theverge--2020-10-15--Xbox Series X preview: the next gen feels like a PC

I haven ’ t been using my Xbox One as much recently , as it just feels outdated .
As someone who plays primarily on PC , the lower frame rates and input lag on current-generation consoles are enough to put me off playing a lot of games on an Xbox One or PS4 .
That was until I started playing games on the Xbox Series X three weeks ago .
Microsoft ’ s next-gen Xbox comes the closest I ’ ve ever witnessed to re-creating the superior PC experience of playing games , thanks to SSD storage , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and impressive backward compatibility features that improve existing games .
This is all inside a $ 499 box that ’ s quieter and far easier to use and maintain than the $ 3,000 gaming PC I built a few weeks ago .
There ’ s a reason the Xbox Series X looks like a PC — it ’ s because it often feels like one .
I ’ ve been using a preview version of the Xbox Series X , so it doesn ’ t have the final software , game selection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a retail unit .
But it ’ s most of the way there .
While this may read like a review , we ’ re not scoring the Xbox Series X yet or reviewing it fully until it ’ s closer to its launch next month .
However , I ’ ve spent three weeks playing a variety of games on the Xbox Series X , and that ’ s more than enough time to give you a breakdown of this new console .
Let ’ s start with the hardware .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Xbox Series X into a boxy , rectangular , tower-like box .
It looks like a miniature PC but with an unassuming design that looks far better standing vertically than it does laying horizontally ( just like most PCs ) .
The base of the Xbox Series X isn ’ t removable , and ( unlike the PS5 ) the console is not designed to be opened up .
When placed horizontally , it ’ s fair to say that the Xbox Series X looks like it fell over with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a fan of the design , but I ’ m also not bothered by it .
It ’ s a black box you stick under your TV and forget about , as long as you ’ re able to fit it under your TV .
There are two USB ports at the rear alongside an Ethernet port , a storage expansion slot , and HDMI 2.1 out .
At the front , there ’ s a single USB port and the 4K Blu-ray drive .
Microsoft has also added raised Braille bumps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Series X — a nice touch for accessibility .
I would have liked to have seen USB-C here or even the clever HDMI pass-through system from the Xbox One days , but neither is a major omission .
Sadly , the Xbox Series X doesn ’ t support Wi-Fi 6 , which would have been great future-proofing for many .
The main concern for console hardware is cooling .
Microsoft has placed the Xbox Series X exhaust fan at the top , flanked by a green coating in the plastic cover that makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LED up top .
I ’ ve never once heard this fan , which is surprising since my Xbox One X can get pretty loud in certain games .
Yet , the Series X has remained silent throughout the entire three weeks I ’ ve been using it .
I also haven ’ t noticed any significant heat coming from the top of the Series X , nor has it ever been too hot to touch .
It ’ s very similar heat to what I experience exhausting out of the back of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaming PC .
I don ’ t have any immediate concerns about the fans , heat , or dust gathering inside the Series X , but it ’ s also difficult to judge this fully after only three weeks .
I haven ’ t squeezed this console inside a TV unit , instead letting it sit on top of a stand where air can flow freely .
I think most people are going to need to think about positioning and airflow with these next-gen consoles , just like gaming PC owners do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new with the Xbox Series X is the controller and the storage expansion cards .
( More on these in the next section . )
The updated controller is very similar to the Xbox One version , with an updated D-pad , textured grips , and the addition of a new share button and a USB-C port .
The share button lets you quickly share clips or screenshots with friends , much like on a PS4 , while you ’ ll need to purchase a rechargeable play-and-charge kit separately ( $ 24.99 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of USB-C — the controller runs on AA batteries by default .
Load times are one of the most impressive new aspects of the Xbox Series X .
While you could upgrade the spinning HDD inside the Xbox One X to an SSD variant if you really wanted to , the Xbox Series X has a greatly improved CPU that works in tandem with the SSD to help games load far faster than current-gen consoles .
I ’ ve noticed the load time improvements immediately using the Xbox Series X across practically every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are dramatically faster in terms of minutes saved waiting for a game or a level within a game to load .
If you ’ ve never used a gaming PC with a fast SSD inside , then load times on the Xbox Series X will impress .
In fact , I ’ m still impressed with the Series X load times even though I ’ m used to PC SSDs .
I covered a bunch of them during our initial preview after a week with the Series X , with games like Sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than half the time they do on the Xbox One X .
Given how long Steam takes to do its verification process on Destiny 2 over on PC , I can actually load the title quicker on my Xbox Series X than on my gaming PC with a 2TB Samsung Evo Pro 970 NVMe drive inside it .
While the Xbox Series X comes equipped with 1TB of storage , you can only use 802GB of it .
That ’ s actually more than the 780GB of usable space on the Xbox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space for the OS and new Quick Resume feature that lets you swap between games in around 10 seconds or less .
Microsoft is also using a proprietary storage expansion slot on the Xbox Series X , and so far , only Seagate has been confirmed as a partner for the $ 219.99 1TB cards that will slot into the rear of the console .
The usable space on these cards is 920GB , as , once again , space is reserved for Quick Resume .
Games that have been specifically updated for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft ’ s new Velocity Architecture to get the most performance out of the system ’ s SSD , so you can ’ t run them off USB storage .
The vast majority of backward-compatible games , however , don ’ t use Velocity Architecture , meaning they can be played directly off a USB drive — unless they get a Series X update in the future .
That does mean we ’ re just seeing load time improvements that are thanks to the SSD and CPU alone , not the new APIs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times even further .
It also means that if some of your older games don ’ t get updated for the Velocity Architecture , then you could just run them freely from USB storage .
You ’ ll see plenty of load time improvements this way — providing you ’ re using fast USB SSD storage drives — and some may even come very close to the times you ’ ll see using the internal drive .
These load times and CPU improvements , alongside a big bump to 12 teraflops of GPU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in existing games that feels a lot smoother .
That could mean a jump from 30fps to 60fps in games like Fallout 4 , or menus and planet load times in Destiny 2 suddenly being on par with PC .
I ’ ve walked through how Destiny 2 improves in greater detail in the video below .
These improvements also mean that most titles with poor performance on an Xbox One should hit a stable 30fps at the minimum .
A lot of frame rate drops that I ’ ve seen in games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappeared with the Xbox Series X , thanks to the hardware boost .
I ’ ve noticed Apex Legends , Warframe , and Destiny 2 all dipping less at demanding points .
Perhaps the most impressive part of all this backward compatibility support is the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV .
It runs super smoothly on the Xbox Series X locked at 60fps , while the Xbox One X often struggled to maintain that 60fps performance .
Grand Theft Auto IV also benefits from the auto HDR feature that Microsoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that will work on most games to make them look even better .
I haven ’ t been able to test every game I wanted to during this preview period , though , as Microsoft has been unlocking more and more titles on a weekly basis .
Grand Theft Auto V and Forza Horizon 4 are two of the many that I wanted to try that simply don ’ t run on preview units yet .
The most exciting games I ’ ve tested so far on the Xbox Series X are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they ’ re necessarily technical showcases for the console , but because both offer a new 120Hz option .
This is where the Xbox Series X really started to feel even more PC-like to me .
I play at 165Hz with frame rates that exceed 200fps in games like Destiny 2 , Valorant , Call of Duty : Warzone , and CS : GO on my gaming PC .
I do this a lot of the time by dropping a lot of the quality settings lower because I personally value frame rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ versus multiplayer mode in Gears 5 in 120Hz felt like I was playing on my PC .
With frame rates hitting 120fps , input lag is reduced , and the experience was suddenly so much smoother than what I ’ ve ever experienced on an Xbox One X .
That same feeling of PC-like smoothness plays out in Dirt 5 with the 120Hz mode enabled .
Sure , the game drops to rendering at 1440p and some of the visual quality is lowered to achieve 120fps , but when I ’ m sliding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduced , it ’ s far better than some mud and snow rendering just that little better on my 4K TV to the point I probably wouldn ’ t notice the difference .
It ’ s that feeling that ’ s really important with this new Xbox , and I can ’ t stress it enough .
Games feel better .
Whether that ’ s because of load times , better frame rates , or simply the CPU , SSD , and better GPU making things like menus or character changes in games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sluggishness has been removed without developers having to touch games .
While both Microsoft and Sony obsessed over 4K for the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro , it ’ s encouraging to see that frame rates seem to be the focus on the Xbox Series X. I ’ m sure we ’ ll see some beautiful next-gen Xbox games eventually , but having games hit these high frame rates is more important to me personally .
I ’ m also encouraged to see that a choice is emerging in Xbox games .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen in current-gen games , with video options like FOV sliders you typically only find on PCs .
Dirt 5 and Gears 5 are good examples of this choice , allowing you to enable a 120Hz mode for the higher frame rates and smoother gameplay or focus on a 4K target with image quality prioritized .
Yakuza : Like a Dragon also offers three modes on the Xbox Series X : normal , high resolution , and high frame rate .
Normal mostly sticks to 60fps with occasional dips , while high resolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and high frame rate prioritizes a 60fps lock at 1080p resolution .
I ’ m hoping we see these choices on many optimized Xbox Series X titles in the future .
While the hardware and experience of gaming have changed on the Xbox Series X , the dashboard hasn ’ t .
Microsoft is keeping the same Xbox One dashboard that exists today , with some changes the company has been working on in recent months .
It feels like Microsoft has been tweaking the Xbox One dashboard ever since the disastrous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and not a year goes by without an overhaul .
I think it ’ s definitely in much better shape these days , but I still find the guide confusing to use at times .
Most of the big issues I had with the Xbox One dashboard have disappeared , though .
Speed and reliability problems have vanished , and , like games , the dashboard feels just that bit more responsive on the Xbox Series X .
A new store interface , also available on the Xbox One , has definitely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has taken the feedback and made some meaningful changes in recent months , but I ’ d still like to just be able to pin my favorite apps and games at the top of the home interface instead of seeing recently used ones that rotate frequently .
Microsoft could still do with offering more customization options here and simplifying the interface further .
You do get the benefits of a dashboard that feels instantly familiar if you ’ re coming from an Xbox One , but without the fun and fanfare that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faster components inside the Xbox Series X , you can now boot from cold ( not standby ) in around 20 seconds .
That might be enough for some to turn off the instant standby option in favor of some energy bill savings and the health of our planet .
Also , the boot animation no longer has an accompanying sound so loud it makes you feel like your house is falling down .
The biggest new addition to the Xbox Series X dashboard over the Xbox One is Quick Resume .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switch between games in around 10 seconds or less .
The timing will vary per game , as will the number of games you can switch between and quickly resume .
I ’ ve been able to regularly swap between five games freely , but the number will vary on titles .
The vast majority of games I ’ ve tested work with Quick Resume , but there are some , like Sea of Thieves , that don ’ t .
It seems to be mostly big predominantly online games that don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a feature you ’ ll mostly use for single-player campaign games .
It even works after reboots or updates , and it ’ s great to just turn a console off and not have to worry about save points .
Quick Resume also happens to be the buggiest part of the Xbox Series X preview unit .
I ’ ve regularly had games freeze up , crash , or even make the console unresponsive for at least a few seconds at a time .
Microsoft is aware of the issues , and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those problems will be ironed out before the retail version is available next month .
The final part of the dashboard I want to touch on is sharing clips and screenshots .
Microsoft made a big deal about a new share button on the Xbox Series X controller , but it ’ s totally let down by the dashboard on this preview unit .
It still takes far too long for clips and screenshots to be uploaded to Microsoft ’ s Xbox Live service for you to share them .
This is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I ’ ve had to wait minutes for clips to be available despite having a fast 1Gbps upload at home .
On my gaming PC , I can instantly stream clips or my screen to friends on Discord , and the Xbox process just feels old and slow in comparison .
In this not-a-review preview , I ’ ve talked a lot about how the Xbox Series X feels like a PC .
I think that has been part of Microsoft ’ s intention with this generation , and you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you upgraded from a GTX 1060 gaming PC to an RTX 3080 PC right now , you ’ d get the same Windows 10 you know , and access to the same games you ’ ve been playing for years .
Everything would just feel faster and look better , and you ’ d be ready for the latest and greatest games .
That ’ s exactly what you get with the Xbox Series X .
Not only does it feel like you ’ re upgrading your PC if you move from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ X , but it feels and looks like it .
( Hello PC tower design . )
You take everything you already own , and even existing hardware accessories , and you bring them along with you , just like you do on a PC .
It ’ s a different approach to Sony with the PS5 and its dedicated exclusive next-gen games , new dashboard UI , and new controller .
Microsoft has focused on the basics that really matter : high frame rates , a quiet and cool console , faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backward compatibility .
In my three weeks of using an Xbox Series X , it ’ s fair to say it has delivered on these basics .
But the best part about the Xbox Series X is that it ’ s not actually a PC .
I don ’ t have to worry about drivers , copious game launchers , or Windows updates ruining how my PC works .
You turn the Xbox on , and you play games .
If developers embrace the choice and performance options I ’ ve experienced on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly be tempted to play far more on an Xbox with cross-play , cross-save , and keyboard and mouse support all becoming more prominent on Xbox .
There ’ s one big question that remains for me with the Xbox Series X : when will Microsoft ’ s 23 first-party studios deliver the next-gen games to truly show what this console is capable of ?
Powerful hardware and a sleek user experience are only part of the mix .
Microsoft will need the games to really make the Series X feel like something @ @

I haven’t been using my Xbox One as much recently, as it just feels outdated. As someone who plays primarily on PC, the lower frame rates and input lag on current-generation consoles are enough to put me off playing a lot of games on an Xbox One or PS4. That was until I started playing games on the Xbox Series X three weeks ago.
Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox comes the closest I’ve ever witnessed to re-creating the superior PC experience of playing games, thanks to SSD storage, a far more powerful CPU, 120Hz support, and impressive backward compatibility features that improve existing games. This is all inside a $499 box that’s quieter and far easier to use and maintain than the $3,000 gaming PC I built a few weeks ago.
There’s a reason the Xbox Series X looks like a PC — it’s because it often feels like one.
I’ve been using a preview version of the Xbox Series X, so it doesn’t have the final software, game selection, or experience you’ll find with a retail unit. But it’s most of the way there. While this may read like a review, we’re not scoring the Xbox Series X yet or reviewing it fully until it’s closer to its launch next month. However, I’ve spent three weeks playing a variety of games on the Xbox Series X, and that’s more than enough time to give you a breakdown of this new console.
Cool and quiet hardware
Let’s start with the hardware. Microsoft has squeezed all of the components of the Xbox Series X into a boxy, rectangular, tower-like box. It looks like a miniature PC but with an unassuming design that looks far better standing vertically than it does laying horizontally (just like most PCs). The base of the Xbox Series X isn’t removable, and (unlike the PS5) the console is not designed to be opened up. When placed horizontally, it’s fair to say that the Xbox Series X looks like it fell over with the base permanently attached. I’m not a fan of the design, but I’m also not bothered by it. It’s a black box you stick under your TV and forget about, as long as you’re able to fit it under your TV.
There are two USB ports at the rear alongside an Ethernet port, a storage expansion slot, and HDMI 2.1 out. At the front, there’s a single USB port and the 4K Blu-ray drive. Microsoft has also added raised Braille bumps next to the ports on the Xbox Series X — a nice touch for accessibility. I would have liked to have seen USB-C here or even the clever HDMI pass-through system from the Xbox One days, but neither is a major omission. Sadly, the Xbox Series X doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, which would have been great future-proofing for many.
Xbox Series X ports.
The main concern for console hardware is cooling. Microsoft has placed the Xbox Series X exhaust fan at the top, flanked by a green coating in the plastic cover that makes it look like there’s an LED up top. I’ve never once heard this fan, which is surprising since my Xbox One X can get pretty loud in certain games. Yet, the Series X has remained silent throughout the entire three weeks I’ve been using it. I also haven’t noticed any significant heat coming from the top of the Series X, nor has it ever been too hot to touch. It’s very similar heat to what I experience exhausting out of the back of my Xbox One X or my giant gaming PC.
I don’t have any immediate concerns about the fans, heat, or dust gathering inside the Series X, but it’s also difficult to judge this fully after only three weeks. I haven’t squeezed this console inside a TV unit, instead letting it sit on top of a stand where air can flow freely. I think most people are going to need to think about positioning and airflow with these next-gen consoles, just like gaming PC owners do.
The only other hardware that’s new with the Xbox Series X is the controller and the storage expansion cards. (More on these in the next section.) The updated controller is very similar to the Xbox One version, with an updated D-pad, textured grips, and the addition of a new share button and a USB-C port. The share button lets you quickly share clips or screenshots with friends, much like on a PS4, while you’ll need to purchase a rechargeable play-and-charge kit separately ($24.99) if you really want to take advantage of USB-C — the controller runs on AA batteries by default.
Storage and load times
Load times are one of the most impressive new aspects of the Xbox Series X. While you could upgrade the spinning HDD inside the Xbox One X to an SSD variant if you really wanted to, the Xbox Series X has a greatly improved CPU that works in tandem with the SSD to help games load far faster than current-gen consoles.
I’ve noticed the load time improvements immediately using the Xbox Series X across practically every game I’ve tested. Some are dramatically faster in terms of minutes saved waiting for a game or a level within a game to load. If you’ve never used a gaming PC with a fast SSD inside, then load times on the Xbox Series X will impress.
Xbox Series X load times Game Xbox Series X Xbox One X CoD: Warzone 16 seconds 21 seconds Red Dead Redemption 2 52 seconds 1 min, 35 seconds The Outer Worlds 6 seconds 27 seconds Evil Within 2 33 seconds 43 seconds Sea of Thieves 20 seconds 1 min, 21 seconds Warframe 25 seconds 1 min, 31 seconds AC: Odyssey 30 seconds 1 min, 7 seconds No Man's Sky 1 min, 27 seconds 2 mins, 13 seconds Destiny 2 43 seconds 1 min, 52 seconds
In fact, I’m still impressed with the Series X load times even though I’m used to PC SSDs. I covered a bunch of them during our initial preview after a week with the Series X, with games like Sea of Thieves and Destiny 2 loading in less than half the time they do on the Xbox One X. Given how long Steam takes to do its verification process on Destiny 2 over on PC, I can actually load the title quicker on my Xbox Series X than on my gaming PC with a 2TB Samsung Evo Pro 970 NVMe drive inside it.
While the Xbox Series X comes equipped with 1TB of storage, you can only use 802GB of it. That’s actually more than the 780GB of usable space on the Xbox One X, even with Microsoft reserving space for the OS and new Quick Resume feature that lets you swap between games in around 10 seconds or less.
Xbox Series X storage defaults.
Microsoft is also using a proprietary storage expansion slot on the Xbox Series X, and so far, only Seagate has been confirmed as a partner for the $219.99 1TB cards that will slot into the rear of the console. The usable space on these cards is 920GB, as, once again, space is reserved for Quick Resume.
Games that have been specifically updated for the Xbox Series X make use of Microsoft’s new Velocity Architecture to get the most performance out of the system’s SSD, so you can’t run them off USB storage. The vast majority of backward-compatible games, however, don’t use Velocity Architecture, meaning they can be played directly off a USB drive — unless they get a Series X update in the future.
Warframe load time improvements.
That does mean we’re just seeing load time improvements that are thanks to the SSD and CPU alone, not the new APIs Microsoft has implemented that should improve load times even further. It also means that if some of your older games don’t get updated for the Velocity Architecture, then you could just run them freely from USB storage. You’ll see plenty of load time improvements this way — providing you’re using fast USB SSD storage drives — and some may even come very close to the times you’ll see using the internal drive.
Smoother games and 120Hz
These load times and CPU improvements, alongside a big bump to 12 teraflops of GPU performance, all contribute to an experience in existing games that feels a lot smoother. That could mean a jump from 30fps to 60fps in games like Fallout 4, or menus and planet load times in Destiny 2 suddenly being on par with PC. I’ve walked through how Destiny 2 improves in greater detail in the video below.
These improvements also mean that most titles with poor performance on an Xbox One should hit a stable 30fps at the minimum. A lot of frame rate drops that I’ve seen in games on the Xbox One X have simply disappeared with the Xbox Series X, thanks to the hardware boost. I’ve noticed Apex Legends, Warframe, and Destiny 2 all dipping less at demanding points.
Perhaps the most impressive part of all this backward compatibility support is the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV. It runs super smoothly on the Xbox Series X locked at 60fps, while the Xbox One X often struggled to maintain that 60fps performance. Grand Theft Auto IV also benefits from the auto HDR feature that Microsoft is shipping with the Xbox Series X, that will work on most games to make them look even better.
I haven’t been able to test every game I wanted to during this preview period, though, as Microsoft has been unlocking more and more titles on a weekly basis. Grand Theft Auto V and Forza Horizon 4 are two of the many that I wanted to try that simply don’t run on preview units yet.
The new 120Hz option on Xbox Series X.
The most exciting games I’ve tested so far on the Xbox Series X are Dirt 5 and Gears 5 — not because they’re necessarily technical showcases for the console, but because both offer a new 120Hz option.
This is where the Xbox Series X really started to feel even more PC-like to me. I play at 165Hz with frame rates that exceed 200fps in games like Destiny 2, Valorant, Call of Duty: Warzone, and CS:GO on my gaming PC. I do this a lot of the time by dropping a lot of the quality settings lower because I personally value frame rates over visual quality. Running around the versus multiplayer mode in Gears 5 in 120Hz felt like I was playing on my PC. With frame rates hitting 120fps, input lag is reduced, and the experience was suddenly so much smoother than what I’ve ever experienced on an Xbox One X.
Gears 5 supports 120Hz in multiplayer.
That same feeling of PC-like smoothness plays out in Dirt 5 with the 120Hz mode enabled. Sure, the game drops to rendering at 1440p and some of the visual quality is lowered to achieve 120fps, but when I’m sliding around corners and the input latency is reduced, it’s far better than some mud and snow rendering just that little better on my 4K TV to the point I probably wouldn’t notice the difference.
It’s that feeling that’s really important with this new Xbox, and I can’t stress it enough. Games feel better. Whether that’s because of load times, better frame rates, or simply the CPU, SSD, and better GPU making things like menus or character changes in games feel instant, a lot of the sluggishness has been removed without developers having to touch games.
DIRT 5 video options.
While both Microsoft and Sony obsessed over 4K for the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, it’s encouraging to see that frame rates seem to be the focus on the Xbox Series X. I’m sure we’ll see some beautiful next-gen Xbox games eventually, but having games hit these high frame rates is more important to me personally.
I’m also encouraged to see that a choice is emerging in Xbox games. That’s something we’ve seen in current-gen games, with video options like FOV sliders you typically only find on PCs. Dirt 5 and Gears 5 are good examples of this choice, allowing you to enable a 120Hz mode for the higher frame rates and smoother gameplay or focus on a 4K target with image quality prioritized.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon also offers three modes on the Xbox Series X: normal, high resolution, and high frame rate. Normal mostly sticks to 60fps with occasional dips, while high resolution switches over to 4K running at 30fps, and high frame rate prioritizes a 60fps lock at 1080p resolution.
I’m hoping we see these choices on many optimized Xbox Series X titles in the future.
Dashboard and Quick Resume
While the hardware and experience of gaming have changed on the Xbox Series X, the dashboard hasn’t. Microsoft is keeping the same Xbox One dashboard that exists today, with some changes the company has been working on in recent months.
It feels like Microsoft has been tweaking the Xbox One dashboard ever since the disastrous launch of the console back in 2013, and not a year goes by without an overhaul. I think it’s definitely in much better shape these days, but I still find the guide confusing to use at times.
Xbox Series X dashboard and store.
Most of the big issues I had with the Xbox One dashboard have disappeared, though. Speed and reliability problems have vanished, and, like games, the dashboard feels just that bit more responsive on the Xbox Series X. A new store interface, also available on the Xbox One, has definitely helped. It’s clear Microsoft has taken the feedback and made some meaningful changes in recent months, but I’d still like to just be able to pin my favorite apps and games at the top of the home interface instead of seeing recently used ones that rotate frequently. Microsoft could still do with offering more customization options here and simplifying the interface further.
You do get the benefits of a dashboard that feels instantly familiar if you’re coming from an Xbox One, but without the fun and fanfare that a new UI entails. Thanks to the faster components inside the Xbox Series X, you can now boot from cold (not standby) in around 20 seconds. That might be enough for some to turn off the instant standby option in favor of some energy bill savings and the health of our planet. Also, the boot animation no longer has an accompanying sound so loud it makes you feel like your house is falling down.
The biggest new addition to the Xbox Series X dashboard over the Xbox One is Quick Resume. It’s a feature that lets you switch between games in around 10 seconds or less. The timing will vary per game, as will the number of games you can switch between and quickly resume. I’ve been able to regularly swap between five games freely, but the number will vary on titles.
The vast majority of games I’ve tested work with Quick Resume, but there are some, like Sea of Thieves, that don’t. It seems to be mostly big predominantly online games that don’t work, but it’s a feature you’ll mostly use for single-player campaign games. It even works after reboots or updates, and it’s great to just turn a console off and not have to worry about save points.
Quick Resume on Xbox Series X.
Quick Resume also happens to be the buggiest part of the Xbox Series X preview unit. I’ve regularly had games freeze up, crash, or even make the console unresponsive for at least a few seconds at a time. Microsoft is aware of the issues, and this is a preview unit, so hopefully those problems will be ironed out before the retail version is available next month.
The final part of the dashboard I want to touch on is sharing clips and screenshots. Microsoft made a big deal about a new share button on the Xbox Series X controller, but it’s totally let down by the dashboard on this preview unit. It still takes far too long for clips and screenshots to be uploaded to Microsoft’s Xbox Live service for you to share them.
This is a problem that exists on the Xbox One, and I’ve had to wait minutes for clips to be available despite having a fast 1Gbps upload at home. On my gaming PC, I can instantly stream clips or my screen to friends on Discord, and the Xbox process just feels old and slow in comparison.
A PC-like console
In this not-a-review preview, I’ve talked a lot about how the Xbox Series X feels like a PC. I think that has been part of Microsoft’s intention with this generation, and you can feel it throughout the Series X. If you upgraded from a GTX 1060 gaming PC to an RTX 3080 PC right now, you’d get the same Windows 10 you know, and access to the same games you’ve been playing for years. Everything would just feel faster and look better, and you’d be ready for the latest and greatest games.
That’s exactly what you get with the Xbox Series X. Not only does it feel like you’re upgrading your PC if you move from an Xbox One to an Xbox Series X, but it feels and looks like it. (Hello PC tower design.) You take everything you already own, and even existing hardware accessories, and you bring them along with you, just like you do on a PC.
It’s a different approach to Sony with the PS5 and its dedicated exclusive next-gen games, new dashboard UI, and new controller. Microsoft has focused on the basics that really matter: high frame rates, a quiet and cool console, faster load times, accessory support, and backward compatibility. In my three weeks of using an Xbox Series X, it’s fair to say it has delivered on these basics.
But the best part about the Xbox Series X is that it’s not actually a PC. I don’t have to worry about drivers, copious game launchers, or Windows updates ruining how my PC works. You turn the Xbox on, and you play games. If developers embrace the choice and performance options I’ve experienced on the Series X, I’d certainly be tempted to play far more on an Xbox with cross-play, cross-save, and keyboard and mouse support all becoming more prominent on Xbox.
There’s one big question that remains for me with the Xbox Series X: when will Microsoft’s 23 first-party studios deliver the next-gen games to truly show what this console is capable of? Powerful hardware and a sleek user experience are only part of the mix. Microsoft will need the games to really make the Series X feel like something brand-new.
Photography by Tom Warren / The Verge


theverge--2020-10-15--These are the Xbox Series X games that will include next-gen optimizations at launch

Microsoft is revealing a “ selection ” of new and cross-gen Xbox Series X games that will be available at launch with optimizations for both the Series X and Series S consoles .
While the company isn ’ t revealing exactly what will be optimized in every title , we should expect to see a mixture of improvements including better load times and higher frame rates .
Fortnite is the biggest third-party title on the list , but Epic Games hasn ’ t detailed exactly what improvements it ’ s making to the game for either the Xbox Series X @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s list is Destiny 2 : Beyond Light , despite Bungie ’ s promise of a jump to 60fps with next-gen consoles .
Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will be updated on December 8th , with 4K at 60fps for Xbox Series X and 1080p at 60fps for Xbox Series S. DIRT 5 will include a 120Hz mode , allowing the game to run at up to 120fps on the Xbox Series X. Microsoft has also optimized Gears 5 with improved load times , 4K HDR Ultra image quality , variable refresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support in versus multiplayer mode .
All of the titles on the list , in full below , will be available with enhancements for both the Xbox Series X and Series S on November 10th .
Both consoles will also support thousands of existing backward-compatible games .
• Ori and the Will of the Wisps ( Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery ) Update , October 15th 9:10AM ET : Article updated with announcement from Bungie on next-gen optimizations .

Microsoft is revealing a “selection” of new and cross-gen Xbox Series X games that will be available at launch with optimizations for both the Series X and Series S consoles. While the company isn’t revealing exactly what will be optimized in every title, we should expect to see a mixture of improvements including better load times and higher frame rates.
Fortnite is the biggest third-party title on the list, but Epic Games hasn’t detailed exactly what improvements it’s making to the game for either the Xbox Series X or PS5. Missing from Microsoft’s list is Destiny 2: Beyond Light, despite Bungie’s promise of a jump to 60fps with next-gen consoles. Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will be updated on December 8th, with 4K at 60fps for Xbox Series X and 1080p at 60fps for Xbox Series S.
DIRT 5 will include a 120Hz mode, allowing the game to run at up to 120fps on the Xbox Series X. Microsoft has also optimized Gears 5 with improved load times, 4K HDR Ultra image quality, variable refresh rate support, and up to 120fps support in versus multiplayer mode.
All of the titles on the list, in full below, will be available with enhancements for both the Xbox Series X and Series S on November 10th. Both consoles will also support thousands of existing backward-compatible games.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Smart Delivery)
Borderlands 3 (Smart Delivery)
Bright Memory 1.0
Cuisine Royale (Smart Delivery)
Dead by Daylight (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition
DIRT 5 (Smart Delivery)
Enlisted
Evergate
The Falconeer (Smart Delivery)
Fortnite
Forza Horizon 4 (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Gears 5 (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Gears Tactics (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Grounded (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
King Oddball
Maneater (Smart Delivery)
Manifold Garden (Smart Delivery)
NBA 2K21
Observer: System Redux
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Planet Coaster (Smart Delivery)
Sea of Thieves (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
Tetris Effect: Connected (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
The Touryst (Xbox Game Pass + Smart Delivery)
War Thunder (Smart Delivery)
Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition
Watch Dogs: Legion (Smart Delivery)
WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship (Smart Delivery)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Smart Delivery)
Yes, Your Grace (Smart Delivery)
Update, October 15th 12:30PM ET: Article updated with announcement from Bungie on next-gen optimizations, and added Sea of Thieves to the list.


theverge--2020-10-15--Spider-Cat is already shaping up to be the real hero of Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Spider-Man : Miles Morales is coming to the PS4 and PS5 on November 12th , but this week we got a glimpse of the game ’ s most important feature by far : Spider-Cat .
Yes , Spider-Cat is real and they can absolutely be your friend and crime-fighting partner .
The big reveal comes courtesy of a gameplay video from Game Informer that shows Morales following up on a bodega robbery .
The exact plot isn ’ t fully explained , but it seems the bodega owner has a cat ( also named Spider-Man ) who was taken during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rough up the bad guys , and in the process retrieves our feline friend , who is apparently then unlocked as part of an optional costume for the player .
Spider-Cat doesn ’ t just chill out in your backpack , though .
Once suited up with its own mask , it will even deliver finishers to bad guys , leaping at them with claws of furry fury .
Honestly , it looks like just a pitch-perfect little extra for the game , exactly in keeping with the tone of Spider-Man and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a staple of the city ’ s bodegas that there are Instagram and Twitter accounts documenting their exploits ( which are mainly : hanging out and looking cute ) .
Now if only some NPCs can approach Spider-Cat and declare that it “ takes a pet , like no problem , ” things will really be looking up for 2020 .

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is coming to the PS4 and PS5 on November 12th, but this week we got a glimpse of the game’s most important feature by far: Spider-Cat.
Yes, Spider-Cat is real and they can absolutely be your friend and crime-fighting partner.
The big reveal comes courtesy of a gameplay video from Game Informer that shows Morales following up on a bodega robbery. The exact plot isn’t fully explained, but it seems the bodega owner has a cat (also named Spider-Man) who was taken during the crime. Morales dutifully heads off to rough up the bad guys, and in the process retrieves our feline friend, who is apparently then unlocked as part of an optional costume for the player.
Spider-Cat doesn’t just chill out in your backpack, though. Once suited up with its own mask, it will even deliver finishers to bad guys, leaping at them with claws of furry fury.


theverge--2020-10-15--OnePlus pulls Facebook bloatware from the OnePlus 8T

OnePlus is removing Facebook bloatware from the OnePlus 8T after the company was criticized for pre-installing Facebook ’ s apps and services on the OnePlus Nord and 8-series .
OnePlus confirmed the news to Input , meaning the new phone will only come with Google , OnePlus , and Netflix software pre-installed .
Part of the reason for the outcry was that although the Facebook , Messenger , and Instagram apps could be uninstalled from the 8-series and Nord phones , background services like Facebook ’ s App Installer and App Manager couldn ’ t be removed completely , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company faced a backlash over the software OnePlus justified this by saying that including these services allowed it to offer “ higher battery efficiency.
” But users objected to them on the grounds that they cluttered up OnePlus ’ s streamlined OxygenOS software , and there were reports that they would also use small quantities of data in the background .
For those wondering , OnePlus says that Netflix comes preinstalled on the OnePlus 8T to allow for HDR optimizations .
The company stopped short of confirming to Input that it would never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , and it declined to comment on how existing Nord and OnePlus 8-series owners could uninstall them from their devices .

OnePlus is removing Facebook bloatware from the OnePlus 8T after the company was criticized for pre-installing Facebook’s apps and services on the OnePlus Nord and 8-series. OnePlus confirmed the news to Input, meaning the new phone will only come with Google, OnePlus, and Netflix software pre-installed.
Part of the reason for the outcry was that although the Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram apps could be uninstalled from the 8-series and Nord phones, background services like Facebook’s App Installer and App Manager couldn’t be removed completely, as AndroidPolice reported at the time.
The company faced a backlash over the software
OnePlus justified this by saying that including these services allowed it to offer “higher battery efficiency.” But users objected to them on the grounds that they cluttered up OnePlus’s streamlined OxygenOS software, and there were reports that they would also use small quantities of data in the background.


theverge--2020-10-15--Uber is spamming users with political push notifications ahead of a key gig worker vote

Unwanted smartphone notifications are always a pain in the app , but not often are these messages so nakedly political as the latest batch sent out by Uber in California .
Uber is one of a number of gig economy firms currently waging a $ 186 million campaign against a Californian state law that requires them to classify their workers as employees ( with all the attendant benefits and rights ) .
To try and avoid this , Uber , Lyft , DoorDash and others have pushed a ballot known as Proposition 22 or Prop 22 that would exempt them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn pushing their users to vote in their favor .
The push notifications seem to break Apple ’ s App Store rules True to its reputation , Uber seems to be taking a particularly aggressive stance .
Earlier this month , users in California had to “ confirm ” they ’ d seen a message before calling a ride telling them wait times and prices would rise if Prop 22 wasn ’ t passed .
Now , Uber ’ s app is sending users in California push notifications with the message that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media , many Uber users complained about the notifications , pointing out that they seem to be breaking Apple ’ s App Store rules .
The iPhone maker ’ s app developer agreement ( section 4.5.3 ) forbids sending “ unsolicited message to customers , including [ ... ] Push Notifications ” ( though Apple itself seems to break this rule as and when it pleases ) .
We ’ ve reached out to the iPhone maker to see if Uber ’ s notifications are kosher under App Store guidelines , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
The vote on Prop 22 will appear on the general election ballot on November 3rd , and will likely have a huge effect on the future of gig economy work in the US .
Since their inception , companies like Uber have argued that workers benefit from a status as freelance contractors , which gives them the opportunity to work flexible hours .
Undeniably , though , this also benefits the companies hugely , allowing them to cut costs at what are often loss-making businesses .
They get a ready supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to shell out for things like medical insurance and paid time off that many full-time employees are entitled to .
Research has shown , though , that most gig economy workers are effectively full-time employees already , with nearly three quarters working more than 30 hours a week , according to one study .
Prop 22 doesn ’ t outright reject the need for these workers to have access to greater benefits .
Indeed , as reported by The New York Times , the ballot would offer “ some wage guarantees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could use for health care costs and sick days.
” But many think these guarantees are not enough .
One study , which Uber and Lyft have disputed , calculated that Prop 22 only guarantees workers $ 5.64 an hour after expenses and down time are accounted for .
Uber and other gig companies are framing the new law as something of an existential threat to their businesses .
From that point of view , a push notification — no matter how annoying — is worth sending out if it persuades even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to Uber for comment on this story and will update it if we hear back .

Unwanted smartphone notifications are always a pain in the app, but not often are these messages so nakedly political as the latest batch sent out by Uber in California.
Uber is one of a number of gig economy firms currently waging a $186 million campaign against a Californian state law that requires them to classify their workers as employees (with all the attendant benefits and rights). To try and avoid this, Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and others have pushed a ballot proposal known as Proposition 22 or Prop 22 that would exempt them from the law, and are in turn pushing their users to vote in their favor.
The push notifications seem to break Apple’s App Store rules
True to its reputation, Uber seems to be taking a particularly aggressive stance. Earlier this month, users in California had to “confirm” they’d seen a message before calling a ride, which told them wait times and prices would rise if Prop 22 wasn’t passed (the text was later changed to “continue to ride” to avoid confusion). Now, Uber’s app is sending users in California push notifications with the message that “Prop 22 will save lives.”
On social media, many Uber users complained about the notifications, pointing out that they seem to be breaking Apple’s App Store rules. The iPhone maker’s app developer agreement (section 4.5.3) forbids sending “unsolicited message to customers, including [...] Push Notifications” (though Apple itself seems to break this rule as and when it pleases). We’ve reached out to the iPhone maker to see if Uber’s notifications are kosher under App Store guidelines, and will update this story if we hear more.
The vote on Prop 22 will appear on the general election ballot on November 3rd, and will likely have a huge effect on the future of gig economy work in the US.
Since their inception, companies like Uber have argued that workers benefit from a status as freelance contractors, which gives them the opportunity to work flexible hours. Undeniably, though, this also benefits the companies hugely, allowing them to cut costs at what are often loss-making businesses. They get a ready supply of labor, but don’t have to shell out for things like medical insurance and paid time off that many full-time employees are entitled to. Research has shown, though, that most gig economy workers are effectively full-time employees already, with nearly three-quarters working more than 30 hours a week, according to one study.
Prop 22 doesn’t outright reject the need for these workers to have access to greater benefits. Indeed, as reported by The New York Times, the ballot would offer “some wage guarantees and a pool of money that certain workers could use for health care costs and sick days.” But many think these guarantees are not enough. One study, which Uber and Lyft have disputed, calculated that Prop 22 only guarantees workers $5.64 an hour after expenses and down time are accounted for.
Uber and other gig companies are framing the new law as something of an existential threat to their businesses. From that point of view, a push notification — no matter how annoying — is worth sending out if it persuades even a few voters. When reached by The Verge for comment, Uber said only that the app was “sharing the voice of tens of thousands of drivers, 72% of whom support Prop 22 with millions of riders in California and keeping them informed of the stakes on this issue.” (The survey Uber linked to has been called “highly biased and problematic” by critics of Prop 22.)


theverge--2020-10-15--Apple’s HomePod will soon support Dolby Atmos with the Apple TV 4K

Apple ’ s HomePod is getting a lot more useful as a home cinema speaker for Apple TV 4K owners .
Apple has confirmed to The Verge that an upcoming software update will let the speaker output Dolby Atmos audio as well as 5.1 and 7.1 channel audio from Apple ’ s streaming box .
The feature will work best when you have two HomePod speakers paired up , but also works with just one .
The new $ 99 HomePod mini , though , will not support the new home cinema functionality .
Dolby Atmos support arrives as Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its streaming box .
For starters , tvOS 14.2 beta 3 allows Apple TV 4K owners to set the HomePod as their streaming box ’ s default speaker output , according to 9to5Mac , meaning it shouldn ’ t constantly force users to re-select it as their audio output as it previously did when connected over AirPlay 2 .
For now this functionality appears to require access to a non-public beta version of the HomePod ’ s operating system , however .
The HomePod is also getting new surround sound functionality , using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surround sound audio .
As noted on Apple ’ s website , the “ home cinema with Apple TV 4K ” feature is only supported by the more expensive HomePod since the $ 99 HomePod mini lacks its spatial awareness or beam-forming technologies .
The HomePod mini can still be used with the Apple TV 4K using AirPlay 2 , however .
Apple ’ s forthcoming update means the HomePod will catch up to the Amazon Studio , which has been able to provide Dolby Atmos audio for Fire TV streaming devices since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s implementation of the feature is anything to go by , however , then HomePod and Apple TV 4K owners could be in for a treat .
When my colleague Dan Seifert tried out the feature last year he found that Amazon ’ s speaker offered sound quality that was comparable to a larger and more expensive Dolby Atmos soundbar .
Update October 15th , 6:49AM ET : Updated to clarify that setting the HomePod as a default Apple TV 4K speaker currently requires a non-public beta .

Apple’s HomePod is getting a lot more useful as a home cinema speaker for Apple TV 4K owners. Apple has confirmed to The Verge that an upcoming software update will let the speaker output Dolby Atmos audio as well as 5.1 and 7.1 channel audio from Apple’s streaming box.
The feature will work best when you have two HomePod speakers paired up, but also works with just one. The new $99 HomePod mini, though, will not support the new home cinema functionality.
Dolby Atmos support arrives as Apple is overhauling how the HomePod works with its streaming box. For starters, tvOS 14.2 beta 3 allows Apple TV 4K owners to set the HomePod as their streaming box’s default speaker output, according to 9to5Mac, meaning it shouldn’t constantly force users to reselect it as their audio output as it previously did when connected over AirPlay 2. For now, this functionality appears to require access to a non-public beta version of the HomePod’s operating system, however.
Apple’s site confirms the home cinema features are exclusive to the HomePod. Screenshot: Apple.com
The HomePod is also getting new surround sound functionality, using its spatial awareness features to offer virtual surround sound audio. As noted on Apple’s website, the “home cinema with Apple TV 4K” feature is only supported by the more expensive HomePod since the $99 HomePod mini lacks its spatial awareness or beam-forming technologies. The HomePod mini can still be used with the Apple TV 4K using AirPlay 2, however.
Apple’s forthcoming update means the HomePod will catch up to the Amazon Studio, which has been able to provide Dolby Atmos audio for Fire TV streaming devices since its release last year.
If Amazon’s implementation of the feature is anything to go by, however, then HomePod and Apple TV 4K owners could be in for a treat. When my colleague Dan Seifert tried out the feature last year, he found Amazon’s speaker offered sound quality that was comparable to a larger and more expensive Dolby Atmos soundbar.


theverge--2020-10-15--Microsoft extends Xbox Elite 2 controller warranty after hardware issues emerge

Microsoft is extending the warranty on its Xbox Elite 2 controller following complaints over hardware issues .
“ We ’ ve received claims that a small percentage of our customers are experiencing mechanical issues when using their Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 , ” explains a Microsoft support article .
“ To ensure your satisfaction , we ’ re extending the warranty coverage period on Elite Series 2 controllers from 90 days to 1 year from the date of purchase.
” The warranty extension applies retroactively , meaning anyone who incurred repair costs for the Xbox Elite 2 controller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before October 31st .
The extended warranty is a welcome change from the measly 90 days , but it comes after a series of complaints from owners of the new Elite controller have emerged .
Elite 2 owners have been complaining about buttons and drifting joysticks It ’ s not clear from Microsoft ’ s support note the exact “ mechanical issues ” people have been facing , but The Verge has received reports of the face buttons getting stuck , or the Elite 2 not registering button presses .
Some have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sticks , complaining of a drift .
Windows Central reports that the Elite 2 was recently added to a list of controllers suffering from “ drifting joysticks ” in a lawsuit seeking class action status .
Microsoft told The Verge earlier this year that it was investigating Elite 2 controller problems , as these issues have been occurring since the launch a year ago .
“ We are aware that a small number of users may be experiencing issues with the Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and are actively investigating with our engineering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement issued in April , 2020 .
The original Elite controller was plagued with quality issues , which originally appeared to have been addressed with this second model .
We were concerned whether hardware issues would appear again on the Elite 2 during a review of the controller last year , and it ’ s now clear some are having problems .

Microsoft is extending the warranty on its Xbox Elite 2 controller following complaints over hardware issues. “We’ve received claims that a small percentage of our customers are experiencing mechanical issues when using their Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2,” explains a Microsoft support article. “To ensure your satisfaction, we’re extending the warranty coverage period on Elite Series 2 controllers from 90 days to 1 year from the date of purchase.”
The warranty extension applies retroactively, meaning anyone who incurred repair costs for the Xbox Elite 2 controller will be issued a refund by Microsoft before October 31st. The extended warranty is a welcome change from the measly 90 days, but it comes after a series of complaints from owners of the new Elite controller have emerged.
Elite 2 owners have been complaining about buttons and drifting joysticks
It’s not clear from Microsoft’s support note the exact “mechanical issues” people have been facing, but The Verge has received reports of the face buttons getting stuck, or the Elite 2 not registering button presses. Some have also raised issues with the left and right sticks, complaining of a drift. Windows Central reports that the Elite 2 was recently added to a list of controllers suffering from “drifting joysticks” in a lawsuit seeking class action status.
Microsoft told The Verge earlier this year that it was investigating Elite 2 controller problems, as these issues have been occurring since the launch a year ago. “We are aware that a small number of users may be experiencing issues with the Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and are actively investigating with our engineering teams,” said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement issued in April, 2020.


theverge--2020-10-15--Vivaldi browser gets cyberpunk side-scroller to rival Google Chrome’s dinosaur game

Chromium-based browser Vivaldi now comes with a built-in game called Vivaldia , a retro side-scroller set in a cyberpunk universe .
The game is available with version 3.4 of the browser , and can be played both online and offline across Windows , Max , Linux , and Android .
You get to it by visiting “ vivaldi : //game ” using Vivaldi ’ s address bar , but it can also be accessed via a link on the browser ’ s start page on desktop and Android .
Vivaldia ’ s gameplay follows a very similar template to Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an easter egg which can be accessed whenever the browser can ’ t connect to the internet .
Vivaldia doesn ’ t automatically appear when you can ’ t connect to the internet , however , and also features more detailed pixel art graphics as well as enemies that you ’ re able to shoot at ( Vivaldi has a separate game that appears when your connection goes down ) .
If you ’ re looking to add weapons to Chrome ’ s dinosaur game , meanwhile , then why not give Dino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.4 release also comes with a couple of new browser features including configurable context menus and the option to set pages to reload automatically .
You can grab it on desktop by downloading it directly from Vivaldi ’ s site , or on Android from the Google Play Store .

Chromium-based browser Vivaldi now comes with a built-in game called Vivaldia, a retro side-scroller set in a cyberpunk universe. The game is available with version 3.4 of the browser, and can be played both online and offline across Windows, Max, Linux, and Android. You get to it by visiting “vivaldi://game” using Vivaldi’s address bar, but it can also be accessed via a link on the browser’s start page on desktop and Android.
Vivaldia’s gameplay follows a very similar template to Google Chrome’s famous Dinosaur Game, an easter egg which can be accessed whenever the browser can’t connect to the internet. Vivaldia doesn’t automatically appear when you can’t connect to the internet, however, and also features more detailed pixel art graphics as well as enemies that you’re able to shoot at (Vivaldi has a separate game that appears when your connection goes down). If you’re looking to add weapons to Chrome’s dinosaur game, meanwhile, then why not give Dino Swords a try.


theverge--2020-10-15--This is Sony’s Spatial Reality Display, and you can buy one for $5,000 in November

Two days ago , I received a giant heavy metal wedge from Sony .
The largest side contained a camera , and a 15.6-inch 4K screen .
I plugged it into a powerful gaming computer , and fired up the first demo .
A tiny , intricately detailed Volkswagen Atlas materialized in front of my face — and when I pressed a button , it floated right up out of the screen .
A couple minutes later , I was watching a 4-inch tall anime girl dance her heart out inside Sony ’ s contraption , tapping her feet atop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the magic of stereoscopic 3D .
The wedge is Sony ’ s new Spatial Reality Display , and it ’ s not remotely a new idea — it ’ s just the industry ’ s latest attempt to build a so-called “ holographic display ” for the content creators of the world who ’ d like to see their digital objects and designs appear in their physical space .
Nor is it the least expensive at $ 5,000 — a 15.6-inch , 4K Looking Glass costs $ 3,000 , and lets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Sony says the combination of a high-speed face- and eye-tracking camera , real-time algorithms and extremely fine , precisely adjusted lenticular lenses provide a clearer image than any previous display .
And while I don ’ t have a competitor to try side by side , and I can ’ t actually show you any examples on your 2D computer screen , Sony ’ s demoes were mostly pretty impressive .
I have to admit , the illusion is easy to break .
You ’ re looking into a virtual diorama roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by my estimates , and any virtual objects deeper or taller than that will simply get cut off by the edges of the display .
If you lean in too close or too far to any side , Sony ’ s camera can ’ t track you and the 3D effect can twitch and disappear .
The image also twitched when my wife tried to get a glimpse alongside me .
Perhaps the camera can ’ t keep up with multiple people .
But those limitations didn ’ t keep me from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene , peering into the restaurant with its tiny wooden chairs and tables — each with their own curved metal armrests and individual slats — admiring details like the baskets of plants hanging from the lampposts and strings of colored lights spanning the street , and almost leaning far enough to see through the arch on the right .
Later , I got to gaze upon a Ghostbusters Ecto-1 in all its glory , with a full interior , twin-rimmed steering wheel , loads of gleaming chrome handles and trim reflecting a real-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including its spinning blinkers and rocket taillights .
That demo ( and the display ) are also compatible with the Leap Motion for 3D gesture control , though I found it a little touchy .
Personally , I already think you can get a much better sense of virtual objects with a good VR headset than a screen like this , but Sony claims its target audiences wanted a stationary monitor that can live atop their desk .
Would you pick this over a VR headset ?
Most of the demos were built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has an SDK for both Unity and Unreal , and says it should be easy to port VR content over from either platform .
The company says the 500-nit 4K display supports 100 percent of the Adobe RGB color gamut , and while Sony does recommend at least an Intel Core i7-9700K and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super or better to drive the display , it does come with its own built in 2.1 speaker system that gets fairly loud ( and has dedicated volume buttons at the top edge ) .
Sony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new display with engineers at companies including Volkswagen , filmmakers like its own Ghostbusters studio Ghost Corps , and “ one of the largest architectural firms in the world ” as well .
But the company doesn ’ t want to limit potential adoption to partners — it ’ ll be opening direct sales to anyone who might want one at its own website in November .
You can also sign up to attend a virtual demo on October 22nd at 3PM ET , though I can ’ t imagine that will really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display you need to see in 3D .

Two days ago, I received a giant heavy metal wedge from Sony. The largest side contained a camera, and a 15.6-inch 4K screen.
I plugged it into a powerful gaming computer, and fired up the first demo. A tiny, intricately detailed Volkswagen Atlas materialized in front of my face — and when I pressed a button, it floated right up out of the screen. A couple minutes later, I was watching a 4-inch tall anime girl dance her heart out inside Sony’s contraption, tapping her feet atop a floor of hexagonal mirrors. It’s the magic of stereoscopic 3D.
The wedge is Sony’s new Spatial Reality Display, and it’s not remotely a new idea — it’s just the industry’s latest attempt to build a so-called “holographic display” for the content creators of the world who’d like to see their digital objects and designs appear in their physical space. Nor is it the least expensive at $5,000 — a 15.6-inch, 4K Looking Glass costs $3,000, and lets multiple people see those images simultaneously.
But Sony says the combination of a high-speed face- and eye-tracking camera, real-time algorithms and extremely fine, precisely adjusted lenticular lenses provide a clearer image than any previous display. And while I don’t have a competitor to try side by side, and I can’t actually show you any examples on your 2D computer screen, Sony’s demos were mostly pretty impressive.
A close-up video I shot while moving my phone, just to show how the lenticular lenses provide different perspectives for each eye. GIF: Sean Hollister/The Verge
I have to admit, the illusion is easy to break. You’re looking into a virtual diorama roughly 13” by 6” by 5” by my estimates, and any virtual objects deeper or taller than that will simply get cut off by the edges of the display. If you lean in too close or too far to any side, Sony’s camera can’t track you and the 3D effect can twitch and disappear. The image also twitched when my wife tried to get a glimpse alongside me. Sony says it’s designed for one viewer at a time.
But those limitations didn’t keep me from counting every cobblestone in a beautiful bistro scene, peering into the restaurant with its tiny wooden chairs and tables — each with their own curved metal armrests and individual slats — admiring details like the baskets of plants hanging from the lampposts and strings of colored lights spanning the street, and almost leaning far enough to see through the arch on the right.
Flat pictures do not do it justice. Imagine if this were a diorama in front of you. Photo: Sean Hollister/The Verge.
Later, I got to gaze upon a Ghostbusters Ecto-1 in all its glory, with a full interior, twin-rimmed steering wheel, loads of gleaming chrome handles and trim reflecting a real-time light source, and 31 fully-functional lights including its spinning blinkers and rocket taillights. That demo (and the display) are also compatible with the Leap Motion for 3D gesture control, though I found it a little touchy.
Personally, I already think you can get a much better sense of virtual objects with a good VR headset than a screen like this, but Sony claims its target audiences wanted a stationary monitor that can live atop their desk.
Would you pick this over a VR headset?
Most of the demos were built in Unity, though Sony says it has an SDK for both Unity and Unreal, and suggests it should be easy to port VR content over from either platform. The company says the 500-nit 4K display supports 100 percent of the Adobe RGB color gamut, and while Sony does recommend at least an Intel Core i7-9700K and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super or better to drive the display, it does come with its own built in 2.1 speaker system that gets fairly loud (and has dedicated volume buttons at the top edge).
Sony says it’s already seeded the new display with engineers at companies including Volkswagen, filmmakers like its own Ghostbusters studio Ghost Corps, and “one of the largest architectural firms in the world” as well. But the company doesn’t want to limit potential adoption to partners — it’ll be opening direct sales to anyone who might want one at its own website in November.
You can use it as a flat monitor in a pinch, but the lenticular lenses make it seem quite low-res that way. Photo: Sean Hollister/The Verge
You can also sign up to attend a virtual demo on October 22nd at 3PM ET, though I can’t imagine that will really help make up your mind about a display you need to see in 3D.


theverge--2020-10-15--Sony confirms the new PlayStation Store won’t let you buy PS3, PSP and Vita games outside those cons

Sony confirms the new PlayStation Store won’t let you buy PS3, PSP and Vita games outside those consoles

If you prefer buying older PlayStation games over the web or on mobile , you won ’ t be able to do that for much longer .
Sony is sending emails to PlayStation gamers that confirm a revamped digital storefront coming between October 21st and 26th , which will remove users ’ options to purchase games and DLC released initially on the PS3 , PSP , and Vita from a mobile device or PC .
Planète Vita originally reported the news last week , citing developer sources .
The PlayStation web store will remove the option to purchase those games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ update will be available on October 28th .
Users will still be allowed to make new purchases for PlayStation legacy titles , but they will have to purchase them directly from PS3 , PSP , Vita , or PS4 gaming consoles .
However , it is important to note that this only applies to new purchases , and any previous purchases for any legacy PlayStation titles and downloadable content will remain accessible through your PlayStation account .
Sony will also remove the ability to download apps , themes , and avatars for PS4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can still be downloaded on the console .
The PlayStation Store ’ s wishlist feature is also being discontinued , so any wishlist items you have on there will be removed from your account .
Update October 15th , 6:38PM ET : Added confirmation from Sony via customer email .

If you prefer buying older PlayStation games over the web or on mobile, you won’t be able to do that for much longer. Sony is sending emails to PlayStation gamers that confirm a revamped digital storefront coming between October 21st and 26th, which will remove users’ options to purchase games and DLC released initially on the PS3, PSP, and Vita from a mobile device or PC. Planète Vita originally reported the news last week, citing developer sources.
The PlayStation web store will remove the option to purchase those games, and the mobile app’s update will be available on October 28th. Users will still be allowed to make new purchases for PlayStation legacy titles, but they will have to purchase them directly from PS3, PSP, Vita, or PS4 gaming consoles. However, it is important to note that this only applies to new purchases, and any previous purchases for any legacy PlayStation titles and downloadable content will remain accessible through your PlayStation account.
Sony will also remove the ability to download apps, themes, and avatars for PS4 on both web and mobile, but they can still be downloaded on the console. The PlayStation Store’s wishlist feature is also being discontinued, so any wishlist items you have on there will be removed from your account.
Here’s the full email in image form:


theverge--2020-10-15--Your new Samsung smart TV will soon double as a Google Assistant microphone

Google Assistant is now available on newer Samsung smart TVs in the US , the companies announced .
The AI helper will be available on Samsung 2020 smart TV models , including the 2020 8K and 4K QLED models , the 2020 Crystal UHD TVs , 2020 Frame and Serif sets , and 2020 Sero and Terrace models .
The update will be available in the US first and roll out to more countries soon , according to Google .
Pressing down on the TV ’ s remote control mic will activate Assistant , and users will be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adjust the TV ’ s volume with voice commands .
The TVs already had voice command settings available that could be controlled with the mic on the remote , but you ’ ll have to tell it you want to use Google Assistant rather than Samsung ’ s default Bixby assistant .
And you can control other smart home devices you have connected to Google Assistant , too .
After installing an OTA update , users can enable Assistant on their Samsung TV by going to Settings > General > Voice > Voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was considering more uses for Google Assistant , with reports over the summer that the companies were negotiating to feature Assistant more prominently on Samsung devices .
It ’ s not totally clear what this means for Bixby , which Samsung introduced in 2017 , but the company reportedly has started phasing out some Bixby augmented reality features .
Google also announced that the Assistant-enabled Lenovo Smart Clock Essential is now available , which we reviewed in August .
The clock , which goes for $ 49.99 — a good bit cheaper than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and podcasts , add items to shopping lists , make calls , and control other compatible smart devices .

Google Assistant is now available on newer Samsung smart TVs in the US, the companies announced. The AI helper will be available on Samsung 2020 smart TV models, including the 2020 8K and 4K QLED models, the 2020 Crystal UHD TVs, 2020 Frame and Serif sets, and 2020 Sero and Terrace models. The update will be available in the US first and roll out to more countries soon, according to Google.
Pressing down on the TV’s remote control mic will activate Assistant, and users will be able to switch channels, open apps, and adjust the TV’s volume with voice commands. The TVs already had voice command settings available that could be controlled with the mic on the remote, but you’ll have to tell it you want to use Google Assistant rather than Samsung’s default Bixby assistant. And you can control other smart home devices you have connected to Google Assistant, too. After installing an OTA update, users can enable Assistant on their Samsung TV by going to Settings > General > Voice > Voice assistant.
There were hints that Samsung was considering more uses for Google Assistant, with reports over the summer that the companies were negotiating to feature Assistant more prominently on Samsung devices. It’s not totally clear what this means for Bixby, which Samsung introduced in 2017, but the company reportedly has started phasing out some Bixby augmented reality features.


theverge--2020-10-15--Twitter’s massive outage may be over, company says ‘no evidence’ of hack

Twitter has been experiencing an outage that began in the early evening on Thursday , with some users reporting problems sending tweets and refreshing their timelines starting shortly after 5:30PM ET .
Just after 7PM ET , tweets began to cross our timelines , and things may be returning to normal .
“ We have no evidence of a security breach or hack , and we ’ re currently investigating internal causes , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge .
Twitter posted a similar message to its status page and via the @ TwitterSupport Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outage , occurring in February of this year , still allowed users to circumvent that outage by scheduling tweets .
This wasn ’ t a useable workaround during the outage , as far as we could tell .
Verge staffers were seeing the outage across the United States and in the UK , though we were able to send a few DMs through the platform while the outage was happening .
Twitter ’ s API status website initially said everything was operational .
At 5:56PM ET , Twitter posted a message to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are currently investigating this issue .
More updates to come.
” At 6:31PM ET , there was a new but also unspecific message : “ We are continuing to monitor as our teams investigate .
More updates to come.
” Update 7:21PM ET : Added official tweet from Twitter .
Update 7:04PM ET : Added new statement from Twitter and updated headline .
Update 6:54PM ET : Added new update from Twitter ’ s API page and changed headline to say that the outage has lasted for more than an hour .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ detailing the note on Twitter ’ s API page .

Twitter has been experiencing an outage that began in the early evening on Thursday, with some users reporting problems sending tweets and refreshing their timelines starting shortly after 5:30PM ET. Just after 7PM ET, tweets began to cross our timelines, and things may be returning to normal.
“We have no evidence of a security breach or hack, and we’re currently investigating internal causes,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. Twitter posted a similar message to its status page and via the @TwitterSupport Twitter account.
Twitter’s last major outage, occurring in February of this year, still allowed users to circumvent that outage by scheduling tweets. This wasn’t a useable workaround during the outage, as far as we could tell. Verge staffers were seeing the outage across the United States and in the UK, though we were able to send a few DMs through the platform while the outage was happening.
Twitter’s API status website initially said everything was operational. At 5:56PM ET, Twitter posted a message to the API page reading, “Investigating — We are currently investigating this issue. More updates to come.” At 6:31PM ET, there was a new but also unspecific message: “We are continuing to monitor as our teams investigate. More updates to come.”
Update 7:21PM ET: Added official tweet from Twitter.
Update 7:04PM ET: Added new statement from Twitter and updated headline.
Update 6:54PM ET: Added new update from Twitter’s API page and changed headline to say that the outage has lasted for more than an hour.
Update 6:28PM ET: Added Twitter statement.


theverge--2020-10-15--Go read about the dire working conditions for Ring’s call center employees in the Philippines

Amazon extended its work-from-home policy into 2021 for corporate employees , but call center workers in the Philippines contracted by the company ’ s Ring subsidiary continue to work in person with increased risk of COVID-19 infection , as detailed in a report for NBC News by Olivia Solon and April Glaser .
Employees of Teleperformance — contracted by Ring in the Philippines — describe little to no support in making their workplace safer during the pandemic .
The company is under increased scrutiny after photos of employees sleeping in its offices in Cebu City were released by the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to downplay concerns even with new pressure to modify policies from worker organizations like BPO Industry Employees Network .
Per Ring ’ s policies , workers are not allowed to work from home to better maintain the security of customer data .
This hasn ’ t created a safer workplace , according to the testimony of four workers Solon and Glaser interviewed for the report .
Besides close contact with co-workers , they describe inadequate cleaning of shared , high-touch workspaces and inconsistent transportation to and from the call center as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk to share their accounts , but meaningful changes seem distant given Ring ’ s stance on security and the high demand for call center labor in the Philippines .
Solon and Glaser ’ s report is a reminder of the inequity experienced by workers critical to services offered by the largest American corporations .
The personal touch expected by customers comes at a cost — and leaves workers with few options .

Amazon extended its work-from-home policy into 2021 for corporate employees, but call center workers in the Philippines contracted by the company’s Ring subsidiary continue to work in person with increased risk of COVID-19 infection, as detailed in a report for NBC News by Olivia Solon and April Glaser.
Employees of Teleperformance — contracted by Ring in the Philippines — describe little to no support in making their workplace safer during the pandemic. The company is under increased scrutiny after photos of employees sleeping in its offices in Cebu City were released by the press. Solon and Glaser report that Teleperformance continues to downplay concerns even with new pressure to modify policies from worker organizations like BPO Industry Employees Network.
Per Ring’s policies, workers are not allowed to work from home to better maintain the security of customer data. This hasn’t created a safer workplace, according to the testimony of four workers Solon and Glaser interviewed for the report. Besides close contact with co-workers, they describe inadequate cleaning of shared, high-touch workspaces and inconsistent transportation to and from the call center as the most pressing concerns.


theverge--2020-10-15--Facebook is accidentally locking some users out of their new Oculus headsets

Facebook says a “ small number ” of customers have been locked out of their new Oculus Quest 2 headsets , following a string of reports that buyers were unable to use the virtual reality headsets because their Facebook accounts were suspended .
On Twitter , it urged users to contact Oculus if they had problems .
As UploadVR reported yesterday , users complained that they had been suspended for unclear reasons while they were trying to set up the Quest 2 .
One poster on the Oculus subreddit , for instance , described getting banned after creating a Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it with an existing Oculus account .
“ I logged into Facebook ’ s website to lock down my profile , as I had no intention of using the social media site more than was needed , and within minutes of merging accounts and changing profile settings my account was banned without any reason given or cause I can think of , ” the user told The Verge in an email — rendering the Quest 2 a “ new white paperweight.
” Other people in the subreddit chimed in with their own experiences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the first Oculus headset to require a Facebook login rather than a login with a separate Oculus account .
Many existing customers used Oculus accounts on previous headsets , and setting up the Quest requires merging them — a process that , for some users , has gone far from seamlessly .
Oculus promised in a statement to UploadVR that this wouldn ’ t permanently compromise access to purchased games .
“ Someone may temporarily experience an issue accessing content if they have trouble logging in to Quest 2 with their Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to access their content once those login issues are resolved , ” a spokesperson said .
New Oculus buyers who are already active Facebook users may see fewer problems , as they ’ re simply prompted to sign up via Facebook without needing to merge any accounts .
The potential for lockout was a known risk for the Oculus Quest 2 , which was announced in September and shipped yesterday .
Facebook requires people to use their real names on its service , and it suspends accounts that it believes are inauthentic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pictures of driver ’ s licenses or other proof of identity , but the process can be slow , impersonal , and hit-or-miss thanks to Facebook ’ s massive scale .

Facebook says a “small number” of customers have been locked out of their new Oculus Quest 2 headsets, following a string of reports that buyers were unable to use the virtual reality headsets because their Facebook accounts were suspended. On Twitter, it urged users to contact Oculus if they had problems.
As UploadVR reported yesterday, users complained that they had been suspended for unclear reasons while they were trying to set up the Quest 2. One poster on the Oculus subreddit, for instance, described getting banned after creating a Facebook page for the first time and merging it with an existing Oculus account. “I logged into Facebook’s website to lock down my profile, as I had no intention of using the social media site more than was needed, and within minutes of merging accounts and changing profile settings my account was banned without any reason given or cause I can think of,” the user told The Verge in an email — rendering the Quest 2 a “new white paperweight.” Other people in the subreddit chimed in with their own experiences getting locked out.
The Quest 2 is the first Oculus headset to require a Facebook login rather than a login with a separate Oculus account. Many existing customers used Oculus accounts on previous headsets, and setting up the Quest requires merging them — a process that, for some users, has gone far from seamlessly. Oculus promised in a statement to UploadVR that this wouldn’t permanently compromise access to purchased games. “Someone may temporarily experience an issue accessing content if they have trouble logging in to Quest 2 with their Facebook account, but they will be able to access their content once those login issues are resolved,” a spokesperson said.
New Oculus buyers who are already active Facebook users may see fewer problems, as they’re simply prompted to sign up via Facebook without needing to merge any accounts.


theverge--2020-10-15--Go read this hilarious story from the person who found Tony Abbott’s passport number

On March 22nd , former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott did something seemingly innocuous : he posted a picture of his boarding pass to Instagram .
That post was the beginning of a convoluted six-month saga for hacker Alex Hope .
In a blog post , Hope details how they were sent Abbott ’ s post by a friend and asked if it would be possible to “ hack this man ” with only the information on the boarding pass .
Upon realizing they were indeed able to find personal information , most notably Abbott ’ s passport number , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly devolved into a black hole of emails , phone calls , and frantic Google searches for definitions of cybercrimes .
Hope , clearly a master of internet-age storytelling , divides each act with headings like “ what have i done , ” “ calling 1300 CYBERONE , ” and “ Let ’ s call the Prime Minister ’ s office I guess ?
” Interspersed throughout are blurred screenshots , memes , clickable footnotes , and tongue-in-cheek references to Chrome ’ s Inspect Element being a mighty hacking tool .
The flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organized into a timeline based on Hope ’ s personal checklist : “ figure out whether i have done a crime , notify someone ( tony abbott ? )
that this happened , get permission to publish this here blog post , tell qantas about the security issue so they can fix it.
” Alerting the Australian government about this security issue proved to be surprisingly difficult .
Hope tried online contact forms , various emails , and even called the current prime minister ’ s office in a desperate search for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went on a journey through several layers of personal assistants before reaching Abbott himself .
Reflecting on their conversation with Abbott , during which Abbott asked how he might learn about computers , Hope writes , “ We are dumb babies learning to use a spoon for the first time , except if you do it wrong some clown writes a blog post about you.
” I , too , am some clown set loose on the internet , writing to tell you to go get the full experience at mango dot pdf @ @ @

On March 22nd, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott did something seemingly innocuous: he posted a picture of his boarding pass to Instagram. That post was the beginning of a convoluted six-month saga for hacker Alex Hope.
In a blog post, Hope details how they were sent Abbott’s post by a friend and asked if it would be possible to “hack this man” with only the information on the boarding pass. Upon realizing they were indeed able to find personal information, most notably Abbott’s passport number, on the airline website, their task quickly devolved into a black hole of emails, phone calls, and frantic Google searches for definitions of cybercrimes.
Hope, clearly a master of internet-age storytelling, divides each act with headings like “what have i done,” “calling 1300 CYBERONE,” and “Let’s call the Prime Minister’s office I guess?” Interspersed throughout are blurred screenshots, memes, clickable footnotes, and tongue-in-cheek references to Chrome’s Inspect Element being a mighty hacking tool.
The flow of events after the initial discovery are organized into a timeline based on Hope’s personal checklist: “figure out whether i have done a crime, notify someone (tony abbott?) that this happened, get permission to publish this here blog post, tell qantas about the security issue so they can fix it.”
Alerting the Australian government about this security issue proved to be surprisingly difficult. Hope tried online contact forms, various emails, and even called the current prime minister’s office in a desperate search for any relevant contact information. Eventually, they went on a journey through several layers of personal assistants before reaching Abbott himself.


theverge--2020-10-15--Google search is getting new AI tools to decipher your terrible spelling

Google detailed a host of new improvements at its “ Search On ” event that it will make to its foundational Google search service in the coming weeks and months .
The changes are largely focused on using new AI and machine learning techniques to provide better search results for users .
Chief among them : a new spell checking tool that Google promises will help identify even the most poorly spelled queries .
According to Prabhakar Raghavan , Google ’ s head of search , 15 percent of Google search queries each day are ones that Google has never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to constantly work to improve its results .
Part of that is because of poorly spelled queries .
According to Cathy Edwards , VP engineering at Google , 1 in 10 search queries on Google are misspelled .
Google has long tried to help with its “ did you mean ” feature that suggests proper spellings .
By the end of the month , it ’ ll be rolling out a massive update to that feature , which uses a new spelling algorithm powered by a neural net with 680 million parameters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ each search , and the company promises it ’ ll offer even better suggestions for misspelled words .
1 in 10 search queries on Google are misspelled Another new change : Google search can now index individual passages from webpages , instead of just the whole webpage .
For example , if users search for the phrase “ how can I determine if my house windows are UV glass , ” the new algorithm can find a single paragraph on a DIY forum to find an answer .
According to Edwards , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , it ’ ll improve 7 percent of queries across all languages .
Google is also using AI to divide broader searches into subtopics to help provide better results ( say , helping find home exercise equipment designed for smaller apartments versus just providing general workout gear information ) .
Lastly , the company is also starting to use computer vision and speech recognition to automatically tag and divide videos into parts , an automated version of the existing chapter tools it already provides .
Cooking videos , for example , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divided into chapters ( something Google already offers to creators to do by hand ) , which can then be surfaced in search .
It ’ s a similar effort to the company ’ s existing work in surfacing specific podcast episodes in search , instead of just showing the general feed .

Google detailed a host of new improvements at its “Search On” event that it will make to its foundational Google search service in the coming weeks and months. The changes are largely focused on using new AI and machine learning techniques to provide better search results for users. Chief among them: a new spell checking tool that Google promises will help identify even the most poorly spelled queries.
According to Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s head of search, 15 percent of Google search queries each day are ones that Google has never seen before, meaning the company has to constantly work to improve its results.
Part of that is because of poorly spelled queries. According to Cathy Edwards, VP engineering at Google, 1 in 10 search queries on Google are misspelled. Google has long tried to help with its “did you mean” feature that suggests proper spellings. By the end of the month, it’ll be rolling out a massive update to that feature, which uses a new spelling algorithm powered by a neural net with 680 million parameters. It runs in under three milliseconds after each search, and the company promises it’ll offer even better suggestions for misspelled words.
1 in 10 search queries on Google are misspelled
Another new change: Google search can now index individual passages from webpages, instead of just the whole webpage. For example, if users search for the phrase “how can I determine if my house windows are UV glass,” the new algorithm can find a single paragraph on a DIY forum to find an answer. According to Edwards, when the algorithm starts to roll out next month, it’ll improve 7 percent of queries across all languages.
Google is also using AI to divide broader searches into subtopics to help provide better results (say, helping find home exercise equipment designed for smaller apartments versus just providing general workout gear information).


theverge--2020-10-15--Judge in WeChat case appears unlikely to allow US ban to move forward

A judge in San Francisco said Thursday she ’ s not likely to lift a temporary block on the US government ’ s attempts to ban WeChat .
US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler responded to the Trump administration ’ s request for a stay of her September 20th preliminary injunction , which prevents the government from halting new downloads of WeChat in the US and from blocking transactions related to the app .
Beeler did not issue a ruling Thursday but said the government had not presented new evidence to persuade her that there were significant national security concerns with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US .
Beeler said in her September 20th order that a group of WeChat users had shown “ serious questions ” about whether the ban would potentially violate their First Amendment rights , even considering such concerns .
President Trump issued an executive order in August to ban WeChat , invoking the Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act .
But a group of users calling themselves the WeChat Users Alliance — not officially connected to WeChat or parent company Tencent — says banning the app in the US would violate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a ban specifically targets Chinese Americans .
There is no alternative app that does everything WeChat does , the group argues , saying the “ super app ” is the primary way Chinese speakers in the US participate in social life , and receive news and information , conduct phone calls and videoconferences , upload documents and photos , and make payments .
WeChat has 19 million US users and 1 billion users around the world .
And amid the coronavirus pandemic , it ’ s been used by police departments in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations , organize delivery of medical supplies , and allowed families to stay in contact with elderly relatives in nursing homes , the alliance says .
But the government considers WeChat parent company Tencent a security risk .
Tencent can collect a “ digital facsimile of a person ’ s life ” on WeChat , Justice Department attorney Serena Orloff said at Thursday ’ s hearing , furthering the administration ’ s argument that Tencent is too closely aligned with the Chinese Communist Party .
Orloff argued there are other apps that provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available .
The previous order blocked the Commerce Department order that would have banned US transactions on WeChat .
And while the US government says it has identified “ significant ” threats to national security , there is “ scant little evidence that its effective ban of WeChat for all US users addresses those concerns , ” Beeler wrote .

A judge in San Francisco said Thursday she’s not likely to lift a temporary block on the US government’s attempts to ban WeChat. US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler responded to the Trump administration’s request for a stay of her September 20th preliminary injunction, which prevents the government from halting new downloads of WeChat in the US and from blocking transactions related to the app.
Beeler did not issue a ruling Thursday but said the government had not presented new evidence to persuade her that there were significant national security concerns with allowing WeChat to remain active in the US. Beeler said in her September 20th order that a group of WeChat users had shown “serious questions” about whether the ban would potentially violate their First Amendment rights, even considering such concerns.
President Trump issued an executive order in August to ban WeChat, invoking the Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act. But a group of users calling themselves the WeChat Users Alliance — not officially connected to WeChat or parent company Tencent — says banning the app in the US would violate users’ free speech rights, and such a ban specifically targets Chinese Americans.
There is no alternative app that does everything WeChat does, the group argues, saying the “super app” is the primary way Chinese speakers in the US participate in social life, and receive news and information, conduct phone calls and videoconferences, upload documents and photos, and make payments. WeChat has 19 million US users and 1 billion users around the world. And amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s been used by police departments in the US to inform users about testing locations, organize delivery of medical supplies, and allowed families to stay in contact with elderly relatives in nursing homes, the alliance says.
But the government considers WeChat parent company Tencent a security risk. Tencent can collect a “digital facsimile of a person’s life” on WeChat, Justice Department attorney Serena Orloff said at Thursday’s hearing, furthering the administration’s argument that Tencent is too closely aligned with the Chinese Communist Party. Orloff argued there are other apps that provide similar functions to WeChat that were widely available.