended its decision to stay open, claiming its business is “essential retail.” Instead of instructing its employees to stay home, GameStop said that it is “instituting multiple social distancing practices,” such as “providing all [its] stores with the necessary supply of disinfectant materials and hand sanitizer,” limiting stores to 10 customers at a time and suspending trade-ins until March 29th.


theverge--2020-03-20--Rosario Dawson is joining The Mandalorian season 2 as a live-action version of Ahsoka Tano

Rosario Dawson will be joining season 2 of The Mandalorian for Disney Plus , where she ’ ll reportedly be playing fan-favorite character Ashoka Tano , according to a report from SlashFilm .
The move marks the most overt link between Disney ’ s popular animated Star Wars TV shows — which include Star Wars : The Clone Wars and Star Wars : Rebels , both of which feature Tano as a character — and its live-action efforts .
Tano ( voiced by Ashley Eckstein on the animated shows ) recently returned to The Clone Wars in the currently airing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was resurrected as a Disney Plus exclusive .
Tano making the jump from animated to live action would be the biggest shift in the franchise since General Grievous ( who debuted in the 2D animated Clone Wars series from Genndy Tartakovsky ) .
Tano was introduced to the Star Wars universe in 2008 as Anakin Skywalker ’ s Jedi apprentice in the spinoff Star Wars : The Clone Wars movie that also served as a backdoor pilot for the TV series .
Despite the popularity of the character , she ’ s never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the franchise ( aside from a voice-over cameo in Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker ) .
It ’ s fitting that Tano would make her live-action debut in The Mandalorian , given that Dave Filoni — who co-created the character — is also a writer , producer , and director for The Mandalorian .
And Dawson seems like the perfect choice to portray the character — she had even tweeted her interest in response to a fan suggesting the idea on Twitter in 2017 .
Disney has already said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Disney Plus this October , assuming there are no delays due to production shutdowns caused by the novel coronavirus .
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Rosario Dawson will be joining season 2 of The Mandalorian for Disney Plus, where she’ll reportedly be playing fan-favorite character Ashoka Tano, according to a report from SlashFilm.
The move marks the most overt link between Disney’s popular animated Star Wars TV shows — which include Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, both of which feature Tano as a character — and its live-action efforts. Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein on the animated shows) recently returned to The Clone Wars in the currently airing seventh season of the show, which was resurrected as a Disney Plus exclusive. Tano making the jump from animated to live action would be the biggest shift in the franchise since General Grievous (who debuted in the 2D animated Clone Wars series from Genndy Tartakovsky).
Tano was introduced to the Star Wars universe in 2008 as Anakin Skywalker’s Jedi apprentice in the spinoff Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie that also served as a backdoor pilot for the TV series. Despite the popularity of the character, she’s never appeared in the more serious live-action iterations of the franchise (aside from a voice-over cameo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker).
It’s fitting that Tano would make her live-action debut in The Mandalorian, given that Dave Filoni — who co-created the character — is also a writer, producer, and director for The Mandalorian. And Dawson seems like the perfect choice to portray the character — she had even tweeted her interest in response to a fan suggesting the idea on Twitter in 2017.
Disney has already said that The Mandalorian season 2 will be arriving on Disney Plus this October, assuming there are no delays due to production shutdowns caused by the novel coronavirus.
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theverge--2020-03-20--Sonic the Hedgehog movie will be released digitally on March 31st

Following in the footsteps of other movie studios , Paramount Pictures has announced that it ’ s speeding up the digital release of Sonic The Hedgehog .
The film will be available for purchase on March 31st after a successful theater run that established it as the highest-grossing video game film in US box office history , according to Variety .
Some digital movie sellers like Apple have already changed their listings for the Sonic movie to reflect the expedited release .
It ’ ll cost the standard $ 19.99 .
Other studios have similarly decided to bring new films @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normally would .
Movie theaters in the US and other countries are indefinitely closed in an effort to cut down on population density as nations work to slow the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic .
Universal has offered up The Invisible Man , The Hunt , Emma.
, and Trolls World Tour for 48-hour rentals .
In that instance , early access comes at a higher-than-usual $ 20 rental price .
Disney announced today that Onward , its latest release from Pixar , will be available for digital purchase tonight and will start streaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben Affleck ’ s The Way Back , from Warner Bros. , has also had its digital release moved up , as have films like Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel .
After a spat of backlash over a bizarre-looking Sonic caused Paramount to push back Sonic the Hedgehog ’ s release , the movie arrived to positive critical reception and performed strongly at the box office .
But now , if you never got around to seeing it ( or want to watch again ) , you ’ ll be able to do just @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Following in the footsteps of other movie studios, Paramount Pictures has announced that it’s speeding up the digital release of Sonic The Hedgehog. The film will be available for purchase on March 31st after a successful theater run that established it as the highest-grossing video game film in US box office history, according to Variety.
Some digital movie sellers like Apple have already changed their listings for the Sonic movie to reflect the expedited release. It’ll cost the standard $19.99.
Other studios have similarly decided to bring new films to TV screens much quicker than they normally would. Movie theaters in the US and other countries are indefinitely closed in an effort to cut down on population density as nations work to slow the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic.
Universal has offered up The Invisible Man, The Hunt, Emma., and Trolls World Tour for 48-hour rentals. In that instance, early access comes at a higher-than-usual $20 rental price.
Disney announced today that Onward, its latest release from Pixar, will be available for digital purchase tonight and will start streaming on Disney Plus on April 3rd. Ben Affleck’s The Way Back, from Warner Bros., has also had its digital release moved up, as have films like Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel.


theverge--2020-03-20--Google has completely canceled Google I/O 2020

Google has completely canceled Google I/O 2020 , its biggest event of the year , due to the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus .
The company announced on March 3rd that it canceled the physical I/O event , but now the whole thing is off .
“ Out of concern for the health and safety of our developers , employees , and local communities — and in line with recent ‘ shelter in place ’ orders by the local Bay Area counties — we sadly will not be holding I/O in any capacity this year , ” Google said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Right now , the most important thing all of us can do is focus our attention on helping people with the new challenges we all face .
Please know that we remain committed to finding other ways to share platform updates with you through our developer blogs and community forums.
” At I/O , which was set to take place from May 12th to 14th this year , Google typically shows off new features coming to Android and other Google services as well as announce new Google hardware .
Now that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s unclear if or when the company will share similar updates .
Many tech conferences have been canceled , changed , or delayed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Google announced on Tuesday that it would be indefinitely delaying its enterprise-focused Cloud Next conference , which had also already been changed from a physical event into a digital one .
Apple said on March 13th that its 2020 Worldwide Developers Conference , typically a week-long in-person event , would be online-only .
And Facebook and Microsoft have canceled the in-person portions @ @ @ @ @ @

Google has completely canceled Google I/O 2020, its biggest event of the year, due to the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus. The company announced on March 3rd that it canceled the physical I/O event, but now the whole thing is off.
“Out of concern for the health and safety of our developers, employees, and local communities — and in line with recent ‘shelter in place’ orders by the local Bay Area counties — we sadly will not be holding I/O in any capacity this year,” Google said in a statement on the I/O website. “Right now, the most important thing all of us can do is focus our attention on helping people with the new challenges we all face. Please know that we remain committed to finding other ways to share platform updates with you through our developer blogs and community forums.”
At I/O, which was set to take place from May 12th to 14th this year, Google typically shows off new features coming to Android and other Google services as well as announce new Google hardware. Now that the event is entirely canceled, it’s unclear if or when the company will share similar updates.


theverge--2020-03-20--Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy groups work to bring at least 1,000 coronavirus tests per day to Bay

Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy groups work to bring at least 1,000 coronavirus tests per day to Bay Area

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ’ s philanthropic groups are working to help increase the number of tests for the novel coronavirus in the Bay Area by at least 1,000 tests per day in “ the coming days , ” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday .
Zuckerberg ’ s Chan Zuckerberg Initiative ( CZI ) tells The Verge that the goal is to be able to support at least 1,000 tests in less than 30 days .
CZI , which Zuckerberg manages with his wife Priscilla Chan , is working with the University of California , San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 tests , according to CZI .
They ’ re also working with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub , which researches ways to cure and manage diseases .
The partnership is possible due to an executive order from California Gov .
Gavin Newsom that lets Biohub help UCSF expand its testing capacity .
Right now , UCSF has a testing capacity of between 60 and 100 tests per day , according to UCSF , so scaling that up to at least 1,000 tests per day would be a significant increase .
“ Ramp-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes complex logistical work to report test results to diverse organizations , ” said Dr. Steve Miller , a professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF , in a statement to The Verge .
“ Our target is approximately 1000 tests per day , though we will scale gradually to ensure we enable increased testing capacity in the most effective manner.
” Zuckerberg first outlined his plans to aid with Bay Area testing earlier this month , when he said he would fund a quadruple increase in Bay Area coronavirus testing through CZI and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CZI and Biohub are buying two Food and Drug Administration-approved diagnostic machines that can test for diseases such as COVID-19 that will be used by UCSF , according to a CZI news release .
At the time of that announcement , UCSF was expected to start increasing testing volume as early as March 16th , the San Francisco Business Times reported .
It ’ s unclear if that expansion has happened yet .
Stanford also hopes to increase testing capacity to more than 1,000 tests per day in the coming days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published yesterday .
Stanford declined to comment when asked if it could give more specifics on that timeline .

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropic groups are working to help increase the number of tests for the novel coronavirus in the Bay Area by at least 1,000 tests per day in “the coming days,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday. Zuckerberg’s Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) tells The Verge that the goal is to be able to support at least 1,000 tests in less than 30 days.
CZI, which Zuckerberg manages with his wife Priscilla Chan, is working with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), which would administer the COVID-19 tests, according to CZI. They’re also working with the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, which researches ways to cure and manage diseases. The partnership is possible due to an executive order from California Gov. Gavin Newsom that lets Biohub help UCSF expand its testing capacity.
Right now, UCSF has a testing capacity of between 60 and 100 tests per day, according to UCSF, so scaling that up to at least 1,000 tests per day would be a significant increase.
“Ramp-up of testing volumes is in progress and includes complex logistical work to report test results to diverse organizations,” said Dr. Steve Miller, a professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF, in a statement to The Verge. “Our target is approximately 1000 tests per day, though we will scale gradually to ensure we enable increased testing capacity in the most effective manner.”
Zuckerberg first outlined his plans to aid with Bay Area testing earlier this month, when he said he would fund a quadruple increase in Bay Area coronavirus testing through CZI and Biohub in an announcement on March 10th. CZI and Biohub are buying two Food and Drug Administration-approved diagnostic machines that can test for diseases such as COVID-19 that will be used by UCSF, according to a CZI news release.
At the time of that announcement, UCSF was expected to start increasing testing volume as early as March 16th, the San Francisco Business Times reported. It’s unclear if that expansion has happened yet.


theverge--2020-03-20--Sony clarifies that PS5 will support ‘overwhelming majority’ of PS4 games

Sony has issued an update to clarify its stance on backwards compatibility for the PlayStation 5 , saying the upcoming console will support an “ overwhelming majority ” of the 4,000-plus existing PS4 titles .
Prior to the update , Sony ’ s Mark Cerny , the system architect for the PS5 who detailed its full hardware specifications in a live-streamed presentation on Wednesday , said the console would support “ almost all ” of the top 100 PS4 titles .
“ A quick update on backward compatibility — With all of the amazing games in PS4 ’ s catalog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enable our fans to play their favorites on PS5 , ” Sony writes in the update text , which it posted at the top of its tech specs announcement post from two days ago .
“ We believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on PS5.
” “ We believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on PS5.
” Sony also says those older titles may run better on the newer system , too .
“ We ’ re expecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boosted frequency on PS5 so that they can benefit from higher or more stable frame rates and potentially higher resolutions , ” the company adds .
“ We ’ re currently evaluating games on a title-by-title basis to spot any issues that need adjustment from the original software developers.
” Sony says Cerny “ provided a snapshot into the Top 100 most-played PS4 titles ” simply as demonstration of the company 's current backwards compatibility efforts .
“ We have already tested hundreds of titles and are preparing to test thousands more as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company says .
“ We will provide updates on backward compatibility , along with much more PS5 news , in the months ahead.
” This should hopefully clear up some confusion as to the extent of Sony ’ s backwards compatibility commitment .
Some fans were concerned the PS5 would not have the same level of last-gen compatibility as Microsoft ’ s upcoming Xbox Series X .
Considering the heated competition between the two devices — fans of both are already vigorously debating which is going to be the better purchase and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit of a victory lap with regard to the Series X ’ s support for older games .
That said , Microsoft is still quite far ahead in terms of broader backlog support due to its many years of backward compatibility work .
While the PS5 and Xbox Series X sound as if they ’ ll both support the previous generation of hardware , Microsoft ’ s Xbox chief Phil Spencer said last month that Xbox Series X would support “ four generations of Xbox , ” meaning from the original system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardware .
“ Our commitment to compatibility means existing Xbox One games , including backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games , look and play better than ever before , ” Spencer wrote in a blog post .
“ Your favorite games , including titles in Xbox Game Pass , benefit from steadier framerates , faster load times and improved resolution and visual fidelity — all with no developer work required .
Your Xbox One gaming accessories also come forward with you.
” Instead of taking this route , Sony has opted instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now cloud gaming service .
That said , those worried the PS5 wouldn ’ t be able to play PS4 discs , or that their digital libraries would n't be able to move with them , should be able to rest easy now .

Sony has issued an update to clarify its stance on backwards compatibility for the PlayStation 5, saying the upcoming console will support an “overwhelming majority” of the 4,000-plus existing PS4 titles. Prior to the update, Sony’s Mark Cerny, the system architect for the PS5 who detailed its full hardware specifications in a live-streamed presentation on Wednesday, said the console would support “almost all” of the top 100 PS4 titles.
“A quick update on backward compatibility — With all of the amazing games in PS4’s catalog, we’ve devoted significant efforts to enable our fans to play their favorites on PS5,” Sony writes in the update text, which it posted at the top of its tech specs announcement post from two days ago. “We believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on PS5.”
“We believe that the overwhelming majority of the 4,000+ PS4 titles will be playable on PS5.”
Sony also says those older titles may run better on the newer system, too. “We’re expecting backward compatible titles will run at a boosted frequency on PS5 so that they can benefit from higher or more stable frame rates and potentially higher resolutions,” the company adds. “We’re currently evaluating games on a title-by-title basis to spot any issues that need adjustment from the original software developers.”
Sony says Cerny “provided a snapshot into the Top 100 most-played PS4 titles” simply as demonstration of the company's current backwards compatibility efforts. “We have already tested hundreds of titles and are preparing to test thousands more as we move toward launch,” the company says. “We will provide updates on backward compatibility, along with much more PS5 news, in the months ahead.”
This should hopefully clear up some confusion as to the extent of Sony’s backwards compatibility commitment. Some fans were concerned the PS5 would not have the same level of last-gen compatibility as Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Series X. Considering the heated competition between the two devices — fans of both are already vigorously debating which is going to be the better purchase and more successful platform — Xbox fans started taking a bit of a victory lap with regard to the Series X’s support for older games.
That said, Microsoft is still quite far ahead in terms of broader backlog support due to its many years of backward compatibility work. While the PS5 and Xbox Series X sound as if they’ll both support the previous generation of hardware, Microsoft’s Xbox chief Phil Spencer said last month that Xbox Series X would support “four generations of Xbox,” meaning from the original system all the way through to the latest hardware.
“Our commitment to compatibility means existing Xbox One games, including backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, look and play better than ever before,” Spencer wrote in a blog post. “Your favorite games, including titles in Xbox Game Pass, benefit from steadier framerates, faster load times and improved resolution and visual fidelity — all with no developer work required. Your Xbox One gaming accessories also come forward with you.”


theverge--2020-03-20--Google and YouTube launch new resources to help teachers and families educate students at home

Google and YouTube have launched new resource pages to help teachers and families continue to educate students while they ’ re home from school due to the novel coronavirus .
Google ’ s page , called Teach From Home , offers recommendations on how teachers can teach remotely using Google products .
Right now , the page features ideas like doing a video call with a class using Hangouts or creating an online quiz using Google Forms .
The page will “ continue to evolve , ” according to Google .
There ’ s also a “ Teach from Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to teach remotely organized into a series of slides .
Teach from Home is currently only available in English , but the downloadable toolkits are available in Danish , German , Spanish , French , Italian , and Polish , and Google says more languages are “ coming soon.
” YouTube ’ s resource , Learn @ Home , highlights educational YouTube channels that students can watch at home .
The page categorizes the channels that are recommended for families with kids 13 and older , for families with kids five and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
YouTube is partnering with Khan Academy and other education-focused creators on the effort , and some channels highlighted include CrashCourse , Discovery Education , Cool School , PBS Kids , and Sesame Street .
Learn @ Home is available now in English , and will be available in Italian , French , Korean , Spanish , Japanese , and more “ in the coming days , ” according to YouTube .
Google is also launching a $ 10 million Distance Learning Fund as part of the company ’ s $ 50 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google.org , to COVID-19 response efforts .
Google.org will first give a $ 1 million grant from the fund to Khan Academy to help it “ provide remote learning opportunities to students affected by COVID-19 related school closures .
”

Google and YouTube have launched new resource pages to help teachers and families continue to educate students while they’re home from school due to the novel coronavirus.
Google’s page, called Teach From Home, offers recommendations on how teachers can teach remotely using Google products. Right now, the page features ideas like doing a video call with a class using Hangouts or creating an online quiz using Google Forms. The page will “continue to evolve,” according to Google. There’s also a “Teach from Home toolkit,” which has resources about how to teach remotely organized into a series of slides.
Teach from Home is currently only available in English, but the downloadable toolkits are available in Danish, German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Polish, and Google says more languages are “coming soon.”
YouTube’s Learn@Home highlights educational YouTube channels
YouTube’s resource, Learn@Home, highlights educational YouTube channels that students can watch at home. The page categorizes the channels that are recommended for families with kids 13 and older, for families with kids five and older, and for families with preschoolers. YouTube is partnering with Khan Academy and other education-focused creators on the effort, and some channels highlighted include CrashCourse, Discovery Education, Cool School, PBS Kids, and Sesame Street. Learn@Home is available now in English, and will be available in Italian, French, Korean, Spanish, Japanese, and more “in the coming days,” according to YouTube.
Google is also launching a $10 million Distance Learning Fund as part of the company’s $50 million contribution made through its philanthropic arm, Google.org, to COVID-19 response efforts. Google.org will first give a $1 million grant from the fund to Khan Academy to help it “provide remote learning opportunities to students affected by COVID-19 related school closures.”


theverge--2020-03-20--AT&T gave California stores talking points to explain to law enforcement why they’re open

AT & T sent a notice to its authorized retailer companies in California with instructions for how to handle potential questions , including from law enforcement , about why they were remaining open during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Describing it as “ best practice only , ” the guidance sent Thursday “ is to be used in the event that any officials , individuals or groups inquire about why the AT & T store is open.
” On Wednesday , AT & T said it was closing 40 percent of its retail stores across the country , with all stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for modified hours .
That decision applied to AT & T ’ s company-owned retail stores , however , not the ones privately owned and operated .
A number of states have issued orders requiring all but essential businesses to close down .
AT & T is arguing that it qualifies as an essential business as a “ critical communications provider ” under Department of Homeland Security guidance .
The company also provides technical support at its retail locations for first responders under its FirstNet program .
“ Our customers and first responders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retail locations invaluable , especially at moments like this , ” a company spokesman said in an email to The Verge .
“ Because of the evolving circumstances and guidelines for social distancing , we are balancing the need to serve the public in our retail stores with the health and safety of our customers and our employees.
” AT & T says it was told by the DHS that its retail stores provide “ essential services that are critical to the public ’ s ability to communicate during the current emergency.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local government officials or police and they are asking why we ’ re open during the Shelter in Place order , ” the letter instructs workers to “ explain that AT & T is an essential business providing essential services and show them the printed copy of the attached letter .
If they have further questions please engage your management team.
” “ We are balancing the need to serve the public in our retail stores with the health and safety of our customers and our employees.
” The spokesperson added that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instructions about social distancing and personal hygiene , and stores have posted signs reminding customers of the CDC ’ s best practices .
Store workers have been “ asked to clean their hands and wipe down doors , devices , phones , and surfaces after each customer interaction , ” and to wipe down the entire store every two hours .
“ We are aware of various guidelines and , in some cases , orders that set out requirements for businesses and individuals to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic ” according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T is committed to adhering to those requirements while also providing essential services to our communities.
” Quarantine orders have spread across the US over the past week .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom issued a statewide shelter-in-place order which limits the businesses that can remain open .
Pennsylvania Gov .
Tom Wolf issued an order Thursday for all “ non-life-sustaining ” businesses to close .
On March 13th , AT & T told employees to start working from home , but the order didn ’ t apply to workers in its retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customers .
AT & T previously suspended its arbitrary broadband caps in response to the coronavirus pandemic and has signed onto the FCC ’ s “ Keep Americans Connected Pledge , ” vowing not to disconnect subscribers or charge late fees during the outbreak .
Update : March 20th , 3:30PM : Corrects information from AT & T that the notice was sent to authorized retail stores in California , not to company-owned stores .

AT&T sent a notice to its authorized retailer companies in California with instructions for how to handle potential questions, including from law enforcement, about why they were remaining open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Describing it as “best practice only,” the guidance sent Thursday “is to be used in the event that any officials, individuals or groups inquire about why the AT&T store is open.”
On Wednesday, AT&T said it was closing 40 percent of its retail stores across the country, with all stores closing on Sundays and the rest open for modified hours. That decision applied to AT&T’s company-owned retail stores, however, not the ones privately owned and operated.
A number of states have issued orders requiring all but essential businesses to close down. AT&T is arguing that it qualifies as an essential business as a “critical communications provider” under Department of Homeland Security guidance. The company also provides technical support at its retail locations for first responders under its FirstNet program.
“Our customers and first responders find the service we provide in our retail locations invaluable, especially at moments like this,” a company spokesman said in an email to The Verge. “Because of the evolving circumstances and guidelines for social distancing, we are balancing the need to serve the public in our retail stores with the health and safety of our customers and our employees.”
AT&T says it was told by the DHS that its retail stores provide “essential services that are critical to the public’s ability to communicate during the current emergency.” If a store is “visited by local government officials or police and they are asking why we’re open during the Shelter in Place order,” the letter instructs workers to “explain that AT&T is an essential business providing essential services and show them the printed copy of the attached letter. If they have further questions please engage your management team.”
“We are balancing the need to serve the public in our retail stores with the health and safety of our customers and our employees.”
The spokesperson added that all AT&T retail workers have received instructions about social distancing and personal hygiene, and stores have posted signs reminding customers of the CDC’s best practices. Store workers have been “asked to clean their hands and wipe down doors, devices, phones, and surfaces after each customer interaction,” and to wipe down the entire store every two hours.
“We are aware of various guidelines and, in some cases, orders that set out requirements for businesses and individuals to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic” according to the memo to stores. “AT&T is committed to adhering to those requirements while also providing essential services to our communities.”
Quarantine orders have spread across the US over the past week. California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide shelter-in-place order which limits the businesses that can remain open. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued an order Thursday for all “non-life-sustaining” businesses to close.
On March 13th, AT&T told employees to start working from home, but the order didn’t apply to workers in its retail stores or workers who install equipment for customers.
AT&T previously suspended its arbitrary broadband caps in response to the coronavirus pandemic and has signed onto the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” vowing not to disconnect subscribers or charge late fees during the outbreak.


theverge--2020-03-21--Google’s coronavirus website finally launches alongside enhanced search results

One week ago , President Donald Trump held a press conference wherein he claimed Google would be building a screening website for the coronavirus that would direct people to testing sites .
As we learned in the following days , that wasn ’ t true .
Google ’ s sister company Verily did launch such a site , but only for the Bay Area and reportedly it only offered tests to a very small number of people .
Google , however , did say it would launch some sort of website and after a small delay , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more importantly , Google will start providing more enhanced information cards for people who search for terms related to the coronavirus .
There will be information tabs for symptoms , prevention , global statics , and locally relevant information .
It will look a bit like this : The website is at google.com/covid19 .
It does have useful resources , including a card that mimics what you see above .
Google ’ s post announcing the site says that you will be able to find “ state-based information , safety and prevention tips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and further resources for individuals , educators and businesses.
” Google emphasizes that it ’ s pulling information from “ authoritative ” sources like the WHO and the CDC .
It ’ s only available in English right now , but a Google spokesperson tells The Verge that Spanish language support is soon to follow .
The site was also designed with accessibility in mind , including with the larger fonts that Google usually uses .
The website has videos in ASL , a global map showing confirmed cases by country , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other relief efforts — plus some feel-good YouTube videos .
Reading through that description , however , you ’ ll notice that it doesn ’ t include what Trump originally claimed it would .
The nearest thing to finding a test is a drop-down menu that provides links to local websites — for example , choosing California provides a link to the California Department of Public Health .
Right now , the CDC has a “ self-checker ” chatbot that Microsoft helped build , but the WSJ quoted an executive from a healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ It ’ s just something consumers need now to help with anxiety.
” In other words , lots of big tech companies are making efforts to provide coronavirus-related support , but none of them are able to solve some of the biggest problems in the pandemic : access to testing and the impending crisis in our healthcare infrastructure .
At some point in the future , Google may actually provide a questionnaire and information about local drive-thru testing locations .
But a spokesperson says that the company won ’ t do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trustworthy information on those sites .
That could be a long time coming , unfortunately .

One week ago, President Donald Trump held a press conference wherein he claimed Google would be building a screening website for the coronavirus that would direct people to testing sites. As we learned in the following days, that wasn’t true. Google’s sister company Verily did launch such a site, but only for the Bay Area and reportedly it only offered tests to a very small number of people. Google, however, did say it would launch some sort of website and after a small delay, it’s here.
Alongside the website and potentially more importantly, Google will start providing more enhanced information cards for people who search for terms related to the coronavirus. There will be information tabs for symptoms, prevention, global statics, and locally relevant information. It will look a bit like this:
Google
The website is at google.com/covid19. It does have useful resources, including a card that mimics what you see above. Google’s post announcing the site says that you will be able to find “state-based information, safety and prevention tips, search trends related to COVID-19, and further resources for individuals, educators and businesses.” Google emphasizes that it’s pulling information from “authoritative” sources like the WHO and the CDC.
The new coronavirus is spreading through the US, and several states have made emergency declarations. The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic. Here are the basics: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
It’s only available in English right now, but a Google spokesperson tells The Verge that Spanish language support is soon to follow. The site was also designed with accessibility in mind, including with the larger fonts that Google usually uses.
The website has videos in ASL, a global map showing confirmed cases by country, and plenty of information about Google’s other relief efforts — plus some feel-good YouTube videos.
Reading through that description, however, you’ll notice that it doesn’t include what Trump originally claimed it would. The nearest thing to finding a test is a drop-down menu that provides links to local websites — for example, choosing California provides a link to the California Department of Public Health.
Right now, the CDC has a “self-checker” chatbot that Microsoft helped build, but the WSJ quoted an executive from a healthcare provider who put in a realistic context: “It’s just something consumers need now to help with anxiety.”
In other words, lots of big tech companies are making efforts to provide coronavirus-related support, but none of them are able to solve some of the biggest problems in the pandemic: access to testing and the impending crisis in our healthcare infrastructure.


theverge--2020-03-20--Amazon and Apple are reducing streaming quality to lessen broadband strain in Europe

Following in the footsteps of Netflix and YouTube , Amazon has announced that it will also reduce streaming quality in Europe in order to lessen the strain being put on broadband networks .
Apple tells The Verge it too is reducing streaming quality in Europe for its TV Plus platform .
“ We support the need for careful management of telecom services to ensure they can handle the increased internet demand with so many people now at home full-time due to Covid-19 , ” a spokesperson told The Guardian .
“ Prime Video is working with local authorities and internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any network congestion.
” Apple is joining Amazon and Netflix in reducing streaming quality Amazon is currently reducing bitrate speeds in Europe , but is continuing to monitor the situation in the US and other countries around the world .
The company is ready to take action elsewhere if broadband problems call for it , The Verge has learned .
Amazon Prime has more than 150 million subscribers around the world , and Prime Video is available in more than 200 countries .
Amazon ’ s spokesperson told The Guardian that this includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already begun the effort to reduce streaming bitrates whilst maintaining a quality streaming experience for our customers.
” Apple ’ s decision to reduce streaming quality on Apple TV Plus in Europe was first spotted by 9to5Mac .
On its November 3rd launch , Apple ’ s streaming service was commended for its high bitrates , but today , 9to5Mac observed a degradation in video quality that was “ very noticeable.
” Broadband strain will continue to be a concern as more people are required to stay at home to curb the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimating that people staying home “ can lead to almost a 60 percent increase in the amount of content we watch in some cases and potentially more depending on the reasons.
” That means streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video , other video platforms like YouTube and Twitch , and online gaming will all affect broadband speeds .
That ’ s on top of the strain that comes from people working from home and students using video conferencing tools like Zoom to participate in online classes .
Update March 20th , 8:39PM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing streaming quality for Apple TV Plus .

Following in the footsteps of Netflix and YouTube, Amazon has announced that it will also reduce streaming quality in Europe in order to lessen the strain being put on broadband networks. Apple tells The Verge it too is reducing streaming quality in Europe for its TV Plus platform.
“We support the need for careful management of telecom services to ensure they can handle the increased internet demand with so many people now at home full-time due to Covid-19,” a spokesperson told The Guardian. “Prime Video is working with local authorities and internet service providers where needed to help mitigate any network congestion.”
Apple is joining Amazon and Netflix in reducing streaming quality
Amazon is currently reducing bitrate speeds in Europe, but is continuing to monitor the situation in the US and other countries around the world. The company is ready to take action elsewhere if broadband problems call for it, The Verge has learned. Amazon Prime has more than 150 million subscribers around the world, and Prime Video is available in more than 200 countries. Amazon’s spokesperson told The Guardian that this includes Europe, “where we’ve already begun the effort to reduce streaming bitrates whilst maintaining a quality streaming experience for our customers.”
Apple’s decision to reduce streaming quality on Apple TV Plus in Europe was first spotted by 9to5Mac. On its November 3rd launch, Apple’s streaming service was commended for its high bitrates, but today, 9to5Mac observed a degradation in video quality that was “very noticeable.”
Broadband strain will continue to be a concern as more people are required to stay at home to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Nielsen is estimating that people staying home “can lead to almost a 60 percent increase in the amount of content we watch in some cases and potentially more depending on the reasons.”
That means streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video, other video platforms like YouTube and Twitch, and online gaming will all affect broadband speeds. That’s on top of the strain that comes from people working from home and students using video conferencing tools like Zoom to participate in online classes.


theverge--2020-03-20--US senators demand Amazon answer questions about warehouse worker safety

A group of four US senators , including Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders , have sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking him to respond to questions about how the company is keeping its warehouse workers safe amid the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus .
The senators sent the letter two days after the first US-based Amazon warehouse worker tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
The group of senators is led by Sen. Cory Booker ( D-NJ ) and Bob Menendez ( D-NJ ) and includes Sanders and Sherrod Brown ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon to keep its workers safe does not just put their employees at risk , it puts the entire country at risk , ” the group said in the letter .
The senators are also asking Amazon to provide paid sick leave and time-and-a-half hazard pay , among other financial and health protections .
“ Any failure of Amazon to keep its workers safe does not just put their employees at risk , it puts the entire country at risk.
” “ The virus that causes COVID-19 can live for up to 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days on plastic and stainless steel , ” the letter says .
“ That means that Americans who are taking every precaution , staying home and practicing social distancing , might risk getting infected with COVID-19 because of Amazon ’ s decision to prioritize efficiency and profits over the safety and well-being of its workforce.
” The letter also discussed reports of troubling conditions at Amazon warehouses , such as how Amazon warehouse managers have held regular stand-up meetings with staff , which likely put employees closer than the CDC-recommended six feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes .
Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers that recently spoke to The Verge described similar conditions .
The senators are asking Bezos to reply to the following questions by March 26th : • What preventative steps is Amazon taking to ensure its employees do not contract COVID-19 ?
• Will Amazon agree to cover the cost of testing for COVID-19 for its employees ?
• Will Amazon suspend rate-based write-ups until the threat of COVID-19 is mitigated ?
• Will Amazon provide paid sick leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Will Amazon provide its workers time and a half hazard pay during this period of heightened risk ?
• Will Amazon pledge to immediately shut down any facility on a temporary basis in which a worker tests positive for coronavirus and offer two weeks of paid sick leave to employees at that facility as they self-isolate ?
“ These accusations are simply unfounded , ” said Amazon in a statement provided to The Verge .
“ Our employees are heroes fighting for their communities and helping people get critical items they need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grappling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic , it is not easy as supplies are limited , but we are working hard to keep employees safe while serving communities and the most vulnerable .
We have taken extreme measures to keep people safe , tripling down on deep cleaning , procuring safety supplies that are available , and changing processes to ensure those in our buildings are keeping safe distances.
” To help support employees , Amazon said it has increased cleaning at its worksites , ended stand-up meetings during shifts , and staggered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on March 11th that it would give up to two weeks of paid sick leave to all employees diagnosed with COVID-19 .
The company will also raise its minimum wage by $ 2 per hour through April , the company announced earlier this week .

A group of four US senators, including Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, have sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking him to respond to questions about how the company is keeping its warehouse workers safe amid the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus. The senators sent the letter two days after the first US-based Amazon warehouse worker tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
The group of senators is led by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and includes Sanders and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). “Any failure of Amazon to keep its workers safe does not just put their employees at risk, it puts the entire country at risk,” the group said in the letter. The senators are also asking Amazon to provide paid sick leave and time-and-a-half hazard pay, among other financial and health protections.
“Any failure of Amazon to keep its workers safe does not just put their employees at risk, it puts the entire country at risk.”
“The virus that causes COVID-19 can live for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel,” the letter says. “That means that Americans who are taking every precaution, staying home and practicing social distancing, might risk getting infected with COVID-19 because of Amazon’s decision to prioritize efficiency and profits over the safety and well-being of its workforce.”
The letter also discussed reports of troubling conditions at Amazon warehouses, such as how Amazon warehouse managers have held regular stand-up meetings with staff, which likely put employees closer than the CDC-recommended six feet of distance away from one another, and a lack of hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers that recently spoke to The Verge described similar conditions.
The senators are asking Bezos to reply to the following questions by March 26th:
What preventative steps is Amazon taking to ensure its employees do not contract COVID-19?
Will Amazon agree to cover the cost of testing for COVID-19 for its employees?
Will Amazon suspend rate-based write-ups until the threat of COVID-19 is mitigated?
Will Amazon provide paid sick leave to its employees regardless of diagnosis?
Will Amazon provide its workers time and a half hazard pay during this period of heightened risk?
Will Amazon pledge to immediately shut down any facility on a temporary basis in which a worker tests positive for coronavirus and offer two weeks of paid sick leave to employees at that facility as they self-isolate?
“These accusations are simply unfounded.”
“These accusations are simply unfounded,” said Amazon in a statement provided to The Verge. “Our employees are heroes fighting for their communities and helping people get critical items they need in this crisis. Like all businesses grappling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it is not easy as supplies are limited, but we are working hard to keep employees safe while serving communities and the most vulnerable. We have taken extreme measures to keep people safe, tripling down on deep cleaning, procuring safety supplies that are available, and changing processes to ensure those in our buildings are keeping safe distances.”


theverge--2020-03-20--Xbox Live went down for the second time this week

Microsoft ’ s Xbox Live service went down again for the second time this week .
Issues first began popping up some time after 7PM ET on Friday , with Down Detector indicating sharp spikes in user-reported connection problems and Microsoft later confirming Twitter that it ’ s “ experiencing issues ” with matchmaking , Party Chat , and Looking for Groups.
” On Sunday , Xbox Live experienced a similar outage that lasted more than two hours .
That was slightly more serious , with users reporting issues signing into Xbox One devices .
Microsoft ’ s Xbox Live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues with the social and gaming portions of the platform .
At roughly 10:45PM ET , Microsoft said it had resolved the issues around matchmaking and Party Chat , but it did not say it had fixed Looking For Groups .
Unfortunately for Microsoft , it was a rather inopportune time to for its multiplayer gaming service to suffer another outage .
There are millions of people in the US right now practicing social distancing and being asked by local governments to stay away from public spaces now that bars , restaurants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating in response to the coronavirus crisis .
That means there are quite a few people playing video games and staying in touch with friends online in the process , or at least in the case of Xbox users , trying to do so .
Update March 21st , 1:39AM ET : Added statement from Microsoft that it had resolved most of its Xbox Live issues .

Microsoft’s Xbox Live service went down again for the second time this week. Issues first began popping up some time after 7PM ET on Friday, with Down Detector indicating sharp spikes in user-reported connection problems and Microsoft later confirming Twitter that it’s “experiencing issues” with matchmaking, Party Chat, and Looking for Groups.”
On Sunday, Xbox Live experienced a similar outage that lasted more than two hours. That was slightly more serious, with users reporting issues signing into Xbox One devices. Microsoft’s Xbox Live Status page currently says there are still issues with the social and gaming portions of the platform.
At roughly 10:45PM ET, Microsoft said it had resolved the issues around matchmaking and Party Chat, but it did not say it had fixed Looking For Groups.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, it was a rather inopportune time to for its multiplayer gaming service to suffer another outage.
There are millions of people in the US right now practicing social distancing and being asked by local governments to stay away from public spaces now that bars, restaurants, and other core social institutions have ceased operating in response to the coronavirus crisis. That means there are quite a few people playing video games and staying in touch with friends online in the process, or at least in the case of Xbox users, trying to do so.


theverge--2020-03-21--GameStop will temporarily close all storefronts to customers

GameStop is temporarily closing all its US-based retail locations and moving to “ delivery only ” starting on March 22nd , the company announced today .
It ’ s an abrupt reversal for the company , which just a few days ago was defending its decision to keep its stores open , as an “ essential ” business , and was instructing staff to ignore coronavirus-related lockdowns .
GameStop CEO George Sherman said in a letter to customers that it will “ will temporarily stop customer access to storefronts ” and would be processing orders on a “ digital-only ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app or QR codes at its stores , though future purchases will be given to customers via curbside pickup at its retail stores or through e-commerce deliveries .
In a letter obtained by Kotaku Sherman said that GameStop will provide 80 hours of extra paid time off for eligible employees , while employees not eligible for the additional PTO will receive two extra weeks of pay .
The news comes only a day after the company announced that it would close all its California retail stores following an executive order issued by Governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @

GameStop is temporarily closing all its US-based retail locations and moving to “delivery only” starting on March 22nd, the company announced today. It’s an abrupt reversal for the company, which just a few days ago was defending its decision to keep its stores open, as an “essential” business, and was instructing staff to ignore coronavirus-related lockdowns.
GameStop CEO George Sherman said in a letter to customers that it will “will temporarily stop customer access to storefronts” and would be processing orders on a “digital-only” basis. Customers can use the GameStop app or QR codes at its stores, though future purchases will be given to customers via curbside pickup at its retail stores or through e-commerce deliveries.
In a letter obtained by Kotaku Sherman said that GameStop will provide 80 hours of extra paid time off for eligible employees, while employees not eligible for the additional PTO will receive two extra weeks of pay.


theverge--2020-03-21--Amazon to temporarily stop shipping non-essential products in Italy and France

Amazon says it has temporarily stopped taking orders on some non-essential products on its sites in Italy ( amazon.it ) and France ( amazon.fr ) as part of its efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus .
“ As customers use e-commerce to support their social distancing efforts , we too have implemented social distancing guidance within our fulfillment centers to keep our employees safe and healthy , ” a spokesperson for Amazon in Italy said in an emailed statement to The Verge .
Customers can still order many of these products from third-party sellers who are able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson added .
Essential products would include food and hygiene items , he said .
The company says the measure will allow “ fulfillment center associates to focus on receiving and shipping the products customers need most at this time.
” A notice on Amazon.it on Saturday read : “ We are prioritizing the most requested products and some items may be temporarily unavailable .
We appreciate your understanding at this time when we prioritize the products that customers need most .
All orders already confirmed will be delivered regularly.
” At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have tested positive for coronavirus , Bloomberg reported .
Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Italy went on strike March 17th to protest what they saw as inadequate action by the company to protect them from infection .
Italy has been one of the areas hardest-hit by the coronavirus with more than 53,000 people infected and more than 4,800 dead , according to the New York Times .
On Saturday alone , the country reported 793 new deaths , the Times reported .

Amazon says it has temporarily stopped taking orders on some non-essential products on its sites in Italy (amazon.it) and France (amazon.fr) as part of its efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“As customers use e-commerce to support their social distancing efforts, we too have implemented social distancing guidance within our fulfillment centers to keep our employees safe and healthy,” a spokesperson for Amazon in Italy said in an emailed statement to The Verge. Customers can still order many of these products from third-party sellers who are able to ship directly to customers, the spokesperson added. Essential products would include food and hygiene items, he said.
The company says the measure will allow “fulfillment center associates to focus on receiving and shipping the products customers need most at this time.”
A notice on Amazon.it on Saturday read: “We are prioritizing the most requested products and some items may be temporarily unavailable. We appreciate your understanding at this time when we prioritize the products that customers need most. All orders already confirmed will be delivered regularly.”
At least five workers at Amazon warehouses in Europe have tested positive for coronavirus, Bloomberg reported. Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Italy went on strike March 17th to protest what they saw as inadequate action by the company to protect them from infection.


theverge--2020-03-21--The FAA briefly halted air traffic in NYC area after an air traffic employee tested positive for COV

The FAA briefly halted air traffic in NYC area after an air traffic employee tested positive for COVID-19

The Federal Aviation Administration briefly halted departures from New York and Philadelphia airports after a trainee at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center in Long Island tested positive for COVID-19 today .
The person had not been at the facility since March 17th , and the FAA is sanitizing affected areas .
As of 2:45 PM ET , the agency had lifted the ground stop order , according to the Associated Press .
The Long Island center , which primarily handles high-altitude , cross-country flights , remained open .
But the FAA rerouted flights “ as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations.
” The FAA said in a statement that it is “ working with local health officials and employee representatives to determine how many personnel might have interacted with the trainee in recent days.
” CNBC reported that there have been staffing issues because of coronavirus at FAA facilities around the country ; on Wednesday , flights from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas were diverted because an air traffic controller there “ potentially tested positive ” for COVID-19 .
Update March 21st 2:51PM ET : Adds that the FAA lifted the ground @ @

The Federal Aviation Administration briefly halted departures from New York and Philadelphia airports after a trainee at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center in Long Island tested positive for COVID-19 today. The person had not been at the facility since March 17th, and the FAA is sanitizing affected areas.
As of 2:45 PM ET, the agency had lifted the ground stop order, according to the Associated Press.
The Long Island center, which primarily handles high-altitude, cross-country flights, remained open. But the FAA rerouted flights “as part of a longstanding contingency plan to ensure continued operations.”
The FAA said in a statement that it is “working with local health officials and employee representatives to determine how many personnel might have interacted with the trainee in recent days.”
CNBC reported that there have been staffing issues because of coronavirus at FAA facilities around the country; on Wednesday, flights from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas were diverted because an air traffic controller there “potentially tested positive” for COVID-19.


theverge--2020-03-21--CDC uses Microsoft healthcare chatbot service to create coronavirus symptom checker

The CDC has used Microsoft ’ s Healthcare Bot service to create a COVID-19 assessment chatbot to screen Americans who may be unsure whether to seek medical care .
The Coronavirus Self Checker bot asks a series of questions based on CDC guidelines about symptoms ( such as shortness of breath or dizziness ) and risk factors ( like underlying medical conditions or exposure to someone else with the virus ) and suggests next steps , including whether to self-isolate , consult with a telehealth professional , or visit an emergency room .
The CDC ’ s chatbot provides links @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacts , but does not have information about coronavirus testing sites .
It also does not diagnose or give treatment plans other than general advice such as “ stay home and take care of yourself ” or “ call 911.
” The bot appears to be a possible way to reassure the so-called “ worried well ” that their symptoms likely don ’ t require medical attention , which in turn can free up doctors and emergency rooms for patients who are legitimately ill with the coronavirus .
The chatbot runs on Microsoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintains the tool and does not share any personal information users enter into the bot with Microsoft , according to Nextgov .
Versions of the chatbot are already online at nine health systems , with more coming online soon , the Wall Street Journal reports .
Healthcare provider Providence launched a limited version of the bot on March 5th , opening it to all users March 8th , according to the WSJ , and says the bot has had more than 40,000 sessions and more than 6,000 hand-offs to video consultation so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumers need now to help with anxiety , ” Maryam Gholami of Providence told the WSJ .

The CDC has used Microsoft’s Healthcare Bot service to create a COVID-19 assessment chatbot to screen Americans who may be unsure whether to seek medical care. The Coronavirus Self Checker bot asks a series of questions based on CDC guidelines about symptoms (such as shortness of breath or dizziness) and risk factors (like underlying medical conditions or exposure to someone else with the virus) and suggests next steps, including whether to self-isolate, consult with a telehealth professional, or visit an emergency room.
The CDC’s chatbot provides links to more information and local health department contacts, but does not have information about coronavirus testing sites. It also does not diagnose or give treatment plans other than general advice such as “stay home and take care of yourself” or “call 911.” The bot appears to be a possible way to reassure the so-called “worried well” that their symptoms likely don’t require medical attention, which in turn can free up doctors and emergency rooms for patients who are legitimately ill with the coronavirus.
The chatbot runs on Microsoft Azure, but the CDC owns and maintains the tool and does not share any personal information users enter into the bot with Microsoft, according to Nextgov.
Versions of the chatbot are already online at nine health systems, with more coming online soon, the Wall Street Journal reports. Healthcare provider Providence launched a limited version of the bot on March 5th, opening it to all users March 8th, according to the WSJ, and says the bot has had more than 40,000 sessions and more than 6,000 hand-offs to video consultation so far.


theverge--2020-03-21--Amazon to start paying US warehouse workers double time for all overtime hours

Amazon said Saturday it will raise overtime pay for workers in its US warehouses between March 15th and May 9th @ @ @ @ @ of the standard time-and-a-half they receive now for overtime , Amazon warehouse workers in the @ @ @ @ @ hourly rate for every overtime hour worked in a given workweek , the company said @ @ @ @ @ day after four US senators sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking him @ @ @ @ @ how the company is keeping its warehouse workers safe during the coronavirus outbreak .
The @ @ @ @ @ days after the first US-based Amazon warehouse worker tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease @ @ @ @ @ Amazon warehouse workers have said that the uptick in orders— as people hunker down at @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus— has caused many to become concerned for their health .
The Verge spoke @ @ @ @ @ delivery drivers , who described crowded workplaces , a lack of screenings for symptoms , @ @ @ @ @ , and a pace that made sanitation difficult .

Amazon said Saturday it will raise overtime pay for workers in its US warehouses between March 15th and May 9th, Reuters reports. Instead of the standard time-and-a-half they receive now for overtime, Amazon warehouse workers in the US will receive double their hourly rate for every overtime hour worked in a given workweek, the company said.
The announcement comes a day after four US senators sent a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos asking him to respond to questions about how the company is keeping its warehouse workers safe during the coronavirus outbreak. The senators sent the letter two days after the first US-based Amazon warehouse worker tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.


theverge--2020-03-21--Greg Grunberg says there is no J.J. Abrams director’s cut of The Rise of Skywalker

Actor Greg Grunberg , longtime friend of director J.J. Abrams , says in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter that as far as he knows , there is no alternate edit of The Rise of Skywalker despite a persistent fan rumor to the contrary .
Fans who were dissatisfied with the 2019 film latched on to a theory that Abrams was pressured by Disney to make TROS more fan-friendly , and that somewhere there was a director ’ s cut with Abrams ’ “ real ” version of the movie .
Hence , the # ReleaseTheJJCut hashtag was born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t think such a cut exists : “ I ’ m being completely honest here , but not once did he ever tell me that there was any pressure on him to cut things out .
Personally , I don ’ t think there ’ s any truth to that , and I would be surprised if there ’ s a ‘ J.J .
cut.
’ Every movie goes through a series of cuts ; it ’ s just the nature of it .
I don ’ t buy into it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrary to another rumor , he did not think Abrams intended TROS to be a rebuttal to Rian Johnson ’ s The Last Jedi , which was the second in the three-film Skywalker series , and the only one that Abrams didn ’ t direct .
“ I never heard one disparaging thing from J.J. about Rian , ” Grunberg told THR .
“ J.J .
loves that guy .
He loves how creative and how brilliant he is.
” There ’ s been a fair amount of careful dissection of the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year Aja Romano at Vox went to some lengths to explore each point , including Abrams ’ widely misinterpreted statement to Vanity Fair that “ The people who love it more than anything are also right.
” Romano notes that the rumors of an Abrams alternate cut — along with the fervor around a supposed alternate cut of Justice League by original director Zack Snyder— suggest deep polarization among the films ’ fan base : The system of belief is all structured to feed an alternate narrative of the franchise that allows fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than contend with their own disillusionment .
The possibility , fed by the anonymous sources , that the alternate film cuts exist fosters that narrative .
And though the “ alternate cut ” theory may be the biggest conspiracy going right now , it ’ s not the only conspiracy — and the way these conspiracies interact really starts to bend reality .
Abrams and Grunberg have known each other since they were children , and he ’ s as good a source as any to debunk the rumors of an alternate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s spent more than five minutes on the internet knows , fan conspiracy theories tend to keep chugging along no matter what the “ facts ” suggest .

Actor Greg Grunberg, longtime friend of director J.J. Abrams, says in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter that as far as he knows, there is no alternate edit of The Rise of Skywalker despite a persistent fan rumor to the contrary. Fans who were dissatisfied with the 2019 film latched on to a theory that Abrams was pressured by Disney to make TROS more fan-friendly, and that somewhere there was a director’s cut with Abrams’ “real” version of the movie. Hence, the #ReleaseTheJJCut hashtag was born.
However, Grunberg told THR he doesn’t think such a cut exists:
“I’m being completely honest here, but not once did he ever tell me that there was any pressure on him to cut things out. Personally, I don’t think there’s any truth to that, and I would be surprised if there’s a ‘J.J. cut.’ Every movie goes through a series of cuts; it’s just the nature of it. I don’t buy into it at all.”
Grunberg also added that contrary to another rumor, he did not think Abrams intended TROS to be a rebuttal to Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, which was the second in the three-film Skywalker series, and the only one that Abrams didn’t direct. “I never heard one disparaging thing from J.J. about Rian,” Grunberg told THR. “J.J. loves that guy. He loves how creative and how brilliant he is.”
There’s been a fair amount of careful dissection of the “JJ Cut” theory; earlier this year Aja Romano at Vox went to some lengths to explore each point, including Abrams’ widely misinterpreted statement to Vanity Fair that “The people who love it more than anything are also right.” Romano notes that the rumors of an Abrams alternate cut — along with the fervor around a supposed alternate cut of Justice League by original director Zack Snyder— suggest deep polarization among the films’ fan base:
The system of belief is all structured to feed an alternate narrative of the franchise that allows fans to continue to feel invested in them rather than contend with their own disillusionment. The possibility, fed by the anonymous sources, that the alternate film cuts exist fosters that narrative. And though the “alternate cut” theory may be the biggest conspiracy going right now, it’s not the only conspiracy — and the way these conspiracies interact really starts to bend reality.


theverge--2020-03-21--The Lovebirds becomes first movie pulled from theaters due to coronavirus that’s moving to Netflix

As more studios try to navigate various methods of releasing their films during the coronavirus pandemic , especially now that theaters across the country have shut down , most movies have received digital releases .
Paramount ’ s The Lovebirds , a comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae , marks the first time during this period that a studio movie lost its theatrical release and will head straight to a third-party streamer — Netflix .
The Lovebirds was originally scheduled to hit theaters on April 3rd , but Paramount announced last night that it will instead skip over directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a partnership that comprises of a few titles , according to Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos .
Most notably , Paramount sold The Cloverfield Paradox to Netflix .
The streamer then released it as a surprise following the Super Bowl in 2018 .
Gianopulos told investors and analysts in 2018 following the deal that Paramount would use the co-venture “ when and where it makes sense.
” This seems like one of those times .
The Lovebirds isn ’ t Black Widow at the end of the day .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streamer like Netflix , especially considering what ’ s happening to the industry right now .
Paramount also chose to delay its heavily anticipated sequel to A Quiet Place , A Quiet Place II , until later in the year .
Take a look at the box office numbers for these types of films .
The James Bond franchise was estimated to be worth around $ 20 billion in 2015 .
A Quiet Place grossed $ 340 million worldwide , which is an impressive feat for a horror film without preexisting IP .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can earn a decent return on investment going through the traditional theatrical release system .
Those that can ’ t are choosing alternative routes .
Magnolia Pictures delayed the release of its documentary Slay the Dragon and changed the distribution release so that it ’ s available to rent from digital services .
Another studio in China made its projected biggest film of the year free to all subscribers of its own streaming platform because of the novel coronavirus outbreak , as an example .
Movies currently in theaters like Onward , Sonic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and more are also receiving early VOD and digital releases as more people stay home and theaters close .
It ’ s a trend that ’ s going to disrupt parts of Hollywood and the moviegoing experience .
As The Verge noted previously : What we ’ re seeing instead is studios like Universal starting to make pipeline decisions .
There are midtier films that don ’ t need a 90-day exclusive theatrical release .
Films like Emma and The Hunt might do better via $ 20 VOD rentals than they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price is $ 16 , according to NATO .
If a family of four wants to go see The Hunt , it ’ s more than $ 50 .
But $ 20 at home where everyone can watch and eat their own snacks is a much more enticing offer .
Warner Bros. ’ Birds of Prey did well at the box office , grossing $ 84 million domestically , but now that people are at home , there ’ s a good chance more people will discover it through a $ 20 rental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their time .
Even the director agrees .
The Lovebirds isn ’ t on Netflix yet , but it ’ s likely to appear on the streamer on April 3rd .

As more studios try to navigate various methods of releasing their films during the coronavirus pandemic, especially now that theaters across the country have shut down, most movies have received digital releases. Paramount’s The Lovebirds, a comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, marks the first time during this period that a studio movie lost its theatrical release and will head straight to a third-party streamer — Netflix.
The Lovebirds was originally scheduled to hit theaters on April 3rd, but Paramount announced last night that it will instead skip over directly to Netflix. Paramount and Netflix currently have a partnership that comprises of a few titles, according to Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos. Most notably, Paramount sold The Cloverfield Paradox to Netflix. The streamer then released it as a surprise following the Super Bowl in 2018. Gianopulos told investors and analysts in 2018 following the deal that Paramount would use the co-venture “when and where it makes sense.” This seems like one of those times.
The Lovebirds isn’t Black Widow at the end of the day. It’s a midbudget movie that makes sense for a streamer like Netflix, especially considering what’s happening to the industry right now. Paramount also chose to delay its heavily anticipated sequel to A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place II, until later in the year.
The Lovebirds isn’t Black Widow at the end of the day
Take a look at the box office numbers for these types of films. The James Bond franchise was estimated to be worth around $20 billion in 2015. A Quiet Place grossed $340 million worldwide, which is an impressive feat for a horror film without preexisting IP. These are movies that studios believe they can earn a decent return on investment going through the traditional theatrical release system.
Those that can’t are choosing alternative routes. Magnolia Pictures delayed the release of its documentary Slay the Dragon and changed the distribution release so that it’s available to rent from digital services. Another studio in China made its projected biggest film of the year free to all subscribers of its own streaming platform because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, as an example. Movies currently in theaters like Onward, Sonic the Hedgehog, Emma, The Hunt, and more are also receiving early VOD and digital releases as more people stay home and theaters close. It’s a trend that’s going to disrupt parts of Hollywood and the moviegoing experience. As The Verge noted previously:
What we’re seeing instead is studios like Universal starting to make pipeline decisions. There are midtier films that don’t need a 90-day exclusive theatrical release. Films like Emma and The Hunt might do better via $20 VOD rentals than they would at a theater. The average ticket price is $16, according to NATO. If a family of four wants to go see The Hunt, it’s more than $50. But $20 at home where everyone can watch and eat their own snacks is a much more enticing offer. Warner Bros.’ Birds of Prey did well at the box office, grossing $84 million domestically, but now that people are at home, there’s a good chance more people will discover it through a $20 rental as they look for entertainment to fill their time. Even the director agrees.


theverge--2020-03-21--GM is partnering with Ventec Life Systems to help increase production of ventilators

General Motors is partnering with Ventec Life Systems to help increase production of ventilators that are needed in hospitals dealing with patients who have the novel coronavirus , the companies announced Friday .
In the most severe cases of COVID-19 infection , patients need the assistance of ventilators to breathe , and there are widespread concerns that the US does not have enough ventilators to meet the coming demand .
Seattle-based Ventec is one of a handful of ventilator manufacturers in the US , according to NBC News , and already has ramped up its production .
Ventec CEO Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce 1,000 machines per month ( up from its usual 150 per month ) , in the next 90 days , and eventually , to produce 2,000 ventilators per month .
Ventec will rely on GM ’ s manufacturing , logistics , and purchasing to help build more ventilators more quickly .
GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement that GM would “ continue to explore ways to help in this time of crisis.
” Other automakers including Ford and Volkswagen also reportedly have contacted the White House to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla and SpaceX employees were “ working on ventilators ” and despite a tweet from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio that the machines were definitely needed , Musk didn ’ t provide further details about when or where his companies would produce the machines .

General Motors is partnering with Ventec Life Systems to help increase production of ventilators that are needed in hospitals dealing with patients who have the novel coronavirus, the companies announced Friday. In the most severe cases of COVID-19 infection, patients need the assistance of ventilators to breathe, and there are widespread concerns that the US does not have enough ventilators to meet the coming demand.
Seattle-based Ventec is one of a handful of ventilator manufacturers in the US, according to NBC News, and already has ramped up its production. Ventec CEO Chris Kiple says the company is aiming to produce 1,000 machines per month (up from its usual 150 per month), in the next 90 days, and eventually, to produce 2,000 ventilators per month.
Ventec will rely on GM’s manufacturing, logistics, and purchasing to help build more ventilators more quickly. GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement that GM would “continue to explore ways to help in this time of crisis.”