theverge--2020-08-05--Samsung’s next folding phone needs to feel more normal

Today , Samsung is going to announce a giant pile of new gadgets .
Here ’ s what to expect : Two Note 20 phones , a couple of Tab S7 Android tablets , a new Galaxy Watch , and Galaxy Ear Buds Live .
I am on record that Samsung should have the guts to call those earbuds Ear Beans because tech needs to have a little more fun but also look at them .
The event kicks off at 10AM ET and although it ’ s an online-only affair , we ’ ll be doing a liveblog with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all in one place instead of trawling for takes on Twitter .
If you ‘ d rather just get the highlights , here ’ s a story stream that will have all the big news : Samsung Galaxy Note 20 event : all the latest rumors , news , and more .
When Samsung first announced the event , I wrote in this newsletter that the company needs a certifiable flagship — the kind of device that is the best thing Samsung can make , one that will put a halo on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy the other phones .
Of the contenders , I put my money on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 .
The leaks in the past week or so have shown that the Note 20 Ultra isn ’ t going to be a sleeper , though .
AT & T just whiffed and put out a video confirming nearly every feature in it .
But the Z Fold 2 looks impressive in other ways : the smaller hole punch and the gigantic front screen resolve two of the many issues I had with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fold 2 may be somewhat delayed ( there ’ s a lot of that going around this fall ) , however , so we may just get a tease today .
Late breaking rumors say we should expect “ some real hype shit ” about the design .
Something interesting has happened in the world of tech YouTubers and Android writers in the past couple of months : they love the Galaxy Z Flip folding phone .
Granted , that ’ s an audience you ’ d expect to be into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think that it ’ s the only audience that really should be buying a fancy device like that .
The people I see using folding phones the most are starting to advocate for them .
That doesn ’ t mean you should get one , but it ’ s interesting .
If Samsung can make the Z Fold 2 just a little more durable , I think it has a shot at getting a small cadre of dedicated users who love it and advocate for it — something more than the YouTubers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to form a community around the device .
That ’ s not far from what happened with the original Galaxy Note , the phone that was panned as a “ phablet ” until its size became the new normal .
Every folding phone to date has been too expensive for me to feel comfortable recommending .
Unless Samsung absolutely shocks me with the price , I ’ m sure that the Z Fold 2 will also not be something I think is a good value .
Objectively , it ’ s only fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the very wealthy ( or somewhat foolish ) .
Expect it to be a thing for the very wealthy ( or somewhat foolish ) Tech companies very much want to make folding phones just another option in the smartphone ecosystem .
To get there , they need to be approachable not just in terms of price but also in their durability and technology .
It ’ s going to take a little more than a few devices from Samsung .
Microsoft needs to get its Duo out the door ( it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a similar idea ) .
Motorola needs to make a Razr that doesn ’ t creak like a door in a bad horror movie .
LG needs to , well , let ’ s not ask too much of LG right now it ’ s been a rough half decade .
I ’ d also like folding phones to become a normal part of the smartphone world , simply because I think diversity of form factors is good and leads to more innovation .
One of the reasons the original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is they threatened to poison an otherwise promising new well .
The Z Fold 2 doesn ’ t need to singlehandedly make folding phones feel mainstream — but it does need to push them in that direction .
The course I ’ m describing here is one of slowly building momentum .
It could fall apart at any moment if the phones themselves fall apart physically .
But the Z Flip ’ s very modest success is something to build on .
Here ’ s what I wrote at the end of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with new Intel processors and a better webcam .
I ’ m pretty bummed that it ’ s not the new design , but I ’ m happy to see Apple sees that people want matte — excuse me , nano texture — displays .
Hope it makes its way to laptops someday , and hope it won ’ t be a $ 500 upgrade when it does .
┏ Greg Joswiak replaces Phil Schiller as head of Apple marketing .
This is very big news !
If you aren ’ t familiar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprising ) , the thing I ’ ll note is that you should not assume “ marketing ” means what it does at other companies , either .
It ’ s the central org for most of the stuff you care about from Apple .
Here ’ s how it ’ s put in Apple ’ s press release : ┏ Apple is not interested in buying TikTok .
Busy day for Apple news , honestly .
┏ Android ’ s ‘ Nearby Share ’ file sharing feature is finally launching .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come up with a viable Android version of AirDrop ?
It ’ s ridiculous .
If you ’ re an iPhone user , you probably have taken AirDrop for granted .
Now if Google can get the Chrome browser on Windows and Mac to work with this , I ’ d be very happy .
Better not take another nine years !
┏ Google Play Music will begin shutting down in September .
RIP.jul ┏ Google is adding new homeschooling features to Assistant smart displays and speakers .
Most of these features are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nice , but also digital interactions can never truly replace the bonds that are formed by wandering around your house yelling your children ’ s names until they are forced to respond .
More from The Verge ┏ We can ’ t skip steps on the road to a COVID-19 vaccine .
Clear , cogent explanation of why even in an emergency , rushing through the important third phase of testing isn ’ t a good idea from Nicole Wetsman : ┏ Mulan is heading to Disney Plus on September 4th for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexander characterized this move as a giant middle finger to the theater industry .
No more waiting around and Disney gets to keep literally every penny of revenue from people who watch this .
Disney says this is a one-off , but I doubt it .
┏ Cloak your photos with this AI privacy tool to fool facial recognition .
James Vincent : ┏ The biggest problem with Microsoft ’ s fractured TikTok deal .
Russell Brandom nails it :

Today, Samsung is going to announce a giant pile of new gadgets. Here’s what to expect: Two Note 20 phones, a couple of Tab S7 Android tablets, a new Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Ear Buds Live. I am on record that Samsung should have the guts to call those earbuds Ear Beans because tech needs to have a little more fun but also look at them.
The event kicks off at 10AM ET and although it’s an online-only affair, we’ll be doing a liveblog with real-time commentary — so you can find it all in one place instead of trawling for takes on Twitter.
If you ‘d rather just get the highlights, here’s a story stream that will have all the big news: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 event: all the latest rumors, news, and more.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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When Samsung first announced the event, I wrote in this newsletter that the company needs a certifiable flagship — the kind of device that is the best thing Samsung can make, one that will put a halo on the brand and draw people in to buy the other phones. Of the contenders, I put my money on the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
The leaks in the past week or so have shown that the Note 20 Ultra isn’t going to be a sleeper, though. AT&T just whiffed and put out a video confirming nearly every feature in it. But the Z Fold 2 looks impressive in other ways: the smaller hole punch and the gigantic front screen resolve two of the many issues I had with the first one.
Something interesting has happened in the world of tech YouTubers and Android writers in the past couple of months: they love the Galaxy Z Flip folding phone. Granted, that’s an audience you’d expect to be into a fancy device like that — but also I think that it’s the only audience that really should be buying a fancy device like that. The people I see using folding phones the most are starting to advocate for them. That doesn’t mean you should get one, but it’s interesting.
If Samsung can make the Z Fold 2 just a little more durable, I think it has a shot at getting a small cadre of dedicated users who love it and advocate for it — something more than the YouTubers and writers, but enough normal users to form a community around the device. That’s not far from what happened with the original Galaxy Note, the phone that was panned as a “phablet” until its size became the new normal.
Every folding phone to date has been too expensive for me to feel comfortable recommending. Unless Samsung absolutely shocks me with the price, I’m sure that the Z Fold 2 will also not be something I think is a good value. Objectively, it’s only fair to expect it to be a thing for the very wealthy (or somewhat foolish).
Expect it to be a thing for the very wealthy (or somewhat foolish)
Tech companies very much want to make folding phones just another option in the smartphone ecosystem. To get there, they need to be approachable not just in terms of price but also in their durability and technology.
It’s going to take a little more than a few devices from Samsung. Microsoft needs to get its Duo out the door (it’s not a folding screen, but it’s a similar idea). Motorola needs to make a Razr that doesn’t creak like a door in a bad horror movie. LG needs to, well, let’s not ask too much of LG right now it’s been a rough half decade.
I’d also like folding phones to become a normal part of the smartphone world, simply because I think diversity of form factors is good and leads to more innovation. One of the reasons the original Fold’s failures were so disappointing is they threatened to poison an otherwise promising new well.
The Z Fold 2 doesn’t need to singlehandedly make folding phones feel mainstream — but it does need to push them in that direction.
The course I’m describing here is one of slowly building momentum. It could fall apart at any moment if the phones themselves fall apart physically. But the Z Flip’s very modest success is something to build on. Here’s what I wrote at the end of that review:
If folding phones are ever going to stop being just expensive curiosities, they have to start being normal. I need to be able to just tell you about the screen and performance and camera, not spend the majority of my time explaining why this time maybe — maybe — the screen and hinge won’t explode. They also, obviously, need to start having much more normal prices.
Yup.
Verge Deal of the day Apple’s AirPods Pro are $30 off at Amazon Normally $250, the Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are down to $220 at Amazon. Compared to the standard AirPods, these feature better sound quality and noise cancellation. We’ve seen these drop a bit lower in price before, but that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy . Prices displayed are based on the MSRP at time of posting.
Apple News
┏ Apple updates the iMac with new Intel processors and a better webcam. I’m pretty bummed that it’s not the new design, but I’m happy to see Apple sees that people want matte — excuse me, nano texture — displays. Hope it makes its way to laptops someday, and hope it won’t be a $500 upgrade when it does.
┏ Greg Joswiak replaces Phil Schiller as head of Apple marketing. This is very big news! If you aren’t familiar with the names (which would be surprising), the thing I’ll note is that you should not assume “marketing” means what it does at other companies, either. It’s the central org for most of the stuff you care about from Apple. Here’s how it’s put in Apple’s press release:
Joswiak takes on the role of senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. This organization is responsible for Apple’s product management and product marketing, developer relations, market research, business management, as well as education, enterprise, and international marketing.
┏ Apple is not interested in buying TikTok. Busy day for Apple news, honestly.
Google news
┏ Android’s ‘Nearby Share’ file sharing feature is finally launching. Why did it take Google nine years to come up with a viable Android version of AirDrop? It’s ridiculous. If you’re an iPhone user, you probably have taken AirDrop for granted. Now if Google can get the Chrome browser on Windows and Mac to work with this, I’d be very happy. Better not take another nine years!
Nearby Share works very much like Apple’s AirDrop feature for the iPhone: you simply select the Nearby Share button on the share menu and then wait for a nearby phone to appear. Then whatever thing you’re sharing is sent directly over your transfer method of choice to the other phone.
┏ Google is adding new homeschooling features to Assistant smart displays and speakers. Most of these features are variations on broadcasting messages to your household. Nice, but also digital interactions can never truly replace the bonds that are formed by wandering around your house yelling your children’s names until they are forced to respond.
More from The Verge
The prototype is that of SpaceX’s Starship, a spacecraft the company wants to build to transport people to deep-space worlds like the Moon and Mars. The final version of the spaceship would stand at nearly 400 feet high and 30 feet wide, and be capable of sending more than 100 tons of cargo into low Earth orbit, according to SpaceX.
┏ We can’t skip steps on the road to a COVID-19 vaccine. Clear, cogent explanation of why even in an emergency, rushing through the important third phase of testing isn’t a good idea from Nicole Wetsman:
Sticking with the car metaphor, once a vaccine hits the test track, there’s a chance it’ll stop running (not actually protect people from COVID-19) or, in the worst-case scenario, crash (have some serious side effects). Its first test drives have to be carefully watched, so that the people designing it can monitor exactly what’s happening.
┏ Mulan is heading to Disney Plus on September 4th for $30. On Twitter, Julia Alexander characterized this move as a giant middle finger to the theater industry. No more waiting around and Disney gets to keep literally every penny of revenue from people who watch this. Disney says this is a one-off, but I doubt it.
┏ Cloak your photos with this AI privacy tool to fool facial recognition. James Vincent:
The way the software works is a little complex. Running your photos through Fawkes doesn’t make you invisible to facial recognition exactly. Instead, the software makes subtle changes to your photos so that any algorithm scanning those images in future sees you as a different person altogether. Essentially, running Fawkes on your photos is like adding an invisible mask to your selfies.
┏ The biggest problem with Microsoft’s fractured TikTok deal. Russell Brandom nails it:


theverge--2020-08-05--Last-minute video leak spoils entire Samsung Unpacked lineup

Samsung ’ s entire rumored device lineup for today ’ s upcoming Unpacked event has been spoiled by a series of videos from leaker Evan Blass .
Most interesting is the hands-on footage of Samsung ’ s unannounced Galaxy Z Fold 2 foldable ( most previous leaks have only been press renders ) , but the videos also include footage of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra , the Galaxy Tab S7 tablet , the Galaxy Buds true wireless earbuds , and the Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch .
The sheer quantity of leaks that have preceeded today ’ s event mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what to expect from the five devices , but in some cases this is the first time we ’ ve seen them outside of perfectly composed press renders .
For the Galaxy Z Fold 2 that means seeing how its two displays look with their hole-punch notches , as well as its outer display which appears significantly bigger than the original Fold ’ s .
Earlier today , Blass also revealed that the hinge of the foldable will come in a variety of different colors , including silver , gold , red , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also shows us a rundown of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra ’ s major features , many of which have been previously rumored .
These include using the phone to play a game over xCloud using an external controller ( details of this functionality first emerged last month ) , as well as using DeX to wirelessly stream its desktop computer interface to a Samsung TV , allowing the phone ’ s screen to be used as a trackpad .
Finally there ’ s the Galaxy Buds Live , which are shown with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep them secure in your ears , the Tab S7 tablet , and the Galaxy Watch 3 .
Check out our guide on all the leaks and rumors about today ’ s upcoming event for a full rundown of the five devices .
The event itself is due to kick off at 10AM EST later today , when you ’ ll be able to watch it live .

The sheer quantity of leaks that have preceeded today’s event mean we already had a good idea of what to expect from the five devices, but in some cases this is the first time we’ve seen them outside of perfectly composed press renders. For the Galaxy Z Fold 2 that means seeing how its two displays look with their hole-punch notches, as well as its outer display which appears significantly bigger than the original Fold’s.
Earlier today, Blass also revealed that the hinge of the foldable will come in a variety of different colors, including silver, gold, red, and blue.


theverge--2020-08-05--Twitter blocked Trump campaign account from tweeting over COVID-19 misinformation

Twitter said it would prevent President Trump ’ s @ TeamTrump campaign account from tweeting until it removed a tweet @ @ @ @ @ rules on COVID-19 misinformation , the company confirmed to The Verge Wednesday evening .
However @ @ @ @ @ TeamTrump has removed the tweet in violation of the rules , as it has tweeted @ @ @ @ @ .
The tweet in dispute , according to The Washington Post , was a clip @ @ @ @ @ to Fox News where he falsely claimed that children are “ almost immune ” to @ @ @ @ @ directly to the tweet as of this writing , you ’ ll see a notice @ @ @ @ @ is no longer available ” because it violated Twitter ’ s rules .
President Trump @ @ @ @ @ tweet from his personal account , but following that link now brings up an error @ @ @ @ @ went wrong.
” Earlier today , Facebook removed a post from Trump ’ s Facebook @ @ @ @ @ Trump making the false claim , also for violating its misinformation policy .

Twitter said it would prevent President Trump’s @TeamTrump campaign account from tweeting until it removed a tweet that violates Twitter’s rules on COVID-19 misinformation, the company confirmed to The Verge Wednesday evening. However, it appears that @TeamTrump has removed the tweet in violation of the rules, as it has tweeted again several times this evening.
The tweet in dispute, according to The Washington Post, was a clip of an interview Trump gave to Fox News where he falsely claimed that children are “almost immune” to COVID-19.
If you navigate directly to the tweet as of this writing, you’ll see a notice saying that the tweet “is no longer available” because it violated Twitter’s rules. President Trump had also linked to the tweet from his personal account, but following that link now brings up an error message saying that “something went wrong.”


theverge--2020-08-05--YouTube prank stars Stokes Twins charged with felony after fake bank robbery video

Alan and Alex Stokes , 23-year-old twin brothers known best for posting prank videos to YouTube under their channel Stokes Twins , have each been charged with a felony related to a fake bank robbery , the aftermath of which the brothers recorded and posted to YouTube last October , according to the Orange County district attorney ’ s office ( via The Hollywood Reporter . )
As part of the prank , the two brothers falsely presented themselves as criminals to an Uber driver and other random bystanders , who they then implored to give them clothes , rides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way that South California authorities say broke the law .
“ These were not pranks .
These are crimes that could have resulted in someone getting seriously injured or even killed , ” Todd Spitzer , the Orange County district attorney , said in a statement .
“ Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect the public and when someone calls 911 to report an active bank robbery they are going to respond to protect lives .
Instead , what they found was some kind of twisted attempt to gain more popularity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the public and police officers in danger.
” The brothers have each been charged with one felony count of “ false imprisonment effected by violence , menace , fraud , or deceit ” and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting an emergency .
According to the DA ’ s office , the brothers face up to four years in prison if convicted on both counts .
The video shows the brothers at one point explaining the prank to a police officer , who tells them that more than a dozen officers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately a false report of on-the-run criminals .
The end of the video shows even more officers surrounding the brothers as they try to further explain the prank .
“ This is what is going to get ... someone potentially hurt .
We have people stopping in the middle of the street because they ’ re watching this — guys pulling off ski masks , throwing stuff on the ground and changing clothes , ” one officer says .
“ Think about what ’ s going on nowadays .
Think about it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ than that .
You know better , ” another officer says .
“ You ’ re absolutely lucky you didn ’ t get guns drawn on you .
”

Alan and Alex Stokes, 23-year-old twin brothers known best for posting prank videos to YouTube under their channel Stokes Twins, have each been charged with a felony related to a fake bank robbery, the aftermath of which the brothers recorded and posted to YouTube last October, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office (via The Hollywood Reporter.)
As part of the prank, the two brothers falsely presented themselves as criminals to an Uber driver and other random bystanders, who they then implored to give them clothes, rides, and other forms of assistance in a way that South California authorities say broke the law.
“These were not pranks. These are crimes that could have resulted in someone getting seriously injured or even killed,” Todd Spitzer, the Orange County district attorney, said in a statement. “Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect the public and when someone calls 911 to report an active bank robbery they are going to respond to protect lives. Instead, what they found was some kind of twisted attempt to gain more popularity on the internet by unnecessarily putting members of the public and police officers in danger.”
The brothers have each been charged with one felony count of “false imprisonment effected by violence, menace, fraud, or deceit” and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting an emergency. According to the DA’s office, the brothers face up to four years in prison if convicted on both counts.
The video shows the brothers at one point explaining the prank to a police officer, who tells them that more than a dozen officers were called to the scene over what was ultimately a false report of on-the-run criminals. The end of the video shows even more officers surrounding the brothers as they try to further explain the prank.


theverge--2020-08-05--The US will pay up to $10 million if you can ID a foreign election hacker

The 2020 US presidential election is less than 100 days away , and in an effort to prevent the foreign election interference that played a role in the 2016 election , the US Department of State announced today that it ’ s offering up to $ 10 million for any information that can identify someone who ’ s been meddling in a US election .
Specifically , the State Department is offering the reward for “ information leading to the identification or location of any person who works with or for a foreign government for the purpose of interfering with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Foreign interference is reportedly already present in this year ’ s election As November draws near , foreign interference is reportedly already present in this year ’ s election .
In February , intelligence officials said Russia is already meddling in the 2020 campaign in support of President Trump ’ s re-election .
In that same month , officials also said Russia was interfering in the Democratic primary to help Bernie Sanders .
US elections are also facing potential problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
As many worry about heading to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of contracting the virus , some states are opting to allow vote by mail to try to help contain the spread .
However , election experts told our sister site Vox that many states face issues ahead of November , from delays in vote by mail ballots being delivered to poll worker shortages causing longer wait times at polling locations .

The 2020 US presidential election is less than 100 days away, and in an effort to prevent the foreign election interference that played a role in the 2016 election, the US Department of State announced today that it’s offering up to $10 million for any information that can identify someone who’s been meddling in a US election.
Specifically, the State Department is offering the reward for “information leading to the identification or location of any person who works with or for a foreign government for the purpose of interfering with U.S. elections through certain illegal cyber activities.”
Foreign interference is reportedly already present in this year’s election
As November draws near, foreign interference is reportedly already present in this year’s election. In February, intelligence officials said Russia is already meddling in the 2020 campaign in support of President Trump’s re-election. In that same month, officials also said Russia was interfering in the Democratic primary to help Bernie Sanders.


theverge--2020-08-05--The FBI raided Jake Paul’s home as part of an investigation into a mall ‘riot’

The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the California home of YouTube star Jake Paul this morning , according to TMZ and CBSLA .
Agents removed several objects that looked like firearms from Paul ’ s home , ABC7 reported .
The bureau is investigating “ allegations of criminal acts ” surrounding an incident at an Arizona mall in May , a spokesperson for the FBI ’ s Phoenix office told The Verge .
A second location , in Las Vegas , Nevada , was also raided today in connection with the investigation .
TMZ says the home is owned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was also connected to the incident at the mall .
Police in Scottsdale , Arizona previously called the incident in the mall a “ riot.
” The FBI appears to have taken over the investigation into the events at the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall .
Scottsdale police filed misdemeanor charges against Jake Paul in June for his alleged involvement .
Arman Izadi — as well as a third person , Andrew Leon — received misdemeanor charges as well .
Those misdemeanor charges are now being dismissed , local police told The Verge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now coordinating with the FBI to “ ensure that justice is served.
” It said the charges are being dropped so that “ a federal criminal investigation can be completed.
” The FBI spokesperson confirmed that “ federal search warrants ” were executed in California and Las Vegas in connection with the investigation this morning .
A spokesperson for the FBI ’ s Los Angeles office declined to comment on the evidence sought or recovered in the California raid , saying that the warrant remained under seal .
The spokesperson also declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No arrests have been made or are planned , the Los Angeles spokesperson told The Verge .
Paul ’ s house is also the home base of Team 10 , Paul ’ s YouTube collective , and other members frequently live in and work from the house .
Paul has yet to comment on the search .
The Verge emailed Paul ’ s listed business address requesting comment , but the message bounced back with an error saying the address couldn ’ t be found or receive mail .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigation , ” Paul ’ s attorney , Richard Schonfeld , told TMZ .
Schonfeld said Paul was not home at the time of the search .
Paul was recently criticized by the mayor of Calabasas , California , where he lives , for throwing a large party during the pandemic .
The mayor said that Calabasas would begin issuing fines for failing to wear a mask while near other people outside a home .
Update , August 5th , 7:32 PM ET : This story has been updated with comments from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Scottsdale Police Department saying that the raid was connected to the Arizona mall incident .

The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the California home of YouTube star Jake Paul this morning, according to TMZ and CBSLA. Agents removed several objects that looked like firearms from Paul’s home, ABC7 reported. The bureau is investigating “allegations of criminal acts” surrounding an incident at an Arizona mall in May, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Phoenix office told The Verge.
A second location, in Las Vegas, Nevada, was also raided today in connection with the investigation. TMZ says the home is owned by Arman Izadi, a friend of Paul who was also connected to the incident at the mall.
Police in Scottsdale, Arizona previously called the incident in the mall a “riot.” The FBI appears to have taken over the investigation into the events at the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall. Scottsdale police filed misdemeanor charges against Jake Paul in June for his alleged involvement. Arman Izadi — as well as a third person, Andrew Leon — received misdemeanor charges as well.
A federal criminal investigation is underway
Those misdemeanor charges are now being dismissed, local police told The Verge. The police department says it is now coordinating with the FBI to “ensure that justice is served.” It said the charges are being dropped so that “a federal criminal investigation can be completed.”
The FBI spokesperson confirmed that “federal search warrants” were executed in California and Las Vegas in connection with the investigation this morning. A spokesperson for the FBI’s Los Angeles office declined to comment on the evidence sought or recovered in the California raid, saying that the warrant remained under seal. The spokesperson also declined to say when the seal would be lifted. No arrests have been made or are planned, the Los Angeles spokesperson told The Verge.
Paul’s house is also the home base of Team 10, Paul’s YouTube collective, and other members frequently live in and work from the house. Paul has yet to comment on the search. The Verge emailed Paul’s listed business address requesting comment, but the message bounced back with an error saying the address couldn’t be found or receive mail.
“We are still gathering information and will cooperate with the investigation,” Paul’s attorney, Richard Schonfeld, told TMZ. Schonfeld said Paul was not home at the time of the search.
Paul was recently criticized by the mayor of Calabasas, California, where he lives, for throwing a large party during the pandemic. The mayor said that Calabasas would begin issuing fines for failing to wear a mask while near other people outside a home.


theverge--2020-08-05--Audi drops E-Tron price by nearly $9,000 and ups the range by 18 miles

The 2021 Audi E-Tron , the company ’ s first all-electric car , will start at nearly $ 9,000 less than the current version and will get a range bump of 18 miles — bringing its total EPA-estimated range to 222 miles on a full battery pack .
The starting MSRP is dropping thanks to a new base version of the E-Tron SUV that will now start at $ 65,900 , which is down $ 8,900 from the current $ 74,800 price tag .
There are some sacrifices , of course .
The company ’ s “ Matrix ” LED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US to begin with ) aren ’ t included with the base model , and neither is the Bang & Olufsen sound system .
Audi will sell more fully-loaded versions of the 2021 E-Tron that start as high as $ 79,100 .
The company is introducing a new base trim that ’ s slightly pared down The improvement to the E-Tron ’ s range come from tweaks and optimizations , like making it possible to occasionally disengage the electric motor on the front axle when it ’ s not needed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also allowing the 2021 E-Tron access more of the total capacity of the 95 kWh battery pack .
The new version of the electric SUV has a total usable capacity of 86.5 kWh , up from 83.6kWh .
( Automakers typically limit the usable capacity of the battery packs in electric cars to reduce degradation over the life of the car . )
Those changes combine to bring the new EPA range up from 204 miles to 222 miles .
While that ’ s still far from the figures that Tesla is reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sedans can travel 402 miles on a fully-charged battery , which has a total capacity of 100kWh — all improvements to electric vehicle range are welcome , and they ’ re thankfully becoming a common occurrence .
For instance , Jaguar announced a similar bump to the I-Pace ’ s range at the end of 2019 , moving its total from 234 miles to 246 miles .
Even the Chevy Bolt gained 21 miles of range last year during a model year jump .
Audi has two smaller , more affordable Q4 versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year that will be powered by parent company Volkswagen ’ s modular electric vehicle platform .
Designed from the ground up to power the Volkswagen Group ’ s many forthcoming electric cars , the platform should provide better range and performance at lower cost .

The 2021 Audi E-Tron, the company’s first all-electric car, will start at nearly $9,000 less than the current version and will get a range bump of 18 miles — bringing its total EPA-estimated range to 222 miles on a full battery pack.
The starting MSRP is dropping thanks to a new base version of the E-Tron SUV that will now start at $65,900, which is down $8,900 from the current $74,800 price tag. There are some sacrifices, of course. The company’s “Matrix” LED headlights (which aren’t available in the US to begin with) aren’t included with the base model, and neither is the Bang & Olufsen sound system. Audi will sell more fully-loaded versions of the 2021 E-Tron that start as high as $79,100.
The company is introducing a new base trim that’s slightly pared down
The improvement to the E-Tron’s range come from tweaks and optimizations, like making it possible to occasionally disengage the electric motor on the front axle when it’s not needed in order to save power. Audi is also allowing the 2021 E-Tron access more of the total capacity of the 95 kWh battery pack. The new version of the electric SUV has a total usable capacity of 86.5 kWh, up from 83.6kWh. (Automakers typically limit the usable capacity of the battery packs in electric cars to reduce degradation over the life of the car.)
Those changes combine to bring the new EPA range up from 204 miles to 222 miles. While that’s still far from the figures that Tesla is reaching these days — the newest Model S sedans can travel 402 miles on a fully-charged battery, which has a total capacity of 100kWh — all improvements to electric vehicle range are welcome, and they’re thankfully becoming a common occurrence. For instance, Jaguar announced a similar bump to the I-Pace’s range at the end of 2019, moving its total from 234 miles to 246 miles. Even the Chevy Bolt gained 21 miles of range last year during a model year jump.


theverge--2020-08-05--Facebook removes Trump post for falsely claiming children are ‘almost immune’ to COVID-19

Facebook has removed a post posted by President Donald Trump ’ s account for violations of its misinformation policy , the company confirmed to The Verge .
The video posted was of a Trump interview with Fox News ’ Fox & Friends program , in which the president claimed children are “ almost immune ” to COVID-19 , which is false .
The interview also included Trump saying COVID-19 “ is going to go away , ” and that his view is that “ schools should open ” because “ this it will go away like things go away.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts at Children ’ s Hospital of Chicago found that children younger than five can carry the virus at levels far higher than adults , although there is still debate over whether children can pass COVID-19 to adults .
Trump pushes the claim that children are `` almost immune '' to make his case : `` My view is the school 's should open .
This thing 's going away .
It will go away like things go away . ''
So this morning he 's said `` this thing 's going away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
This is where we 're at .
pic.twitter.com/7KEICeU77T — The Recount ( @ therecount ) August 5 , 2020 The ongoing conversation around the virus ’ infectious capability among children is at the center of contentious school reopening plans throughout the US , as various federal , state , and local officials are deliberating how and to what extent to reopen classrooms in the fall .
School districts that have reopened or are in the planning stages of reopening in states like Georgia and Indiana have already started seeing spikes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes false claims that a group of people is immune from COVID-19 which is a violation of our policies around harmful COVID misinformation , ” a Facebook spokesperson tells The Verge .
This is only the latest Facebook post of Trump ’ s to be removed over the last few months , since the company refused to take action on a Trump post in late May that included threats of military violence against protestors .
Since then , Facebook has removed Trump ads that made use of Nazi imagery , a four-minute video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Millennium Copyright Act , and a misleading video edited to disparage CNN .

Facebook has removed a post posted by President Donald Trump’s account for violations of its misinformation policy, the company confirmed to The Verge. The video posted was of a Trump interview with Fox News’ Fox & Friends program, in which the president claimed children are “almost immune” to COVID-19, which is false. The interview also included Trump saying COVID-19 “is going to go away,” and that his view is that “schools should open” because “this it will go away like things go away.”
A recent study conduced by infectious disease experts at Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that children younger than five can carry the virus at levels far higher than adults, although there is still debate over whether children can pass COVID-19 to adults.
The ongoing conversation around the virus’ infectious capability among children is at the center of contentious school reopening plans throughout the US, as various federal, state, and local officials are deliberating how and to what extent to reopen classrooms in the fall. School districts that have reopened or are in the planning stages of reopening in states like Georgia and Indiana have already started seeing spikes in positive COVID-19 cases.


theverge--2020-08-05--Etsy helped sell $346 million worth of homemade masks

It ’ s starting to seem like Etsy only sells two kinds of products : masks , and everything else .
The handmade and vintage product marketplace just released its Q2 earnings report , and the company says it helped sell $ 346 million worth of homemade masks during the pandemic , accounting for 14 percent of all sales across small sellers on the platform .
4 million people came to Etsy for masks alone , buying nothing else , and 112,000 different sellers made money by selling those homemade masks on the platform .
If “ masks ” were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Etsy ’ s financial results , they ’ d rank third on the entire site : they ’ re not quite as big as the $ 740 million worth of home goods or the $ 362 million worth of jewelry that Etsy helped sell in Q2 , but they would be ahead of “ craft supplies.
” Mask sales are so much bigger than the $ 87 million in “ beauty & personal care ” that they threw off Etsy ’ s charts : More masks were sold this past quarter than all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that Etsy helped sell over the past twelve months .
But though Etsy is reveling in these sales for the moment — just as it did in April when it saw a huge surge thanks to masks — it ’ s starting to warn that masks sales probably aren ’ t sustainable : CEO Josh Silverman called them “ pretty volatile ” and “ hard to predict ” on the earnings call , noting that they tend to spike after things like CDC , state , and local county recommendations .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales at Etsy in general though , just like other online businesses are seeing from people stuck at home .
Etsy says it saw 18.7 million new and “ reactivated ” buyers arrive during Q2 , and it ’ s hoping it can figure out how to target them so they ’ ll stick around .
Please note that not all masks on Etsy are equal : Etsy had to warn its sellers in April not to make claims that they can actually prevent COVID-19 , and even afterwards it ’ s clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide very poor protection .
Some are simply designed for fashion .
Handmade masks aren ’ t the only personal protective equipment ( PPE ) that makers are crafting , of course : 3D printers are also producing face shields and valves among other creations , and I ’ m proud to say my own Ender 3 is still pumping out a handful of NIH-approved 3DVerkstan frames almost every day .

It’s starting to seem like Etsy only sells two kinds of products: masks, and everything else.
The product marketplace just released its Q2 earnings report, and the company says it helped sell $346 million worth of masks during the pandemic, accounting for 14 percent of all sales across small sellers on the platform. 4 million people came to Etsy for masks alone, buying nothing else, and 112,000 different sellers made money by selling those masks on the platform.
If “masks” were listed as their own product category in Etsy’s financial results, they’d rank third on the entire site: they’re not quite as big as the $740 million worth of home goods or the $362 million worth of jewelry that Etsy helped sell in Q2, but they would be ahead of “craft supplies.” Mask sales are so much bigger than the $87 million in “beauty & personal care” that they threw off Etsy’s charts:
More masks were sold this past quarter than all of the “paper and party supplies” that Etsy helped sell over the past twelve months.
But though Etsy is reveling in these sales for the moment — just as it did in April when it saw a huge surge thanks to masks — it’s starting to warn that masks sales probably aren’t sustainable: CEO Josh Silverman called them “pretty volatile” and “hard to predict” on the earnings call, noting that they tend to spike after things like CDC, state, and local county recommendations.
It seems like shelter-in-place orders have fired up sales at Etsy in general though, just like other online businesses are seeing from people stuck at home. Etsy says it saw 18.7 million new and “reactivated” buyers arrive during Q2, and it’s hoping it can figure out how to target them so they’ll stick around.
Please note that not all masks on Etsy are equal: Etsy had to warn its sellers in April not to make claims that they can actually prevent COVID-19, and even afterwards it’s clear that many of the items on sale provide very poor protection. Some are simply designed for fashion.
Masks aren’t the only personal protective equipment (PPE) that makers are crafting, of course: 3D printers are also producing face shields and valves among other creations, and I’m proud to say my own Ender 3 is still pumping out a handful of NIH-approved 3DVerkstan frames almost every day.


theverge--2020-08-05--Microsoft cuts xCloud iOS testing early as its future on Apple devices remains unclear

Microsoft has ended its xCloud game streaming test for iOS devices today .
The software giant had been testing xCloud on iOS in a very limited way over the past few months , but made it clear the service would only be launching on Android earlier this week .
Microsoft had informed xCloud testers that the preview would end on September 11th , but only the Android preview will continue until next month .
“ Our Project xCloud preview TestFlight period has ended on iOS and we are focused on delivering cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge .
“ It ’ s our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices.
” Microsoft ’ s ambitions to launch cloud streaming on iOS have hit some obstacles .
The company had to limit its xCloud iOS test app to just Halo : The Master Chief Collection and 10,000 testers due “ to comply with App Store policies.
” Microsoft hasn ’ t revealed which Apple policies are preventing xCloud from launching on iOS , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also not available on iPhones or iPads .
Google merely supplies a Stadia management app , but there ’ s no game streaming involved .
Other game streaming apps have also faced issues on the App Store .
Valve ’ s Steam Link app took nearly a year for Apple to approve even though it primarily streams games from your home PC .
The future of xCloud on iOS remains unclear and potentially out of Microsoft ’ s hands .
The issues appear to be related , in part at least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchases through its App Store .
Apple also has strict limits on “ remote desktop clients ” that mean apps are only allowed to connect to a user-owned host device or game console owned by the user .
Both the host device and client must be connected on a local network , too .
While Microsoft could potentially work around the in-app purchase App Store policies , the remote desktop client rules are likely the bigger hurdle .
Microsoft is avoiding in-app purchases with the Google Play Store version of Xbox Game Pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Instead , Microsoft has partnered with Samsung to offer a special version of the Xbox Game Pass app that will allow Xbox players to redeem tokens and make in-app purchases like buying skins or DLC items in the Xbox Store .
Microsoft is now planning to launch game streaming ( xCloud ) as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on September 15th .
The service will be exclusive to Android tablets and phones at launch , but Microsoft is also working on a PC app to stream Xbox games to Windows @ @ @

Microsoft has ended its xCloud game streaming test for iOS devices today. The software giant had been testing xCloud on iOS in a very limited way over the past few months, but made it clear the service would only be launching on Android earlier this week. Microsoft had informed xCloud testers that the preview would end on September 11th, but only the Android preview will continue until next month.
“Our Project xCloud preview TestFlight period has ended on iOS and we are focused on delivering cloud gaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to Android customers beginning September 15,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “It’s our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices.”
Microsoft’s ambitions to launch cloud streaming on iOS have hit some obstacles. The company had to limit its xCloud iOS test app to just Halo: The Master Chief Collection and 10,000 testers due “to comply with App Store policies.”
xCloud on iOS.
Microsoft hasn’t revealed which Apple policies are preventing xCloud from launching on iOS, but Google’s Stadia game streaming service is also not available on iPhones or iPads. Google merely supplies a Stadia management app, but there’s no game streaming involved. Other game streaming apps have also faced issues on the App Store. Valve’s Steam Link app took nearly a year for Apple to approve even though it primarily streams games from your home PC.
The future of xCloud on iOS remains unclear and potentially out of Microsoft’s hands. The issues appear to be related, in part at least, to Apple’s rules on in-app purchases through its App Store. Apple also has strict limits on “remote desktop clients” that mean apps are only allowed to connect to a user-owned host device or game console owned by the user. Both the host device and client must be connected on a local network, too. While Microsoft could potentially work around the in-app purchase App Store policies, the remote desktop client rules are likely the bigger hurdle.
Microsoft is avoiding in-app purchases with the Google Play Store version of Xbox Game Pass that will include game streaming (xCloud). Instead, Microsoft has partnered with Samsung to offer a special version of the Xbox Game Pass app that will allow Xbox players to redeem tokens and make in-app purchases like buying skins or DLC items in the Xbox Store.
Microsoft is now planning to launch game streaming (xCloud) as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on September 15th. The service will be exclusive to Android tablets and phones at launch, but Microsoft is also working on a PC app to stream Xbox games to Windows 10 machines.


theverge--2020-08-05--California labor commissioner sues Uber and Lyft for alleged wage theft

Uber and Lyft are committing wage theft by misclassifying drivers as independent contractors , California ’ s labor commissioner alleges in separate lawsuits against the companies .
The classification of drivers as freelance workers has deprived them of “ a host of legal protections in violation of California labor law , ” the lawsuits say .
“ The Uber and Lyft business model rests on the misclassification of drivers as independent contractors , ” said California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower in a statement .
“ This leaves workers without protections such as paid sick leave and reimbursement of drivers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wages.
” The pair of lawsuits are the latest legal challenges against Uber and Lyft in California , the state where both companies were founded and prospered — and now find themselves increasingly at peril .
the latest legal challenges against Uber and Lyft in California In May , California Attorney General Xavier Becerra , along with city attorneys of Los Angeles , San Francisco , and San Diego , sued the companies , arguing that their drivers were misclassified as independent contractors when they should be employees under the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on January 1st .
Becerra recently filed a motion for a preliminary injunction that could compel the ride-hailing companies to reclassify drivers as employees immediately .
California ’ s state court is expected to rule on the attorney general ’ s preliminary injunction on Thursday .
These latest lawsuits are of a similar vein .
The state ’ s labor commissioner has received nearly 5,000 claims from drivers for lost wages .
But García-Brower is seeking to recover wages owed to all of the state ’ s Uber and Lyft drivers , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of statutory violations and damages .
If drivers were classified as employees , Uber and Lyft would be responsible for paying them minimum wage , overtime compensation , paid rest periods , and reimbursements for the cost of driving for the companies , including personal vehicle mileage .
But as independent contractors , drivers receive none of these benefits .
In a statement , Uber claimed the lawsuit is ill-timed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The vast majority of California drivers want to work independently , and we ’ ve already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that remains the case under state law , ” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement .
“ When 3 million Californians are without a job , our leaders should be focused on creating work , not trying to shut down an entire industry.
” A Lyft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
This flurry of lawsuits and court rulings comes ahead of the November election , when California voters will vote on an Uber-and-Lyft-backed ballot measure that would override AB5 by classifying ride-hail drivers and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Uber and Lyft are committing wage theft by misclassifying drivers as independent contractors, California’s labor commissioner alleges in separate lawsuits against the companies. The classification of drivers as freelance workers has deprived them of “a host of legal protections in violation of California labor law,” the lawsuits say.
“The Uber and Lyft business model rests on the misclassification of drivers as independent contractors,” said California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower in a statement. “This leaves workers without protections such as paid sick leave and reimbursement of drivers’ expenses, as well as overtime and minimum wages.”
The pair of lawsuits are the latest legal challenges against Uber and Lyft in California, the state where both companies were founded and prospered — and now find themselves increasingly at peril.
the latest legal challenges against Uber and Lyft in California
In May, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, along with city attorneys of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, sued the companies, arguing that their drivers were misclassified as independent contractors when they should be employees under the state’s AB5 law that went into effect on January 1st. Becerra recently filed a motion for a preliminary injunction that could compel the ride-hailing companies to reclassify drivers as employees immediately. California’s state court is expected to rule on the attorney general’s preliminary injunction on Thursday.
These latest lawsuits are of a similar vein. The state’s labor commissioner has received nearly 5,000 claims from drivers for lost wages. But García-Brower is seeking to recover wages owed to all of the state’s Uber and Lyft drivers, as well as expenses for a wide range of statutory violations and damages.
If drivers were classified as employees, Uber and Lyft would be responsible for paying them minimum wage, overtime compensation, paid rest periods, and reimbursements for the cost of driving for the companies, including personal vehicle mileage. But as independent contractors, drivers receive none of these benefits.
In a statement, Uber claimed the lawsuit is ill-timed due to the coronavirus pandemic. “The vast majority of California drivers want to work independently, and we’ve already made significant changes to our app to ensure that remains the case under state law,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. “When 3 million Californians are without a job, our leaders should be focused on creating work, not trying to shut down an entire industry.” A Lyft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


theverge--2020-08-05--Intel’s own website leaks Tiger Lake CPU event happening in early September

A few weeks ago , Intel teased that “ something big ” is happening on September 2nd .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ on the company ’ s own investor relations site ( and eagle-eyed Twitter user @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have confirmation that this is when Intel plans to talk more about its @ @ @ @ @ CPUs , the ones featuring its anticipated Xe graphics .
Acer has already promised machines @ @ @ @ @ , so perhaps we ’ ll hear more about OEM support .
Another notable date @ @ @ @ @ sooner .
Next week , on August 13th , Intel is hosting an event called @ @ @ @ @ Architect , Raja Koduri.
” We suspect the company will be providing more details about @ @ @ @ @ the DG1 , which it announced back at CES 2020 .
Intel didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ CES about when we can expect to see the DG1 arrive in devices , but @ @ @ @ @ very soon .

A few weeks ago, Intel teased that “something big” is happening on September 2nd. Now, thanks to the event calendar on the company’s own investor relations site (and eagle-eyed Twitter user @SteakisGood for spotting it), we have confirmation that this is when Intel plans to talk more about its 10nm 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs, the ones featuring its anticipated Xe graphics.
Another notable date on the calendar is even sooner. Next week, on August 13th, Intel is hosting an event called “Updates from our Chief Architect, Raja Koduri.” We suspect the company will be providing more details about its first discrete GPU, the DG1, which it announced back at CES 2020. Intel didn’t have much to share at CES about when we can expect to see the DG1 arrive in devices, but apparently this could now happen very soon.


theverge--2020-08-06--Scientists rename human genes to stop Microsoft Excel from misreading them as dates

There are tens of thousands of genes in the human genome : minuscule twists of DNA and RNA that combine to express all of the traits and characteristics that make each of us unique .
Each gene is given a name and alphanumeric code , known as a symbol , which scientists use to coordinate research .
But over the past year or so , some 27 human genes have been renamed , all because Microsoft Excel kept misreading their symbols as dates .
The problem isn ’ t as unexpected as it first sounds .
Excel is a behemoth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used by scientists to track their work and even conduct clinical trials .
But its default settings were designed with more mundane applications in mind , so when a user inputs a gene ’ s alphanumeric symbol into a spreadsheet , like MARCH1 — short for “ Membrane Associated Ring-CH-Type Finger 1 ” — Excel converts that into a date : 1-Mar .
Studies found a fifth of genetic data in papers was affected by Excel errors This is extremely frustrating , even dangerous , corrupting data that scientists have to sort through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s also surprisingly widespread and affects even peer-reviewed scientific work .
One study from 2016 examined genetic data shared alongside 3,597 published papers and found that roughly one-fifth had been affected by Excel errors .
“ It ’ s really , really annoying , ” Dezső Módos , a systems biologist at the Quadram Institute in the UK , told The Verge .
Módos , whose job involves analyzing freshly sequenced genetic data , says Excel errors happen all the time , simply because the software is often the first thing to hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a widespread tool and if you are a bit computationally illiterate you will use it , ” he says .
“ During my PhD studies I did as well !
” There ’ s no easy fix , either .
Excel doesn ’ t offer the option to turn off this auto-formatting , and the only way to avoid it is to change the data type for individual columns .
Even then , a scientist might fix their own data , but as soon as someone else opens the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be introduced all over again .
Help has arrived , though , in the form of the scientific body in charge of standardizing the names of genes , the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee , or HGNC .
This week , the HGNC published new guidelines for gene naming , including for “ symbols that affect data handling and retrieval.
” From now on , they say , human genes and the proteins they expressed will be named with one eye on Excel ’ s auto-formatting .
That means the symbol MARCH1 has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become SEPTIN1 , and so on .
A record of old symbols and names will be stored by HGNC to avoid confusion in the future .
So far , the names of some 27 genes have been changed like this over the past year , Elspeth Bruford , the coordinator of HGNC , tells The Verge , but the guidelines themselves weren ’ t formally announced until this week .
“ We consulted the respective research communities to discuss the proposed updates , and we also notified researchers who had published on these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put into effect , ” says Bruford .
As Bruford makes clear , the art of naming genes is very much driven by consensus .
Like the lexicographers charged with updating dictionaries , the Gene Nomenclature Committee has to be sensitive to the needs of those individuals who will be most affected by their work .
This wasn ’ t always the case , mind .
In the early , frontier days of genetics , gene naming was often a playground for creative scientists , leading to notorious genes like “ sonic hedgehog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sonic ) and “ Indy ” ( short for “ I ’ m not dead yet ” ; a reference to the gene ’ s function , which can double the life span of fruit flies when mutated ) .
Now , though , the HGNC has taken matters firmly in hand , and current guidelines don ’ t cede much ground to whimsy or ego .
The focus is on practical concerns : how do we minimize confusion ?
For that reason , gene symbols should be unique , and gene names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the committee .
They can not use subscript or superscript ; can only contain Latin letters and Arabic numerals ; and should not spell out names or words , particularly offensive ones ( a rule that should hold true “ ideally in any language ” ) .
Gene names should avoid offense “ ideally in any language ” And while the decision to rename genes is not taken lightly , it ’ s not unusual , says Bruford .
Many gene symbols that can be read as nouns have been renamed to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the past , CARS has become CARS1 , WARS changed to WARS1 , and MARS tweaked to MARS1 .
Other changes have been made to avoid insult .
“ We always have to imagine a clinician having to explain to a parent that their child has a mutation in a particular gene , ” says Bruford .
“ For example , HECA used to have the gene name ‘ headcase homolog ( Drosophila ) , ’ named after the equivalent gene in fruit fly , but we changed it to ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid potential offense.
” But Bruford says this is the first time that the guidelines have been rewritten specifically to counter the problems caused by software .
So far , the reactions seem to be extremely positive — some would even say joyous .
After geneticist Janna Hutz shared the relevant section of HGNC ’ s new guidelines on Twitter , the response from the community was jubilant .
“ THRILLED by this announcement by the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee , ” tweeted Hutz herself .
“ Finally !
!
!
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Broad Institute in Massachusetts .
“ Greatest news of the day !
” said a pseudonymous Twitter user .
Why did Microsoft win in a fight against human genetics ?
Bruford notes that there has been some dissent about the decision , but it mostly seems to be focused on a single question : why was it easier to rename human genes than it was to change how Excel works ?
Why , exactly , in a fight between Microsoft and the entire genetics community , was it the scientists who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to a request for comment , but Bruford ’ s theory is that it ’ s simply not worth the trouble to change .
“ This is quite a limited use case of the Excel software , ” she says .
“ There is very little incentive for Microsoft to make a significant change to features that are used extremely widely by the rest of the massive community of Excel users.
” Bruford doesn ’ t seem bitter about the situation , though .
After all , she says , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hypothetical Excel update to fix these problems when a long-term solution can be introduced by scientists themselves .
Microsoft Excel may be fleeting , but human genes will be around for as long as we are .
It ’ s best to give them names that work .

There are tens of thousands of genes in the human genome: minuscule twists of DNA and RNA that combine to express all of the traits and characteristics that make each of us unique. Each gene is given a name and alphanumeric code, known as a symbol, which scientists use to coordinate research. But over the past year or so, some 27 human genes have been renamed, all because Microsoft Excel kept misreading their symbols as dates.
The problem isn’t as unexpected as it first sounds. Excel is a behemoth in the spreadsheet world and is regularly used by scientists to track their work and even conduct clinical trials. But its default settings were designed with more mundane applications in mind, so when a user inputs a gene’s alphanumeric symbol into a spreadsheet, like MARCH1 — short for “Membrane Associated Ring-CH-Type Finger 1” — Excel converts that into a date: 1-Mar.
Studies found a fifth of genetic data in papers was affected by Excel errors
This is extremely frustrating, even dangerous, corrupting data that scientists have to sort through by hand to restore. It’s also surprisingly widespread and affects even peer-reviewed scientific work. One study from 2016 examined genetic data shared alongside 3,597 published papers and found that roughly one-fifth had been affected by Excel errors.
“It’s really, really annoying,” Dezső Módos, a systems biologist at the Quadram Institute in the UK, told The Verge. Módos, whose job involves analyzing freshly sequenced genetic data, says Excel errors happen all the time, simply because the software is often the first thing to hand when scientists process numerical data. “It’s a widespread tool and if you are a bit computationally illiterate you will use it,” he says. “During my PhD studies I did as well!”
Examples of gene symbols being rendered as dates in Microsoft Excel. GIF: The Verge
There’s no easy fix, either. Excel doesn’t offer the option to turn off this auto-formatting, and the only way to avoid it is to change the data type for individual columns. Even then, a scientist might fix their data but export it as a CSV file without saving the formatting. Or, another scientist might load the data without the correct formatting, changing gene symbols back into dates. The end result is that while knowledgeable Excel users can avoid this problem, it’s easy for mistakes to be introduced.
Help has arrived, though, in the form of the scientific body in charge of standardizing the names of genes, the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee, or HGNC. This week, the HGNC published new guidelines for gene naming, including for “symbols that affect data handling and retrieval.” From now on, they say, human genes and the proteins they expressed will be named with one eye on Excel’s auto-formatting. That means the symbol MARCH1 has now become MARCHF1, while SEPT1 has become SEPTIN1, and so on. A record of old symbols and names will be stored by HGNC to avoid confusion in the future.
So far, the names of some 27 genes have been changed like this over the past year, Elspeth Bruford, the coordinator of HGNC, tells The Verge, but the guidelines themselves weren’t formally announced until this week. “We consulted the respective research communities to discuss the proposed updates, and we also notified researchers who had published on these genes specifically when the changes were being put into effect,” says Bruford.
As Bruford makes clear, the art of naming genes is very much driven by consensus. Like the lexicographers charged with updating dictionaries, the Gene Nomenclature Committee has to be sensitive to the needs of those individuals who will be most affected by their work.
This wasn’t always the case, mind. In the early, frontier days of genetics, gene naming was often a playground for creative scientists, leading to notorious genes like “sonic hedgehog” (yes, named for that Sonic) and “Indy” (short for “I’m not dead yet”; a reference to the gene’s function, which can double the life span of fruit flies when mutated).
Now, though, the HGNC has taken matters firmly in hand, and current guidelines don’t cede much ground to whimsy or ego. The focus is on practical concerns: how do we minimize confusion? For that reason, gene symbols should be unique, and gene names should be brief and specific, says the committee. They cannot use subscript or superscript; can only contain Latin letters and Arabic numerals; and should not spell out names or words, particularly offensive ones (a rule that should hold true “ideally in any language”).
Gene names should avoid offense “ideally in any language”
And while the decision to rename genes is not taken lightly, it’s not unusual, says Bruford. Many gene symbols that can be read as nouns have been renamed to avoid false positives during searches, for example. In the past, CARS has become CARS1, WARS changed to WARS1, and MARS tweaked to MARS1. Other changes have been made to avoid insult.
“We always have to imagine a clinician having to explain to a parent that their child has a mutation in a particular gene,” says Bruford. “For example, HECA used to have the gene name ‘headcase homolog (Drosophila),’ named after the equivalent gene in fruit fly, but we changed it to ‘hdc homolog, cell cycle regulator’ to avoid potential offense.”
But Bruford says this is the first time that the guidelines have been rewritten specifically to counter the problems caused by software. So far, the reactions seem to be extremely positive — some would even say joyous.
After geneticist Janna Hutz shared the relevant section of HGNC’s new guidelines on Twitter, the response from the community was jubilant. “THRILLED by this announcement by the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee,” tweeted Hutz herself. “Finally!!!” responded Mudra Hegde, a computational biologist at the Broad Institute in Massachusetts. “Greatest news of the day!” said a pseudonymous Twitter user.
Why did Microsoft win in a fight against human genetics?
Bruford notes that there has been some dissent about the decision, but it mostly seems to be focused on a single question: why was it easier to rename human genes than it was to change how Excel works? Why, exactly, in a fight between Microsoft and the entire genetics community, was it the scientists who had to back down?
Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment, but Bruford’s theory is that it’s simply not worth the trouble to change. “This is quite a limited use case of the Excel software,” she says. “There is very little incentive for Microsoft to make a significant change to features that are used extremely widely by the rest of the massive community of Excel users.”
Bruford doesn’t seem bitter about the situation, though. After all, she says, it wouldn’t do to wait on a hypothetical Excel update to fix these problems when a long-term solution can be introduced by scientists themselves. Microsoft Excel may be fleeting, but human genes will be around for as long as we are. It’s best to give them names that work.


theverge--2020-08-06--How to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Note 20

Samsung announced its new Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra phones at its Unpacked 2020 online event .
The Verge ’ s Dieter Bohn has the full breakdown on everything you need to know about both devices in the link above , but make sure to check out the video by Becca Farsace .
I ’ m just here to tell you where you can preorder them .
Oh , and if you ’ re curious about when you can preorder the new Galaxy Z Fold 2 , that ’ s coming on September 1st .
Both Note 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21st , but preorders are up now .
Below , you ’ ll find all of the carrier stores and retailers that will be accepting preorders , along with their pricing .
First , here ’ s what you ’ ll get in terms of free incentives along with your preorder .
You can get free stuff with a preorder If you preorder either the Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra before August 20th , you ’ ll get some free goodies with your purchase .
Buying the $ 1,000 Note 20 will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can be redeemed on its site or through the Shop Samsung app , and it can go toward “ curated bundles and select products like Samsung TVs , Galaxy Buds Live , tablets and more.
” The $ 1,300 Note 20 Ultra comes with a $ 150 credit .
To redeem either credit , you ’ ll need to provide your proof of purchase through the Shop Samsung app .
( Note : you ’ ll be eligible for this credit regardless of where you choose to buy a Note 20-series device @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in case you were curious , is an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Bundle that includes the PowerA MOGA XP5-X Plus Bluetooth gaming controller and a three-month subscription to Game Pass Ultimate .
The fine print mentions that the Game Pass Ultimate subscription will work only if you ’ re a new subscriber , though , not a current one .
Lastly , if you placed a reservation for your Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra preorder ahead of the Unpacked event on August 5th , you ’ ll get an additional $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the products mentioned above .
Samsung is selling one configuration of the Note 20 in the US .
It has 128GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM .
There ’ s no microSD support on this model .
This size of the Note 20 has a 6.7-inch FHD+ screen with a hole-punch camera and is powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor .
The Note 20 and the Note 20 Ultra model below are 5G-ready , with support for mmWave and sub-6Ghz coverage .
• Verizon is offering the Note 20 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24-month installment plan is $ 41.66 per month .
It will be available in three colors : “ mystic bronze , ” “ mystic gray , ” and “ mystic green.
” If you buy a Note 20 , you can get another Note 20 for “ as low as free ” if you get it with a premium Unlimited plan , or half off with any other Unlimited plan .
Lastly , you can get up to $ 500 worth of trade-in credit toward the phone if you ’ re upgrading and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & T accept preorders , and it will sell the Note 20 starting August 21st in-store and online .
It ’ s carrying all five colors : black , white , green , gray , and bronze .
New and current AT & T customers can get a Note 20 for free ( after $ 1,000 in billing credits are paid back over a 30-month period ) when they trade in a phone in good condition worth at least $ 60 in credit and buy the Note 20 on a 30-month installment plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan , which will cost $ 33.34 per month .
• T-Mobile is accepting preorders on August 7th , a day after they open everywhere else .
The Note 20 will cost $ 41.67 per month with its 24-month installment plan .
If you buy a Note 20 , you can get another one free ( after getting $ 1,000 back in billing credits over a 24-month period ) if you add a line to your account .
Additionally , you can get up to $ 500 off if you trade in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preorders for the Note 20 .
It ’ s offering the Note 20 in bronze , gray , or green colors .
The carrier hasn ’ t yet shared installment plan pricing , but until September 15th , customers can get $ 400 off the Galaxy Note 20 when they buy it , activate a new line , and transfer their number .
Existing customers will receive a $ 400 Visa prepaid card in lieu of the device discount when they upgrade an existing line with a Note 20 .
This larger model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 120Hz refresh rate comes in two configurations in the US .
Each is built with 12GB of RAM , but you can choose between a 128GB model or one with 512GB of storage .
This model has microSD support .
• Verizon offers the Note 20 Ultra on preorder , and the pricing with a 24-month installment plan is $ 54.16 per month .
It will be available in three colors : “ mystic bronze , ” “ mystic gray , ” and “ mystic green.
” As mentioned earlier , buying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Note 20 for “ as low as free ” if you get it with a premium Unlimited plan , or half off with any other Unlimited plan .
Lastly , you can get up to $ 500 worth of trade-in credit toward the phone if you ’ re upgrading and on an Unlimited plan .
• AT & T accepts preorders , and it will sell the Note 20 Ultra starting August 21st in-store and online .
It ’ s carrying all five colors : black , white , green , gray , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & T customers can get a Note 20 for free ( after $ 1,000 in billing credits are paid back to you over a 30-month period ) when they trade in a phone in good condition worth at least $ 60 in credit and buy the Note 20 Ultra on a 30-month installment plan with AT & T ’ s unlimited plan , which will cost $ 43.34 per month for the 128GB version or $ 48.34 per month for the upgraded 512GB model .
• T-Mobile is accepting preorders on August 7th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else .
The Note 20 Ultra with 128GB of storage will cost $ 54.17 per month with its 24-month installment plan .
The 512GB option requires $ 149.99 down and costs $ 54.17 per month .
If you buy a Note 20 Ultra , you can get a Note 20 for free ( after getting $ 1,000 back in billing credits over a 24-month period ) if you add a line to your account .
Additionally , you can get up to $ 500 off if you trade in a qualifying phone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Note 20 Ultra .
It ’ s offering the Note 20 in bronze , black , or white colors .
The carrier hasn ’ t yet shared installment plan pricing , but until September 15th , customers can get $ 400 off the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra when they buy it , activate a new line , and transfer their number .
Existing customers will receive a $ 400 Visa prepaid card in lieu of the device discount when they upgrade an existing line with a Note 20 Ultra .

Samsung announced its new Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra phones at its Unpacked 2020 online event in early August 2020. At this point, The Verge’s Dieter Bohn has now published his full review of the larger Note 20 Ultra. You can read that here or watch the video component of the review above. I’m just here to tell you where to buy them. Oh, and if you’re curious about when you can preorder the new Galaxy Z Fold 2, that’s coming on September 1st.
Both Note 20 phones have already released, and if you placed a preorder, you can go ahead and redeem free goodies with your purchase. Buying the $1,000 Note 20 earned you a $100 Samsung credit that can be redeemed on its site or through the Shop Samsung app, and it can go toward “curated bundles and select products like Samsung TVs, Galaxy Buds Live, tablets and more.”
The $1,300 Note 20 Ultra comes with a $150 credit. To redeem either credit, you’ll need to provide your proof of purchase through the Shop Samsung app. (Note: you’ll be eligible for this credit regardless of where you choose to buy a Note 20-series device.)
One of those curated bundles, in case you were curious, is an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Bundle that includes the PowerA MOGA XP5-X Plus Bluetooth gaming controller and a three-month subscription to Game Pass Ultimate. The fine print mentions that the Game Pass Ultimate subscription will work only if you’re a new subscriber, though, not a current one.
Related Microsoft and Samsung have a special partnership for Xbox Game Pass on Android
Lastly, if you placed a reservation for your Note 20 or Note 20 Ultra preorder ahead of the Unpacked event on August 5th, you’ll get an additional $50 credit that can be used on the products mentioned above.
Below, you’ll find all of the carrier stores and retailers that are selling these two phones.
Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge
Samsung Galaxy Note 20
Samsung is selling one configuration of the Note 20 in the US. It has 128GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM. There’s no microSD support on this model. This size of the Note 20 has a 6.7-inch FHD+ screen with a hole-punch camera and is powered by the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor. The Note 20 and the Note 20 Ultra model below are 5G-ready, with support for mmWave and sub-6GHz coverage.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 / Costs $1,000 unlocked. Available in mystic bronze, gray, or green. Buy at Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 / Costs $1,000, but you can save up to $700 when you activate and trade in a device. Buy at Best Buy
Verizon is offering the Note 20 with a 24-month installment plan for $41.66 per month. It’s available in three colors: “mystic bronze,” “mystic gray,” and “mystic green.” If you buy a Note 20, you can get another Note 20 for “as low as free” if you get it with a premium Unlimited plan, or you can get half off with any other Unlimited plan. Lastly, you can get up to $500 worth of trade-in credit toward the phone if you’re upgrading and on an Unlimited plan.
is offering the Note 20 with a 24-month installment plan for $41.66 per month. It’s available in three colors: “mystic bronze,” “mystic gray,” and “mystic green.” If you buy a Note 20, you can get another Note 20 for “as low as free” if you get it with a premium Unlimited plan, or you can get half off with any other Unlimited plan. Lastly, you can get up to $500 worth of trade-in credit toward the phone if you’re upgrading and on an Unlimited plan. AT&T is selling the Note 20 in-store and online. It’s carrying all five colors: black, white, green, gray, and bronze. New and current AT&T customers can get a Note 20 for free (after $1,000 in billing credits are paid back over a 30-month period) when they trade in a phone in good condition worth at least $60 in credit and buy the Note 20 on a 30-month installment plan with AT&T’s unlimited plan, which will cost $33.34 per month.
is selling the Note 20 in-store and online. It’s carrying all five colors: black, white, green, gray, and bronze. New and current AT&T customers can get a Note 20 for free (after $1,000 in billing credits are paid back over a 30-month period) when they trade in a phone in good condition worth at least $60 in credit and buy the Note 20 on a 30-month installment plan with AT&T’s unlimited plan, which will cost $33.34 per month. At T-Mobile , the Note 20 costs $41.67 per month with its 24-month installment plan. If you buy a Note 20, you can get another one free (after getting $1,000 back in billing credits over a 24-month period) if you add a line to your account. Additionally, you can get up to $500 off if you trade in a qualifying phone.
, the Note 20 costs $41.67 per month with its 24-month installment plan. If you buy a Note 20, you can get another one free (after getting $1,000 back in billing credits over a 24-month period) if you add a line to your account. Additionally, you can get up to $500 off if you trade in a qualifying phone. Xfinity Mobile is offering the Note 20 in the bronze, gray, or green colors. Until September 15th, customers can get $400 off the Galaxy Note 20 when they buy it, activate a new line, and transfer their number. Existing customers will receive a $400 Visa prepaid card in lieu of the device discount when they upgrade an existing line with a Note 20.
Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge
This larger model with a 6.9-inch QHD+ OLED screen and a 120Hz refresh rate comes in two configurations in the US. Each is built with 12GB of RAM, but you can choose between a 128GB model or one with 512GB of storage. This model has microSD support.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra / Costs $1,300 unlocked. Available in mystic bronze, black, or white. Buy at Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra / Costs $1,300, but you can save up to $700 when you activate and trade in a device. Buy at Best Buy