theverge--2020-11-22--Nintendo’s Switch with better battery life includes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Black Friday

Ahead of Black Friday 2020 , one of the best Nintendo deals is available early .
If you are looking to buy a Nintendo Switch , Best Buy has a bundle that includes the console , a digital code for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe , and three months of Nintendo Switch Online for just $ 300 .
It ’ s a unique deal — the Nintendo Switch costs $ 300 , a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe costs $ 60 , and three months of Nintendo Switch Online is $ 8 .
The Nintendo Switch included with the bundle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to us by a spokesperson at Best Buy .
The updated Switch model includes two more hours of battery life than the original model .
While in handheld , the updated Switch can be used anywhere between 4.5 hours to nine hours on a single charge , depending on what games you play .
While an argument can be made for why all three of these products alone are good gifts , this bundle is great for late adopters of Nintendo ’ s hybrid console .
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if you want to play online , you will need a Nintendo Switch Online membership .
Alongside access to playing Nintendo games online like Super Smash Bros .
Ultimate , Switch Online also includes access to digital games such as Tetris 99 , plus a selection of NES and Super NES titles .

Ahead of Black Friday 2020, one of the best Nintendo deals is available early. If you are looking to buy a Nintendo Switch, Best Buy has a bundle that includes the console, a digital code for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and three months of Nintendo Switch Online for just $300. It’s a unique deal — the Nintendo Switch costs $300, a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe costs $60, and three months of Nintendo Switch Online is $8.
The Nintendo Switch included with the bundle is the updated model, as confirmed to us by a spokesperson at Best Buy. The updated Switch model includes two more hours of battery life than the original model. While in handheld, the updated Switch can be used anywhere between 4.5 hours to nine hours on a single charge, depending on what games you play.
While an argument can be made for why all three of these products alone are good gifts, this bundle is great for late adopters of Nintendo’s hybrid console. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a great game to play with family or friends, and if you want to play online, you will need a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Alongside access to playing Nintendo games online like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Switch Online also includes access to digital games such as Tetris 99, plus a selection of NES and Super NES titles.


theverge--2020-11-22--New trailers: One Night in Miami, Chaos Walking, Justice League, and more

I am currently suffering from The Crown withdrawal after finishing Season 4 , and ( like pretty much everyone ) predicting we ’ ll see Emmy nominations for Gillian Anderson ( Margaret Thatcher ) and Josh O ’ Connor ( Prince Charles ) .
Also I ’ m very on board with this suggestion that Erin Doherty deserves her own Princess Anne spinoff series ( please get on this asap , Netflix ) .
She ’ s spectacular .
I ’ m not quite ready to commit to a new streaming series yet so went to the backlog of movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get into Queen ’ s Gambit but honestly , I don ’ t get the hype about that movie , the dialogue is so clunky .
I even went so far as to open an actual physical book yesterday ( lol ) before restarting Season 1 of The Crown ( hi Claire Foy and John Lithgow ! )
.
At least we still have The Mandalorian to look forward to every Friday .
Some great new trailers this week and a couple of second trailers/teasers for highly anticipated movies whose theatrical debuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oscar/Emmy/Golden Globe winner Regina King makes her feature film directorial debut with One Night in Miami , an adaptation of Kemp Powers ’ 2013 play of the same name .
It tells the fictional story of a meeting of Muhammed Ali ( then still known as Cassius Clay ) , Jim Brown , Sam Cooke , and Malcolm X , as they get together following Ali ’ s 1964 fight against Sonny Liston .
Powers also wrote the script .
The movie is generating huge Academy Awards buzz ( obviously , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has already received praise from critics at the Toronto and Venice film festivals .
Leslie Odom Jr. , Kingsley Ben-Adir , Eli Goree , and Aldis Hodge star .
One Night in Miami will hit theaters on Christmas Day and debut on Amazon Prime Video January 15th .
In a future dystopia , Viola ( Daisy Ridley ) crash lands on a planet of men who are affected by something called “ The Noise ” that makes all their thoughts visible .
All the other women are dead , or so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched more than one future dystopia sci-fi flick in my life ) .
Based on the trilogy of books by Patrick Ness , Chaos Walking also stars Tom Holland , Mads Mikkelsen , Nick Jonas , and David Oyelowo .
It ’ s due in theaters January 22nd .
Warner Bros. announced last week that Wonder Woman 1984 would be released in theaters and on HBO Max December 25th , and we got a new “ main ” trailer to tide us over , with new glimpses of Diana , Steve , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want to be an apex predator ” right on , girl ) .
Not every movie is about a future dystopia or superheroes , you guys !
Melissa McCarthy stars in this very goofy-looking comedy about a woman who has to prove to an AI ( voiced by James Corden ) who ’ s thinking of destroying the Earth that humanity is worth saving .
Girrrrl , good luck .
Bobby Cannavale and Bryan Tyree Henry also star ( and I was especially happy to see Sam Richardson , the funniest person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louis-Dreyfus ) .
Superintelligence comes to HBO Max November 26th .
Look , I can ’ t stop the tide of Christmas movies , so just settle in and accept them for the next couple of weeks .
This one looks pretty cute , with Jillian Bell as fairy godmother in training Eleanor .
She tries to help a 40-year-old single mom who made a wish as a child that didn ’ t come true .
Isla Fisher and Jane Curtin ( yessss ) also star in Godmothered , which comes to Disney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full-length teaser of the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League shows us Wonder Woman , Aquaman , Superman , Cyborg , and The Flash with Leonard Cohen ’ s version of “ Hallelujah ” playing— which feels a little too slow for an action movie ?
I watched the trailer at 1.5 speed and with all due respect to the late , great Mr. Cohen , it seemed a better fit .
You know the backstory about the Snyder Cut ; it will hit HBO Max in 2021 .

I am currently suffering from The Crown withdrawal after finishing Season 4, and (like pretty much everyone) predicting we’ll see Emmy nominations for Gillian Anderson (Margaret Thatcher) and Josh O’Connor (Prince Charles). Also I’m very on board with this suggestion that Erin Doherty deserves her own Princess Anne spinoff series (please get on this asap, Netflix). She’s spectacular.
I’m not quite ready to commit to a new streaming series yet so went to the backlog of movies I have queued up; I tried to get into Queen’s Gambit but honestly, I don’t get the hype about that movie, the dialogue is so clunky. I even went so far as to open an actual physical book yesterday (lol) before restarting Season 1 of The Crown (hi Claire Foy and John Lithgow!). At least we still have The Mandalorian to look forward to every Friday.
Some great new trailers this week and a couple of second trailers/teasers for highly anticipated movies whose theatrical debuts were derailed by the coronavirus pandemic.
One Night in Miami
Oscar/Emmy/Golden Globe winner Regina King makes her feature film directorial debut with One Night in Miami, an adaptation of Kemp Powers’ 2013 play of the same name. It tells the fictional story of a meeting of Muhammed Ali (then still known as Cassius Clay), Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Malcolm X, as they get together following Ali’s 1964 fight against Sonny Liston. Powers also wrote the script. The movie is generating huge Academy Awards buzz (obviously, with a powerhouse like King at the helm) and has already received praise from critics at the Toronto and Venice film festivals. Leslie Odom Jr., Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, and Aldis Hodge star. One Night in Miami will hit theaters on Christmas Day and debut on Amazon Prime Video January 15th.
Chaos Walking
In a future dystopia, Viola (Daisy Ridley) crash lands on a planet of men who are affected by something called “The Noise” that makes all their thoughts visible. All the other women are dead, or so we are told (I mean I have watched more than one future dystopia sci-fi flick in my life). Based on the trilogy of books by Patrick Ness, Chaos Walking also stars Tom Holland, Mads Mikkelsen, Nick Jonas, and David Oyelowo. It’s due in theaters January 22nd.
Wonder Woman 1984
Warner Bros. announced last week that Wonder Woman 1984 would be released in theaters and on HBO Max December 25th, and we got a new “main” trailer to tide us over, with new glimpses of Diana, Steve, and Kristen Wiig’s Cheetah (“I want to be an apex predator” right on, girl).
Superintelligence
Not every movie is about a future dystopia or superheroes, you guys! Melissa McCarthy stars in this very goofy-looking comedy about a woman who has to prove to an AI (voiced by James Corden) who’s thinking of destroying the Earth that humanity is worth saving. Girrrrl, good luck. Bobby Cannavale and Bryan Tyree Henry also star (and I was especially happy to see Sam Richardson, the funniest person from the Veep cast not named Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Superintelligence comes to HBO Max November 26th.
Godmothered
Look, I can’t stop the tide of Christmas movies, so just settle in and accept them for the next couple of weeks. This one looks pretty cute, with Jillian Bell as fairy godmother in training Eleanor. She tries to help a 40-year-old single mom who made a wish as a child that didn’t come true. Isla Fisher and Jane Curtin (yessss) also star in Godmothered, which comes to Disney Plus on December 4th.
Justice League: Director’s Cut


theverge--2020-11-22--Fleets are still visible on Twitter after 24 hours thanks to a bug

Twitter ’ s new ephemeral tweets , known as fleets , are supposed to last for only 24 hours .
But a bug is causing fleets to not totally disappear , remaining accessible well past their expiration dates .
First reported by TechCrunch , the bug allows fleets to be viewed and downloaded by other users , but without notifying the fleet ’ s author .
“ We ’ re aware of a bug accessible through a technical workaround where some Fleets media URLs may be accessible after 24 hours , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in an email to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a fix that should be rolled out shortly.
” The “ workaround ” referenced appears to be a developer app that could scrape fleets from public accounts via Twitter ’ s API .
The Twitter API doesn ’ t return URLs for fleets that are older than 24 hours , according to the company , and once the fix is rolled out , even if someone has a URL for active fleet , it won ’ t work after the expiration point .
And while fleets are only visible on users ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fleets on its back end for up to 30 days , longer for fleets that violate its rules and may require enforcement action , the company says .
During that 30 day period , a fleet is available in a user ’ s Twitter Data downloads as long as Twitter is retaining a copy .
The “ seen by ” action is typically only available when someone views a fleet via the Twitter app .
Twitter is a bit late to the disappearing content party— fleets are essentially its version of Instagram or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users to briefly share text , videos , images , or other tweets .
They ’ re not meant to be retweetable and you can ’ t directly “ like ” a fleet , but you can reply to one by tapping on it , which sends a direct message to the fleet ’ s creator .
Update November 22nd , 10:56 AM ET : Added comment from Twitter and additional details

Twitter’s new ephemeral tweets, known as fleets, are supposed to last for only 24 hours. But a bug is causing fleets to not totally disappear, remaining accessible well past their expiration dates. First reported by TechCrunch, the bug allows fleets to be viewed and downloaded by other users, but without notifying the fleet’s author.
“We’re aware of a bug accessible through a technical workaround where some Fleets media URLs may be accessible after 24 hours,” a Twitter spokesperson said in an email to The Verge. “We are working on a fix that should be rolled out shortly.”
The “workaround” referenced appears to be a developer app that could scrape fleets from public accounts via Twitter’s API. The Twitter API doesn’t return URLs for fleets that are older than 24 hours, according to the company, and once the fix is rolled out, even if someone has a URL for active fleet, it won’t work after the expiration point.
And while fleets are only visible on users’ timelines for 24 hours, Twitter stores fleets on its back end for up to 30 days, longer for fleets that violate its rules and may require enforcement action, the company says. During that 30 day period, a fleet is available in a user’s Twitter Data downloads as long as Twitter is retaining a copy. The “seen by” action is typically only available when someone views a fleet via the Twitter app.
Twitter is a bit late to the disappearing content party— fleets are essentially its version of Instagram or Snapchat stories, They allow mobile Twitter users to briefly share text, videos, images, or other tweets. They’re not meant to be retweetable and you can’t directly “like” a fleet, but you can reply to one by tapping on it, which sends a direct message to the fleet’s creator.


theverge--2020-11-22--Amazon’s latest Echo and Eero products are discounted for Black Friday

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 .
This story is part of a group of stories called Amazon has unveiled a heap of Black Friday deals to give you an early start on your holiday shopping .
While we expect many more deals across all categories of tech for Black Friday and Cyber Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is especially good news since there are a bunch of new products seeing their first price cuts , including Amazon ’ s ball-shaped Echo speakers and Eero ’ s fastest mesh Wi-Fi routers .
Plus , there are some solid deals on Fire TV streaming devices .
• The smaller Echo Dot that takes the same globular form of the more expensive Echo is just $ 29 ( usually $ 50 ) • If you want the new spherical Echo Dot with a digital clock embedded in the fabric , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s normally $ 60 .
• The new ( and adorable ) Kids Edition Echo Dot , pictured above , is $ 39 .
It normally costs $ 60 .
• The Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display with a camera is down to $ 45 ( usually $ 90 ) .
This matches the best price debuted during Prime Day 2020 .
• The slightly larger Echo Show 8 with a bigger screen and more powerful speakers is $ 65 ( usually $ 130 ) • The new Eero 6 dual-band mesh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 130 ) • If you want a three-pack of the tri-band Eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi routers , it ’ ll cost $ 479 ( usually $ 600 ) • For the more basic Eero mesh Wi-Fi routers that don ’ t support Wi-Fi 6 , a three-pack costs $ 183 at Amazon , down from $ 230 • The affordable Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is down to $ 18 ( usually $ 30 ) • The standard Amazon Fire TV Stick with a more capable Alexa Remote is $ 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon Fire TV 4K Stick with Dolby Atmos and 4K HDR support is $ 30 ( usually $ 50 ) • The high-end Amazon Fire TV Cube that supports 4K HDR , Dolby Atmos , and can handle voice queries from across the room is $ 80 ( usually $ 120 )

Amazon has unveiled a heap of Black Friday deals to give you an early start on your holiday shopping. While we expect many more deals across all categories of tech for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, these ones are focused on Amazon-made devices. This is especially good news since there are a bunch of new products seeing their first price cuts, including Amazon’s ball-shaped Echo speakers and Eero’s fastest mesh Wi-Fi routers. Plus, there are some solid deals on Fire TV streaming devices.


theverge--2020-11-23--Snapchat officially launches in-app TikTok competitor called Spotlight

Snap is finally ready to compete with TikTok and will pay creators to post on the platform .
The company is officially announcing a new section of Snapchat today called Spotlight that ’ ll surface vertical video content from users that ’ s more meme-like and jokey instead of the day-in-the-life content Snap previously encouraged .
Imagine , basically , TikTok but in Snapchat .
To entice people to post snaps regularly , the company says it ’ ll divvy up $ 1 million between the most popular creators on the app per day through the end of 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral video , they might earn a large chunk of the $ 1 million pot .
It doesn ’ t matter whether that person has a massive number of subscribers ; the amount people receive is primarily based on unique views compared to other snaps that day .
Users can continue to earn from their video if it ’ s popular for multiple days at a time .
Spotlight , which will have its own dedicated tab in the app , is launching in 11 countries , including the US , UK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The videos you ’ ll see in the section can be up to 60 seconds long and , as of right now , can not be watermarked .
That means people can ’ t just download their ( or others ’ ) viral TikToks and upload them to Snapchat .
Once you tap into Spotlight , you ’ ll see snaps programmed to what Snapchat ’ s algorithm thinks you might enjoy .
It bases this decision mostly on what you ’ ve viewed in the past and how long you ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ ll just have to tap “ Spotlight ” when posting to ensure it populates the section .
Although the format will be familiar to anyone who ’ s ever watched TikTok , Snap says it ’ s made specific decisions based on its user base .
For one , Spotlight snaps won ’ t feature a public comments section , and profiles themselves are private by default , so Snapchatters can keep their accounts locked down while still posting content .
The Spotlight section has been hinted at for months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snaps back in August .
The app lacked a feed for these snaps up until now , however .
The company already allows users to submit their snaps as part of a location that anyone can drop into and watch to get a feel of what ’ s happening in a given place at any moment .
They appear in Snap Map .
But unlike that feature , which is more documentary in nature , Spotlight is specifically designed for viral video formats .
With Spotlight , Snap is clearly acknowledging the success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , similar to Instagram ’ s admission with its launch of Reels in August .
In Instagram ’ s case , however , it plainly allows people to bring their TikTok content over to the platform .
Snap is instead trying to encourage people to use its own creation tools and prevent monetization fraud by keeping people in its app .
Stories used to be the format everyone wanted to copy , thanks to its success on Snapchat .
Now , it ’ s the TikTok video .

Snap is finally ready to compete with TikTok and will pay creators to post on the platform. The company is officially announcing a new section of Snapchat today called Spotlight that’ll surface vertical video content from users that’s more meme-like and jokey instead of the day-in-the-life content Snap previously encouraged. Imagine, basically, TikTok but in Snapchat.
To entice people to post snaps regularly, the company says it’ll divvy up $1 million between the most popular creators on the app per day through the end of 2020. This means if someone has a particularly viral video, they might earn a large chunk of the $1 million pot. It doesn’t matter whether that person has a massive number of subscribers; the amount people receive is primarily based on unique views compared to other snaps that day. Users can continue to earn from their video if it’s popular for multiple days at a time.
Spotlight, which will have its own dedicated tab in the app, is launching in 11 countries, including the US, UK, France, Germany, and Australia. The videos you’ll see in the section can be up to 60 seconds long and, as of right now, cannot be watermarked. That means people can’t just download their (or others’) viral TikToks and upload them to Snapchat. Once you tap into Spotlight, you’ll see snaps programmed to what Snapchat’s algorithm thinks you might enjoy. It bases this decision mostly on what you’ve viewed in the past and how long you’ve watched. Anyone can submit a snap, they’ll just have to tap “Spotlight” when posting to ensure it populates the section.
Although the format will be familiar to anyone who’s ever watched TikTok, Snap says it’s made specific decisions based on its user base. For one, Spotlight snaps won’t feature a public comments section, and profiles themselves are private by default, so Snapchatters can keep their accounts locked down while still posting content.
The Spotlight section has been hinted at for months, given that Snapchat announced music in snaps back in August. The app lacked a feed for these snaps up until now, however. The company already allows users to submit their snaps as part of a location that anyone can drop into and watch to get a feel of what’s happening in a given place at any moment. They appear in Snap Map. But unlike that feature, which is more documentary in nature, Spotlight is specifically designed for viral video formats.


theverge--2020-11-23--Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020: great deals and money-saving strategies

It may be difficult to celebrate the holidays in person with family and friends this year , but if you ’ re planning to send some special gifts to your loved ones , there are two annual events that you can still look forward to : Black Friday and Cyber Monday .
This year , of course , it will take place primarily online , but that doesn ’ t mean you won ’ t find a wide range of deals from big-box stores like Target , Best Buy , and Walmart and online retailers like Amazon , Newegg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to monitor all of your favorite retailers this holiday weekend for deals and last-minute price drops on a wide range of tech products , including phones , gaming gear , streaming services , laptops , headphones , and a lot more .
We ’ ll also let you know when a retailer has sold out of a product so you won ’ t waste any time .
Expect to find excellent prices on in-demand tech products , ranging from big 4K TVs and capable laptops to gaming consoles , smartphones , headphones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be able to find each development below as well as tips on the best products to buy and how to save money when shopping .

It may be difficult to celebrate the holidays in person with family and friends this year, but if you’re planning to send some special gifts to your loved ones, there are two annual events that you can still look forward to: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, of course, it will take place primarily online, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find a wide range of deals from big-box stores like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart and online retailers like Amazon, Newegg, and more.
We’re going to monitor all of your favorite retailers this holiday weekend for deals and last-minute price drops on a wide range of tech products, including phones, gaming gear, streaming services, laptops, headphones, and a lot more. We’ll also let you know when a retailer has sold out of a product so you won’t waste any time.


theverge--2020-11-23--Nikon is bringing back its free online photography classes for the holidays

Nikon is bringing back its promotion that allows you to stream its entire online curriculum of photography classes at no cost , just in time for the holiday season .
Now through December 31st , you can stream all classes featured at the Nikon School Online .
Normally , these classes cost between $ 15 and $ 50 each .
Each course is taught by a professional photographer and features in-depth lessons to improve your photo-taking skills .
However , it is important to note that although it is called the “ Nikon School Online , ” you do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take advantage of these free courses .
A few classes focus on Nikon-specific gear , but most of the classes available focus on photography as a skill set and how to improve .
I streamed the classes earlier this year when they were free , and I really enjoyed the course that focuses on photographing children and pets because I picked up a few helpful tips on how to take better photos of my twin brother ’ s Pomeranian puppy with my Nikon D3100 .
Nikon previously offered this promotion in April before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the holiday season quickly approaching , if you plan to buy a camera for yourself or a loved one , it ’ s not a bad idea to watch these online courses to ensure you get the most out of your gift .
Or if you were planning to take some photography classes to improve your skills , save some money ; you may want to give these videos a look first .
You can stream all the online classes right now on Nikon ’ s website .
You will need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email address before you can watch .
But don ’ t worry ; you can opt-out of receiving marketing emails after signing up .

Nikon is bringing back its promotion that allows you to stream its entire online curriculum of photography classes at no cost, just in time for the holiday season.
Now through December 31st, you can stream all classes featured at the Nikon School Online. Normally, these classes cost between $15 and $50 each. Each course is taught by a professional photographer and features in-depth lessons to improve your photo-taking skills.
Related The best Black Friday deals you can get right now
However, it is important to note that although it is called the “Nikon School Online,” you do not need to own a Nikon camera to take advantage of these free courses. A few classes focus on Nikon-specific gear, but most of the classes available focus on photography as a skill set and how to improve.
Nikon previously offered this promotion in April
I streamed the classes earlier this year when they were free, and I really enjoyed the course that focuses on photographing children and pets because I picked up a few helpful tips on how to take better photos of my twin brother’s Pomeranian puppy with my Nikon D3100.
Nikon previously offered this promotion in April before extending the offer until May 31st. With the holiday season quickly approaching, if you plan to buy a camera for yourself or a loved one, it’s not a bad idea to watch these online courses to ensure you get the most out of your gift. Or if you were planning to take some photography classes to improve your skills, save some money; you may want to give these videos a look first.


theverge--2020-11-23--A different Super Mario Bros. game now holds the title for most expensive ever sold

Super Mario Bros. 3 now holds the title of the most expensive game ever , after a sealed copy from 1990 sold for $ 156,000 at an auction last Friday .
Bidding started at $ 62,500 , and 20 bidders were involved in the auction .
The NES game handily beat out the previous record-holder , Super Mario Bros. , which sold for $ 114,000 in July .
According to Heritage Auctions , which sold the game , the game ’ s record-breaking price came down to a couple of factors .
The first was its relatively rare box design @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” formatted to the left on its front , where it slightly obscures Mario ’ s hand .
Later versions moved the word to the center-right .
The game had a rare box design and was in excellent condition However , this rarer design only explains part of the price , since one of these variants sold at the auction house in July for just $ 38,400 .
What accounts for the rest of the value appears to be the condition in which it was sold .
The game was given a Wata @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which rates both the quality of the box and the quality of its original seal .
The previous version , meanwhile , had a slightly lower rating of Wata 9.0 A. Alongside Super Mario Bros. 3 , a sealed copy of Pokémon Red became the most expensive Pokémon game sold when it was purchased for $ 84,000 during Friday ’ s auction .
Heritage Auctions doesn ’ t mention whether there was anything unique about this particular version , but it appears to have been sold in a remarkably good condition , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Super Mario Bros. 3 now holds the title of the most expensive game ever, after a sealed copy from 1990 sold for $156,000 at an auction last Friday. Bidding started at $62,500, and 20 bidders were involved in the auction. The NES game handily beat out the previous record-holder, Super Mario Bros., which sold for $114,000 in July.
According to Heritage Auctions, which sold the game, the game’s record-breaking price came down to a couple of factors. The first was its relatively rare box design, which has the word “Bros.” formatted to the left on its front, where it slightly obscures Mario’s hand. Later versions moved the word to the center-right.
The game had a rare box design and was in excellent condition
However, this rarer design only explains part of the price, since one of these variants sold at the auction house in July for just $38,400. What accounts for the rest of the value appears to be the condition in which it was sold. The game was given a Wata 9.2 A+ rating for its condition, which rates both the quality of the box and the quality of its original seal. The previous version, meanwhile, had a slightly lower rating of Wata 9.0 A.


theverge--2020-11-23--Robotaxis get the green light for paid rides in California

California has long been ground zero for autonomous vehicle testing in the US , but the state has never allowed companies to use those vehicles to make money from a commercial ride-hailing service .
That changed last week when the California Public Utilities Commission ( CPUC ) approved two new programs that allow autonomous vehicle operators to launch their own robotaxis in the state .
The CPUC , which is in charge of creating regulations for AVs in fleet services ( e.g.
, taxis and ride-hailing ) , has been working on the new rules for several years now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Program and the Driverless Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Program — “ allow participants to offer passenger service , shared rides , and accept monetary compensation for rides in autonomous vehicles , ” CPUC said in a statement .
CPUC Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma called the programs “ important steps to support our study of how autonomous vehicle fleets can be leveraged to support the grid as a demand side management resource , dovetailing on our efforts to incorporate transportation into the electric sector.
” California has indicated it intends to ban the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2035 .
But don ’ t expect to see a bunch of AVs accepting passengers any time soon Companies interested in participating in the two new programs will need to obtain either a charter-party carrier Class P permit or a Class A charter-party certificate in the Drivered AV Passenger Service pilot program issued by the CPUC , as well as an AV testing permit from the state ’ s Department of Motor Vehicles .
But don ’ t expect to see a bunch of AVs accepting passengers any time soon : the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to take several months at least .
California has the most stringent rules in the country for AV operators , requiring companies to obtain a license for different types of testing , disclose vehicle crashes , list the number of miles driven , and the frequency at which human safety drivers were forced to take control of their autonomous vehicles ( also known as a “ disengagement ” ) .
Unsurprisingly , AV companies mostly hate California ’ s requirements , but considering the state is home to the vast majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autonomous vehicles , they have little choice but to participate .
Currently , 60 companies have an active permit to test autonomous vehicles with a safety driver in California .
Five companies — Cruise , Waymo , Nuro , Zoox , and AutoX — have an additional permit that allows them to test fully driverless vehicles without human safety drivers behind the wheel on public roads .
Companies who want to launch robotaxi services will be required to submit quarterly reports to the CPUC that contain “ aggregated and anonymized information about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the availability and volume of wheelchair accessible rides ; the service levels to disadvantaged communities ; the fuel type used by the vehicles and electric charging ; the vehicle miles traveled and passenger miles traveled ; and engagement with advocates for accessibility and disadvantaged communities , ” the commission said .
There are only a handful of paid self-driving taxis services in the US right now .
Waymo , the self-driving division of Alphabet , operates Waymo One outside Phoenix , Arizona , which provides around 1,000-2,000 rides a week .
Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Motional , have completed around 100,000 trips in Las Vegas over the last several years .
Other than that , the vast majority of AVs on the road are either performing deliveries or operating in a testing-only capacity .
Annabel Chang , head of state policy at Waymo , hailed the decision as a crucial step to get more autonomous vehicles on the road .
“ This long-awaited agency action will allow Waymo to bring our fully autonomous Waymo One ride-hailing service to our home state over time , ” Chang said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decision comes at a key time as we bring more of our latest technology to San Francisco and look forward to putting our Waymo Driver to use in service to Californians .
”

California has long been ground zero for autonomous vehicle testing in the US, but the state has never allowed companies to use those vehicles to make money from a commercial ride-hailing service. That changed last week when the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved two new programs that allow autonomous vehicle operators to launch their own robotaxis in the state.
The CPUC, which is in charge of creating regulations for AVs in fleet services (e.g., taxis and ride-hailing), has been working on the new rules for several years now. The two new programs — the Drivered Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Program and the Driverless Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Program — “allow participants to offer passenger service, shared rides, and accept monetary compensation for rides in autonomous vehicles,” CPUC said in a statement.
CPUC Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma called the programs “important steps to support our study of how autonomous vehicle fleets can be leveraged to support the grid as a demand side management resource, dovetailing on our efforts to incorporate transportation into the electric sector.” California has indicated it intends to ban the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles starting in 2035.
But don’t expect to see a bunch of AVs accepting passengers any time soon
Companies interested in participating in the two new programs will need to obtain either a charter-party carrier Class P permit or a Class A charter-party certificate in the Drivered AV Passenger Service pilot program issued by the CPUC, as well as an AV testing permit from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. But don’t expect to see a bunch of AVs accepting passengers any time soon: the process to apply for either CPUC program is expected to take several months at least.
California has the most stringent rules in the country for AV operators, requiring companies to obtain a license for different types of testing, disclose vehicle crashes, list the number of miles driven, and the frequency at which human safety drivers were forced to take control of their autonomous vehicles (also known as a “disengagement”).
Unsurprisingly, AV companies mostly hate California’s requirements, but considering the state is home to the vast majority of the engineers and programmers who work on autonomous vehicles, they have little choice but to participate. Currently, 60 companies have an active permit to test autonomous vehicles with a safety driver in California. Five companies — Cruise, Waymo, Nuro, Zoox, and AutoX — have an additional permit that allows them to test fully driverless vehicles without human safety drivers behind the wheel on public roads.
Companies who want to launch robotaxi services will be required to submit quarterly reports to the CPUC that contain “aggregated and anonymized information about the pick-up and drop-off locations for individual trips; the availability and volume of wheelchair accessible rides; the service levels to disadvantaged communities; the fuel type used by the vehicles and electric charging; the vehicle miles traveled and passenger miles traveled; and engagement with advocates for accessibility and disadvantaged communities,” the commission said.
There are only a handful of paid self-driving taxis services in the US right now. Waymo, the self-driving division of Alphabet, operates Waymo One outside Phoenix, Arizona, which provides around 1,000-2,000 rides a week. Three other companies, Lyft, Aptiv, and Motional, have completed around 100,000 trips in Las Vegas over the last several years. Other than that, the vast majority of AVs on the road are either performing deliveries or operating in a testing-only capacity.


theverge--2020-11-23--Sonos Move, Beam, and Sub are $100 off for Black Friday week

Sonos has discounted several of its speakers for the week leading up to Black Friday , including the portable Move , Beam soundbar , and Sub add-on .
All three models are $ 100 off , a significant discount from their regular prices .
Sales on Sonos speakers are rare — we typically only see meaningful discounts on them during the holiday shopping season .
The company discounted the Move for the first time just a week ago ; this week ’ s sale matches that price should you have missed it .
The Sonos Move is the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11-hour battery that lets you easily move it from room to room , outside , or even take it to an entirely different location .
It has similar sound quality to the smaller Sonos One and includes always-on microphones with support for both Google Assistant and Amazon ’ s Alexa .
It normally retails for $ 400 , but this sale brings it down to $ 300 .
The Beam is the company ’ s entry-level soundbar .
It makes it easy to improve the audio quality of movies , TV shows , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HDMI cable connecting it to your TV .
It can also be used for music and grouped with other Sonos speakers for surround sound or multiroom music .
It also has always-listening mics with support for the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistants .
Like the Move , the Beam is usually $ 400 , but is down to $ 300 for this week .
Lastly , the Sub is an add-on piece that adds a low-end oomph to any Sonos speaker .
It can be used with the Beam or Arc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movies , or with other Sonos speakers for more floor-thumping music .
The Sub is typically an expensive add-on , at $ 700 .
This sale brings it down to a slightly more manageable $ 600 .
All three models are available in either black or white , though some retailers only carry the black version of the Sub .
If you ’ ve been eying a new Sonos speaker and one of these fits your needs , you ’ re not likely to find a much better price than now .

Sonos has discounted several of its speakers for Cyber Monday including the compact One and One SL, powerful Five, portable Move, Beam soundbar, and Sub add-on. All three models are $100 off, a significant discount from their regular prices.
Sales on Sonos speakers are rare — we typically only see meaningful discounts on them during the holiday shopping season. This marks the only time of the year that you might see significant discounts on popular speakers such as the One, Move, and Five.
The One is Sonos’ base speaker and one of its most popular models. It is compact in size, but outputs a surprising amount of volume and punch. You can use it standalone, in stereo configurations, or as rear surrounds in a Sonos-based home theater system. On top of that, it has always-on microphones that support both the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistants.
The One SL is almost identical to the One, save for its lack of microphones and voice assistant integration. It’s a great pick if you are pairing it with an existing One or you just want the added privacy benefits of no microphones.
Today’s sale brings the One down to $149 and the One SL down to $129, both very good prices for these speakers.
Sonos One (two) $ 378 $ 398 5 % off $ 378 $ 378 $ 398 5 % off The Sonos One is the base smart speaker in the Sonos system, and it puts out a surprising amount of sound from its compact size. $378 at Sonos
The Sonos Move is the company’s first portable speaker with a built-in 11-hour battery that lets you easily move it from room to room, outside, or even take it to an entirely different location. It has similar sound quality to the smaller Sonos One and includes always-on microphones with support for both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. It normally retails for $400, but this sale brings it down to $300.
The Sonos Five is the flagship speaker in the Sonos range and is great for filling large rooms with lots of sound. It can be used standalone or in a stereo configuration.
Sales on the Five are rare, today’s deal knocks $100 off the price, which is about the most you’ll ever save on this speaker.
Sonos Five (refurbished) $ 495 $ 549 10 % off $ 495 $ 495 $ 549 10 % off The Sonos Five is a Sonos speaker with powerful sound and lots of volume. $495 at Best Buy
The Beam is the company’s entry-level soundbar. It makes it easy to improve the audio quality of movies, TV shows, and video games with just a simple HDMI cable connecting it to your TV. It can also be used for music and grouped with other Sonos speakers for surround sound or multiroom music. It also has always-listening mics with support for the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistants. Like the Move, the Beam is usually $400, but is down to $300 for this week.
Lastly, the Sub is an add-on piece that adds a low-end oomph to any Sonos speaker. It can be used with the Beam or Arc soundbars for more powerful sound when watching movies, or with other Sonos speakers for more floor-thumping music. The Sub is typically an expensive add-on, at $700. This sale brings it down to a slightly more manageable $600.
Sonos Sub (third-gen) $ 599 $ 749 20 % off $ 599 $ 599 $ 749 20 % off The Sonos Sub is an add-on speaker that provides some extra low-end thump to any Sonos speaker system. $599 at Sonos (third-gen)


theverge--2020-11-23--Steam adds PS5 controller support

Steam adds PS5 controller support

Valve has officially announced that the PS5 ’ s DualSense controller is now supported in Steam .
Games using the Steam Input API can now recognize the controller and display the correct button prompts .
They ’ ll also be able to access the DualSense ’ s LED , trackpad , rumble , and gyro features , though there ’ s no mention of support for its adaptive triggers .
The functionality is currently available in Steam ’ s public beta client , with plans for a full release “ after further testing.
” Steam has been gradually rolling out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of weeks .
It started by adding support for the controller itself , before adding and refining compatibility with advanced features like its trackpad , rumble , and gyro .
Notably absent from Valve ’ s official announcement is any mention of the DualSense ’ s adaptive triggers , which allow it to offer a variable amount of trigger resistance with some truly excellent results .
Thanks to the update , games that use the Steam Input API should now work with the PS5 controller with no work required from individual game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200 controllers that are supported by the API , which also includes race wheels and dance pads in addition to more traditional controllers like the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and the PS4 ’ s DualShock 4 .
According to Valve , the amount of players who use controllers to play PC games rather than a mouse and keyboard has more than doubled in the past two years , with bigger increases coming from those using PlayStation controllers .
For now , if you want to try out the functionality for yourself , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steam client beta .
The controller can be connected via Bluetooth or with a USB-C cable .

Valve has officially announced that the PS5’s DualSense controller is now supported in Steam. Games using the Steam Input API can now recognize the controller and display the correct button prompts. They’ll also be able to access the DualSense’s LED, trackpad, rumble, and gyro features, though there’s no mention of support for its adaptive triggers. The functionality is currently available in Steam’s public beta client, with plans for a full release “after further testing.”
Steam has been gradually rolling out support for the DualSense over the past couple of weeks. It started by adding support for the controller itself, before adding and refining compatibility with advanced features like its trackpad, rumble, and gyro. Notably absent from Valve’s official announcement is any mention of the DualSense’s adaptive triggers, which allow it to offer a variable amount of trigger resistance with some truly excellent results.
A full release is planned “after further testing”
Thanks to the update, games that use the Steam Input API should now work with the PS5 controller with no work required from individual game developers. The DualSense is among over 200 controllers that are supported by the API, which also includes race wheels and dance pads in addition to more traditional controllers like the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and the PS4’s DualShock 4.
According to Valve, the amount of players who use controllers to play PC games rather than a mouse and keyboard has more than doubled in the past two years, with bigger increases coming from those using PlayStation controllers.


theverge--2020-11-23--Oxford University and AstraZeneca vaccine trial shows up to 90 percent effectiveness

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the UK ’ s Oxford University and AstraZeneca has an average efficacy of 70.4 percent , according to interim analysis announced today .
In trials , the vaccine ’ s effectiveness varied depending on the dose amounts given .
When two full doses were given a month apart the effectiveness stood at 62 percent , but this rose to 90 percent when the vaccine was given first as a half dose , and then as a full dose .
The announcement follows promising early results from vaccines developed by Pfizer and BioNTech , and Moderna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher 95 percent efficacy rates .
However , according to BBC News , the Oxford vaccine has the advantage of being cheaper and easy to store , since it can be transported and handled at normal refrigerated temperatures .
The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius ( -94 degrees Fahrenheit ) .
The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) previously said vaccines would be required to be at least 50 percent effective to gain its approval .
The Oxford vaccine trial involved over 23,000 participants in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received the vaccine , 30 developed COVID-19 , compared to 101 participants who received the placebo , BBC News reports .
There were no hospitalizations or severe COVID-19 cases among participants who received the vaccine , AstraZeneca says .
“ We ’ re really pleased with these results , ” the trial ’ s lead investigator Professor Andrew Pollard told the BBC .
He added that the higher effectiveness rate for the initial half dose potentially means that there ’ ll be “ a lot more doses to distribute.
” With this latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are preparing to submit the vaccine for regulatory approval .
If approved , AstraZeneca hopes to to manufacture three billion doses of the vaccine to distribute worldwide .
The Guardian reports a rollout could begin in weeks .

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the UK’s Oxford University and AstraZeneca has an average efficacy of 70.4 percent, according to interim analysis announced today. In trials, the vaccine’s effectiveness varied depending on the dose amounts given. When two full doses were given a month apart the effectiveness stood at 62 percent, but this rose to 90 percent when the vaccine was given first as a half dose, and then as a full dose.
The announcement follows promising early results from vaccines developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, and Moderna, which both appear to have slightly higher 95 percent efficacy rates. However, according to BBC News, the Oxford vaccine has the advantage of being cheaper and easy to store, since it can be transported and handled at normal refrigerated temperatures. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius (-94 degrees Fahrenheit). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously said vaccines would be required to be at least 50 percent effective to gain its approval.
The Oxford vaccine trial involved over 23,000 participants in the UK and Brazil. Of the participants who received the vaccine, 30 developed COVID-19, compared to 101 participants who received the placebo, BBC News reports. There were no hospitalizations or severe COVID-19 cases among participants who received the vaccine, AstraZeneca says.
“We’re really pleased with these results,” the trial’s lead investigator Professor Andrew Pollard told the BBC. He added that the higher effectiveness rate for the initial half dose potentially means that there’ll be “a lot more doses to distribute.”


theverge--2020-11-23--Nintendo’s Game & Watch can run Doom, barely

Intrepid developers have done the expected and necessary : Doom now runs on Nintendo ’ s recently released Game & Watch portable .
The Game & Watch : Super Mario Bros. was designed to run three games , but successfully porting Doom shows it can handle others if you have a lot of patience ( via Hackaday ) .
This version of Doom is not perfect , of course .
In order to get the game to run even at the slower speed shown in the video below , sound had to be disabled and textures had to be simplified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portable .
And getting that far wasn ’ t easy : programmers stacksmashing and Konrad Beckmann had to trick the Game & Watch to offload its firmware by injecting code into the external storage accessed by the Game & Watch ’ s tiny microcontroller .
Finding a version of Doom small enough to fit on the Game & Watch ’ s meager amount of storage was a separate issue .
The hackers settled on a package called “ Minimal Doom IWAD ” that replaces the game ’ s original textures with simplified versions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further adjustments like disabling sound to work within the Game & Watch ’ s 1.1 MB of usable storage .
The Game & Watch : Super Mario Bros. is designed to evoke Nintendo ’ s original Game & Watch handhelds , while running a version of Nintendo ’ s NES classic , Super Mario Bros. , as well as Super Mario Bros. 2 ( known in the West as The Lost Levels ) .
( It also runs a Mario-themed version of the Game & Watch game Ball ) .
Doom ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Nintendo console until the more powerful SNES was released , so showing up on a tiny device designed to run NES games is as unusual as it is impressive .
Doom is an old standby for programmers experimenting with homebrew games .
The game has showed up in all sorts of places : from a Samsung refrigerator running xCloud , to a Windows PC built in Minecraft , and even the Touch Bar of a MacBook Pro .
Thanks to this work , Doom seems right at home on a Game & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games might be , too .

Intrepid developers have done the expected and necessary: Doom now runs on Nintendo’s recently released Game & Watch portable. The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. was designed to run three games, but successfully porting Doom shows it can handle others if you have a lot of patience (via Hackaday).
This version of Doom is not perfect, of course. In order to get the game to run even at the slower speed shown in the video below, sound had to be disabled and textures had to be simplified to fit the game on the small portable. And getting that far wasn’t easy: programmers stacksmashing and Konrad Beckmann had to trick the Game & Watch to offload its firmware by injecting code into the external storage accessed by the Game & Watch’s tiny microcontroller.
Finding a version of Doom small enough to fit on the Game & Watch’s meager amount of storage was a separate issue. The hackers settled on a package called “Minimal Doom IWAD” that replaces the game’s original textures with simplified versions, but they still had to make further adjustments like disabling sound to work within the Game & Watch’s 1.1 MB of usable storage.
The Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. is designed to evoke Nintendo’s original Game & Watch handhelds, while running a version of Nintendo’s NES classic, Super Mario Bros., as well as Super Mario Bros. 2 (known in the West as The Lost Levels). (It also runs a Mario-themed version of the Game & Watch game Ball). Doom’s demon-slaying action wasn’t ported to a Nintendo console until the more powerful SNES was released, so showing up on a tiny device designed to run NES games is as unusual as it is impressive.


theverge--2020-11-23--Twitter to show a warning when you try to like a labeled tweet

Ahead of the 2020 election , Twitter began showing a warning if you tried to retweet a tweet that had been labeled for potentially including misleading information .
Twitter is now planning to expand that warning functionality to when you try to like a labeled tweet , the company announced on Monday .
The functionality is rolling out on the web and iOS globally this week , and it will come to Android in the coming weeks , Twitter tells The Verge .
Adding a warning decreased quote tweets of misleading information by 29 percent , the company said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning shown before likes of labeled tweets will reduce the amount of likes on labeled content .
The warnings ahead of retweets and likes on labeled tweets aren ’ t the only restrictions Twitter has recently put in place to add some friction to the platform and reduce the spread of misinformation .
Currently , when users try to share a retweet , Twitter will open a window to compose a quote tweet instead of immediately sharing that tweet with your followers .
You don ’ t have to write anything , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard retweet — just hit the “ Retweet ” button in the compose window .
( Here ’ s our guide about how to retweet with the new format . )
Twitter last said the warnings before retweets of labeled tweets and the changes to how you retweet would be in place until “ at least ” the end of election week in the US .
I ’ m still seeing the restrictions in place , nearly three weeks since Election Day .

Ahead of the 2020 election, Twitter began showing a warning if you tried to retweet a tweet that had been labeled for potentially including misleading information. Twitter is now planning to expand that warning functionality to when you try to like a labeled tweet, the company announced on Monday. The functionality is rolling out on the web and iOS globally this week, and it will come to Android in the coming weeks, Twitter tells The Verge.
Adding a warning decreased quote tweets of misleading information by 29 percent, the company said. It seems Twitter is hoping this new warning shown before likes of labeled tweets will reduce the amount of likes on labeled content.
The warnings ahead of retweets and likes on labeled tweets aren’t the only restrictions Twitter has recently put in place to add some friction to the platform and reduce the spread of misinformation. Currently, when users try to share a retweet, Twitter will open a window to compose a quote tweet instead of immediately sharing that tweet with your followers. You don’t have to write anything, though, and you can still post a standard retweet — just hit the “Retweet” button in the compose window. (Here’s our guide about how to retweet with the new format.)
Twitter last said the warnings before retweets of labeled tweets and the changes to how you retweet would be in place until “at least” the end of election week in the US. I’m still seeing the restrictions in place, nearly three weeks since Election Day.


theverge--2020-11-23--The best Black Friday deals on Apple devices

It ’ s rare that Apple slashes the prices on its own products .
Fortunately , other retailers are putting a lot of Apple products on sale for Black Friday .
A bunch of retailers like Amazon , Best Buy , B & H Photo , Walmart , and Woot are slashing the prices on everything from wearables to its wireless earbuds .
Additionally , Apple ’ s direct website will mark down prices on several products beginning on Friday , November 27th , and running until Monday , November 30th .
If you buy an eligible product during Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech giant will give you up to a $ 150 gift card .
Below , we have listed all of the best Black Friday discounts you can take advantage of if you are looking to buy any Apple device .
• You can save up to $ 900 on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models at Best Buy if you have a qualified trade-in and activation • Best Buy is offering the iPhone SE at a starting price of $ 200 if you trade in an iPhone 7 or newer model and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPad Pro ( 2020 model ) with 128GB of storage is $ 730 at Amazon ( usually $ 800 ) .
The sale is also available at Best Buy .
• You can get a 2020 iPad Pro with 256GB of storage for $ 800 at Amazon ( usually $ 899 ) .
The deal is also available at Best Buy .
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip , 8GB of RAM , and 256GB SSD storage is $ 1,249 at Amazon ( usually $ 1,299 ) .
The same model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H Photo .
• 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip , 8GB of RAM , and 512GB of storage is $ 1,449 at Amazon ( usually $ 1,499 ) .
The same configuration is also on sale at B & H Photo .
• 13-inch MacBook Pro ( two ports , mid-2020 ) with Retina Display , 8GB of RAM , 512GB of SSD , a quad-core 8th Gen Intel i5 processor , and integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics is $ 1,149 at B & H Photo ( usually $ 1,229 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mid-2020 ) with Retina Display , 8GB of RAM , 512GB of SSD , an 8th Gen ques-core Intel Core i5 processor , and integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics is $ 1,349 at B & H Photo ( usually $ 1,499 ) • 13-inch MacBook Pro ( four ports , mid-2020 ) with Retina Display with 16GB of RAM , 512GB SSD , and a quad-core 10th Gen Intel i5 processor is $ 1,649 at B & H Photo ( usually $ 1,749 ) • 13-inch MacBook Pro ( four ports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of RAM , 1TB of SSD storage , a 10th Gen quad-core Intel Core i5 processor , and integrated Intel Iris Plus graphics is $ 1,799 at B & H Photo ( usually $ 1,999 ) • The AirPods Pro are available at Amazon for $ 199 ( usually $ 249 ) .
The sale is also available at Walmart .
• Apple ’ s AirPods with a wireless charging case is $ 150 at Amazon ( usually $ 199 ) .
The sale is also available at Best Buy and Walmart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a wired charging case for $ 119 at Amazon ( normally $ 159 ) .
The deal is also available at Walmart .
• The 40mm Apple Watch SE is $ 259 at Best Buy ( usually $ 280 ) • You can score a 44mm Apple Watch SE for $ 289 at Amazon ( usually $ 309 ) .
The deal is also available at Best Buy .
• The Apple Watch Series 6 40mm with GPS in blue and red is $ 330 at Amazon ( usually $ 399 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale at Walmart , but only the red color option is available .
• The Beats Solo Pro wireless on-ear headphones are $ 170 at Best Buy ( usually $ 170 ) .
The deal is also available at Amazon ( red and light blue only ) • The Beats Solo 3 headphones in select colors are $ 169 at Walmart ( usually $ 200 ) .
Amazon also has the headphones on sale for the same price ( gold and silver only ) • The BeatsX wireless earbuds in black and silver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Best Buy ( usually $ 100 )

Cyber Monday is over and most of these deals have expired, but we’ve rounded up the best deals still available here.
It’s rare that Apple slashes the prices on its own products. Fortunately, other retailers are putting a lot of Apple products on sale for Cyber Monday. A bunch of retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo, Walmart, and Woot are slashing the prices on everything from wearables to its wireless earbuds.
Additionally, the online Apple store will have a special promotion on Friday, November 27th, and running until Monday, November 30th. The promotion will allow you to get up to $150 in an Apple gift card if you purchase an eligible product during the four-day event as listed below:
Below, we have listed all the best Cyber Monday discounts you can take advantage of if you are looking to buy any Apple device. If you are looking for even more Cyber Monday deals, be sure to check out our continuously updated page with all of the best sales this weekend.
iPhone and iPad deals
iPhone 12 Pro. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Related The best Cyber Monday deals happening now
iPad deals
There aren’t many sales on the iPad for Cyber Monday, but one standout is a rare discount on the latest generation iPad mini over at Best Buy. The iPad mini is Apple’s smallest tablet and is great for reading and watching video, but isn’t going to replace your laptop any time soon. Today’s sale takes $100 off the price, bringing it down to $300.
iPad Mini (2019, 64GB, Wi-Fi) $ 339 $ 399 15 % off $ 339 $ 339 $ 399 15 % off The 2019 iPad Mini features the same 7.9-inch display as its predecessors, but it includes an A12 Bionic processor, the same one used in the iPhone XS and iPhone XR generation. $339 at Apple
Mac deals
MacBook Air (late-2020). Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Apple just released its new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with the M1 processor this month, and B&H Photo is already running discounts on them. Note that all of these sales are considered “preorders”, as both stores are expecting to get stock of the M1 computers in soon, but haven’t yet.
If you are looking for the MacBook Air with the base configuration, B&H has discounted the model bringing the price down to $899.
The retailer is taking $100 off the M1-equipped MacBook Pro. If you’re looking for 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the normally $1,299 system is available for $1,199 in either gray or silver. If you upgrade it to 512GB of storage, then the usual price of $1,499 drops to $1,399, again in either gray or silver .
B&H and Best Buy are also discounting a number of older MacBook Pro models with Intel processors:
AirPods deals
AirPods Pro. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Apple Watch deals
Apple Watch Series 6. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Beats deals
Beats Solo Pro. Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge


theverge--2020-11-23--YouTube tests whether you’ll ever get sick of Bad Guy with an endless Billie Eilish mashup

Somehow , perhaps by some cosmic intervention , I haven ’ t gotten tired of hearing Billie Eilish ’ s “ Bad Guy ” on the radio .
Apparently , I ’ m not the only one because tens of thousands of people have gone to the effort of making covers of the song and uploading them to YouTube .
In celebration of its music video passing 1 billion views , YouTube and Google Creative Lab have turned all of those covers into an interactive AI experiment .
“ Infinite Bad Guy , ” which YouTube calls “ the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” collects thousands of covers and blends them together , using machine learning to align each one within quarter-beats of the original .
Going to billie.withyoutube.com pulls up the original “ Bad Guy ” music video with cover videos on either side , set against a background of hundreds of tiny video thumbnails floating around a black void .
When you click over from one video to another , the second will pick up on the same beat the first left off on .
Pausing pulls up stats about how many covers you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve played through a full loop of the song .
When the song reaches the drop at the bridge , the color of the interface turns from green to red .
The fun thing is that they ’ ve also curated different tags that you can browse .
There are predictable keywords like guitar , choir , and signing ( for sign language covers ) as well as some funkier selections like ASMR , cat , and… toy chicken ?
As I clicked around , I became less interested in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of instruments , genres , and goofs .
It ’ s a cool premise , though not quite seamless .
When I tried it out , there was a bit of a lag as each video loaded , so it doesn ’ t exactly satisfy the craving for a fluid DJ mix .
Differences in quality are particularly evident when covers are played back to back — out of thousands of covers , not all of them are going to be good covers .
Some of the “ covers ” are actually just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audio .
There also isn ’ t audio leveling from one video to the next , so you may end up fiddling with your volume as you travel through the playlist .
Despite some clunkiness , it ’ s an engaging way to spend a few minutes away from the usual algorithms .
I recommend you experience it yourself and see how many melodica solos you can get through before you close your browser .

Somehow, perhaps by some cosmic intervention, I haven’t gotten tired of hearing Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” on the radio. Apparently, I’m not the only one because tens of thousands of people have gone to the effort of making covers of the song and uploading them to YouTube. In celebration of its music video passing 1 billion views, YouTube and Google Creative Lab have turned all of those covers into an interactive AI experiment. “Infinite Bad Guy,” which YouTube calls “the world’s first infinite music video,” collects thousands of covers and blends them together, using machine learning to align each one within quarter-beats of the original.
Going to billie.withyoutube.com pulls up the original “Bad Guy” music video with cover videos on either side, set against a background of hundreds of tiny video thumbnails floating around a black void. When you click over from one video to another, the second will pick up on the same beat the first left off on. Pausing pulls up stats about how many covers you’ve watched and how many times you’ve played through a full loop of the song. When the song reaches the drop at the bridge, the color of the interface turns from green to red.
The fun thing is that they’ve also curated different tags that you can browse. There are predictable keywords like guitar, choir, and signing (for sign language covers) as well as some funkier selections like ASMR, cat, and… toy chicken? As I clicked around, I became less interested in the actual song and more in the variety of instruments, genres, and goofs.
It’s a cool premise, though not quite seamless. When I tried it out, there was a bit of a lag as each video loaded, so it doesn’t exactly satisfy the craving for a fluid DJ mix. Differences in quality are particularly evident when covers are played back to back — out of thousands of covers, not all of them are going to be good covers. Some of the “covers” are actually just homemade music videos set to the original audio. There also isn’t audio leveling from one video to the next, so you may end up fiddling with your volume as you travel through the playlist.