theverge--2020-05-16--Gigabyte Aero 15 review: works hard, plays hard

The Gigabyte Aero 15 is a laptop aimed at designers and creative professionals .
But when I first saw the thing , I didn ’ t believe that .
It looks nothing like any laptop that comes to mind when I think of “ creators ” ( the slim and sleek MacBook Pros , XPS 15s , Surface Books , and Zenbooks of the world ) .
The Aero is a beast .
It ’ s 15.6 inches wide and 4.4 pounds .
It has a bright LED logo on its lid , large visible vents on the back and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will turn heads from across the office .
This is a gaming laptop , I thought on my first day using it .
Designers won ’ t want this .
But I ’ ve made myself stop thinking that because the reality is : that ’ s a stereotype .
There ’ s no reason that big , flashy devices should be reserved for gamers ; that ’ s just a design trend companies decided on .
Sure , some creators who want that aesthetic might be content to buy a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 to suit their needs .
I ’ m happy to see a device that ’ s not made for gamers ’ basements take on this look , though .
It ’ s a good , if brave , statement : if you want to rock RGB lighting in your office , go for it .
Of course , you can also play games on the Aero 15 — after all , it has the hardware for it .
There ’ s a 10th Gen eight-core i7-10875H processor , a 512GB SSD ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16GB of RAM ( DDR4 ) , and Nvidia ’ s brand-new GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q GPU .
What you won ’ t find on gaming notebooks is this model ’ s screen , which is a 60Hz OLED display with 3840 x 2160 ( 4K ) resolution .
That hardware doesn ’ t come cheap , though — the Aero 15 OLED starts at $ 1,699 and the model I tested is $ 2,699 .
That ’ s not an unreasonable price for this machine — it ’ s only $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Razer Blade 15 with the same GPU and processor .
( The Blade , though , swaps out the OLED for a gaming-focused 1080p LCD panel . )
But if you ’ re not a content creator , it is worth considering whether you really need to combine an OLED screen with those specs .
If you ’ re willing to compromise in one of those areas , you ’ ll likely be happy with any number of significantly less expensive laptops , such as MSI ’ s GS66 Stealth for gaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for productivity work .
It ’ s worth considering whether you need to combine an OLED screen with these specs Another big advantage that the bulkier Aero can claim over slim competitors : ports .
On the left , we ’ ve got a full-size HDMI , a Mini DisplayPort , a USB 3.2 Type-A , an audio jack , and an Ethernet jack on the left side .
On the right , two more USB 3.2 Type-A ports , one USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 , a power port , and a full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many gaming ( and non-gaming ) laptops lack .
Professionals should be able to connect all kinds of monitors , projectors , drives , and other equipment without having to resort to dongles .
The Aero 15 has what Gigabyte refers to as a “ next-gen cooling system.
” It comes with two fans containing 71 eight-centimeter blades each , in addition to five heat pipes .
The setup gets the job done , albeit loudly .
Throughout my daily workload — including around a dozen Chrome tabs , Slack , Steam , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the background — all parts of the Aero stayed completely cool .
During gaming , only the bottom got slightly warm , the touchpad and wrist rests stayed cold , and the CPU never passed 88 degrees Celsius .
In exchange , I got to hear the fans whenever the laptop was doing anything remotely demanding ( three Chrome tabs would set it off ) .
They were audible from a few feet away .
The constant whine was a bit annoying , but not unexpected for a powerhouse of this size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its stripes If you can tolerate the noise , you ’ ll get a decent gaming experience out of the Aero .
It had no trouble with Doom Eternal ( where it achieved an average of 180fps in 1440p and 58fps in 4K ) , League of Legends ( where it averaged 151fps with a minimum of 127fps ) , or Overwatch on Epic settings in 4K ( where it kept a steady 70fps ) .
It did an impressive job with Red Dead Redemption 2 on Ultra ( anti-aliasing off ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1440p .
The 2070 Super Max-Q is earning its stripes .
The only task that gave the Aero real trouble was the combination of ray tracing and 4K resolution .
Shadow of the Tomb Raider only averaged around 30fps when running in 4K , with ray tracing on high and DLSS on — playing on those settings wasn ’ t a terrible experience , but there were enough stutters that it felt like a bit of a chore .
The game was more playable in 4K with ray tracing off ( averaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing on high ( averaging 47fps ) .
The games looked good , movement was smooth , and I saw details on the Overwatch uniforms that I ’ d never noticed before .
For creative-focused tasks , the Aero ’ s gaming pedigree helps a lot .
It took just five minutes and 25 seconds to export a 5:33 4K video in Premiere Pro , which is significantly faster than any MacBook Pro we ’ ve tested in the past few years .
( The midrange 2019 16-inch model took over 10 minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Aero clearly had the cooling capacity for the job , with both the CPU and GPU staying around 50 degrees Celsius throughout .
The one thing to note is that you will need to keep the Aero plugged in for the best performance , which isn ’ t a concern with the MacBook Pro .
In addition to the higher resolution , the display is more color-accurate than most gaming panels .
I measured 100 percent sRGB coverage and 96 percent AdobeRGB coverage .
I clocked maximum brightness at 425 nits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not as bright as the MacBook Pro .
The Aero ’ s screen is also fairly glossy , and even at max brightness it was difficult to use outdoors .
The display is more color-accurate than most gaming panels But the keyboard is the first thing anyone will notice about this device .
I don ’ t own anything RGB , but I still found this one cool .
The lighting is per-key , so you can set off all kinds of dynamic color effects in Gigabyte ’ s Control Center utility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fun to play around with ) .
Colors can move back and forth across the keyboard or cascade up and down , ripples can roll outward each time you press a key , rainbow colors can snake up and down each row .
You can change color , speed , and direction , and you can create your own effects as well .
These are all things that are commonplace on high-end gaming laptops at this point , but it ’ s rare to see them used in non-gaming devices .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focusing on work when a miniature disco was occurring under my fingers .
But if you have a better attention span , go for it .
The keys themselves are soft and a bit shallow , but certainly snappy .
Typing was pleasant and I actually surpassed my typical speeds .
Gigabyte has managed to squeeze a numpad on , which you don ’ t see on 15-inch laptops every day .
It ’ s a tight squeeze ; I sometimes hit NumLock when I meant to hit backspace .
I imagine most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , and the numpad is a nice addition for business users .
The plastic touchpad is smooth , gestures work as they should , and the click is easy and fairly quiet .
There ’ s a fingerprint sensor in the top left corner , but the trackpad is big enough that I never bumped into it during use .
Unfortunately , the material retains a lot of fingerprints .
After just one day of use , there was a visible cloud of prints in the center ; it almost looked gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume to overpower the loud fans The Aero ’ s speaker grill is above the keyboard , and it sounds clear .
The audio had more than enough volume to overpower the loud fans , and I could game just fine without headphones .
There ’ s not much bass , while midrange and treble tones are quite crisp — it ’ s on par with most decent laptop speakers , but not on the level of the MacBook Pro ’ s six-speaker array .
It does , however , have an excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could hear my music on either side and above me — it was a miniature theater experience .
You can turn surround sound on and off in the Nahimic “ 3D Audio for Gamers ” software that comes preinstalled .
You can also adjust equalizer settings , as well as customize and toggle between sound profiles for music , movies , communication , and gaming .
( The speakers on the first review unit we received stopped working due to an issue with a Windows update and Nahimic ’ s driver .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this problem .
The company sent me a second unit , on which I disabled Windows updates and didn ’ t encounter any problems ) .
Most of my complaints about the Aero 15 have been fairly nit-picky so far .
On most fronts , it ’ s a good workstation with minor flaws .
But there ’ s one thing that ’ s actually quite a bummer , and that ’ s the placement of the 720p webcam .
It ’ s mounted right below the screen and angled upward .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video chatting with gets a great view of your nostrils , chin , and ceiling , as well as your knuckles if you ’ re typing .
It led to some awkward calling experiences , as when I was looking directly at my co-workers on my screen , my camera made it appear that I was talking to someone off in the distance .
I ended up keeping video off for most meetings , so the setup wasn ’ t much better than not having a webcam at all .
I know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ webcams , but a nosecam on a $ 2,600 device is unfortunate , especially for folks who work remotely and attend a lot of meetings on Zoom .
( There is a privacy shutter , which is helpful for peace of mind ) .
The other considerable downside , and what reminds you that the Aero 15 is still a gaming laptop at its core , is battery life .
On our battery test — which involves multitasking in around a dozen Chrome tabs , Slack , and intermittent Spotify at about 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Aero ’ s brightness slider ) in battery saver mode — the Aero 15 lasted five hours and 22 minutes .
That ’ s decent for a machine with these components ; even powerful workstations without OLED screens are notorious for short battery life .
Five and a half hours is comparable to other gaming rigs like the Blade 15 .
Still , it ’ s worth noting that you ’ ll need to charge this throughout the day ( like most gaming laptops , the Aero ships with a hefty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re often working on the go , you may be better suited to a slimmer machine like the MacBook Pro .
if you ’ re often working on the go , you may be better suited to the MacBook Pro Apart from the unfortunate webcam , there ’ s not a lot to complain about with the Aero 15 .
The 10th Gen i7 and the RTX Super mobile GPU do a good job with the most demanding games on the market .
The screen is a standout , delivering a stunning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for creative professionals is whether 425 nits is bright enough for their office or home environment .
The big question is whether you need this kind of power For everyone else , the big question is whether you need this kind of power .
An OLED screen , a 45-watt H-series processor , and a cutting-edge GPU are certainly cool things to have .
But they also cost a chunk of change , and you ’ re paying in hours of battery life as well .
A wide range of lower-priced laptops offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate screen ( the $ 1,799 GS66 Stealth or the $ 1,999 Predator Triton 500 ) or similar color reproduction ( OLED models of the Spectre x360 go for $ 1,799 ) .
It ’ s possible the Aero 15 is exactly what you need .
If so , don ’ t let me stop you .
It ’ s a good computer .
Just make sure you ’ ve looked into the cheaper alternatives that can probably give you most of what you want .

The Gigabyte Aero 15 is a laptop aimed at designers and creative professionals. But when I first saw the thing, I didn’t believe that. It looks nothing like any laptop that comes to mind when I think of “creators” (the slim and sleek MacBook Pros, XPS 15s, Surface Books, and Zenbooks of the world). The Aero is a beast. It’s 15.6 inches wide and 4.4 pounds. It has a bright LED logo on its lid, large visible vents on the back and bottom, and a colorful RGB keyboard that will turn heads from across the office. This is a gaming laptop, I thought on my first day using it. Designers won’t want this.
But I’ve made myself stop thinking that because the reality is: that’s a stereotype. There’s no reason that big, flashy devices should be reserved for gamers; that’s just a design trend companies decided on. Sure, some creators who want that aesthetic might be content to buy a “gaming” rig like the Razer Blade 15 to suit their needs. I’m happy to see a device that’s not made for gamers’ basements take on this look, though. It’s a good, if brave, statement: if you want to rock RGB lighting in your office, go for it.
8 Verge Score Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XB $ 2699 The Good Color-accurate OLED screen
High-end gaming performance
Per-key RGB keyboard
Solid port selection The Bad Nosecam
Display is dimmer than some creative laptops
The design isn’t for everyone $2699 at Newegg How we rate and review products
Of course, you can also play games on the Aero 15 — after all, it has the hardware for it. There’s a 10th Gen eight-core i7-10875H processor, a 512GB SSD (plus one available M.2 slot), 16GB of RAM (DDR4), and Nvidia’s brand-new GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q GPU. What you won’t find on gaming notebooks is this model’s screen, which is a 60Hz OLED display with 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution.
That hardware doesn’t come cheap, though — the Aero 15 OLED starts at $1,699 and the model I tested is $2,699. That’s not an unreasonable price for this machine — it’s only $100 more expensive than the MSRP of the Razer Blade 15 with the same GPU and processor. (The Blade, though, swaps out the OLED for a gaming-focused 1080p LCD panel.)
But if you’re not a content creator, it is worth considering whether you really need to combine an OLED screen with those specs. If you’re willing to compromise in one of those areas, you’ll likely be happy with any number of significantly less expensive laptops, such as MSI’s GS66 Stealth for gaming or HP’s Spectre x360 OLED for productivity work.
It’s worth considering whether you need to combine an OLED screen with these specs
Another big advantage that the bulkier Aero can claim over slim competitors: ports. On the left, we’ve got a full-size HDMI, a Mini DisplayPort, a USB 3.2 Type-A, an audio jack, and an Ethernet jack on the left side. On the right, two more USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, a power port, and a full SD card slot — another creator mainstay many gaming (and non-gaming) laptops lack. Professionals should be able to connect all kinds of monitors, projectors, drives, and other equipment without having to resort to dongles.
The Gigabyte Aero 15 pairs an OLED screen with Nvidia’s brand-new GeForce RTX 2070 Super Max-Q GPU. Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
On the left: one HDMI, one Mini DisplayPort, one USB 3.2 Type-A, one audio jack, one Ethernet jack. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge On the right: two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, one power port, one SD card slot. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The Aero 15 has what Gigabyte refers to as a “next-gen cooling system.” It comes with two fans containing 71 eight-centimeter blades each, in addition to five heat pipes. The setup gets the job done, albeit loudly. Throughout my daily workload — including around a dozen Chrome tabs, Slack, Steam, and Spotify apps open with downloads running in the background — all parts of the Aero stayed completely cool. During gaming, only the bottom got slightly warm, the touchpad and wrist rests stayed cold, and the CPU never passed 88 degrees Celsius.
In exchange, I got to hear the fans whenever the laptop was doing anything remotely demanding (three Chrome tabs would set it off). They were audible from a few feet away. The constant whine was a bit annoying, but not unexpected for a powerhouse of this size.
The 2070 Super Max-Q is earning its stripes
If you can tolerate the noise, you’ll get a decent gaming experience out of the Aero. It had no trouble with Doom Eternal (where it achieved an average of 180fps in 1440p and 58fps in 4K), League of Legends (where it averaged 151fps with a minimum of 127fps), or Overwatch on Epic settings in 4K (where it kept a steady 70fps). It did an impressive job with Red Dead Redemption 2 on Ultra (anti-aliasing off), averaging 42fps with a low of 19fps in 1440p. The 2070 Super Max-Q is earning its stripes.
Gigabyte Aero 15 (OLED) specs (as reviewed) Intel 10th Gen Core i7-10875H eight-core CPU
16GB RAM
512GB SSD
15.6-inch OLED display, 3840 x 2160 resolution, 60Hz
94.42 watt-hour battery
230W adapter
Two 2W speakers
One microphone
Ports: three USB 3.2 Type-A ports, one Thunderbolt 3 Type-C, one HDMI 2.0, one mini DP 1.4, one 3.5mm headphone jack, one UHS-II SD card reader, one DC-in jack, one RJ-45
Wi-Fi 6
The only task that gave the Aero real trouble was the combination of ray tracing and 4K resolution. Shadow of the Tomb Raider only averaged around 30fps when running in 4K, with ray tracing on high and DLSS on — playing on those settings wasn’t a terrible experience, but there were enough stutters that it felt like a bit of a chore. The game was more playable in 4K with ray tracing off (averaging 43fps) and in 1440p with ray tracing on high (averaging 47fps). The games looked good, movement was smooth, and I saw details on the Overwatch uniforms that I’d never noticed before.
For creative-focused tasks, the Aero’s gaming pedigree helps a lot. It took just five minutes and 25 seconds to export a 5:33 4K video in Premiere Pro, which is significantly faster than any MacBook Pro we’ve tested in the past few years. (The midrange 2019 16-inch model took over 10 minutes to finish the same task). The Aero clearly had the cooling capacity for the job, with both the CPU and GPU staying around 50 degrees Celsius throughout. The one thing to note is that you will need to keep the Aero plugged in for the best performance, which isn’t a concern with the MacBook Pro.
The Aero 15 averaged 42fps on Red Dead Redemption 2. Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge Red Dead was playable on battery, too. Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
In addition to the higher resolution, the display is more color-accurate than most gaming panels. I measured 100 percent sRGB coverage and 96 percent AdobeRGB coverage. I clocked maximum brightness at 425 nits, which is doable for creative work, but not as bright as the MacBook Pro. The Aero’s screen is also fairly glossy, and even at max brightness it was difficult to use outdoors.
The display is more color-accurate than most gaming panels
But the keyboard is the first thing anyone will notice about this device. I don’t own anything RGB, but I still found this one cool. The lighting is per-key, so you can set off all kinds of dynamic color effects in Gigabyte’s Control Center utility (they’re a lot of fun to play around with). Colors can move back and forth across the keyboard or cascade up and down, ripples can roll outward each time you press a key, rainbow colors can snake up and down each row. You can change color, speed, and direction, and you can create your own effects as well. These are all things that are commonplace on high-end gaming laptops at this point, but it’s rare to see them used in non-gaming devices. I’ll admit that I sometimes had trouble focusing on work when a miniature disco was occurring under my fingers. But if you have a better attention span, go for it.
The keys themselves are soft and a bit shallow, but certainly snappy. Typing was pleasant and I actually surpassed my typical speeds. Gigabyte has managed to squeeze a numpad on, which you don’t see on 15-inch laptops every day. It’s a tight squeeze; I sometimes hit NumLock when I meant to hit backspace. I imagine most people will get used to that with time, and the numpad is a nice addition for business users.
The Aero contains two fans with 71 eight-centimeter blades each. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The plastic touchpad is smooth, gestures work as they should, and the click is easy and fairly quiet. There’s a fingerprint sensor in the top left corner, but the trackpad is big enough that I never bumped into it during use. Unfortunately, the material retains a lot of fingerprints. After just one day of use, there was a visible cloud of prints in the center; it almost looked gross.
The audio had more than enough volume to overpower the loud fans
The Aero’s speaker grill is above the keyboard, and it sounds clear. The audio had more than enough volume to overpower the loud fans, and I could game just fine without headphones. There’s not much bass, while midrange and treble tones are quite crisp — it’s on par with most decent laptop speakers, but not on the level of the MacBook Pro’s six-speaker array. It does, however, have an excellent surround quality. I really felt like I could hear my music on either side and above me — it was a miniature theater experience.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: Gigabyte Aero 15 (OLED) Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To use the Gigabyte Aero 15 (OLED), you have to agree to: A request for your language, region, and keyboard layout
Windows 10 license agreement
Windows Hello PIN The following agreements are optional: Wi-Fi
A Microsoft account (you can bypass this if you don’t connect to Wi-Fi)
Windows Hello fingerprint
Activity History
Sync an Android phone
OneDrive
Microsoft 365
Cortana
Privacy settings, including: online speech recognition, location, find my device, diagnostic data, inking and typing, tailored experiences, advertising ID
Allow Gigabyte to collect information on how you use its system Final tally: five mandatory agreements and 16 optional ones
You can turn surround sound on and off in the Nahimic “3D Audio for Gamers” software that comes preinstalled. You can also adjust equalizer settings, as well as customize and toggle between sound profiles for music, movies, communication, and gaming. (The speakers on the first review unit we received stopped working due to an issue with a Windows update and Nahimic’s driver. Gigabyte says it’s working on this problem. The company sent me a second unit, on which I disabled Windows updates and didn’t encounter any problems).
Most of my complaints about the Aero 15 have been fairly nit-picky so far. On most fronts, it’s a good workstation with minor flaws. But there’s one thing that’s actually quite a bummer, and that’s the placement of the 720p webcam. It’s mounted right below the screen and angled upward. The result is that anyone you’re video chatting with gets a great view of your nostrils, chin, and ceiling, as well as your knuckles if you’re typing. It led to some awkward calling experiences, as when I was looking directly at my co-workers on my screen, my camera made it appear that I was talking to someone off in the distance. I ended up keeping video off for most meetings, so the setup wasn’t much better than not having a webcam at all.
I know that most laptops don’t have exceptional webcams, but a nosecam on a $2,600 device is unfortunate, especially for folks who work remotely and attend a lot of meetings on Zoom. (There is a privacy shutter, which is helpful for peace of mind).
The touchpad is smooth and fairly quiet. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge There’s a fingerprint sensor in the top left corner. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Yep, there’s the nosecam. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The other considerable downside, and what reminds you that the Aero 15 is still a gaming laptop at its core, is battery life. On our battery test — which involves multitasking in around a dozen Chrome tabs, Slack, and intermittent Spotify at about 200 nits of brightness (around 65 percent on the Aero’s brightness slider) in battery saver mode — the Aero 15 lasted five hours and 22 minutes. That’s decent for a machine with these components; even powerful workstations without OLED screens are notorious for short battery life. Five and a half hours is comparable to other gaming rigs like the Blade 15. Still, it’s worth noting that you’ll need to charge this throughout the day (like most gaming laptops, the Aero ships with a hefty 230W brick), and if you’re often working on the go, you may be better suited to a slimmer machine like the MacBook Pro.
if you’re often working on the go, you may be better suited to the MacBook Pro
Apart from the unfortunate webcam, there’s not a lot to complain about with the Aero 15. The 10th Gen i7 and the RTX Super mobile GPU do a good job with the most demanding games on the market. The screen is a standout, delivering a stunning and color-accurate picture. The main consideration for creative professionals is whether 425 nits is bright enough for their office or home environment.
The big question is whether you need this kind of power
For everyone else, the big question is whether you need this kind of power. An OLED screen, a 45-watt H-series processor, and a cutting-edge GPU are certainly cool things to have. But they also cost a chunk of change, and you’re paying in hours of battery life as well. A wide range of lower-priced laptops offer similar gaming specs with a higher refresh rate screen (the $1,799 GS66 Stealth or the $1,999 Predator Triton 500) or similar color reproduction (OLED models of the Spectre x360 go for $1,799).
A good laptop you probably don’t need. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


theverge--2020-05-16--Nadler calls Amazon letter to Judiciary Committee ‘unacceptable’

A Friday letter from Amazon to members of Congress looking into the company ’ s third-party seller practices was “ unacceptable , ” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler ( D-NY ) tweeted Saturday .
At issue is an Amazon executive ’ s testimony at a hearing last July , where he said the company doesn ’ t access information from third-party sellers on its platform to make competing items .
But the Wall Street Journal reported last month that Amazon employees regularly used information from the sellers to develop the company ’ s private-label products .
“ Members from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s business practices and its honesty with the Committee , ” Nadler tweeted .
“ We will not permit stonewalling of our investigation , by Jeff Bezos or anyone.
” Amazon vice president of public policy Brian Huseman wrote in the letter that the company was “ prepared to make the appropriate Amazon executive available , ” to the committee , but did not mention Bezos .
Huseman added that the company was investigating the claims made in the WSJ article .
“ We disagree strongly with any suggestion that we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been cooperative with the investigation , ” Huseman wrote in the letter , which was addressed to Nadler and members of the House antitrust subcommittee .
Members of Congress have threatened to subpoena Bezos , an idea that Rep. David Cicilline ( D-RI ) , chairman of the antitrust subcommittee repeated in a tweet on Friday .
“ No one is above the law , no matter how rich or powerful , ” Cicilline tweeted .
“ We have asked Mr. Bezos to testify before the US Congress about Amazon ’ s troubling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we expect him to do so .
Whether he does so voluntarily or by subpoena is his choice .
”

A Friday letter from Amazon to members of Congress looking into the company’s third-party seller practices was “unacceptable,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) tweeted Saturday.
At issue is an Amazon executive’s testimony at a hearing last July, where he said the company doesn’t access information from third-party sellers on its platform to make competing items. But the Wall Street Journal reported last month that Amazon employees regularly used information from the sellers to develop the company’s private-label products.
“Members from both parties have serious questions about Amazon’s business practices and its honesty with the Committee,” Nadler tweeted. “We will not permit stonewalling of our investigation, by Jeff Bezos or anyone.”
Amazon vice president of public policy Brian Huseman wrote in the letter that the company was “prepared to make the appropriate Amazon executive available,” to the committee, but did not mention Bezos. Huseman added that the company was investigating the claims made in the WSJ article.
“We disagree strongly with any suggestion that we have attempted to mislead the Committee or not been cooperative with the investigation,” Huseman wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Nadler and members of the House antitrust subcommittee.
Members of Congress have threatened to subpoena Bezos, an idea that Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), chairman of the antitrust subcommittee repeated in a tweet on Friday.


theverge--2020-05-16--Edison Mail rolls back update after iOS users reported they could see strangers’ emails

Edison Mail has rolled back a software update that apparently let some users of its iOS app see emails from strangers ’ accounts .
Several Edison users contacted The Verge to report seeing the glitch after they applied the update , which was meant to allow users to sync data across devices .
Reader Matthew Grzybowski said after the update he had more than 100 unread messages from the UK-based email account of a stranger .
He didn ’ t have to enter any credentials to see the emails , Grzybowski added .
The company said it was a bug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the issue appeared limited to users of the iOS app .
“ Ten hours ago a software update was rolled out to a small percentage of our user base .
Some of these users who received the update are experiencing a flaw in the app impacting email accounts that was brought to our attention this morning , ” the company said in an email to The Verge .
“ We have quickly rolled back the update .
We are contacting the impacted Edison Mail users ( limited to a subset of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app in the last 10 hours ) to notify them.
” Probably not a bad idea to change your password if you use Edison Mail just to be on the safe side .

Edison Mail has rolled back a software update that apparently let some users of its iOS app see emails from strangers’ accounts.
Several Edison users contacted The Verge to report seeing the glitch after they applied the update, which was meant to allow users to sync data across devices. Reader Matthew Grzybowski said after the update he had more than 100 unread messages from the UK-based email account of a stranger. He didn’t have to enter any credentials to see the emails, Grzybowski added.
Others on Twitter reported similar issues:
The company said it was a bug, not a security breach, and that the issue appeared limited to users of the iOS app.
“Ten hours ago a software update was rolled out to a small percentage of our user base. Some of these users who received the update are experiencing a flaw in the app impacting email accounts that was brought to our attention this morning,” the company said in an email to The Verge. “We have quickly rolled back the update. We are contacting the impacted Edison Mail users (limited to a subset of those users who have updated and opened the app in the last 10 hours) to notify them.”


theverge--2020-05-16--The Air Force’s mysterious X-37B spaceplane is launching to space again this weekend

Update May 16th , 10:26AM ET : Bad weather forced ULA to push back the launch to Sunday , May 17th , with liftoff scheduled for 9:14AM ET .
Live coverage will resume at 10:03AM ET .
Original Story : The Air Force ’ s mysterious spy spaceplane , dubbed the X-37B , is headed back to space on Saturday morning for its sixth mission in Earth orbit .
As usual with this spacecraft , its exact purpose is a secret , though the Air Force says the vehicle will be carrying a number of experiments on this trip and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning them to Earth .
This launch comes a little more than six months after the X-37B returned home from its record-breaking fifth mission to orbit .
The spaceplane , which looks a bit like a miniature Space Shuttle , landed at NASA ’ s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 27th after spending a total of 780 days , or more than two years , in space .
That flight marked the X-37B ’ s longest mission yet in space , and the vehicle has now spent a total of seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This upcoming flight could add a few more years to the spacecraft ’ s total flight time .
“ This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments.
” The Air Force claims that the experiments and technology that the X-37B carries “ enables the US to more efficiently and effectively develop space capabilities necessary to maintain superiority in the space domain.
” This mission will have even more experiments than usual , thanks to the addition of a new service module — a cylindrical structure attached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be packed with technology to be tested on orbit .
“ This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments , ” Randy Walden , director and program executive officer for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office , said in a statement .
“ The incorporation of a service module on this mission enables us to continue to expand the capabilities of the spacecraft and host more experiments than any of the previous missions.
” While most of the experiments on this flight are kept under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going up on this mission have been made public .
Tagging along with the X-37B is a small satellite called FalconSat-8 developed by the US Air Force Academy that carries five experimental payloads .
The spaceplane will supposedly deploy the FalconSat-8 when it reaches orbit .
NASA is also sending two experiments up on this flight to study how space radiation degrades certain materials as well as seeds needed for food .
And the US Naval Research Laboratory has included an experiment that will “ transform solar power into radio frequency microwave energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground for use .
The X-37B is still considered an asset of the US Air Force , but the newly minted Space Force will be overseeing the mission from launch to landing .
The X-37B ’ s ride into space is the United Launch Alliance ’ s Atlas V rocket , which has launched this spacecraft on four of its previous five flights .
The spacecraft ’ s last ride was on SpaceX ’ s Falcon 9 rocket , which launched the X-37B for its fifth mission on September 7th , 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic , both the Air Force and the United Launch Alliance are including a small tribute to those affected by COVID-19 on this flight .
A written message has been added to the side of the Atlas V rocket , reading : “ In memory of COVID-19 victims and tribute to all first responders and front-line workers.
” ULA is targeting liftoff at 9:14AM ET on Sunday .
The company originally hoped to launch on Saturday , but bad weather forced a launch delay .
ULA will provide live coverage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re up early this Sunday , you can tune in live to see this mysterious vehicle fly .

Update May 17th, 9:30AM ET: The X-37B successfully took off at 9:14AM ET on Sunday, though ULA ended live coverage of the mission early at the request of the Air Force.
Original Story: The Air Force’s mysterious spy spaceplane, dubbed the X-37B, is headed back to space on Sunday morning for its sixth mission in Earth orbit. As usual with this spacecraft, its exact purpose is a secret, though the Air Force says the vehicle will be carrying a number of experiments on this trip and testing out new systems in space before returning them to Earth.
This launch comes a little more than six months after the X-37B returned home from its record-breaking fifth mission to orbit. The spaceplane, which looks a bit like a miniature Space Shuttle, landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 27th after spending a total of 780 days, or more than two years, in space. That flight marked the X-37B’s longest mission yet in space, and the vehicle has now spent a total of seven years and 10 months in orbit. This upcoming flight could add a few more years to the spacecraft’s total flight time.
“This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments.”
The Air Force claims that the experiments and technology that the X-37B carries “enables the US to more efficiently and effectively develop space capabilities necessary to maintain superiority in the space domain.” This mission will have even more experiments than usual, thanks to the addition of a new service module — a cylindrical structure attached to the bottom of the spaceplane that will be packed with technology to be tested on orbit. “This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments,” Randy Walden, director and program executive officer for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, said in a statement. “The incorporation of a service module on this mission enables us to continue to expand the capabilities of the spacecraft and host more experiments than any of the previous missions.”
While most of the experiments on this flight are kept under wraps, a few of the technologies going up on this mission have been made public. Tagging along with the X-37B is a small satellite called FalconSat-8 developed by the US Air Force Academy that carries five experimental payloads. The spaceplane will supposedly deploy the FalconSat-8 when it reaches orbit. NASA is also sending two experiments up on this flight to study how space radiation degrades certain materials as well as seeds needed for food. And the US Naval Research Laboratory has included an experiment that will “transform solar power into radio frequency microwave energy” that can then be sent to the ground for use.
The X-37B is still considered an asset of the US Air Force, but the newly minted Space Force will be overseeing the mission from launch to landing. The X-37B’s ride into space is the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket, which has launched this spacecraft on four of its previous five flights. The spacecraft’s last ride was on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which launched the X-37B for its fifth mission on September 7th, 2017.
As this launch is taking place during the pandemic, both the Air Force and the United Launch Alliance are including a small tribute to those affected by COVID-19 on this flight. A written message has been added to the side of the Atlas V rocket, reading: “In memory of COVID-19 victims and tribute to all first responders and front-line workers.”
ULA is targeting liftoff at 9:14AM ET on Sunday. The company originally hoped to launch on Saturday, but bad weather forced a launch delay. ULA will provide live coverage of the launch, so if you’re up early this Sunday, you can tune in live to see this mysterious vehicle fly.


theverge--2020-05-16--Facebook’s Giphy acquisition might have big implications for iMessage and Twitter

Facebook is buying Giphy , and that means how you send and receive GIFs on the internet could change forever .
The service claims that more than 700 million people see Giphy content every day , and many of those views come from some of the internet ’ s most popular apps— from Apple ’ s iMessage to TikTok and Twitter — most of which rely on Giphy ’ s API and archives to let users share and post GIFs .
It ’ s likely that at least some of those services won ’ t want to have a Facebook-owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not only do these companies generally prefer not to rely on major competitors , but Facebook ’ s services have had issues with privacy ( like the Cambridge Analytica scandal ) and reliability ( like when a small Facebook SDK bug took down many major mobile apps earlier this month ) .
Facebook says developers will be able to rely on Giphy as they had before the acquisition Facebook says developers will be able to rely on Giphy as they had before the acquisition , and as of this writing , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most apps just as you could before .
“ People will still be able to upload GIFs ; developers and API partners will continue to have the same access to GIPHY ’ s APIs ; and GIPHY ’ s creative community will still be able to create great content , ” Vishal Shah , Instagram ’ s vice president of product , said in a blog post on Friday .
It ’ s also important to note that there are no tracking pixels , cookies , or any other embedded user tracking mechanisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the company tells The Verge .
And the Giphy API can see your search terms , but not any of your data , according to the Twitter account for the messaging service Telegram .
Giphy confirmed to The Verge that Telegram ’ s tweet is accurate .
But there ’ s always the chance Facebook could change the way Giphy works down the line .
And apps and services that use Giphy now could drop support for the service at any moment , regardless of what Facebook decides to do with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services with built-in Giphy integrations that could be affected by the acquisition , and we ’ ve asked each of them if they plan to change how they work with Giphy .
This really just speaks to the start of Giphy ’ s reach .
There are a lot more services that we haven ’ t listed , like Pinterest and Reddit , that let you share and post files from Giphy , but that don ’ t have a direct integration with the service as of now .
When you send a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app that ’ s built into iOS , Apple sources some of those GIFs from Giphy .
Apple has not responded to a request for comment .
This integration seems likely to pose some tension moving forward , given Apple ’ s pro-privacy stance and Facebook ’ s tendency to absorb user data from its products .
Mailchimp lets you insert GIFs sourced from Giphy while creating an email campaign via a built-in tool .
Mailchimp tells The Verge that it plans to continue offering Giphy integration .
Mailchimp also offers an official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email signup form to a Facebook page and publish ads for your Mailchimp campaign to Facebook .
Signal lets you search for GIFs that you can include in messages on iOS and Android , and Giphy is one of the services from which Signal sources GIFs .
Signal bills itself as an end-to-end encrypted privacy- and security-focused messaging service , and the company did not say whether it plans to remove Giphy as a source of GIFs following this acquisition .
The app already implements its GIF search in a privacy-preserving way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That means Facebook may not be able to get any data from Giphy GIFs shared on Signal .
Signal also shared this statement with The Verge : Privacy and security are at the heart of everything that we do at Signal .
From the very beginning , Signal has hidden search terms from gif search providers using a privacy-preserving proxy , and the Giphy SDK isn ’ t included in the app at all .
The Signal service never sees the plaintext contents of what is transmitted or received during gif searches because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giphy , and Giphy doesn ’ t know who issued the request because the TCP connection is proxied through the Signal service .
This privacy-preserving functionality has been built into Signal since November of 2016 , and further expanded with additional enhancements in November of 2017 .
You can read more on our blog here : Slack offers a Giphy integration that you can install in your workspace , and you can read more about it on Giphy ’ s website .
“ Slack is committed to protecting user and company data , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and general manager of the Slack platform , in a statement to The Verge .
“ Giphy doesn ’ t receive any information about users or even companies using the Giphy for Slack integration , and only sees Slack usage of the Giphy API in aggregate.
” Snapchat launched an integration that lets you add Giphy animated stickers into snaps in 2018 .
Snapchat declined to comment .
Telegram lets you search for GIFs from Giphy to add to your messages .
In a statement , Telegram tells The Verge that Giphy has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No IP addresses or IDs , let alone phone numbers or other data , have ever been shared with Giphy , ” said a Telegram spokesperson .
Telegram is also in the middle of transitioning away from Giphy , the spokesperson said .
TikTok allows you to post GIFs and GIF stickers on your TikToks that are sourced from Giphy .
TikTok has not replied to a request for comment .
TikTok also offers the option to log in with your Facebook account .
Tinder lets you send GIFs from Giphy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not replied to a request for comment .
Tinder already lets you log into the service with a Facebook account .
Trello offers a Giphy “ power-up ” so you can add GIFs from Giphy to Trello cards .
Trello has not replied to a request for comment .
When you search for GIFs from the compose box on Twitter , they ’ re sourced in part from Giphy .
Twitter also relies on Tenor ( formerly known as Riffsy ) for GIFs , so perhaps Twitter ’ s native GIF search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giphy .
Twitter and Facebook have a long-running spat .
After Instagram was acquired by Facebook in 2012 , Twitter cut off Instagram ’ s access to an API feature that let users find their friends on a new service .
Instagram later cut off Twitter ’ s ability to display its photos inside of tweets , which has held to this day .

Facebook is buying Giphy, and that means how you send and receive GIFs on the internet could change forever. The service claims that more than 700 million people see Giphy content every day, and many of those views come from some of the internet’s most popular apps— from Apple’s iMessage to TikTok and Twitter — most of which rely on Giphy’s API and archives to let users share and post GIFs.
It’s likely that at least some of those services won’t want to have a Facebook-owned platform integrated with their products moving forward. Not only do these companies generally prefer not to rely on major competitors, but Facebook’s services have had issues with privacy (like the Cambridge Analytica scandal) and reliability (like when a small Facebook SDK bug took down many major mobile apps earlier this month).
Facebook says developers will be able to rely on Giphy as they had before the acquisition
Facebook says developers will be able to rely on Giphy as they had before the acquisition, and as of this writing, it appears you can still use Giphy in most apps just as you could before. “People will still be able to upload GIFs; developers and API partners will continue to have the same access to GIPHY’s APIs; and GIPHY’s creative community will still be able to create great content,” Vishal Shah, Instagram’s vice president of product, said in a blog post on Friday.
It’s also important to note that there are no tracking pixels, cookies, or any other embedded user tracking mechanisms in Giphy’s GIFs or stickers, the company tells The Verge. And the Giphy API can see your search terms, but not any of your data, according to the Twitter account for the messaging service Telegram. Giphy confirmed to The Verge that Telegram’s tweet is accurate. But there’s always the chance Facebook could change the way Giphy works down the line. And apps and services that use Giphy now could drop support for the service at any moment, regardless of what Facebook decides to do with the service.
Here are some apps and services with built-in Giphy integrations that could be affected by the acquisition, and we’ve asked each of them if they plan to change how they work with Giphy. This really just speaks to the start of Giphy’s reach. There are a lot more services that we haven’t listed, like Pinterest and Reddit, that let you share and post files from Giphy, but that don’t have a direct integration with the service as of now.
iMessage
When you send a GIF in iMessage via the #images app that’s built into iOS, Apple sources some of those GIFs from Giphy. Apple has not responded to a request for comment. This integration seems likely to pose some tension moving forward, given Apple’s pro-privacy stance and Facebook’s tendency to absorb user data from its products.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp lets you insert GIFs sourced from Giphy while creating an email campaign via a built-in tool. Mailchimp tells The Verge that it plans to continue offering Giphy integration. Mailchimp also offers an official Facebook integration that lets you add an email signup form to a Facebook page and publish ads for your Mailchimp campaign to Facebook.
Signal
Signal lets you search for GIFs that you can include in messages on iOS and Android, and Giphy is one of the services from which Signal sources GIFs. Signal bills itself as an end-to-end encrypted privacy- and security-focused messaging service, and the company did not say whether it plans to remove Giphy as a source of GIFs following this acquisition.
The app already implements its GIF search in a privacy-preserving way, according to Signal founder Moxie Marlinspike. That means Facebook may not be able to get any data from Giphy GIFs shared on Signal.
Signal also shared this statement with The Verge:
Privacy and security are at the heart of everything that we do at Signal. From the very beginning, Signal has hidden search terms from gif search providers using a privacy-preserving proxy, and the Giphy SDK isn’t included in the app at all. The Signal service never sees the plaintext contents of what is transmitted or received during gif searches because the TLS connection is negotiated directly with Giphy, and Giphy doesn’t know who issued the request because the TCP connection is proxied through the Signal service. This privacy-preserving functionality has been built into Signal since November of 2016, and further expanded with additional enhancements in November of 2017. You can read more on our blog here: https://signal.org/blog/signal-and-giphy-update/
Slack
Slack offers a Giphy integration that you can install in your workspace, and you can read more about it on Giphy’s website.
“Slack is committed to protecting user and company data,” said Brian Elliott, vice president and general manager of the Slack platform, in a statement to The Verge. “Giphy doesn’t receive any information about users or even companies using the Giphy for Slack integration, and only sees Slack usage of the Giphy API in aggregate.”
Snapchat
Snapchat launched an integration that lets you add Giphy animated stickers into snaps in 2018. Snapchat declined to comment.
Telegram
Telegram lets you search for GIFs from Giphy to add to your messages.
In a statement, Telegram tells The Verge that Giphy has never received any data about Telegram users. “No IP addresses or IDs, let alone phone numbers or other data, have ever been shared with Giphy,” said a Telegram spokesperson. Telegram is also in the middle of transitioning away from Giphy, the spokesperson said.
TikTok
TikTok allows you to post GIFs and GIF stickers on your TikToks that are sourced from Giphy. TikTok has not replied to a request for comment. TikTok also offers the option to log in with your Facebook account.
Tinder
Tinder lets you send GIFs from Giphy to people you match with. Tinder has not replied to a request for comment. Tinder already lets you log into the service with a Facebook account.
Trello
Trello offers a Giphy “power-up” so you can add GIFs from Giphy to Trello cards. Trello has not replied to a request for comment.
Twitter
When you search for GIFs from the compose box on Twitter, they’re sourced in part from Giphy. Twitter also relies on Tenor (formerly known as Riffsy) for GIFs, so perhaps Twitter’s native GIF search will soon rely on that instead of Giphy.


theverge--2020-05-16--Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is buy-one-get-one free at Best Buy today

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
You can get two of Amazon ’ s Echo Show 5 smart displays for $ 90 today at Best Buy .
To break down why exactly that ’ s a deal worth highlighting , that ’ s the regular price for just one of them .
This model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it easier to fit just about anywhere inside your home .
And since this deal includes a second display , you can choose to set it up in a different part of your living space , or you can gift it to someone who you ’ d like to keep in contact with via its built-in camera .
We think that the Echo Show 8 , Amazon ’ s eight-inch display , is the one most people should buy due to its bigger screen and more powerful sound .
Though , in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the Echo Show 5 is just tinier and thus , it ’ s better suited as a smart alarm clock than an entertainment device .
Though , whatever you want to use it for , you ’ re getting a lot for your money with this two-for-one deal .
Marshall ’ s Major III wireless , on-ear headphones are $ 50 off in each color on its website .
These usually run for $ 150 , and they ’ re likely better than some other similarly priced options at $ 100 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perhaps more importantly , controlling these headphones is intuitive .
These have the company ’ s signature joystick that makes it easy ( and satisfying if you like pressing tactile buttons ) to navigate between songs , adjust the volume , and more .
Starting tomorrow , May 17th , at Best Buy , you can get a free Razer Mamba Elite wired gaming mouse ( usually $ 90 by itself ) when you purchase the $ 150 Razer Huntsman keyboard , which is pictured above .
When you add the keyboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow automatically .
This buy-one-get-one deal is similar to one we highlighted last week ( it ’ s still active until later tonight ) , where you can get a free Razer Viper mouse with the purchase of the Huntsman TE keyboard .
The major differences here are that the deal starting tomorrow is geared toward those with bigger hands ( the Mamba Elite isn ’ t tiny ) and with desks on the large side ( the Huntsman is full-sized , whereas the TE keyboard is an 80 percent-sized option ) .

You can get two of Amazon’s Echo Show 5 smart displays for $90 today at Best Buy. To break down why exactly that’s a deal worth highlighting, that’s the regular price for just one of them. This model has a 5.5-inch display, which makes it easier to fit just about anywhere inside your home. And since this deal includes a second display, you can choose to set it up in a different part of your living space, or you can gift it to someone who you’d like to keep in contact with via its built-in camera.
We think that the Echo Show 8, Amazon’s eight-inch display, is the one most people should buy due to its bigger screen and more powerful sound. Though, in terms of functionality, they’re identical — the Echo Show 5 is just tinier and thus, it’s better suited as a smart alarm clock than an entertainment device. Though, whatever you want to use it for, you’re getting a lot for your money with this two-for-one deal.
Related The best smart display to buy right now
Amazon Echo Show 5 (two-pack) / Was $180, now 50% off $90 at Best Buy
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Marshall’s Major III wireless, on-ear headphones are $50 off in each color on its website. These usually run for $150, and they’re likely better than some other similarly priced options at $100. Marshall’s design is unique, and perhaps more importantly, controlling these headphones is intuitive. These have the company’s signature joystick that makes it easy (and satisfying if you like pressing tactile buttons) to navigate between songs, adjust the volume, and more.
Marshall Major III Bluetooth / Was $150, now 34% off $100 at Marshall
Starting tomorrow, May 17th, at Best Buy, you can get a free Razer Mamba Elite wired gaming mouse (usually $90 by itself) when you purchase the $150 Razer Huntsman keyboard, which is pictured above. When you add the keyboard to your cart, the mouse will follow automatically.
This buy-one-get-one deal is similar to one we highlighted last week (it’s still active until later tonight), where you can get a free Razer Viper mouse with the purchase of the Huntsman TE keyboard. The major differences here are that the deal starting tomorrow is geared toward those with bigger hands (the Mamba Elite isn’t tiny) and with desks on the large side (the Huntsman is full-sized, whereas the TE keyboard is an 80 percent-sized option).


theverge--2020-05-17--How to adopt your next pet safely and virtually

All across the country , people are finding ways to adapt to our new stay-at-home normal , and for some , that means adopting a furry friend .
Shelters in the US have reported an increase in adoptions since the start of the pandemic , some of which have had to create waitlists or pause applications until they can rescue more animals .
Petfinder.com , which works with shelters and rescue organizations throughout the country , saw adoption inquiries jump 122 percent between March 15th and April 15th .
It ’ s led to a unique set of issues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : juggling increased applications for pet adoptions and foster homes while having to adjust to their new circumstances .
Many rescue organizations have had to close their adoption and medical facilities , and with that change has come a shift in strategy .
Their first concern was how to ensure their animals were well taken care of with limited staff and closed shelters .
For many organizations , the answer is fostering .
“ Thanks to our extensive network of volunteers , we were able to temporarily move most of the animals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Kirstin Burdett , senior manager of admissions and matchmaking at the ASPCA Adoption Center , “ enabling us to focus on the most vulnerable animals and support animal welfare partners who need our help.
” The second concern was how to adjust their adoption processes .
That has led to many organizations switching to video meet and greets , virtual adoption events , and attempts to build connections between foster homes and potential adopters .
“ Some of our centers are still doing appointment-only , safe , social distanced in-person adoptions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friends Animal Society .
Though , she added , most are doing virtual meet and greets .
Meanwhile , this is one of the busiest and most challenging times of the year for rescue organizations , as unaltered cats begin mating in the warmer months and litters of homeless kittens begin appearing outside .
Rescue efforts will get busier than before , and more pets will become available for adoption .
As a result , despite the increase in inquiries , shelters are still looking for support , whether that ’ s via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not be able to visit an animal shelter , you can still use some of these virtual methods to welcome an animal into your home .
Before you take these steps , though , remember that adopting a pet is a commitment for the rest of its life .
“ A decision to adopt a pet should not be taken lightly .
It is a huge time and financial commitment , ” says Meagan Licari , president of Puppy Kitty NYC .
Here are some strategies and advice for adopting a rescue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , make sure you decide what pet is right for you and your household .
Cat , dog , lizard , rabbit , guinea pig ?
Once you know , make a list of eight to 10 rescue organizations that are in your area .
It ’ s important to consider several sources because many shelters are inundated with applications these days and some might have waitlists .
Shelters don ’ t usually see this quantity of applications at any one time , and in addition , many of their facilities are understaffed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Don ’ t get discouraged .
While researching , verify that these are 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit organizations .
Each nonprofit organization has to apply to receive their 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) status and EIN number which allows them to be a tax-exempt charitable organization .
Take some time to also do some general research about each organization .
Visit their website , read some recent articles where they ’ ve been mentioned , and check out their social media pages .
Once you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can also confirm with the organization how they keep medical records of all their animals .
Be flexible when looking for a pet Start looking for the right pet for you and your household .
Visit each organization ’ s website and take a look at their adoptable pet bios .
You can also check out Petfinder and Adopt a Pet , where you ’ ll be able to see pet profiles and be synced up with a rescue organization .
Be as open-minded as you can and don ’ t settle on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s important to have several options for rescue organizations , it ’ s also important to meet and learn more about several different animals .
Keep in mind that many of these shelters might not have the bandwidth to constantly update every pet profile , so if you choose one , it ’ s possible that it may no longer be available .
Kittens and puppies are some of the first animals to be adopted , so there may be a waitlist to adopt when you reach out .
Be flexible and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ ll guide you in the right direction .
Say you ’ ve found a pet you ’ d like to adopt — and it is available .
Great !
First , you ’ ll fill out an adoption application which can be found on each organization ’ s website .
You may need to wait , since many organizations are juggling an influx of applications .
But eventually you ’ ll be contacted , via phone or email , to discuss the application and your interests , and possibly schedule a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things you may be asked include : • Whether your landlord allows for pets • If everyone in the household has okayed this decision • If you can afford to support an animal • If you ’ re open to advice and information about caring for your new pet • Whether you have any allergies to the pet you ’ re adopting The organization will then review your information further and let you know if you ’ ve been approved .
If you ’ re approved , you ’ ll then schedule an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some local shelters will schedule in-person appointments so they can regulate how many people are in the facility and take proper precautions .
Others may schedule video calls as a way for you to virtually meet the animal .
Ask each organization what their process is when they contact you about your application so that you can find one that you ’ re comfortable with .
If all goes well , the organization will schedule a good time for you to pick up your pet , or they may find a volunteer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the pet is in a foster home If the pet that you want to adopt is being fostered , the organization might connect you with the foster home where it is currently living .
This will be a virtual video call where you ’ ll be able to “ meet ” your future pet over the call .
It ’ s a great time to ask the foster home detailed questions about the animal , its personality / behavior , and see if there ’ s anything you can do to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Some organizations are also offering foster-to-adopt situations where you can temporarily foster a pet before officially deciding to adopt .
Because in-person meet and greets are not possible for many organizations , this is a good alternative to ensure the adopter and pet are a good match .
Keep an eye out for virtual adoption events !
This type of meet is a first for many organizations but has become an effective way for adopters to learn about future pets .
It ’ s also a great opportunity for you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its adoption process , and “ meet ” several different animals who are up for adoption .
“ We have seen great success operating our virtual adoption events , which run every weekend , ” says Alena Jones of Houston Pets Alive .
Best Friends Animal Society also recently used Instagram to host an “ adoptagram.
” “ It allows for the animals to be shown off in a way that ’ s not stressful for them and their personalities can really shine , ” says Licari of Puppy Kitty NYC , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Disclosure : Puppy Kitty NYC is an organization with which I regularly foster and volunteer . )
Be sure to follow these organizations on social media so you can see their adoptable pets and find out when the next virtual adoption event will be .

All across the country, people are finding ways to adapt to our new stay-at-home normal, and for some, that means adopting a furry friend. Shelters in the US have reported an increase in adoptions since the start of the pandemic, some of which have had to create waitlists or pause applications until they can rescue more animals. Petfinder.com, which works with shelters and rescue organizations throughout the country, saw adoption inquiries jump 122 percent between March 15th and April 15th.
It’s led to a unique set of issues that many shelters haven’t faced before: juggling increased applications for pet adoptions and foster homes while having to adjust to their new circumstances.
Many rescue organizations have had to close their adoption and medical facilities, and with that change has come a shift in strategy. Their first concern was how to ensure their animals were well taken care of with limited staff and closed shelters. For many organizations, the answer is fostering. “Thanks to our extensive network of volunteers, we were able to temporarily move most of the animals in our care into foster homes,” says Kirstin Burdett, senior manager of admissions and matchmaking at the ASPCA Adoption Center, “enabling us to focus on the most vulnerable animals and support animal welfare partners who need our help.”
The second concern was how to adjust their adoption processes. That has led to many organizations switching to video meet and greets, virtual adoption events, and attempts to build connections between foster homes and potential adopters. “Some of our centers are still doing appointment-only, safe, social distanced in-person adoptions,” says Hannah Stember of the Best Friends Animal Society. Though, she added, most are doing virtual meet and greets.
Meanwhile, this is one of the busiest and most challenging times of the year for rescue organizations, as unaltered cats begin mating in the warmer months and litters of homeless kittens begin appearing outside. Rescue efforts will get busier than before, and more pets will become available for adoption.
As a result, despite the increase in inquiries, shelters are still looking for support, whether that’s via adopting or fostering. Even though you may not be able to visit an animal shelter, you can still use some of these virtual methods to welcome an animal into your home. Before you take these steps, though, remember that adopting a pet is a commitment for the rest of its life. “A decision to adopt a pet should not be taken lightly. It is a huge time and financial commitment,” says Meagan Licari, president of Puppy Kitty NYC.
Here are some strategies and advice for adopting a rescue pet during these challenging times.
Research local rescue organizations near you
First, make sure you decide what pet is right for you and your household. Cat, dog, lizard, rabbit, guinea pig?
Once you know, make a list of eight to 10 rescue organizations that are in your area. It’s important to consider several sources because many shelters are inundated with applications these days and some might have waitlists. Shelters don’t usually see this quantity of applications at any one time, and in addition, many of their facilities are understaffed with limited volunteers. So be patient. Don’t get discouraged.
While researching, verify that these are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Each nonprofit organization has to apply to receive their 501(c)(3) status and EIN number which allows them to be a tax-exempt charitable organization.
Take some time to also do some general research about each organization. Visit their website, read some recent articles where they’ve been mentioned, and check out their social media pages. Once you’re in the application process, you can also confirm with the organization how they keep medical records of all their animals.
Before you adopt a pet: Talk to everyone in the household about the adoption
Ensure you can financially support your future pet and its medical bills
Research all the ways you need to care for and train your pet
Consider your lifestyle now AND post-pandemic
Make sure you have time to socialize, play, and bond with your pet
Prepare for your pet’s transition into your home
Pet-proof your entire home
Gather supplies
Find a vet
Make an emergency preparedness kit for your pet
Be flexible when looking for a pet
Start looking for the right pet for you and your household. Visit each organization’s website and take a look at their adoptable pet bios. You can also check out Petfinder and Adopt a Pet, where you’ll be able to see pet profiles and be synced up with a rescue organization.
Be as open-minded as you can and don’t settle on just one animal. Just as it’s important to have several options for rescue organizations, it’s also important to meet and learn more about several different animals.
Keep in mind that many of these shelters might not have the bandwidth to constantly update every pet profile, so if you choose one, it’s possible that it may no longer be available. Kittens and puppies are some of the first animals to be adopted, so there may be a waitlist to adopt when you reach out. Be flexible and have a conversation with the organization. They’ll guide you in the right direction.
Apply to adopt
Say you’ve found a pet you’d like to adopt — and it is available. Great! First, you’ll fill out an adoption application which can be found on each organization’s website.
You may need to wait, since many organizations are juggling an influx of applications. But eventually you’ll be contacted, via phone or email, to discuss the application and your interests, and possibly schedule a virtual home visit. Some of the things you may be asked include:
Your pet history
Whether your landlord allows for pets
If everyone in the household has okayed this decision
If you can afford to support an animal
If you’re open to advice and information about caring for your new pet
Whether you have any allergies to the pet you’re adopting
The organization will then review your information further and let you know if you’ve been approved.
Schedule a meet & greet
If you’re approved, you’ll then schedule an appointment so you can meet your pet. Some local shelters will schedule in-person appointments so they can regulate how many people are in the facility and take proper precautions. Others may schedule video calls as a way for you to virtually meet the animal. Ask each organization what their process is when they contact you about your application so that you can find one that you’re comfortable with.
If all goes well, the organization will schedule a good time for you to pick up your pet, or they may find a volunteer or transporter to bring them to you.
If the pet is in a foster home
If the pet that you want to adopt is being fostered, the organization might connect you with the foster home where it is currently living. This will be a virtual video call where you’ll be able to “meet” your future pet over the call. It’s a great time to ask the foster home detailed questions about the animal, its personality / behavior, and see if there’s anything you can do to make it happy and comfortable at your home.
Some organizations are also offering foster-to-adopt situations where you can temporarily foster a pet before officially deciding to adopt. Because in-person meet and greets are not possible for many organizations, this is a good alternative to ensure the adopter and pet are a good match.
Join a virtual adoption event
Keep an eye out for virtual adoption events! This type of meet is a first for many organizations but has become an effective way for adopters to learn about future pets. It’s also a great opportunity for you to hear from the organization, learn about its adoption process, and “meet” several different animals who are up for adoption.
“We have seen great success operating our virtual adoption events, which run every weekend,” says Alena Jones of Houston Pets Alive. Best Friends Animal Society also recently used Instagram to host an “adoptagram.” “It allows for the animals to be shown off in a way that’s not stressful for them and their personalities can really shine,” says Licari of Puppy Kitty NYC, which recently held its first event on Zoom. (Disclosure: Puppy Kitty NYC is an organization with which I regularly foster and volunteer.)
Be sure to follow these organizations on social media so you can see their adoptable pets and find out when the next virtual adoption event will be.


theverge--2020-05-18--Asus reveals new Google Meet videoconferencing hardware for offices

Asus has announced new videoconferencing hardware designed to run Google Meet meetings ( via 9to5Google ) .
The new gear includes a small computer that runs the calls , an external speaker , and , depending on which configuration you buy , you can also get a camera and a touch screen .
The hardware could be useful for conference rooms in offices that rely on Google Meet as their videoconferencing tool of choice ( once actually going into the office becomes more common , of course ) .
The computer , which Asus calls the Google Meet Compute System @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 128GB SSD , and a magnetic chassis so you can attach it to the included stand or more easily mount it out of sight , according to ASUS .
It also has a number of ports , which you can see in the image below : With the Starter Kit and Small/Medium Room Kit , which are designed for conference rooms with up to eight people , you ’ ll get a camera with a 120-degree field of view and the ability to zoom in up to 4X without losing 720p @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s also a Large Room Kit , which is designed for conference zooms with up to 20 people and to be used with Logitech ’ s PTZ Pro 2 Camera , according to Asus ’ website .
The PTZ Pro 2 captures 1080p video and offers 10X zoom .
The Large Room Kit doesn ’ t come with that camera , though — Asus says companies will have to work with their supplier to get that .
The Small/Medium Room Kit and the Large Room Kit also come with a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage the call .
The kits will be available in June in 28 countries and come in three different price points , according to 9to5Google : the Starter Kit will cost £1,650/€1,915 ( ~ $ 2,012 ) , the Small/Medium Room Kit will cost £1,970/€2,320 ( ~ $ 2,402 ) , and the Large Room Kit ( which does not include a camera ) will cost £1,700/€1,970 ( ~ $ 2,073 ) .

Asus has announced new videoconferencing hardware designed to run Google Meet meetings (via 9to5Google). The new gear includes a small computer that runs the calls, an external speaker, and, depending on which configuration you buy, you can also get a camera and a touch screen. The hardware could be useful for conference rooms in offices that rely on Google Meet as their videoconferencing tool of choice (once actually going into the office becomes more common, of course).
The computer, which Asus calls the Google Meet Compute System, has an Intel Core i7 processor, a 128GB SSD, and a magnetic chassis so you can attach it to the included stand or more easily mount it out of sight, according to ASUS. It also has a number of ports, which you can see in the image below:
With the Starter Kit and Small/Medium Room Kit, which are designed for conference rooms with up to eight people, you’ll get a camera with a 120-degree field of view and the ability to zoom in up to 4X without losing 720p image quality, according to Asus.
There’s also a Large Room Kit, which is designed for conference zooms with up to 20 people and to be used with Logitech’s PTZ Pro 2 Camera, according to Asus’ website. The PTZ Pro 2 captures 1080p video and offers 10X zoom. The Large Room Kit doesn’t come with that camera, though — Asus says companies will have to work with their supplier to get that. The Small/Medium Room Kit and the Large Room Kit also come with a separate touch screen panel you can use to manage the call.