theverge--2020-02-17--SpaceX loses Falcon 9 booster at sea after successful Starlink launch

SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of its Starlink satellites on Monday morning , but the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that put them in orbit missed its landing on a floating platform at sea .
It ’ s the first time that ’ s happened in almost four years ; the last time Falcon 9 booster failed to land on one of SpaceX ’ s drone ships was in June 2016 .
To be sure , SpaceX has lost a few rocket boosters since then .
The company has lost the center core of the three-core Falcon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that rocket ’ s first few launches .
A Falcon 9 booster also missed the landing pad at Cape Canaveral in December 2018 , spiraling into the sea instead after a failure with one of the gridded fins that stabilize its descent .
SpaceX has also not attempted landings on about a dozen missions since that 2016 miss — something it usually does when the missions require the rocket to reach higher velocities that make landings more difficult .
SpaceX ’ s run of successful landings has been a boon for its business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the more it can reuse for future flights .
( This booster , for instance , made its fourth flight on Monday . )
Reusing rockets is a way to lower the massive cost of getting to space .
Not only has SpaceX gotten really good at catching and reusing its rocket stages , but it ’ s also doing it faster than ever .
The rocket launched Monday was last used just 72 days ago , meaning the private spaceflight company almost broke the record for fastest turnaround held by NASA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not yet clear what happened during Monday ’ s attempted landing .
On the broadcast , all that could be seen was a puff of smoke or steam to the side of the drone ship , indicating that the Falcon 9 booster missed the platform by a fairly wide margin .
“ We clearly did not make the landing this time , ” Lauren Lyons , one of SpaceX ’ s engineers , said on the broadcast .
What is clear , though , is that SpaceX has fully flipped the perception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggled with the first few attempts back in 2015 , losing a number of rocket boosters at sea .
Now , they ’ ve become another part of the company ’ s regular routine .

SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of its Starlink satellites on Monday morning, but the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket that put them in orbit missed its landing on a floating platform at sea. It’s the first time that’s happened in almost four years; the last time Falcon 9 booster failed to land on one of SpaceX’s drone ships was in June 2016.
To be sure, SpaceX has lost a few rocket boosters since then. The company has lost the center core of the three-core Falcon Heavy two out of three times in that rocket’s first few launches. A Falcon 9 booster also missed the landing pad at Cape Canaveral in December 2018, spiraling into the sea instead after a failure with one of the gridded fins that stabilize its descent. SpaceX has also not attempted landings on about a dozen missions since that 2016 miss — something it usually does when the missions require the rocket to reach higher velocities that make landings more difficult.
SpaceX’s run of successful landings has been a boon for its business. The more rocket stages it recovers, the more it can reuse for future flights. (This booster, for instance, made its fourth flight on Monday.) Reusing rockets is a way to lower the massive cost of getting to space. Not only has SpaceX gotten really good at catching and reusing its rocket stages, but it’s also doing it faster than ever. The rocket launched Monday was last used just 72 days ago, meaning the private spaceflight company almost broke the record for fastest turnaround held by NASA’s space shuttle.


theverge--2020-02-17--Justin Bieber was accused of stealing a melody, but it’s actually a royalty-free sample you can buy

Justin Bieber was accused of stealing a melody, but it’s actually a royalty-free sample you can buy online

Justin Bieber recently dropped his latest album , Changes , and it took less than 24 hours before the pop star was accused of stealing the melody used in one of its songs .
Artist Asher Monroe pointed out that the soft and plucky hook in his 2019 song “ Synergy ” is the same as the one in Bieber ’ s “ Running Over.
” However , it turned out no one stole anything because the melody isn ’ t by either artist .
It ’ s a royalty-free sample by producer Laxcity that can be purchased from online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online marketplace where music makers can buy samples to use royalty-free in their own songs , alleviating licensing and copyright risks .
The company works with renowned producers to create sample packs for the platform , including Andres and Mauricio , the duo behind smash hit “ Despacito.
” Last year , Splice CEO Steve Martocci told The Verge that people listen to over 60 million samples on the site each week .
The sample used by Bieber and Monroe can be found in a pack that British musician Laxcity made for Splice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both songs use the same melodic sample , no one is copying anyone .
In fact , the sample could be used in every song that appears on the radio with no consequence , so long as the artists obtained it from Splice .
This particular sample also seems to be the backbone for “ Flight ” by Korean hip-hop artist YUMDDA .
It likely appears in many other tracks as well .
Splice is arguably the most popular royalty-free sample platform operating today , and most users check out the sounds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It seemed like an inevitable outcome that eventually , a bunch of songs would use the same melodic sample around the same time .
A side quirk from multiple people using the same melodic sample : Because Monroe and YUMDDA ’ s songs have portions with the unaltered sample and nothing else , Shazam gets confused .
The app sometimes identifies Monroe ’ s track as YUMDDA ’ s , and vice versa .
But it has no trouble identifying Bieber ’ s song , likely because there are other percussive elements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Laxcity tweeted a video to clear up the whole debacle , showing the MIDI and plugins he used to make the sample .
He also made it plain that the sample was released on Splice for anyone to use .
Bieber then gave him a shout out on Twitter for his involvement in Changes , saying “ Thanks ... you are now a part of it.
” In a statement to The Verge , Splice said “ Samples are snippets of inspiration .
This sound ( and millions of others ) are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makers to top 40 hitmakers .
This particular loop happened to inspire Justin Bieber along with other creators , and the internet noticed .
Laxcity made an amazing sample , and we ’ re glad he ’ s getting well-deserved recognition.
” Meanwhile , Laxcity has changed his Twitter bio to say “ Check out my Splice sample pack for that sweet JB melody sample.
” And you can do that on Splice ’ s site here .

Justin Bieber recently dropped his latest album, Changes, and it took less than 24 hours before the pop star was accused of stealing the melody used in one of its songs. Artist Asher Monroe pointed out that the soft and plucky hook in his 2019 song “Synergy” is the same as the one in Bieber’s “Running Over.” However, it turned out no one stole anything because the melody isn’t by either artist. It’s a royalty-free sample by producer Laxcity that can be purchased from online sounds marketplace Splice.com.
Splice is an online marketplace where music makers can buy samples to use royalty-free in their own songs, alleviating licensing and copyright risks. The company works with renowned producers to create sample packs for the platform, including Andres and Mauricio, the duo behind smash hit “Despacito.” Last year, Splice CEO Steve Martocci told The Verge that people listen to over 60 million samples on the site each week.
The sample used by Bieber and Monroe can be found in a pack that British musician Laxcity made for Splice’s website. So, although both songs use the same melodic sample, no one is copying anyone. In fact, the sample could be used in every song that appears on the radio with no consequence, so long as the artists obtained it from Splice.
This particular sample also seems to be the backbone for “Flight” by Korean hip-hop artist YUMDDA. It likely appears in many other tracks as well. Splice is arguably the most popular royalty-free sample platform operating today, and most users check out the sounds that are new, charting, or featured. It seemed like an inevitable outcome that eventually, a bunch of songs would use the same melodic sample around the same time.
A side quirk from multiple people using the same melodic sample: Because Monroe and YUMDDA’s songs have portions with the unaltered sample and nothing else, Shazam gets confused. The app sometimes identifies Monroe’s track as YUMDDA’s, and vice versa. But it has no trouble identifying Bieber’s song, likely because there are other percussive elements always layered on top of the sample.
Laxcity tweeted a video to clear up the whole debacle, showing the MIDI and plugins he used to make the sample. He also made it plain that the sample was released on Splice for anyone to use. Bieber then gave him a shout out on Twitter for his involvement in Changes, saying “Thanks... you are now a part of it.”
In a statement to The Verge, Splice said “Samples are snippets of inspiration. This sound (and millions of others) are available to anyone, from bedroom beat makers to top 40 hitmakers. This particular loop happened to inspire Justin Bieber along with other creators, and the internet noticed. Laxcity made an amazing sample, and we’re glad he’s getting well-deserved recognition.”


theverge--2020-02-18--Go read this story about the failed pizzas-made-by-robots-and-cooked-during-delivery startup

Want to read a parable about the cult of the Silicon Valley founder and the Softbank investors caught in the wake of his gilded robes ?
Good , because Bloomberg Businessweek has the inside story detailing the implosion of Zume , that pizzas-made-by-robots-and-cooked-during-delivery startup .
Zume ’ s co-founder and co-CEO Alex Garden attracted a $ 375 million investment from Softbank ’ s Masayoshi Son , the man who gave $ 3 billion in venture capital to Adam Neumann during his ill-fated tenure at WeWork .
Here ’ s how Bloomberg describes the first meeting of Garden and Son : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with large photos of pizza pies nosed its way onto a long Bay Area driveway .
It was ferrying Alex Garden , the chief executive officer of Zume Pizza Inc. , to the home of SoftBank Group Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son .
Zume ’ s pitch was robots that could make pizzas a person would want to eat , so Son climbed aboard in the driveway of his Woodside , Calif. , estate to watch as the truck ’ s ovens fired up some robot-made pies , according to people familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he was on his way to a SoftBank Vision Fund investment of $ 375 million .
According to Bloomberg , Son can ’ t resist making outsize bets on tech startups helmed by founders with a Steve-Jobsian allure : “ I ’ m going to change the world ” Silicon Valley CEOs are rightly criticized for making lofty proclamations about their ability to change the world with mundane products and services .
Garden , a glorified pizza maker , is of course , no different , according to Bloomberg : In January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work force and “ pivoted ” as they say in The Valley when failure causes investors to worry how they ’ ll recoup losses .
Zume is now focused on packaging and efficiency gains for other food delivery companies .
The entire story is worth a read , if only to understand how this sentence could possibly exist :

Want to read a parable about the cult of the Silicon Valley founder and the Softbank investors caught in the wake of his gilded robes? Good, because Bloomberg Businessweek has the inside story detailing the implosion of Zume, that pizzas-made-by-robots-and-cooked-during-delivery startup. Zume’s co-founder and co-CEO Alex Garden attracted a $375 million investment from Softbank’s Masayoshi Son, the man who gave $3 billion in venture capital to Adam Neumann during his ill-fated tenure at WeWork.
Here’s how Bloomberg describes the first meeting of Garden and Son:
”Two years ago a truck covered with large photos of pizza pies nosed its way onto a long Bay Area driveway. It was ferrying Alex Garden, the chief executive officer of Zume Pizza Inc., to the home of SoftBank Group Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son. Zume’s pitch was robots that could make pizzas a person would want to eat, so Son climbed aboard in the driveway of his Woodside, Calif., estate to watch as the truck’s ovens fired up some robot-made pies, according to people familiar with the meeting.”
By the time Garden left, he was on his way to a SoftBank Vision Fund investment of $375 million. According to Bloomberg, Son can’t resist making outsize bets on tech startups helmed by founders with a Steve-Jobsian allure:
”If a founder seems brash enough, charismatic enough, reminiscent enough of a younger Son, some of SoftBank’s rigorous business-model tests appear to melt away.”
“I’m going to change the world”
Silicon Valley CEOs are rightly criticized for making lofty proclamations about their ability to change the world with mundane products and services. Garden, a glorified pizza maker, is of course, no different, according to Bloomberg:
”In the fall of 2018, SoftBank delivered its Vision Fund cash. After one conversation with Son, Garden choked up relaying the details to a confidant, saying, “Masa says I’m going to change the world,” this person recalls.”
In January, Zume laid off over half its work force and “pivoted” as they say in The Valley when failure causes investors to worry how they’ll recoup losses. Zume is now focused on packaging and efficiency gains for other food delivery companies.
The entire story is worth a read, if only to understand how this sentence could possibly exist:


theverge--2020-02-18--Nintendo announces first new Switch Lite color since launch

Nintendo has announced the first new Switch Lite color since the portable-only console launched last fall .
The new hue @ @ @ @ @ perhaps belatedly inspired by Pantone ’ s decision to name “ Living Coral ” the @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
Or maybe Nintendo wants it out in time for cherry blossom season .
@ @ @ @ @ , and yellow in the regular lineup .
It ’ ll be available in Japan @ @ @ @ @ preorders starting on March 7th .
Notably , the launch of the new system doesn @ @ @ @ @ been affected by the coronavirus outbreak , unlike the upcoming Animal Crossing-themed Switch .
The @ @ @ @ @ same price of 19,980 yen ( $ 182 ) .

Nintendo has announced the first new Switch Lite color since the portable-only console launched last fall. The new hue is “coral,” perhaps belatedly inspired by Pantone’s decision to name “Living Coral” the Color of the Year for 2019. Or maybe Nintendo wants it out in time for cherry blossom season.


theverge--2020-02-18--Coronavirus impact on tech industry predicted in new report

Supply-chain analytics provider TrendForce has issued a report assessing the likely impact of the 2019-nCoV outbreak on tech manufacturing .
The coronavirus has already caused major disruption throughout the tech industry , with huge trade shows cancelled and companies like Apple expecting to miss their forecasts .
The report breaks its assessments down into individual components as well as product categories to provide a broad overview of the industry .
It could also give some indication of what ’ s in store for individual companies like Apple .
It ’ s worth reading the whole thing , but here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is projected to decline 12 percent year-on-year this quarter , which would make it the lowest quarter in five years .
The supply chain is labor-intensive , so is being heavily hit by the postponement of work resumption , and there will also be shortages of upstream components like camera modules .
• Several fiber optics suppliers are based in Wuhan , where the coronavirus outbreak originated , and together account for 25 % of global production .
China ’ s 5G rollout could be affected due to the greater need for optical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The DRAM and NAND flash markets are unlikely to be affected due to material stockpiling and a high level of automation at semiconductor fabs operated by companies like Samsung and SK Hynix .
• Video game console manufacturing has been heavily hit , but next-generation production shouldn ’ t be impacted as long as the outbreak can be mitigated by the end of this quarter , since the PS5 and Xbox Series X will be launching in the holiday season .
Current demand for the PS4 and Xbox One have already fallen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning shortages of the current-gen machines are also unlikely .
• Overall , TrendForce expects smartwatches , laptop PCs , and smart speakers to see the biggest decline in previous forecasts .
Smartwatches are set to drop 16 percent from prior expectations , though the report notes that sales for wearables are usually much higher in the second half of the year when devices like the Apple Watch are updated .
Here ’ s TrendForce ’ s updated forecasts for shipments in various device categories .
You can read the full report @ @

Supply-chain analytics provider TrendForce has issued a report assessing the likely impact of the 2019-nCoV outbreak on tech manufacturing. The coronavirus has already caused major disruption throughout the tech industry, with huge trade shows cancelled and companies like Apple expecting to miss their forecasts .
The report breaks its assessments down into individual components as well as product categories to provide a broad overview of the industry. It could also give some indication of what’s in store for individual companies like Apple. It’s worth reading the whole thing, but here are a few takeaways:


theverge--2020-02-18--Activision Blizzard exec leaks that Overwatch might become a TV series

Since 2014 , Blizzard has released so many breathtaking cinematic videos for Overwatch that most of us have wondered when Blizzard would finally look into adapting the game to the big screen or as a TV show .
( The comparisons to Pixar have been around since the very beginning . )
Well , an Activision Blizzard executive ’ s resume now hints that Blizzard did explore the possibility of an actual Overwatch TV show , one that might even still be on the way — and there may be a Diablo one , too .
According to the LinkedIn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just so happens to be in charge of the part of Activision Blizzard responsible for building TV shows and movies , he was personally involved in developing and selling an animated Overwatch TV show .
The rest of his resume suggests he might have been just the man for the job : he previously worked at Disney , where he played a key role in helping the company acquire Pixar , and he apparently sold an anime-style Diablo show to Netflix as well .
If that ’ s true , it confirms a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the works — though it ’ s not clear if the show is still in production .
van Dyk ’ s profile notes that the Overwatch TV series was only “ sold , ” not greenlit , and that the Diablo show was in “ pre-production ” at some point .
Blizzard has not made any official announcement surrounding either project , so it ’ s possible neither one will get off the ground .

Since 2014, Blizzard has released so many breathtaking cinematic videos for Overwatch that most of us have wondered when Blizzard would finally look into adapting the game to the big screen or as a TV show. (The comparisons to Pixar have been around since the very beginning.) Well, an Activision Blizzard executive’s resume now hints that Blizzard did explore the possibility of an actual Overwatch TV show, one that might even still be on the way — and there may be a Diablo one, too.
According to the LinkedIn profile of Nick van Dyk, who just so happens to be in charge of the part of Activision Blizzard responsible for building TV shows and movies, he was personally involved in developing and selling an animated Overwatch TV show. The rest of his resume suggests he might have been just the man for the job: he previously worked at Disney, where he played a key role in helping the company acquire Pixar, and he apparently sold an anime-style Diablo show to Netflix as well.


theverge--2020-02-18--An Indian politician used AI to translate his speech into other languages to reach more voters

As social media platforms move to crack down on deepfakes and misinformation in the US elections , an Indian politician has used artificial intelligence techniques to make it look like he said things he didn ’ t say , Vice reports .
In one version of a campaign video , Manoj Tiwari speaks in English ; in the fabricated version , he “ speaks ” in the Hindi dialect of Haryanvi .
Political communications firm The Ideaz Factory told Vice it was working with Tiwari ’ s Bharatiya Janata Party to create “ positive campaigns ” using the same technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an actor ’ s voice to read the script in Haryanvi .
“ We used a ‘ lip-sync ’ deepfake algorithm and trained it with speeches of Manoj Tiwari to translate audio sounds into basic mouth shapes , ” Sagar Vishnoi of The Ideaz Factory said , adding that it allowed the candidate to target voters he might not have otherwise been able to reach as directly ( while India has two official languages , Hindi and English , some Indian states have their own languages and there are hundreds of various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 15 million people in India , according to Vice .
Even though more deepfake videos are used to create nonconsensual pornography , the now-infamous 2018 deepfake video of President Obama raised concerns about how false or misleading videos could be used in the political arena .
Last May , faked videos were posted on social media that appeared to show House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slurring her words .
In October , however , California passed a bill making it illegal to share deepfakes of politicians within 60 days of an election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethics Committee informed members that posting deepfakes on social media could be considered a violation of House rules .
Social media companies have announced plans to try to combat the spread of deepfakes on their platforms .
Twitter ’ s “ deceptive media ” ban takes effect in March .
Facebook banned some deepfakes last month and Reddit updated its policy to ban all impersonation on the platform , which includes deepfakes .
How and when intentional use of altered videos might affect the 2020 US elections is anyone ’ s guess , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even though the Tiwari video was meant to be part of a “ positive ” effort , the genie is out of the bottle now .

As social media platforms move to crack down on deepfakes and misinformation in the US elections, an Indian politician has used artificial intelligence techniques to make it look like he said things he didn’t say, Vice reports. In one version of a campaign video, Manoj Tiwari speaks in English; in the fabricated version, he “speaks” in Haryanvi, a dialect of Hindi.
Political communications firm The Ideaz Factory told Vice it was working with Tiwari’s Bharatiya Janata Party to create “positive campaigns” using the same technology used in deepfake videos, and dubbed in an actor’s voice to read the script in Haryanvi.
“We used a ‘lip-sync’ deepfake algorithm and trained it with speeches of Manoj Tiwari to translate audio sounds into basic mouth shapes,” Sagar Vishnoi of The Ideaz Factory said, adding that it allowed the candidate to target voters he might not have otherwise been able to reach as directly (while India has two official languages, Hindi and English, some Indian states have their own languages and there are hundreds of various dialects).
The faked video reached about 15 million people in India, according to Vice.
In October, however, California passed a bill making it illegal to share deepfakes of politicians within 60 days of an election. And in January, the US House Ethics Committee informed members that posting deepfakes on social media could be considered a violation of House rules.
Social media companies have announced plans to try to combat the spread of deepfakes on their platforms. Twitter’s “deceptive media” ban takes effect in March. Facebook banned some deepfakes last month and Reddit updated its policy to ban all impersonation on the platform, which includes deepfakes.


theverge--2020-02-18--Bill Gates bought a Porsche, and then Elon Musk talked trash about him

Bill Gates bought an electric car .
But while he ’ s given Tesla credit for pushing other carmakers to go electric , it does seem notable that he didn ’ t buy from the company that pushed the innovation .
He bought a Porsche Taycan .
Someone alerted Elon Musk to this development , of course .
And that got us a bitchy tweet from Musk : “ My conversations with Gates have been underwhelming tbh.
” It ’ s true that Musk likes beef ; after all , he ’ s made cracks about Facebook ’ s Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Actually , it seems like Musk and Bezos have a lively rivalry going . )
But the Gates fight strikes me as different — precisely because Musk ’ s dismissal of him is so broad .
Both Musk and Gates are admirers of Nick Bostrom , the Swedish philosopher who has warned in his 2014 book Superintelligence : Paths , Dangers , Strategies that machine intelligence could surpass human intelligence .
Both men have appeared on The Big Bang Theory .
Perhaps significantly , though , Musk is frequently compared not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s late CEO , Steve Jobs .
The Taycan is also something of a sore spot for Musk , even though it has a smaller range than Tesla ’ s comparable vehicles .
But the Taycan Turbo set the “ four door electric sports car ” lap record at Germany ’ s Nürburgring .
( Though Musk has suggested on Twitter that the use of “ Turbo ” by Porsche is a misnomer . )
And , apparently in response , Musk announced Tesla would run a Model S around the track .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight with Top Gear , a TV show that depicted a Taycan beating a Model S in a race .

Bill Gates bought an electric car. But while he’s given Tesla credit for pushing other carmakers to go electric, it does seem notable that he didn’t buy from the company that pushed the innovation. He bought a Porsche Taycan .
But the Gates fight strikes me as different — precisely because Musk’s dismissal of him is so broad. Both Musk and Gates are admirers of Nick Bostrom, the Swedish philosopher who has warned in his 2014 book Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies that machine intelligence could surpass human intelligence. Both men have appeared on The Big Bang Theory. Perhaps significantly, though, Musk is frequently compared not to Gates, but to Apple’s late CEO, Steve Jobs.


theverge--2020-02-18--Elon Musk says AI development should be better regulated, even at Tesla

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to see all artificial intelligence better regulated , even at his own company , he tweeted Monday ( via TechCrunch ) .
He made the remark in response to a piece about OpenAI by MIT Technology Review , which claimed that the AI organization , co-founded by Musk , has shifted from its mission of developing and distributing AI safely and equitably into a secretive company obsessed with image and driven to constantly raise more money .
Musk has a history of expressing serious concerns about the negative potential of AI .
He tweeted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous than nukes , ” and told an audience at an MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics symposium that year that AI was “ our biggest existential threat , ” and humanity needs to be extremely careful : With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon .
In all those stories where there ’ s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water , it ’ s like yeah he ’ s sure he can control the demon .
Didn ’ t work out .
Musk has been floating the idea for some kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while , as well .
He told Recode ’ s Kara Swisher in 2018 — the same year he stepped down from OpenAI to avoid conflicts with the machine learning technology used in Tesla ’ s autonomous vehicles — that “ we ought to have a government committee that starts off with insight , gaining insight .
Spends a year or two gaining insight about AI or other technologies that are maybe dangerous , but especially AI.
” The committee would then come up with regulations to ensure the safest uses of AI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time that he did not think such a committee would actually happen .

Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to see all artificial intelligence better regulated, even at his own company, he tweeted Monday (via TechCrunch). He made the remark in response to a piece about OpenAI by MIT Technology Review, which claimed that the AI organization, co-founded by Musk, has shifted from its mission of developing and distributing AI safely and equitably into a secretive company obsessed with image and driven to constantly raise more money.
Musk has a history of expressing serious concerns about the negative potential of AI. He tweeted in 2014 that it could be “more dangerous than nukes,” and told an audience at an MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics symposium that year that AI was “our biggest existential threat,” and humanity needs to be extremely careful:
With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like yeah he’s sure he can control the demon. Didn’t work out.
Musk has been floating the idea for some kind of government oversight of AI for a while, as well. He told Recode’s Kara Swisher in 2018 — the same year he stepped down from OpenAI to avoid conflicts with the machine learning technology used in Tesla’s autonomous vehicles — that “we ought to have a government committee that starts off with insight, gaining insight. Spends a year or two gaining insight about AI or other technologies that are maybe dangerous, but especially AI.” The committee would then come up with regulations to ensure the safest uses of AI, he said.


theverge--2020-02-18--Iron Man dreams are closer to becoming a reality thanks to this new Jetman Dubai video

Tony Stark may have destroyed his Iron Man suits in Iron Man 3 ( only to bring out a whole new line in Avengers : Age of Ultron ) , but Jetman Dubai ’ s Iron Man-like dreams of autonomous human flight are realer than ever .
A new video published by the company shows pilot Vince Reffet using a jet-powered , carbon-fiber suit to launch off the ground and fly 6,000 feet in the air .
The video , seen above , was taken in Dubai , heading south toward Jumeirah Beach Residence , according to the company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in “ eight seconds [ Reffet ] had reached 100 meters height , in 12 seconds 200m , 19 seconds 500m , and reached 1000m in 30 seconds at an average speed of 130 knots.
” This isn ’ t the first time that Reffet and his team have gone flying over Dubai .
A video from May 2015 shows Reffet and fellow pilot Yves Rossy soaring through the skies while a chase plane captures their flight — well , a chase plane and a couple of GoPro cameras attached to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieve a speed of more than 120 miles per hour , too !
The main difference here is that we ’ re seeing a man go from standing on the ground to hovering over the Earth , before shooting into the air like a rocket .
“ It is the first time that a Jetman Dubai pilot could combine hovering safely at a limited altitude and flying aerobatics at high altitude in the same flight , ” the company noted underneath the video .
“ Controlled from the ground by the human body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach speeds of 400kmh , as well as hovering , changing direction and performing loops.
” Kind of like that scene in the first Iron Man when Tony Stark is first learning how to jet off into the air , but he stumbles along the way , only to finally take off and go soaring into the sky !
Except this is real life , and I am frequently reminded by my colleagues that Iron Man isn ’ t real .
And , if we ’ re being honest , the winged suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ famously played by Michael Keaton in Spider-Man : Homecoming ) than Iron Man , but I digress .
Jetman Dubai also isn ’ t the first company to build super fast personal pilot suits .
Richard Browning famously built the world ’ s fastest personal jet suit , and was profiled by Wired in 2018 about his work .
Like Jetman Dubai , it ’ s an incredible piece of aerospace and mechanical engineering that ’ s super fun to watch on video .
Now , what does this all mean for you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ band is getting back together .
And by band , I mean Iron Man .
Iron Man ’ s back , baby .

Tony Stark may have destroyed his Iron Man suits in Iron Man 3 (only to bring out a whole new line in Avengers: Age of Ultron), but Jetman Dubai’s Iron Man-like dreams of autonomous human flight are realer than ever.
A new video published by the company shows pilot Vince Reffet using a jet-powered, carbon-fiber suit to launch off the ground and fly 6,000 feet in the air. The video, seen above, was taken in Dubai, heading south toward Jumeirah Beach Residence, according to the company. Jetman Dubai’s YouTube video notes that in “eight seconds [Reffet] had reached 100 meters height, in 12 seconds 200m, 19 seconds 500m, and reached 1000m in 30 seconds at an average speed of 130 knots.”
This isn’t the first time that Reffet and his team have gone flying over Dubai. A video from May 2015 shows Reffet and fellow pilot Yves Rossy soaring through the skies while a chase plane captures their flight — well, a chase plane and a couple of GoPro cameras attached to their helmets. The pilots were able to achieve a speed of more than 120 miles per hour, too! The main difference here is that we’re seeing a man go from standing on the ground to hovering over the Earth, before shooting into the air like a rocket.
“It is the first time that a Jetman Dubai pilot could combine hovering safely at a limited altitude and flying aerobatics at high altitude in the same flight,” the company noted underneath the video. “Controlled from the ground by the human body, the equipment enables Jetman Dubai to reach speeds of 400kmh, as well as hovering, changing direction and performing loops.”
Kind of like that scene in the first Iron Man when Tony Stark is first learning how to jet off into the air, but he stumbles along the way, only to finally take off and go soaring into the sky! Except this is real life, and I am frequently reminded by my colleagues that Iron Man isn’t real. And, if we’re being honest, the winged suit has more in common with Vulture (famously played by Michael Keaton in Spider-Man: Homecoming) than Iron Man, but I digress.
Jetman Dubai also isn’t the first company to build super fast personal pilot suits. Richard Browning famously built the world’s fastest personal jet suit, and was profiled by Wired in 2018 about his work. Like Jetman Dubai, it’s an incredible piece of aerospace and mechanical engineering that’s super fun to watch on video.


theverge--2020-02-18--The best smart display to buy right now

The best smart display to buy right now

Smart displays , those cousins of voice-controlled smart speakers with full touchscreen displays , are great devices for managing your smart home , displaying useful bits of information throughout the day , or even playing music or video .
Like a smart speaker , a smart display is primarily voice-controlled , so you can bark commands at it from across a room .
But unlike a smart speaker , a smart display can display information such as upcoming appointments , weather , in-progress timers , the current time , a grocery list , recipes , and more without you having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can also be used as a modern , cloud-connected digital photo frame , allowing you to see all of those memories you ’ ve captured over the years that are currently trapped on your smartphone .
Some models also come with built-in cameras that can be used for video calling to other smart displays or even phones .
A good smart display has all of the capabilities of a smart speaker , including good-sounding speakers of its own for listening to music or watching video .
They are available in a variety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where you want to put the display in your home , you might prefer a smaller model over one that has a larger screen and louder speakers .
But if you ’ re looking for an all-around smart display to use in your kitchen or living room , you ’ ll want one with a screen that ’ s easy to see from across the room and speakers that can fill the space with clear , pleasant sound .
The best smart display for most people : Amazon Echo Show 8 The Echo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon ’ s lineup of Alexa-powered smart displays .
It has a bright 8-inch touchscreen , two powerful speakers that can put out a surprising level of volume , a built-in camera with a privacy shutter , and four microphones to hear voice commands .
It doesn ’ t take up a ton of space on a counter , mantle , or bookshelf , but it can easily be seen or controlled from across a room .
The Show 8 has access to all of the same Alexa abilities as Amazon ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of unique things that take advantage of its built-in display .
You can see timers on the screen without having to ask for them , recipes are displayed with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials , grocery lists are shown right on the screen , and the Show will cycle through upcoming calendar appointments , weather reports , and news headlines whenever it ’ s idle .
The screen can also be used to pull up feeds from video doorbells and security cameras or to make video calls through Amazon ’ s Alexa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or smartphones .
The built-in privacy shutter allows you to block the camera ’ s view if you don ’ t want to make video calls or want to use it in a bedroom .
Since the display is a full touchscreen , you can also interact with the Echo Show 8 without having to use your voice at all , including canceling timers , controlling smart home devices , or scrolling through photos stored in Amazon Photos or Facebook albums .
But the Show 8 is not designed to be an iPad-like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to simple functions .
Like Echo speakers , the Show 8 can play audio and music from a variety of sources , including Spotify , Audible , Pocket Casts , Amazon Music , Apple Music , and Sirius XM .
It can also play video from Amazon ’ s Prime Video and Hulu .
But it doesn ’ t have an easy way to play YouTube video ( you have to go through the device ’ s built-in web browser , a very clumsy process ) , nor does it have the ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t alone in the latter .
For some reason , no smart display on the market can play Netflix video , which is unfortunate .
Those limitations make the Show 8 a poor replacement for a TV , but it is very capable for listening to music .
Finally , the Show 8 has a good value : it ’ s often not much more than $ 30 over Amazon ’ s standard Echo speakers , and it ’ s frequently on sale for less .
It has the best bang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can buy , thanks to its spacious screen , loud speakers , and variety of capabilities .
Along with Amazon , Google has its own smart displays that are powered by the Google Assistant .
If you are fully invested in Google ’ s ecosystem or own a lot of Nest products already , they might make a better option for you than the Echo Show .
( The Echo Show 8 can display Google Calendar appointments and video feeds from Nest cameras , but it ’ s not as deeply integrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) The best option in Google ’ s lineup is the Nest Hub ( formerly called the Google Home Hub ) .
A 7-inch smart display , the Nest Hub is a little smaller than the Echo Show 8 and fits more comfortably on a nightstand .
Its killer feature is a screen that automatically adjusts itself for the lighting in your room , so it almost looks like photos are printed on paper instead of being displayed on a screen .
Combine that with Google Photos ’ excellent automatic backups and smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hub with new images whenever you take them , and you have perhaps the best digital photo frame experience you can get .
The Nest Hub lacks a camera , so it can ’ t be used for video calling .
But the bigger sacrifice is with its speaker , which is much less powerful and doesn ’ t sound nearly as good as the Echo Show 8 ’ s dual-speaker system .
The 7-inch screen is also noticeably smaller , which makes it harder to see from across a room and less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you watch a lot of YouTube or are a YouTube TV customer , the Nest Hub does a much better job of displaying those services than Amazon ’ s options .
You can also easily cast video content from a variety of apps on your phone ( excluding Netflix ) to the Nest Hub display , which you can ’ t do with an Echo Show .
Otherwise , the Nest Hub functions very similarly to the Echo Show .
It can be used to control smart home devices , display upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timers and alarms .
Google Assistant is generally better at answering random fact-based questions than Alexa , but for everyday tasks , they are very similar .
One thing that Amazon does much better is manage a shared grocery list , so if you ’ re planning to put a smart display in your kitchen , the Echo Show is a better choice .
The Nest Hub ’ s sticker price is the same as the Echo Show 8 , but it ’ s on sale or discounted so frequently that you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 .
At that price , the Nest Hub is an ideal option for a smart alarm clock or digital photo frame in a bedroom or other living space .
While the Echo Show 8 and Nest Hub are ideal middle-sized options for most people , Amazon and Google have larger and smaller smart display options powered by their respective voice assistants .
If you ’ re looking for a smart alarm clock that doesn ’ t dominate your nightstand , the Echo Show 5 or Lenovo Smart Clock are shrunken-down versions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with fewer features and smaller footprints .
If you want an even larger screen , the Echo Show and Nest Hub Max both have 10-inch displays and louder speakers .
But they are considerably more expensive and don ’ t necessarily provide that much better of an experience to justify their costs .
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
For more information , see

Smart displays, those cousins of voice-controlled smart speakers with full touchscreen displays, are great devices for managing your smart home, displaying useful bits of information throughout the day, or even playing music or video.
Like a smart speaker, a smart display is primarily voice-controlled, so you can bark commands at it from across a room. But unlike a smart speaker, a smart display can display information such as upcoming appointments, weather, in-progress timers, the current time, a grocery list, recipes, and more without you having to utter a single command. They can also be used as a modern, cloud-connected digital photo frame, allowing you to see all of those memories you’ve captured over the years that are currently trapped on your smartphone. Some models also come with built-in cameras that can be used for video calling to other smart displays or even phones.
The best smart display has all of the capabilities of the best smart speakers, including good-sounding speakers of its own for listening to music or watching video. They are available in a variety of prices and sizes, and depending on where you want to put the display in your home, you might prefer a smaller model over one that has a larger screen and louder speakers. If you’re looking for an all-around smart display to use in your kitchen or living room, you’ll want one with a screen that’s easy to see from across the room and speakers that can fill the space with clear, pleasant sound.
There are essentially two types of smart displays available: ones that use Amazon’s Alexa assistant and ones that run on Google Assistant. Which one is better for you really depends on your needs and whether you already have a smart speaker in your home. The two platforms are more similar than they are different, but a simple way to differentiate between them is Google’s smart displays work best with Google services, such as Duo, Photos, other Nest devices, and YouTube, and Amazon’s smart displays work with Amazon services, like Prime Video, Amazon Photos, and Ring products. For most people, the best option is going to be Amazon’s Echo Show 8 or Google’s Nest Hub, depending on which virtual assistant you prefer.
Best smart displays 2021
The best Alexa smart display
The Echo Show 8 is the middle child in Amazon’s lineup of Alexa-powered smart displays, and it’s the best Alexa smart display. It has a bright 8-inch touchscreen, two powerful speakers that can put out a surprising level of volume, a built-in camera with a privacy shutter, and four microphones to hear voice commands. It doesn’t take up a ton of space on a counter, mantle, or bookshelf, but it can easily be seen or controlled from across a room.
The Show 8 has access to all of the same Alexa abilities as Amazon’s Echo speakers, but it includes a number of unique things that take advantage of its built-in display. You can see timers on the screen without having to ask for them, recipes are displayed with step-by-step instructions and video tutorials, grocery lists are shown right on the screen, and the Show will cycle through upcoming calendar appointments, weather reports, and news headlines whenever it’s idle. The screen can also be used to pull up feeds from video doorbells and security cameras or to view the feed from another Echo Show in your home.
The second-generation Echo Show 8 has a 13-megapixel camera that can be used for video calls through Amazon’s Alexa calling (to phones or other Echo Show displays) or Zoom. It is able to automatically pan and crop to keep you in the frame, and it generally has good image quality. The built-in privacy shutter allows you to block the camera’s view if you don’t want to make video calls or want to use it in a bedroom.
Since the display is a full touchscreen, you can also interact with the Echo Show 8 without having to use your voice at all, including canceling timers, controlling smart home devices, or scrolling through photos stored in Amazon Photos or Facebook albums. But the Show 8 is not designed to be an iPad-like tablet, and its interactivity is limited to simple functions.
Like Echo speakers, the Show 8 can play audio and music from a variety of sources, including Spotify, Audible, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Sirius XM. It can also play video from Amazon’s Prime Video, Hulu, and Netflix. But it doesn’t have an easy way to play YouTube video (you have to go through the device’s built-in web browser, a very clumsy process), nor does it have the ability to play HBO Max or Disney Plus.
The best Google Assistant smart display
If you are fully invested in Google’s ecosystem or own a lot of Nest products already, the Google Nest Hub is the best smart display with Google Assistant.
A 7-inch smart display, the Nest Hub is a little smaller than the Echo Show 8 and fits more comfortably on a nightstand. Its best feature is a screen that automatically adjusts itself for the lighting in your room, so it almost looks like photos are printed on paper instead of being displayed on a screen. Combine that with Google Photos’ excellent automatic backups and smart albums that can automatically update the Nest Hub with new images whenever you take them, and you have perhaps the best digital photo frame experience you can get.
The latest, second-generation Nest Hub is also able to automatically track your sleep when it’s on a nightstand, making it an ideal smart alarm clock. It also lacks a camera entirely, which every other smart display in this list includes. That means you can’t use it for video calling, but it also means you don’t have to worry about a connected camera being in your most intimate of areas.
The Nest Hub has a single speaker, which is much less powerful and doesn’t sound nearly as good as the Echo Show 8’s dual-speaker system. The 7-inch screen is also noticeably smaller, which makes it harder to see from across a room and less comfortable to watch video on. But if you watch a lot of YouTube or are a YouTube TV customer, the Nest Hub does a much better job of displaying those services than Amazon’s options. Google also supports more video services than Amazon on its smart displays, including Disney Plus and Paramount Plus. You can also easily cast video content from a variety of apps on your phone, such as HBO Max, to the Nest Hub display, which you can’t do with an Echo Show.
Like an Echo Show, the Nest Hub can be used to control smart home devices, display upcoming appointments, step-by-step recipes, or voice-controlled timers and alarms. Google Assistant is generally better at answering random fact-based questions than Alexa, but for everyday tasks, they are very similar.
The best Alexa smart display for a bedroom
Amazon Echo Show 5 (second-gen) $ 85 Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is an ideal smart display for a nightstand. You can set alarms with Alexa using your voice, play music, control smart displays, get a weather report, and more. When the alarm goes off, you merely need to tap the top of the Echo Show 5 to snooze it. $85 at Amazon$85 at Best Buy
The Echo Show 5 is very similar to the Echo Show 8 but smaller. That makes it more ideal for a nightstand and the best Alexa smart display for your bedroom. It’s also the least expensive Echo Show model.
The Show 5 only has a 5.5-inch screen, which isn’t as easy to see from across the room as larger models. It also only has a single speaker, which can get quite loud, but isn’t as good as the speaker systems in the bigger Echo Show devices.
The Echo Show 5 also doesn’t support as many video streaming services or video calling services, and its 2-megapixel built-in camera is much lower quality than the Echo Show 8 or 10’s cameras. Fortunately, it still includes the physical privacy shutter to block its view when you don’t want to use it.
Where the Echo Show 5 really shines is on a nightstand or desk. If you’re using it as a smart alarm clock, you can tap on the top to snooze the alarm. On a desk, it works well for personal audio such as podcasts or to view feeds from a security camera or video doorbell.
The best Google smart alarm clock
Lenovo Smart Clock 2 (with Lenovo Smart Bulb) $ 25 $ 70 64 % off $ 25 $ 25 $ 70 64 % off The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is the smallest smart display you can buy. The latest version functions as a great night light, comes with a charging dock, and brings the full suite of Google Assistant features to your bedside.
$25 at Walmart
If you are looking for a smart alarm clock with Google Assistant, then the best option is the tiny Lenovo Smart Clock 2. The Smart Clock 2 has a 4-inch screen, no camera, and a small footprint, making it ideal for a nightstand.
The Smart Clock is capable of showing the time, weather, calendar appointments, and Google Photos albums, just like the larger Nest Hub displays. You can interact with the screen with either voice or touch, and there are buttons on top for controlling volume and a switch on the back for muting the microphone.
In addition, the Smart Clock 2 is available with a dock that can charge your phone wirelessly, which makes it an ideal nightstand companion.
Though you can play all the same music services (Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.) through the Smart Clock, its small speaker doesn’t sound that great and doesn’t get very loud. It works for hearing Google Assistant voice responses and an alarm, but not for extended listening.
In addition, you can tap the top of the Smart Clock to snooze an alarm, and there’s a USB port on the back that you can use to charge your phone.
The best Alexa smart display for video calls
Amazon’s biggest and most expensive smart display is the Echo Show 10. It’s the best option if you want an Amazon display for making video calls because it has a motorized base that can actually follow you as you move around the room.
The 13-megapixel camera on the Echo Show 10 is the same as on the second-generation Echo Show 8. But its automatic crop and pan modes are supercharged by the 10’s motorized base. You can stick it in the corner of your kitchen and easily carry on a video call as you move around the room.
In addition, the motorized base makes it easy to watch video or follow a recipe as you move around since it always attempts to face you.
The Echo Show 10 also has a louder and better-sounding speaker system than the smaller models, and it can fill a room with music easier. You can also pair smart home devices such as lightbulbs and other sensors directly to it through the built-in Zigbee radio.
The best Google smart display for video calls
The 10-inch Nest Hub Max is a lot like the Nest Hub, but bigger. It also has a camera, though, which can be used for video calling through Google Duo or Zoom, or as a home security camera when you’re away.
The Max’s camera can also automatically crop and pan to keep you in frame, though it lacks the fancy motorized base found on the Echo Show 10. The camera also recognizes who is using the Max and automatically provides relevant information, and supports basic play and pause controls through hand gestures.
The Max also has a louder, better-sounding speaker system than the smaller Nest Hub, which makes it more suitable for larger rooms. It’s probably too big to really use in a bedroom or on a nightstand — for that, you’ll want to stick with the smaller options.
The best smart display for video calls
Facebook Portal Go $ 149 $ 200 26 % off $ 149 $ 149 $ 200 26 % off The Facebook Portal Go is the only smart display with a built-in battery, making it easier to move around the house for video calls. But it’s not as capable for smart home actions or streaming video as Google or Amazon’s smart displays. $150 at Best Buy$149 at Target
If you want a smart display specifically for making WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger calls, then the 10-inch Facebook Portal Go is your best option. It has a 13-megapixel camera that supports automatic panning and cropping, and it can be used for video calls on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Zoom, Cisco WebEx, and other services.
The best part of the Go is its built-in battery, which lets you move it wherever is most comfortable to take video calls — you don’t have to be tethered to a power outlet like with other smart displays. The battery is rated to last up to five hours for video calls, which is surely enough for most people.
The Portal Go has Alexa as well, making it an Echo Show alternative. But the Alexa integration isn’t quite as good, and it doesn’t support as many features as Amazon’s smart display. You can also use Facebook’s own voice commands for controlling the Portal.


theverge--2020-02-18--Adobe’s product chief explains how pro apps are changing in response to TikTok

More people are becoming video editors , but it ’ s increasingly happening inside of apps like TikTok and Instagram where creators and influencers can take advantage of the unique video editing tools and filters without going anywhere else .
So how does traditional photo and video editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere fit into this new wave of content creation ?
Adobe ’ s chief product officer , Scott Belsky , sat down with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge reporter Dami Lee to answer that question .
Belsky also touched on a plethora of topics under his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting Photoshop on the iPad to adapting products to new creators and platforms to the goals of the Content Authenticity Initiative .
Listen here or through a podcast player of your choice to hear the whole discussion .
Below is a lightly edited excerpt of our interview .
Dami Lee : It ’ s interesting , the thing about Adobe having these two sets of very different customers .
You have the professionals who are using Lightroom Classic , and then you have people like me who don ’ t really know how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Instagram and these programs that do it for you .
It seems Adobe is going in this new direction and introducing new software like Aero and Photoshop Camera that are designed for people so they don ’ t have to learn coding to do things .
What do you make of Adobe ’ s strategy for this new class of users ?
Scott Belsky : Well , I think two things , I would say : one is the mission of our business is creativity for all , and the ethos I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure that our products are powerful enough for professionals but accessible to everyone.
” Now , of course , some products , like After Effects or Premiere Pro , we shouldn ’ t try to make that product accessible to everyone because you will dumb it down so much .
...
There ’ s a professional set of workflows we must respect .
However , the desires of people to achieve that level of output or to create something in video or something in motion with something like After Effects , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow anyone to do something like that , maybe with a different product .
And so what you ’ re seeing now , for example , with Photoshop Camera , which is something that we ’ re still testing and iterating , but the idea there was there are a lot of people out there who just don ’ t have the desire nor the time nor the skill set to open up Photoshop and replace the sky or do something crazy with an image .
You see Photoshop Express , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think I can say this publicly — around 20 million monthly active users .
This is a mobile app , Photoshop Express .
You have , of course , Photoshop Camera , and then you have Rush and then Lightroom CC .
So Rush is actually doing pretty well right now .
It is for the YouTube creator .
It ’ s interesting .
Of the super powerful YouTube creators out there , they have their own teams that are now doing stuff , and they ’ re probably using Premiere Pro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks that are just getting started but are actually taking it seriously , they want professional-grade title sequences , effects , that kind of thing .
Premiere Rush has done very well with them , and actually YouTube has helped us get the word out to those folks as well .
DL : It ’ s funny because Premiere Rush just partnered with TikTok .
So now there ’ s a TikTok integration .
You can publish directly there .
But I ’ m also curious : how does that compare with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new features that teens are using on TikTok where it ’ s to the point where they basically don ’ t need another video editing app to make their memes .
Well , let ’ s talk about that .
Because I think you look at Instagram , you look at TikTok , you look at Snapchat , you look at all these places , and they ’ re building some of their own native editing applications .
Those have to work for everyone .
But then there ’ s a subset of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , “ I want my stuff to look different .
I want to do something that other people are like , ‘ How did he do that ?
How did she do that ?
’ ” Whether it ’ s a type of font they want in their title sequence that ’ s not offered as a default template or they want to import something that is not the native AR experience that Snapchat offers , but maybe they want to make something on their own in Aero and then use it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this world in every industry that wants to be creative and wants to do something different , and we want to be there for them .
NP : Well , it sounds like a big think of an idea .
TikTok is successful because it obviously has a viral distribution platform and an algorithm that works in all the things that it does , but it also has a really good video editor .
I ’ m routinely impressed at the edits people are able to just concoct in TikTok , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then they make it .
There is probably a market of people just above that .
That ’ s who you ’ re talking about .
NP : But isn ’ t the rise of a TikTok or the rise of an Instagram and Stories , isn ’ t the market bigger at that zone right ?
They ’ re bringing people into being video editors in a way that no one ever conceived themselves to be a video editor before .
If you think about it .
I always like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world as it relates to the creative desires of a general platform of people .
And you have 90 percent of people who just want to upload an image or consume people ’ s images , and they probably don ’ t make any edits at all .
Maybe they apply a filter .
Then you have the 1 percent on the other end of the spectrum , and these are the core Adobe customers , right ?
The 1 percent of us that are creative pros that will spend hours and hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in their mind ’ s eye .
That ’ s our bread and butter today as a company .
But then there ’ s this other 9 percent of people that are actually coming out of that larger group that are saying “ I want to stand out , I want to do something different .
I am willing to have a learning curve , maybe not the one that requires me to go to school or watch hours and hours and hours of training videos , but I want to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a company like TikTok opening up their platform to third-party apps , I think what you ’ re seeing is that they realize the value of these people for their platform .
They want people to do stuff that looks professional , that makes people jealous and amazed and humbled , and they want that .
And the only way they ’ re going to do that is by working with partners like us because they can ’ t build that level of complexity into their tools for the 90 .
Otherwise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
And so that ’ s , I think , an opportunity for us as a company .
NP : So when I think about Instagram , right now , Instagram has filters .
Like other people can make filters .
We ’ ve made filters .
Dami made some filters .
But they ’ ve got their core ones .
And then , like every other platform , they can just look at what ’ s popular out in the world and just take it .
Do you feel like you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative tool company ?
People are going to invent some stuff using your tools , and that ’ s going to obviously drive people to you and then , one day , Instagram or TikTok is going to wake up and be like , “ Man , everyone ’ s tinting their pictures blue .
Now that ’ s default.
” And you ’ ve lost that market .
Well , I mean , if you look at VSCO , Instagram , I mean any of these products where did they get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
They got it from us .
NP : Yes .
That ’ s the spicy quote I ’ m looking for .
Right ?
Which is great , by the way , because then they democratized some of this technology and interface design that was only made for pros , and they made it available for everyone .
Fantastic .
And now it ’ s our job to then continue to innovate on the pro side and to see where the line is of what a general purpose platform like that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring the bar up to make people better .
And listen , every time a new version of Android or iOS ships , there are new features for their default camera editing .
And that ’ s great because it ’ s making that functionality more available to everyone , and it keeps us on our toes to say , “ Okay , but of those people , what will only 10 percent of them want to do that only they can do with us ?
” And that makes us reimagine the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AR and how to mix things like motion graphics sequences with things like video and animation .

More people are becoming video editors, but it’s increasingly happening inside of apps like TikTok and Instagram where creators and influencers can take advantage of the unique video editing tools and filters without going anywhere else. So how does traditional photo and video editing software like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere fit into this new wave of content creation?
Adobe’s chief product officer, Scott Belsky, sat down with Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and Verge reporter Dami Lee to answer that question. Belsky also touched on a plethora of topics under his domain — from what he learned from putting Photoshop on the iPad to adapting products to new creators and platforms to the goals of the Content Authenticity Initiative.
Listen here or through a podcast player of your choice to hear the whole discussion.
Below is a lightly edited excerpt of our interview.
Dami Lee: It’s interesting, the thing about Adobe having these two sets of very different customers. You have the professionals who are using Lightroom Classic, and then you have people like me who don’t really know how to edit photos but just grew up with Instagram and these programs that do it for you. It seems Adobe is going in this new direction and introducing new software like Aero and Photoshop Camera that are designed for people so they don’t have to learn coding to do things. What do you make of Adobe’s strategy for this new class of users?
Scott Belsky: Well, I think two things, I would say: one is the mission of our business is creativity for all, and the ethos I continually repeat is “Let’s make sure that our products are powerful enough for professionals but accessible to everyone.” Now, of course, some products, like After Effects or Premiere Pro, we shouldn’t try to make that product accessible to everyone because you will dumb it down so much. ... There’s a professional set of workflows we must respect.
However, the desires of people to achieve that level of output or to create something in video or something in motion with something like After Effects, I think it is part of our mission to allow anyone to do something like that, maybe with a different product. And so what you’re seeing now, for example, with Photoshop Camera, which is something that we’re still testing and iterating, but the idea there was there are a lot of people out there who just don’t have the desire nor the time nor the skill set to open up Photoshop and replace the sky or do something crazy with an image.
You see Photoshop Express, which, by the way, has — I think I can say this publicly — around 20 million monthly active users. This is a mobile app, Photoshop Express. You have, of course, Photoshop Camera, and then you have Rush and then Lightroom CC.
Nilay Patel: How’s Premiere Rush doing?
So Rush is actually doing pretty well right now. It is for the YouTube creator. It’s interesting. Of the super powerful YouTube creators out there, they have their own teams that are now doing stuff, and they’re probably using Premiere Pro. But for a lot of the folks that are just getting started but are actually taking it seriously, they want professional-grade title sequences, effects, that kind of thing. Premiere Rush has done very well with them, and actually YouTube has helped us get the word out to those folks as well.
DL: It’s funny because Premiere Rush just partnered with TikTok. So now there’s a TikTok integration. You can publish directly there. But I’m also curious: how does that compare with the in-app remixing features and all of these new features that teens are using on TikTok where it’s to the point where they basically don’t need another video editing app to make their memes.
Well, let’s talk about that. Because I think you look at Instagram, you look at TikTok, you look at Snapchat, you look at all these places, and they’re building some of their own native editing applications. Those have to work for everyone.
But then there’s a subset of people who, for whatever reason, say, “I want my stuff to look different. I want to do something that other people are like, ‘How did he do that? How did she do that?’” Whether it’s a type of font they want in their title sequence that’s not offered as a default template or they want to import something that is not the native AR experience that Snapchat offers, but maybe they want to make something on their own in Aero and then use it. And so there is a subset of this world in every industry that wants to be creative and wants to do something different, and we want to be there for them.
NP: Well, it sounds like a big think of an idea. TikTok is successful because it obviously has a viral distribution platform and an algorithm that works in all the things that it does, but it also has a really good video editor. I’m routinely impressed at the edits people are able to just concoct in TikTok, and the app just leads them through, and then they make it. There is probably a market of people just above that. That’s who you’re talking about.
Yup.
NP: But isn’t the rise of a TikTok or the rise of an Instagram and Stories, isn’t the market bigger at that zone right? They’re bringing people into being video editors in a way that no one ever conceived themselves to be a video editor before.
If you think about it. I always like the whole 99 / 1 view of the world as it relates to the creative desires of a general platform of people. And you have 90 percent of people who just want to upload an image or consume people’s images, and they probably don’t make any edits at all. Maybe they apply a filter. Then you have the 1 percent on the other end of the spectrum, and these are the core Adobe customers, right? The 1 percent of us that are creative pros that will spend hours and hours to make something exactly like what’s in their mind’s eye. That’s our bread and butter today as a company. But then there’s this other 9 percent of people that are actually coming out of that larger group that are saying “I want to stand out, I want to do something different. I am willing to have a learning curve, maybe not the one that requires me to go to school or watch hours and hours and hours of training videos, but I want to do something different.”
And when you see a company like TikTok opening up their platform to third-party apps, I think what you’re seeing is that they realize the value of these people for their platform. They want people to do stuff that looks professional, that makes people jealous and amazed and humbled, and they want that. And the only way they’re going to do that is by working with partners like us because they can’t build that level of complexity into their tools for the 90. Otherwise, the 90 will get confused, right? And so that’s, I think, an opportunity for us as a company.
NP: So when I think about Instagram, right now, Instagram has filters. Like other people can make filters. We’ve made filters. Dami made some filters. But they’ve got their core ones. And then, like every other platform, they can just look at what’s popular out in the world and just take it. Do you feel like you’re in that arms race as the creative tool company? People are going to invent some stuff using your tools, and that’s going to obviously drive people to you and then, one day, Instagram or TikTok is going to wake up and be like, “Man, everyone’s tinting their pictures blue. Now that’s default.” And you’ve lost that market.
Well, I mean, if you look at VSCO, Instagram, I mean any of these products where did they get a lot of their UI for creative editing? They got it from us.
NP: Yes. That’s the spicy quote I’m looking for.
Right? Which is great, by the way, because then they democratized some of this technology and interface design that was only made for pros, and they made it available for everyone. Fantastic. And now it’s our job to then continue to innovate on the pro side and to see where the line is of what a general purpose platform like that can do for everyone and then how we bring the bar up to make people better.
And listen, every time a new version of Android or iOS ships, there are new features for their default camera editing. And that’s great because it’s making that functionality more available to everyone, and it keeps us on our toes to say, “Okay, but of those people, what will only 10 percent of them want to do that only they can do with us?” And that makes us reimagine the future of imaging, editing, and AR and how to mix things like motion graphics sequences with things like video and animation.


theverge--2020-02-18--Jaguar Land Rover unveils ‘autonomy ready’ electric shuttle concept

Jaguar Land Rover is the latest automaker to unveil an electric and “ autonomy ready ” shuttle pod designed for shared use in urban settings .
“ Project Vector ” is just a concept , but the UK carmaker said it hopes to have some version of the vehicle on the road for testing by 2021 .
For now , the automaker is keeping most of its specs under wraps .
The vehicle is four meters long , with a motor and battery pack built into a flat floor , but JLR won ’ t reveal the size of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The interior can be adjusted for private or shared use as well as for last-mile delivery service .
The vehicle is four meters long , with a motor and battery pack built into a flat floor Unlike GM and Honda ’ s recently unveiled Cruise Origin autonomous shuttle , JLR ’ s concept has a driver ’ s seat and traditional controls for human use .
But the vehicle is built to conform to future use cases in which autonomous vehicles are more prominent .
The vehicle was developed at the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joint venture between the University of Warwick , JLR , and its parent company Tata Motor .
JLR said it plans to collaborate with local authorities in Coventry to plan a mobility service from late 2021 .
Self-driving shuttles are becoming a somewhat common sight , with companies like Optimus Ride , Navya , and May Mobility operating small fleets in fixed routes in cities around the world .
But it ’ s also the kind of business that can be extremely difficult to get right .
Drive.ai nearly went out of business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Navya , a major autonomous shuttle manufacturer based in France , recently announced that it would be pivoting away from the shuttle business in favor of licensing its software to third-party clients .
JLR is no stranger to shared-use autonomy .
The company inked a deal with Alphabet ’ s Waymo to purchase 20,000 Jaguar I-Paces for a fleet of self-driving taxis .
At the time , they said the new vehicles would officially become part of Waymo ’ s commercial ride-hailing service starting in 2020 .
The company is already testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Mountain View , California , headquarters .
JLR is one of the automakers to be hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak in China .
The company is reportedly flying components in suitcases out of the country as it races to prevent its UK plants from closing by the end of the month , according to the Financial Times .

Jaguar Land Rover is the latest automaker to unveil an electric and “autonomy ready” shuttle pod designed for shared use in urban settings. “Project Vector” is just a concept, but the UK carmaker said it hopes to have some version of the vehicle on the road for testing by 2021.
For now, the automaker is keeping most of its specs under wraps. The vehicle is four meters long, with a motor and battery pack built into a flat floor, but JLR won’t reveal the size of the battery or the range of the vehicle. The interior can be adjusted for private or shared use as well as for last-mile delivery service.
The vehicle is four meters long, with a motor and battery pack built into a flat floor
Unlike GM and Honda’s recently unveiled Cruise Origin autonomous shuttle, JLR’s concept has a driver’s seat and traditional controls for human use. But the vehicle is built to conform to future use cases in which autonomous vehicles are more prominent.
The vehicle was developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre, which is a joint venture between the University of Warwick, JLR, and its parent company Tata Motor. JLR said it plans to collaborate with local authorities in Coventry to plan a mobility service from late 2021.
Self-driving shuttles are becoming a somewhat common sight, with companies like Optimus Ride, Navya, and May Mobility operating small fleets in fixed routes in cities around the world. But it’s also the kind of business that can be extremely difficult to get right. Drive.ai nearly went out of business before it was bought by Apple. And Navya, a major autonomous shuttle manufacturer based in France, recently announced that it would be pivoting away from the shuttle business in favor of licensing its software to third-party clients.
JLR is no stranger to shared-use autonomy. The company inked a deal with Alphabet’s Waymo to purchase 20,000 Jaguar I-Paces for a fleet of self-driving taxis. At the time, they said the new vehicles would officially become part of Waymo’s commercial ride-hailing service starting in 2020. The company is already testing the new vehicle on public roads around its Mountain View, California, headquarters.
JLR is one of the automakers to be hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak in China. The company is reportedly flying components in suitcases out of the country as it races to prevent its UK plants from closing by the end of the month, according to the Financial Times.


theverge--2020-02-18--Google Stadia is coming to Samsung, Asus, and Razer phones on February 20th

Google announced today that Stadia will work on some Android phones from Samsung , Asus , and Razer starting on @ @ @ @ @ this point , Stadia only worked on certain Pixel phones .
Here ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ newly supported phones , which includes the Samsung Galaxy S20 line that ’ s releasing @ @ @ @ @ new additions — combined with the current support for the Pixel 2 , Pixel 2 @ @ @ @ @ Pixel 3 XL , Pixel 3A , Pixel 3A XL , and Pixel 4 — @ @ @ @ @ play Stadia games on 26 different Android phones .
Stadia ’ s iOS app doesn @ @ @ @ @ games , though , so you will have to keep waiting if you want to @ @ @ @ @ iPhone or iPad .
In January , Google promised to bring more than 120 games @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 , so there should be more content on Stadia throughout this year .
@ @ @ @ @ new games last week .

Google announced today that Stadia will work on some Android phones from Samsung, Asus, and Razer starting on February 20th. Up until this point, Stadia only worked on certain Pixel phones.
Here’s the full list of the 19 newly supported phones, which includes the Samsung Galaxy S20 line that’s releasing on March 6th:
Samsung Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S8 Active
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Samsung Galaxy S9
Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy S10
Samsung Galaxy S10E
Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
Samsung Galaxy Note 10
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S20
Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Razer Phone
Razer Phone 2
Asus ROG Phone
Asus ROG Phone II
These new additions — combined with the current support for the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3A, Pixel 3A XL, and Pixel 4 — mean that you can now play Stadia games on 26 different Android phones. Stadia’s iOS app doesn’t let you play games, though, so you will have to keep waiting if you want to play Stadia games on your iPhone or iPad.


theverge--2020-02-18--Patreon will now give creators cash advances on their subscription money

Patreon , the site creators love because it helps them make money off their work , has started a program called Patreon Capital , which grants micro-loans to creators .
It ’ s essentially a cash advance : you get money now in exchange for some of your future earnings plus a small premium .
It ’ s different from Patreon ’ s usual business — which is enabling direct subscriptions to people whose work you like , then taking a cut off the top — but it will diversify the company ’ s revenue , which should make Patreon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] iven their history and positioning as a creator support platform , Patreon believes they ’ re in a better position than banks to provide creators with the business support they need .
“ After all , Patreon has access to all the data about a creator ’ s earnings history , what they offer as benefits , how much they engage with their patrons…everything needed to forecast their earnings and retention , without a creator even needing to submit an application , ” said Carlos Cabrero , the company ’ s VP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially impossible for a bank to replicate.
” A Patreon creator ’ s historical performance — as far as subscribers and revenue go — is definitely more transparent than a credit report .
And as Quah astutely notes , the program is modeled after other , similar offerings from Shopify and Stripe .
But that ’ s not why the program was started .
Patreon Capital exists because Patreon is itself a business , one that pays out a significant amount of the money it pulls in to the people who populate its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to build new businesses and new services and new revenue lines in order to build a sustainable business , ” the company ’ s CEO said in an interview last year , a year when it paid more than half a billion dollars to its creators .
Every business is different , but they all have the same blood : money .
( It ’ s just another way corporations really aren ’ t the same as people , no matter what Citizens United says . )
Like every other business , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainability , same as every other creator on its platform .
In other words , Patreon needs more blood , which means that it ’ s probably better to think of Patreon Capital as a necessary transfusion .

Patreon, the site creators love because it helps them make money off their work, has started a program called Patreon Capital, which grants micro-loans to creators. It’s essentially a cash advance: you get money now in exchange for some of your future earnings plus a small premium. It’s different from Patreon’s usual business — which is enabling direct subscriptions to people whose work you like, then taking a cut off the top — but it will diversify the company’s revenue, which should make Patreon a more sustainable business.
[G]iven their history and positioning as a creator support platform, Patreon believes they’re in a better position than banks to provide creators with the business support they need. “After all, Patreon has access to all the data about a creator’s earnings history, what they offer as benefits, how much they engage with their patrons…everything needed to forecast their earnings and retention, without a creator even needing to submit an application,” said Carlos Cabrero, the company’s VP of Finance. “This would be essentially impossible for a bank to replicate.”
A Patreon creator’s historical performance — as far as subscribers and revenue go — is definitely more transparent than a credit report. And as Quah astutely notes, the program is modeled after other, similar offerings from Shopify and Stripe.
But that’s not why the program was started. Patreon Capital exists because Patreon is itself a business, one that pays out a significant amount of the money it pulls in to the people who populate its platform. “The reality is Patreon needs to build new businesses and new services and new revenue lines in order to build a sustainable business,” the company’s CEO said in an interview last year, a year when it paid more than half a billion dollars to its creators.


theverge--2020-02-19--Alphabet winds down energy kite division

Alphabet is ending its work on Makani , a project that tried to generate power using wind turbines attached to kites , Makani ’ s CEO has announced .
Despite successfully demonstrating a flight off the coast of Norway last year , the CEO said that business and technology challenges meant that “ the road to commercialization is longer and riskier than hoped.
” Energy company Shell , which collaborated with Makani on last year ’ s flight , is “ exploring options ” to take on its tech , according to the Financial Times .
Makani is the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been shuttered since Larry Page and Sergey Brin stepped back from the business last December .
Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai is under pressure to reduce Alphabet ’ s losses from its “ Other Bets ” segment .
The Financial Times notes that last year the division lost the company $ 4.8 billion , up from $ 3.4 billion the year before .
The closure appears to be part of wider cost-cutting at Alphabet .
Earlier this week Google announced it would be ending its work on Stations , a free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The executive in charge of Alphabet ’ s X division , Astro Teller , said it ’ s necessary to focus Alphabet ’ s investments on the climate change technology that can have the “ greatest impact.
” Teller , who is also the chairman of Makani ’ s board , said that “ while it ’ s tempting to say that all climate-related ideas deserve investment , remaining clear-eyed and directing resources to the opportunities where we think we can have the greatest impact isn ’ t just good business ; it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a problem as urgent as the climate crisis.
” The statement was reported by TechCrunch .
Makani achieved some successes during its seven years under the Alphabet umbrella .
It developed its 20kW demonstrator kite into a “ utility-scale ” model that ’ s capable of generating 600kW , and which has some advantages over traditional offshore wind turbines .
The kites are attached to floating buoys out at sea , and don ’ t need the expensive ocean platforms required by typical offshore wind farms .
The design also means the turbines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ocean is considered too deep for traditional wind farms .
However , voices both inside and outside of Alphabet raised concerns about the project ’ s progress .
In 2018 an EU report pointed out that “ the technology still has a long way to go before it can reach commercialisation , ” according to the Financial Times .
It said that the concept would not be viable until the team could demonstrate that it could operate reliably and autonomously .
First founded in 2006 , Makani was acquired by Google in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Google X moonshot wing .
Then , last year it was spun out into its own business .
Alphabet now hopes to reassign Makani ’ s “ dozens ” of employees to other climate change-related projects within the company , while a small team will collate the project ’ s research to allow it to become useful for others .
Energy company Shell has expressed an interest in continuing Makani ’ s work .
“ We believe that Makani remains one of the leading airborne-wind technologies in the world and we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within our New Energies strategy , ” the company ’ s vice-president of Wind Development , Dorine Bosman , told the Financial Times .

Alphabet is ending its work on Makani, a project that tried to generate power using wind turbines attached to kites, Makani’s CEO has announced. Despite successfully demonstrating a flight off the coast of Norway last year, the CEO said that business and technology challenges meant that “the road to commercialization is longer and riskier than hoped.” Energy company Shell, which collaborated with Makani on last year’s flight, is “exploring options” to take on its tech, according to the Financial Times.
Makani is the first of Alphabet’s moonshot projects to have been shuttered since Larry Page and Sergey Brin stepped back from the business last December. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai is under pressure to reduce Alphabet’s losses from its “Other Bets” segment. The Financial Times notes that last year the division lost the company $4.8 billion, up from $3.4 billion the year before. The closure appears to be part of wider cost-cutting at Alphabet. Earlier this week Google announced it would be ending its work on Stations, a free Wi-Fi project aimed at developing countries.
Google’s “Other Bets” segment lost the company $4.8 billion last year
The executive in charge of Alphabet’s X division, Astro Teller, said it’s necessary to focus Alphabet’s investments on the climate change technology that can have the “greatest impact.” Teller, who is also the chairman of Makani’s board, said that “while it’s tempting to say that all climate-related ideas deserve investment, remaining clear-eyed and directing resources to the opportunities where we think we can have the greatest impact isn’t just good business; it’s essential when it comes to a problem as urgent as the climate crisis.” The statement was reported by TechCrunch.
Makani achieved some successes during its seven years under the Alphabet umbrella. It developed its 20kW demonstrator kite into a “utility-scale” model that’s capable of generating 600kW, and which has some advantages over traditional offshore wind turbines. The kites are attached to floating buoys out at sea, and don’t need the expensive ocean platforms required by typical offshore wind farms. The design also means the turbines can be used in windy areas where the ocean is considered too deep for traditional wind farms.
However, voices both inside and outside of Alphabet raised concerns about the project’s progress. In 2018 an EU report pointed out that “the technology still has a long way to go before it can reach commercialisation,” according to the Financial Times. It said that the concept would not be viable until the team could demonstrate that it could operate reliably and autonomously.
Makani’s current kite generates 600kW of electricity. Image: Google
First founded in 2006, Makani was acquired by Google in 2013 and integrated into the company’s Google X moonshot wing. Then, last year it was spun out into its own business. Alphabet now hopes to reassign Makani’s “dozens” of employees to other climate change-related projects within the company, while a small team will collate the project’s research to allow it to become useful for others.