theverge--2020-04-17--The iQOO 3 5G is a gaming phone that doesn’t look like a gaming phone

When someone says “ gaming phone , ” you probably know what to expect .
Aggressive design .
LED effects .
Maybe a vent or two .
The proscribed gamer aesthetic is unsubtle and , despite the widespread popularity of video games , very much not for everyone .
The iQOO 3 5G is the first in the recent wave of gaming phones that ’ s tried to look a little different .
iQOO is a gaming-focused sub-brand of Vivo , the BBK-affiliated sister company of Oppo , OnePlus , and Realme .
The brand launched in China last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first iQOO phone to see release in India and other markets .
The iQOO 3 5G stands out , in fact , by looking completely unremarkable — this could really be anyone ’ s phone .
It has a particular resemblance to Huawei ’ s new P40 Pro , though Vivo would no doubt make the point that the similar two-tone rounded rectangular camera bump actually appeared first on its V17 last year .
There ’ s a shimmery stippled gradient effect on the back , but it ’ s subtle ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power button .
So , what makes the iQOO 3 5G a gaming phone ?
There ’ s the flagship-level Snapdragon 865 processor , of course , which is also why the phone is marketed as 5G-capable in India despite the networks not yet having rolled out .
Other specs are par for the course : up to 12GB of RAM , a 6.4-inch 1080p OLED display , a 4,440mAh battery , a headphone jack , a 16-megapixel holepunch selfie camera , and a 48-megapixel main sensor along with 13-megapixel telephoto and ultrawide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBK phone that offers ultra-fast wired charging — 55W in this case — but no wireless .
A more explicitly gamer-focused feature is the pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons on the top edge of the phone when you ’ re holding the phone in landscape — iQOO calls them “ Monster Touch Buttons.
” Other gaming phones from Asus and RedMagic have done the same thing , but the iQOO 3 5G ’ s smaller size makes them a little more comfortable to use .
iQOO also highlights the screen ’ s 180Hz touch response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refresh rate is just 60Hz .
Usually touch response rate is double the refresh rate , so I ’ d expected to see a 90Hz screen here , but for some reason that isn ’ t the case .
I kind of think that ’ s a deal-breaker for a gaming phone unless you ’ re playing games at high settings or with enough visual intensity that you ’ d never top 60fps , but even if that ’ s the case it ’ s hard to recommend a high-end 60Hz phone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything about using a phone , not just gaming .
Still , the iQOO 3 5G is pretty good value , even undercutting Realme ’ s X50 Pro as the cheapest Snapdragon 865 phone available in India .
It ’ s available now for Rs .
38,990 ( $ 510 ) for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage , Rs .
41,990 ( $ 550 ) for 8GB/256GB , and Rs .
46,990 ( $ 615 ) for 12GB/256GB .
At prices like that , it should be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen isn ’ t the fastest around .

When someone says “gaming phone,” you probably know what to expect. Aggressive design. LED effects. Maybe a vent or two. The prescribed gamer aesthetic is unsubtle and, despite the widespread popularity of video games, very much not for everyone.
The iQOO 3 5G is the first in the recent wave of gaming phones that’s tried to look a little different. iQOO is a gaming-focused sub-brand of Vivo, the BBK-affiliated sister company of Oppo, OnePlus, and Realme. The brand launched in China last year, but the 3 5G is the first iQOO phone to see release in India and other markets.
The iQOO 3 5G stands out, in fact, by looking completely unremarkable — this could really be anyone’s phone. It has a particular resemblance to Huawei’s new P40 Pro, though Vivo would no doubt make the point that the similar two-tone rounded rectangular camera bump actually appeared first on its V17 last year. There’s a shimmery stippled gradient effect on the back, but it’s subtle; the most obvious visual flourish is the copper-orange power button.
So, what makes the iQOO 3 5G a gaming phone? There’s the flagship-level Snapdragon 865 processor, of course, which is also why the phone is marketed as 5G-capable in India despite the networks not yet having rolled out. Other specs are par for the course: up to 12GB of RAM, a 6.4-inch 1080p OLED display, a 4,440mAh battery, a headphone jack, a 16-megapixel holepunch selfie camera, and a 48-megapixel main sensor along with 13-megapixel telephoto and ultrawide cameras. This is also yet another BBK phone that offers ultra-fast wired charging — 55W in this case — but no wireless.
A more explicitly gamer-focused feature is the pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons on the top edge of the phone when you’re holding the phone in landscape — iQOO calls them “Monster Touch Buttons.” Other gaming phones from Asus and RedMagic have done the same thing, but the iQOO 3 5G’s smaller size makes them a little more comfortable to use.
iQOO also highlights the screen’s 180Hz touch response rate, but oddly, the actual refresh rate is just 60Hz. Usually touch response rate is double the refresh rate, so I’d expected to see a 90Hz screen here, but for some reason that isn’t the case. I kind of think that’s a deal-breaker for a gaming phone unless you’re playing games at high settings or with enough visual intensity that you’d never top 60fps, but even if that’s the case it’s hard to recommend a high-end 60Hz phone in 2020. High refresh rates improve almost everything about using a phone, not just gaming.


theverge--2020-04-16--Lime is buying up the remnants of electric skateboard company Boosted

Scooter sharing company Lime is scooping up the assets of defunct electric skateboard startup Boosted , The Verge has learned .
At least five of Boosted ’ s core patents were assigned to Lime ’ s holding company on April 15th in the government ’ s database , and two former employees say Lime has been working on acquiring Boosted ’ s intellectual property dating back to the end of 2019 .
The move comes after a proposed acquisition from Yamaha fell through for Boosted earlier this year , according to the two former employees familiar with the deal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreements they signed with the startup .
Shortly after this article was published , Boosted cofounder and former CEO Sanjay Dastoor — who left the company more than a year ago — posted a message to the Boosted subreddit saying that “ Lime has purchased all the assets and IP of the company .
As far as I can tell , this includes design files , software and code , diagnostics , parts and test equipment.
” He wrote that he believes Boosted will “ likely ” enter “ some form of bankruptcy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t formally dissolve for a while.
” He says “ Lime also appears to be in possession of everything at Boosted ’ s headquarters in Mountain View , including access to the building.
” It ’ s unclear if Lime will take on any of the few employees who are still with Boosted , or who will handle outstanding customer service requests .
At least five senior Boosted employees have joined Lime , according to LinkedIn , including a mechanical design engineer who worked on Boosted ’ s scooter and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ a new form factor ” for the company , which The Verge has learned was a seated electric scooter or moped in the style of the products from startups like Juiced or Super 73 .
The patents were technically assigned to Lime by an LLC set up by investment firm Structural Capital , which loaned Boosted money in the second half of 2019 , and has held many of the startup ’ s assets as collateral ever since , according to patent office documents and the former employees .
Structural Capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s finances as it wound down , the former employees say .
Boosted ’ s CEO Jeff Russakow and remaining cofounder John Ulmen did not respond to a request for comment .
A spokesperson for Lime said the company isn ’ t “ ready to discuss ” what ’ s happening and declined to comment .
Lime ’ s been working on buying Boosted ’ s IP since late 2019 , and has hired some Boosted employees Signs of trouble at Boosted started showing up earlier this year after the company missed payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piled up , and a string of executives left for other jobs .
One of them , Boosted ’ s vice president of engineering , left the company to become Lime ’ s vice president of hardware .
As The Verge first reported in February , Boosted ran into financial trouble after developing a rugged $ 1,600 electric scooter of its own — the release of which was delayed — and also got hit hard by Trump ’ s trade war tariffs .
The company had also spent a lot of the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 countries around the world .
Boosted announced at the beginning of March that it was laying off most of its employees and looking for a buyer , and has been radio silent ever since .
That ’ s left some current and prospective customers in limbo , many of whom were waiting for orders to be filled or skateboards to be repaired .
In the meantime , the community that sprung up around Boosted — which got its start as one of Kickstarter ’ s earliest and biggest success stories — has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modify their boards .
Dastoor wrote on Reddit that he ’ s “ trying to find a way to help with this , ” and is encouraging customers to contact Lime .
“ If we want our products to continue being supported , including parts for boards or any software diagnostic tests and debugging , [ Lime ’ s ] cooperation and help will be needed.
” It ’ s not currently clear what ’ s happening to Boosted ’ s debt , which the former employees say is in the millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boosted spurned are now taking the company to court , too .
A supply chain consulting firm sued Boosted in Santa Clara County Superior Court at the beginning of March over $ 55,000 in unpaid bills .
And on March 30th , Boosted was sued in Utah District Court by creative agency Underbelly , which redesigned the electric skateboard company ’ s website and says it is still owed just shy of $ 80,000 .
Lime laid off 14 percent of its workforce in early January and exited 12 markets , and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service around the world due to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Bloomberg reported in March that Lime started the year with just $ 50 million in cash .
Update April 16th , 10:30PM ET : The story has been updated with new information from a Reddit post by former Boosted CEO Sanjay Dastoor .
Update April 16th , 11:57PM ET : Added new information about one of the Boosted employees who went to Lime .

Scooter sharing company Lime is scooping up the assets of defunct electric skateboard startup Boosted, The Verge has learned. At least five of Boosted’s core patents were assigned to Lime’s holding company on April 15th in the government’s database, and two former employees say Lime has been working on acquiring Boosted’s intellectual property dating back to the end of 2019.
The move comes after a proposed acquisition from Yamaha fell through for Boosted earlier this year, according to the two former employees familiar with the deal, who were granted anonymity because of non-disclosure agreements they signed with the startup.
Shortly after this article was published, Boosted cofounder and former CEO Sanjay Dastoor — who left the company more than a year ago — posted a message to the Boosted subreddit saying that “Lime has purchased all the assets and IP of the company. As far as I can tell, this includes design files, software and code, diagnostics, parts and test equipment.” He wrote that he believes Boosted will “likely” enter “some form of bankruptcy protection at some point, but it won’t formally dissolve for a while.” He says “Lime also appears to be in possession of everything at Boosted’s headquarters in Mountain View, including access to the building.”
Lime’s been working on buying Boosted’s IP since late 2019, and has hired some Boosted employees
It’s unclear if Lime will take on any of the few employees who are still with Boosted, but the company is directing outstanding customer service requests to this email address: “boostedmanagement@boostedboards.com.” Lime has “not purchased any consumer products from Boosted,” according to Michael Hillman, the company’s vice president of hardware and a former Boosted VP.
At least five senior Boosted employees have joined Lime, according to LinkedIn, including a mechanical design engineer who worked on Boosted’s scooter and was leading the product and vehicle architecture design for “a new form factor” for the company, which The Verge has learned was a seated electric scooter or moped in the style of the products from startups like Juiced or Super 73.
The patents were technically assigned to Lime by an LLC set up by investment firm Structural Capital, which loaned Boosted money in the second half of 2019, and has held many of the startup’s assets as collateral ever since, according to patent office documents and the former employees. Structural Capital has also had sway over Boosted’s finances as it wound down, the former employees say.
Boosted’s CEO Jeff Russakow and remaining cofounder John Ulmen did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Lime said the company isn’t “ready to discuss” what’s happening and declined to comment.
Signs of trouble at Boosted started showing up earlier this year after the company missed payments to vendors, complaints about customer service piled up, and a string of executives left for other jobs, including Hillman.
As The Verge first reported in February, Boosted ran into financial trouble after developing a rugged $1,600 electric scooter of its own — the release of which was delayed — and also got hit hard by Trump’s trade war tariffs. The company had also spent a lot of the money it raised to expand into more than 30 countries around the world.
Boosted announced at the beginning of March that it was laying off most of its employees and looking for a buyer, and has been radio silent ever since. That’s left some current and prospective customers in limbo, many of whom were waiting for orders to be filled or skateboards to be repaired.
In the meantime, the community that sprung up around Boosted — which got its start as one of Kickstarter’s earliest and biggest success stories — has turned to crowdsourced solutions to fix and modify their boards.
It’s not currently clear what’s happening to Boosted’s debt, which the former employees say is in the millions of dollars. Some of the vendors that Boosted spurned are now taking the company to court, too. A supply chain consulting firm sued Boosted in Santa Clara County Superior Court at the beginning of March over $55,000 in unpaid bills. And on March 30th, Boosted was sued in Utah District Court by creative agency Underbelly, which redesigned the electric skateboard company’s website and says it is still owed just shy of $80,000.
Lime laid off 14 percent of its workforce in early January and exited 12 markets, and has reportedly considered more layoffs as it pauses service around the world due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Bloomberg reported in March that Lime started the year with just $50 million in cash.
Update April 16th, 10:30PM ET: The story has been updated with new information from a Reddit post by former Boosted CEO Sanjay Dastoor.
Update April 16th, 11:57PM ET: Added new information about one of the Boosted employees who went to Lime.


theverge--2020-04-17--Google is now listing COVID-19 testing centers in search results

Google searches for terms related to COVID-19 will now display information for more than 2,000 COVID-19 testing centers across 43 states in the US , the company tells The Verge .
There are other changes , too .
When you search for something related to COVID-19 , you ’ ll now see a new “ Testing ” tab as part of the information shown in Google ’ s COVID-19 SOS alert .
When you click or tap that Testing tab , you ’ ll see a number of resources regarding COVID-19 testing at the top of your search results .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control ’ s ( CDC ) online COVID-19 symptom checker , a suggestion to talk to a healthcare provider if you think you should be tested , a link to COVID-19 testing information from your local health authorities , and a note that you may need to call ahead to a testing center to make sure you can actually get a test .
You won ’ t see listings for testing centers in Connecticut , Maine , Missouri , New Jersey , Oklahoma , Oregon and Pennsylvania The Testing tab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing centers unless you ’ re in Connecticut , Maine , Missouri , New Jersey , Oklahoma , Oregon or Pennsylvania , Google tells The Verge .
That ’ s because Google is only surfacing testing locations that have been approved for publishing by health authorities , the company says .
For the same reason , Google is only listing a single testing center located in Albany for the state of New York , but the company expects to add more New York listings soon .
Here ’ s what the results look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writing this from Portland , OR , so the results don ’ t list testing centers near me .
COVID-19 testing criteria and availability vary based on where you live , which is why Google is pointing toward local information with these resources .
The testing information comes from “ government agencies , public health departments , or directly from healthcare institutions , ” according to a Google support document .
Google launched a COVID-19 website with information and resources about the pandemic on March 21st .
Google ’ s sister company Verily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in parts of California , New Jersey , New York , and Pennsylvania if they qualify after taking an online screening .
Google isn ’ t the only company working to make it easier to find COVID-19 testing information .
Last weekend , Apple launched a website so healthcare providers and labs that offer COVID-19 testing can submit their information and appear in Apple Maps search results as testing sites .

Google searches for terms related to COVID-19 will now display information for more than 2,000 COVID-19 testing centers across 43 states in the US, the company tells The Verge.
There are other changes, too. When you search for something related to COVID-19, you’ll now see a new “Testing” tab as part of the information shown in Google’s COVID-19 SOS alert. When you click or tap that Testing tab, you’ll see a number of resources regarding COVID-19 testing at the top of your search results. Those include: a link to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) online COVID-19 symptom checker, a suggestion to talk to a healthcare provider if you think you should be tested, a link to COVID-19 testing information from your local health authorities, and a note that you may need to call ahead to a testing center to make sure you can actually get a test.
You won’t see listings for testing centers in Connecticut, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon and Pennsylvania
The Testing tab will also show you information about specific testing centers unless you’re in Connecticut, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon or Pennsylvania, Google tells The Verge. That’s because Google is only surfacing testing locations that have been approved for publishing by health authorities, the company says. For the same reason, Google is only listing a single testing center located in Albany for the state of New York, but the company expects to add more New York listings soon.
Here’s what the results look like for me. I’m writing this from Portland, OR, so the results don’t list testing centers near me.
COVID-19 testing criteria and availability vary based on where you live, which is why Google is pointing toward local information with these resources. The testing information comes from “government agencies, public health departments, or directly from healthcare institutions,” according to a Google support document.
Google launched a COVID-19 website with information and resources about the pandemic on March 21st. Google’s sister company Verily also offers free COVID-19 tests to people in parts of California, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania if they qualify after taking an online screening.


theverge--2020-04-17--CEOs sticking with Trump’s ‘open the economy’ group after he tweets call to ‘liberate’ states

President Trump has spent the week fumbling to lay out his vision for “ reopening ” the US economy during the novel coronavirus pandemic .
First , he convened a group of CEOs from the tech , transportation , and other industries without telling many of them about their participation .
Then , on Thursday , he rolled out a “ plan ” that was a surprise to many of those same industry leaders .
Now , on Friday , Trump called for citizens in Michigan , Minnesota , and Virginia to “ LIBERATE ” their states , each being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have bubbled up all week .
“ LIBERATE MINNESOTA !
” “ LIBERATE MICHIGAN !
” “ LIBERATE VIRGINIA , and save your great 2nd Amendment , ” the President of the United States wrote Friday .
“ It is under siege !
” Twitter doesn ’ t see a rules violation , of course People involved in those protests — which are being backed or promoted in part by anti-vaccination groups and anti-government funds linked to the Kochs — are already seeing it as a literal call to arms , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President ’ s councils before in reaction to his overreaches of authority , racist behavior , or both .
But so far , at least , the inciting language Trump tweeted on Friday isn ’ t enough to shake anyone loose from these new ramshackle advisory groups .
Instead , it looks more like the business-as-usual approach for many of them , which involves cozying up to the Trump administration in hopes of getting something that they want , regardless of optics , material cost , or the fact that it often backfires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter tells The Verge that it did not find them to be in violation of the the company ’ s rules , which is not surprising given how the company generally treats Trump to begin with .
Twitter said that the use of the word “ liberate ” is vague and unclear , and that it isn ’ t necessarily calling for harmful action .
Twitter pointed The Verge to a March 18th update to its policy enforcement guidance that specifically deals with COVID-19 , which states : We ’ ll continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear call to action that could directly pose a risk to people ’ s health or well-being , but we want to make it clear that we will not be able to take enforcement action on every Tweet that contains incomplete or disputed information about COVID-19 .
Here ’ s the full accounting of the members of the group , and below is a list of who we ’ ve reached out to , and what ( if anything ) they ’ ve said .
• Apple , whose CEO Tim Cook is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comment .
• Google , whose CEO Sundar Pichai is part of the advisory group , declined to comment .
• Microsoft , whose CEO Satya Nadella is part of the group , declined to comment .
• Facebook , whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg is part of the group , declined to comment .
• Intel , whose CEO Bob Swan is part of the group , declined to comment .
• Tesla , whose CEO Elon Musk is part of the group , did not respond to a request for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Barra is part of the group , said through a spokesperson it doesn ’ t “ see the linkage ” between the company ’ s role on the advisory group and the President ’ s call for citizens to rise up against the orders of their state governments , and declined to comment any further on the tweets .
The spokesperson instead said GM is working with other automakers and the United Auto Workers union on figuring out the best way to restart production at its automotive plants .
• Fiat Chrysler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the group , said its “ first priority is the health and safety of our employees , their families and the communities we call home , ” and also called out the company ’ s ongoing work with the UAW .
A company spokesperson said Fiat Chrysler is “ pleased to work with the Administration to ensure that the appropriate social-distancing protocols and PPE are in place for our workers to be safe and productive as we restart production at our facilities across the United States.
” • Ford , whose executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group , did not respond to a request for comment .
• Uber , whose CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is part of the group , did not respond to a request for comment .
• United Airlines , whose executive chairman Oscar Munoz is part of the group , did not respond to a request for comment .
This post will be updated if and when any other companies respond .

President Trump has spent the week fumbling to lay out his vision for “reopening” the US economy during the novel coronavirus pandemic. First, he convened a group of CEOs from the tech, transportation, and other industries without telling many of them about their participation. Then, on Thursday, he rolled out a “plan” that was a surprise to many of those same industry leaders. Now, on Friday, Trump called for citizens in Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia to “LIBERATE” their states, each being a place where protests against social distancing have bubbled up all week.
“LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” “LIBERATE VIRGINIA, and save your great 2nd Amendment,” the President of the United States wrote Friday. “It is under siege!”
Twitter doesn’t see a rules violation, of course
People involved in those protests — which are being backed or promoted in part by anti-vaccination groups and anti-government funds linked to the Kochs — are already seeing it as a literal call to arms, according to NBC.
As for the tweets themselves, Twitter tells The Verge that it did not find them to be in violation of the the company’s rules, which is not surprising given how the company generally treats Trump to begin with. Twitter said that the use of the word “liberate” is vague and unclear, and that it isn’t necessarily calling for harmful action. Twitter pointed The Verge to a March 18th update to its policy enforcement guidance that specifically deals with COVID-19, which states:
We’ll continue to prioritize removing content when it has a clear call to action that could directly pose a risk to people’s health or well-being, but we want to make it clear that we will not be able to take enforcement action on every Tweet that contains incomplete or disputed information about COVID-19.
Here’s the full accounting of the members of the group, and below is a list of who we’ve reached out to, and what (if anything) they’ve said.
Apple , whose CEO Tim Cook is part of the advisory group, declined to comment.
, whose CEO Tim Cook is part of the advisory group, declined to comment. Google , whose CEO Sundar Pichai is part of the advisory group, declined to comment.
, whose CEO Sundar Pichai is part of the advisory group, declined to comment. Microsoft , whose CEO Satya Nadella is part of the group, declined to comment.
, whose CEO Satya Nadella is part of the group, declined to comment. Facebook , whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg is part of the group, declined to comment.
, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg is part of the group, declined to comment. Intel , whose CEO Bob Swan is part of the group, declined to comment.
, whose CEO Bob Swan is part of the group, declined to comment. Tesla , whose CEO Elon Musk is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment.
, whose CEO Elon Musk is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment. General Motors , whose CEO Mary Barra is part of the group, said through a spokesperson it doesn’t “see the linkage” between the company’s role on the advisory group and the President’s call for citizens to rise up against the orders of their state governments, and declined to comment any further on the tweets. The spokesperson instead said GM is working with other automakers and the United Auto Workers union on figuring out the best way to restart production at its automotive plants.
, whose CEO Mary Barra is part of the group, said through a spokesperson it doesn’t “see the linkage” between the company’s role on the advisory group and the President’s call for citizens to rise up against the orders of their state governments, and declined to comment any further on the tweets. The spokesperson instead said GM is working with other automakers and the United Auto Workers union on figuring out the best way to restart production at its automotive plants. Fiat Chrysler , whose CEO Mike Manley is part of the group, said its “first priority is the health and safety of our employees, their families and the communities we call home,” and also called out the company’s ongoing work with the UAW. A company spokesperson said Fiat Chrysler is “pleased to work with the Administration to ensure that the appropriate social-distancing protocols and PPE are in place for our workers to be safe and productive as we restart production at our facilities across the United States.”
, whose CEO Mike Manley is part of the group, said its “first priority is the health and safety of our employees, their families and the communities we call home,” and also called out the company’s ongoing work with the UAW. A company spokesperson said Fiat Chrysler is “pleased to work with the Administration to ensure that the appropriate social-distancing protocols and PPE are in place for our workers to be safe and productive as we restart production at our facilities across the United States.” Ford , whose executive chairman Bill Ford is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment.
, whose executive chairman Bill Ford is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment. Uber , whose CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment.
, whose CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment. United Airlines, whose executive chairman Oscar Munoz is part of the group, did not respond to a request for comment.


theverge--2020-04-17--Host your next Zoom call from the Death Star with these fun Star Wars backgrounds

Being stuck in an endless Zoom or Skype call can often feel like you ’ re trapped in an Imperial holding cell , but thanks to the official Star Wars website , you can make your next conference call actually look like you ’ re traveling to a galaxy far , far away .
The backgrounds are pulled from across the Star Wars universe , letting you pretend that you ’ re taking your weekly staff meeting from the Emperor ’ s throne on Exegol , the deck of an Imperial Star Destroyer , a Rebel Alliance hanger bay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations .
And like the best video chat backgrounds , the new Star Wars ones have all the characters removed from the shots , allowing you to take the role of your favorite Star Wars hero .
Given that we ’ re all stuck inside right now , it ’ s not like any of your co-workers can verify that you don ’ t live on a full-scale replica of the Millennium Falcon .
( In fact , depending on how much you annoy your co-workers with Star Wars talk — like this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway . )
Of course , Disney and Lucasfilm are by no means the first companies to offer high-quality cinematic backgrounds to use with Zoom or other video chat apps .
Pixar , Paramount , CBS , and other companies have been flooding social media with the essentially free advertising for their films .
My colleague Natt Garun has also put together a list of excellent resources and ideas for fancy , fun , and fabulous Zoom backgrounds .

Being stuck in an endless Zoom or Skype call can often feel like you’re trapped in an Imperial holding cell, but thanks to the official Star Wars website, you can make your next conference call actually look like you’re traveling to a galaxy far, far away.
The backgrounds are pulled from across the Star Wars universe, letting you pretend that you’re taking your weekly staff meeting from the Emperor’s throne on Exegol, the deck of an Imperial Star Destroyer, a Rebel Alliance hanger bay, or a variety of other Star Wars locations. And like the best video chat backgrounds, the new Star Wars ones have all the characters removed from the shots, allowing you to take the role of your favorite Star Wars hero.
Related Free Zoom backgrounds you can use to disguise your messy remote work rooms
Given that we’re all stuck inside right now, it’s not like any of your co-workers can verify that you don’t live on a full-scale replica of the Millennium Falcon. (In fact, depending on how much you annoy your co-workers with Star Wars talk — like this post — they may already assume that anyway.)


theverge--2020-04-17--Getty now has an Animal Crossing: New Horizons art generator

Custom art is a point of pride for many Animal Crossing : New Horizons players .
With a little artistic ability , players can create everything from clothing to elaborate floor tiles unique to their game .
For the rest of us who lack any real artistic flair , Getty created an art generator to make the process a little easier .
Famous paintings used to be a staple of Animal Crossing ’ s museums ; players could donate them to spruce up their islands ’ culture .
But in New Horizons , resident curator Blathers is exclusively interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as he finds them to be gross which , frankly , I respect ) .
By searching through Getty ’ s open-access collection or using its image tools , players can easily grab famous art for their game and port it over via QR code .
There are step-by-step instructions over on its site to ease you through the whole process .
Now is the time to house your very own Mona Lisa .
Correction : An earlier version of this article referred to the source of the art generation as Getty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Getty trust for visual art .
We regret the error .

Custom art is a point of pride for many Animal Crossing: New Horizons players. With a little artistic ability, players can create everything from clothing to elaborate floor tiles unique to their game. For the rest of us who lack any real artistic flair, Getty created an art generator to make the process a little easier.
Famous paintings used to be a staple of Animal Crossing’s museums; players could donate them to spruce up their islands’ culture. But in New Horizons, resident curator Blathers is exclusively interested in only collecting fossils and bugs (as much as he finds them to be gross which, frankly, I respect).
By searching through Getty’s open-access collection or using its image tools, players can easily grab famous art for their game and port it over via QR code. There are step-by-step instructions over on its site to ease you through the whole process. Now is the time to house your very own Mona Lisa.


theverge--2020-04-17--Microsoft’s Cyberpunk-themed Xbox glows in the dark

Microsoft has created a limited-edition Xbox One X console that ’ s styled in the theme of Cyberpunk 2077 .
The console includes decals that glow in the dark , laser etchings , a blue LED light at the front , and custom panels .
Microsoft has also created a custom Xbox One controller for the bundle that will be available in June .
It ’ s one of the more elaborate Xbox One X custom designs we ’ ve seen so far , and it comes just months after Microsoft created a Jordan-themed Xbox for a promotion .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X in June , three months ahead of the game ’ s release .
Microsoft ’ s trailer for the console , which is being dubbed the “ 1TB Xbox One X Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition Bundle , ” does appear to include a copy of the game that launches in September .
While Microsoft doesn ’ t provide pricing or an exact release date , the company has been teasing the console on social media recently .
Microsoft even changed its Xbox homepage to make it appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One X bundle , and it looks like the trailer has appeared a little earlier than the April 20th date Microsoft teased previously .

Microsoft has created a limited-edition Xbox One X console that’s styled in the theme of Cyberpunk 2077. The console includes decals that glow in the dark, laser etchings, a blue LED light at the front, and custom panels. Microsoft has also created a custom Xbox One controller for the bundle that will be available in June.
It’s one of the more elaborate Xbox One X custom designs we’ve seen so far, and it comes just months after Microsoft created a Jordan-themed Xbox for a promotion. You’ll actually be able to purchase this Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X in June, three months ahead of the game’s release.
Microsoft’s trailer for the console, which is being dubbed the “1TB Xbox One X Cyberpunk 2077 Limited Edition Bundle,” does appear to include a copy of the game that launches in September. While Microsoft doesn’t provide pricing or an exact release date, the company has been teasing the console on social media recently.


theverge--2020-04-17--LG V60 Dual Screen review: V for versatility

LG is planning a major refresh for its next mainstream smartphone , but before getting there , the company decided to release another entry in its spec-heavy V-series , the V60 ThinQ .
With advanced manual camera controls , a hi-fi headphone jack , and top-end specs , these phones have always been geared toward tech enthusiasts .
This year , LG is undercutting Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 — the Android standard-bearer for 2020 — in price , while still trying to cram a lot of upgrades into the V60 .
It ’ s got a Snapdragon 865 processor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting 8K video .
You can outfit the V60 with a second display ( with the optional Dual Screen case ) for unrivaled multitasking .
Microsoft ’ s Surface Duo is set to arrive later this year , and it will push the dual-display phone concept forward , but LG is already on its third try with the V60 .
But the V60 lacks some of the features that are increasingly common on “ flagship ” Android devices in 2020 .
There ’ s no fluid 90Hz or 120Hz display ; LG instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panel .
Its bezels are plain to see and thicker than what you ’ d find on a Samsung or OnePlus .
As other high-end devices move up to 12GB of RAM ( and beyond ) , LG is being slightly conservative with 8GB of memory .
And despite continued refinement , the Dual Screen accessory never really unlocks its full potential : the big selling point is still that basic , core ability to run different apps side by side at the same time .
But LG ’ s hallmarks — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and top-notch performance — are still represented in the V60 .
Pricing is a little scattered , with the phone itself costing $ 800 ( T-Mobile ) or around $ 900 with the Dual Screen on Verizon and AT & T .
Either way , you come in under the S20 ’ s $ 999 sticker price .
The V60 just does so much ( doubly so if you get it with the Dual Screen ) that , in a vacuum , it ’ s hard not to be impressed .
The battery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s an excellent choice for the type of person who will use every trick this phone has in its arsenal .
If that ’ s not you , there ’ s ample reason to look at Samsung or OnePlus instead .
Fair warning , though : even people familiar with LG ’ s past efforts will be taken aback by the V60 ’ s size .
This is a big , honking phone .
At 6.67 inches tall and 3.06 inches wide , it ’ s somehow even larger than the Galaxy S20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ergonomics .
It ’ s possible to use the V60 with one hand , but doing so is an ill-advised exercise in finger gymnastics and grip adjustments .
The chamfered aluminum rails offer a secure grasp on the phone , which has a flat 6.8-inch screen and sloped glass back .
Volume toggles and a non-remappable Google Assistant shortcut button take up the left side , with the power button on the right .
The V60 comes with 128GB of storage , but it supports microSD expansion .
At the bottom , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubles up with the earpiece for stereo output ) , USB-C port , and a headphone jack , which still includes LG ’ s excellent 32-bit DAC for audiophile-grade music playback — if you ’ ve got the right headphones to get the most from it .
LG gets my praise both for keeping the jack around and delivering a listening experience that can rival dedicated hi-fi audio players .
Listening to hi-res tracks in Amazon Music HD with my Sennheiser headphones made me appreciate LG ’ s quest to preserve the headphone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
The V60 comes in either white ( with silver edges ) or navy blue , which has a gold frame .
To me , there ’ s no debate to be had : the blue V60 is a stunner of a phone .
The white one , meanwhile , is forgettable .
LG uses an in-display optical fingerprint scanner on the V60 , and my success rate was mixed , inconsistent , and worse than the readers I ’ ve used on Samsung and OnePlus phones .
This is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , more reliable rear fingerprint sensors .
( The V60 doesn ’ t have an equivalent to Face ID like the G8 ThinQ did . )
The V60 ’ s display is a nice 2460 x 1080 OLED panel with a tiny teardrop notch that houses the front-facing camera .
As I mentioned earlier , LG hasn ’ t managed to shave away bezels to the same extent as other companies .
Some will find the black borders ugly ; others will be thankful to avoid accidental presses — an occasional frustration that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brightness , color vibrancy , contrast , and viewing angles are all perfectly satisfactory , if a rung or two below Samsung ’ s best phone displays .
But the lack of a buttery-smooth 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate is noticeable and made all the more obvious when you switch between the V60 and something like the Galaxy S20 or Pixel 4 XL .
Not everyone will care , and I think LG made this trade-off partially because driving two displays at 90Hz or 1440p would have posed a challenge .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least for the main phone .
To me , this is the V60 ’ s most glaring downside when compared against its 2020 competition .
It offers a ton of power , but it feels held back — like it didn ’ t quite get the whole upgrade checklist — by the same-as-ever scrolling .
So the screen is a bit of a letdown , but there ’ s some good in all of this .
Limiting the display to 60Hz and a modest resolution , combined with a massive 5,000mAh battery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ ve been able to keep the V60 running well into and through a second day of frequent use .
This stamina only applies when using the phone by itself , however , since enabling the Dual Screen case will curtail battery longevity by 20 to 30 percent .
Throughout my review period , the Snapdragon 865 chipset has performed flawlessly , with the V60 chewing through any task I threw at it .
Wi-Fi 6 is supported , and the V60 can pull down 5G data on T-Mobile and AT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selling a version that works with ultra-fast ( but very limited ) millimeter-wave 5G .
Like the G8x , the V60 ’ s Dual Screen connects over USB-C.
There ’ s a little magnetic adapter that attaches to the bottom of the case if you want to plug in for charging while it ’ s on , though fast wireless charging is the more convenient option in that scenario .
The secondary screen is an exact match for the primary display , with the same resolution and even the notch cutout .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part , which LG says helps cut costs and preserve color uniformity . )
The most common use case for the Dual Screen is the simplest : two apps at once .
This thing is the ultimate Zoom phone , let me tell you .
You can chat with your colleagues over Zoom on one screen and look at cute pets on Instagram with the other .
Want to browse Twitter while watching Netflix , YouTube , or Prime Video ?
Have at it .
Once we ’ re all allowed outside again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it easy to keep an eye on my Uber or Lyft while writing an email at the same time .
And this makes for an easy way of listening to music on YouTube while doing something else on the primary display .
It ’ s all admittedly superfluous , but I still found myself really liking the flexibility at times .
LG optimizes some of its own apps for Dual Screen .
When you take a shot with the camera and tap to see the photo , it pops up on the secondary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open and ready for more snaps .
You can use the V60 like a mini laptop or portable game console with the entire bottom display serving as a keyboard or gamepad .
You can also stretch a small number of apps ( including some from Google like Maps , Gmail , and Chrome ) across both screens at once , but I never found this very useful .
The gap in the middle is too hard to ignore .
LG , now on its third Dual Screen release , hasn ’ t made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big opening to come in and show everyone what an Android device with two displays can really be .
But remember that you can always just detach the chunky , heavy Dual Screen case when you don ’ t need those multitasking powers .
Points for versatility , I suppose .
The rear dual-camera system delivers good results , with the main 64MP sensor ( pixel binned down to 16MP ) is able to capture a lot of dynamic range and detail .
LG kicked off the ultra-wide trend , so that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for .
As is the norm , it ’ s a bit softer than the primary one .
The third “ lens ” is just a time-of-flight sensor for depth data , so the V60 doesn ’ t have any kind of portrait or optical zoom lens in its repertoire .
But I was very pleased with the color processing , pleasant depth-of-field , and overall output from LG ’ s camera .
The company is using a larger sensor this year , which explains some of those improvements .
If the V60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night mode , which doesn ’ t meet the bar that Apple , Google , and Huawei have set .
Video recording is also solid — LG gives you more manual control over settings and bit rate than most Android phones — though 8K is just silly overkill at the moment .
You can ’ t even edit 8K footage on-device , so what does that tell you ?
Stick with 4K or 1080p and the V60 still excels , second only to Apple in video quality .
You can always count on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camera feature , and this time , it ’ s 3D photos .
If you ’ ve ever seen one of these on Facebook , you know what to expect .
You snap a shot , and the V60 uses depth information to create the illusion that the focused-on object is shifting around as you move your phone .
I took like two of these and then ignored 3D photos altogether .
A nicer , more important touch about the camera is that , in most lighting conditions , the viewfinder is displayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really add any benefit , but now that I ’ ve had a taste , I want that smoothness from the camera on every other phone .
LG ’ s software remains a messy mixed bag .
Some of it is good , like the excellent camera app , which has all of the manual controls you could want and helpful tools like focus peaking .
The audio recorder app is also best in class .
I even had a good experience with LG Pay ( I just happened to have one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported ) , which can trick payment terminals into thinking you swiped a real credit card with a magnetic stripe — just like Samsung Pay .
Other corners of the software experience feel like they ’ ve been abandoned .
The icons and general appearance feel dated ( even after a recent refresh ) .
And somehow , still , in the year 2020 , LG ’ s app launcher can not keep apps organized alphabetically .
Every time you install a new app or game , you ’ ve got to sort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Switching to a third-party launcher means losing out on Android 10 ’ s gesture navigation , and none of them are optimized for the secondary display .
The awkward software decisions extend to the Dual Screen , which is treated like its own home screen , which makes total sense , but it also gets its own app drawer instead of just mirroring the main phone ’ s , which makes no sense at all .
And then there ’ s the bloatware .
LG is not selling an unlocked version of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re at the mercy of Verizon , AT & T , and T-Mobile — and it ’ s not pretty .
After setting up the phone , you ’ ll find at least five or six games you don ’ t want and a handful of carrier apps that you can ’ t fully uninstall .
The Verizon V60 constantly presented me with a “ helpful ” device health notification that encouraged me to restart the phone and clear its memory cache .
These are unnecessary , annoying distractions that people really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of the most under-the-radar perks of the V60 is proper stylus support .
If you buy a Wacom pen , you ’ ll get Galaxy Note-like pressure sensitivity for drawing .
There ’ s an optional slide-in shortcuts bar where you can quickly start writing a new memo , annotate whatever ’ s on your screen , and access other tricks .
LG doesn ’ t have its own stylus like Samsung ’ s S-Pen or a slot to carry one in , but what ’ s here is pretty useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ V60 ’ s versatility .
It should say everything about the V60 being a jack-of-all-trades that I ’ m ending on stylus support .
This phone gives you a ton for $ 800 — even if you go without the Dual Screen .
It ’ s a blazing performer , battery life might be the best for any phone in 2020 so far , and it ’ s got terrific headphone audio .
But I really wish LG had done more with the giant display .
I can put up with the bezels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already becoming table stakes at this price in the Android world .
If I ’ m sacrificing comfort and ergonomics , the display had better be incredible .
And I ’ m willing to pay a couple extra hundred bucks for it .
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These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
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LG is planning a major refresh for its next mainstream smartphone, but before getting there, the company decided to release another entry in its spec-heavy V-series, the V60 ThinQ. With advanced manual camera controls, a hi-fi headphone jack, and top-end specs, these phones have always been geared toward tech enthusiasts.
This year, LG is undercutting Samsung’s Galaxy S20 — the Android standard-bearer for 2020 — in price, while still trying to cram a lot of upgrades into the V60. It’s got a Snapdragon 865 processor with 5G connectivity and is capable of shooting 8K video. You can outfit the V60 with a second display (with the optional Dual Screen case) for unrivaled multitasking. Microsoft’s Surface Duo is set to arrive later this year, and it will push the dual-display phone concept forward, but LG is already on its third try with the V60.
7.5 Verge Score LG V60 ThinQ 5G $ 899.99 The Good Effortless, speedy performance
Worry-free battery life
The headphone jack lives and shines on The Bad This phone is enormous
No high-refresh display
Software remains too inconsistent $900 at AT&T$900 at Best Buy How we rate and review products
But the V60 lacks some of the features that are increasingly common on “flagship” Android devices in 2020. There’s no fluid 90Hz or 120Hz display; LG instead sticks with a traditional, no-frills 60Hz panel. Its bezels are plain to see and thicker than what you’d find on a Samsung or OnePlus. As other high-end devices move up to 12GB of RAM (and beyond), LG is being slightly conservative with 8GB of memory. And despite continued refinement, the Dual Screen accessory never really unlocks its full potential: the big selling point is still that basic, core ability to run different apps side by side at the same time. But LG’s hallmarks — a good camera, blissful headphone audio, and top-notch performance — are still represented in the V60. Pricing is a little scattered, with the phone itself costing $800 (T-Mobile) or around $900 with the Dual Screen on Verizon and AT&T. Either way, you come in under the S20’s $999 sticker price.
The V60 just does so much (doubly so if you get it with the Dual Screen) that, in a vacuum, it’s hard not to be impressed. The battery life is astounding, and it’s an excellent choice for the type of person who will use every trick this phone has in its arsenal. If that’s not you, there’s ample reason to look at Samsung or OnePlus instead.
Fair warning, though: even people familiar with LG’s past efforts will be taken aback by the V60’s size. This is a big, honking phone. At 6.67 inches tall and 3.06 inches wide, it’s somehow even larger than the Galaxy S20 Ultra and pays absolutely no mind to ergonomics. It’s possible to use the V60 with one hand, but doing so is an ill-advised exercise in finger gymnastics and grip adjustments. The chamfered aluminum rails offer a secure grasp on the phone, which has a flat 6.8-inch screen and sloped glass back. Volume toggles and a non-remappable Google Assistant shortcut button take up the left side, with the power button on the right. The V60 comes with 128GB of storage, but it supports microSD expansion.
At the bottom, you’ll find a speaker (which doubles up with the earpiece for stereo output), USB-C port, and a headphone jack, which still includes LG’s excellent 32-bit DAC for audiophile-grade music playback — if you’ve got the right headphones to get the most from it. LG gets my praise both for keeping the jack around and delivering a listening experience that can rival dedicated hi-fi audio players. Listening to hi-res tracks in Amazon Music HD with my Sennheiser headphones made me appreciate LG’s quest to preserve the headphone jack even when everyone else has moved on.
The V60 comes in either white (with silver edges) or navy blue, which has a gold frame. To me, there’s no debate to be had: the blue V60 is a stunner of a phone. The white one, meanwhile, is forgettable. LG uses an in-display optical fingerprint scanner on the V60, and my success rate was mixed, inconsistent, and worse than the readers I’ve used on Samsung and OnePlus phones. This is one of those cases where I miss the old, more reliable rear fingerprint sensors. (The V60 doesn’t have an equivalent to Face ID like the G8 ThinQ did.)
The V60’s display is a nice 2460 x 1080 OLED panel with a tiny teardrop notch that houses the front-facing camera. As I mentioned earlier, LG hasn’t managed to shave away bezels to the same extent as other companies. Some will find the black borders ugly; others will be thankful to avoid accidental presses — an occasional frustration that affects curved screens with barely there bezels. Brightness, color vibrancy, contrast, and viewing angles are all perfectly satisfactory, if a rung or two below Samsung’s best phone displays.
But the lack of a buttery-smooth 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate is noticeable and made all the more obvious when you switch between the V60 and something like the Galaxy S20 or Pixel 4 XL. Not everyone will care, and I think LG made this trade-off partially because driving two displays at 90Hz or 1440p would have posed a challenge. Still, I wish the option existed at least for the main phone. To me, this is the V60’s most glaring downside when compared against its 2020 competition. It offers a ton of power, but it feels held back — like it didn’t quite get the whole upgrade checklist — by the same-as-ever scrolling.
So the screen is a bit of a letdown, but there’s some good in all of this. Limiting the display to 60Hz and a modest resolution, combined with a massive 5,000mAh battery, helps the V60 achieve fantastic battery life. I’ve been able to keep the V60 running well into and through a second day of frequent use. This stamina only applies when using the phone by itself, however, since enabling the Dual Screen case will curtail battery longevity by 20 to 30 percent.
Throughout my review period, the Snapdragon 865 chipset has performed flawlessly, with the V60 chewing through any task I threw at it. Wi-Fi 6 is supported, and the V60 can pull down 5G data on T-Mobile and AT&T, though only Verizon is selling a version that works with ultra-fast (but very limited) millimeter-wave 5G.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: LG V60 Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To use the LG V60 ThinQ 5G, you must agree to: LG privacy agreement
Google terms of service (including privacy policy)
Google Play terms of service For contactless payments, you must agree to: LG Pay privacy policy (.pdf link) Note that LG’s carrier partners — in this case Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — have their own privacy policies and will sometimes request location access or permission to store data on your device for their various services In total, that’s three mandatory agreements and an optional one for LG Pay.
Like the G8x, the V60’s Dual Screen connects over USB-C. There’s a little magnetic adapter that attaches to the bottom of the case if you want to plug in for charging while it’s on, though fast wireless charging is the more convenient option in that scenario. The secondary screen is an exact match for the primary display, with the same resolution and even the notch cutout. (It’s literally the same panel part, which LG says helps cut costs and preserve color uniformity.)
The most common use case for the Dual Screen is the simplest: two apps at once. This thing is the ultimate Zoom phone, let me tell you. You can chat with your colleagues over Zoom on one screen and look at cute pets on Instagram with the other. Want to browse Twitter while watching Netflix, YouTube, or Prime Video? Have at it. Once we’re all allowed outside again, I know the V60 will make it easy to keep an eye on my Uber or Lyft while writing an email at the same time. And this makes for an easy way of listening to music on YouTube while doing something else on the primary display. It’s all admittedly superfluous, but I still found myself really liking the flexibility at times.
LG optimizes some of its own apps for Dual Screen. When you take a shot with the camera and tap to see the photo, it pops up on the secondary display, so the camera app stays open and ready for more snaps. You can use the V60 like a mini laptop or portable game console with the entire bottom display serving as a keyboard or gamepad. You can also stretch a small number of apps (including some from Google like Maps, Gmail, and Chrome) across both screens at once, but I never found this very useful. The gap in the middle is too hard to ignore. LG, now on its third Dual Screen release, hasn’t made much progress and is leaving Microsoft a big opening to come in and show everyone what an Android device with two displays can really be. But remember that you can always just detach the chunky, heavy Dual Screen case when you don’t need those multitasking powers. Points for versatility, I suppose.
The rear dual-camera system delivers good results, with the main 64MP sensor (pixel binned down to 16MP) is able to capture a lot of dynamic range and detail. LG kicked off the ultra-wide trend, so that’s what the second 13MP camera is for. As is the norm, it’s a bit softer than the primary one. The third “lens” is just a time-of-flight sensor for depth data, so the V60 doesn’t have any kind of portrait or optical zoom lens in its repertoire. But I was very pleased with the color processing, pleasant depth-of-field, and overall output from LG’s camera. The company is using a larger sensor this year, which explains some of those improvements. If the V60 has one weakness, it’s night mode, which doesn’t meet the bar that Apple, Google, and Huawei have set. Video recording is also solid — LG gives you more manual control over settings and bit rate than most Android phones — though 8K is just silly overkill at the moment. You can’t even edit 8K footage on-device, so what does that tell you? Stick with 4K or 1080p and the V60 still excels, second only to Apple in video quality.
You can always count on LG to toss in one very strange camera feature, and this time, it’s 3D photos. If you’ve ever seen one of these on Facebook, you know what to expect. You snap a shot, and the V60 uses depth information to create the illusion that the focused-on object is shifting around as you move your phone. I took like two of these and then ignored 3D photos altogether. A nicer, more important touch about the camera is that, in most lighting conditions, the viewfinder is displayed at 60fps. It doesn’t really add any benefit, but now that I’ve had a taste, I want that smoothness from the camera on every other phone.
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LG’s software remains a messy mixed bag. Some of it is good, like the excellent camera app, which has all of the manual controls you could want and helpful tools like focus peaking. The audio recorder app is also best in class. I even had a good experience with LG Pay (I just happened to have one of the few cards that’s currently supported), which can trick payment terminals into thinking you swiped a real credit card with a magnetic stripe — just like Samsung Pay.
Other corners of the software experience feel like they’ve been abandoned. The icons and general appearance feel dated (even after a recent refresh). And somehow, still, in the year 2020, LG’s app launcher cannot keep apps organized alphabetically. Every time you install a new app or game, you’ve got to sort the list again. Come on. Switching to a third-party launcher means losing out on Android 10’s gesture navigation, and none of them are optimized for the secondary display. The awkward software decisions extend to the Dual Screen, which is treated like its own home screen, which makes total sense, but it also gets its own app drawer instead of just mirroring the main phone’s, which makes no sense at all.
And then there’s the bloatware. LG is not selling an unlocked version of the V60 in the US, so you’re at the mercy of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and it’s not pretty. After setting up the phone, you’ll find at least five or six games you don’t want and a handful of carrier apps that you can’t fully uninstall. The Verizon V60 constantly presented me with a “helpful” device health notification that encouraged me to restart the phone and clear its memory cache. These are unnecessary, annoying distractions that people really don’t need to worry about.
One of the most under-the-radar perks of the V60 is proper stylus support. If you buy a Wacom pen, you’ll get Galaxy Note-like pressure sensitivity for drawing. There’s an optional slide-in shortcuts bar where you can quickly start writing a new memo, annotate whatever’s on your screen, and access other tricks. LG doesn’t have its own stylus like Samsung’s S-Pen or a slot to carry one in, but what’s here is pretty useful and, again, speaks to the V60’s versatility.
It should say everything about the V60 being a jack-of-all-trades that I’m ending on stylus support. This phone gives you a ton for $800 — even if you go without the Dual Screen. It’s a blazing performer, battery life might be the best for any phone in 2020 so far, and it’s got terrific headphone audio. But I really wish LG had done more with the giant display. I can put up with the bezels just fine, but high-refresh screens are already becoming table stakes at this price in the Android world. If I’m sacrificing comfort and ergonomics, the display had better be incredible. And I’m willing to pay a couple extra hundred bucks for it.
Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge


theverge--2020-04-17--Google is reportedly working on its own Apple Card-style smart debit card

Google is reportedly testing its own Google-branded smart debit card that will help customers make and track purchases made online and in stores , according to a report from TechCrunch .
The project is meant to be a new centerpiece for Google ’ s existing Google Pay system , which currently only does online and peer-to-peer payments by adding a physical debit card that could be used for a wider variety of purchases .
An expanded debit card presence would allow Google to be more useful in keeping track of payments and purchases , as well as provide the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unlike Apple ’ s own Apple Card — which is a full-blown credit card — the Google project is said to be a debit card , with partners like Citi and Stanford Federal Credit Union ( the card itself is a Visa card , although Google may expand that to other payment processors like Mastercard , too . )
But much like the Apple Card , the Google debit card is designed to work as a physical card and a tap-to-pay digital card on a phone , and it will offer a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retailers .
Google ’ s app reportedly will allow customers to easily track purchases ( including leveraging tools like Google Maps and its vast database of retailers to contact or navigate a previously visited store . )
Customers will also be able to use the Google Pay app to lock their card in the event of theft or loss , or lock the account entirely .
Right now , though , Google ’ s debit card appears to just be a more convenient ( and potentially ) more secure face on existing debit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s report doesn ’ t seem to indicate whether Google will be offering any perks or benefits for using its system , like the Apple Card ’ s various cash back offers , or even if customers will get any discounts for using the Google-branded cards to purchase Google products and services .
TechCrunch ’ s report also doesn ’ t mention when it plans to launch the debit card or if the test will ever get a full consumer release .
The company did release a statement to TechCrunch noting , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner with banks and credit unions in the US to offer smart checking accounts through Google Pay , helping their customers benefit from useful insights and budgeting tools , while keeping their money in an FDIC or NCUA-insured account .
Our lead partners today are Citi and Stanford Federal Credit Union , and we look forward to sharing more details in the coming months .
”

Google is reportedly testing its own Google-branded smart debit card that will help customers make and track purchases made online and in stores, according to a report from TechCrunch.
The project is meant to be a new centerpiece for Google’s existing Google Pay system, which currently only does online and peer-to-peer payments by adding a physical debit card that could be used for a wider variety of purchases. An expanded debit card presence would allow Google to be more useful in keeping track of payments and purchases, as well as provide the company with valuable insight on consumer spending.
Unlike Apple’s own Apple Card — which is a full-blown credit card — the Google project is said to be a debit card, with partners like Citi and Stanford Federal Credit Union (the card itself is a Visa card, although Google may expand that to other payment processors like Mastercard, too.) But much like the Apple Card, the Google debit card is designed to work as a physical card and a tap-to-pay digital card on a phone, and it will offer a separate virtual card number for use with online retailers.
Google’s app reportedly will allow customers to easily track purchases (including leveraging tools like Google Maps and its vast database of retailers to contact or navigate a previously visited store.) Customers will also be able to use the Google Pay app to lock their card in the event of theft or loss, or lock the account entirely.
Right now, though, Google’s debit card appears to just be a more convenient (and potentially) more secure face on existing debit card options from banks. TechCrunch’s report doesn’t seem to indicate whether Google will be offering any perks or benefits for using its system, like the Apple Card’s various cash back offers, or even if customers will get any discounts for using the Google-branded cards to purchase Google products and services.


theverge--2020-04-17--San Diego Comic-Con is canceled for the first time in 50 years

San Diego Comic-Con , one of the world ’ s biggest comic book conventions , is officially canceled .
The convention will instead run next year , from July 22nd through July 25th , 2021 .
Comic-Con , often referred to as SDCC , was scheduled to run from July 23rd through July 26th .
People who have already purchased badges for the convention will have the opportunity to either request a full refund or transfer their badges to Comic-Con 2021 , according to the organizers .
Those who booked hotels via onPeak , the service used in partnership with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refunded .
“ Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year , ” the organizers said in a statement .
“ Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and while we are saddened to take this action , we know it ’ s the right decision ” San Diego Comic-Con is a major boom for the city .
More than 130,000 people attended in 2018 , with similar numbers reported in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , and the event is a massive boom to local San Diego businesses .
SDCC is the latest large event to be canceled because of the novel coronavirus pandemic .
South by Southwest was canceled in late February .
The Game Developers Conference , Mobile World Congress , Facebook ’ s F8 developer conference , Google ’ s Cloud Next conference , E3 , and Google ’ s I/O developer conference are just some of the other conferences that have faced delays , cancellations , or were moved to being held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures and while we are saddened to take this action , we know it ’ s the right decision , ” David Glanzer , a spokesperson for the organization , said in a statement .
“ We eagerly look forward to the time when we can all meet again and share in the community we all love and enjoy .
”

San Diego Comic-Con, one of the world’s biggest comic book conventions, is officially canceled. The convention will instead run next year, from July 22nd through July 25th, 2021.
Comic-Con, often referred to as SDCC, was scheduled to run from July 23rd through July 26th. People who have already purchased badges for the convention will have the opportunity to either request a full refund or transfer their badges to Comic-Con 2021, according to the organizers. Those who booked hotels via onPeak, the service used in partnership with SDCC, will also see their deposits refunded.
“Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year,” the organizers said in a statement.
“Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and while we are saddened to take this action, we know it’s the right decision”
San Diego Comic-Con is a major boom for the city. More than 130,000 people attended in 2018, with similar numbers reported in 2017 and 2016. People come from around the world, and the event is a massive boom to local San Diego businesses.


theverge--2020-04-17--NASA sets date for SpaceX’s first passenger flight on Crew Dragon

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting May 27th for the first crewed flight of SpaceX ’ s Crew Dragon — a newly developed vehicle designed to take astronauts to the International Space Station .
The demonstration mission , which will carry two NASA astronauts to orbit , will mark the first time people have launched from American soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 .
This flight has been in the making for years , ever since NASA selected SpaceX and rival Boeing to develop new spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SpaceX has been transforming its Dragon cargo capsule —which has been taking supplies to the ISS for years — into a vehicle that can carry people .
After six years of development , as well as various testing successes and failures along the way , the capsule is ready to finally carry its first passengers on a flight test .
NASA astronaut Doug Hurley will serve as the spacecraft commander while NASA astronaut Bob Behnken will be the joint operations commander .
the date for the mission comes at an incredibly difficult time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission comes at an incredibly difficult time as the world is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic .
The launch is set to take place from NASA ’ s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral , Florida .
On April 1st , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis issued a stay-at-home order for residents in the state to help combat the spread of COVID-19 .
Meanwhile , NASA has issued mandatory telework policies at all of its centers , with exceptions for essential personnel .
However , the space agency says it is monitoring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ NASA is proactively monitoring the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) situation as it evolves , ” NASA said in a statement issued in March , when it sent out a call for press to cover the launch .
“ The agency will continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency ’ s chief health and medical officer and communicate any updates that may impact mission planning or media access , as they become available.
” Regardless of who is there to see it , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a huge deal for both NASA and SpaceX .
It ’ ll mark the first time that SpaceX has launched people on any of its vehicles , and the launch will help verify if the Crew Dragon is ready to start regularly doing flights to and from the ISS .
The flight will also help end NASA ’ s reliance on Russia , which is the only country currently capable of sending astronauts to the ISS .
A lot is riding on this mission , even if the timing is not ideal @

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting May 27th for the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon — a newly developed vehicle designed to take astronauts to the International Space Station. The demonstration mission, which will carry two NASA astronauts to orbit, will mark the first time people have launched from American soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.
This flight has been in the making for years, ever since NASA selected SpaceX and rival Boeing to develop new spacecraft to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS as part of the Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX has been transforming its Dragon cargo capsule —which has been taking supplies to the ISS for years — into a vehicle that can carry people. After six years of development, as well as various testing successes and failures along the way, the capsule is ready to finally carry its first passengers on a flight test. NASA astronaut Doug Hurley will serve as the spacecraft commander while NASA astronaut Bob Behnken will be the joint operations commander.
the date for the mission comes at an incredibly difficult time
Of course, the date for the mission comes at an incredibly difficult time as the world is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic. The launch is set to take place from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. On April 1st, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a stay-at-home order for residents in the state to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, NASA has issued mandatory telework policies at all of its centers, with exceptions for essential personnel. However, the space agency says it is monitoring the pandemic as it prepares for the launch.
“NASA is proactively monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation as it evolves,” NASA said in a statement issued in March, when it sent out a call for press to cover the launch. “The agency will continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency’s chief health and medical officer and communicate any updates that may impact mission planning or media access, as they become available.”


theverge--2020-04-17--Netflix is making a bunch of documentaries free on YouTube

Several of Netflix ’ s nature documentaries , including the critically acclaimed Our Planet and Babies , are streaming for free on the streamer ’ s YouTube page .
Netflix normally allows teachers to access and stream its documentaries in classrooms for various teachings , but since schools are closed right now , the company is bringing those documentaries to YouTube .
This way , teachers can assign documentaries for students to watch without worrying about whether students have access to Netflix .
“ Each title also has educational resources available , which can be used by both students and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ and we ’ ll be doing Q & As with some of the creators behind these projects so that students can hear from them firsthand.
” The 10 documentaries available for free include 13th , Abstract , Babies , Chasing Coral , Explained , Knock Down the House , Our Planet , Period .
End of a Sentence , The White Helmets , and Zion .
A couple of the documentaries focus on nature ; others center on social issues , including poverty , racism , and systemic injustices .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found on Netflix ’ s blog .
Although the documentaries are only available in English right now , Netflix ’ s blog states that subtitles “ in more than a dozen languages will be available later this week .
”

Several of Netflix’s nature documentaries, including the critically acclaimed Our Planet and Babies, are streaming for free on the streamer’s YouTube page.
Netflix normally allows teachers to access and stream its documentaries in classrooms for various teachings, but since schools are closed right now, the company is bringing those documentaries to YouTube. This way, teachers can assign documentaries for students to watch without worrying about whether students have access to Netflix.
“Each title also has educational resources available, which can be used by both students and teachers,” a press release reads, “and we’ll be doing Q&As with some of the creators behind these projects so that students can hear from them firsthand.”


theverge--2020-04-18--Many Instacart shoppers reportedly still waiting on safety kits the company promised

Some workers for grocery delivery platform Instacart are still waiting on the safety kits the company promised two weeks ago , according to a new report in Wired .
And , according to shoppers Wired spoke with , the process to receive the kits was confusing and cumbersome .
Instacart said March 29th it would distribute hand sanitizer to all its full-service shoppers , most of whom are independent contractors .
On April 2nd , the company said the shoppers would get “ health and safety kits ” that included a reusable face mask , hand sanitizer , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kits through an internal Instacart website .
But according to Wired , workers said the website was confusing to navigate , and left them uncertain of when or if the kits would arrive .
The company told Wired it had limited the daily number of orders allowed so that it would be able to verify everyone applying was a legitimate Instacart worker .
An Instacart spokesperson said in a statement emailed to The Verge on Saturday that the company was “ singularly focused on the health and safety of our shopper community , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take necessary precautions .
“ Our teams have proactively secured personal protective equipment for the Instacart shopper community including health and safety kits of face masks and thermometers , as well as worked with a third-party to manufacture hand sanitizer , ” the spokesperson said .
“ We began shipping these items over the last two weeks and are moving quickly to get them in the hands of Instacart shoppers.
” The kits apparently started arriving for some shoppers : Instacart announced on March 9th it was giving 14 days of paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who were put into mandatory quarantine , later extending that benefit through May 8th .
It also introduced a bonus program and additional promotions for full-service shoppers to earn more based on regional demand .
Instacart shoppers staged a one-day work stoppage March 30th to protest what they viewed as unsafe working conditions , and demanded the company not only provide personal protective equipment for shoppers but hazard pay as well .
The company said last month it was hiring 300,000 new shoppers due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .

Some workers for grocery delivery platform Instacart are still waiting on the safety kits the company promised two weeks ago, according to a new report in Wired. And, according to shoppers Wired spoke with, the process to receive the kits was confusing and cumbersome.
Instacart said March 29th it would distribute hand sanitizer to all its full-service shoppers, most of whom are independent contractors. On April 2nd, the company said the shoppers would get “health and safety kits” that included a reusable face mask, hand sanitizer, and a thermometer. Workers were to order the kits through an internal Instacart website.
But according to Wired, workers said the website was confusing to navigate, and left them uncertain of when or if the kits would arrive. The company told Wired it had limited the daily number of orders allowed so that it would be able to verify everyone applying was a legitimate Instacart worker.
An Instacart spokesperson said in a statement emailed to The Verge on Saturday that the company was “singularly focused on the health and safety of our shopper community,” and was working with health officials to take necessary precautions.
“Our teams have proactively secured personal protective equipment for the Instacart shopper community including health and safety kits of face masks and thermometers, as well as worked with a third-party to manufacture hand sanitizer,” the spokesperson said. “We began shipping these items over the last two weeks and are moving quickly to get them in the hands of Instacart shoppers.”
The kits apparently started arriving for some shoppers:
Instacart announced on March 9th it was giving 14 days of paid leave to any part-time workers or shoppers who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who were put into mandatory quarantine, later extending that benefit through May 8th. It also introduced a bonus program and additional promotions for full-service shoppers to earn more based on regional demand.
Instacart shoppers staged a one-day work stoppage March 30th to protest what they viewed as unsafe working conditions, and demanded the company not only provide personal protective equipment for shoppers but hazard pay as well.


theverge--2020-04-18--Cuomo issues order allowing New Yorkers to obtain marriage licenses over Zoom

With New York ’ s marriage bureaus closed because of the coronavirus pandemic , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that the state will begin allowing marriage licenses to be granted remotely , and , for clerks to conduct ceremonies over video .
“ There is now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage , ” he said during his Saturday briefing .
“ You can do it by Zoom .
Yes or no.
” One of the states hardest hit by the coronavirus , New York is under a statewide stay-at-home order .
With most people under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requirements due to the pandemic , # ZoomWeddings have become a popular way for brides and grooms to keep their wedding dates , inviting friends and family to participate remotely .
Cuomo ’ s order takes it a step further , giving New York couples who were planning marriage but didn ’ t have their licenses yet to get the necessary paperwork handled via video .
There doesn ’ t seem to be any requirement that couples have to use Zoom for their license application and ceremony , of course ; plenty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other video conferencing platforms .
Also during Saturday ’ s briefing , Cuomo said hospitalizations and intubations in New York continued to decline , and said it was possible New York could be past its peak of infections .
Still , he reported , 540 people died of the coronavirus in New York on Friday , bringing the state ’ s death toll to 13,362 .

With New York’s marriage bureaus closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that the state will begin allowing marriage licenses to be granted remotely, and, for clerks to conduct ceremonies over video.
“There is now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage,” he said during his Saturday briefing. “You can do it by Zoom. Yes or no.”
One of the states hardest hit by the coronavirus, New York is under a statewide stay-at-home order. With most people under some kind of stay-at-home or social distancing requirements due to the pandemic, #ZoomWeddings have become a popular way for brides and grooms to keep their wedding dates, inviting friends and family to participate remotely.
Cuomo’s order takes it a step further, giving New York couples who were planning marriage but didn’t have their licenses yet to get the necessary paperwork handled via video. There doesn’t seem to be any requirement that couples have to use Zoom for their license application and ceremony, of course; plenty of remote weddings have happened over FaceTime and other video conferencing platforms.


theverge--2020-04-18--Instagram’s cofounders built a website to track state-by-state spread of COVID-19

Using data from the Covid Tracking Project , the cofounders of Instagram created a website to track the state-by-state spread of COVID-19 in the US , Bloomberg News reported .
The website , RT.live , uses a statistic known in epidemiology as the effective reproduction number .
It tracks the average number of people who catch the virus from one infected person .
“ We ’ re trying to take what is a complex topic and boil it down to a simple number that anyone can view from their home , ” former Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom told Bloomberg .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets its data , is an all-volunteer initiative that collects data from trustworthy known sources , such as public health authorities , and reports state-by-state details about the number of COVID-19 tests given , whether they ’ re positive or negative , the number of hospitalizations and number of deaths .
Systrom told Bloomberg the goal with RT.live was to help give people a better understanding of what the spread of the virus looks like at the local level .
He and fellow Instagram cofounder Mike Krieger left the company in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook .
Neither one has a background in health or epidemiology , according to Bloomberg .

Using data from the Covid Tracking Project, the cofounders of Instagram created a website to track the state-by-state spread of COVID-19 in the US, Bloomberg News reported.
The website, RT.live, uses a statistic known in epidemiology as the effective reproduction number. It tracks the average number of people who catch the virus from one infected person.
“We’re trying to take what is a complex topic and boil it down to a simple number that anyone can view from their home,” former Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom told Bloomberg.
The Covid Tracking Project, where RT.live gets its data, is an all-volunteer initiative that collects data from trustworthy known sources, such as public health authorities, and reports state-by-state details about the number of COVID-19 tests given, whether they’re positive or negative, the number of hospitalizations and number of deaths.
Systrom told Bloomberg the goal with RT.live was to help give people a better understanding of what the spread of the virus looks like at the local level.


theverge--2020-04-18--Amazon using thermal cameras at some warehouses to scan workers for fevers

Amazon is now using thermal cameras at its warehouses to help screen workers for fevers , Reuters reports .
The thermal imaging cameras are faster to use than the standard forehead thermometers Amazon had been using to test workers for fevers , which are a primary symptom of the coronavirus .
“ We implemented daily temperature checks in our operations locations as an additional preventative measure to support the health and safety of our employees who continue to provide a critical service in our communities , ” Amazon spokesperson Kristen Kish said in a statement emailed to The Verge .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thermal cameras for temperature screening to create a more streamlined experience at some of our sites.
” As people shelter at home , demand for delivery of food and household goods has exploded .
Amazon already has hired the 100,000 workers it announced it would be adding to deal with the surge in orders .
With cases of the virus reported at more than 50 Amazon warehouses in the US — one estimate puts the number of cases at more than 300 — workers have protested at several Amazon facilities , demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company closed six of its fulfillment centers in France at least through April 20th , after a French court ruled Amazon could be fined €1 million per item if it ships anything not directly related to medical supplies , hygiene products , and food items .
In addition to temperature checks , Amazon has also been distributing masks and disinfecting work stations .
It ’ s now building its own testing lab for workers , to test them for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .

Amazon is now using thermal cameras at its warehouses to help screen workers for fevers, Reuters reports. The thermal imaging cameras are faster to use than the standard forehead thermometers Amazon had been using to test workers for fevers, which are a primary symptom of the coronavirus.
“We implemented daily temperature checks in our operations locations as an additional preventative measure to support the health and safety of our employees who continue to provide a critical service in our communities,” Amazon spokesperson Kristen Kish said in a statement emailed to The Verge. “We are now implementing the use of thermal cameras for temperature screening to create a more streamlined experience at some of our sites.”
As people shelter at home, demand for delivery of food and household goods has exploded. Amazon already has hired the 100,000 workers it announced it would be adding to deal with the surge in orders.
With cases of the virus reported at more than 50 Amazon warehouses in the US — one estimate puts the number of cases at more than 300 — workers have protested at several Amazon facilities, demanding warehouses be closed and cleaned. The company closed six of its fulfillment centers in France at least through April 20th, after a French court ruled Amazon could be fined €1 million per item if it ships anything not directly related to medical supplies, hygiene products, and food items.


theverge--2020-04-18--GameStop is discounting video games, preowned consoles, and more today only

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
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These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
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Welcome to the weekend .
GameStop is hosting a one-day deal on video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
If you ’ ve had a few titles , a spare controller , or anything else on your wishlist , it ’ s worth checking out some of the deals .
Since GameStop ’ s physical stores are closed due to the pandemic , you ’ ll be able to shop all of these deals online and have them delivered straight to your residence .
Here are a few stand-out offers .
( Note : if games aren ’ t your bag , there are more deals below on iPhone SE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) In case you missed it , the iPhone SE 2 is now available for preorder .
It officially releases on April 24th , next Friday , and you can place an order right now at Apple .
Alternatively , Best Buy is offering a $ 50 gift card if you plan to upgrade your line or activate a new one via Verizon , Sprint , or AT & T .
If you don ’ t want to roll with a carrier , the retailer is selling unlocked versions of the phone as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can pick up orders curbside at one of its stores , or you can just have it delivered to home .
Walmart is offering a deal on the iPhone SE 2 during the preorder phase , too , so long as you plan to purchase the phone with a device payment plan through AT & T , Verizon , or Sprint .
The retailer says it will take $ 200 off the total cost of the phone , so the 64GB version would cost just $ 199 , plus activation fees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month for 24 months or 30 months , depending on the carrier you elect to join or upgrade on .
Lastly , for a deal on a phone that is currently available , the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are each $ 300 off their usual respective prices .
Each size of Pixel 4 and each storage configuration is 37 percent off at the Google Store , Best Buy , and Amazon .
For your reference , the Pixel 4 originally sells for $ 799 outside of a deal like this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a big price drop , now seems like a good chance to explore getting Google ’ s latest flagship phone .

Welcome to the weekend. GameStop is hosting a one-day deal on video games, consoles, accessories, and more. If you’ve had a few titles, a spare controller, or anything else on your wishlist, it’s worth checking out some of the deals.
Since GameStop’s physical stores are closed due to the pandemic, you’ll be able to shop all of these deals online and have them delivered straight to your residence.
Here are a few stand-out offers. (Note: if games aren’t your bag, there are more deals below on iPhone SE 2 preorders and the Pixel 4.)
Xbox One X (1TB, preowned) / Was $300, now 23% off $230 at GameStop
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
PlayStation 4 Pro (1TB, preowned) / Was $400, now 32% off $270 at GameStop
Resident Evil Triple Pack (Nintendo Switch) / Was $60, now 33% off for Resident Evil 4, 5, and 6 $40 at GameStop
Image: Platinum Games
Nier: Automata Game of the Yorha Edition (PS4) / Was $40, now 52% off $19 at GameStop
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint (PS4, Xbox One) / Was $60, now 75% off $15 at GameStop
Borderlands 3 (PS4, Xbox One) / Was $60, now 67% off $20 at GameStop
Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
Nintendo Labo (Variety Kit for Nintendo Switch) / Was $70, now 65% off $25 at GameStop
Image: Apple
In case you missed it, the iPhone SE 2 is now available for preorder. It officially releases on April 24th, next Friday, and you can place an order right now at Apple. Alternatively, Best Buy is offering a $50 gift card if you plan to upgrade your line or activate a new one via Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T. If you don’t want to roll with a carrier, the retailer is selling unlocked versions of the phone as well. As far as delivery goes, you can pick up orders curbside at one of its stores, or you can just have it delivered to home.
Walmart is offering a deal on the iPhone SE 2 during the preorder phase, too, so long as you plan to purchase the phone with a device payment plan through AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint. The retailer says it will take $200 off the total cost of the phone, so the 64GB version would cost just $199, plus activation fees and taxes paid upfront, paid each month for 24 months or 30 months, depending on the carrier you elect to join or upgrade on.
Lastly, for a deal on a phone that is currently available, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are each $300 off their usual respective prices. Each size of Pixel 4 and each storage configuration is 37 percent off at the Google Store, Best Buy, and Amazon. For your reference, the Pixel 4 originally sells for $799 outside of a deal like this. So if you’ve been waiting for a big price drop, now seems like a good chance to explore getting Google’s latest flagship phone.


theverge--2020-04-18--Judge dismisses Twitter lawsuit that sought to reveal government surveillance requests

A federal judge has ruled that Twitter can ’ t reveal surveillance requests it received from the US government , putting an end to legal battle that lasted six years , Reuters reported .
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote in her order that Twitter ’ s request to reveal part of its Draft Transparency Report “ would be likely to lead to grave or imminent harm to the national security.
” Twitter sued the Justice Department in 2014 , arguing that its free speech rights were being violated since it was prohibited from revealing the number of government surveillance requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Google and Facebook , reached an agreement with the US government earlier in 2014 to break out national security requests in broad numbers , Twitter said that measure was insufficient .
“ Allowing Twitter , or any other similarly situated company , to only disclose national security requests within an overly broad range seriously undermines the objective of transparency , ” Twitter ’ s policy director Jeremy Kessel wrote at the time .
In a statement emailed to The Verge on Saturday , a Twitter spokesperson said the company was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision but that it would continue to fight for transparency , adding that “ freedom of expression is the cornerstone of why we exist.
” “ We believe it is vital that the public see the demands we receive , and how we work to strike a balance between respecting local law , supporting people ’ s ability to Tweet , and protecting people from harm , ” the spokesperson said .

A federal judge has ruled that Twitter can’t reveal surveillance requests it received from the US government, putting an end to legal battle that lasted six years, Reuters reported. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers wrote in her order that Twitter’s request to reveal part of its Draft Transparency Report “would be likely to lead to grave or imminent harm to the national security.”
Twitter sued the Justice Department in 2014, arguing that its free speech rights were being violated since it was prohibited from revealing the number of government surveillance requests it receives.
While several other companies, including Google and Facebook, reached an agreement with the US government earlier in 2014 to break out national security requests in broad numbers, Twitter said that measure was insufficient. “Allowing Twitter, or any other similarly situated company, to only disclose national security requests within an overly broad range seriously undermines the objective of transparency,” Twitter’s policy director Jeremy Kessel wrote at the time.
In a statement emailed to The Verge on Saturday, a Twitter spokesperson said the company was “disappointed” with the court’s decision but that it would continue to fight for transparency, adding that “freedom of expression is the cornerstone of why we exist.”
“We believe it is vital that the public see the demands we receive, and how we work to strike a balance between respecting local law, supporting people’s ability to Tweet, and protecting people from harm,” the spokesperson said.