theverge--2020-05-30--Waymo’s robot minivans are ready to roll in the Bay Area for the first time since COVID-19 outbreak

Waymo ’ s self-driving cars are returning to Bay Area roads for the first time since the company halted its public testing in early March because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The Alphabet-owned company plans to return its fleet of autonomous minivans to service starting June 8th , according to an email obtained by The Verge .
Waymo ’ s self-driving cars will be put to use delivering packages for two Bay Area non-profits : illustrator Wendy McNaughton ’ s # DrawTogether , which provides art kits to Bay Area kids ; and Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle operator to discover that doing deliveries allows it to sidestep restrictions that would otherwise require them to keep their autonomous vehicles off the road .
Waymo , along with the rest of California ’ s AV companies , paused on-road testing in mid-March after the city issued a “ shelter-in-place ” order banning all nonessential travel .
That order does not have a set end date .
doing deliveries allows Waymo to sidestep shelter-in-place restrictions Waymo ’ s robot minivans are already back on the road in the Phoenix area , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test facility in California ’ s Central Valley .
It ’ s unclear how many vehicles will be involved in the deliveries , or how many vehicle operators will be called back to work .
Waymo ’ s backup drivers are employed by Transdev North America , which provides bus drivers , streetcar conductors , and other transportation workers to airports and cities .
Waymo signed a multi-year contract with Transdev last summer , an acknowledgment that Waymo will be relying on test drivers for many years to come .
Transdev will call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle operators based on “ job skills , business need , and seniority , ” the Transdev email reads .
“ We will slowly increase this number week after week , while maintaining a wealth of safety measures and training to accustom you to the new procedures.
” Employees who aren ’ t being called back are still required to clock in for 40-hours a week , and keep up with their training , the company says .
Those employees will continue to be paid .
The non-profit deliveries will only require a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ SD [ single driver ] mission [ s ] , ” according to the email .
Only a certain number of backup drivers have been trained to ride in Waymo ’ s autonomous vehicles by themselves .
Transdev ’ s goal is to “ restart critical dual driving missions , ” meaning operations that require two vehicle operators , but that date has yet to be determined .
Vehicle operators with “ qualified reasons related to COVID-19 , ” like a pre-existing medical condition , a relative with a pre-existing condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of returning to work , the email says .
Backup drivers who will be returning to work are required to complete training sessions , including social distancing and disinfection guidelines .
Temperature checks are required for anyone entering Waymo ’ s facilities , and maximum capacity will be enforced .
“ Back in March , we decided to suspend our driving operations in response to COVID-19 to ensure the safety of everyone involved in our services and local communities , ” a spokesperson for Waymo said in a statement .
“ After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams , partners , and local and state authorities , we ’ ve begun over the last several weeks to resume our driving operations in Phoenix .
Soon San Franciscans will also begin to see some Waymo vehicles back on the road , and we ’ re proud to provide charitable delivery support to community partners .
The health and safety of our team is our number one priority as we begin to drive again in San Francisco.
” As The Verge has previously reported , tension is high between Waymo and some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed a contract with Transdev last year .
Vacation time was cut , health insurance didn ’ t improve , and issues of workplace safety went unaddressed , according to a half-dozen workers who spoke to The Verge for a story in February .
And some drivers said they were increasingly nervous about picking up passengers during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic , and that the outbreak is exposing divisions between drivers and full-time employees at the Google spinoff .
But Waymo has continued to pay its workers despite three months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have cut their operations staff .
One Bay Area-based driver told The Verge they were glad to get back to work , but that this latest announcement about non-profit delivery suggests the company may have “ found a loophole to get back to testing.
” Another driver said in a statement provided by Waymo that they were “ excited to get back to work , to be productive once again and to continue our missions that we ’ ve all trained hard for.
” The driver praised Waymo and Transdev for doing “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Waymo’s self-driving cars are returning to Bay Area roads for the first time since the company halted its public testing in early March because of the coronavirus outbreak. The Alphabet-owned company plans to return its fleet of autonomous minivans to service starting June 8th, according to an email obtained by The Verge.
Waymo’s self-driving cars will be put to use delivering packages for two Bay Area non-profits: illustrator Wendy McNaughton’s #DrawTogether, which provides art kits to Bay Area kids; and Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
The company is the latest autonomous vehicle operator to discover that doing deliveries allows it to sidestep restrictions that would otherwise require them to keep their autonomous vehicles off the road. Waymo, along with the rest of California’s AV companies, paused on-road testing in mid-March after the city issued a “shelter-in-place” order banning all nonessential travel. That order does not have a set end date.
doing deliveries allows Waymo to sidestep shelter-in-place restrictions
Waymo’s robot minivans are already back on the road in the Phoenix area, as well as the company’s private test facility in California’s Central Valley.
It’s unclear how many vehicles will be involved in the deliveries, or how many vehicle operators will be called back to work. Waymo’s backup drivers are employed by Transdev North America, which provides bus drivers, streetcar conductors, and other transportation workers to airports and cities. Waymo signed a multi-year contract with Transdev last summer, an acknowledgment that Waymo will be relying on test drivers for many years to come.
Transdev will call back a “portion” of its vehicle operators based on “job skills, business need, and seniority,” the Transdev email reads. “We will slowly increase this number week after week, while maintaining a wealth of safety measures and training to accustom you to the new procedures.” Employees who aren’t being called back are still required to clock in for 40-hours a week, and keep up with their training, the company says. Those employees will continue to be paid.
The non-profit deliveries will only require a single operator in each vehicle and will be “SD [single driver] mission[s],” according to the email. Only a certain number of backup drivers have been trained to ride in Waymo’s autonomous vehicles by themselves. Transdev’s goal is to “restart critical dual driving missions,” meaning operations that require two vehicle operators, but that date has yet to be determined.
“restart critical dual driving missions”
Vehicle operators with “qualified reasons related to COVID-19,” like a pre-existing medical condition, a relative with a pre-existing condition, or childcare obligations, can opt out of returning to work, the email says. Backup drivers who will be returning to work are required to complete training sessions, including social distancing and disinfection guidelines. Temperature checks are required for anyone entering Waymo’s facilities, and maximum capacity will be enforced.
“Back in March, we decided to suspend our driving operations in response to COVID-19 to ensure the safety of everyone involved in our services and local communities,” a spokesperson for Waymo said in a statement. “After careful consideration and active conversations with our teams, partners, and local and state authorities, we’ve begun over the last several weeks to resume our driving operations in Phoenix. Soon San Franciscans will also begin to see some Waymo vehicles back on the road, and we’re proud to provide charitable delivery support to community partners. The health and safety of our team is our number one priority as we begin to drive again in San Francisco.”
One Bay Area-based driver told The Verge they were glad to get back to work, but that this latest announcement about non-profit delivery suggests the company may have “found a loophole to get back to testing.”


theverge--2020-05-30--Zoom paid accounts reportedly will get strong encryption for calls

Zoom will add stronger encryption to its paid customers ’ video calls , but isn ’ t planning to offer the enhanced security to all accounts , Reuters reported .
A security consultant with the company told Reuters that it still wasn ’ t clear whether some accounts , such as nonprofit users , might qualify for the more secure calls .
“ Zoom ’ s approach to end-to-end encryption is very much a work in progress - everything from our draft cryptographic design , which was just published last week , to our continued discussions around which customers it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson said in an email to The Verge .
The videoconferencing platform has boomed in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic , but has been plagued by myriad security issues .
Those include Zoombombing , where an uninvited guest invades a video call and disrupts it with pornography or other shock content .
Adding full end-to-end encryption on every video call , however , would exclude customers who call in from phone lines .
And Reuters reported tighter encryption would not allow Zoom ’ s own security teams to add themselves to calls to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published a draft paper May 22nd outlining some of its encryption plans .

Zoom will add stronger encryption to its paid customers’ video calls, but isn’t planning to offer the enhanced security to all accounts, Reuters reported. A security consultant with the company told Reuters that it still wasn’t clear whether some accounts, such as nonprofit users, might qualify for the more secure calls.
“Zoom’s approach to end-to-end encryption is very much a work in progress - everything from our draft cryptographic design, which was just published last week, to our continued discussions around which customers it would apply to,” a company spokesperson said in an email to The Verge.
The videoconferencing platform has boomed in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic, but has been plagued by myriad security issues. Those include Zoombombing, where an uninvited guest invades a video call and disrupts it with pornography or other shock content.
Adding full end-to-end encryption on every video call, however, would exclude customers who call in from phone lines. And Reuters reported tighter encryption would not allow Zoom’s own security teams to add themselves to calls to help customers in real time.


theverge--2020-05-31--How to watch SpaceX’s first crew dock with the International Space Station

On Saturday afternoon , SpaceX launched its first human crew to space for NASA on the company ’ s new Crew Dragon spacecraft — but the mission isn ’ t over yet .
After spending nearly a full day in orbit , the two passengers on board SpaceX ’ s vehicle , NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley , will attempt to dock with the International Space Station this morning .
SpaceX ’ s Crew Dragon has an automatic docking system , which uses a series of sensors and cameras to help the vehicle approach the ISS and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Crew Dragon successfully tested out this technique last year when SpaceX launched a test version of the vehicle to the ISS without crew on board .
But this time , the Crew Dragon will carry very precious cargo .
While the Crew Dragon is capable of getting Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the station on its own , the two astronauts do plan to do some manual flying when they get close to the ISS .
Somewhere between 220 and 170 meters out from the station , the crew will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vehicle ’ s touchscreen interface inside .
Once they ’ re done , the automatic system will take over again , and the Crew Dragon will do the rest of the work to get to the station .
NASA is providing round-the-clock coverage of the Crew Dragon ’ s mission right now , but things kick off this morning when Behnken and Hurley do a broadcast from inside the Crew Dragon .
Docking will come about a few hours later at 10:29AM ET .
All of the events will take place live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

On Saturday afternoon, SpaceX launched its first human crew to space for NASA on the company’s new Crew Dragon spacecraft — but the mission isn’t over yet. After spending nearly a full day in orbit, the two passengers on board SpaceX’s vehicle, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, will attempt to dock with the International Space Station this morning.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has an automatic docking system, which uses a series of sensors and cameras to help the vehicle approach the ISS and then grab on to an existing docking port. The Crew Dragon successfully tested out this technique last year when SpaceX launched a test version of the vehicle to the ISS without crew on board. But this time, the Crew Dragon will carry very precious cargo.
While the Crew Dragon is capable of getting Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the station on its own, the two astronauts do plan to do some manual flying when they get close to the ISS. Somewhere between 220 and 170 meters out from the station, the crew will practice flying the capsule manually, using the vehicle’s touchscreen interface inside. Once they’re done, the automatic system will take over again, and the Crew Dragon will do the rest of the work to get to the station.
NASA is providing round-the-clock coverage of the Crew Dragon’s mission right now, but things kick off this morning when Behnken and Hurley do a broadcast from inside the Crew Dragon. Docking will come about a few hours later at 10:29AM ET. You might want to tune in a little earlier, as things are currently running ahead of schedule by around 15 minutes. All of the events will take place live on NASA’s TV stream above.


theverge--2020-05-31--Apple, Amazon among companies adjusting operations amid demonstrations

Amazon , Target , and Apple all made modifications to their business operations over the weekend in light of demonstrations @ @ @ @ @ , Bloomberg reported .
Apple kept many of its retail stores closed on Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ reopened after weeks of being shuttered due to the pandemic .
Target closed 32 of @ @ @ @ @ area and said Sunday it would temporarily close several more across the country .
Amazon @ @ @ @ @ scaled back and adjusted routes “ in a handful of cities ” to ensure workers @ @ @ @ @ Chicago and Los Angeles received messages Saturday instructing them to stop delivering packages and return @ @ @ @ @ .
Minneapolis has been the site of some of the largest demonstrations against the death @ @ @ @ @ died last week after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes @ @ @ @ @ fired and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter .

Amazon, Target, and Apple all made modifications to their business operations over the weekend in light of demonstrations in cities across the US, Bloomberg reported.
Apple kept many of its retail stores closed on Sunday, including some that had just reopened after weeks of being shuttered due to the pandemic. Target closed 32 of its stores in the Minneapolis area and said Sunday it would temporarily close several more across the country.
Amazon told Bloomberg that it had scaled back and adjusted routes “in a handful of cities” to ensure workers’ safety. Drivers in Chicago and Los Angeles received messages Saturday instructing them to stop delivering packages and return home, according to Bloomberg.


theverge--2020-05-31--A restaurant in the Netherlands is using creepy robot waiters for social distancing

A restaurant in the Netherlands has introduced new robot waiters as a way to reduce human-to-human contact in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic .
The red-and-white robots ( which are giving me serious Rosey the robot vibes ) will greet customers , serve food and pick up used dishes from diners ’ tables at the Royal Palace restaurant in the town of Renesse , according to the Associated Press .
The as-yet-unnamed robots say “ hello and welcome , ” in and they wear little scarves ( to seem less creepy ?
idk ) .
“ They help us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Leah Hu , whose family owns the Royal Palace .
“ We are often busy and cleaning tables and the robots give us an extra hand .
We are not disappearing .
We are still here .
They will always need people in this industry.
” Restaurants in the Netherlands have been closed for months during the pandemic , and many are beginning to reopen , but with limits on the number of guests allowed .
Robot servers , of course , can ’ t get the coronavirus , but they also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assist patrons with food allergies or get that high chair for that party of seven with a squirming baby .
It ’ s been a rough few months for the food service industry , with restaurants losing about 5.5 million jobs in April alone .
It seems unlikely that robot waiters are going to catch on in American eateries any time soon ( the cost alone probably makes them prohibitive for most small establishments ) , but they ’ ve been common in restaurants in China for several years now .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ machine people ” that serve food in China ’ s restaurants are more of a novelty than a way to be more efficient ; most of the robot waiters apparently suck at their jobs .

A restaurant in the Netherlands has introduced new robot waiters as a way to reduce human-to-human contact in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The red-and-white robots (which are giving me serious Rosey the robot vibes) will greet customers, serve food and pick up used dishes from diners’ tables at the Royal Palace restaurant in the town of Renesse, according to the Associated Press.
The as-yet-unnamed robots say “hello and welcome,” in and they wear little scarves (to seem less creepy? idk).
“They help us with the work we do,” says Leah Hu, whose family owns the Royal Palace. “We are often busy and cleaning tables and the robots give us an extra hand. We are not disappearing. We are still here. They will always need people in this industry.”
Related Microsoft lays off journalists to replace them with AI
Restaurants in the Netherlands have been closed for months during the pandemic, and many are beginning to reopen, but with limits on the number of guests allowed. Robot servers, of course, can’t get the coronavirus, but they also aren’t likely to be able to assist patrons with food allergies or get that high chair for that party of seven with a squirming baby.
It’s been a rough few months for the food service industry, with restaurants losing about 5.5 million jobs in April alone. It seems unlikely that robot waiters are going to catch on in American eateries any time soon (the cost alone probably makes them prohibitive for most small establishments), but they’ve been common in restaurants in China for several years now.


theverge--2020-05-31--YouTube will donate $1 million to the Center for Policing Equity

YouTube says it will donate $ 1 million to the Center for Policing Equity , to demonstrate “ solidarity against racism and violence.
” The Alphabet-owned video platform tweeted that it was pledging the funds “ in support of efforts to address social injustice.
” The company did not specifically reference the demonstrations in cities across the US over the weekend protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Authorities charged fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd ’ s death , after a video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Center for Policing Equity is a nonprofit research think tank made up of research scientists and race and equity experts .
The organization works with police departments using data to address and change discriminatory practices .
YouTube has come under criticism in the past for allowing racist and extremist content on its platform .
Last June , the company banned videos promoting the superiority of any group as a justification for discrimination against others based on their age , gender , race , caste , religion , sexual orientation , or veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parent company , had $ 6.8 billion in profit on sales of $ 41.2 billion for the first quarter of 2020 , and YouTube revenue rose 33 percent to $ 4 billion during the quarter .

YouTube says it will donate $1 million to the Center for Policing Equity, to demonstrate “solidarity against racism and violence.” The Alphabet-owned video platform tweeted that it was pledging the funds “in support of efforts to address social injustice.”
The company did not specifically reference the demonstrations in cities across the US over the weekend protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Authorities charged fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death, after a video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck as other officers looked on.
The Center for Policing Equity is a nonprofit research think tank made up of research scientists and race and equity experts. The organization works with police departments using data to address and change discriminatory practices.
YouTube has come under criticism in the past for allowing racist and extremist content on its platform. Last June, the company banned videos promoting the superiority of any group as a justification for discrimination against others based on their age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.


theverge--2020-05-31--Jake Paul filmed looting, but denies being a part of it

Jake Paul is denying that he took part in looting captured on video at an Arizona mall after backlash about his appearance sprung up online .
In multiple videos posted to Instagram and Twitter , Paul and members of his crew are seen outside and inside an Arizona mall where looting is taking place .
It remained unclear from the videos whether Paul and his team were actively involved in any looting , but commenters on social media , including prominent members of the YouTube community , criticized Paul for his appearance at the scene regardless .
Paul ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nor anyone in our group , was engaged in any looting or vandalism.
” “ We filmed everything we saw in an effort to share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood we traveled through ; we were strictly documenting , not engaging , ” Paul wrote in a statement posted to Twitter .
“ I do not condone violence , looting , or breaking the law ; however , I understand the anger and frustration that led to the destruction we witnessed , and while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s important that people see it and collectively figure out how to move forward in a healthy way.
” “ Jake Paul came to my state last night to not peacefully protest in downtown ( where it was organized by BLM ) but went directly to the looting in Scottsdale and brazenly bragged about it on his socials ” Paul ’ s statement is already being met with pushback .
People brought up important questions about Paul ’ s actions , including why Paul decided to focus his filming on looting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposed to other protests being held around the city that shine a better light on what people are fighting for this weekend ?
Paul notes in his statement that “ we are all doing the best we can to be helpful and raise awareness , ” but choosing to focus on an activity that other protesters have condemned around the country is where a number of people are taking issue .
American musician David Lee Crow ( better known as Ghastly ) tweeted , “ Jake Paul came to my state last night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where it was organized by BLM ) but went directly to the looting in Scottsdale and brazenly bragged about it on his socials.
” “ This is an opportunity to change our world not grow your dog shit brand , ” Crow tweeted .
Even if Paul wasn ’ t actively looting , the fact that he can potentially use footage he captured for his own gain , including the promotion of his own channel , is offensive to people around the world , protesters in cities across the country , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time that Paul has caught flack for seemingly using news stories that center on human suffering as “ content fodder for his channel ” either , reporter Abby Ohlheiser pointed out .
“ Jake Paul looting and using the death of unarmed black men by police for vlog views is disgusting but it ’ s exactly who he is , ” Zach Sang , a popular interviewer and personality , tweeted .
“ He didn ’ t march in solidarity with anyone he showed up hours after to loot a mall for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but himself [ and ] money .
He needs help.
” “ Jake Paul ( a white millionaire ) using the BLM protests to loot for his own gain ” Jake Paul is a YouTube creator and influencer with a massive audience — he has over 20 million subscribers on YouTube , 3.7 million followers on Twitter , and over 13 million followers on Instagram .
It ’ s an empire that ’ s helped Paul generate tens of millions of dollars over the last several years .
Many people on Twitter are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Paul .
Paul also has the privilege of reaching an audience that mainstream news networks like CNN or the New York Times might not ; typically a younger audience who tunes in to watch whatever he posts .
Shedding light on what ’ s happening around the world is a big responsibility , and foregoing that responsibility to hone in on just one part of what people are seeing — again , condemned by protesters in every city — is why so many people are outraged .
“ Jake Paul ( a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to loot for his own gain , ” YouTuber and podcast host Jack Dean tweeted .

Jake Paul is denying that he took part in looting captured on video at an Arizona mall after backlash about his appearance sprung up online.
In multiple videos posted to Instagram and Twitter, Paul and members of his crew are seen outside and inside an Arizona mall where looting is taking place. It remained unclear from the videos whether Paul and his team were actively involved in any looting, but commenters on social media, including prominent members of the YouTube community, criticized Paul for his appearance at the scene regardless. Paul’s new statement claims that “neither I, nor anyone in our group, was engaged in any looting or vandalism.”
“We filmed everything we saw in an effort to share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood we traveled through; we were strictly documenting, not engaging,” Paul wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. “I do not condone violence, looting, or breaking the law; however, I understand the anger and frustration that led to the destruction we witnessed, and while it’s not the answer, it’s important that people see it and collectively figure out how to move forward in a healthy way.”
“Jake Paul came to my state last night to not peacefully protest in downtown (where it was organized by BLM) but went directly to the looting in Scottsdale and brazenly bragged about it on his socials”
Paul’s statement is already being met with pushback. People brought up important questions about Paul’s actions, including why Paul decided to focus his filming on looting happening at a mall in Arizona as opposed to other protests being held around the city that shine a better light on what people are fighting for this weekend?
Paul notes in his statement that “we are all doing the best we can to be helpful and raise awareness,” but choosing to focus on an activity that other protesters have condemned around the country is where a number of people are taking issue. American musician David Lee Crow (better known as Ghastly) tweeted, “Jake Paul came to my state last night to not peacefully protest in downtown (where it was organized by BLM) but went directly to the looting in Scottsdale and brazenly bragged about it on his socials.”
“This is an opportunity to change our world not grow your dog shit brand,” Crow tweeted.
Even if Paul wasn’t actively looting, the fact that he can potentially use footage he captured for his own gain, including the promotion of his own channel, is offensive to people around the world, protesters in cities across the country, and other YouTubers. This isn’t the first time that Paul has caught flack for seemingly using news stories that center on human suffering as “content fodder for his channel” either, reporter Abby Ohlheiser pointed out.
“Jake Paul looting and using the death of unarmed black men by police for vlog views is disgusting but it’s exactly who he is,” Zach Sang, a popular interviewer and personality, tweeted. “He didn’t march in solidarity with anyone he showed up hours after to loot a mall for views. Jake cares about no one but himself [and] money. He needs help.”
“Jake Paul (a white millionaire) using the BLM protests to loot for his own gain”
Jake Paul is a YouTube creator and influencer with a massive audience — he has over 20 million subscribers on YouTube, 3.7 million followers on Twitter, and over 13 million followers on Instagram. It’s an empire that’s helped Paul generate tens of millions of dollars over the last several years. Many people on Twitter are now asking for YouTube to take action against Paul.
Paul also has the privilege of reaching an audience that mainstream news networks like CNN or the New York Times might not; typically a younger audience who tunes in to watch whatever he posts. Shedding light on what’s happening around the world is a big responsibility, and foregoing that responsibility to hone in on just one part of what people are seeing — again, condemned by protesters in every city — is why so many people are outraged.


theverge--2020-05-31--Caught on camera, police explode in rage and violence across the US

Over the past 72 hours , people across the US have captured what may be the most comprehensive live picture of police brutality ever .
Any one of the videos we ’ ve seen could have sparked a national discussion , with people picking apart their elements , searching for context to argue about , and digging through the pasts of everyone involved .
But it ’ s not just one act of violence .
It ’ s everywhere .
Here is just a short list of scenes from the past few days : • A New York City police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a young black man and assaulted him with pepper spray while the victim peacefully stood with his hands up • New York City police officers , in two separate vehicles , rammed a crowd in a street .
Separately , an officer in a moving police vehicle slammed someone with a car door and drove away • Security forces in Minneapolis marched down a quiet residential street and shot paint canisters at residents who were watching from their private porch • Police in Louisville raided a public square , confiscating and destroying water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counter irritants like pepper spray • Atlanta police stopped two black people , inexplicably shooting them with tasers and tearing them out of their car • A New York City officer used two hands to throw a woman to the ground , reportedly calling her a “ stupid fucking bitch ” • San Antonio Police used tear gas against people .
So did Dallas police .
So did Los Angeles police .
So did DC police .
The list goes on .
• Many people reported being shot by rubber bullets .
MSNBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after state police fired unprovoked into a peaceful rally .
A freelance photographer in Minneapolis says she went permanently blind in her left eye after being shot by police .
• Police have brutalized lawmakers participating in demonstrations , including New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie On Saturday , the names of several police officers allegedly seen perpetrating violence in different cities began trending on Twitter as people worked to cross-reference faces from videos with personal information on the web .
The violence appears so widespread and consistent that you could be mistaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national level .
To some extent , it is : President Trump has cheered on police violence like a fan at a sports event , and police departments across the country have styled themselves as military forces after receiving two decades of hand-me-downs from the War on Terror .
“ US cities face toll of violent protests , ” says a headline at the top of Fox News .
“ Fury in the streets as protests spread across the US , ” says The New York Times .
“ Fire and fury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Washington Post .
“ Wave of rage and anguish sweeps dozens of US cities , ” says CNN .
But whose rage ?
Whose fury ?
Whose violence ?
Here ’ s another : ABC local news in Utah runs a graphic saying “ violent protests in Salt Lake City.
” In the background of the video , police knock an elderly man with a cane to the ground .
He was simply standing near a bus stop .
We can ’ t deny what we are seeing , and we must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whose rage ?
It ’ s from American police .
Warning : the images shown below are disturbing .

Over the past 72 hours, people across the US have captured what may be the most comprehensive live picture of police brutality ever. Any one of the videos we’ve seen could have sparked a national discussion, with people picking apart their elements, searching for context to argue about, and digging through the pasts of everyone involved. But it’s not just one act of violence. It’s everywhere.
Here is just a short list of scenes from the past few days:
On Saturday, the names of several police officers allegedly seen perpetrating violence in different cities began trending on Twitter as people worked to cross-reference faces from videos with personal information on the web.
The violence appears so widespread and consistent that you could be mistaken for thinking it’s coordinated at a national level. To some extent, it is: President Trump has cheered on police violence like a fan at a sports event, and police departments across the country have styled themselves as military forces after receiving two decades of hand-me-downs from the War on Terror.
“US cities face toll of violent protests,” says a headline at the top of Fox News. “Fury in the streets as protests spread across the US,” says The New York Times. “Fire and fury spread across the US,” says The Washington Post. “Wave of rage and anguish sweeps dozens of US cities,” says CNN. But whose rage? Whose fury? Whose violence?
Here’s another: ABC local news in Utah runs a graphic saying “violent protests in Salt Lake City.” In the background of the video, police knock an elderly man with a cane to the ground. He was simply standing near a bus stop.
We can’t deny what we are seeing, and we must describe it accurately. Whose violence? Whose rage? It’s from American police.


theverge--2020-05-31--SpaceX’s Crew Dragon successfully docks with the space station

This morning , SpaceX ’ s new Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station , bringing the company ’ s first crew to the orbiting outpost .
Their arrival marks another major milestone for SpaceX ’ s first crewed mission of the Crew Dragon , which successfully took off yesterday , May 30th , from Cape Canaveral , Florida .
Now , the Crew Dragon ’ s passengers — NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley — are set to begin an extended stay on board the ISS that could last up to four months .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on board the station : NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner .
The Crew Dragon ’ s docking showcased one of the biggest features of SpaceX ’ s capsule “ It ’ s been a real honor to be a small part of this nine-year endeavor since the last time a United States spaceship docked with the International Space Station , ” Hurley said after docking completed .
“ We have to congratulate the men and women of SpaceX , at Hawthorne McGregor and at Kennedy Space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last several years to make this possible can not go overstated.
” The Crew Dragon ’ s docking showcased one of the biggest features of SpaceX ’ s capsule : its automated docking system .
The vehicle is designed to autonomously approach the ISS and latch on to a standardized docking port , without any input from its human passengers .
SpaceX successfully showcased this ability last year when the company sent a test version of the Crew Dragon to the space station without a crew on board .
But this time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crew Dragon could deliver when it had its most precious cargo on board .
This automated docking capability is a significant upgrade for the Crew Dragon .
The predecessor to the capsule , SpaceX ’ s cargo Dragon , did not have this capability when it delivered supplies and food to the ISS .
For all of those cargo missions , astronauts on board the ISS had to use the station ’ s robotic arm to grab hold of an approaching cargo Dragon and bring it onto a docking port .
That technique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires a lot of work from the astronauts on board the ISS .
The Crew Dragon ’ s automated capabilities should help free up time for the astronauts to work on other things when new crews arrive .
Astronauts flying inside the Crew Dragon still have the capability to take over manual control of the vehicle if necessary .
In fact , Behnken and Hurley tried out some manual flying during their time in space — once after launching and a second time during their approach to the space station .
Flying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dragon ’ s sleek interior touchscreen displays .
The gloves of SpaceX ’ s pressure suits are touchscreen-compatible , allowing the astronauts to interact with the screens while suited up if necessary .
When the crew got to 220 meters out from the ISS , Hurley demonstrated that he could fly the vehicle while gloved before the automatic docking system took over .
The plumes from the capsule ’ s tiny thrusters could be seen from the space station ’ s cameras as the vehicle inched toward the ISS .
Their docking comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside Crew Dragon orbiting around Earth , following Saturday ’ s launch .
After reaching orbit , Behnken and Hurley announced that they had named their capsule Endeavour .
“ We chose Endeavour for a few reasons : one , because of this incredible endeavor NASA , SpaceX , and the United States has been on since the end of the Shuttle program back in 2011 , ” Hurley said during an event right after launching to space .
“ The other reason we named it Endeavour is a little more personal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our first flights on Shuttle Endeavour , and it just meant so much to us to carry on that name.
” During the journey in space , Behnken and Hurley got some shut-eye before approaching the ISS to get a better sense of what sleeping on the Crew Dragon is like .
It turns out , it ’ s a comfortable place for a nap .
“ We had a good night ’ s sleep last night , ” Behnken said during an event before arriving at the ISS .
“ We were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well we actually slept aboard the vehicle — a little bit quieter than the Space Shuttle , a little bit more environmentally controlled.
” The Crew Dragon also sports a toilet in case they needed to use the facilities during the trip ( though the crew did not say if they used it ) .
Their docking comes after spending about 19 hours inside Crew Dragon Docking took place around 10:29AM ET this morning , and now it ’ s a little bit of a wait before Behnken and Hurley exit the vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Crew Dragon at around 12:45PM ET .
The crew will then host a small welcoming ceremony about 30 minutes later .
Now that Behnken and Hurley have arrived at the ISS , it ’ s unclear when they ’ ll be coming home .
The two are expected to stay somewhere between six and 16 weeks on board the ISS .
It all depends on how much work NASA wants them to do while they ’ re up there .
At some point , NASA will decide when to bring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Behnken and Hurley will climb back inside the Crew Dragon and take the plunge back to Earth .
The Crew Dragon is equipped with a heat shield to protect astronauts from the scorching trip through Earth ’ s atmosphere .
It also sports four parachutes designed to help lower crews gently down into the Atlantic Ocean , where they ’ ll be recovered by a SpaceX vessel .
That intense journey will be the final test of the Crew Dragon for NASA as part of the agency ’ s Commercial Crew Program , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private vehicles to and from the space station .
For now , SpaceX and the Crew Dragon get a slight reprieve as the first half of this crucial test mission is complete .
The crews will perform checks of the Crew Dragon while it ’ s docked at the ISS , but it will mostly remain inert , like a parked car in a lot .
When the time comes for Behnken and Hurley to return home , all eyes will be on the Crew Dragon ’ s performance once again .

This morning, SpaceX’s new Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station, bringing the company’s first crew to the orbiting outpost. Their arrival marks another major milestone for SpaceX’s first crewed mission of the Crew Dragon, which successfully took off yesterday, May 30th, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Now, the Crew Dragon’s passengers — NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley — are set to begin an extended stay on board the ISS that could last up to four months. They will join three crew mates already living on board the station: NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner.
The Crew Dragon’s docking showcased one of the biggest features of SpaceX’s capsule
“It’s been a real honor to be a small part of this nine-year endeavor since the last time a United States spaceship docked with the International Space Station,” Hurley said after docking completed. “We have to congratulate the men and women of SpaceX, at Hawthorne McGregor and at Kennedy Space Center. Their incredible efforts over the last several years to make this possible can not go overstated.”
The Crew Dragon’s docking showcased one of the biggest features of SpaceX’s capsule: its automated docking system. The vehicle is designed to autonomously approach the ISS and latch on to a standardized docking port, without any input from its human passengers. SpaceX successfully showcased this ability last year when the company sent a test version of the Crew Dragon to the space station without a crew on board. But this time, the company needed to prove that the Crew Dragon could deliver when it had its most precious cargo on board.
This automated docking capability is a significant upgrade for the Crew Dragon. The predecessor to the capsule, SpaceX’s cargo Dragon, did not have this capability when it delivered supplies and food to the ISS. For all of those cargo missions, astronauts on board the ISS had to use the station’s robotic arm to grab hold of an approaching cargo Dragon and bring it onto a docking port. That technique is known as berthing, and it requires a lot of work from the astronauts on board the ISS. The Crew Dragon’s automated capabilities should help free up time for the astronauts to work on other things when new crews arrive.
The Crew Dragon as seen from the space station, about two hours before the capsule docked with the ISS. Image: NASA
Astronauts flying inside the Crew Dragon still have the capability to take over manual control of the vehicle if necessary. In fact, Behnken and Hurley tried out some manual flying during their time in space — once after launching and a second time during their approach to the space station. Flying the vehicle manually involves interfacing with the Crew Dragon’s sleek interior touchscreen displays. The gloves of SpaceX’s pressure suits are touchscreen-compatible, allowing the astronauts to interact with the screens while suited up if necessary. When the crew got to 220 meters out from the ISS, Hurley demonstrated that he could fly the vehicle while gloved before the automatic docking system took over. The plumes from the capsule’s tiny thrusters could be seen from the space station’s cameras as the vehicle inched toward the ISS.
Plumes as Endeavour approaches the ISS. Image: NASA / SpaceX
Their docking comes after the astronauts spent about 19 hours inside Crew Dragon orbiting around Earth, following Saturday’s launch. After reaching orbit, Behnken and Hurley announced that they had named their capsule Endeavour. “We chose Endeavour for a few reasons: one, because of this incredible endeavor NASA, SpaceX, and the United States has been on since the end of the Shuttle program back in 2011,” Hurley said during an event right after launching to space. “The other reason we named it Endeavour is a little more personal to Bob and I. We both had our first flights on Shuttle Endeavour, and it just meant so much to us to carry on that name.”
During the journey in space, Behnken and Hurley got some shut-eye before approaching the ISS to get a better sense of what sleeping on the Crew Dragon is like. It turns out, it’s a comfortable place for a nap. “We had a good night’s sleep last night,” Behnken said during an event before arriving at the ISS. “We were surprised, I think, in how well we actually slept aboard the vehicle — a little bit quieter than the Space Shuttle, a little bit more environmentally controlled.” The Crew Dragon also sports a toilet in case they needed to use the facilities during the trip (though the crew did not say if they used it).
Their docking comes after spending about 19 hours inside Crew Dragon
Docking took place around 10:29AM ET this morning, and now it’s a little bit of a wait before Behnken and Hurley exit the vehicle. The astronauts will open the hatch of the Crew Dragon at around 12:45PM ET. The crew will then host a small welcoming ceremony about 30 minutes later.
Now that Behnken and Hurley have arrived at the ISS, it’s unclear when they’ll be coming home. The two are expected to stay somewhere between six and 16 weeks on board the ISS. It all depends on how much work NASA wants them to do while they’re up there. At some point, NASA will decide when to bring the duo home. That’s when Behnken and Hurley will climb back inside the Crew Dragon and take the plunge back to Earth.
Endeavour in the shadow of the ISS. Image: NASA / SpaceX
The Crew Dragon is equipped with a heat shield to protect astronauts from the scorching trip through Earth’s atmosphere. It also sports four parachutes designed to help lower crews gently down into the Atlantic Ocean, where they’ll be recovered by a SpaceX vessel. That intense journey will be the final test of the Crew Dragon for NASA as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, the initiative to fly NASA astronauts on private vehicles to and from the space station.


theverge--2020-05-31--Amazon removed racist images that appeared on some listings for headphones

Amazon says it has removed images with racist language from some listings for headphones on its UK site , The @ @ @ @ @ posted screenshots to Twitter of search results for “ AirPods ” and “ bluetooth headphones @ @ @ @ @ e-commerce site .
Instead of photos of headphones , the search results showed images that @ @ @ @ @ listings seemed to be limited to the UK site , and appeared on the pages @ @ @ @ @ most of whom had few or no customer reviews , the FT reported .
As @ @ @ @ @ did not appear on Amazon ’ s UK site .
“ Our store maintains content @ @ @ @ @ are required to follow , ” an Amazon spokesperson said in an email to The @ @ @ @ @ As soon as this issue was raised , we investigated , removed the images in @ @ @ @ @ the bad actor.
” Amazon requires third-party sellers to follow its content guidelines or risk @ @ @ @ @ UPDATE May 31st 1:27PM ET : Added comment from Amazon spokesperson

Amazon says it has removed images with racist language from some listings for headphones on its UK site, The Financial Times reported. Users posted screenshots to Twitter of search results for “AirPods” and “bluetooth headphones” that appeared on the e-commerce site. Instead of photos of headphones, the search results showed images that contained the N-word.
The listings seemed to be limited to the UK site, and appeared on the pages of new Amazon sellers, most of whom had few or no customer reviews, the FT reported.
As of Sunday morning the images did not appear on Amazon’s UK site. “Our store maintains content guidelines which third party sellers are required to follow,” an Amazon spokesperson said in an email to The Verge on Sunday. “As soon as this issue was raised, we investigated, removed the images in question and took action against the bad actor.”
Amazon requires third-party sellers to follow its content guidelines or risk having their accounts removed.
UPDATE May 31st 1:27PM ET: Added comment from Amazon spokesperson


theverge--2020-05-31--Trump vs. Twitter: The president takes on social media moderation

After Twitter gave one of President Trump ’ s tweets a modest reality check , the president threatened to “ @ @ @ @ @ companies , personally targeted a Twitter employee , and signed an executive order that would @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s the latest salvo in a long-simmering feud between the president and his @ @ @ @ @ Although he has more than 80 million followers and has been on Twitter since 2009 @ @ @ @ @ about what he considers anti-conservative bias on the platform ( but without citing evidence ) @ @ @ @ @ to delete or modify Trump ’ s tweets , even when they violated its terms @ @ @ @ @ .
Facebook , in contrast , refused to remove posts similar to the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ order is expected to face legal challenges .

It’s the latest salvo in a long-simmering feud between the president and his favorite social media platform. Although he has more than 80 million followers and has been on Twitter since 2009, Trump has long complained about what he considers anti-conservative bias on the platform (but without citing evidence). Twitter had elected not to delete or modify Trump’s tweets, even when they violated its terms of service, until now. Facebook, in contrast, refused to remove posts similar to the president’s tweets.


theverge--2020-06-01--Users discover wallpaper that can crash some Android phones

A bug in Android means that setting a certain image as your phone ’ s wallpaper could be enough to crash it .
The issue gained widespread attention over the weekend after leaker Ice Universe tweeted the image that causes the issue , and the bug has since been verified by 9to5Google and Android Authority .
Ice Universe says that the bug affects Samsung handsets in particular , but it ’ s also been replicated on Google Pixel phones , among others .
On affected phones , setting the photo as your wallpaper causes a handset ’ s screen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it unusable .
Rebooting a phone won ’ t fix the issue .
9to5Google reports that you can restart your phone into safe mode and delete the image file as a potential fix , but Android Authority says it eventually had to factory reset its device to get things back to normal .
Suffice it to say , you definitely shouldn ’ t try replicating this issue on any of your important devices .
The bug does not appear to be universal ; Android Authority says it initially tried to verify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but found that the phone does not appear be affected .
According to a Twitter thread posted by 9to5Google contributor Dylan Roussel , the issue may be caused when certain phones don ’ t support the color space used by the image .
According to Roussel , the image uses the RGB color space , while many Android phones prefer SRGB .
Roussel notes that when he tested the issue on a Pixel 4 XL running the Android 11 developer preview , however , the software appears to include code to replace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result , the wallpaper didn ’ t crash the Pixel 4 XL .
This suggests that a fairly simple fix might be available for any phones that suffer with this issue .
XDA-Developers reports that one developer has already submitted a patch to AOSP to resolve the issue .
It ’ s not unusual for seemingly innocuous content to crash phones .
Earlier this year , a bug was found in iOS 13 that caused iPhones to crash when displaying certain characters from the Sindhi language .
A few years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could cause iPhones to crash .
Until a fix is widely available , you should probably exercise some caution over what images you use as wallpapers on Android .

A bug in Android means that setting a certain image as your phone’s wallpaper could be enough to crash it. The issue gained widespread attention over the weekend after leaker Ice Universe tweeted the image that causes the issue, and the bug has since been verified by 9to5Google and Android Authority. Ice Universe says that the bug affects Samsung handsets in particular, but it’s also been replicated on Google Pixel phones, among others.
On affected phones, setting the photo as your wallpaper causes a handset’s screen to immediately start turning on and off, making it unusable. Rebooting a phone won’t fix the issue. 9to5Google reports that you can restart your phone into safe mode and delete the image file as a potential fix, but Android Authority says it eventually had to factory reset its device to get things back to normal. Suffice it to say, you definitely shouldn’t try replicating this issue on any of your important devices.
The bug does not appear to be universal; Android Authority says it initially tried to verify the bug on a Huawei Mate 20 Pro, but found that the phone does not appear be affected.
According to a Twitter thread posted by 9to5Google contributor Dylan Roussel, the issue may be caused when certain phones don’t support the color space used by the image. According to Roussel, the image uses the RGB color space, while many Android phones prefer SRGB.
Roussel notes that when he tested the issue on a Pixel 4 XL running the Android 11 developer preview, however, the software appears to include code to replace unsupported color spaces with SRGB. As a result, the wallpaper didn’t crash the Pixel 4 XL. This suggests that a fairly simple fix might be available for any phones that suffer with this issue. XDA-Developers reports that one developer has already submitted a patch to AOSP to resolve the issue.


theverge--2020-06-01--Microsoft is blocking the Windows 10 May 2020 Update on lots of devices

Microsoft is preventing a large number of devices from updating to the Windows 10 May 2020 Update .
While the software company released the update last week , Microsoft has quietly acknowledged that there are a number of known issues preventing the update from being installed on a variety of PCs .
Microsoft has a list of 10 issues it ’ s currently investigating , and 9 of them have resulted in a “ compatibility hold ” which stops the Windows 10 May 2020 Update from being installed via Windows Update .
One issue involving unexpected errors or reboots with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Microsoft ’ s Surface Pro 7 or Surface Laptop 3 .
If you ’ ve been checking Windows Update for the May 2020 Update and not seeing anything , then it ’ s likely that your device is being blocked or throttled from updating .
Microsoft has also added a warning to Windows Update over the weekend for devices that aren ’ t ready to be updated .
Microsoft is also “ slowly throttling up ” the availability of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update through Windows Update , so the option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of device and driver blocks .
The latest update is also being blocked on systems with apps or games that use the GameInput Redistributable .
Microsoft doesn ’ t make it clear which apps and games use this , but the company has found that “ affected apps or games might lose mouse input ” with the May 2020 Update .
We ’ ve tried to check for the update on a variety of devices at The Verge , including Microsoft ’ s Surface Book 3 , Surface Laptop 3 , Surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two custom-built gaming PCs .
We ’ ve only been able to successfully install it from Windows Update on a Surface Pro 6 .
Windows Update isn ’ t the only way to get the Windows 10 May 2020 Update , though .
You can also force it through Microsoft ’ s update assistant .
The tool even bypasses the blocks that Microsoft has put in place for affected systems .
We wouldn ’ t recommend using the tool if Windows Update has flagged potential problems , though .

Microsoft is preventing a large number of devices from updating to the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. While the software company released the update last week, Microsoft has quietly acknowledged that there are a number of known issues preventing the update from being installed on a variety of PCs.
Microsoft has a list of 10 issues it’s currently investigating, and 9 of them have resulted in a “compatibility hold” which stops the Windows 10 May 2020 Update from being installed via Windows Update. One issue involving unexpected errors or reboots with always-on, always-connected devices, affects devices like Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 or Surface Laptop 3.
If you’ve been checking Windows Update for the May 2020 Update and not seeing anything, then it’s likely that your device is being blocked or throttled from updating. Microsoft has also added a warning to Windows Update over the weekend for devices that aren’t ready to be updated.
Windows Update warning.
Microsoft is also “slowly throttling up” the availability of the Windows 10 May 2020 Update through Windows Update, so the option might just not be appearing for many regardless of device and driver blocks.
The latest update is also being blocked on systems with apps or games that use the GameInput Redistributable. Microsoft doesn’t make it clear which apps and games use this, but the company has found that “affected apps or games might lose mouse input” with the May 2020 Update.
We’ve tried to check for the update on a variety of devices at The Verge, including Microsoft’s Surface Book 3, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro X, a gaming laptop, and two custom-built gaming PCs. We’ve only been able to successfully install it from Windows Update on a Surface Pro 6.


theverge--2020-06-01--Reddit and Twitter join the fight against US demands for visa applicants’ online handles

Reddit and Twitter have filed supporting evidence in a lawsuit against the US government , which challenges the requirement that nearly all visa applicants submit their social media handles for scrutiny .
The companies argue that this requirement will “ unquestionably chill a vast quantity of speech ” and that it “ violates the First Amendment rights to speak anonymously and associate privately.
” The demand from the State Department will “ unquestionably chill a vast quantity of speech ” “ Those guarantees are deeply rooted in this nation ’ s history , which has long cherished anonymity ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideas — one where speakers can choose to keep their identity and their associations private as ‘ a shield from the tyranny of the majority , ’ ” say the two firms .
Their evidence is supported by the Internet Association , a trade association that represents US tech companies including Facebook and Google .
The requirement for visa applicants to detail their social media accounts was introduced in 2019 .
It affects an estimated 14.7 million people each year , including people traveling to the US for work and study .
Applicants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twenty online sites , including Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , LinkedIn , Twitter , and Reddit .
Previously , only applicants subjected to additional vetting had to supply this information .
Certain diplomatic and official visa applicants are exempt from the rules .
The lawsuit against these changes was brought last year , with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University , the Brennan Center for Justice , and lawyers from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP suing the State Department on behalf of two US-based documentary film organizations , the Doc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit was originally filed by documentary makers who need anonymity for protection Documentary film makers involved in the suit said that anonymous online accounts were vital to their investigations and the safety of their team .
One individual cited research they ’ d conducted into online Nazi groups using pseudonymous accounts ; another said they used fake names online to protect against political persecution in their home country of Syria .
Submitting these handles would potentially expose these individuals to danger .
Reddit and Twitter said in their amicus brief that there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might want to speak anonymously , and that enabling such speech is a central part of their platforms ’ online function .
The brief notes that a quarter of Twitter accounts , for example , do not disclose a person ’ s full name .
“ Twitter and Reddit vigorously guard the right to speak anonymously for people on their platforms , and anonymous individuals correspondingly communicate on these platforms with the expectation that their identities will not be revealed without a specific showing of compelling need , ” said the companies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ideas to flourish on these platforms.
” In a press statement , Twitter vice president for public policy and philanthropy , Jessica Herrera-Flanigan , said the company was committed to “ freedom of expression and privacy.
” “ We believe the government ’ s policy requiring visa applicants to disclose their social media handles infringes both of those rights and we are proud to lend our support on these critical legal issues.
” Reddit ’ s general counsel and vice president Ben Lee , said that privacy was a “ foundational value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this brief we intend to defend not just our users but all users who are determined to maintain their privacy on the internet from intrusive overreach by the government .
”

Reddit and Twitter have filed supporting evidence in a lawsuit against the US government, which challenges the requirement that nearly all visa applicants submit their social media handles for scrutiny.
The companies argue that this requirement will “unquestionably chill a vast quantity of speech” and that it “violates the First Amendment rights to speak anonymously and associate privately.”
The demand from the State Department will “unquestionably chill a vast quantity of speech”
“Those guarantees are deeply rooted in this nation’s history, which has long cherished anonymity’s role in guaranteeing a robust marketplace of ideas — one where speakers can choose to keep their identity and their associations private as ‘a shield from the tyranny of the majority,’” say the two firms. Their evidence is supported by the Internet Association, a trade association that represents US tech companies including Facebook and Google.
The requirement for visa applicants to detail their social media accounts was introduced in 2019. It affects an estimated 14.7 million people each year, including people traveling to the US for work and study. Applicants must submit any handles they use on twenty online sites, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Reddit.
Previously, only applicants subjected to additional vetting had to supply this information. Certain diplomatic and official visa applicants are exempt from the rules.
The lawsuit against these changes was brought last year, with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, the Brennan Center for Justice, and lawyers from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP suing the State Department on behalf of two US-based documentary film organizations, the Doc Society and International Documentary Association.
The suit was originally filed by documentary makers who need anonymity for protection
Documentary film makers involved in the suit said that anonymous online accounts were vital to their investigations and the safety of their team. One individual cited research they’d conducted into online Nazi groups using pseudonymous accounts; another said they used fake names online to protect against political persecution in their home country of Syria. Submitting these handles would potentially expose these individuals to danger.
Reddit and Twitter said in their amicus brief that there was a wide range of reasons that users might want to speak anonymously, and that enabling such speech is a central part of their platforms’ online function. The brief notes that a quarter of Twitter accounts, for example, do not disclose a person’s full name.
“Twitter and Reddit vigorously guard the right to speak anonymously for people on their platforms, and anonymous individuals correspondingly communicate on these platforms with the expectation that their identities will not be revealed without a specific showing of compelling need,” said the companies. “That expectation allows the free exchange of ideas to flourish on these platforms.”
In a press statement, Twitter vice president for public policy and philanthropy, Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, said the company was committed to “freedom of expression and privacy.” “We believe the government’s policy requiring visa applicants to disclose their social media handles infringes both of those rights and we are proud to lend our support on these critical legal issues.”


theverge--2020-06-01--Pixel Buds users are reporting Bluetooth connection issues

Owners of Google ’ s new Pixel Buds are reporting a variety of connection issues with the true wireless earbuds .
9to5Google reports that issues have been raised on Google ’ s support forums as well as in a number of Reddit threads , and the problems have been replicated on review devices held by DroidLife , 9to5Google , and our own pair here at The Verge .
For the most part these sound like typical Bluetooth connection issues .
On our pair , for example , we ’ ve found that both earbuds will drop their connection simultaneously , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earbud in turn .
Over at DroidLife , Kellen Barranger says the earbuds ’ connection dropped if he cupped his hand over his ear , but that the buds were otherwise fine in everyday use .
Users are reporting issues on Google ’ s support forums as well as Reddit Unfortunately it ’ s not clear what exactly is causing the issues .
A recent firmware update to version 295 doesn ’ t appear to have fixed the issue based on user reports , and one Reddit user reports that Google sent them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the replacement pair to have the same issues .
Issues are being reported when connecting to Google ’ s Pixel phones as well as some Samsung phones .
The issues do not appear to be universal however .
Both Android Police and Android Authority report that they haven ’ t had any issues with their own earbuds .
It ’ s not uncommon for true wireless earbuds to occasionally cut out in busy locations , but it sounds as though the Pixel Buds ’ issues are worse than most .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a firmware update in development to address the issues .

Owners of Google’s new Pixel Buds are reporting a variety of connection issues with the true wireless earbuds. 9to5Google reports that issues have been raised on Google’s support forums as well as in a number of Reddit threads, and the problems have been replicated on review devices held by DroidLife, 9to5Google, and our own pair here at The Verge.
For the most part these sound like typical Bluetooth connection issues. On our pair, for example, we’ve found that both earbuds will drop their connection simultaneously, before the connection drops from each individual earbud in turn. Over at DroidLife, Kellen Barranger says the earbuds’ connection dropped if he cupped his hand over his ear, but that the buds were otherwise fine in everyday use.
Users are reporting issues on Google’s support forums as well as Reddit
The issues do not appear to be universal however. Both Android Police and Android Authority report that they haven’t had any issues with their own earbuds.


theverge--2020-06-01--Sennheiser’s limited edition HD 25 headphones have a pop of retro color

In celebration of the company ’ s 75th anniversary , Sennheiser is releasing a limited edition version of its HD 25 headphones .
While they usually feature a nondescript all-black design , the limited edition will come with an extra pair of bright yellow ear pads inspired by Sennheiser ’ s other iconic headphones , the HD 414 .
The company is also reducing the price of the headphones while it ’ s selling the limited edition models , from $ 149.95 to $ 99.95 .
The catch is that Sennheiser isn ’ t going to offer a foolproof way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edition model .
It ’ s not selling them separately .
Instead , if you want a pair , you ’ ll have to order a regular pair of HD 25s from Sennheiser ’ s store and cross your fingers that one of the limited edition models shows up .
Sennheiser says it ’ s producing 25,000 limited edition pairs to be sold around the world .
The HD 25s have a pretty interesting history .
According to Sennheiser , the headphones were supplied to Concorde passengers between 1989 and 2004 because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have active noise cancellation like many modern headphones , but Sennheiser says their design is excellent at passively blocking out background noise — handy when you ’ re traveling on a supersonic aircraft that creates sonic booms .
This same quality has made them popular with many DJs .
The HD 414s date back even earlier to 1968 , and , according to CNET , they ’ re the first pair of headphones to have ever used an open-back design .
Sennheiser no longer produces the HD 414s , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the bestselling headphones of all time .
Sennheiser ’ s limited edition HD 25s will be available through the month of June , after which , they ’ ll revert to their standard $ 149.95 price point .

In celebration of the company’s 75th anniversary, Sennheiser is releasing a limited edition version of its HD 25 headphones. While they usually feature a nondescript all-black design, the limited edition will come with an extra pair of bright yellow ear pads inspired by Sennheiser’s other iconic headphones, the HD 414. The company is also reducing the price of the headphones while it’s selling the limited edition models, from $149.95 to $99.95.
The catch is that Sennheiser isn’t going to offer a foolproof way of getting your hands on the limited edition model. It’s not selling them separately. Instead, if you want a pair, you’ll have to order a regular pair of HD 25s from Sennheiser’s store and cross your fingers that one of the limited edition models shows up. Sennheiser says it’s producing 25,000 limited edition pairs to be sold around the world.
The HD 25s have a pretty interesting history. According to Sennheiser, the headphones were supplied to Concorde passengers between 1989 and 2004 because they worked well in loud environments. They don’t have active noise cancellation like many modern headphones, but Sennheiser says their design is excellent at passively blocking out background noise — handy when you’re traveling on a supersonic aircraft that creates sonic booms. This same quality has made them popular with many DJs.
The HD 414s date back even earlier to 1968, and, according to CNET, they’re the first pair of headphones to have ever used an open-back design. Sennheiser no longer produces the HD 414s, but in their heyday, they were reportedly some of the bestselling headphones of all time.