theverge--2020-01-08--TikTok vulnerability could have let hackers access users’ videos

Cybersecurity research firm Check Point Research says it found “ multiple vulnerabilities ” within video sharing app TikTok that demonstrated its insecurity as scrutiny for the Chinese-owned company continues to grow .
Check Point found that it was possible to spoof text messages to make them appear to come from TikTok .
Once a user clicked the fake link , a hacker would have been able to access parts of their TikTok account , including uploading and deleting videos and changing settings on existing videos from public to private .
Check Point also found that TikTok ’ s infrastructure would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hacked user to a malicious website that looked like TikTok ’ s homepage .
This could have been combined with cross-site scripting and other attacks on the user ’ s account .
Sending links and other secure information over SMS is a well-known security concern and a favorite method for cybercriminals who want to access users ’ phones .
In 2014 , the UK ’ s Information Commissioner ’ s Office fined a concert promoter more than $ 100,000 for sending spoofed text messages to concertgoers that appeared to come from their mothers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hackers could get around Gmail and Yahoo ’ s two-factor authentication safeguards by intercepting 2FA confirmation codes via SMS message .
Check Point says it notified TikTok ’ s parent company about the security vulnerabilities in November , and the app has since fixed the problem .
“ TikTok is committed to protecting user data .
Like many organizations , we encourage responsible security researchers to privately disclose zero day vulnerabilities to us , ” TikTok security team member Luke Deshotels said in a statement .
“ Before public disclosure , Check Point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the latest version of our app .
We hope that this successful resolution will encourage future collaboration with security researchers.
” Oded Vanunu , the lead researcher on Check Point ’ s report , said an app like TikTok — which is close to 1.5 billion global users in just two and a half years since launching outside of China — is a ripe target for hackers because of the amount of data and potentially private information being transferred .
Since apps like TikTok can be used across multiple platforms , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to escalate their activity quickly , he said .
“ We see huge amounts of malicious activity on IM and social networks , ” Vanunu said in an interview with The Verge .
“ What we ’ re trying to make sure people understand is that the cyber space is something that doesn ’ t just start and end on a sophisticated platform , but that if you ’ re in cyber space , even for day to day activity , your data and privacy are at risk.
” And it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are vulnerable to attack , Vanunu added .
“ Even for veteran applications , they are not more or less vulnerable , but there ’ s potentially much more opportunity since they have so many users , ” he said .
TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance .
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States says the app could pose national security concerns for Americans and possibly be used to influence or monitor them .
The US Army has barred soldiers from using the TikTok app on government-owned phones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Check Point ’ s research didn ’ t get into whether TikTok posed any specific national security concerns but that it was not difficult to draw certain conclusions based on what it did find .
“ You can link the dots on what could be the implications for geopolitical cyber warfare , ” he said .

Cybersecurity research firm Check Point Research says it found “multiple vulnerabilities” within video sharing app TikTok that demonstrated its insecurity as scrutiny for the Chinese-owned company continues to grow.
Check Point found that it was possible to spoof text messages to make them appear to come from TikTok. Once a user clicked the fake link, a hacker would have been able to access parts of their TikTok account, including uploading and deleting videos and changing settings on existing videos from public to private.
Check Point also found that TikTok’s infrastructure would have allowed a hacker to redirect a hacked user to a malicious website that looked like TikTok’s homepage. This could have been combined with cross-site scripting and other attacks on the user’s account.
Sending links and other secure information over SMS is a well-known security concern and a favorite method for cybercriminals who want to access users’ phones. In 2014, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office fined a concert promoter more than $100,000 for sending spoofed text messages to concertgoers that appeared to come from their mothers. Amnesty International documented in 2018 how hackers could get around Gmail and Yahoo’s two-factor authentication safeguards by intercepting 2FA confirmation codes via SMS message.
Check Point says it notified TikTok’s parent company about the security vulnerabilities in November, and the app has since fixed the problem.
“TikTok is committed to protecting user data. Like many organizations, we encourage responsible security researchers to privately disclose zero day vulnerabilities to us,” TikTok security team member Luke Deshotels said in a statement. “Before public disclosure, Check Point agreed that all reported issues were patched in the latest version of our app. We hope that this successful resolution will encourage future collaboration with security researchers.”
Oded Vanunu, the lead researcher on Check Point’s report, said an app like TikTok — which is close to 1.5 billion global users in just two and a half years since launching outside of China — is a ripe target for hackers because of the amount of data and potentially private information being transferred. Since apps like TikTok can be used across multiple platforms, it’s easier for a malicious actor to escalate their activity quickly, he said.
“We see huge amounts of malicious activity on IM and social networks,” Vanunu said in an interview with The Verge. “What we’re trying to make sure people understand is that the cyber space is something that doesn’t just start and end on a sophisticated platform, but that if you’re in cyber space, even for day to day activity, your data and privacy are at risk.”
And it’s not just newer apps like TikTok that are vulnerable to attack, Vanunu added. “Even for veteran applications, they are not more or less vulnerable, but there’s potentially much more opportunity since they have so many users,” he said.
TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States says the app could pose national security concerns for Americans and possibly be used to influence or monitor them. The US Army has barred soldiers from using the TikTok app on government-owned phones, calling it a cyberthreat.


theverge--2020-01-08--MSI’s Creator 17 is the ‘world’s very first’ Mini LED laptop

MSI is showing off its Creator 17 laptop at CES 2020 , which it says is the “ world ’ s very first ” laptop to feature a Mini LED display .
By using much smaller LEDs as a backlight , the laptop ’ s 17-inch 4K display can dim and brighten with much more accuracy than LCD displays with a traditional LED backlight .
CNET reports that Mini LED screens typically use LEDs that are smaller than 2mm in size .
The technology should be especially helpful for displaying HDR content , which benefits from a sharp level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an image .
The technology means that the display has 240 local dimming zones , according to MSI , which is a lot considering its 17-inch size .
For comparison , Apple ’ s 6K $ 6,000 XDR display has 576 dimming zones , but it ’ s almost double the size at 32 inches .
MSI also boasts that the Creator 17 ’ s screen can display 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut , and can get as bright as 1000 nits , which is considered a good maximum for delivering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Creator 17 is the only laptop to achieve this brightness , although HP ’ s Dragonfly from last year would beg to disagree .
Mini LED might offer more dimming zones than regular LED LCD displays , but it ’ s important to note that it ’ s not the same as MicroLED , the new — and so far ultra-expensive — display technology that Samsung has been developing .
The LEDs in a Mini LED display are only responsible for backlighting the LCD layer , whereas with MicroLED they replace it entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of performance to OLED , without the brightness limitations or problems with burn-in — the latter of which is a particular problem for laptops .
It ’ s also worth noting that a Mini LED backlight by itself is no guarantee of screen quality .
Just look at Rtings review of the Mini LED-equipped TCL 8-series Q825 from last year , which CNET notes was the first Mini LED TV on the market .
While Rtings said that the local dimming was decent overall , it criticized the local dimming algorithm controlling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in dark scenes and was distracting in other moments .
MSI is yet to announce a release date or pricing details for the Creator 17 , and nor do we have much of an idea of its internal specifications at this time .

MSI is showing off its Creator 17 laptop at CES 2020, which it says is the “world’s very first” laptop to feature a Mini LED display. By using much smaller LEDs as a backlight, the laptop’s 17-inch 4K display can dim and brighten with much more accuracy than LCD displays with a traditional LED backlight. CNET reports that Mini LED screens typically use LEDs that are smaller than 2mm in size.
The technology should be especially helpful for displaying HDR content, which benefits from a sharp level of contrast between light and dark areas of an image. The technology means that the display has 240 local dimming zones, according to MSI, which is a lot considering its 17-inch size. For comparison, Apple’s 6K $6,000 XDR display has 576 dimming zones, but it’s almost double the size at 32 inches.
Its display can also reach a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. Image: MSI
MSI also boasts that the Creator 17’s screen can display 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and can get as bright as 1000 nits, which is considered a good maximum for delivering decent HDR performance. MSI says the Creator 17 is the only laptop to achieve this brightness, although HP’s Dragonfly from last year would beg to disagree.
The 17-inch screen has 240 local dimming zones
Mini LED might offer more dimming zones than regular LED LCD displays, but it’s important to note that it’s not the same as MicroLED, the new — and so far ultra-expensive — display technology that Samsung has been developing. The LEDs in a Mini LED display are only responsible for backlighting the LCD layer, whereas with MicroLED they replace it entirely. MicroLED aims to offer a similar level of performance to OLED, without the brightness limitations or problems with burn-in — the latter of which is a particular problem for laptops.
It’s also worth noting that a Mini LED backlight by itself is no guarantee of screen quality. Just look at Rtings review of the Mini LED-equipped TCL 8-series Q825 from last year, which CNET notes was the first Mini LED TV on the market. While Rtings said that the local dimming was decent overall, it criticized the local dimming algorithm controlling the LEDs, which could crush details in dark scenes and was distracting in other moments.


theverge--2020-01-08--Linksys Wi-Fi will soon monitor your breathing as well as movement

Linksys Velop mesh routers can already sense movement inside homes , now they ’ re adding the ability to monitor the health of human inhabitants with the introduction of new Wellness Pods .
Created in collaboration with AI company Origin Wireless , Wellness Pods work together with Linksys Velop Tri-Band nodes and Linksys Aware software to track breathing patterns and sleep quality , according to Linksys .
They can also be used to detect falls of elderly family members .
It does all this without the use of wearables or cameras , which could alleviate some privacy concerns .
Linksys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disruptions in radio wave intensity between at least two Velop nodes caused by a person or animal walking through a room , for example .
According to Gizmodo , Linksys Aware measures the network about 30 times a second , but adding a few Wellness Pods to the network increases the sampling rate to 1,500 times a second .
That provides enough detail to detect even subtle movements in a room like human respiration , according to the company .
Linksys isn ’ t providing an exact date or price for the Wellness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes later this year .
A subscription to Linksys Aware currently costs $ 2.99 per month or $ 24.99 annually .

Linksys Velop mesh routers can already sense movement inside homes, now they’re adding the ability to monitor the health of human inhabitants with the introduction of new Wellness Pods.
Created in collaboration with AI company Origin Wireless, Wellness Pods work together with Linksys Velop Tri-Band nodes and Linksys Aware software to track breathing patterns and sleep quality, according to Linksys. They can also be used to detect falls of elderly family members. It does all this without the use of wearables or cameras, which could alleviate some privacy concerns.
Linksys is able to detect motion by measuring disruptions in radio wave intensity between at least two Velop nodes caused by a person or animal walking through a room, for example. According to Gizmodo, Linksys Aware measures the network about 30 times a second, but adding a few Wellness Pods to the network increases the sampling rate to 1,500 times a second. That provides enough detail to detect even subtle movements in a room like human respiration, according to the company.


theverge--2020-01-07--ICANN’s founding chairman joins the battle to keep .org out of private hands

In November , the Internet Society ( ISOC ) , which owns the Public Interest Registry ( PIR ) , the group that maintains the .org top-level domain , announced it would sell PIR to Ethos Capital , a private equity firm — an ownership structure that would seem to be at odds with what .org represents .
Today , a group of internet and nonprofit leaders formed a nonprofit cooperative corporation that ’ s trying to stop the sale and become the future stewards of the .org domain instead ( via The New York Times ) .
The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooperative Corporation of .ORG Registrants , is led by many people who currently have or have had influence over the inner workings of the Internet , including Esther Dyson , the founding chairman of ICANN ( the non-profit that oversees domain names on the internet ) , Katherine Maher , the CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation ( the parent company of Wikipedia ) , and William Woodcock , the executive director of Packet Clearing House ( an organization that helps support internet infrastructure and the domain name system ) .
Directors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal Directors of the new group spoke strongly against the deal in interviews with The New York Times .
Woodcock , of Packet Clearing House , for example , said that the PIR-Ethos deal could undermine a “ common good.
” And they ’ re positioning the group as a better steward of .org , because it would be a nonprofit .
Dyson , the former ICANN chair , said that the new group ’ s incentive would be to “ protect nonprofits and the public.
” And Maher , the CEO of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporation would offer “ an alternative model with a long-term commitment to the open and noncommercial internet.
” However , it ’ s unclear if ICANN can actually stop the sale of PIR to Ethos .
It seems that authority could fall to ICANN , even if ICANN isn ’ t a regulatory agency .
Its primary job is to give official status to domain registrars and make sure they comply with domain ownership policies .
ICANN is trying to learn more about the transaction , though , and wrote a letter on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more info .
If , based on the answers provided , ICANN thinks Ethos shouldn ’ t be the group to operate .org , it ’ s unclear what happens next — but perhaps the new cooperative corporation can convince ICANN that it ’ s the better .org operator .

In November, the Internet Society (ISOC), which owns the Public Interest Registry (PIR), the group that maintains the .org top-level domain, announced it would sell PIR to Ethos Capital, a private equity firm — an ownership structure that would seem to be at odds with what .org represents. Today, a group of internet and nonprofit leaders formed a nonprofit cooperative corporation that’s trying to stop the sale and become the future stewards of the .org domain instead (via The New York Times).
The new non-profit cooperative corporation, officially called the Cooperative Corporation of .ORG Registrants, is led by many people who currently have or have had influence over the inner workings of the Internet, including Esther Dyson, the founding chairman of ICANN (the non-profit that oversees domain names on the internet), Katherine Maher, the CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation (the parent company of Wikipedia), and William Woodcock, the executive director of Packet Clearing House (an organization that helps support internet infrastructure and the domain name system).
Directors of the new group are speaking strongly against the deal
Directors of the new group spoke strongly against the deal in interviews with The New York Times. Woodcock, of Packet Clearing House, for example, said that the PIR-Ethos deal could undermine a “common good.” And they’re positioning the group as a better steward of .org, because it would be a nonprofit. Dyson, the former ICANN chair, said that the new group’s incentive would be to “protect nonprofits and the public.” And Maher, the CEO of Wikimedia, said that the new cooperative corporation would offer “an alternative model with a long-term commitment to the open and noncommercial internet.”
However, it’s unclear if ICANN can actually stop the sale of PIR to Ethos. It seems that authority could fall to ICANN, even if ICANN isn’t a regulatory agency. Its primary job is to give official status to domain registrars and make sure they comply with domain ownership policies. ICANN is trying to learn more about the transaction, though, and wrote a letter on December 9th to ISOC and PIR asking for more info.


theverge--2020-01-07--Sprint is killing off Virgin Mobile USA

Sprint is killing off Virgin Mobile USA

We lost the excellent Virgin America airline a few years back , and the virtual cellular network that owes its name to Sir Richard Branson may soon be on its way out too .
Sprint announced today that it ’ s going to be shutting down Virgin Mobile USA starting on February 2nd , transferring existing customers to Boost Mobile instead .
An FAQ on Virgin Mobile USA ’ s website doesn ’ t specify a particular date the shutdown will be complete , but does say that customers can get a head start on the transfer to Boost if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you won ’ t notice much of a difference .
A Sprint spokesperson told FierceWireless that customers will be able to keep the same phone and keep paying the same price , and you ’ ll still technically be on the same Sprint network .
That said , you may need to change how you pay for Boost Mobile , as the company says it won ’ t be supporting PayPal accounts or 45/90 Day top-ups .
This isn ’ t the end of Virgin Mobile , by the way .
While its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also currently being phased out , it ’ s still a cellular brand in Sir Richard Branson ’ s native UK .
But these days , Branson has his sights set a bit higher than cellular .

We lost the excellent Virgin America airline a few years back, and the virtual cellular network that owes its name to Sir Richard Branson may soon be on its way out too. Sprint announced today that it’s going to be shutting down Virgin Mobile USA starting on February 2nd, transferring existing customers to Boost Mobile instead.
Apparently, the brand will go back to its original owner, Virgin Group, which is trying to decide whether it wants to relaunch a new iteration of Virgin Mobile in the US.
Here’s how a Virgin Mobile rep explained it to us:
As part of the remedy process laid out by the Department of Justice for the merger of Sprint and T Mobile, Sprint is transferring its pre-pay mobile brands to Dish. To facilitate this move Virgin Group has agreed with Sprint to transfer existing Virgin Mobile US customers to the Boost brand ahead of the sale to Dish. Following the transfer, Virgin will take back the Virgin Mobile brand for the US. We are delighted that after a period of uncertainty caused by the protracted merger discussions, we have control of our valuable brand once again and will now work on options to relaunch a modern mobile offer in the US.
That doesn’t mean anything except that Virgin is weighing its options: a spokeperson tells us the company will “spend some time assessing the US mobile market opportunity and start talking to interested parties about potential partnerships in due course.”
And by that time, all of Virgin Mobile USA’s existing customers will be gone.
An FAQ on Virgin Mobile USA’s website doesn’t specify a particular date the shutdown will be complete, but does say that customers can get a head start on the transfer to Boost if they want. It’s possible you won’t notice much of a difference. A Sprint spokesperson told FierceWireless that customers will be able to keep the same phone and keep paying the same price, and you’ll still technically be on the same Sprint network.
That said, you may need to change how you pay for Boost Mobile, as the company says it won’t be supporting PayPal accounts or 45/90 Day top-ups.
This isn’t the end of Virgin Mobile, either way. While its Australian counterpart (run by Optus) is also currently being phased out, it’s still a cellular brand in Sir Richard Branson’s native UK. But these days, Branson has his sights set a bit higher than cellular.
We wouldn’t be surprised if the next “Virgin Mobile USA” is simply a name slapped onto an existing MNVO to give it a bit more prestige, the same way that Boost is about to be slapped onto Virgin, and how both Boost and Virgin are basically just Sprint anyhow.


theverge--2020-01-07--CES 2020 rolls on with Intel’s tiny PC, Impossible Pork, and a mask to filter out air pollution

As the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas continued Tuesday , there was no shortage of news and gadgets we didn ’ t know we needed .
There was the mildly silly smart litter box that lets you inspect your cat ’ s poops .
There ’ s the OnePlus concept phone with a disappearing camera .
There was the impossibly tiny new Intel PC , the NUC 9 Extreme , aka Ghost Canyon , that promises an upgradable desktop at a fraction of the size , and a new desktop gaming PC from Razer , the Tomahawk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well Impossible Meat unveiled its new “ pork ” product which my colleague and longtime vegetarian Elizabeth Lopatto concludes is meant for people who need the bridge between real meat and its analogue , not for hardcore vegetarians and vegans .
We ’ ve started to see other socially-conscious devices as well , including a face mask meant to filter out air pollution .
As my colleague Nicole Wetsman writes , however : Ao Air ’ s Atmos Faceware is positioning itself as a tech-driven solution to increasing levels of air pollution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and figuratively burning .
But the $ 350 gadget , which just debuted at CES , may be beyond the price range of people who are most vulnerable to the very problem its seeking to address .
We ’ re in Vegas through the end of CES on January 10th .
Here ’ s more of what the staff at The Verge has seen so far at CES 2020 .

The 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has come to a close, and we have all you need to know about the good, bad, and weird gadgets and tech this year’s event had to offer. The overall theme was concepts, our staff determined when deliberating the annual Verge Awards at CES 2020, which meant a lot of show without a lot of substance:
This year, the things that stole attention at the show were not early looks at products that you and I will be able to actually use and buy over the next 12 months. Sure, there’s the occasional laptop and meat substitute that will be available for purchase in 2020. But for every one of those, there’s a rolling ball robot, virtual personal attendant, or entire vehicle that is never likely to ship.
Our Best in Show award went to Lenovo’s Thinkpad X1 Fold, which — even though it’s on the expensive side and left us with a few questions — was the only foldable laptop with a confirmed shipping window and price tag. Most of the other laptops at this year’s CES were pretty boring, however, with little more than incremental updates on display. But there may be hope for the future with 5G modems and new screen technologies on the horizon.
We doled out awards for the most triumphant CES comeback (Lora DiCarlo), the most overhyped thing at this year’s show (Samsung’s Neon digital avatars), and the most concept (Sony’s Vision-S) as well. Of course, the best non-CES news that everyone at the show was talking about was Sonos’ lawsuit against Google, in which, it accuses the tech giant of patent infringement.


theverge--2020-01-08--British monarchy rocked by Instagram post

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex , Harry and Meghan , announced on Instagram that they “ intend to step back as ‘ senior ’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent , while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.
” The two apparently did not consult with either the Queen or the Prince of Wales before publishing the statement , according to the BBC .
The statement marks a radical departure for one of the most carefully-managed families on Earth .
A statement from Buckingham Palace feels frankly icy : “ Discussions with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an early stage .
We understand their desire to take a different approach , but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.
” Celebrities — most notably Beyoncé — have long used Instagram as a way to speak directly to the public without the intermediary of the press , but this is a departure for the royal family .
The royalty has something called the “ Royal Rota ” system , a pool of reporters from seven British newspapers who cover the various public events the royal family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place well before Instagram ever existed .
Prince Harry and Meghan will no longer participate in this system , they said in a statement on their website .
They have changed the policy because they “ wish to reshape and broaden access to their work.
” This seems to be partly because the royal couple didn ’ t care for the press they were receiving .
In the statement , they wrote : The statement is pointed .
Meghan and Harry are suing the publisher of The Daily Mail , a member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of private information , infringement of copyright , and breach of the Data Protection Act of 2018 .
Harry has also filed suit against the owners of The Sun and The Daily Mirror , two other members of the Royal Rota .
In today ’ s statement on their website , the couple emphasized that they respect the role of media in public life , as well as accurate reporting and reporting that “ fosters inclusivity , diversity and tolerance.
” They will use their social media accounts to “ share more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Royal Rota , they were expected to give any unreleased images to that group first .
That makes it difficult for them to post photos on their Instagram accounts without allowing the Royal Rota to publish them first .
Now , their Instagram account is likely to be much more interesting .
This is close to the logic that has led to American celebrities using social media — the chance to speak directly to an audience , without the intermediary of a reporter , who may write something the celebrity doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story wrong .
Meghan has said that adjusting to royal life has been “ hard ” and that the British tabloids ’ treatment of her has been difficult to bear .
“ I never thought that this would be easy , but I thought it would be fair and that ’ s the part that ’ s really hard to reconcile , ” she said in an interview with ITV ’ s Tom Brady .
“ When I first met Harry , my friends were so excited .
My US friends were happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in that interview .
“ But my British friends , they were sure he was lovely , but they said I shouldn ’ t do it because , ‘ The British tabloids will destroy your life .
’ ”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, announced on Instagram that they “intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.” The two apparently did not consult with either the Queen or the Prince of Wales before publishing the statement, according to the BBC.
The statement marks a radical departure for one of the most carefully-managed families on Earth. A statement from Buckingham Palace feels frankly icy: “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through.”
Celebrities — most notably Beyoncé — have long used Instagram as a way to speak directly to the public without the intermediary of the press, but this is a departure for the royal family. The royalty has something called the “Royal Rota” system, a pool of reporters from seven British newspapers who cover the various public events the royal family attends — and it was put in place well before Instagram ever existed. Prince Harry and Meghan will no longer participate in this system, they said in a statement on their website. They have changed the policy because they “wish to reshape and broaden access to their work.”
This seems to be partly because the royal couple didn’t care for the press they were receiving. In the statement, they wrote:
Britain’s Royal Correspondents are regarded internationally as credible sources of both the work of members of The Royal Family as well as of their private lives. This misconception propels coverage that is often carried by other outlets around the world, amplifying frequent misreporting. Regrettably, stories that may have been filed accurately by Royal Correspondents are, also, often edited or rewritten by media editorial teams to present false impressions.
The statement is pointed. Meghan and Harry are suing the publisher of The Daily Mail, a member of the Royal Rota, over alleged misuse of private information, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act of 2018. Harry has also filed suit against the owners of The Sun and The Daily Mirror, two other members of the Royal Rota.
In today’s statement on their website, the couple emphasized that they respect the role of media in public life, as well as accurate reporting and reporting that “fosters inclusivity, diversity and tolerance.” They will use their social media accounts to “share more, with you, directly.” As members of the Royal Rota, they were expected to give any unreleased images to that group first. That makes it difficult for them to post photos on their Instagram accounts without allowing the Royal Rota to publish them first. Now, their Instagram account is likely to be much more interesting.
This is close to the logic that has led to American celebrities using social media — the chance to speak directly to an audience, without the intermediary of a reporter, who may write something the celebrity doesn’t like, or get the story wrong. Meghan has said that adjusting to royal life has been “hard” and that the British tabloids’ treatment of her has been difficult to bear. “I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought it would be fair and that’s the part that’s really hard to reconcile,” she said in an interview with ITV’s Tom Brady.


theverge--2020-01-08--Instagram seemingly removes Grimes’ pregnancy announcement post for nudity violation

Musician Claire Boucher , better known by her stage name , Grimes , appears to have run afoul of Instagram ’ s nudity ban in a recent post announcing her pregnancy .
Grimes has since reuploaded an edited version of the photo with the caption , “ Censored for insta haha — almost got away [ with it ] .
” Instagram is clear in its guidelines that you can not post images containing nudity .
“ We know that there are times when people might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t allow nudity on Instagram , ” reads the policy .
Instagram did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Grimes posted the photo Wednesday afternoon to her personal Instagram account , featuring the artist topless with a graphic of an unborn child overlaid onto her stomach .
She also posted the photo alongside an edited version of the same photo to her Twitter account , where the post remains up presumably due to Twitter ’ s more lax nudity policies .
Grimes did not elaborate on the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the musician is still currently in a relationship with Tesla CEO Elon Musk .

Musician Claire Boucher, better known by her stage name, Grimes, appears to have run afoul of Instagram’s nudity ban in a recent post announcing her pregnancy. Grimes has since reuploaded an edited version of the photo with the caption, “Censored for insta haha — almost got away [with it].”
Instagram is clear in its guidelines that you cannot post images containing nudity. “We know that there are times when people might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature, but for a variety of reasons, we don’t allow nudity on Instagram,” reads the policy. Instagram did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


theverge--2020-01-08--CES 2020 continues with details about Quibi, a conversation with Neon’s CEO, and new features from T

CES 2020 continues with details about Quibi, a conversation with Neon’s CEO, and new features from Twitter

Quibi and Twitter announced some interesting news during the second full day of CES CES 2020 continues with details about Quibi , a conversation with Neon ’ s CEO , and new features from Twitter Share All sharing options for : CES 2020 continues with details about Quibi , a conversation with Neon ’ s CEO , and new features from Twitter The Consumer Electronics Show ( CES ) in Las Vegas rolls on , and though the volume of news has slowed a bit , we ’ re still learning a lot about what ’ s to come in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to chat with Jeffery Katzenberg and Meg Whitman to learn about the upcoming mobile streaming service Quibi .
One particularly intriguing idea is the app ’ s “ Turnstyle ” technology , which lets you instantly switch between portrait and landscape video and shows your content in a slightly different way based on which way you ’ re holding your phone .
The Verge spoke with the CEO of Samsung-owned Neon as well to learn more about the company ’ s “ artificial humans , ” which look to be pretty overhyped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes coming to conversations , including one that will let you limit who can reply to your tweets , which could help solve some of issues with abuse and harassment on the platform .
We also rode Segway ’ s new two-wheeler , the S-Pod , wrote about the smart tech coming for your bathroom , and observed that AirPods Pro competitors are arriving in droves .
We ’ re in Vegas through the end of CES on January 10th .
Here ’ s more of what the staff at The Verge has @ @ @ @ @ @ @


theverge--2020-01-08--Samsung now thinks it sold either 400,000 or 500,000 Galaxy Folds, but it’s not sure

A month after Samsung executive Young Sohn wrongly claimed the company had sold 1 million Galaxy Fold phones , it has returned with another sales estimate at CES 2020 .
“ I think we ’ ve sold 400,000 to 500,000 Galaxy Fold smartphones , ” Samsung co-CEO DJ Koh told Korea ’ s Yonhap News Agency .
Given that Koh runs Samsung ’ s entire mobile phone division , it ’ s likely that his number is closer to the mark when it comes to the actual number of Galaxy Folds sold so far .
But Koh ’ s number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-CEO of Samsung has a better idea of how many of the company ’ s most cutting-edge and experimental phones were sold than “ 400,000 to 500,000 ” ?
It ’ s not just a matter of nitpicking , either : Samsung previously said that its goal in 2019 was to sell half a million Folds .
There ’ s a big difference between selling 400,000 Folds and missing that goal or 500,000 devices and hitting it .
And vagueness around exact numbers is exactly what led to the flood of misinformation the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million Folds sold number .
( In that case , the company claimed that Sohn had confused Samsung ’ s original sale target of 1 million devices with the actual number sold . )
In either case , 400,000 to 500,000 Folds sold is still impressive , even if it pales in comparison to other Samsung smartphones and even more niche Samsung devices , like its pricier 5G variants of the S10 and Note 10 .
Samsung recently announced that it sold 6.7 million 5G phones in 2019 , far outpacing Galaxy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of delays around the Galaxy Fold and the drama surrounding its release , with Samsung canceling its original launch after review units ( including our own ) began to break for a variety of reasons .
The company would go on to redesign several aspects to the Galaxy Fold to prevent these issues , with the phone launching in September 2019 , months after the original April 2019 date .
Despite the seemingly lackluster sales , the initial Galaxy Fold is expected to merely be the start of Samsung ’ s foldable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have multiple other foldable phones in the works , with talks of a vertically folding clamshell foldable planned to launch alongside the Galaxy S20 at an event in February .

A month after Samsung executive Young Sohn wrongly claimed the company had sold 1 million Galaxy Fold phones, it has returned with another sales estimate at CES 2020. “I think we’ve sold 400,000 to 500,000 Galaxy Fold smartphones,” Samsung co-CEO DJ Koh told Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
Given that Koh runs Samsung’s entire mobile phone division, it’s likely that his number is closer to the mark when it comes to the actual number of Galaxy Folds sold so far. But Koh’s number is still frustratingly vague. Surely the co-CEO of Samsung has a better idea of how many of the company’s most cutting-edge and experimental phones were sold than “400,000 to 500,000”?
Koh’s number is still frustratingly vague
It’s not just a matter of nitpicking, either: Samsung previously said that its goal in 2019 was to sell half a million Folds. There’s a big difference between selling 400,000 Folds and missing that goal or 500,000 devices and hitting it. And vagueness around exact numbers is exactly what led to the flood of misinformation the first time around, with the incorrect 1 million Folds sold number. (In that case, the company claimed that Sohn had confused Samsung’s original sale target of 1 million devices with the actual number sold.)
In either case, 400,000 to 500,000 Folds sold is still impressive, even if it pales in comparison to other Samsung smartphones and even more niche Samsung devices, like its pricier 5G variants of the S10 and Note 10. Samsung recently announced that it sold 6.7 million 5G phones in 2019, far outpacing Galaxy Fold numbers.
Still, given the months of delays around the Galaxy Fold and the drama surrounding its release, with Samsung canceling its original launch after review units (including our own) began to break for a variety of reasons. The company would go on to redesign several aspects to the Galaxy Fold to prevent these issues, with the phone launching in September 2019, months after the original April 2019 date.


theverge--2020-01-08--NASA finally rolls out completed core of its massive new rocket

Today , NASA rolled out the completed core section of its massive new rocket , the Space Launch System , which is designed to take people into deep space .
The core stage , manufactured at NASA ’ s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans , Louisiana , is now heading to Mississippi where it will undergo key testing before it can launch for the first time .
The Space Launch System , or SLS , is a critical part of NASA ’ s Artemis program , an initiative to return humans to the surface of the Moon by 2024 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ ll be the most powerful rocket in the world , rivaling that of the Saturn V rocket that took the first astronauts to the Moon .
However , the rocket has yet to actually fly .
The SLS has been in development for most of the last decade , experiencing multiple delays and rising costs .
Originally , the monster rocket was meant to debut as early as 2017 ; now , it probably won ’ t launch until 2021 at the earliest .
The SLS has been in development for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the core will travel by boat to NASA ’ s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi .
There , the stage will undergo a major test meant to run through all the biggest steps of launch without actually sending the rocket to space .
Called the Green Run Test , the event will entail filling the core up with propellant and igniting stage ’ s four main engines , just as they would during flight .
However , the rocket will be enclosed in a test stand , not on a launchpad .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes , which is the length of time the main engines should burn during an actual launch .
NASA and Boeing , the primary contractor of the SLS , expect the Green Run Test to occur sometime this summer , and argue the rocket could then ship out to Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral , Florida , anywhere between July and October .
But there ’ s still a lot to do once the rocket makes it to the Cape .
The upper portion of the rocket will be stacked on top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Orion crew capsule will also be lofted on top of the rocket .
For the first SLS flight , no people will actually be inside the Orion , but it will test out the capsule ’ s performance in space .
NASA still doesn ’ t have a solid launch date for this first flight , dubbed Artemis 1 .
But once it launches , the agency hopes to fly another SLS again just a year later , this time with crew on board .
Boeing argues that the company has learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and says that building the next SLS is going 40 percent faster , according to John Shannon , vice president and program manager for the SLS at Boeing .
He noted that welding turned out to be more complicated than expected and that building the engine section of the stage was a challenge , as well .
“ We expected to have the rocket built really by the end of ‘ 17 , so we ’ re about two years late , ” Shannon said on a press call .
“ Boeing completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next rockets will be key if NASA hopes to meet its deadline of sending humans to the Moon within the next four years .
In the meantime , NASA still needs to develop numerous other elements to get humans to the lunar surface , such as space suits and lunar modules .
This year will be a formative one for the agency , revealing if it can actually get all of these vehicles ready in time to safely transport humans to Earth ’ s neighbor .

Today, NASA rolled out the completed core section of its massive new rocket, the Space Launch System, which is designed to take people into deep space. The core stage, manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana, is now heading to Mississippi where it will undergo key testing before it can launch for the first time.
The Space Launch System, or SLS, is a critical part of NASA’s Artemis program, an initiative to return humans to the surface of the Moon by 2024. When it’s complete, it’ll be the most powerful rocket in the world, rivaling that of the Saturn V rocket that took the first astronauts to the Moon. However, the rocket has yet to actually fly. The SLS has been in development for most of the last decade, experiencing multiple delays and rising costs. Originally, the monster rocket was meant to debut as early as 2017; now, it probably won’t launch until 2021 at the earliest.
The SLS has been in development for most of the last decade
Now, the core will travel by boat to NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. There, the stage will undergo a major test meant to run through all the biggest steps of launch without actually sending the rocket to space. Called the Green Run Test, the event will entail filling the core up with propellant and igniting stage’s four main engines, just as they would during flight. However, the rocket will be enclosed in a test stand, not on a launchpad. This hot fire will last for about eight minutes, which is the length of time the main engines should burn during an actual launch.
NASA and Boeing, the primary contractor of the SLS, expect the Green Run Test to occur sometime this summer, and argue the rocket could then ship out to Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, anywhere between July and October. But there’s still a lot to do once the rocket makes it to the Cape. The upper portion of the rocket will be stacked on top of the core, then NASA’s Orion crew capsule will also be lofted on top of the rocket. For the first SLS flight, no people will actually be inside the Orion, but it will test out the capsule’s performance in space.
NASA still doesn’t have a solid launch date for this first flight, dubbed Artemis 1. But once it launches, the agency hopes to fly another SLS again just a year later, this time with crew on board. Boeing argues that the company has learned lessons from building this first core stage and says that building the next SLS is going 40 percent faster, according to John Shannon, vice president and program manager for the SLS at Boeing. He noted that welding turned out to be more complicated than expected and that building the engine section of the stage was a challenge, as well. “We expected to have the rocket built really by the end of ‘17, so we’re about two years late,” Shannon said on a press call. “Boeing completely owns that.”


theverge--2020-01-08--Ring says it has fired four employees for abusing access to user video

In a letter to lawmakers about its security practices , Amazon ’ s Ring admitted that , over the past four years , it has fired four employees for abusing access to user video data ( via CNET ) .
Ring ’ s letter was sent to five senators on Monday , in response to a letter they sent to Ring in November with questions about the company ’ s security practices .
Here is what the company said : Over the last four years , Ring has received four complaints or inquiries regarding a team member ’ s access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the individuals involved in these incidents was authorized to view video data , the attempted access to that data exceeded what was necessary for their job functions .
In each instance , once Ring was made aware of the alleged conduct , Ring promptly investigated the incident , and after determining that the individual violated company policy , terminated the individual .
The incidents Ring refers to could be related to reports by The Information and The Intercept of Ring giving its Ukraine-based research and development team unrestricted access to an Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created .
In its response to the senators , Ring denied that its Ukraine-based R & D team had this level of access , but it did reveal that three employees are able to access stored customer videos to help maintain Ring ’ s AWS infrastructure : ... our R & D teams can only access publicly available videos and videos available from Ring employees , contractors , and friends and family of employees or contractors with their express consent .
Additionally , customers may give their express consent to our customer service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live camera feed when troubleshooting a specific customer issue .
Aside from this , a very limited number of employees ( currently three ) have the ability to access stored customer videos for the purpose of maintaining Ring ’ s AWS infrastructure .
Ring declined to confirm this to The Verge , saying it doesn ’ t comment on personnel matters .
In the letter , Ring claimed that it was “ not aware of any breach of a customer ’ s personally identifiable information that would require reporting to government agencies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing stolen login credentials from other sites being used to access Ring devices — something the company also said in response to the reports of data leaks in December .
In the letter , Ring said that it ’ s encouraging the use of two-factor authentication to help combat that issue , which it now proactively requires for new accounts .
In a statement to The Verge , Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-OR ) , one of the five senators who wrote to Ring in November , said that Ring needs to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Requiring two-factor for new accounts is a step in the right direction , but there are millions of consumers who already have a Ring camera in their homes who remain needlessly vulnerable to hackers .
Amazon needs to go further – by protecting all Ring devices with two-factor authentication .
It is also disturbing to learn that Ring ’ s encryption of user videos lags behind other companies , who ensure that only users have the encryption keys to access their data .
Ring tells The Verge that the reason it hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all existing users is because that could lock current customers out of their cameras , cameras they may rely on for security .
There may be some truth to that : Ring founder Jamie Siminoff also told my colleague Dan Seifert that forcing existing customers to adopt two-factor authentication would require Ring to log everyone out of their systems .
If so , users who couldn ’ t remember or retrieve their Ring login info might be in trouble .
Ring ’ s data security practices have come under continued scrutiny , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments .
For example , in August , Vice reported that police departments have asked Ring to share the personal information of people who have purchased Ring cameras through subsidy programs .
In September , Vice reported that Ring gave a Georgia police department an “ active camera ” map of Ring owners in the area .
Most recently , BuzzFeed News reported that Ring is being sued for following incidents of hackers taking over Ring devices .
Update January 8th , 7:37PM ET : Added statement and additional information provided by Ring @

In a letter to lawmakers about its security practices, Amazon’s Ring admitted that, over the past four years, it has fired four employees for abusing access to user video data (via CNET).
Ring’s letter was sent to five senators on Monday, in response to a letter they sent to Ring in November with questions about the company’s security practices.
Here is what the company said:
Over the last four years, Ring has received four complaints or inquiries regarding a team member’s access to Ring video data. Although each of the individuals involved in these incidents was authorized to view video data, the attempted access to that data exceeded what was necessary for their job functions. In each instance, once Ring was made aware of the alleged conduct, Ring promptly investigated the incident, and after determining that the individual violated company policy, terminated the individual.
(You can read the full letter here.)
The incidents Ring refers to could be related to reports by The Information and The Intercept of Ring giving its Ukraine-based research and development team unrestricted access to an Amazon web server with every Ring video ever created.
In its response to the senators, Ring denied that its Ukraine-based R&D team had this level of access, but it did reveal that three employees are able to access stored customer videos to help maintain Ring’s AWS infrastructure:
...our R&D teams can only access publicly available videos and videos available from Ring employees, contractors, and friends and family of employees or contractors with their express consent. Additionally, customers may give their express consent to our customer service department to provide temporary access to their live camera feed when troubleshooting a specific customer issue. Aside from this, a very limited number of employees (currently three) have the ability to access stored customer videos for the purpose of maintaining Ring’s AWS infrastructure.
Ring declined to confirm this to The Verge, saying it doesn’t comment on personnel matters.
In the letter, Ring claimed that it was “not aware of any breach of a customer’s personally identifiable information that would require reporting to government agencies,” but it said that it is seeing stolen login credentials from other sites being used to access Ring devices — something the company also said in response to the reports of data leaks in December.
In the letter, Ring said that it’s encouraging the use of two-factor authentication to help combat that issue, which it now proactively requires for new accounts. In a statement to The Verge, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), one of the five senators who wrote to Ring in November, said that Ring needs to do more to protect Ring users’ accounts:
Requiring two-factor for new accounts is a step in the right direction, but there are millions of consumers who already have a Ring camera in their homes who remain needlessly vulnerable to hackers. Amazon needs to go further – by protecting all Ring devices with two-factor authentication. It is also disturbing to learn that Ring’s encryption of user videos lags behind other companies, who ensure that only users have the encryption keys to access their data.
Ring tells The Verge that the reason it hasn’t turned on two-factor authentication for all existing users is because that could lock current customers out of their cameras, cameras they may rely on for security. There may be some truth to that: Ring founder Jamie Siminoff also told my colleague Dan Seifert that forcing existing customers to adopt two-factor authentication would require Ring to log everyone out of their systems. If so, users who couldn’t remember or retrieve their Ring login info might be in trouble.
Ring’s data security practices have come under continued scrutiny, particularly the data it shares with law enforcement departments. For example, in August, Vice reported that police departments have asked Ring to share the personal information of people who have purchased Ring cameras through subsidy programs. In September, Vice reported that Ring gave a Georgia police department an “active camera” map of Ring owners in the area. Most recently, BuzzFeed News reported that Ring is being sued for following incidents of hackers taking over Ring devices.


theverge--2020-01-08--Sonos’ Google feud is really about platform power

Yesterday , Sonos filed two lawsuits against Google over its wireless speaker tech .
The company alleges that Google infringed on patents for syncing a group of speakers over a local network , an idea that Sonos pioneered before Google followed up with products like the Home and Home Mini .
It ’ s not the first time Sonos has filed a lawsuit over patent infringement .
But patents don ’ t look like the heart of the issue here .
The real fight with Google is about monopolies and modern computing — and a world where a few huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consume their competition .
Big companies copying smaller ones is nothing new .
Plenty of startups like Sonos have innovative ideas , only to see larger competitors launch similar products at cheaper prices .
Sometimes these tactics are illegal , either because the design directly infringes on a patent or copyright or because the big company ’ s tactics rise to the level of antitrust violations .
Sometimes , the companies are simply out of luck — fashion designers get ripped off constantly , for example , and it ’ s often completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the accusations , saying it ’ s prepared to defend its products in court . )
Google Assistant restrictions were seemingly the last straw for Sonos But based on Sonos executives ’ interviews with The New York Times , the final straw wasn ’ t the alleged infringement .
It was Google using its Assistant voice command platform as a cudgel .
Voice commands have become a standard feature on speakers , and Google Assistant is one of the most ubiquitous .
While the company offers a free software development kit , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That gives Google a lot of power over hardware makers , and Google may have used it to retaliate against Sonos .
One anecdote suggests Google set stricter terms for using Assistant , for example , after receiving complaints about the patents .
Google has financial stakes in basically every level of computing systems like smart speakers .
It makes hardware to put in people ’ s homes , just like Sonos .
But it also makes a voice assistant that ’ s functionally an operating system for those speakers — something Sonos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquisition .
It runs services that provide content like music .
And it ’ s built software that can mine voice data for valuable insights about users .
When Google finds a gap in its ecosystem , it often just acquires a company that fills it , like Android , Nest , and Fitbit .
That means Sonos isn ’ t just going up against a bigger company with more resources ; it ’ s playing on a field operated by its biggest competitors that can use that influence to quietly scuttle useful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sonos wanted to roll out simultaneous support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa — an extra feature that would justify a higher price and set Sonos apart .
But Google and Amazon reportedly forced Sonos to drop the plan .
( Amazon denies that it did so . )
Sonos executives claim that Google maintains a standing ban on Assistant working alongside any competing product from Amazon , Apple , Microsoft , or Baidu .
Google is one of the most powerful companies in this space , but computing walled gardens are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft famously tried to control Windows ’ software ecosystem in the ‘ 90s , leading to a landmark antitrust case .
Google competitors like Apple and Amazon have similar kinds of vertical integration .
This has led to bitter feuds in which these companies block each others ’ services from their hardware , and it ’ s led to antitrust lawsuits from smaller players like Spotify — which has argued that Apple ’ s iOS App Store effectively “ taxes ” the independent music app to the advantage of its own Apple Music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with fewer functional choices since they have to declare allegiance to an ecosystem before they buy a gadget .
It ’ s an industry-wide problem , and just getting Google to license patents won ’ t solve it .
Big companies can still legally copy the concept of a product since you can ’ t patent an idea — and consumers would lose out on lots of improved , refined designs if that weren ’ t true .
The problem is creating an environment where companies can compete on the merits of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution ?
One extreme option is to break up this big , vertical chain so that Google ’ s voice assistant division , for example , wouldn ’ t have the same profit motive as its speaker hardware division .
( This could also make it easier for other voice assistants to thrive so Google Assistant wouldn ’ t be so important in the first place . )
2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) has announced plans to split up tech giants , although her Democratic rivals largely haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican lawmakers have also speculated about breaking up Facebook and Google .
The less drastic solution is making systems more interoperable , so companies like Sonos could use products like Google Assistant without approval — whether because of a new law or implemented through reverse-engineering and other unauthorized methods .
Services like Google Assistant currently collect a lot of user data , and the more they ’ re opened up to other companies , the greater the potential risk of a breach .
But they can also be designed differently or regulated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sonos isn ’ t making an unfair competition case against Google .
But CEO Patrick Spence is set to testify before a congressional antitrust subcommittee on January 17th — and whatever the outcome of its infringement lawsuits , the company is facing much bigger problems than violated patents .

Yesterday, Sonos filed two lawsuits against Google over its wireless speaker tech. The company alleges that Google infringed on patents for syncing a group of speakers over a local network, an idea that Sonos pioneered before Google followed up with products like the Home and Home Mini.
It’s not the first time Sonos has filed a lawsuit over patent infringement. But patents don’t look like the heart of the issue here. The real fight with Google is about monopolies and modern computing — and a world where a few huge companies run locked-down ecosystems and can simply consume their competition.
Big companies copying smaller ones is nothing new. Plenty of startups like Sonos have innovative ideas, only to see larger competitors launch similar products at cheaper prices. Sometimes these tactics are illegal, either because the design directly infringes on a patent or copyright or because the big company’s tactics rise to the level of antitrust violations. Sometimes, the companies are simply out of luck — fashion designers get ripped off constantly, for example, and it’s often completely legal. (Google has obviously denied the accusations, saying it’s prepared to defend its products in court.)
Google Assistant restrictions were seemingly the last straw for Sonos
But based on Sonos executives’ interviews with The New York Times, the final straw wasn’t the alleged infringement. It was Google using its Assistant voice command platform as a cudgel. Voice commands have become a standard feature on speakers, and Google Assistant is one of the most ubiquitous. While the company offers a free software development kit, it’s restricted to non-commercial use. That gives Google a lot of power over hardware makers, and Google may have used it to retaliate against Sonos. One anecdote suggests Google set stricter terms for using Assistant, for example, after receiving complaints about the patents.
Google has financial stakes in basically every level of computing systems like smart speakers. It makes hardware to put in people’s homes, just like Sonos. But it also makes a voice assistant that’s functionally an operating system for those speakers — something Sonos didn’t have until a recent acquisition. It runs services that provide content like music. And it’s built software that can mine voice data for valuable insights about users. When Google finds a gap in its ecosystem, it often just acquires a company that fills it, like Android, Nest, and Fitbit.
That means Sonos isn’t just going up against a bigger company with more resources; it’s playing on a field operated by its biggest competitors that can use that influence to quietly scuttle useful new features. According to the Times, Sonos wanted to roll out simultaneous support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa — an extra feature that would justify a higher price and set Sonos apart. But Google and Amazon reportedly forced Sonos to drop the plan. (Amazon denies that it did so.) Sonos executives claim that Google maintains a standing ban on Assistant working alongside any competing product from Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, or Baidu.
Google is one of the most powerful companies in this space, but computing walled gardens are much bigger than any one company. Microsoft famously tried to control Windows’ software ecosystem in the ‘90s, leading to a landmark antitrust case. Google competitors like Apple and Amazon have similar kinds of vertical integration. This has led to bitter feuds in which these companies block each others’ services from their hardware, and it’s led to antitrust lawsuits from smaller players like Spotify — which has argued that Apple’s iOS App Store effectively “taxes” the independent music app to the advantage of its own Apple Music service. Meanwhile, users end up with fewer functional choices since they have to declare allegiance to an ecosystem before they buy a gadget.
Buying a gadget means declaring allegiance to an ecosystem
It’s an industry-wide problem, and just getting Google to license patents won’t solve it. Big companies can still legally copy the concept of a product since you can’t patent an idea — and consumers would lose out on lots of improved, refined designs if that weren’t true. The problem is creating an environment where companies can compete on the merits of their products.
So what’s the solution? One extreme option is to break up this big, vertical chain so that Google’s voice assistant division, for example, wouldn’t have the same profit motive as its speaker hardware division. (This could also make it easier for other voice assistants to thrive so Google Assistant wouldn’t be so important in the first place.) 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has announced plans to split up tech giants, although her Democratic rivals largely haven’t gone that far, and some Republican lawmakers have also speculated about breaking up Facebook and Google.
The less drastic solution is making systems more interoperable, so companies like Sonos could use products like Google Assistant without approval — whether because of a new law or implemented through reverse-engineering and other unauthorized methods. Services like Google Assistant currently collect a lot of user data, and the more they’re opened up to other companies, the greater the potential risk of a breach. But they can also be designed differently or regulated in ways that promote security.


theverge--2020-01-08--Today’s best gaming laptop deals: Razer Blade 15 Advanced, MSI Stealth, and HP Omen

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Good 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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In addition to the iPad Air and MacBook Pro deals going on today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals on gaming laptops available .
Here are some of the offers we ’ ve rounded up .
The Lenovo Legion Y540 gaming laptop is $ 300 off at B & H Photo .
It ’ s now on sale for $ 1,299 .
This laptop is 15 inches , has a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card , and a six-core Intel Core i7 processor .
It comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD .
If you don ’ t need as much storage space , you can get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SSD for $ 899 ( originally $ 1,079 ) from the Microsoft Store .
A similar model with a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card is $ 959.22 ( initially $ 1,499 ) on Amazon .
Several Razer gaming laptops are on sale on the Microsoft Store , including : • The Razer Blade Pro 17 ( 17 inches , Intel Core i7 , 16GB RAM , 512GB SSD , Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 ) for $ 2,599.99 ( originally $ 2,799.99 ) at the Microsoft Store • The Razer Blade 15 ( Intel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 ) for $ 1,799.99 ( originally $ 1,999.99 ) at Amazon and Best Buy • The Razer Blade 15 Advanced ( 15 inches , Intel Core i7 , 16GB RAM , 256GB SSD , Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 ) for $ 1,899.99 ( originally $ 2,399.99 ) at B & H Photo • The Razer Blade 15 Advanced ( 15 inches , Intel Core i7 , 16GB of RAM , 512GB SSD , Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 ) for $ 2,399.99 ( originally $ 2,599.99 ) at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model with the same specs and price is available at Best Buy .
There ’ s also another model with the same specs available at Best Buy for $ 2,199.99 ( originally $ 2,399.99 ) .
• The Razer Blade 15 Advanced ( 15 inches , Intel Core i7 , 16GB of RAM , 512GB SSD , Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 ) for $ 2,499.99 ( originally $ 2,999.99 ) at the Microsoft Store The Dell Alienware M15 gaming laptop ( 15 inches , Intel Core i7 , 16GB RAM , 512GB SSD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is down from its list price of $ 1,799.99 to $ 1,499 at the Microsoft Store .
The HP Omen ( 16GB of RAM , 512GB SSD ) gaming laptop is on sale for $ 1,899 .
Its original price was $ 2,199.99 .
It ’ s 15 inches , and it has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card and an Intel Core i7 processor .
You can also save $ 200 on the MSI GS75 Stealth ( Intel Core i7 , 32GB RAM , 1TB SSD ) gaming laptop .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,899 at the Microsoft Store .
This model has a 17-inch screen and comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card .

In addition to the iPad Air and MacBook Pro deals going on today, there are also a number of deals on gaming laptops available. Here are some of the offers we’ve rounded up.
The Lenovo Legion Y540 gaming laptop is $300 off at B&H Photo. It’s now on sale for $1,299. This laptop is 15 inches, has a dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card, and a six-core Intel Core i7 processor. It comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. If you don’t need as much storage space, you can get the configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD for $899 (originally $1,079) from the Microsoft Store. A similar model with a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card is $959.22 (initially $1,499) on Amazon.
Razer Blade 15 Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Several Razer gaming laptops are on sale on the Microsoft Store, including:
The Dell Alienware M15 gaming laptop (15 inches, Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti) is down from its list price of $1,799.99 to $1,499 at the Microsoft Store.
The HP Omen (16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD) gaming laptop is on sale for $1,899. Its original price was $2,199.99. It’s 15 inches, and it has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card and an Intel Core i7 processor.
MSI GS75 Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
You can also save $200 on the MSI GS75 Stealth (Intel Core i7, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) gaming laptop. It’s currently on sale for $1,899 at the Microsoft Store. This model has a 17-inch screen and comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card.


theverge--2020-01-08--Samsung’s new external SSD has a built-in fingerprint reader for extra security

When it comes to improving external SSDs , there are usually only two things that matter : making the drives faster and adding more storage .
Samsung ’ s new T7 Touch external SSD , which was announced at CES 2020 , is a bit more creative .
It adds a built-in fingerprint reader to secure your files , in addition to the usual improvements to transfer feed .
It ’ s a clever idea that gives you the option to protect your files with biometric security even if you ’ re using a laptop that doesn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can register up to four different fingerprints with the T7 Touch , meaning you ’ ll be able to easily share the drive with friends or teammates if you ’ d like .
Another addition to the T7 Touch is an indicator light that shows when the drive is plugged in and actively transmitting data , something that was bafflingly missing from the last generation .
The drive has a solid aluminum chassis , which Samsung says helps make it drop resistant up to two meters ( about six and a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t intentionally test that out for yourself .
There ’ s also a single USB-C port , which can be connected to either a USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to USB-A cable .
It ’ s not all cosmetic changes and fancy fingerprint sensors , though .
Samsung has also improved the actual SSD here , offering write speeds up to 1,000MB/s and read speeds up to 1,050MB/s , which it says is “ approximately twice as fast as its predecessor , the T5.
” The T7 Touch will go on sale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost $ 129.99 for a 500GB model , $ 229.99 for 1TB of storage , and $ 399.99 for the 2TB version .
A version of the T7 Touch without a fingerprint reader , the T7 , is set to be released in Q2 2020 .

When it comes to improving external SSDs, there are usually only two things that matter: making the drives faster and adding more storage. Samsung’s new T7 Touch external SSD, which was announced at CES 2020, is a bit more creative. It adds a built-in fingerprint reader to secure your files, in addition to the usual improvements to transfer feed.
It’s a clever idea that gives you the option to protect your files with biometric security even if you’re using a laptop that doesn’t have a fingerprint reader. Samsung says that you can register up to four different fingerprints with the T7 Touch, meaning you’ll be able to easily share the drive with friends or teammates if you’d like.
Another addition to the T7 Touch is an indicator light that shows when the drive is plugged in and actively transmitting data, something that was bafflingly missing from the last generation.
The drive has a solid aluminum chassis, which Samsung says helps make it drop resistant up to two meters (about six and a half feet) — although you probably shouldn’t intentionally test that out for yourself. There’s also a single USB-C port, which can be connected to either a USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to USB-A cable.
It’s not all cosmetic changes and fancy fingerprint sensors, though. Samsung has also improved the actual SSD here, offering write speeds up to 1,000MB/s and read speeds up to 1,050MB/s, which it says is “approximately twice as fast as its predecessor, the T5.”


theverge--2020-01-08--Noise-canceling DJ headphones are here

Noise-canceling DJ headphones are here

This week , Korg and JBL debuted new pro DJ headphones with active noise cancellation ( ANC ) , Bluetooth , and a host of other smart options .
These are not normal features to include with pro DJ headphones , but both companies bet that they ’ re things touring musicians want .
Most pro DJ headphones focus on performance needs : closed-ear comfort , durability , frequency response , sound isolation , and , in Pioneer DJ ’ s instance , wicking away sweat .
But when it comes to ANC , most DJs opt for a separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ QC35s are a particular favorite , with their ANC favored by Rüfüs Du Sol , R3HAB , Peking Duk , Jon Hopkins , and more to relax on long-haul flights , as The Verge discovered through What ’ s In Your Bag .
Given that many DJs tote around multiple pairs of headphones , combining performance desires with ANC and other everyday utilities into one item makes sense if the price isn ’ t obscene and the sound doesn ’ t suck .
It ’ s obviously more convenient to have one pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zap out noise on flights , make hands-free calls , use voice assistants , and also be good to use to DJ .
ANC is not a normal feature for pro dj headphones JBL ’ s option is the CLUB series , which come in three versions : the CLUB 700BT , CLUB 950NC , and CLUB ONE .
All three are available as over-ear and on-ear models .
They let you make hands-free calls and come equipped with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa along with an accompanying “ My JBL Headphones ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listening preferences and save personal sound curves .
The CLUB ONE offers the beefiest options , with hi-res drivers that can reproduce frequencies up to 40kHz and noise cancellation technology that , according to JBL , can compensate for sound leakage from things like eyeglasses and hair or head movements .
Meanwhile , the CLUB 950NC have less-advanced ANC , and the CLUB 700BT have no ANC .
Korg has also debuted ANC headphones for DJs called the NC-Q1 .
The company says its ANC is “ ideal for use in a DJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music at a much lower volume , which protects hearing .
The idea is that a DJ could listen to the mixer in one ear cup , while the other ear cup ’ s mics pick up and amplify sound from the club ’ s booth monitor to pipe it in your ear .
The NC-Q1 have hybrid noise canceling like what you ’ d find in the Jabra Elite 85h .
So , there are microphones on both the outside and inside of the headphones , which theoretically provide a better audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NC-Q1s ’ ANC will deliver clean audio in loud environments ( like clubs ) where other headphones with ANC would distort .
Spec-wise the NC-Q1 have a frequency response up to 25kHz , are compatible with a bunch of Bluetooth codecs , let you make hands-free calls , and support both Siri and Google Assistant .
Can either of these headphone models deliver ?
They both have attractive features for DJs , promising high-quality sound , comfortable wear , and little perks like audio jacks on both sides .
But it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if only to consider that most ANC headphones work best on constant , low-frequency noises like an engine rumble , not super loud , close , and variable sounds .
Good dj headphones that are also useful when not djing is a simple pitch The more relevant questions are : why do pro DJs need ANC headphones while performing ?
How does ANC solve any audio problems for a DJ that can ’ t be fixed with the volume , EQ , and monitoring controls that are already at their fingertips on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much easier or cleaner to monitor in an ear cup with ANC versus sliding an ear cup an inch over ?
What about any shred of latency that could wreck a mix ?
Why would a DJ want to monitor sound with ANC , where it would be digitized , slapped with a filter , and then converted to analog again in the headphones ?
What happens when the battery runs out ?
Is this a better option for preventing hearing loss while DJing than ... earplugs ?
Or is this a supremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept a sell for smart ANC DJ headphones if they ’ re meant to provide an all-in-one option for performance and day-to-day needs .
Good DJ headphones that are also useful when not DJing is a simple and compelling pitch .
But so many questions remain , and we ’ ll have to wait until we get to try these ourselves ( perhaps at NAMM ) to find some answers .
Regardless , feature-packed ANC DJ headphones are here , however DJs choose to use them .
The JBL CLUB Series will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The CLUB 700BT are $ 199,95 , the CLUB 950NC are $ 249.95 , and the CLUB ONE are $ 349.95 .
Korg ’ s NC-Q1 headphones will go on sale in February for $ 350 .

This week, Korg and JBL debuted new pro DJ headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC), Bluetooth, and a host of other smart options. These are not normal features to include with pro DJ headphones, but both companies bet that they’re things touring musicians want.
Given that many DJs tote around multiple pairs of headphones, combining performance desires with ANC and other everyday utilities into one item makes sense if the price isn’t obscene and the sound doesn’t suck. It’s obviously more convenient to have one pair of headphones that can use ANC to zap out noise on flights, make hands-free calls, use voice assistants, and also be good to use to DJ.
ANC is not a normal feature for pro dj headphones
JBL’s option is the CLUB series, which come in three versions: the CLUB 700BT, CLUB 950NC, and CLUB ONE. All three are available as over-ear and on-ear models. They let you make hands-free calls and come equipped with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa along with an accompanying “My JBL Headphones” app. There, users can customize listening preferences and save personal sound curves.
The CLUB ONE offers the beefiest options, with hi-res drivers that can reproduce frequencies up to 40kHz and noise cancellation technology that, according to JBL, can compensate for sound leakage from things like eyeglasses and hair or head movements. Meanwhile, the CLUB 950NC have less-advanced ANC, and the CLUB 700BT have no ANC.
Image: JBL
Korg has also debuted ANC headphones for DJs called the NC-Q1. The company says its ANC is “ideal for use in a DJ booth” as it lets DJs monitor music at a much lower volume, which protects hearing. The idea is that a DJ could listen to the mixer in one ear cup, while the other ear cup’s mics pick up and amplify sound from the club’s booth monitor to pipe it in your ear.
The NC-Q1 have hybrid noise canceling like what you’d find in the Jabra Elite 85h. So, there are microphones on both the outside and inside of the headphones, which theoretically provide a better audio experience. Additionally, Korg claims the NC-Q1s’ ANC will deliver clean audio in loud environments (like clubs) where other headphones with ANC would distort. Spec-wise the NC-Q1 have a frequency response up to 25kHz, are compatible with a bunch of Bluetooth codecs, let you make hands-free calls, and support both Siri and Google Assistant.
Can either of these headphone models deliver? They both have attractive features for DJs, promising high-quality sound, comfortable wear, and little perks like audio jacks on both sides. But it’s bold to suggest using ANC for DJing, if only to consider that most ANC headphones work best on constant, low-frequency noises like an engine rumble, not super loud, close, and variable sounds.
Good dj headphones that are also useful when not djing is a simple pitch
The more relevant questions are: why do pro DJs need ANC headphones while performing? How does ANC solve any audio problems for a DJ that can’t be fixed with the volume, EQ, and monitoring controls that are already at their fingertips on a mixer? And is it that much easier or cleaner to monitor in an ear cup with ANC versus sliding an ear cup an inch over? What about any shred of latency that could wreck a mix? Why would a DJ want to monitor sound with ANC, where it would be digitized, slapped with a filter, and then converted to analog again in the headphones? What happens when the battery runs out? Is this a better option for preventing hearing loss while DJing than... earplugs? Or is this a supremely over-engineered solution?
It’s easier to accept a sell for smart ANC DJ headphones if they’re meant to provide an all-in-one option for performance and day-to-day needs. Good DJ headphones that are also useful when not DJing is a simple and compelling pitch.
But so many questions remain, and we’ll have to wait until we get to try these ourselves (perhaps at NAMM) to find some answers. Regardless, feature-packed ANC DJ headphones are here, however DJs choose to use them.


theverge--2020-01-09--Bing loses out to DuckDuckGo in Google’s new Android search engine ballot

Google has announced the alternative search engines it will show to new Android users in the EU , with DuckDuckGo the most frequently offered choice and Bing tied for last place .
EU citizens setting up Android devices from March 1 will be given a choice of four search engines to use as their default , including Google .
Whichever provider they chose will become the default for searches made in Chrome and through Android ’ s home screen search box .
A dedicated app for that provider will also be installed on their device .
The “ choice screen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an antitrust ruling from the European Union last March .
Google was fined a record $ 5 billion by EU regulators , who said the company had to stop “ illegally tying ” its search engine and browser to its mobile OS .
The search engines shown to new users will vary for each EU country , with the selection decided based on a “ fourth-price ” auction system .
Each provider tells Google how much it ’ s willing to pay the company every time a user selects their product as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then shown to users , with the chosen provider paying Google the amount offered by the fourth-highest bid .
This process is repeated every four months .
All this means that the choices Google will show to users don ’ t necessarily reflect a search engine ’ s popularity in that country .
Rather , it shows how much the provider is willing to pay for users .
This might explain why Microsoft ’ s Bing only appears as an option in the UK — a country where the revenue from search ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations .
“ Google will profit at the expense of the competition.
” When Google announced the auction system last August , rival search providers were not happy .
Eric Leandri , CEO of privacy-focused search engine Qwant , said it was a “ total abuse of [ Google ’ s ] dominant position ” to “ ask for cash just for showing a proposal of alternatives.
” Gabriel Weinberg , CEO of DuckDuckGo , said the auction system was a “ pay-to-play auction ” that meant “ Google will profit at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the full selections that will be shown to users in the EU below :

Google has announced the alternative search engines it will show to new Android users in the EU, with DuckDuckGo the most frequently offered choice and Bing tied for last place.
EU citizens setting up Android devices from March 1 will be given a choice of four search engines to use as their default, including Google. Whichever provider they chose will become the default for searches made in Chrome and through Android’s home screen search box. A dedicated app for that provider will also be installed on their device.
The choice screen as it will appear to Android users setting up new devices in the EU.
The “choice screen” is being introduced by Google following an antitrust ruling from the European Union last March. Google was fined a record $5 billion by EU regulators, who said the company had to stop “illegally tying” its search engine and browser to its mobile OS.
The search engines shown to new users will vary for each EU country, with the selection decided based on a “fourth-price” auction system. Each provider tells Google how much it’s willing to pay the company every time a user selects their product as the default. The three highest bidders are then shown to users, with the chosen provider paying Google the amount offered by the fourth-highest bid. This process is repeated every four months.
All this means that the choices Google will show to users don’t necessarily reflect a search engine’s popularity in that country. Rather, it shows how much the provider is willing to pay for users. This might explain why Microsoft’s Bing only appears as an option in the UK — a country where the revenue from search ads is likely to be higher than lower-GDP nations.
“Google will profit at the expense of the competition.”
When Google announced the auction system last August, rival search providers were not happy. Eric Leandri, CEO of privacy-focused search engine Qwant, said it was a “total abuse of [Google’s] dominant position” to “ask for cash just for showing a proposal of alternatives.” Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of DuckDuckGo, said the auction system was a “pay-to-play auction” that meant “Google will profit at the expense of the competition.”
The CEO of Ecosia, a search engine that uses its profits to plans trees, boycotted the auction entirely. In a press statement, its CEO and founder Christian Kroll said Google’s decision was “at odds with the spirit of the July 2018 EU Commission ruling.” Kroll said Ecosia would be raising its concerns “over Google’s monopolistic behavior with European Union legislators.”
You can see the full selections that will be shown to users in the EU below:
Austria : DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
: DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com Belgium : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Bulgaria : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Croatia : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Czech Republic : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam Denmark : DuckDuckGo, Givero, Info.com
: DuckDuckGo, Givero, Info.com Estonia : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex Finland : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex France : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Germany : DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
: DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com Greece : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Hungary : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Iceland : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Ireland : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Italy : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Latvia : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex Liechtenstein : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Lithuania : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex Luxembourg : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Malta : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Netherlands : DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com
: DuckDuckGo, GMX, Info.com Norway : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Poland : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Yandex Portugal : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Republic of Cyprus : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Romania : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Slovakia : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Seznam Slovenia : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall Spain : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, Qwant Sweden : DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall
: DuckDuckGo, Info.com, PrivacyWall United Kingdom: Bing, DuckDuckGo, Info.com