theverge--2020-10-28--T-Mobile expands its faster midband 5G network, nearly doubling its coverage

T-Mobile has announced another expansion of its 2.5GHz midband 5G network , which is now available in dozens of new cities , nearly doubling the coverage of its last major midband rollout from the end of September .
With today ’ s expansion announcement , T-Mobile says that it now has midband 5G support in nearly 410 cities and towns in the United States .
The new expansion comes just after the launch of Apple ’ s new 5G-compatible iPhone 12 lineup , which is expected to vastly increase the number of 5G devices in the US .
T-Mobile ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600MHz low-band network ( which offers coverage on a nationwide scale but not much in the way of speed improvements of LTE ) with the faster 2.5GHz network ( which it acquired from Sprint ) along with its ultra-fast mmWave network ( which has the best speeds but the worst range ) .
The actually fast flavor of T-Mobile ’ s 5G It ’ s what the company likes to call its “ layer cake ” approach to 5G , with the 2.5GHz chunk of the cake the “ Goldilocks ” portion : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases over regular LTE and low-band 5G but still able to be transmitted over broad chunks of cities and towns without worrying about interference from trees , walls , or buildings ( problems that greatly limit mmWave ) .
T-Mobile already has wide nationwide coverage on its low-band network , thanks to its initial 5G launch last year .
The goal of the current midband expansion is to bring actual next-generation speeds to more users in a way that the 600MHz network doesn ’ t .
For the full list of newly added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site here .
The company also plans to continue its aggressive midband 5G expansion , with the goal of providing coverage to 100 million people by the end of 2020 .

T-Mobile has announced another expansion of its 2.5GHz midband 5G network, which is now available in dozens of new cities, nearly doubling the coverage of its last major midband rollout from the end of September. With today’s expansion announcement, T-Mobile says that it now has midband 5G support in nearly 410 cities and towns in the United States.
The new expansion comes just after the launch of Apple’s new 5G-compatible iPhone 12 lineup, which is expected to vastly increase the number of 5G devices in the US.
T-Mobile’s 5G network combines its widely available 600MHz low-band network (which offers coverage on a nationwide scale but not much in the way of speed improvements of LTE) with the faster 2.5GHz network (which it acquired from Sprint) along with its ultra-fast mmWave network (which has the best speeds but the worst range).
The actually fast flavor of T-Mobile’s 5G
It’s what the company likes to call its “layer cake” approach to 5G, with the 2.5GHz chunk of the cake the “Goldilocks” portion: fast enough to offer a meaningful speed increases over regular LTE and low-band 5G but still able to be transmitted over broad chunks of cities and towns without worrying about interference from trees, walls, or buildings (problems that greatly limit mmWave).
T-Mobile already has wide nationwide coverage on its low-band network, thanks to its initial 5G launch last year. The goal of the current midband expansion is to bring actual next-generation speeds to more users in a way that the 600MHz network doesn’t.


theverge--2020-10-28--Sony’s new PlayStation App is seriously clean and lets you do way more remotely

With the PS5 launch roughly two weeks away , Sony has unveiled a redesign for its PlayStation App on iOS and Android , and it makes me very excited to try it out when the new console launches .
Early adopters of the console will have the ability to remotely launch games , sign in to their PS5 directly from the app , and the app will even allow you to remotely manage storage on your console in case you need to make room for a new game to install .
Previously , the PlayStation App would let you download @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app now allows me to download and launch games , plus manage the storage on my PS5 .
Based on Sony ’ s blog post , it looks like PS5 owners will have a lot more freedom to manage their consoles without directly interacting with it .
It was such a pain having to shuffle around between multiple PlayStation apps and my PS4 just to take full advantage of all the features Sony provided .
PS5 owners will have a lot more control of their console without directly interacting with it Theoretically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy a game ( digitally ) , free up some storage space , download it , launch it , and check to make sure the software is up to date , all before I actually grab my DualSense controller and start playing .
Even better ?
The new update allows me to message friends , voice chat , and create party groups directly from the app .
So if I were preparing to play Call of Duty or Dead by Daylight with friends , I could set everything up through my phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UI that completely overhauls the home screen , and , as you can tell from the images , it looks a lot cleaner now .
I think the update makes the app a lot more organized than before .
Since Sony is integrating its messaging system , you no longer need the separate PS Messages app .
In fact , PS Messages will no longer be available , but any existing messages and threads from the discontinued app will be carried over into the new PS App update .
The update will start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later today .

With the PS5 launch roughly two weeks away, Sony has unveiled a redesign for its PlayStation App on iOS and Android, and it makes me very excited to try it out when the new console launches.
Early adopters of the console will have the ability to remotely launch games, sign in to their PS5 directly from the app, and the app will even allow you to remotely manage storage on your console in case you need to make room for a new game to install. Previously, the PlayStation App would let you download games on the PS4, but the app now allows me to download and launch games, plus manage the storage on my PS5.
Based on Sony’s blog post, it looks like PS5 owners will have a lot more freedom to manage their consoles without directly interacting with it. It was such a pain having to shuffle around between multiple PlayStation apps and my PS4 just to take full advantage of all the features Sony provided.
PS5 owners will have a lot more control of their console without directly interacting with it
Theoretically, the new PlayStation App could allow me to buy a game (digitally), free up some storage space, download it, launch it, and check to make sure the software is up to date, all before I actually grab my DualSense controller and start playing. Even better? The new update allows me to message friends, voice chat, and create party groups directly from the app. So if I were preparing to play Call of Duty or Dead by Daylight with friends, I could set everything up through my phone.
The app also adds a new UI that completely overhauls the home screen, and, as you can tell from the images, it looks a lot cleaner now. I think the update makes the app a lot more organized than before.
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Since Sony is integrating its messaging system, you no longer need the separate PS Messages app. In fact, PS Messages will no longer be available, but any existing messages and threads from the discontinued app will be carried over into the new PS App update.


theverge--2020-10-28--Here’s how to request a PS5 adapter for Sony’s PlayStation VR headset

Sony ’ s PlayStation VR headset is four years old , but the company isn ’ t giving up on it when the PlayStation 5 console launches next month .
The headset is compatible with the new system , but you will need a special adapter .
And Sony on Wednesday launched the online request form you ’ ll need to fill out if you want to get your hands on one for free .
The adapter is actually not for the headset itself but the PlayStation Camera accessory that ’ s required to perform tracking while you wear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HD camera accessory isn ’ t compatible with the headset .
Beyond that , everything is supposed to work , meaning you should be able to plug your PSVR headset into the PS5 and use your existing PlayStation Move controllers to play all but two PSVR games , Sony confirmed earlier this year .
To be eligible for a free adapter , you ’ ll need to provide your PSVR serial number and some basic personal info , including a shipping address for when the camera adapter becomes available outside Japan sometime in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of October in Japan . )
It ’ s not currently clear whether the adapter will be sold separately at some point in the future , and right now , all we have are rumors about a potential sequel to Sony ’ s headset that would be fully compatible with the PS5 .

Sony’s PlayStation VR headset is four years old, but the company isn’t giving up on it when the PlayStation 5 console launches next month. The headset is compatible with the new system, but you will need a special adapter. And Sony on Wednesday launched the online request form you’ll need to fill out if you want to get your hands on one for free.
The adapter is actually not for the headset itself but the PlayStation Camera accessory that’s required to perform tracking while you wear the PSVR headset, as the new PS5 HD camera accessory isn’t compatible with the headset. Beyond that, everything is supposed to work, meaning you should be able to plug your PSVR headset into the PS5 and use your existing PlayStation Move controllers to play all but two PSVR games, Sony confirmed earlier this year.


theverge--2020-10-28--Republicans weren’t happy about Facebook’s push to register more voters

Facebook ’ s voter information center was planned as a nonpartisan push to register voters , but it ran into unexpected trouble from Republicans .
A new report from BuzzFeed News reveals that six Republican secretaries of state contacted CEO Mark Zuckerberg in September to ask him to discontinue the project .
“ While such goals may be laudable on their face , the reality is that the administration of elections is best left to the states , ” read the letter , obtained by Common Cause through a public records request .
“ The Voting Information Center is redundant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief election officials , have been doing for decades.
” The letter was sent directly to Zuckerberg from the secretaries of state of Alabama , Idaho , Kentucky , Louisiana , Mississippi , and West Virginia , all working on behalf of Republican state governments .
“ Administration of elections is best left to the states ” The Trump campaign was vocally skeptical of Facebook ’ s voter registration effort when it was announced .
In a since-deleted Tweet from June , campaign digital director Gary Coby accused the project of being an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will register more of Biden ’ s voters than Trump ’ s , ” Coby writes .
“ Why ?
A radical liberal will be in charge & FB will not be transparent.
” Reached for comment , Facebook denied any partisan slant to the project .
“ We think every eligible person should have the information they need to register and vote , ” a representative said .
“ That ’ s why we ’ re running the largest voting information campaign in American history and launched the Voting Information Center.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been criticized by the left , largely on the grounds of the platform ’ s implicit power to sway democratic outcomes .
In 2012 , Facebook experimented with an “ I Voted ” button in the News Feed , discovering that the button increased turnout by 3 percent among users who saw it .
That translated to as much as 340,000 additional voters , which some critics saw as evidence of Facebook ’ s power to tip an election .
Facebook announced earlier this week that it had registered 4.4 million new voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial goal of 4 million .
The project comes amid a nationwide surge in registration and early voting for the 2020 election .
With six days remaining before polls close , more than 70 million votes have already been received , more than half the total votes counted in the 2016 election .

Facebook’s voter information center was planned as a nonpartisan push to register voters, but it ran into unexpected trouble from Republicans. A new report from BuzzFeed News reveals that six Republican secretaries of state contacted CEO Mark Zuckerberg in September to ask him to discontinue the project.
“While such goals may be laudable on their face, the reality is that the administration of elections is best left to the states,” read the letter, obtained by Common Cause through a public records request. “The Voting Information Center is redundant and duplicative of what we, as chief election officials, have been doing for decades.”
The letter was sent directly to Zuckerberg from the secretaries of state of Alabama, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia, all working on behalf of Republican state governments.
“Administration of elections is best left to the states”
The Trump campaign was vocally skeptical of Facebook’s voter registration effort when it was announced. In a since-deleted Tweet from June, campaign digital director Gary Coby accused the project of being an effort to help Biden. “They will register more of Biden’s voters than Trump’s,” Coby writes. “Why? A radical liberal will be in charge & FB will not be transparent.”
Reached for comment, Facebook denied any partisan slant to the project. “We think every eligible person should have the information they need to register and vote,” a representative said. “That’s why we’re running the largest voting information campaign in American history and launched the Voting Information Center.”
Facebook’s pro-voting efforts have also been criticized by the left, largely on the grounds of the platform’s implicit power to sway democratic outcomes. In 2012, Facebook experimented with an “I Voted” button in the News Feed, discovering that the button increased turnout by 3 percent among users who saw it. That translated to as much as 340,000 additional voters, which some critics saw as evidence of Facebook’s power to tip an election.


theverge--2020-10-28--Forgot what happened in The Mandalorian’s first season? Disney has you covered

The Mandalorian ’ s second season premiere is just two days away , and , if you ’ re like me , you ’ ve forgotten most of what happened in the first season .
If you ’ re also like me , you ’ re not planning to hunker down and marathon the first eight episodes again .
Fortunately , Disney has created a 99-second recap of The Mandalorian ’ s first season to save us all the trouble .
There are plenty of cute Baby Yoda — or , sorry , The Child — shots as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mando met throughout his journey .
Considering that The Mandalorian ’ s first season wasn ’ t as narratively heavy as executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni planned the second to be , it ’ s a pretty breezy recap .
All you need to remember : there ’ s Mando ( Pedro Pascal ) , IG-11 ( Taika Waititi ) , Cara Dune ( Gina Carano ) , Greef Karga ( Carl Weathers ) , and Moff Gideon ( Giancarlo Esposito ) , and at the center of it all is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a setup for the next season , with the anonymous Mando asking , “ You expect me to search the galaxy for the home of this creature ?
” Yes , Mando .
Yes , we do .
The Mandalorian ’ s second season starts streaming on October 30th .
Episodes will drop weekly .

The Mandalorian’s second season premiere is just two days away, and, if you’re like me, you’ve forgotten most of what happened in the first season. If you’re also like me, you’re not planning to hunker down and marathon the first eight episodes again.
Fortunately, Disney has created a 99-second recap of The Mandalorian’s first season to save us all the trouble. There are plenty of cute Baby Yoda — or, sorry, The Child — shots as well as reminders of the various allies and foes Mando met throughout his journey. Considering that The Mandalorian’s first season wasn’t as narratively heavy as executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni planned the second to be, it’s a pretty breezy recap.
All you need to remember: there’s Mando (Pedro Pascal), IG-11 (Taika Waititi), Cara Dune (Gina Carano), Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), and Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), and at the center of it all is Baby Yoda. It even ends with a setup for the next season, with the anonymous Mando asking, “You expect me to search the galaxy for the home of this creature?”
Yes, Mando. Yes, we do. The Mandalorian’s second season starts streaming on October 30th. Episodes will drop weekly.


theverge--2020-10-29--Uber can continue to push pro-Prop 22 messages at drivers in its app, court says

Uber can continue to send messages in its app to drivers about a California ballot measure that would exempt gig economy companies from having to classify workers as employees , a judge ruled late Wednesday .
A California state superior court judge rejected the drivers ’ request for a temporary restraining order blocking the messages , which drivers claim is “ pressuring ” them to support the ballot measure , Prop 22 .
In his ruling , Judge Richard Ulmer called the drivers ’ request for injunctive relief “ belated , ” noting that Uber ’ s campaign started in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on Prop 22 on November 3rd would render the company ’ s barrage of in-app messages about the ballot measure “ effectively moot.
” A judge criticized drivers for infringing on Uber ’ s rights to freedom of speech The judge also dismissed the drivers ’ allegations of “ political coercion , ” stating that there was no evidence of any Uber driver being punished for not supporting Prop 22 .
Ulmer also accused drivers ’ request for a temporary restraining order as “ particularly repugnant to [ Uber ’ s ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the company ’ s effort to spam drivers with pro-Prop 22 messages through its app .
In the lawsuit filed last week , Uber drivers claimed they have been getting messages reading “ Prop 22 is progress ” and receiving in-app warnings about what would happen if Prop 22 were to fail .
They have to click “ OK ” before they can move forward in the app .
That includes in-app videos of drivers speaking about why “ Prop 22 would make a difference , ” reinforcing Uber ’ s stance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failure of the drivers ’ request for a restraining order appears to signal the end of the court fights over Prop 22 ahead of Election Day .
Last week , Uber and Lyft were again ordered by California ’ s court of appeals to classify their drivers as employees — though that ruling won ’ t go into effect until after voters have made their decision on the ballot measure .
Uber and Lyft have both claimed that they would leave California if they are forced to classify drivers as employees .
Uber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in fare prices and fewer drivers allowed on the app if Prop 22 fails .
The battle over Prop 22 has been heating up in recent weeks , as polling shows the electorate sharply divided over whether Uber and Lyft should treat drivers like employees .
The airwaves have been blanketed with pro- and anti-Prop 22 advertisements ( mostly pro , given Uber and Lyft ’ s spending advantage over their opponents ) .

Uber can continue to send messages in its app to drivers about a California ballot measure that would exempt gig economy companies from having to classify workers as employees, a judge ruled late Wednesday. A California state superior court judge rejected the drivers’ request for a temporary restraining order blocking the messages, which drivers claim is “pressuring” them to support the ballot measure, Prop 22.
In his ruling, Judge Richard Ulmer called the drivers’ request for injunctive relief “belated,” noting that Uber’s campaign started in August. He also noted that the vote on Prop 22 on November 3rd would render the company’s barrage of in-app messages about the ballot measure “effectively moot.”
A judge criticized drivers for infringing on Uber’s rights to freedom of speech
The judge also dismissed the drivers’ allegations of “political coercion,” stating that there was no evidence of any Uber driver being punished for not supporting Prop 22. Ulmer also accused drivers’ request for a temporary restraining order as “particularly repugnant to [Uber’s] free speech rights,” essentially siding with the company’s effort to spam drivers with pro-Prop 22 messages through its app.
In the lawsuit filed last week, Uber drivers claimed they have been getting messages reading “Prop 22 is progress” and receiving in-app warnings about what would happen if Prop 22 were to fail. They have to click “OK” before they can move forward in the app. That includes in-app videos of drivers speaking about why “Prop 22 would make a difference,” reinforcing Uber’s stance that the measure should pass.
The failure of the drivers’ request for a restraining order appears to signal the end of the court fights over Prop 22 ahead of Election Day. Last week, Uber and Lyft were again ordered by California’s court of appeals to classify their drivers as employees — though that ruling won’t go into effect until after voters have made their decision on the ballot measure.
Uber and Lyft have both claimed that they would leave California if they are forced to classify drivers as employees. Uber’s CEO also predicted a sharp increase in fare prices and fewer drivers allowed on the app if Prop 22 fails.


theverge--2020-10-29--UE Fits review: a fit that’s lit

UE Fits review: a fit that’s lit

Not everyone has an easy time getting wireless earbuds to fit comfortably .
It seems like tech companies all size their silicone ear tips differently , and foam tips , as good as they can be , don ’ t always solve the problem .
So there was a lot of excitement earlier this month when Ultimate Ears announced the $ 250 UE Fits , a pair of earbuds that can mold to the shape of your ear for unmatched comfort .
The earbuds use a 60-second molding process that doesn ’ t require a visit to your local audiologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an at-home kit that needs to be mailed in .
This approach is an evolution of technology that parent company Logitech picked up through its acquisition of Revols .
Ultimate Ears doesn ’ t quite match the perfect , unique-to-you results that you get with expensive custom ear tips that professional musicians use .
But the UE Fits come close enough that they ’ re more comfortable than any regular earbud tip I ’ ve ever tried .
The molding process is something special , but the earbuds themselves trail similarly priced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But first , let ’ s cover that fitting process .
The UE Fits come with large ear tips — if you can still call these that — with an outer layer of soft silicone .
Underneath the silicone , there ’ s gel containing a photopolymer that reacts to light .
When you unbox the Fits , there ’ s a warning that they ’ re light-sensitive , and you ’ re encouraged to have the mobile app downloaded and ready to go before you take them out of the packaging .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much .
The sensitivity isn ’ t so extreme that you ’ ll mess them up if they sit out for a while . )
Each earbud has bright purple LEDs that cure the gel during the minute-long molding session and harden it to the shape of your ear .
The UE Fits app guides you through the entire thing .
It starts by instructing you to put the earbuds in until they ’ re comfortable and the bass from the sound test is to your liking .
After that , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place — you ’ ll have to put your phone down — and the process begins .
During molding , the tips warm up , which is an unusual sensation for something in your ears .
It never gets uncomfortable ( Ultimate Ears likens it to the temperature of a warm bath ) , but it ’ ll definitely grab your attention .
So the app reminds you to stay calm and keep your jaw relaxed to avoid messing up the fit .
My first molding attempt actually “ failed , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an error message after about 40 seconds saying that the process had been interrupted .
( This wasn ’ t really true .
The app only tells the LEDs to turn on , and the rest is science , so there ’ s not much that can go wrong . )
Afterward , I could definitely tell a difference between the finished mold and how the Fits felt out of the box .
The end result doesn ’ t have the same obvious contours of a truly custom earbud tip and doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canal .
With this approach , the shape adjustments and bumps are more subtle .
But I found that the finished Fits were able to glide into my ear with fantastic comfort and stayed reassuringly planted once in .
Even after the process is done , the tips remain soft to the touch and flexible .
The first set I tried were the default tips that Ultimate Ears says should work for 95 percent of customers .
But since I almost always veer toward large-sized tips , the company also gave me a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that those worked even better when it came to noise isolation .
( The Fits lack active noise cancellation , so this is important . )
Both sizes provided a steady fit and the kind of comfort where I could wear them for hours without thinking about it .
Ultimate Ears says the Fits come with a satisfaction guarantee on how they fit , and the company will send customers a second set of tips if they botch the first one or need a different starting size .
The UE Fits definitely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their name .
And now that I ’ ve got them , I find myself wishing I could use these tips on other earbuds — like slipping them onto my Powerbeats Pro for workouts .
I think this personalized fit concept gives Ultimate Ears a lot of runway for where it can take future products .
Thankfully , your $ 250 isn ’ t just going toward that fit : these earbuds also sound quite good .
Each bud houses a single driver ( unlike professional IEMs that often have two or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough for respectable bass response and excellent , detailed music reproduction .
The UE Fits app lets you apply custom EQ settings and save your favorites , but I stuck with the “ signature ” profile since that ’ s what sounded best most often .
Listening through the new Tom Petty Wildflowers & All The Rest compilation , the Fits were able to span remasters , at-home demo sessions , and live recordings and made them all shine with depth and excellent instrument separation .
These earbuds can sound big when songs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t Wan na ” warrant it but also handle the more raw , acoustic tracks of Ruston Kelly ’ s Shape and Destroy .
The Fits support AptX , AAC , and SBC Bluetooth codecs .
Ultimate Ears says the Fits can last for up to eight hours of continuous playback , which is in the upper tier for battery life on true wireless earbuds .
The compact , pebble-shaped carrying case , which lacks wireless charging but thankfully uses USB-C , packs another 12 hours .
During my time testing the earbuds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were seated in the case .
The UE logo on the earbud would slowly pulsate to indicate charging ( as expected ) , but the other earbud would quickly flash and seemed to think it was in pairing mode .
The company tells me it ’ s aware of this bug , and it ’ ll be fixed in a firmware update .
As a side effect of this issue , I also occasionally heard a sonar ping sound effect in the left earbud — even when it was paired and music was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bloop sounds for audio feedback , and I much prefer straightforward voice prompts for a clearer idea of what ’ s happening .
The UE Fits also stumble when it comes to onboard controls .
You can double tap the stem of either earbud and choose what you want that to do ( play / pause , skip tracks , volume , voice assistant , etc . )
, but the double-tap is the only gesture that the Fits support .
That ’ s limiting compared to most other earbuds and means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone regularly .
Still , I ’ m a fan of the overall form factor ; the elongated pill shape makes it unmistakable that you ’ re wearing earbuds , but also allows for easy handling .
Water resistance is another downside .
The Fits are rated IPX3 , which should make them semi-sweatproof .
But I ’ m a heavy sweater , and since these lack the IPX6 or IPX7 ratings of fitness-focused buds , I ’ d be a little anxious using them while working out .
Ultimate Ears also skipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like auto-pause when an earbud is removed .
And the Fits offer no transparency mode whatsoever , which some people might consider a deal-breaker .
You can still make out what ’ s happening around you when music is paused , but a hear-through feature would ’ ve been nice for this price .
So as you can see , you ’ re trading a few notable things for that unrivaled comfort that the Fits provide through their molding process .
But I can at least say that they ’ ve been stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no noticeable bouts of cutouts or Bluetooth interference .
Microphone performance is decent , as the Fits are outfitted with dual microphones on each earbud to block out wind noise .
Some callers said my voice came through a little thin , but everyone could understand me just fine .
I think I ’ d recommend the UE Fits to people who are never fully satisfied with how the AirPods or Galaxy Buds of the world feel in their ears .
$ 250 is pricey ; it ’ s right up there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off from Bose ’ s new QuietComfort Earbuds .
And you ’ re missing out on some of what those products offer — namely noise cancellation .
If you ’ re perfectly fine with regular ear tips , I can ’ t say the sound quality of the Fits dramatically outperforms other premium earbuds at their price range ( or even slightly below it ) .
But the UE Fits are proof positive that this 60-second mold concept works and works extraordinarily well .
They ’ re a fascinating middle ground between everyday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m excited to see where Ultimate Ears takes it from here .

Not everyone has an easy time getting wireless earbuds to fit comfortably. It seems like tech companies all size their silicone ear tips differently, and foam tips, as good as they can be, don’t always solve the problem. So there was a lot of excitement earlier this month when Ultimate Ears announced the $250 UE Fits, a pair of earbuds that can mold to the shape of your ear for unmatched comfort.
The earbuds use a 60-second molding process that doesn’t require a visit to your local audiologist or taking an impression of each ear with an at-home kit that needs to be mailed in. This approach is an evolution of technology that parent company Logitech picked up through its acquisition of Revols. Ultimate Ears doesn’t quite match the perfect, unique-to-you results that you get with expensive custom ear tips that professional musicians use. But the UE Fits come close enough that they’re more comfortable than any regular earbud tip I’ve ever tried. The molding process is something special, but the earbuds themselves trail similarly priced competitors in a few disappointing ways.
7.5 Verge Score UE Fits $ 249 The Good Unique, one-of-a-kind fit
Good sound quality
Lengthy eight-hour battery life
Compact charging case The Bad Limited controls
No transparency / passthrough mode
Lackluster sweat resistance
No auto-pause or wireless charging $249 at Ultimate Ears How we rate and review products
But first, let’s cover that fitting process. The UE Fits come with large ear tips — if you can still call these that — with an outer layer of soft silicone. Underneath the silicone, there’s gel containing a photopolymer that reacts to light. When you unbox the Fits, there’s a warning that they’re light-sensitive, and you’re encouraged to have the mobile app downloaded and ready to go before you take them out of the packaging. (Don’t sweat this too much. The sensitivity isn’t so extreme that you’ll mess them up if they sit out for a while.)
The UE Fits packaging warns that the ear tips are sensitive to UV light. It’s not your typical earbuds unboxing experience.
Each earbud has bright purple LEDs that cure the gel during the minute-long molding session and harden it to the shape of your ear. The UE Fits app guides you through the entire thing. It starts by instructing you to put the earbuds in until they’re comfortable and the bass from the sound test is to your liking.
The UE Fits with their ear tips before the molding process.
After that, you’re told to firmly hold each earbud in place — you’ll have to put your phone down — and the process begins. During molding, the tips warm up, which is an unusual sensation for something in your ears. It never gets uncomfortable (Ultimate Ears likens it to the temperature of a warm bath), but it’ll definitely grab your attention. So the app reminds you to stay calm and keep your jaw relaxed to avoid messing up the fit.
My first molding attempt actually “failed,” according to the app; I saw an error message after about 40 seconds saying that the process had been interrupted. (This wasn’t really true. The app only tells the LEDs to turn on, and the rest is science, so there’s not much that can go wrong.)
The secret to the mold process is science. And these built-in LEDs. As the gel reacts to the LEDs, the ear tips warm up.
Afterward, I could definitely tell a difference between the finished mold and how the Fits felt out of the box. The end result doesn’t have the same obvious contours of a truly custom earbud tip and doesn’t sink as deep into your ear canal. With this approach, the shape adjustments and bumps are more subtle. But I found that the finished Fits were able to glide into my ear with fantastic comfort and stayed reassuringly planted once in. Even after the process is done, the tips remain soft to the touch and flexible.
The first set I tried were the default tips that Ultimate Ears says should work for 95 percent of customers. But since I almost always veer toward large-sized tips, the company also gave me a bigger pair. Sure enough, I found that those worked even better when it came to noise isolation. (The Fits lack active noise cancellation, so this is important.) Both sizes provided a steady fit and the kind of comfort where I could wear them for hours without thinking about it. Ultimate Ears says the Fits come with a satisfaction guarantee on how they fit, and the company will send customers a second set of tips if they botch the first one or need a different starting size.
The UE Fits definitely nail the “fits” part of their name. And now that I’ve got them, I find myself wishing I could use these tips on other earbuds — like slipping them onto my Powerbeats Pro for workouts. I think this personalized fit concept gives Ultimate Ears a lot of runway for where it can take future products.
The molding process adds subtle curves and bumps to match your ear shape.
Thankfully, your $250 isn’t just going toward that fit: these earbuds also sound quite good. Each bud houses a single driver (unlike professional IEMs that often have two or more), but that’s still enough for respectable bass response and excellent, detailed music reproduction. The UE Fits app lets you apply custom EQ settings and save your favorites, but I stuck with the “signature” profile since that’s what sounded best most often. Listening through the new Tom Petty Wildflowers & All The Rest compilation, the Fits were able to span remasters, at-home demo sessions, and live recordings and made them all shine with depth and excellent instrument separation. These earbuds can sound big when songs like HAIM’s “Don’t Wanna” warrant it but also handle the more raw, acoustic tracks of Ruston Kelly’s Shape and Destroy. The Fits support AptX, AAC, and SBC Bluetooth codecs.
Ultimate Ears says the Fits can last for up to eight hours of continuous playback, which is in the upper tier for battery life on true wireless earbuds. The compact, pebble-shaped carrying case, which lacks wireless charging but thankfully uses USB-C, packs another 12 hours. During my time testing the earbuds, I encountered some bugs when they were seated in the case. The UE logo on the earbud would slowly pulsate to indicate charging (as expected), but the other earbud would quickly flash and seemed to think it was in pairing mode. The company tells me it’s aware of this bug, and it’ll be fixed in a firmware update. As a side effect of this issue, I also occasionally heard a sonar ping sound effect in the left earbud — even when it was paired and music was playing. The Fits frustratingly use bleep and bloop sounds for audio feedback, and I much prefer straightforward voice prompts for a clearer idea of what’s happening.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: ULTIMATE EARS UE FITS Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we’re going to start counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. As with other Bluetooth products, the UE Fits can technically be paired and used without agreeing to anything in software — but that would mean you’d completely skip the molding process, which is activated in the UE Fits app. By using that app, you’re agreeing to: Logitech (Ultimate Ears’ parent company) privacy policy Optionally, you can also agree to share analytics data to “help Ultimate Ears improve its products and services.” This is disabled by default in the pre-release beta app I’ve been testing during the review. Final tally: one mandatory agreement and one optional agreement.
The UE Fits also stumble when it comes to onboard controls. You can double tap the stem of either earbud and choose what you want that to do (play / pause, skip tracks, volume, voice assistant, etc.), but the double-tap is the only gesture that the Fits support. That’s limiting compared to most other earbuds and means you’ll be pulling out your phone regularly. Still, I’m a fan of the overall form factor; the elongated pill shape makes it unmistakable that you’re wearing earbuds, but also allows for easy handling.
The elongated pill shape makes the Fits easy to handle and put in your ears. The UE Fits are only rated IPX3 for sweat resistance, and it’s not hard to see why.
Water resistance is another downside. The Fits are rated IPX3, which should make them semi-sweatproof. But I’m a heavy sweater, and since these lack the IPX6 or IPX7 ratings of fitness-focused buds, I’d be a little anxious using them while working out. Ultimate Ears also skipped features that are becoming status quo — like auto-pause when an earbud is removed. And the Fits offer no transparency mode whatsoever, which some people might consider a deal-breaker. You can still make out what’s happening around you when music is paused, but a hear-through feature would’ve been nice for this price.
So as you can see, you’re trading a few notable things for that unrivaled comfort that the Fits provide through their molding process. But I can at least say that they’ve been stable when it comes to audio playback, with no noticeable bouts of cutouts or Bluetooth interference. Microphone performance is decent, as the Fits are outfitted with dual microphones on each earbud to block out wind noise. Some callers said my voice came through a little thin, but everyone could understand me just fine.
The charging case is nicely compact, but it lacks wireless charging.
I think I’d recommend the UE Fits to people who are never fully satisfied with how the AirPods or Galaxy Buds of the world feel in their ears. $250 is pricey; it’s right up there with the AirPods Pro and not far off from Bose’s new QuietComfort Earbuds. And you’re missing out on some of what those products offer — namely noise cancellation. If you’re perfectly fine with regular ear tips, I can’t say the sound quality of the Fits dramatically outperforms other premium earbuds at their price range (or even slightly below it). But the UE Fits are proof positive that this 60-second mold concept works and works extraordinarily well. They’re a fascinating middle ground between everyday ear tips and cost-prohibitive, professional IEMs. I’m excited to see where Ultimate Ears takes it from here.


theverge--2020-10-29--There’s never been a better time to play video games

2020 has been a bad year in almost every way .
I don ’ t need to list the reasons .
But one of the few bright spots has been the world of video games .
From Animal Crossing helping folks stay connected during the pandemic ’ s early days to Travis Scott performing a virtual concert in Fortnite to politicians streaming Among Us on Twitch , games seem to be everywhere .
They ’ re embedded in just about every aspect of our culture .
Not all of this is new , of course , but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , where virtual spaces are becoming as necessary as real ones .
In fact , you could say that now is the best possible time to pick up gaming as a hobby .
From the sheer breadth of experiences that are available to the simple fact that more people are playing than ever before , video games have never been so accessible and so broad .
And with new consoles on the way from both Sony and Microsoft , the medium is looking to change and expand even more very soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is better than ever .
You don ’ t have to spend a cent to play great games I always thought I had it good growing up .
In the ‘ 90s , my parents ’ PC let me play huge chunks of games like Commander Keen , Jill of the Jungle , Scorched Earth , Castle of the Winds , Raptor : Call of the Shadows , and EGA Trek without paying a cent , and I watched a free mod for Half-Life become one of the most popular games in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene I remember has nothing on the cornucopia bestowed on gamers today .
This is the year the biggest Call of Duty ever made is a free battle royale game .
Fortnite , Valorant , Apex Legends , Spellbreak , and PUBG Mobile are all titans of multiplayer that you don ’ t have to pay for .
MOBAs are the same ; League of Legends , Dota 2 , Smite , and Heroes of the Storm don ’ t make you buy in .
Hearthstone , Gwent , Legends of Runeterra , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards for free , while Warframe and Dauntless scratch that sword-swinging itch .
And Pokémon Go is still one of the biggest games in the world .
It ’ s not just made-for-microtransaction games that forgo the initial spend : huge games just past their prime are now going free as well .
Destiny 2 is free .
Rocket League is now free .
StarCraft II and Counter-Strike : Global Offensive went free a few years ago .
Increasingly , large chunks of MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV , EVE Online , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free-to-play , too .
But my favorite free games are the full-fat titles that Epic , Ubisoft , and other PC platforms are handing out like candy with no strings attached .
I own full copies of Assassin ’ s Creed Odyssey , The Division , and Watch Dogs 2 simply because I played a Google demo or watched a Ubisoft stream .
Meanwhile , Epic is using its Fortnite fortunes to give a mountain of PC games away .
We haven ’ t even counted all of the free weekends and weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire game on Steam or Uplay or the Steam Festivals that come with hundreds of free indie game demos .
If your internet and home network is strong , Nvidia ’ s GeForce Now will give you a free virtual PC for an hour at a time that you can play free games on .
It ’ s the ultimate cheapskate move .
And recently , a couple of truly epic cross-platform games have been free right out of the gate : the smash-hit social murder guessing game Among Us is free with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anime fantasy adventure Genshin Impact seems to have largely been forgiven for cloning portions of Breath of the Wild , thanks to a richly detailed world ... which , again , you can explore on phones or PCs free of charge .
At this rate , you could stop paying for games tomorrow and never run out of things to play .
— Sean Hollister Game subscription services like Microsoft ’ s Xbox Game Pass and Sony ’ s PlayStation Plus Collection have made it a lot easier for me to justify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of having to buy a console and a $ 70 game ( or two or three ) just to have something to play on day one , I can plug the consoles in , log into my $ 9.99-per-month Game Pass and PlayStation Plus accounts , and pick something to play from the wealth of fantastic options available on each service .
For me , the monthly cost for those services is a much more economical way to play games .
I love being able to try something that interests me without having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regretting it later .
And I don ’ t usually play games more than once , so eventually losing access to a game if or when I stop subscribing isn ’ t that big of a deal to me .
These services have so many games to play And the services have so many games to play .
The PlayStation Plus Collection for the PlayStation 5 has 18 of the PS4 ’ s best games .
PlayStation Now has more than 800 PS4 , PS3 , and PS2 games you can play on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pass has more than 100 titles and will get all future Microsoft first-party titles on release day ( a deal that ’ s all the sweeter with Microsoft ’ s recent acquisition of Bethesda Softworks ’ parent company ) .
And EA , Ubisoft , and Apple all have their own game subscription services , each packed with games .
If you don ’ t have a console ?
Apple Arcade is a similar service , offering a buffet of premium mobile games — some of which are exclusive — for $ 4.99 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year of existence , Arcade now boasts some truly great experiences .
Paying for one month of any of those subscription services gives me access to more games than I could ever reasonably expect to finish in a timely manner .
They ’ re finally starting to live up to their potential of being something like Netflix for gaming .
And their single-month subscription costs are a heck of a lot cheaper than $ 70 .
— Jay Peters Virtual reality is not the mainstream format that the hype around the Oculus Rift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have led you to expect all the way back in 2016 .
There are still huge barriers for a lot of people to overcome before they ’ ll want to commit .
The technology is still expensive , you still have to wear a bulky headset , and in many cases , there are still fundamental game design issues to be worked out .
But if you take a step back for a second and look at how the technology has evolved alongside the video game industry , VR is in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple commercial products that you can actually buy and have some seriously amazing experiences with .
With my apologies to the developers of Mario ’ s Tennis for the Nintendo Virtual Boy , that ’ s never been the case before .
Sony generally did a good job with PlayStation VR , turning in a simple-but-effective product and supporting it with a solid flow of content .
Valve ’ s SteamVR push resulted in the high-end Index headset and the fantastic Half-Life : Alyx .
And Facebook ’ s Oculus Quest , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by far the best balance of technology and accessibility to date .
There are certainly questions remaining over where the VR industry will go in the future , not least regarding Facebook ’ s stewardship of the Oculus ecosystem .
You may well have entirely valid reasons for not wanting to get on board with VR yet , or even ever .
It ’ s not for everyone .
But as I carry out a bombing run on a Star Destroyer in Star Wars : Squadrons or run through Rez Infinite for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score yet on a Linkin Park song in Beat Saber while really hoping that no one ’ s watching , it ’ s hard not to feel like VR is an essential part of the gaming landscape today .
It might not be the future of everything , but it ’ s uniquely exhilarating in ways that would otherwise be impossible .
— Sam Byford The biggest games are more than just games On a typical Saturday , I might get up early to catch a few League of Legends Pro League matches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few rounds of the collectible card game Legends of Runeterra as I watch .
Later in the day , I ’ ll listen to the latest single from K/DA or catch up on League ’ s lore-heavy short stories .
Before I know it , hours have passed .
The wildest part is I don ’ t actually play League of Legends — but there are so many other ways to interact with its vast universe .
There are more entry points for people This is increasingly becoming the case for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like League , Fortnite , Minecraft , or Overwatch are much more than just games .
They ’ re short films and TV shows , comic books and novels , sports and live-streaming entertainment .
The actual game is just one part of the overall experience .
This means that for the most hardcore fans , you can really dig deep and become invested in your favorite games .
You can play Overwatch and watch the Overwatch League and read Tracer comic books , and it all ties together .
You can spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fortnite watching your favorite streamer play it on Twitch .
But it also means that there are more entry points for people .
I may not enjoy playing League all that much , but it ’ s fun to watch high-level competition , and I ’ ve become increasingly enamored with its vast lore .
Turns out , I don ’ t need to play it at all to explore all of that .
Even an extremely nerdy strategy game turns into something very accessible when it ’ s part of a vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream of cloud gaming is so close Cloud gaming , in which you stream games from a faraway server to whatever screen you have in front of you , is poised to change pretty much everything about the game industry .
That ’ s if , like viral reality , the technology can find its footing when it becomes more than just betas and hype .
And the companies trying to make cloud gaming a reality have some very tricky technical and economic issues to iron out before we get there .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company quite knows the best way to sell cloud gaming .
There are now numerous competing models for how games will be priced and distributed in a future where consumers don ’ t own them but rent them from the cloud instead .
Microsoft has the strongest idea yet with Xbox Game Pass and xCloud bundled together , giving subscribers an ever-growing library of titles to stream but only to Android devices for now .
Also holding up xCloud ’ s wider adoption is Apple , which won ’ t let cloud gaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iOS platform .
Then there ’ s Google Stadia , Amazon ’ s Luna , Sony ’ s existing PlayStation Now service , and Nvidia GeForce Now , among other smaller services from lesser-known companies .
Even Facebook is taking small steps into the field .
And each has its own particular approach , with no platform offering a true holy grail “ Netflix for games ” quite yet .
But the promise is exciting — and that ’ s why so many companies want a piece .
Imagine a world where you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ console , pick it up later on your more powerful PC , and then have your save file carry over to your iPad or Android phone when you ’ re on the go .
Even more radical is a world where very few gamers own any hardware at all , choosing instead to stream almost everything like we do with television today through whatever screen we have handy .
The kinds of experiences perfect for that screen-agnostic reality don ’ t really exist right now .
But games like Fortnite and services like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glimpse of what it ’ s like when hardware fades into the background and it ’ s just the games and the software that manages them in the cloud that matter .
And it ’ s genuinely exciting , even if it feels like we ’ re still a few years away from seeing the first real benefits these cloud platforms can provide .
— Nick Statt Crossplay and cross-platform experiences make things more accessible than ever Just a few years ago , the idea of getting to play cross-platform games with people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream .
But if 2019 was the year that proved that crossplay between different platforms was possible , 2020 saw it fully enter the mainstream as the new norm for multiplayer games going forward .
Games like Star Wars : Squadrons launched with full-fledged cross-platform multiplayer on day one ; Apex Legends is adding crossplay soon , No Man ’ s Sky added support over the summer , and Bungie is already working on true cross-platform play for Destiny 2 , too .
It ’ s great for players and for games And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is still the gold standard for cross-platform experiences .
Fortnite on PC is the same as Fortnite on Xbox or PlayStation as it is on your Android device .
( Sadly , iOS no longer fits into this paradigm . )
All of your progress , unlockable items , and new content syncs across all those versions of the game , and players can play with friends on any platform at any time .
That ’ s no small thing , either .
It ’ s great for players : it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your friends , even if one member of your group bought an Xbox instead of a PS4 .
With the increasing emphasis on long-term live games that can see players invest dozens , if not hundreds , of hours into a single title , it means that player progression isn ’ t tied into just a single platform .
Crossplay is great for games , too .
It means that multiplayer lobbies are fuller , with bigger , healthier communities that can sustain games for far longer than the siloed-off player bases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the way , things are looking even brighter , with some games promising not just cross-platform play between , say , Xbox and PlayStation , but cross-generational play , too .
Video games are better when everyone can play together .
And now , with cross-platform play finally a reality , everyone can .
— Chaim Gartenberg Nintendo continues to go its own way Nintendo ’ s role over the past couple of decades has often been as a foil to Sony and Microsoft — to provide something different rather than to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , as with the DS and the Wii , and sometimes it goes like the Wii U .
But with the wildly successful Switch , it feels like Nintendo has found an approach that could set it apart for the next decade or more .
The core idea — it ’ s a regular game system , but it ’ s also a portable , and it works — is one anyone can get behind if they ever travel , or share a house with another TV viewer , or own a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people clamor for almost every game that could plausibly run on the device to do so .
Nintendo ’ s own first-party output has been consistently strong on the Switch , with new entries in series like Super Smash Bros. , The Legend of Zelda , and Animal Crossing rocketing through sales records .
And by basing its latest home console around mobile technology that allows it to be used as a portable , Nintendo has a clear runway to improve the Switch .
It ’ s easy to forget that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 2015 and that there ’ s still room for clear , tangible gains without resorting to a $ 500 mega-box like the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X .
A more powerful version is rumored for next year , and while Nintendo is not known for pushing cutting-edge technology , the Switch concept is solid enough to warrant at least a few more upgrades .
As for the weird , experimental Nintendo that relied on quirky hardware ?
You still get that on the Switch with projects like the cardboard Labo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adventure , and most recently , the AR-powered Mario Kart Home Circuit , all of which use external accessories to transform the device .
The beauty of the Switch ’ s core simplicity is that it can be whatever Nintendo wants it to be .
And if you want something more than that , well , soon enough , you ’ ll be able to step into theme parks of Nintendo ’ s own creation .
While the Wii and the DS were hugely successful , they were always going to be limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not the case with the Switch — it ’ s a slam-dunk product that will define Nintendo for the foreseeable future .
And even at less than four years old , there ’ s a strong case to be made that it ’ s Nintendo ’ s best console yet .
— Sam Byford PCs are also setting the stage for the next generation of games , thanks to some new GPUs and CPUs .
Nvidia unveiled its RTX 3000 Series of graphics cards recently , and the RTX 3080 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at high frame rates .
We ’ ve seen a lot of big performance promises for the RTX 2000 Series of cards in the past , but it feels like Nvidia is finally delivering a jump that will help push PC gaming closer toward 1440p as the standard and 4K at the high end .
PCs are also setting the stage for the next generation of games Nvidia isn ’ t alone in its PC gaming efforts , either .
AMD revealed new Zen 3 processors recently that will help boost frame rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RX 6000 series of GPUs .
AMD promises that its new Radeon RX 6800 XT will go head to head with Nvidia ’ s RTX 3080 , and it ’ s priced $ 50 cheaper .
All of these leaps in performance mean many existing and midrange cards will certainly get cheaper , as retailers seek to offer discounts on PCs bundled with older cards .
If you ’ re still stuck on a 1080p display and a GTX 1060 graphics card , it could be a great time to upgrade for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next few weeks and well into 2021 .
— Tom Warren Gaming has become much more mainstream over the last decade , and many of the biggest games have been cleverly disguised as social hubs that let you stay connected with your friends and family .
It is beautiful to see people I knew when I was younger , who I would have never expected to play video games , jump into these experiences .
Games like Animal Crossing : New Horizons have blown up and provided escapism during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see people I went to high school with buying a Nintendo Switch just to play this one game .
They use it to build or strengthen friendships in various ways , like trying to conquer the stalk market .
I ’ ve even made new friends , and we would build rapport and bond over our mutual interest in a particular video game .
Experiences like Among Us and Fall Guys are simplistic yet entertaining , making them appeal to such a broad audience .
They ’ re also games that are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have always been a firm believer that games are for everyone , regardless of the circumstances .
Today , new games come out consistently that validate that belief .
The difference is they ’ re more than just games — many of them have become de facto social hubs that help me stay connected with friends and even make some new ones .
— Taylor Lyles Twitch and YouTube have changed how we experience games Games aren ’ t just games anymore .
This has been happening for a while — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their platforms , I mean .
There were always discussion boards and message boards where games could and did live .
But now , as the walls of the internet have collapsed and their denizens have been loosed upon each other — like Tumblr users fleeing a porn ban move to Twitter , let ’ s say — games have become mass culture .
( There was also Gamergate , which has replicated and situated itself in American political life . )
Animal Crossing became a legitimate viral hit early this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the still-ongoing pandemic ; last year , Untitled Goose Game spawned an avalanche of memes .
I think it ’ s safe to say that games and pop culture are now synonymous .
Frictionless sharing is what made the world we ’ re living in Partially , that has to do with the influence of YouTube and Twitch , which have always been a natural home for video games .
And they ’ ve expanded how we can think of them , too , from the video essayists who deconstruct the tropes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streamers who manage to entertain while showing off a game you ’ ve heard about but haven ’ t actually played .
These new-ish creators have never been more popular or more influential .
I find that development pretty useful : there are so many video games , and I ’ ve found that there is a gap between the games I want to watch and the games I like to play .
Video helps bridge it .
When Sony launched the PlayStation 4 in November 2013 , the designers made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start ” and “ select ” buttons on the console ’ s controller in favor of “ options ” and “ share.
” It ’ s the latter button that helped send streaming into the mainstream ; suddenly , it didn ’ t take obscure technical knowledge to broadcast yourself playing the things you liked .
Frictionless sharing is what made the world we ’ re living in .
Facebook ’ s guiding principle is that connecting with people is de facto good , which is absolutely untrue .
But the site took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else in its image .
Gaming , like everything else , has followed .
The next generation of consoles is on its way , and each will have robust sharing features built into its system architecture .
They ’ ll be all-in-one machines and worlds , I think , we ’ ll never feel like we have to leave — perfect , scale replicas of the internet itself .
— Bijan Stephen

2020 has been a bad year in almost every way. I don’t need to list the reasons. But one of the few bright spots has been the world of video games. From Animal Crossing helping folks stay connected during the pandemic’s early days to Travis Scott performing a virtual concert in Fortnite to politicians streaming Among Us on Twitch, games seem to be everywhere. They’re embedded in just about every aspect of our culture. Not all of this is new, of course, but it’s been accelerated by the current state of the world, where virtual spaces are becoming as necessary as real ones.
In fact, you could say that now is the best possible time to pick up gaming as a hobby. From the sheer breadth of experiences that are available to the simple fact that more people are playing than ever before, video games have never been so accessible and so broad. And with new consoles on the way from both Sony and Microsoft, the medium is looking to change and expand even more very soon.
Here are 10 reasons why gaming is better than ever.
You don’t have to spend a cent to play great games
I always thought I had it good growing up. In the ‘90s, my parents’ PC let me play huge chunks of games like Commander Keen, Jill of the Jungle, Scorched Earth, Castle of the Winds, Raptor: Call of the Shadows, and EGA Trek without paying a cent, and I watched a free mod for Half-Life become one of the most popular games in the world. But the shareware and modding scene I remember has nothing on the cornucopia bestowed on gamers today.
This is the year the biggest Call of Duty ever made is a free battle royale game. Fortnite, Valorant, Apex Legends, Spellbreak, and PUBG Mobile are all titans of multiplayer that you don’t have to pay for. MOBAs are the same; League of Legends, Dota 2, Smite, and Heroes of the Storm don’t make you buy in. Hearthstone, Gwent, Legends of Runeterra, and MTG: Arena let you sling cards for free, while Warframe and Dauntless scratch that sword-swinging itch. And Pokémon Go is still one of the biggest games in the world.
Genshin Impact.
It’s not just made-for-microtransaction games that forgo the initial spend: huge games just past their prime are now going free as well. Destiny 2 is free. Rocket League is now free. StarCraft II and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive went free a few years ago. Increasingly, large chunks of MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV, EVE Online, and Star Wars: The Old Republic are free-to-play, too.
And recently, a couple of truly epic cross-platform games have been free right out of the gate: the smash-hit social murder guessing game Among Us is free with ads on mobile, and the gorgeous anime fantasy adventure Genshin Impact seems to have largely been forgiven for cloning portions of Breath of the Wild, thanks to a richly detailed world... which, again, you can explore on phones or PCs free of charge.
At this rate, you could stop paying for games tomorrow and never run out of things to play. — Sean Hollister
Subscription services are turning gaming into Netflix
Game subscription services like Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass and Sony’s PlayStation Plus Collection have made it a lot easier for me to justify the costs of a next-gen console. Instead of having to buy a console and a $70 game (or two or three) just to have something to play on day one, I can plug the consoles in, log into my $9.99-per-month Game Pass and PlayStation Plus accounts, and pick something to play from the wealth of fantastic options available on each service.
For me, the monthly cost for those services is a much more economical way to play games. I love being able to try something that interests me without having to worry about paying full price and regretting it later. And I don’t usually play games more than once, so eventually losing access to a game if or when I stop subscribing isn’t that big of a deal to me.
These services have so many games to play
And the services have so many games to play. The PlayStation Plus Collection for the PlayStation 5 has 18 of the PS4’s best games. PlayStation Now has more than 800 PS4, PS3, and PS2 games you can play on your PS4 and PC. Xbox Game Pass has more than 100 titles and will get all future Microsoft first-party titles on release day (a deal that’s all the sweeter with Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Bethesda Softworks’ parent company). And EA, Ubisoft, and Apple all have their own game subscription services, each packed with games.
If you don’t have a console? Apple Arcade is a similar service, offering a buffet of premium mobile games — some of which are exclusive — for $4.99 per month. After more than a year of existence, Arcade now boasts some truly great experiences.
Paying for one month of any of those subscription services gives me access to more games than I could ever reasonably expect to finish in a timely manner. They’re finally starting to live up to their potential of being something like Netflix for gaming. And their single-month subscription costs are a heck of a lot cheaper than $70. — Jay Peters
VR is steadily finding its place
Virtual reality is not the mainstream format that the hype around the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR might have led you to expect all the way back in 2016. There are still huge barriers for a lot of people to overcome before they’ll want to commit. The technology is still expensive, you still have to wear a bulky headset, and in many cases, there are still fundamental game design issues to be worked out.
But if you take a step back for a second and look at how the technology has evolved alongside the video game industry, VR is in an incredible spot right now. There are multiple commercial products that you can actually buy and have some seriously amazing experiences with. With my apologies to the developers of Mario’s Tennis for the Nintendo Virtual Boy, that’s never been the case before.
Half-Life: Alyx. Image: Valve
Sony generally did a good job with PlayStation VR, turning in a simple-but-effective product and supporting it with a solid flow of content. Valve’s SteamVR push resulted in the high-end Index headset and the fantastic Half-Life: Alyx. And Facebook’s Oculus Quest, particularly the new second model, has struck by far the best balance of technology and accessibility to date.
There are certainly questions remaining over where the VR industry will go in the future, not least regarding Facebook’s stewardship of the Oculus ecosystem. You may well have entirely valid reasons for not wanting to get on board with VR yet, or even ever. It’s not for everyone.
But as I carry out a bombing run on a Star Destroyer in Star Wars: Squadrons or run through Rez Infinite for the 300th time or eke out my highest score yet on a Linkin Park song in Beat Saber while really hoping that no one’s watching, it’s hard not to feel like VR is an essential part of the gaming landscape today. It might not be the future of everything, but it’s uniquely exhilarating in ways that would otherwise be impossible. — Sam Byford
The biggest games are more than just games
On a typical Saturday, I might get up early to catch a few League of Legends Pro League matches broadcast from Shanghai and maybe squeeze in a few rounds of the collectible card game Legends of Runeterra as I watch. Later in the day, I’ll listen to the latest single from K/DA or catch up on League’s lore-heavy short stories. Before I know it, hours have passed. The wildest part is I don’t actually play League of Legends — but there are so many other ways to interact with its vast universe.
There are more entry points for people
This is increasingly becoming the case for the world’s biggest games. Titles like League, Fortnite, Minecraft, or Overwatch are much more than just games. They’re short films and TV shows, comic books and novels, sports and live-streaming entertainment. The actual game is just one part of the overall experience. This means that for the most hardcore fans, you can really dig deep and become invested in your favorite games. You can play Overwatch and watch the Overwatch League and read Tracer comic books, and it all ties together. You can spend the hours you aren’t playing Fortnite watching your favorite streamer play it on Twitch.
But it also means that there are more entry points for people. I may not enjoy playing League all that much, but it’s fun to watch high-level competition, and I’ve become increasingly enamored with its vast lore. Turns out, I don’t need to play it at all to explore all of that. Even an extremely nerdy strategy game turns into something very accessible when it’s part of a vast entertainment universe. — Andrew Webster
The dream of cloud gaming is so close
Cloud gaming, in which you stream games from a faraway server to whatever screen you have in front of you, is poised to change pretty much everything about the game industry. That’s if, like viral reality, the technology can find its footing when it becomes more than just betas and hype. And the companies trying to make cloud gaming a reality have some very tricky technical and economic issues to iron out before we get there.
Most important right now is that no one company quite knows the best way to sell cloud gaming. There are now numerous competing models for how games will be priced and distributed in a future where consumers don’t own them but rent them from the cloud instead.
Microsoft has the strongest idea yet with Xbox Game Pass and xCloud bundled together, giving subscribers an ever-growing library of titles to stream but only to Android devices for now. Also holding up xCloud’s wider adoption is Apple, which won’t let cloud gaming services like Microsoft’s on the iOS platform. Then there’s Google Stadia, Amazon’s Luna, Sony’s existing PlayStation Now service, and Nvidia GeForce Now, among other smaller services from lesser-known companies. Even Facebook is taking small steps into the field. And each has its own particular approach, with no platform offering a true holy grail “Netflix for games” quite yet.
But the promise is exciting — and that’s why so many companies want a piece.
Halo 5 streaming via xCloud. Photo by Nick Statt / The Verge
Imagine a world where you can start a game on your game console, pick it up later on your more powerful PC, and then have your save file carry over to your iPad or Android phone when you’re on the go. Even more radical is a world where very few gamers own any hardware at all, choosing instead to stream almost everything like we do with television today through whatever screen we have handy.
The kinds of experiences perfect for that screen-agnostic reality don’t really exist right now. But games like Fortnite and services like Xbox Game Pass are giving us a glimpse of what it’s like when hardware fades into the background and it’s just the games and the software that manages them in the cloud that matter. And it’s genuinely exciting, even if it feels like we’re still a few years away from seeing the first real benefits these cloud platforms can provide. — Nick Statt
Crossplay and cross-platform experiences make things more accessible than ever
Just a few years ago, the idea of getting to play cross-platform games with people on other consoles seemed like a pipe dream. But if 2019 was the year that proved that crossplay between different platforms was possible, 2020 saw it fully enter the mainstream as the new norm for multiplayer games going forward.
Games like Star Wars: Squadrons launched with full-fledged cross-platform multiplayer on day one; Apex Legends is adding crossplay soon, No Man’s Sky added support over the summer, and Bungie is already working on true cross-platform play for Destiny 2, too.
It’s great for players and for games
And of course, there’s Fortnite, which is still the gold standard for cross-platform experiences. Fortnite on PC is the same as Fortnite on Xbox or PlayStation as it is on your Android device. (Sadly, iOS no longer fits into this paradigm.) All of your progress, unlockable items, and new content syncs across all those versions of the game, and players can play with friends on any platform at any time.
That’s no small thing, either. It’s great for players: it lets you play your favorite games with your friends, even if one member of your group bought an Xbox instead of a PS4. With the increasing emphasis on long-term live games that can see players invest dozens, if not hundreds, of hours into a single title, it means that player progression isn’t tied into just a single platform.
Crossplay is great for games, too. It means that multiplayer lobbies are fuller, with bigger, healthier communities that can sustain games for far longer than the siloed-off player bases of the past. And with next-generation consoles on the way, things are looking even brighter, with some games promising not just cross-platform play between, say, Xbox and PlayStation, but cross-generational play, too.
Video games are better when everyone can play together. And now, with cross-platform play finally a reality, everyone can. — Chaim Gartenberg
Nintendo continues to go its own way
Nintendo’s role over the past couple of decades has often been as a foil to Sony and Microsoft — to provide something different rather than to compete directly. Sometimes that goes very well, as with the DS and the Wii, and sometimes it goes like the Wii U. But with the wildly successful Switch, it feels like Nintendo has found an approach that could set it apart for the next decade or more.
The core idea — it’s a regular game system, but it’s also a portable, and it works — is one anyone can get behind if they ever travel, or share a house with another TV viewer, or own a bed. The Switch is so compelling that people clamor for almost every game that could plausibly run on the device to do so. Nintendo’s own first-party output has been consistently strong on the Switch, with new entries in series like Super Smash Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Animal Crossing rocketing through sales records.
Nintendo Labo. Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
And by basing its latest home console around mobile technology that allows it to be used as a portable, Nintendo has a clear runway to improve the Switch. It’s easy to forget that it’s based around an Nvidia chip from 2015 and that there’s still room for clear, tangible gains without resorting to a $500 mega-box like the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X. A more powerful version is rumored for next year, and while Nintendo is not known for pushing cutting-edge technology, the Switch concept is solid enough to warrant at least a few more upgrades.
As for the weird, experimental Nintendo that relied on quirky hardware? You still get that on the Switch with projects like the cardboard Labo sets, the workout RPG Ring Fit Adventure, and most recently, the AR-powered Mario Kart Home Circuit, all of which use external accessories to transform the device. The beauty of the Switch’s core simplicity is that it can be whatever Nintendo wants it to be. And if you want something more than that, well, soon enough, you’ll be able to step into theme parks of Nintendo’s own creation.
While the Wii and the DS were hugely successful, they were always going to be limited in terms of long-term appeal. That’s not the case with the Switch — it’s a slam-dunk product that will define Nintendo for the foreseeable future. And even at less than four years old, there’s a strong case to be made that it’s Nintendo’s best console yet. — Sam Byford
PC gaming is in a great spot
PCs are also setting the stage for the next generation of games, thanks to some new GPUs and CPUs. Nvidia unveiled its RTX 3000 Series of graphics cards recently, and the RTX 3080 is more than capable of delivering 4K games at high frame rates. We’ve seen a lot of big performance promises for the RTX 2000 Series of cards in the past, but it feels like Nvidia is finally delivering a jump that will help push PC gaming closer toward 1440p as the standard and 4K at the high end.
PCs are also setting the stage for the next generation of games
Nvidia isn’t alone in its PC gaming efforts, either. AMD revealed new Zen 3 processors recently that will help boost frame rates, and the company also launched its RX 6000 series of GPUs. AMD promises that its new Radeon RX 6800 XT will go head to head with Nvidia’s RTX 3080, and it’s priced $50 cheaper.
All of these leaps in performance mean many existing and midrange cards will certainly get cheaper, as retailers seek to offer discounts on PCs bundled with older cards. If you’re still stuck on a 1080p display and a GTX 1060 graphics card, it could be a great time to upgrade for a host of new games that are arriving in the next few weeks and well into 2021. — Tom Warren
Games have become de facto social spaces
Gaming has become much more mainstream over the last decade, and many of the biggest games have been cleverly disguised as social hubs that let you stay connected with your friends and family. It is beautiful to see people I knew when I was younger, who I would have never expected to play video games, jump into these experiences.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons have blown up and provided escapism during the pandemic. I log in on Facebook and see people I went to high school with buying a Nintendo Switch just to play this one game. They use it to build or strengthen friendships in various ways, like trying to conquer the stalk market. I’ve even made new friends, and we would build rapport and bond over our mutual interest in a particular video game. Experiences like Among Us and Fall Guys are simplistic yet entertaining, making them appeal to such a broad audience. They’re also games that are at their best when played with friends.
I have always been a firm believer that games are for everyone, regardless of the circumstances. Today, new games come out consistently that validate that belief. The difference is they’re more than just games — many of them have become de facto social hubs that help me stay connected with friends and even make some new ones. — Taylor Lyles
Twitch and YouTube have changed how we experience games
Games aren’t just games anymore. This has been happening for a while — the elevation of video games beyond the bounds of their platforms, I mean. There were always discussion boards and message boards where games could and did live. But now, as the walls of the internet have collapsed and their denizens have been loosed upon each other — like Tumblr users fleeing a porn ban move to Twitter, let’s say — games have become mass culture. (There was also Gamergate, which has replicated and situated itself in American political life.) Animal Crossing became a legitimate viral hit early this year, way back in the early days of the still-ongoing pandemic; last year, Untitled Goose Game spawned an avalanche of memes. I think it’s safe to say that games and pop culture are now synonymous.
Frictionless sharing is what made the world we’re living in
Partially, that has to do with the influence of YouTube and Twitch, which have always been a natural home for video games. And they’ve expanded how we can think of them, too, from the video essayists who deconstruct the tropes and mechanics of your favorite games to the streamers who manage to entertain while showing off a game you’ve heard about but haven’t actually played. These new-ish creators have never been more popular or more influential. I find that development pretty useful: there are so many video games, and I’ve found that there is a gap between the games I want to watch and the games I like to play. Video helps bridge it.
When Sony launched the PlayStation 4 in November 2013, the designers made the fascinating decision to ditch the traditional “start” and “select” buttons on the console’s controller in favor of “options” and “share.” It’s the latter button that helped send streaming into the mainstream; suddenly, it didn’t take obscure technical knowledge to broadcast yourself playing the things you liked. Frictionless sharing is what made the world we’re living in. Facebook’s guiding principle is that connecting with people is de facto good, which is absolutely untrue. But the site took over the internet anyway and remade everything else in its image. Gaming, like everything else, has followed.


theverge--2020-10-29--Where to buy Nvidia’s RTX 3070 graphics card, starting right now

If you ’ re hoping to buy the $ 499 RTX 3070 , you ’ ll be able to do that starting right now .
And instead of Nvidia directly selling its Founders Edition ( FE ) GPU through its online store , it has ceded its stock to Best Buy and Micro Center .
If your hunt for the GPU isn ’ t limited to the FE version , several third-party graphics cards made by OEMs like Gigabyte and PNY are also officially on sale from a few other retailers like Amazon , Newegg , and B & H @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Micro Center .
And based on past launches , these will probably sell out very quickly .
Compared to the 4K-capable RTX 3080 and 3090 , this card is an especially good choice if you have a 1440p gaming monitor or see yourself getting one soon .
My colleague Tom Warren posted a review of the 3070 , and it put up favorable frame rates on popular games like Control , Call of Duty : Warzone , and more — even with ray-tracing features activated .
In most cases , the $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RTX 2080 that debuted for $ 699 a few years ago .
• Best Buy has begun selling the RTX 3070 Founders Edition graphics card and other models online only ( though you may be able to have it shipped to your local store ) .
Here ’ s where you can find all of the models that will be available .
• Micro Center now offers the RTX 3070 GPU in store only , but you can place your order for pickup at your local store ( if you have one nearby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this Amazon page open , which will showcase all of the RTX 3070 options from OEMs .
It currently just lists a few from PNY , but it will hopefully grow with other GPUs added soon .
• B & H Photo will likely have several RTX 3070 options to choose from .
It currently lists two Gigabyte models that are available .
• Newegg hasn ’ t hinted which RTX 3070 models it will stock , but you ’ ll can find them all here .
• In the UK , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on www.nvidia.co.uk .
Nvidia also shared that the graphics card will be stocked at Amazon , Aria , AWD , Box.co.uk , CCL , Chillblast , CyberPower , Ebuyer , Falcon , Fierce PC , Mesh , Novatech , OcUK , PC Specialist , PC World , Scan , Utopia Computers and UK Gaming .
We ’ ll update this post if more major retailers join in selling the RTX 3070 .
Speaking of fast performance , AMD just introduced its anticipated GPUs built on RDNA 2 architecture , and the company has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the RTX 30-series cards .
The $ 579 Radeon RX 6800 seems great for 1440p gaming , like the RTX 3070 , and the $ 649 RX 6800 XT could be a good alternative if you wanted the RTX 3080 .
Both will go on sale on November 18th , whereas the $ 999 RX 6900 XT poised to take on the RTX 3090 will arrive on December 8th .
We ’ ve got more details right here .
Update 9:00AM ET , October 29th : We ’ ve updated this post to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available .
Good luck with getting one .
We ’ ll be updating this post as retailers sell out , or add stock .

The $499 RTX 3070 is available now, though the retailers that stock the new GPU appear to be mostly sold out at this point. If you’re still looking for one of Nvidia’s Founders Edition (FE) GPUs, try looking at Best Buy and Micro Center. If your hunt for the GPU isn’t limited to the FE version, several third-party graphics cards made by OEMs like Gigabyte and PNY are also officially on sale from a few other retailers like Amazon, Newegg, and B&H Photo, in addition to Best Buy and Micro Center. And like past launches, most of these cards sold out very quickly. But keep trying, as you might get lucky.
Compared to the 4K-capable RTX 3080 and 3090, this card is an especially good choice if you have a 1440p gaming monitor or see yourself getting one soon. My colleague Tom Warren posted a review of the 3070, and it put up favorable frame rates on popular games like Control, Call of Duty: Warzone, and more — even with ray-tracing features activated. In most cases, the $499 card provided faster performance than the RTX 2080 that debuted for $699 a few years ago.
Speaking of fast performance, AMD just introduced its anticipated GPUs built on RDNA 2 architecture, and the company has three new GPUs aimed to take on the RTX 30-series cards. The $579 Radeon RX 6800 seems great for 1440p gaming, like the RTX 3070, and the $649 RX 6800 XT could be a good alternative if you wanted the RTX 3080. Both will go on sale on November 18th, whereas the $999 RX 6900 XT poised to take on the RTX 3090 will arrive on December 8th. We’ve got more details right here.


theverge--2020-10-29--Gadget makers can hit the jackpot on QVC — if they’re willing to risk getting burned

Julian Jagtenberg ’ s first experience on QVC was incredible .
In minutes , he sold nearly 60 units of his $ 600 Somnox sleep robot , an unprecedented sales experience for him .
“ Within the minute there was like [ a ] beep beep , we ’ re out of stock , ” he says .
“ And the salesperson [ said ] , ‘ Okay , well hold up , you can ’ t order anymore , there ’ s no stock.
’ And I was like , ‘ Wait , is this a dream ?
Can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up ?
Is this real ?
’ ” Naturally , he doubled-down on QVC the next time he went live .
Instead of projecting to sell around 60 units , he planned for 240 .
But this time , the segment didn ’ t deliver like he expected .
He appeared on the segment from afar because of the pandemic , and instead of selling out almost instantly , he got stuck with the 200 units that didn ’ t sell .
QVC sent them back to Somnox ’ s headquarters , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segment , he says .
“ QVC is a fantastic opportunity , but I also think it could be summarized into the bigger the risk , the bigger the reward , ” he says .
QVC and HSN , both of which are owned by Liberty Interactive , came about decades ago , yet modern gadget makers — including Zagg , the company behind brands like Mophie and iFrogz — turn to them to sell their products .
The networks present a huge opportunity to demo and show rapt viewers a product , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the same time , though , they present tremendous risks .
One unproductive live segment , and that ’ s it : they miss their chance at viral gadget sales .
In the season 2 debut of In The Making , I chat with executives of gadget companies , including Zagg CEO Chris Ahern , StoreBound CEO Evan Dash , and Jagtenberg of Somnox to learn how live shopping became a major retail strategy for them .
I also chat with Lauren Beitelspacher , an associate professor at Babson College who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the tricks that keep shoppers hooked into the channels and wanting to buy .
Check out the episode above !

Julian Jagtenberg’s first experience on QVC was incredible. In minutes, he sold nearly 60 units of his $600 Somnox sleep robot, an unprecedented sales experience for him.
“Within the minute there was like [a] beep beep, we’re out of stock,” he says. “And the salesperson [said], ‘Okay, well hold up, you can’t order anymore, there’s no stock.’ And I was like, ‘Wait, is this a dream? Can someone pinch me, like wake me up? Is this real?’”
Naturally, he doubled-down on QVC the next time he went live. Instead of projecting to sell around 60 units, he planned for 240. But this time, the segment didn’t deliver like he expected. He appeared on the segment from afar because of the pandemic, and instead of selling out almost instantly, he got stuck with the 200 units that didn’t sell. QVC sent them back to Somnox’s headquarters, and the team actually lost money on the segment, he says.
“QVC is a fantastic opportunity, but I also think it could be summarized into the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward,” he says.
QVC and HSN, both of which are owned by Liberty Interactive, came about decades ago, yet modern gadget makers — including Zagg, the company behind brands like Mophie and iFrogz — turn to them to sell their products. The networks present a huge opportunity to demo and show rapt viewers a product, and they can help a business explode. At the same time, though, they present tremendous risks. One unproductive live segment, and that’s it: they miss their chance at viral gadget sales.
In the season 2 debut of In The Making, I chat with executives of gadget companies, including Zagg CEO Chris Ahern, StoreBound CEO Evan Dash, and Jagtenberg of Somnox to learn how live shopping became a major retail strategy for them.
I also chat with Lauren Beitelspacher, an associate professor at Babson College who specializes in retail marketing, to learn about the tricks that keep shoppers hooked into the channels and wanting to buy.


theverge--2020-10-29--Microsoft overhauls Excel with live custom data types

Microsoft is overhauling Excel with the ability to support custom live data types .
Excel users have been using Microsoft ’ s spreadsheet tool for decades to import , organize , and analyze data , but the basic data types have always been limited to text and numbers .
While Microsoft has added dynamic arrays and some custom stocks and geography data types previously , the company is now updating Excel to let people import their own data as a custom data type .
This means you ’ ll be able to manipulate data in Excel in new ways and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exists today .
You could import the data type for Seattle , for example , and then create a formula that references that single cell to pull out information on the population of Seattle .
These data types work by cramming a set of structured data into a single cell in Excel that can then be referenced by the rest of the spreadsheet .
Data can also be refreshed to keep it up to date .
If you ’ re a student who is researching the periodic table , for example , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and easily pull out individual data from there .
Microsoft is bringing more than 100 new data types into Excel for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers .
Excel users will be able to track stocks , pull in nutritional information for dieting plans , and much more , thanks to data from Wolfram Alpha ’ s service .
This is currently available for Office beta testers in the Insiders program .
Where these custom data types will be most powerful is obviously for businesses that rely on Excel daily .
Microsoft is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the connector to bring sources of data into Excel data types on the commercial side , allowing businesses to connect up a variety of data .
This could be hierarchical data or even references to other data types and images .
Businesses will even be able to convert existing cells into linked data types , making data analysis a lot easier .
Power BI won ’ t be the only way for this feature to work , though .
When you import data into Excel , you can now transform it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That could include information from files , databases , websites , and more .
The data that ’ s imported can be cleaned up and then converted into a data type to be used in spreadsheets .
If you ’ ve pulled in data using Power Query , it ’ s easy to refresh the data from its original source .
The key to how this will all work in practice is just how well Power BI and Excel can handle the original data being fed into it by businesses .
Excel and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patterns in data , apply its logic to structure that data , and ultimately transform it into something usable inside a spreadsheet .
While Excel users will be able to clean up the data that ’ s being processed , that ’ s often easier said than done .
These new Power BI data types will be available in Excel for Windows for all Microsoft 365 / Office 365 subscribers that also have a Power BI Pro service plan .
Power Query data types are also rolling out to subscribers .
On the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are currently available in preview for Office insiders and should be available to all Microsoft 365 subscribers soon .

Microsoft is overhauling Excel with the ability to support custom live data types. Excel users have been using Microsoft’s spreadsheet tool for decades to import, organize, and analyze data, but the basic data types have always been limited to text and numbers. While Microsoft has added dynamic arrays and some custom stocks and geography data types previously, the company is now updating Excel to let people import their own data as a custom data type.
This means you’ll be able to manipulate data in Excel in new ways and hopefully without much of the hassle that exists today. You could import the data type for Seattle, for example, and then create a formula that references that single cell to pull out information on the population of Seattle.
These data types work by cramming a set of structured data into a single cell in Excel that can then be referenced by the rest of the spreadsheet. Data can also be refreshed to keep it up to date. If you’re a student who is researching the periodic table, for example, you could create a cell for each element and easily pull out individual data from there.
Custom data types in Excel.
Microsoft is bringing more than 100 new data types into Excel for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscribers. Excel users will be able to track stocks, pull in nutritional information for dieting plans, and much more, thanks to data from Wolfram Alpha’s service. This is currently available for Office beta testers in the Insiders program.
Where these custom data types will be most powerful is obviously for businesses that rely on Excel daily. Microsoft is leveraging its Power BI service to act as the connector to bring sources of data into Excel data types on the commercial side, allowing businesses to connect up a variety of data. This could be hierarchical data or even references to other data types and images. Businesses will even be able to convert existing cells into linked data types, making data analysis a lot easier.
Power BI won’t be the only way for this feature to work, though. When you import data into Excel, you can now transform it into a data type with Power Query. That could include information from files, databases, websites, and more. The data that’s imported can be cleaned up and then converted into a data type to be used in spreadsheets. If you’ve pulled in data using Power Query, it’s easy to refresh the data from its original source.
Excel data types with Power BI.
The key to how this will all work in practice is just how well Power BI and Excel can handle the original data being fed into it by businesses. Excel and Power BI will need to competently detect patterns in data, apply its logic to structure that data, and ultimately transform it into something usable inside a spreadsheet. While Excel users will be able to clean up the data that’s being processed, that’s often easier said than done.