theverge--2020-06-25--Ford’s new F-150 revealed with hands-free driving and hybrid options

Ford has revealed the 2021 model of the F-150 , and many buyers will find the newest version of the automaker ’ s super popular pickup truck stuffed with technology when it gets released later this year .
The new F-150 will have an optional hands-free driving mode , be capable of receiving over-the-air software updates , and come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto .
The company will also start selling a hybrid version of the 2021 F-150 that can travel about 700 miles on a full tank of gas .
The hands-free driving feature — which Ford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the same that ’ s coming to the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV next year .
That will make the F-150 one of the only vehicles in the US that has hands-free driving when the feature is available , along with Cadillac ’ s And GM ’ s Super Cruise-equipped cars and SUVs .
Active Drive Assist will only be available on divided highways that Ford has mapped , and customers will have to buy a specific hardware package that enables the feature , which will include a driver monitoring system that uses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re watching the road .
They ’ ll also have to pay extra for the Active Drive Assist software .
Hands-free driving will only be available on highways that Ford has mapped Even if buyers don ’ t opt for Active Drive Assist , the new F-150 will still offer the rest of the features that make up Ford ’ s Co-Pilot360 driver assistance system .
Some will come standard , like automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection — which is good news considering the behemoth size of the F-150 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruise control , lane centering , post-collision braking , trailer backup assist , and more .
The bigger versions of the new F-150 will come with a 12-inch landscape touchscreen in the center of the dashboard ( as opposed to the vertical display found in Fiat Chrysler ’ s competitor , the Dodge Ram ) , while smaller versions of the truck will have an eight-inch screen .
Both will run Sync 4 , the newest version of Ford ’ s infotainment system .
It is one of the only vehicles on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple CarPlay and Android Auto , and there ’ s a wireless charging pad under the infotainment screen , as well as USB-A and USB-C ports .
All models will have a 12-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel .
The new F-150 can be updated over the air , too .
Ford says that won ’ t just be for improvements to the infotainment system .
Rather , the company says the updates are “ bumper-to-bumper , ” meaning they can “ support preventative maintenance , reduce repair trips , provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle up-time.
” Ford is working on an all-electric version of the F-150 due out in 2022 .
But in the meantime , it ’ s now finally going to offer a hybrid version of the truck , following in the footsteps of General Motors and Fiat Chrysler .
Ford ’ s not the first to make a hybrid truck , but it ’ s trying to leapfrog the others But while those other trucks were mild hybrids that used small electric motors and batteries to increase efficiency , Ford ’ s will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s fourth-generation version of the technology .
A 35kW ( 47 horsepower ) electric motor will pull power from a 1.5kWh battery pack , giving the truck a boost during acceleration and allowing it to get around 700 miles on a 30.6-gallon tank of gas , roughly 23 miles per gallon .
Unfortunately , Ford isn ’ t releasing official fuel economy figures just yet , so it ’ s hard to say exactly how much more efficient the hybrid version will be compared to its gas-only counterparts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive and all-wheel drive variants , with each truck marrying the electric components to a twin-turbocharged V6 engine .
And the hybrid F-150 does not have a plug , so the onboard battery will be recharged by the energy created when the truck uses the electric motor to help brake .
All told , the new F-150 represents what is likely Ford ’ s biggest year-to-year jump when it comes to the technology that powers the company ’ s most popular vehicle segment .
Ford says it ’ s not just cramming in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that each of the new additions serves a genuine purpose .
There are plenty of more straightforward truck feature , and new utility options that should please those who spend the most time inside these vehicles , like an onboard generator and a new center-console “ work surface ” that can hold a laptop .
The new seats even fold back 180 degrees , so owners who really love their trucks can spend some real downtime inside them , too .

Ford has revealed the 2021 model of the F-150, and many buyers will find the newest version of the automaker’s super popular pickup truck stuffed with technology when it gets released later this year. The new F-150 will have an optional hands-free driving mode, be capable of receiving over-the-air software updates, and come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The company will also start selling a hybrid version of the 2021 F-150 that can travel about 700 miles on a full tank of gas.
The hands-free driving feature — which Ford calls “Active Drive Assist” — is the same that’s coming to the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV next year. That will make the F-150 one of the only vehicles in the US that has hands-free driving when the feature is available, along with Cadillac’s And GM’s Super Cruise-equipped cars and SUVs. Active Drive Assist will only be available on divided highways that Ford has mapped, and customers will have to buy a specific hardware package that enables the feature, which will include a driver monitoring system that uses a driver-facing infrared camera to make sure they’re watching the road. They’ll also have to pay extra for the Active Drive Assist software.
Hands-free driving will only be available on highways that Ford has mapped
Even if buyers don’t opt for Active Drive Assist, the new F-150 will still offer the rest of the features that make up Ford’s Co-Pilot360 driver assistance system. Some will come standard, like automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection — which is good news considering the behemoth size of the F-150. Others will cost extra, like adaptive cruise control, lane centering, post-collision braking, trailer backup assist, and more.
Previous Next
1 / 23 Previous Next
1 / 23
The bigger versions of the new F-150 will come with a 12-inch landscape touchscreen in the center of the dashboard (as opposed to the vertical display found in Fiat Chrysler’s competitor, the Dodge Ram), while smaller versions of the truck will have an eight-inch screen. Both will run Sync 4, the newest version of Ford’s infotainment system. It is one of the only vehicles on the road to offer wireless versions of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s a wireless charging pad under the infotainment screen, as well as USB-A and USB-C ports. All models will have a 12-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.
The new F-150 can be updated over the air, too. Ford says that won’t just be for improvements to the infotainment system. Rather, the company says the updates are “bumper-to-bumper,” meaning they can “support preventative maintenance, reduce repair trips, provide improved performance and ultimately result in more vehicle up-time.”
Ford is working on an all-electric version of the F-150 due out in 2022. But in the meantime, it’s now finally going to offer a hybrid version of the truck, following in the footsteps of General Motors and Fiat Chrysler.
Ford’s not the first to make a hybrid truck, but it’s trying to leapfrog the others
But while those other trucks were mild hybrids that used small electric motors and batteries to increase efficiency, Ford’s will be a full hybrid powertrain, utilizing the company’s fourth-generation version of the technology. A 35kW (47 horsepower) electric motor will pull power from a 1.5kWh battery pack, giving the truck a boost during acceleration and allowing it to get around 700 miles on a 30.6-gallon tank of gas, roughly 23 miles per gallon.
Unfortunately, Ford isn’t releasing official fuel economy figures just yet, so it’s hard to say exactly how much more efficient the hybrid version will be compared to its gas-only counterparts. The hybrid F-150 will be sold in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants, with each truck marrying the electric components to a twin-turbocharged V6 engine. And the hybrid F-150 does not have a plug, so the onboard battery will be recharged by the energy created when the truck uses the electric motor to help brake.


theverge--2020-06-25--Go read this investigation from The Guardian on Facebook’s failure to contain QAnon

Facebook has a fringe conspiracy theory problem , and it ’ s getting worse by the day .
According to a new investigation from The Guardian , the far-right QAnon movement continues to flourish on the social network , despite its attempts last month to begin removing accounts and pages promoting it .
The investigation , by journalist Julie Carrie Wong , details in depth how QAnon account and page owners caught wind of Facebook ’ s crackdown in early May and the clever methods they relied on to avoid detection .
Earlier today , Verizon announced its participation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram , in part it appears because its ads continue to show up next to QAnon content .
It ’ s a fascinating read and thorough accounting of how conspiracy theories like QAnon can grow from the dark corners of the Internet 's moderated message boards and explode into full-blown , unstoppable movements that even the most well-funded tech companies can seemingly do nothing to stop .
In her research , Wong finds as many as 100 Facebook pages , profiles and groups , as well as Instagram accounts , that have more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some are as large as 150,000 followers or members , Wong reports .
As well as documenting the spread on QAnon and how its aided by off-platform campaigns and organizing designed to help it avoid Facebook detection , Wong ’ s investigation also highlights how the failure to contain movements like these on mainstream social networks can lead to the fringe , sometimes dangerous beliefs trickling into the government .
Wong details the various Anon-believing representatives running for Congress and the history of QAnon promotion from high-profile conservative figures , like members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you ’ re curious about the current state of tech platforms and conspiracy theories , go check out The Guardian ’ s full investigation here .

Facebook has a fringe conspiracy theory problem, and it’s getting worse by the day. According to a new investigation from The Guardian, the far-right QAnon movement continues to flourish on the social network, despite its attempts last month to begin removing accounts and pages promoting it.
The investigation, by journalist Julie Carrie Wong, details in depth how QAnon account and page owners caught wind of Facebook’s crackdown in early May and the clever methods they relied on to avoid detection. Earlier today, Verizon announced its participation in a growing advertising boycott of Facebook and Instagram, in part it appears because its ads continue to show up next to QAnon content.
It’s a fascinating read and thorough accounting of how conspiracy theories like QAnon can grow from the dark corners of the Internet's moderated message boards and explode into full-blown, unstoppable movements that even the most well-funded tech companies can seemingly do nothing to stop. In her research, Wong finds as many as 100 Facebook pages, profiles and groups, as well as Instagram accounts, that have more than 1,000 followers or active members. Some are as large as 150,000 followers or members, Wong reports.


theverge--2020-06-25--Verizon is the biggest advertiser to join the Facebook ad boycott so far

Verizon is the latest , and far and away largest , company to join an ongoing advertising boycott of Facebook and Instagram , the cell carrier announced Thursday .
The boycott , organized by the Anti-Defamation League , is in response to the social media giant ’ s handling of incendiary posts from President Donald Trump , as well as ongoing issues with misinformation that have intensified in recent weeks due to protests against police brutality and racism and other news events that have exposed the flaws of Facebook ’ s moderation approach .
Verizon joins ice cream brand Ben @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outdoor lifestyle companies , including The North Face and Patagonia , and film distributor Magnolia Pictures in the boycott .
A number of digital ad agencies have also begun advising clients on how to participate and one , i360 , has publicly expressed support , reports The Wall Street Journal .
“ We have strict content policies in place and have zero tolerance when they are breached , we take action , ” Verizon ’ s chief media officer John Nitti told CNBC in a statement .
“ We ’ re pausing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what we ’ ve done with YouTube and other partners.
” According to marketing analytics company Pathmatics , Verizon ranked 78th in the list of top Facebook adverisers for the period between May 22nd and June 20th , 2020 , reports CNBC ’ s Meg Graham , with a spend of nearly $ 1.5 million on Facebook and nearly $ 500,000 on Instagram .
In a statement , Carolyn Everson , the company ’ s vice president of its Global Business Group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertisers about how to be a “ force for good ” and trying to improve its moderation approach .
“ We respect any brand ’ s decision , and remain focused on the important work of removing hate speech and providing critical voting information .
Our conversations with marketers and civil rights organizations are about how , together , we can be a force for good.
” The companies participating , including Verizon , say they intend to pull ads throughout July , but to resume purchasing placement on Facebook after that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ move .
Yet the company ’ s decision aligns with the demands spelled out in an ADL open letter to Facebook advertisers published earlier today that used Verizon as an example of Facebook ’ s failings , recounting how one of the company ’ s ads was found running against a post promoting the fringe QAnon conspiracy theory .
“ When it comes to dealing with rampant hate and harassment , the platform continues to come up short.
” The letter is part of the ADL ’ s broader boycott effort , called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalize Facebook for its inaction and try and influence the company to change its policies .
The effort mirrors many of the same tactics activists used to inspire the similar boycott of YouTube in 2017 over the video platform ’ s comparable and longstanding moderation struggles .
“ When it comes to dealing with rampant hate and harassment , the platform continues to come up short .
What are they doing with $ 70 billion in revenue and $ 17 billion in profit ?
” reads the ADL open letter .
“ Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies are inequitable .
Their harassment victim services are inadequate .
Their advertising placement ’ s proximity to hateful content is haphazard .
And their ‘ civil rights ’ audit transparency reports aren ’ t helpful to the civil rights community.
” For other brands participating in the boycott , a point of contention with the social network has been its indecision around Trump posts calling for violence against protestors and other forms of state force .
Unlike Twitter , which has begun labeling Trump tweets as misleading or limiting their reach over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CEO Mark Zuckerberg has maintained a hardline stance around letting Trump ’ s speech remain untouched , despite backlash even from within the company .
Facebook has taken measures in the past month to try and address the controversy .
Zuckerberg has spoken at length in public statements about his decision-making , and the company recently decided to remove Trump campaign ads containing Nazi imagery .
In a recent election integrity announcement , Zuckerberg also said Facebook will allow users to disable political ads in the future , although the company is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the run up to the 2020 US election .
Additionally , Facebook joined Twitter in removing a manipulated video of two toddlers Trump reposted from a popular far-right meme account that Twitter later on permanently suspended .
Twitter initially labeled the tweet version of the video “ manipulated media , ” because it falsely claimed to show CNN maliciously editing a video it never ran in the first place .
But both platforms removed the video after a copyright claim was filed by one of the parents of the toddlers featured in the @ @

Verizon is the latest, and far and away largest, company to join an ongoing advertising boycott of Facebook and Instagram, the cell carrier announced Thursday. The boycott, organized by the Anti-Defamation League, is in response to the social media giant’s handling of incendiary posts from President Donald Trump, as well as ongoing issues with misinformation that have intensified in recent weeks due to protests against police brutality and racism and other news events that have exposed the flaws of Facebook’s moderation approach.
Verizon joins ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s and numerous sports and outdoor lifestyle companies, including The North Face and Patagonia, and film distributor Magnolia Pictures in the boycott. A number of digital ad agencies have also begun advising clients on how to participate and one, i360, has publicly expressed support, reports The Wall Street Journal.
“We have strict content policies in place and have zero tolerance when they are breached, we take action,” Verizon’s chief media officer John Nitti told CNBC in a statement. “We’re pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what we’ve done with YouTube and other partners.” According to marketing analytics company Pathmatics, Verizon ranked 78th in the list of top Facebook adverisers for the period between May 22nd and June 20th, 2020, reports CNBC’s Meg Graham, with a spend of nearly $1.5 million on Facebook and nearly $500,000 on Instagram.
In a statement, Carolyn Everson, the company’s vice president of its Global Business Group, says Facebook is having ongoing conversations with advertisers about how to be a “force for good” and trying to improve its moderation approach. “We respect any brand’s decision, and remain focused on the important work of removing hate speech and providing critical voting information. Our conversations with marketers and civil rights organizations are about how, together, we can be a force for good.”
The companies participating, including Verizon, say they intend to pull ads throughout July, but to resume purchasing placement on Facebook after that. Verizon gave no concrete reasoning for the move. Yet the company’s decision aligns with the demands spelled out in an ADL open letter to Facebook advertisers published earlier today that used Verizon as an example of Facebook’s failings, recounting how one of the company’s ads was found running against a post promoting the fringe QAnon conspiracy theory.
“When it comes to dealing with rampant hate and harassment, the platform continues to come up short.”
The letter is part of the ADL’s broader boycott effort, called Hit Pause on Hate, designed to penalize Facebook for its inaction and try and influence the company to change its policies. The effort mirrors many of the same tactics activists used to inspire the similar boycott of YouTube in 2017 over the video platform’s comparable and longstanding moderation struggles.
“When it comes to dealing with rampant hate and harassment, the platform continues to come up short. What are they doing with $70 billion in revenue and $17 billion in profit?” reads the ADL open letter. “Their hate speech, incitement, and misinformation policies are inequitable. Their harassment victim services are inadequate. Their advertising placement’s proximity to hateful content is haphazard. And their ‘civil rights’ audit transparency reports aren’t helpful to the civil rights community.”
For other brands participating in the boycott, a point of contention with the social network has been its indecision around Trump posts calling for violence against protestors and other forms of state force. Unlike Twitter, which has begun labeling Trump tweets as misleading or limiting their reach over rules around calls to violence, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has maintained a hardline stance around letting Trump’s speech remain untouched, despite backlash even from within the company.
Additionally, Facebook joined Twitter in removing a manipulated video of two toddlers Trump reposted from a popular far-right meme account that Twitter later on permanently suspended. Twitter initially labeled the tweet version of the video “manipulated media,” because it falsely claimed to show CNN maliciously editing a video it never ran in the first place. But both platforms removed the video after a copyright claim was filed by one of the parents of the toddlers featured in the clip.


theverge--2020-06-25--How do you deal with people who refuse to wear a mask?

You ’ d think that months of reading about overflowing hospitals and mounting death statistics would scare almost anyone into following the current Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) recommendations : wear a mask in public spaces to protect others from possible infection , especially since there is no current way to be sure who may be an asymptomatic transmitter — particularly in relatively crowded urban areas .
However , these days , when I go out for a walk or to run errands , at least half the people I see are not wearing masks — or are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as though those pieces of cloth or paper are good-luck totems rather than items with a specific purpose .
Admittedly , face masks are not convenient or particularly pleasant to wear .
They can be hot on summer days ; they can be uncomfortable if not fitted properly ; they can make your glasses fog up ; they get in the way of eating , drinking , and talking ( especially on the phone ) ; and they can muffle your voice and hide your smile .
There are other reasons that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those with breathing difficulties and other valid reasons for avoiding face coverings .
There is the political aspect — wearing a mask , or not wearing one , has become a statement in some circles of one ’ s support of a specific political point of view .
There is confusion over the mixed signals we are getting from medical experts and political leaders .
There is simple bravado : ‘ Nobody is going to tell me what to wear !
’ And there is mental fatigue : after several months of dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in sight , it ’ s tempting to just throw up your hands and go about your life .
But what if you feel that people should be wearing masks ?
How do you deal with the anger — not to mention the possible danger ?
Should you confront them ?
I went looking for advice online .
I found some — but nothing that would immediately solve the issue .
Julia Marcus , an epidemiologist and professor at Harvard Medical School , says in her article in The Atlantic that shaming people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She recommends that we follow the example of the organizations that distributed condoms during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and make disposable masks easily available where they ’ re most needed — at the front of stores or airports , for example .
She also suggests that it might help if we make sure that masks fit well and look , well , cool .
( In other words , make people want to wear them . )
In the SF Chronicle , writer Tony Bravo talks to etiquette experts about how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confront people who are not wearing masks in stores and other public spaces .
It is generally agreed upon among these courtesy mavens that confrontation ( besides being possibly dangerous ) doesn ’ t work .
Bravo quotes Lizzie Post , the great-great-granddaughter of the famous etiquette expert Emily Post , as saying that it ’ s best to simply lead by example .
“ Our brains can want to punish or shame people who aren ’ t following the rules .
That never gets people on your side .
The thing you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything you can to protect yourself.
” And don ’ t assume you know why they ’ re not wearing masks , points out Aziza Ahmed , a professor who specializes in health law at Northeastern University .
There are people with legitimate health reasons for not wearing a mask .
Sometimes it ’ s best to simply ask them to step back if they get too close for comfort .
Perhaps it may help to acknowledge those who do recognize the need for care .
On a recent morning , I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man who had obviously just finished a jog turned the corner onto my street , his mask around his neck .
As soon as he saw me , however , he immediately put the mask in place .
As we passed each other , we nodded in recognition of our mutual courtesy , and then went our separate ways .

You’d think that months of reading about overflowing hospitals and mounting death statistics would scare almost anyone into following the current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations: wear a mask in public spaces to protect others from possible infection, especially since there is no current way to be sure who may be an asymptomatic transmitter — particularly in relatively crowded urban areas.
However, these days, when I go out for a walk or to run errands, at least half the people I see are not wearing masks — or are wearing their masks around their necks, as though those pieces of cloth or paper are good-luck totems rather than items with a specific purpose.
Admittedly, face masks are not convenient or particularly pleasant to wear. They can be hot on summer days; they can be uncomfortable if not fitted properly; they can make your glasses fog up; they get in the way of eating, drinking, and talking (especially on the phone); and they can muffle your voice and hide your smile.
There are other reasons that people may avoid wearing masks. There are those with breathing difficulties and other valid reasons for avoiding face coverings. There is the political aspect — wearing a mask, or not wearing one, has become a statement in some circles of one’s support of a specific political point of view. There is confusion over the mixed signals we are getting from medical experts and political leaders. There is simple bravado: ‘Nobody is going to tell me what to wear!’ And there is mental fatigue: after several months of dealing with a pandemic, and no end in sight, it’s tempting to just throw up your hands and go about your life.
But what if you feel that people should be wearing masks? How do you deal with the anger — not to mention the possible danger? Should you confront them? I went looking for advice online. I found some — but nothing that would immediately solve the issue.
Confronting people who are maskless may not be the best strategy. Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Shaming doesn’t work
Julia Marcus, an epidemiologist and professor at Harvard Medical School, says in her article in The Atlantic that shaming people for not wearing masks is counterproductive. She recommends that we follow the example of the organizations that distributed condoms during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and make disposable masks easily available where they’re most needed — at the front of stores or airports, for example. She also suggests that it might help if we make sure that masks fit well and look, well, cool. (In other words, make people want to wear them.)
In the SF Chronicle, writer Tony Bravo talks to etiquette experts about how — or rather, whether — to confront people who are not wearing masks in stores and other public spaces. It is generally agreed upon among these courtesy mavens that confrontation (besides being possibly dangerous) doesn’t work. Bravo quotes Lizzie Post, the great-great-granddaughter of the famous etiquette expert Emily Post, as saying that it’s best to simply lead by example. “Our brains can want to punish or shame people who aren’t following the rules. That never gets people on your side. The thing you can do is control yourself and do everything you can to protect yourself.”
And don’t assume you know why they’re not wearing masks, points out Aziza Ahmed, a professor who specializes in health law at Northeastern University. There are people with legitimate health reasons for not wearing a mask. Sometimes it’s best to simply ask them to step back if they get too close for comfort.


theverge--2020-06-25--Amazon is renaming the Seattle NHL stadium Climate Pledge Arena

Seattle ’ s NHL team doesn ’ t have a name yet , but its arena does , after Amazon secured the naming rights to the former Key Arena .
But if you guessed the new name would be Amazon Arena , surprise !
It will officially be known as the Climate Pledge Arena , a nod to the $ 2 billion initiative CEO Jeff Bezos announced last year , which sets goals for Amazon to become net carbon neutral by 2040 .
Of course , that initiative only came after thousands of Amazon employees signed an open letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directors asking the company to adopt a wide-ranging plan to fight climate change .
It ’ s worth noting that earlier this year , Amazon warned several employees who were part of that push that they had violated its communications policy .
In addition to being the home of the Seattle NHL franchise , the 18,100-seat multipurpose arena will be the home court for the WNBA ’ s Seattle Storm and will host live events .
It ’ s undergoing a $ 900 million renovation and is slated to reopen next summer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s first net zero carbon-certified arena , Amazon says , and the venue will be powered with 100 percent renewable energy and generate zero waste from operations and events .
In addition , it will use reclaimed rainwater to create the ice surface for hockey games .
Amazon has pushed several other climate-focused projects as well .
Bezos himself pledged $ 10 billion toward a self-named fund that will make grants for “ scientists , activists , and NGOs ” working to fight climate change .
Amazon launched a venture capital investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , which will put $ 2 billion into environmentally focused clean energy startups , and in April , it launched a $ 10 million grant program for forest conservation as part of the Climate Pledge program .
However , there ’ s the issue of Amazon ’ s oft-criticized excessive packaging to consider .
Whether that can be offset by a green-tinted , environmentally focused sports arena is up for debate .

Seattle’s NHL team doesn’t have a name yet, but its arena does, after Amazon secured the naming rights to the former Key Arena. But if you guessed the new name would be Amazon Arena, surprise! It will officially be known as the Climate Pledge Arena, a nod to the $2 billion initiative CEO Jeff Bezos announced last year, which sets goals for Amazon to become net carbon neutral by 2040.
Of course, that initiative only came after thousands of Amazon employees signed an open letter to Bezos and Amazon’s board of directors asking the company to adopt a wide-ranging plan to fight climate change. It’s worth noting that earlier this year, Amazon warned several employees who were part of that push that they had violated its communications policy.
Looks like that one guy is offsides... Image: Amazon
In addition to being the home of the Seattle NHL franchise, the 18,100-seat multipurpose arena will be the home court for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm and will host live events. It’s undergoing a $900 million renovation and is slated to reopen next summer.
Climate Pledge Arena will be the world’s first net zero carbon-certified arena, Amazon says, and the venue will be powered with 100 percent renewable energy and generate zero waste from operations and events. In addition, it will use reclaimed rainwater to create the ice surface for hockey games.
Amazon has pushed several other climate-focused projects as well. Bezos himself pledged $10 billion toward a self-named fund that will make grants for “scientists, activists, and NGOs” working to fight climate change. Amazon launched a venture capital investment program called the Climate Pledge Fund earlier this week, which will put $2 billion into environmentally focused clean energy startups, and in April, it launched a $10 million grant program for forest conservation as part of the Climate Pledge program.


theverge--2020-06-25--Apple reclosing almost all remaining Florida retail stores over COVID-19 spikes

Apple is reclosing 14 more of its retail locations in Florida due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases .
Of the 18 Apple Store locations in Florida , only two currently remain open , one in Jacksonville and another in Sarasota , according to Bloomberg .
The tally of closed US Apple stores is currently at 32 , which represents 10 percent of the company ’ s total number of 272 stores in the country .
Apple last month began reopening a majority of its US retail locations .
Yet last week saw Apple ’ s first wave of store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona , North Carolina , and South Carolina .
Despite Apple ’ s staggered approach to reopening its stores that started in late May , the number of COVID-19 cases across the US — particularly in states that have more quickly reopened — has started to spike .
Several states have begun to allow shopping in person at retail stores , and guidance has been loosened on dining in public .
However , as the US recorded 38,672 positive COVID-19 cases on June 24th , a record-high number for a single day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of the novel coronavirus appears far from over .
The comment Apple provided to Bloomberg today mirrors what it told The Verge last week regarding those initial reclosures .
“ Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve , we are temporarily closing stores in these areas , ” an Apple spokesperson told The Verge .
“ We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible .
@

Apple is reclosing 14 more of its retail locations in Florida due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Of the 18 Apple Store locations in Florida, only two currently remain open, one in Jacksonville and another in Sarasota, according to Bloomberg. The tally of closed US Apple stores is currently at 32, which represents 10 percent of the company’s total number of 272 stores in the country.
Apple last month began reopening a majority of its US retail locations. Yet last week saw Apple’s first wave of store reclosures in Florida, as well as Arizona, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Despite Apple’s staggered approach to reopening its stores that started in late May, the number of COVID-19 cases across the US — particularly in states that have more quickly reopened — has started to spike.
Several states have begun to allow shopping in person at retail stores, and guidance has been loosened on dining in public. However, as the US recorded 38,672 positive COVID-19 cases on June 24th, a record-high number for a single day, it’s further proof that the threat of the novel coronavirus appears far from over.
The comment Apple provided to Bloomberg today mirrors what it told The Verge last week regarding those initial reclosures. “Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas,” an Apple spokesperson told The Verge. “We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”


theverge--2020-06-25--Riot is selling League of Legends skins to raise money for COVID-19 relief

Some of League of Legends ’ most popular characters are getting a medical-themed makeover .
Today , developer Riot revealed a new initiative featuring a line of cosmetics for the strategy game , sales of which will be donated to pandemic-related charity efforts .
The lineup includes skins for three characters — Akali , Shen , and Kennen — along with various icons , emotes , and other cosmetic upgrades .
Each item will be sold individually , but there ’ s also a bundle available that comes with an exclusive icon .
Riot says that the items will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of the proceeds from sales will go directly to the developer ’ s charitable arm , the Riot Games Social Impact Fund .
“ Your donations will directly support pandemic relief by giving doctors , nurses , and other frontline workers the resources they need to act quickly and protect those most vulnerable , ” Riot said in a statement .
“ Money raised will also provide critical financial aid to families and individuals who ’ ve been negatively impacted by the virus.
” The developer previously held a 48-hour charity League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it says , to date , it has donated $ 4.5 million to the cause .

Some of League of Legends’ most popular characters are getting a medical-themed makeover. Today, developer Riot revealed a new initiative featuring a line of cosmetics for the strategy game, sales of which will be donated to pandemic-related charity efforts. The lineup includes skins for three characters — Akali, Shen, and Kennen — along with various icons, emotes, and other cosmetic upgrades. Each item will be sold individually, but there’s also a bundle available that comes with an exclusive icon.
Riot says that the items will be available through July 23rd and that 100 percent of the proceeds from sales will go directly to the developer’s charitable arm, the Riot Games Social Impact Fund. “Your donations will directly support pandemic relief by giving doctors, nurses, and other frontline workers the resources they need to act quickly and protect those most vulnerable,” Riot said in a statement. “Money raised will also provide critical financial aid to families and individuals who’ve been negatively impacted by the virus.”


theverge--2020-06-25--Cadillac will unveil its electric SUV Lyriq on August 6th

Cadillac will reveal its first electric vehicle , the Lyriq SUV , during a virtual event on August 6th .
The vehicle ’ s original April 2nd debut was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
GM , Cadillac ’ s parent company , announced the Lyriq at an “ EV Day ” event last March in Warren , Michigan , that showcased a new modular electric vehicle platform meant to power a wide range of the company ’ s electric models in the coming years .
The Lyriq will be the first electric luxury SUV from Cadillac , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow .
An early version showed off at the EV Day featured a 34-inch pillar-to-pillar screen , power doors , a long wheelbase , and lots of high-end materials .
Over a year ago , GM named Cadillac as the brand to lead the automaker ’ s push into an electric future .
At the time , it made sense : the luxury brand needed an improved identity , and GM wasn ’ t going to pin all of its hopes on the slow-selling Chevy Bolt .
GM named Cadillac as the brand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into an electric future For years , GM was seen as lagging behind its competitors in the luxury EV market .
Audi , Mercedes-Benz , Jaguar , and BMW have all introduced high-end electric vehicles intended to compete with Tesla ’ s Model S , while GM had the Bolt and little else .
But the automaker , the largest in the US , has since picked up the pace , announcing plans to release 20 electric nameplates by 2023 .
All four GM brands — Chevy , Cadillac , GMC , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Cadillac Lyriq will be the first vehicle built on the company ’ s new BEV3 architecture .
Next will be the Hummer EV in both pickup and SUV formats .
Also to come are a refreshed Chevy Bolt EV and a Bolt electric utility vehicle with a longer wheelbase , a compact Chevy crossover , two Buick SUVs , and the Celestiq .
All of this is part of GM ’ s broader plan to spend $ 20 billion in capital and engineering costs by 2025 .

Cadillac will reveal its first electric vehicle, the Lyriq SUV, during a virtual event on August 6th. The vehicle’s original April 2nd debut was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
GM, Cadillac’s parent company, announced the Lyriq at an “EV Day” event last March in Warren, Michigan, that showcased a new modular electric vehicle platform meant to power a wide range of the company’s electric models in the coming years. The Lyriq will be the first electric luxury SUV from Cadillac, with a sedan — the Celestiq — to follow. An early version showed off at the EV Day featured a 34-inch pillar-to-pillar screen, power doors, a long wheelbase, and lots of high-end materials.
Over a year ago, GM named Cadillac as the brand to lead the automaker’s push into an electric future. At the time, it made sense: the luxury brand needed an improved identity, and GM wasn’t going to pin all of its hopes on the slow-selling Chevy Bolt.
GM named Cadillac as the brand to lead the automaker’s push into an electric future
For years, GM was seen as lagging behind its competitors in the luxury EV market. Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and BMW have all introduced high-end electric vehicles intended to compete with Tesla’s Model S, while GM had the Bolt and little else.
But the automaker, the largest in the US, has since picked up the pace, announcing plans to release 20 electric nameplates by 2023. All four GM brands — Chevy, Cadillac, GMC, and Buick — will be launching new EVs.


theverge--2020-06-25--Saudi Arabia owns more than half of Lucid Motors

California EV startup Lucid Motors gave up majority ownership to Saudi Arabia ’ s sovereign wealth fund in exchange for the $ 1.3 billion investment it closed last year , according to an email from the company ’ s lawyers that was included in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday .
The lawsuit was filed by Lucid Motors ’ former head of finance , Doug Coates , who believes he ’ s entitled to certain severance benefits based on the language of the deal he signed with the company .
Coates argues he ’ s eligible for these benefits because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Control ” clause in his agreement with Lucid Motors because it resulted in “ a change in the majority shareholder of the Company , ” according to an email from his lawyer to the startup sent last year .
That means Saudi Arabia ’ s Public Investment Fund ( PIF ) owns more than 50 percent of the company ’ s shares .
The company ’ s former finance head is suing over his severance Lucid Motors disagrees on the severance side of things , but the company said in response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it “ does not dispute that the financing transaction that closed on or about April 2 , 2019 would appear to constitute a Change of Control.
” Wired Middle East previously reported the PIF had taken a 67 percent stake , but the email included in the lawsuit is the first time an acknowledgment from the company has been made public .
That said , it remains unclear exactly what kind of voting rights the various shareholders of the company have .
The company declined to comment .
Saudi Arabia first announced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed .
Khashoggi ’ s death caused some companies like Richard Branson ’ s Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit to walk away from taking the Kingdom ’ s money or take a second look at the country ’ s long history of human rights abuses .
Many scheduled attendees of that year ’ s Future Investment Initiative conference ( known as “ Davos in the Desert ” ) backed out .
But Lucid Motors has remained partnered with Saudi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not officially being approved by the US government ’ s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States until April 2019 .
In fact , during an interview with The Verge last November , Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson implied that his startup would be able to influence the Kingdom — not the other way around .
“ I think that we can be part of a movement which could catalyze change for good .
That ’ s what I see , ” Rawlinson said at the time .
“ We have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partnership with the PIF .
It ’ s a strategic partnership .
They ’ re committed to help us make this change to benefit all mankind .
And it will benefit Saudi society.
” “ Lucid is part of the solution , and not the problem , ” he added .
Lucid Motors is not the only futuristic transportation company with ties to Saudi Arabia , which has been focused on investing in new technologies as part of Mohammed bin Salman ’ s Vision 2030 plan .
Virgin Hyperloop One — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endeavors — is doing a study with the Kingdom to see what kind of presence the startup could build there .
Formula E , the first global all-electric racing series , took hundreds of millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia to host races in the Kingdom .
Virgin Hyperloop One CEO Jay Walder , Formula E founder Alejandro Agag , and Rawlinson also all appeared at the next Davos in the Desert last October while many other companies and executives stayed away .
“ Lucid is part of the solution , and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major investor in Uber and had very early conversations about funding Tesla in 2018 before CEO Elon Musk exaggerated the talks by tweeting he had “ funding secured ” to take his company private , which led to a fight with US financial regulators .
Saudi Arabia has plowed $ 45 billion in SoftBank ’ s massive Vision Fund , too , which has made a plethora of investments of its own .
Founded in 2007 as Atieva , the California EV startup was originally focused on being more of a supplier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the company ultimately rebranded as Lucid Motors in 2016 and set its sights on making a luxury electric sedan called the Air , and hired Rawlinson , the former lead engineer of Tesla ’ s Model S , to run the project .
Lucid Motors ran into funding trouble shortly after that and had to take on loans from an Arizona hedge fund and a Chinese electric bus company to survive , as The Verge previously reported .
It eventually started discussions with Saudi Arabia in 2018 , and when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replaced Atieva co-founder Sam Weng as CEO .
The startup is now building a $ 700 million factory in Arizona , where it plans to put the Lucid Air into production at the end of this year .
The final production version of the sedan will be unveiled on September 9th .

California EV startup Lucid Motors gave up majority ownership to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in exchange for the $1.3 billion investment it closed last year, according to an email from the company’s lawyers that was included in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday.
The lawsuit was filed by Lucid Motors’ former head of finance, Doug Coates, who believes he’s entitled to certain severance benefits based on the language of the deal he signed with the company. Coates argues he’s eligible for these benefits because the Saudi Arabia investment triggered a “Change in Control” clause in his agreement with Lucid Motors because it resulted in “a change in the majority shareholder of the Company,” according to an email from his lawyer to the startup sent last year. That means Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) owns more than 50 percent of the company’s shares.
The company’s former finance head is suing over his severance
Lucid Motors disagrees on the severance side of things, but the company said in response to the email from Coates’ lawyer that it “does not dispute that the financing transaction that closed on or about April 2, 2019 would appear to constitute a Change of Control.” Wired Middle East previously reported the PIF had taken a 67 percent stake, but the email included in the lawsuit is the first time an acknowledgment from the company has been made public. That said, it remains unclear exactly what kind of voting rights the various shareholders of the company have. The company declined to comment.
Saudi Arabia first announced the deal back in September 2018 — just weeks before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed. Khashoggi’s death caused some companies like Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit to walk away from taking the Kingdom’s money or take a second look at the country’s long history of human rights abuses. Many scheduled attendees of that year’s Future Investment Initiative conference (known as “Davos in the Desert”) backed out. But Lucid Motors has remained partnered with Saudi Arabia ever since, despite the deal not officially being approved by the US government’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States until April 2019.
In fact, during an interview with The Verge last November, Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson implied that his startup would be able to influence the Kingdom — not the other way around.
“I think that we can be part of a movement which could catalyze change for good. That’s what I see,” Rawlinson said at the time. “We have a partnership — which is very aligned — a partnership with the PIF. It’s a strategic partnership. They’re committed to help us make this change to benefit all mankind. And it will benefit Saudi society.”
“Lucid is part of the solution, and not the problem,” he added.
Lucid Motors is not the only futuristic transportation company with ties to Saudi Arabia, which has been focused on investing in new technologies as part of Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 plan. Virgin Hyperloop One — a separate entity from Branson’s space endeavors — is doing a study with the Kingdom to see what kind of presence the startup could build there. Formula E, the first global all-electric racing series, took hundreds of millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia to host races in the Kingdom. Virgin Hyperloop One CEO Jay Walder, Formula E founder Alejandro Agag, and Rawlinson also all appeared at the next Davos in the Desert last October while many other companies and executives stayed away.
“Lucid is part of the solution, and not the problem.”
Saudi Arabia is also a major investor in Uber and had very early conversations about funding Tesla in 2018 before CEO Elon Musk exaggerated the talks by tweeting he had “funding secured” to take his company private, which led to a fight with US financial regulators. Saudi Arabia has plowed $45 billion in SoftBank’s massive Vision Fund, too, which has made a plethora of investments of its own.
Founded in 2007 as Atieva, the California EV startup was originally focused on being more of a supplier in the budding world of electric vehicles. But the company ultimately rebranded as Lucid Motors in 2016 and set its sights on making a luxury electric sedan called the Air, and hired Rawlinson, the former lead engineer of Tesla’s Model S, to run the project.
Lucid Motors ran into funding trouble shortly after that and had to take on loans from an Arizona hedge fund and a Chinese electric bus company to survive, as The Verge previously reported. It eventually started discussions with Saudi Arabia in 2018, and when the deal finally closed in 2019, Rawlinson replaced Atieva co-founder Sam Weng as CEO.


theverge--2020-06-26--Microsoft to permanently close nearly all of its retail stores

Microsoft is about to ( mostly ) give up on retail .
Today the company announced plans to permanently close all Microsoft Store locations in the United States and around the world , except for four locations that will remain open .
Those locations are New York City ( Fifth Ave ) , London ( Oxford Circus ) , Sydney ( Westfield Sydney ) , and the Redmond campus location .
All other Microsoft Store locations across the United States and globally will be closing .
The decision partially explains why Microsoft had yet to reopen a single store after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic .
Last week , Microsoft told The Verge that its “ approach for re-opening Microsoft Store locations is measured and cautious , guided by monitoring global data , listening to public health and safety experts , and tracking local government restrictions.
” The company declined to offer an update on when any stores might open again .
Since many Microsoft stores are in shopping centers and malls , the continued closure hasn ’ t stood out as unusual .
In US states that are taking a cautious approach to restoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the novel coronavirus — most malls remain closed .
There have already been spikes of COVID-19 cases in regions with more relaxed guidelines , which has led Apple to re-close some stores where it had only recently welcomed customers back in .
In April , Microsoft outlined in a blog post how many retail store associates had shifted to remote work after their everyday jobs were sidelined .
The company has continued to provide regular pay for team members through the pandemic .
“ Our retail team members will continue to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remotely and we will continue to develop our diverse team in support of the overall company mission and objectives , ” the company said .
The Microsoft Store debuted in 2009 and closely adhered to Apple ’ s successful retail playbook .
Each store is a showcase for the company ’ s Surface and Xbox hardware , plus a selection of third-party PCs .
Employees are well-versed in all things Windows , and the company also offers in-store events , workshops , customer service , and repairs .

Microsoft is giving up on physical retail. Today the company announced plans to permanently close all Microsoft Store locations in the United States and around the world, except for four locations that will be “reimagined” as experience centers that no longer sell products.
Those locations are New York City (Fifth Ave), London (Oxford Circus), Sydney (Westfield Sydney), and the Redmond campus location. The London store only just opened about a year ago. All other Microsoft Store locations across the United States and globally will be closing, and the company will concentrate on digital retail moving forward. Microsoft says Microsoft.com and the Xbox and Windows storefronts reach “up to 1.2 billion monthly customers in 190 markets.”
The company tells The Verge that no layoffs will result from today’s decision. “Our commitment to growing and developing careers from this diverse talent pool is stronger than ever,” Microsoft Store VP David Porter said in a LinkedIn post on the move.
A source with knowledge of Microsoft’s retail operations told The Verge that this plan was originally in place for next year, but was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is launching this holiday, so it makes sense that the company had at least initially planned for the stores to make it that far. The dual-screen Surface Neo device that was also going to ship during the holidays has been delayed, though the Surface Duo is apparently still on track for this year. Still, if you were hoping your local Microsoft Store would be a surefire bet for a new Xbox, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
The big decision partially explains why Microsoft had yet to reopen a single store after they were all closed in light of the pandemic. Last week, Microsoft told The Verge that its “approach for re-opening Microsoft Store locations is measured and cautious, guided by monitoring global data, listening to public health and safety experts, and tracking local government restrictions.” At the time, the company declined to offer an update on when any stores might open again.
Microsoft’s store in London. Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
Since many Microsoft stores are in shopping centers and malls, the continued closure hasn’t stood out as unusual. In US states that are taking a cautious approach to restoring retail operations — to avoid a resurgence of the novel coronavirus — most malls remain closed. There have already been spikes of COVID-19 cases in regions with more relaxed guidelines, which has led Apple to re-close some stores where it had only recently welcomed customers back in.
In April, Microsoft outlined in a blog post how many retail store associates had shifted to remote work after their everyday jobs were sidelined. The company has continued to provide regular pay for team members through the pandemic. “Our retail team members will continue to serve customers working from Microsoft corporate facilities or remotely and we will continue to develop our diverse team in support of the overall company mission and objectives,” the company said in today’s update.
The Microsoft Store debuted in 2009 and closely adhered to Apple’s successful retail playbook. Each store is a showcase for the company’s Surface and Xbox hardware, plus a selection of third-party PCs. Employees were well-versed in all things Windows, and the company also offered in-store events, workshops, customer service, and repairs.
The stores were were closed even before Microsoft’s latest hardware release cycle that included the Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2, Surface Earbuds, and Surface Headphones 2.


theverge--2020-06-26--Rosetta 2 is Apple’s key to making the ARM transition less painful

Earlier this week , on what Tim Cook called a “ historic day , ” Apple announced that it ’ s moving Macs away from Intel processors to its own silicon chips .
The first Mac with Apple silicon is coming by the end of 2020 , but Apple expects the full transition process to take two years .
The new Macs will use arm64 , the same CPU architecture that recent iOS devices use ( Intel-based Macs use an architecture called x86-64 ) .
That ’ s an exciting move , because it means that they ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside those made for macOS .
But it also means that apps that were developed for Intel ’ s architecture originally won ’ t run natively on Apple ’ s upcoming hardware .
That ’ s where Rosetta 2 comes in : It ’ s an emulator built into macOS Big Sur that will enable ARM Macs to run old Intel apps .
Rosetta 2 essentially “ translates ” instructions that were written for Intel processors into commands that Apple ’ s chips can understand .
Developers won ’ t need to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ ll just work .
( The original Rosetta was released in 2006 to facilitate Apple ’ s transition from PowerPC to Intel .
Apple has also stated that it will support x86 Macs “ for years to come , ” as far as OS updates are concerned .
The company shifted from PowerPC to Intel chips in 2006 , but ditched support for the former in 2009 ; OS X Snow Leopard was Intel-only . )
You don ’ t , as a user , interact with Rosetta ; it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is mostly there to minimize the impact on end-users and their experience when they buy a new Mac with Apple Silicon , ” says Angela Yu , founder of the software-development school App Brewery .
“ If Rosetta 2 does its job , your average user should not notice its existence.
” There ’ s one difference you might perceive , though : speed .
Programs that ran under the original Rosetta typically ran slower than those running natively on Intel , since the translator needed time to interpret the code .
Early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Photoshop and Office , were running at less than half their native speed on the Intel systems .
We ’ ll have to wait and see if apps under Rosetta 2 take similar performance hits .
But there are a couple reasons to be optimistic .
First , the original Rosetta converted every instruction in real-time , as it executed them .
Rosetta 2 can convert an application right at installation time , effectively creating an ARM-optimized version of the app before you ’ ve opened it .
( It can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can ’ t be translated ahead of time , such as browser , Java , and Javascript processes , or if it encounters other new code that wasn ’ t translated at install time . )
With Rosetta 2 frontloading a bulk of the work , we may see better performance from translated apps .
Demos have also looked promising .
Apple showed off Rosetta using the animation software Maya and the game Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 1080p ; both looked functional in the keynote .
There are a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 isn ’ t intended to be a long-term solution .
Apple hasn ’ t said how long it will be around ; Rosetta , released with OS X Tiger , was only discontinued with OS X Lion three versions later .
It ’ s a tool that will make Apple ’ s transition period easier , but Apple certainly intends for its developers to get started on native ARM ports of their x86 apps sooner rather than later .
Apple ’ s own apps , including Final Cut Pro and Logic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company has already announced Developer Transition Kits with an ARM processor inside to help app makers update and test their software — and it noted in the keynote that Microsoft is already working on Office , and Adobe is working on Creative Cloud .
Apple showed off native versions of Word , Excel , PowerPoint , Lightroom CC , and Photoshop , as well as its own Final Cut Pro in the WWDC keynote .
Apple is encouraging developers to create native apps ; Rosetta 2 is designed to be an interim solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all developers will have ports ready for the first ARM launch — and customers who buy the first ARM systems in the fall will want to use their favorite programs immediately .
Rosetta 2 also means developers don ’ t need to scramble to re-optimize their products by the time the first ARM Macs come out .
( The process of porting macOS apps to Apple silicon is beyond the scope of this guide , but you ’ ll find detailed instructions on Apple ’ s developer website . )
“ Changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge deal , ” says Ken Gillette , co-founder and CTO of Pocket Prep , a mobile test-prep company that has developed over 100 applications for Apple ’ s ecosystem .
“ It would be very difficult if every application needed to be updated before the new computers were available .
It would result in a large effort to make changes in a short period of time.
” “ [ Rosetta ] will make the process of purchasing a new Mac seamless for end users , ” Gillette says .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process would be much more painful , as many apps consumers use on a daily basis would be missing from their brand-new machines.
” Another thing to note is that the engine also won ’ t support everything .
It ’ s not compatible with some programs , including virtual machine apps , which you might use to run Windows or another operating system on your Mac , or to test out new software without impacting the rest of your system .
( You also won ’ t be able to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macs .
Microsoft only licenses the ARM version of Windows 10 to PC manufacturers . )
Rosetta 2 also can ’ t translate kernel extensions , which some programs leverage to perform tasks that macOS doesn ’ t have a native feature for ( similar to drivers in Windows ) .
Rosetta 2 should help Apple avoid some of the headaches Microsoft has seen with its own ARM transition Third , even if Rosetta 2 is fully functional , there are still open questions about how well ARM Macs might work .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its new chips , claiming that they will “ give the Mac industry-leading performance per watt.
” The company also promised better graphic experience , machine-learning capabilities , and battery life .
But it skirted around the issue of raw power — so while ARM Macs may be more efficient than their Intel predecessors , they may also be less powerful .
Apple also didn ’ t clarify whether it plans to produce new GPUs of its own , or whether its CPUs will interface with third-party GPUs .
ARM processors that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Surface Pro X have outperformed their Intel competitors when it comes to battery life and LTE compatibility .
But we have also encountered some performance issues with ARM PCs , though that ’ s at least partially due to the fact that the emulation layer Microsoft uses to run x86 apps on ARM can only run 32-bit Windows apps ( not modern 64-bit x86 apps ) and many 32-bit programs are discernibly slower than 64-bit programs .
If everything works as Apple has promised , Rosetta 2 means that hopefully none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Earlier this week, on what Tim Cook called a “historic day,” Apple announced that it’s moving Macs away from Intel processors to its own silicon chips. The first Mac with Apple silicon is coming by the end of 2020, but Apple expects the full transition process to take two years.
The new Macs will use arm64, the same CPU architecture that recent iOS devices use (Intel-based Macs use an architecture called x86-64). That’s an exciting move, because it means that they’ll be able to run iOS and iPadOS apps alongside those made for macOS. But it also means that apps that were developed for Intel’s architecture originally won’t run natively on Apple’s upcoming hardware.
That’s where Rosetta 2 comes in: It’s an emulator built into macOS Big Sur that will enable ARM Macs to run old Intel apps. Rosetta 2 essentially “translates” instructions that were written for Intel processors into commands that Apple’s chips can understand. Developers won’t need to make any changes to their old apps; they’ll just work. (The original Rosetta was released in 2006 to facilitate Apple’s transition from PowerPC to Intel. Apple has also stated that it will support x86 Macs “for years to come,” as far as OS updates are concerned. The company shifted from PowerPC to Intel chips in 2006, but ditched support for the former in 2009; OS X Snow Leopard was Intel-only.)
Rosetta 2 will allow apps built for Intel chips to run on Apple’s new processors without any work from the developer Screenshot: Dan Seifert / The Verge
You don’t, as a user, interact with Rosetta; it does its work behind-the-scenes. “Rosetta 2 is mostly there to minimize the impact on end-users and their experience when they buy a new Mac with Apple Silicon,” says Angela Yu, founder of the software-development school App Brewery. “If Rosetta 2 does its job, your average user should not notice its existence.”
There’s one difference you might perceive, though: speed. Programs that ran under the original Rosetta typically ran slower than those running natively on Intel, since the translator needed time to interpret the code. Early benchmarks found that popular PowerPC applications, such as Photoshop and Office, were running at less than half their native speed on the Intel systems.
We’ll have to wait and see if apps under Rosetta 2 take similar performance hits. But there are a couple reasons to be optimistic. First, the original Rosetta converted every instruction in real-time, as it executed them. Rosetta 2 can convert an application right at installation time, effectively creating an ARM-optimized version of the app before you’ve opened it. (It can also translate on the fly for apps that can’t be translated ahead of time, such as browser, Java, and Javascript processes, or if it encounters other new code that wasn’t translated at install time.) With Rosetta 2 frontloading a bulk of the work, we may see better performance from translated apps.
Apple claims improved performance over the original version of Rosetta from 2006. Screenshot: Dan Seifert / The Verge
Demos have also looked promising. Apple showed off Rosetta using the animation software Maya and the game Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 1080p; both looked functional in the keynote.
There are a few caveats, though.
First, Rosetta 2 isn’t intended to be a long-term solution. Apple hasn’t said how long it will be around; Rosetta, released with OS X Tiger, was only discontinued with OS X Lion three versions later. It’s a tool that will make Apple’s transition period easier, but Apple certainly intends for its developers to get started on native ARM ports of their x86 apps sooner rather than later. Apple’s own apps, including Final Cut Pro and Logic, already run natively on ARM. The company has already announced Developer Transition Kits with an ARM processor inside to help app makers update and test their software — and it noted in the keynote that Microsoft is already working on Office, and Adobe is working on Creative Cloud. Apple showed off native versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Lightroom CC, and Photoshop, as well as its own Final Cut Pro in the WWDC keynote.
Apple is encouraging developers to create native apps; Rosetta 2 is designed to be an interim solution
That said, Apple clearly understands that not all developers will have ports ready for the first ARM launch — and customers who buy the first ARM systems in the fall will want to use their favorite programs immediately. Rosetta 2 also means developers don’t need to scramble to re-optimize their products by the time the first ARM Macs come out. (The process of porting macOS apps to Apple silicon is beyond the scope of this guide, but you’ll find detailed instructions on Apple’s developer website.)
“Changing the language that the CPU speaks is a huge deal,” says Ken Gillette, co-founder and CTO of Pocket Prep, a mobile test-prep company that has developed over 100 applications for Apple’s ecosystem. “It would be very difficult if every application needed to be updated before the new computers were available. It would result in a large effort to make changes in a short period of time.”
“[Rosetta] will make the process of purchasing a new Mac seamless for end users,” Gillette says. “If Apple didn’t do this, the process would be much more painful, as many apps consumers use on a daily basis would be missing from their brand-new machines.”
The various features and capabilities of Apple’s new ARM-based Mac processors. Screenshot: Sean Hollister / The Verge
Another thing to note is that the engine also won’t support everything. It’s not compatible with some programs, including virtual machine apps, which you might use to run Windows or another operating system on your Mac, or to test out new software without impacting the rest of your system. (You also won’t be able to run Windows in Boot Camp mode on ARM Macs. Microsoft only licenses the ARM version of Windows 10 to PC manufacturers.) Rosetta 2 also can’t translate kernel extensions, which some programs leverage to perform tasks that macOS doesn’t have a native feature for (similar to drivers in Windows).
Rosetta 2 should help Apple avoid some of the headaches Microsoft has seen with its own ARM transition
Third, even if Rosetta 2 is fully functional, there are still open questions about how well ARM Macs might work. In its keynote, Apple emphasized the efficiency of its new chips, claiming that they will “give the Mac industry-leading performance per watt.” The company also promised better graphic experience, machine-learning capabilities, and battery life. But it skirted around the issue of raw power — so while ARM Macs may be more efficient than their Intel predecessors, they may also be less powerful. Apple also didn’t clarify whether it plans to produce new GPUs of its own, or whether its CPUs will interface with third-party GPUs.
ARM processors that we’ve seen on Windows PCs like the Surface Pro X have outperformed their Intel competitors when it comes to battery life and LTE compatibility. But we have also encountered some performance issues with ARM PCs, though that’s at least partially due to the fact that the emulation layer Microsoft uses to run x86 apps on ARM can only run 32-bit Windows apps (not modern 64-bit x86 apps) and many 32-bit programs are discernibly slower than 64-bit programs.


theverge--2020-06-26--In Doom Patrol, you can save the world no matter how broken you are

Most TV shows aren ’ t weird enough .
Weird things happen on them — everyone ’ s seen Twin Peaks and loves an homage — but truly weird TV shows are rare .
Rarer still are shows like Doom Patrol , a series that is genuinely strange and unexpected at every turn , but also just as deeply interested in empathy as it is grossing you out or making you laugh .
Calling it a “ superhero show ” feels like a disservice ; it ’ s more like therapy that happens to feature superheroes as well as talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doom Patrol is back this week for a second season after hopping over to HBO Max from its previous home on the DC Universe app ( where it can still be streamed ) , and it boasts one of the most unusual casts of protagonists you ’ ll see in any show , let alone a comic book one .
In the eponymous Doom Patrol , there ’ s Cliff Steele , a former racer with his brain now in a robot body ( the racer is played by Brendan Fraser , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jane , a system of 64 distinct personalities , each with their own superpower ( most are played by Diane Guerrero ) ; Rita Farr , a golden age actress whose body can turn to goop ( played by April Bowlby ) ; Larry Trainor , a horribly scarred pilot who shares his body with a “ negative energy spirit ” ( played by Matt Bomer in voice and in flashbacks , and Matthew Zuk in his fully bandaged costume ) ; and Vic “ Cyborg ” Stone , an aspiring superhero who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played by Joivan Wade ) .
This gang of misfits has been gathered by Niles Caulder ( Timothy Dalton ) , who is immediately abducted by the mysterious , seemingly all-powerful Mr. Nobody .
Despite their clear lack of chemistry and very few noble intentions , the ad-hoc team goes on a mission to find the man who brought them together , encountering all manner of bizarre threats along the way .
The result is a show that ’ s maybe the most beautiful mess on television The elevator pitch for the Doom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ world ’ s strangest superheroes , ” and as created by Bob Haney , Arnold Drake , and Bruno Premiani in the 1960s , that mostly meant a team of outcasts the outside world regarded as “ freaks ” taking on the oddest villains its creators could dream up , like the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man , a dude who was part plant , part rock , and part dinosaur .
The Doom Patrol TV show has a lot of those classic comics in its DNA , but it takes its biggest cues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80s reinvention by writer Grant Morrison and artist Richard Case , an acclaimed stretch of stories that took the team in a surreal direction , with Dadaist villains who wanted to plunge the world into absurdity and characters like Danny The Street , a sentient non-binary city block that travels from town to town .
The result is a show that ’ s maybe the most beautiful mess on television .
Broken people who barely understand themselves confront incomprehensibly strange threats .
They then must overcome these threats by understanding themselves and each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t necessarily get along , or if the boundaries of good taste are left far behind them .
( Averting one particular apocalypse involves getting eaten by a giant talking roach , and convincing it that it is really horny for a similarly giant rat .
Another involves a pocket dimension in a donkey ’ s ass . )
The show eventually opens up to reveal heartbreak and pain A lot of Doom Patrol , especially in the first couple of episodes , is deceptive in how it indulges in Deadpool-style self-aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nobody ( Alan Tudyk ) , is an obnoxious being who exists beyond time and space and is aware he is on a streaming TV show , and will not hesitate to tell you when he sees a trope being deployed or avoided .
But like most of its characters , who are abrasive and annoying in order to avoid having to be vulnerable , the show eventually opens up to reveal heartbreak and pain and show what it ’ s like to do the difficult work of moving past it .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is actually interested in what causes people to be marginalized , not merely as an excuse for abrasive characters and sharp banter .
Every character on the show is on the outskirts of society and couldn ’ t be accepted if they wanted to , not with the world as it is right now .
They ’ re not optimists — a better world likely isn ’ t coming — but they can do their part to keep this one from getting worse , and look out for others like them who society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Sure , there are fights in Doom Patrol — big , ridiculous fights , with assassins made from the letters people never send , or walking butts filled with teeth , or weird cultists from a snowglobe world — but fighting is never the answer .
Talking is .
Loving yourself is .
Acceptance is the line every member of Doom Patrol tries to clear , but can never quite reach .
That ’ s okay though .
Each time , they get a little closer .
Another , simpler reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully throws itself into the absurdity unique to comics at their best .
Comics make up the fabric of the show — characters travel to a pocket dimension hidden in the white space between the panels in a comic book , another character walks straight out of one , and past , present , and future all exist right alongside one another .
Season 1 overcame a middling premiere to become a show where anything can happen , slowly building the team up before pulling the rug out from under them in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew .
The second season keeps it coming with a premiere that picks up immediately after that , featuring the team in a Honey , I Shrunk the Kids-style adventure , trying to help a girl whose imaginary friends can come to frightening life .
Superhero fiction is obsessed with the idea of “ saving the world , ” with said saving usually boiling down to punching the right people .
Doom Patrol believes it ’ s harder than that .
Someone is always hurt , always overlooked , always missing the support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the broken are broken too .
These are heroes who don ’ t know what a better world looks like , they ’ re not sure what a better version of themselves look like .
But they do know what an honest one is .
That ’ s something they can work towards .
That ’ s how they can help everyone .

Most TV shows aren’t weird enough. Weird things happen on them — everyone’s seen Twin Peaks and loves an homage — but truly weird TV shows are rare. Rarer still are shows like Doom Patrol, a series that is genuinely strange and unexpected at every turn, but also just as deeply interested in empathy as it is grossing you out or making you laugh. Calling it a “superhero show” feels like a disservice; it’s more like therapy that happens to feature superheroes as well as talking cockroaches and paintings that eat people.
Doom Patrol is back this week for a second season after hopping over to HBO Max from its previous home on the DC Universe app (where it can still be streamed), and it boasts one of the most unusual casts of protagonists you’ll see in any show, let alone a comic book one.
In the eponymous Doom Patrol, there’s Cliff Steele, a former racer with his brain now in a robot body (the racer is played by Brendan Fraser, the robot body by Riley Shanahan); Jane, a system of 64 distinct personalities, each with their own superpower (most are played by Diane Guerrero); Rita Farr, a golden age actress whose body can turn to goop (played by April Bowlby); Larry Trainor, a horribly scarred pilot who shares his body with a “negative energy spirit” (played by Matt Bomer in voice and in flashbacks, and Matthew Zuk in his fully bandaged costume); and Vic “Cyborg” Stone, an aspiring superhero who became part machine following an accident (played by Joivan Wade).
This gang of misfits has been gathered by Niles Caulder (Timothy Dalton), who is immediately abducted by the mysterious, seemingly all-powerful Mr. Nobody. Despite their clear lack of chemistry and very few noble intentions, the ad-hoc team goes on a mission to find the man who brought them together, encountering all manner of bizarre threats along the way.
The result is a show that’s maybe the most beautiful mess on television
The elevator pitch for the Doom Patrol comic book is that they are the “world’s strangest superheroes,” and as created by Bob Haney, Arnold Drake, and Bruno Premiani in the 1960s, that mostly meant a team of outcasts the outside world regarded as “freaks” taking on the oddest villains its creators could dream up, like the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man, a dude who was part plant, part rock, and part dinosaur. The Doom Patrol TV show has a lot of those classic comics in its DNA, but it takes its biggest cues from the comic’s late-’80s reinvention by writer Grant Morrison and artist Richard Case, an acclaimed stretch of stories that took the team in a surreal direction, with Dadaist villains who wanted to plunge the world into absurdity and characters like Danny The Street, a sentient non-binary city block that travels from town to town.
The result is a show that’s maybe the most beautiful mess on television. Broken people who barely understand themselves confront incomprehensibly strange threats. They then must overcome these threats by understanding themselves and each other better, even if they don’t necessarily get along, or if the boundaries of good taste are left far behind them. (Averting one particular apocalypse involves getting eaten by a giant talking roach, and convincing it that it is really horny for a similarly giant rat. Another involves a pocket dimension in a donkey’s ass.)
The show eventually opens up to reveal heartbreak and pain
A lot of Doom Patrol, especially in the first couple of episodes, is deceptive in how it indulges in Deadpool-style self-aware antics. Its primary antagonist, Mr. Nobody (Alan Tudyk), is an obnoxious being who exists beyond time and space and is aware he is on a streaming TV show, and will not hesitate to tell you when he sees a trope being deployed or avoided. But like most of its characters, who are abrasive and annoying in order to avoid having to be vulnerable, the show eventually opens up to reveal heartbreak and pain and show what it’s like to do the difficult work of moving past it.
It’s a story about misfits that is actually interested in what causes people to be marginalized, not merely as an excuse for abrasive characters and sharp banter. Every character on the show is on the outskirts of society and couldn’t be accepted if they wanted to, not with the world as it is right now. They’re not optimists — a better world likely isn’t coming — but they can do their part to keep this one from getting worse, and look out for others like them who society has deemed too broken to be worth it.
Sure, there are fights in Doom Patrol — big, ridiculous fights, with assassins made from the letters people never send, or walking butts filled with teeth, or weird cultists from a snowglobe world — but fighting is never the answer. Talking is. Loving yourself is. Acceptance is the line every member of Doom Patrol tries to clear, but can never quite reach. That’s okay though. Each time, they get a little closer.
Another, simpler reason to enjoy Doom Patrol is that it fully throws itself into the absurdity unique to comics at their best. Comics make up the fabric of the show — characters travel to a pocket dimension hidden in the white space between the panels in a comic book, another character walks straight out of one, and past, present, and future all exist right alongside one another.
Season 1 overcame a middling premiere to become a show where anything can happen, slowly building the team up before pulling the rug out from under them in a finale that drove a wedge between the crew. The second season keeps it coming with a premiere that picks up immediately after that, featuring the team in a Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-style adventure, trying to help a girl whose imaginary friends can come to frightening life.


theverge--2020-06-26--Facebook to warn users before they share old news articles

Facebook is rolling out a new feature globally that will warn users if they ’ re about to share an article that ’ s over 90 days old .
The feature , which was announced in a blog post , is designed to give people more context about articles before they share them , in the hope that the content on the platform becomes more “ timely and credible.
” Users still have the option of sharing an article after seeing the notification .
The feature was developed in response to concerns that old news articles can sometimes be shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Facebook says .
A news article about a terrorist attack from a few years ago can be shared as though it happened much more recently , for example , which Facebook says “ can misconstrue the state of current events.
” Facebook is not the first company to have tried this approach .
Last year , The Guardian started adding the year of publication to the thumbnails of old articles when shared on social media .
The feature “ [ makes ] it much harder to spin an old story as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s head of editorial innovation , Chris Moran , wrote at the time .
The Facebook feature comes as multiple social networks are experimenting with using prompts to encourage users to change the way they post .
Last year , for example , Instagram started warning users before they posted “ potentially offensive ” captions in their posts , and just this month Twitter announced that it would be testing a feature to encourage users to read articles before retweeting them .

Facebook is rolling out a new feature globally that will warn users if they’re about to share an article that’s over 90 days old. The feature, which was announced in a blog post, is designed to give people more context about articles before they share them, in the hope that the content on the platform becomes more “timely and credible.” Users still have the option of sharing an article after seeing the notification.
The feature was developed in response to concerns that old news articles can sometimes be shared as though they’re current news, Facebook says. A news article about a terrorist attack from a few years ago can be shared as though it happened much more recently, for example, which Facebook says “can misconstrue the state of current events.”
Facebook is not the first company to have tried this approach. Last year, The Guardian started adding the year of publication to the thumbnails of old articles when shared on social media. The feature “[makes] it much harder to spin an old story as a new outrage,” The Guardian’s head of editorial innovation, Chris Moran, wrote at the time.