theverge--2020-02-29--Coronavirus cases of unknown origin found in California, Washington and Oregon

A second case of COVID-19 with an unknown origin was identified in Santa Clara county , California on Friday , and two other potential cases of unknown origin were identified in Oregon and Washington state .
This indicates to health experts that the novel coronavirus — which causes the disease COVID-19 — is likely spreading through more than one community in the US .
The Washington Post first reported news of the second case of community transmission in the US — a 65-year-old woman who had no known history of travel to any of the countries that have been hardest-hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health conditions and was originally hospitalized for a respiratory illness , said Sara Cody , the Santa Clara County Health Officer .
Her doctor contacted health officials on Feb. 26 to test her for the novel coronavirus .
“ This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission , but the extent is still not clear , ” Cody said in a press conference .
Officials said that eight California counties are now able to test for coronavirus .
Up to 1,200 people can be tested with the CDC kits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
So far , more than 84,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed around the world , and more than 2,800 people have died of the respiratory disease .
Most of these cases are concentrated in China , where the virus was first identified , but the disease has since spread around the world , with South Korea , Italy , Japan , and Iran among the hardest-hit .
“ I think there ’ s a strong possibility that there ’ s local transmission going in California.
” Despite the global spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who showed symptoms of the disease .
Until this week , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had only tested people who had traveled to one of the most affected areas or had been in close contact with someone who had been diagnosed with the disease .
In the case of the first patient who had COVID-19 of unknown origin , the hospital where she was being treated immediately requested a CDC test on February 19th , when the patient arrived .
The CDC didn ’ t get around to testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive test results were announced on February 26th .
The CDC ’ s restrictive criteria coupled with a complicated test and convoluted rollout led to an intense public backlash .
The agency expanded their testing requirements on Friday to include people who had traveled to a wider swath of geographic areas during the past 14 days .
It also began allowing testing for people who had both severe symptoms and no diagnosis of other diseases like the flu .
The case announced in California today appears to be part of that last group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to any patients who were confirmed to have the disease , and had also not traveled to any area where the virus is known to be circulating .
That means she may have gotten it from someone in the US who has not been diagnosed .
Both cases were diagnosed in the San Francisco Bay Area , a geographical region that includes nine counties .
The first case , in Solano County , was in the north part of the region ; the second case , in Santa Clara , is about 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a strong possibility that there ’ s local transmission going in California , ” said Jennifer Nuzzo , senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , in an interview with The Washington Post .
“ In other words , the virus is spreading within California , and I think there ’ s a possibility other states are in the same boat .
They just haven ’ t recognized that yet.
” Soon after the second California case was announced , health officials in Washington state and Oregon also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unknown origin in their state .
In Oregon , an elementary school worker who hadn ’ t had contact with any confirmed case — and who hadn ’ t traveled to areas known to have the virus — was tested for the disease .
Officials said in a statement that while they were still waiting for official results from the CDC they considered this a presumptive case .
The elementary school where they worked will be closed until Wednesday for cleaning , the Associated Press reported .
Hours later in Washington , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presumptive new cases of COVID-19 .
One case involved a woman who had recently traveled to an area in South Korea where the virus was spreading .
The other involved a high school student who became ill on February 24 .
The student did not attend classes while he had symptoms , but the school announced that it will be closed on Monday for cleaning .
The student had not had any contact with people known to have the virus , and the source of their infection remains unknown .
Update 2/28/20 7:47PM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clara patient and test kits .
Update 2/29/20 9:08AM ET : Adds details about the cases in Oregon and Washington .

A second case of COVID-19 with an unknown origin was identified in Santa Clara county, California on Friday, and two other potential cases of unknown origin were identified in Oregon and Washington state. This indicates to health experts that the novel coronavirus — which causes the disease COVID-19 — is likely spreading through more than one community in the US.
The Washington Post first reported news of the second case of community transmission in the US — a 65-year-old woman who had no known history of travel to any of the countries that have been hardest-hit by the disease. She has chronic health conditions and was originally hospitalized for a respiratory illness, said Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County Health Officer. Her doctor contacted health officials on Feb. 26 to test her for the novel coronavirus.
“This new case indicates that there is evidence of community transmission, but the extent is still not clear,” Cody said in a press conference. Officials said that eight California counties are now able to test for coronavirus. Up to 1,200 people can be tested with the CDC kits, the California Department of Public Health announced today.
So far, more than 84,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed around the world, and more than 2,800 people have died of the respiratory disease. Most of these cases are concentrated in China, where the virus was first identified, but the disease has since spread around the world, with South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Iran among the hardest-hit.
“I think there’s a strong possibility that there’s local transmission going in California.”
Despite the global spread, the US has lagged in testing people who showed symptoms of the disease. Until this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had only tested people who had traveled to one of the most affected areas or had been in close contact with someone who had been diagnosed with the disease. In the case of the first patient who had COVID-19 of unknown origin, the hospital where she was being treated immediately requested a CDC test on February 19th, when the patient arrived. The CDC didn’t get around to testing the patient until February 23rd. The positive test results were announced on February 26th.
The CDC’s restrictive criteria coupled with a complicated test and convoluted rollout led to an intense public backlash. The agency expanded their testing requirements on Friday to include people who had traveled to a wider swath of geographic areas during the past 14 days. It also began allowing testing for people who had both severe symptoms and no diagnosis of other diseases like the flu.
The case announced in California today appears to be part of that last group. The woman apparently had no connection to any patients who were confirmed to have the disease, and had also not traveled to any area where the virus is known to be circulating. That means she may have gotten it from someone in the US who has not been diagnosed. Both cases were diagnosed in the San Francisco Bay Area, a geographical region that includes nine counties. The first case, in Solano County, was in the north part of the region; the second case, in Santa Clara, is about 90 miles away.
“I think there’s a strong possibility that there’s local transmission going in California,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in an interview with The Washington Post. “In other words, the virus is spreading within California, and I think there’s a possibility other states are in the same boat. They just haven’t recognized that yet.”
Soon after the second California case was announced, health officials in Washington state and Oregon also each announced the identification of cases of unknown origin in their state. In Oregon, an elementary school worker who hadn’t had contact with any confirmed case — and who hadn’t traveled to areas known to have the virus — was tested for the disease. Officials said in a statement that while they were still waiting for official results from the CDC they considered this a presumptive case. The elementary school where they worked will be closed until Wednesday for cleaning, the Associated Press reported.
Hours later in Washington, officials announced that they had also identified two presumptive new cases of COVID-19. One case involved a woman who had recently traveled to an area in South Korea where the virus was spreading. The other involved a high school student who became ill on February 24. The student did not attend classes while he had symptoms, but the school announced that it will be closed on Monday for cleaning. The student had not had any contact with people known to have the virus, and the source of their infection remains unknown.
Update 2/28/20 7:47PM ET: Adds details about the Santa Clara patient and test kits.


theverge--2020-03-02--Alphabet’s Tidal moonshot tracks individual fish to help sustainably feed humanity

Today Alphabet is announcing Tidal , an X division moonshot project with the goal of preserving the ocean ’ s ability to support life and help feed humanity sustainably .
Tidal ’ s initial goal is to develop technologies that will give us a better understanding of what ’ s happening under water , with a focus on helping fish farmers to run and grow their operations in environmentally friendly ways .
” Humanity is pushing the ocean past its breaking point , but we can ’ t protect what we don ’ t understand , ” writes Tidal General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcing the moonshot .
To achieve its early goal , Tidal has developed an underwater camera system coupled with computer vision and other AI techniques to track and monitor thousands of individual fish as they develop .
The electrical components had to be developed to withstand the extreme cold and crushing pressures of the ocean ’ s unforgiving salt water environment .
The system can also interpret behaviors not visible to farmers .
By logging eating behavior and environmental data like temperature and oxygen levels , the farmers can make smarter decisions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Davé .
And healthy fish require fewer antibiotics , a concern amongst environmentalists .
The project has been operating for three years already , according to a report from the Financial Times , with Tidal cameras deployed in Europe and Asia to help track fish species like salmon and yellowtail .
“ There may be an opportunity there to relieve some pressure on wild fishing if we made aquaculture very compelling from an operational and environmental perspective , ” says Davé .
” Fish have a low carbon footprint relative to other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a critical role in feeding 3 billion people today , ” continues Davé , “ so helping fish farmers could prove critical both for humanity and for the health of the ocean .
”

Today Alphabet is announcing Tidal, an X division moonshot project with the goal of preserving the ocean’s ability to support life and help feed humanity sustainably. Tidal’s initial goal is to develop technologies that will give us a better understanding of what’s happening under water, with a focus on helping fish farmers to run and grow their operations in environmentally friendly ways.
”Humanity is pushing the ocean past its breaking point, but we can’t protect what we don’t understand,” writes Tidal General Manager Neil Davé in a blog post announcing the moonshot.
To achieve its early goal, Tidal has developed an underwater camera system coupled with computer vision and other AI techniques to track and monitor thousands of individual fish as they develop. The electrical components had to be developed to withstand the extreme cold and crushing pressures of the ocean’s unforgiving salt water environment. The system can also interpret behaviors not visible to farmers.
Relieve some pressure on wild fishing
By logging eating behavior and environmental data like temperature and oxygen levels, the farmers can make smarter decisions about how to manage their pens, according to Davé. And healthy fish require fewer antibiotics, a concern amongst environmentalists.
The project has been operating for three years already, according to a report from the Financial Times, with Tidal cameras deployed in Europe and Asia to help track fish species like salmon and yellowtail. “There may be an opportunity there to relieve some pressure on wild fishing if we made aquaculture very compelling from an operational and environmental perspective,” says Davé.


theverge--2020-03-02--Oppo launches six-camera Reno 3 Pro in India

Oppo has announced the Reno 3 Pro , the latest entry in the ever-more-convoluted Reno series .
It ’ s a mid-range model that ’ s altogether separate from the Reno 3 Pro 5G released in China in December ; this model is launching in India first .
The Reno 3 Pro feels slimmer and lighter than most of its peers , at 8.1mm thick and 175g .
Otherwise , though , its design is pretty unremarkable — it ’ s yet another bezel-less Chinese phone with a gradient finish and cameras everywhere the eye can see .
Oppo says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sky ; the model you see above is the “ Auroral Blue ” version , supposedly inspired by the northern lights , while there are also “ Midnight Black ” and sunrise-pink-ish “ Sky White ” variants .
The screen is a 6.4-inch 20:9 1080p OLED panel with an in-display fingerprint sensor and a pill-shaped hole-punch cutout for two camera modules .
The main one is a 44-megapixel sensor , apparently a world first , and it ’ s backed with a 2-megapixel sensor for depth-of field information .
A higher refresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ otherwise the screen is great .
I also like the neat effect where the pixels around the hole punch glow brightly when you use face unlock .
There ’ s a fairly large bump on the back that houses four more cameras .
The main camera has a 64-megapixel sensor and f/1.7 lens , while there ’ s also a 13-megapixel f/2.4 2x telephoto , an 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide , and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor .
Oppo is claiming up to 5x hybrid zoom and 20x digital zoom ; sure enough , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 5x , though I wouldn ’ t push it too far beyond that .
The device I used was using non-final camera software , however .
Other specs include MediaTek ’ s new Helio P95 processor , 8GB of RAM , 128GB or 256GB of expandable storage , dual SIM slots as well as a separate microSD slot , and a headphone jack .
The phone runs ColorOS 7 , based on Android 10 .
The 4,025mAh battery can be fast-charged at 30W with Oppo ’ s VOOC 4.0 system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 0 to 50-percent full in 20 minutes and 100 percent in 56 .
This probably doesn ’ t need to be said , but unlike China ’ s Reno 3 Pro 5G , this phone does not support 5G .
Oppo is launching the Reno 3 Pro in India this Friday , priced at Rs .
29,990 ( $ 415 ) for a model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage .
The 256GB model will cost Rs .
32,990 ( $ 455 ) but is only listed as “ coming @ @ @

Oppo has announced the Reno 3 Pro, the latest entry in the ever-more-convoluted Reno series. It’s a mid-range model that’s altogether separate from the Reno 3 Pro 5G released in China in December; this model is launching in India first.
The Reno 3 Pro feels slimmer and lighter than most of its peers, at 8.1mm thick and 175g. Otherwise, though, its design is pretty unremarkable — it’s yet another bezel-less Chinese phone with a gradient finish and cameras everywhere the eye can see. Oppo says the finishes are all meant to evoke the sky; the model you see above is the “Auroral Blue” version, supposedly inspired by the northern lights, while there are also “Midnight Black” and sunrise-pink-ish “Sky White” variants.
The screen is a 6.4-inch 20:9 1080p OLED panel with an in-display fingerprint sensor and a pill-shaped hole-punch cutout for two camera modules. The main one is a 44-megapixel sensor, apparently a world first, and it’s backed with a 2-megapixel sensor for depth-of field information. A higher refresh rate would have been nice, but otherwise the screen is great. I also like the neat effect where the pixels around the hole punch glow brightly when you use face unlock.
There’s a fairly large bump on the back that houses four more cameras. The main camera has a 64-megapixel sensor and f/1.7 lens, while there’s also a 13-megapixel f/2.4 2x telephoto, an 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor. Oppo is claiming up to 5x hybrid zoom and 20x digital zoom; sure enough, in my brief testing photos looked pretty good up to 5x, though I wouldn’t push it too far beyond that. The device I used was using non-final camera software, however.
Other specs include MediaTek’s new Helio P95 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB or 256GB of expandable storage, dual SIM slots as well as a separate microSD slot, and a headphone jack. The phone runs ColorOS 7, based on Android 10. The 4,025mAh battery can be fast-charged at 30W with Oppo’s VOOC 4.0 system, which the company says will get you from 0 to 50-percent full in 20 minutes and 100 percent in 56. This probably doesn’t need to be said, but unlike China’s Reno 3 Pro 5G, this phone does not support 5G.


theverge--2020-03-02--Final Fantasy VII Remake gives Midgar a luxurious makeover

In the original Final Fantasy VII , Midgar can often feel more like an idea than a place .
It ’ s billed as a metropolis torn by ecopolitics and economic disparity , yet players have little chance to see these dynamics at play outside of a few small sectors with tiny populations .
Much of its world is reduced to beautiful backgrounds .
They ultimately set a scene , opposed to offer an explorable world .
Square Enix ’ s Final Fantasy VII Remake , however , opens up the game ’ s most iconic setting in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the original , Final Fantasy VII Remake is being split into a yet-to-be-determined number of separate games .
For the first , Square Enix chose to highlight Midgar exclusively , otherwise known as home to insurgent group Avalanche and evil corporation Shinra .
Shinra , its private military , and the megacorp ’ s role in the planet ’ s slow destruction are key to the story of Final Fantasy VII ; focusing exclusively on its home base makes sense .
After playing a recent demo in New York , the answer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours of gameplay into a full game feels within reach .
The demo shown to press included the game ’ s introduction sequence , in which Cloud — a broody mercenary who joins up with Avalanche for a payday — breaks into a reactor to blow it up .
From there , it jumps forward to another mission , this time roping in characters like Cloud ’ s childhood friend Tifa , before once again skipping into a sewer boss battle that adds mysterious magic-caster Aerith .
Where reactors previously felt like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass through , in the remake they become major undertakings .
Each reactor I played through felt dim , massive , and sterile in a very evil corporation way .
On the way to the game ’ s Air Buster boss fight , part of the group ’ s task turns to disabling the machine as much as possible ahead of time .
That meant weighing possible advantages and deciding which areas were more cost-efficient to trash , from AI cores that allow the Air Buster to move quickly , to the artillery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It doesn ’ t seem to be shying away from examining cause and consequence Threaded in between fights , Avalanche ’ s members chat among themselves in the background .
Barret delivers speeches about the group ’ s mission that teeter between rousing and fanatical .
Jessie eagerly discusses Cloud ’ s looks .
It felt at times strangely cheerful for a group of eco-terrorists , but the remake doesn ’ t seem to be shying away from examining cause and consequence .
Square Enix leans hard into Shinra as a sort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet energy known as Mako .
It ’ s ruthless in twisting public narratives to its advantage and keeping the populace dependent on its energy supply by any means necessary .
Yet Avalanche ’ s presence , too , has consequences for the people of the city .
After the first reactor bombing , as the team victoriously heads back to base , civilians sit dazed in the street .
They ’ re frightened and in shock , a bunch of innocents caught in the chaos of a fight in which they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and runs past familiar spots , like a giant billboard advertising the play Loveless , people wonder what will happen next or if they ’ re safe .
He ’ s too busy scanning for access to the rooftops to stop and notice .
Square Enix has yet to show some of Midgar ’ s most iconic moments , like the trip through Wall Market or the first arrival of mob-like group the Turks .
How it will amend or build on a plot established more than 20 years ago is still unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enix looks to be far more interested in engaging with ideas it once skated past , and what they might mean for the people caught in between .

In the original Final Fantasy VII, Midgar can often feel more like an idea than a place. It’s billed as a metropolis torn by ecopolitics and economic disparity, yet players have little chance to see these dynamics at play outside of a few small sectors with tiny populations. Much of its world is reduced to beautiful backgrounds. They ultimately set a scene, opposed to offer an explorable world. Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII Remake, however, opens up the game’s most iconic setting in a way that feels luxurious in comparison.
Unlike the original, Final Fantasy VII Remake is being split into a yet-to-be-determined number of separate games. For the first, Square Enix chose to highlight Midgar exclusively, otherwise known as home to insurgent group Avalanche and evil corporation Shinra. Shinra, its private military, and the megacorp’s role in the planet’s slow destruction are key to the story of Final Fantasy VII; focusing exclusively on its home base makes sense. After playing a recent demo in New York, the answer to how the developer would turn a few hours of gameplay into a full game feels within reach.
The demo shown to press included the game’s introduction sequence, in which Cloud — a broody mercenary who joins up with Avalanche for a payday — breaks into a reactor to blow it up. From there, it jumps forward to another mission, this time roping in characters like Cloud’s childhood friend Tifa, before once again skipping into a sewer boss battle that adds mysterious magic-caster Aerith.
Where reactors previously felt like a series of small, linear rooms to pass through, in the remake they become major undertakings. Each reactor I played through felt dim, massive, and sterile in a very evil corporation way. On the way to the game’s Air Buster boss fight, part of the group’s task turns to disabling the machine as much as possible ahead of time. That meant weighing possible advantages and deciding which areas were more cost-efficient to trash, from AI cores that allow the Air Buster to move quickly, to the artillery that gave its firepower more punch.
It doesn’t seem to be shying away from examining cause and consequence
Threaded in between fights, Avalanche’s members chat among themselves in the background. Barret delivers speeches about the group’s mission that teeter between rousing and fanatical. Jessie eagerly discusses Cloud’s looks. It felt at times strangely cheerful for a group of eco-terrorists, but the remake doesn’t seem to be shying away from examining cause and consequence.
Square Enix leans hard into Shinra as a sort of evil oil empire, but with a planet energy known as Mako. It’s ruthless in twisting public narratives to its advantage and keeping the populace dependent on its energy supply by any means necessary.
Yet Avalanche’s presence, too, has consequences for the people of the city. After the first reactor bombing, as the team victoriously heads back to base, civilians sit dazed in the street. They’re frightened and in shock, a bunch of innocents caught in the chaos of a fight in which they have no power. As Cloud dodges enemies and runs past familiar spots, like a giant billboard advertising the play Loveless, people wonder what will happen next or if they’re safe. He’s too busy scanning for access to the rooftops to stop and notice.


theverge--2020-03-02--Final Fantasy VII Remake’s reimagined battle system makes it feel like an all-new game

Final Fantasy VII Remake is shaping up to be much more than just a nostalgia trip , and nowhere is that more apparent than in the game ’ s completely reimagined battle system .
When the game was first announced in 2015 , many diehard fans appropriately expected a remake would mean a visual overhaul of more or the less the same turn-based RPG they fell in love with more than two decades ago .
But Square Enix and the trio of legendary directors , including original character designer Tetsuya Nomura , that signed on to helm the project decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : a total reimagining of FFVII from the ground up .
That includes blowing up the tried-and-true turn-based system and replacing it with something far more modern .
The trade-offs in that broader decision to reboot the whole game have already been made abundantly clear .
Instead of one giant game , players are getting multiple entries .
The first installment centers solely on the city of Midgar , which takes up , by some estimates , a little more than the first quarter of the original game ’ s first of three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting on April 10th makes up for covering that small slice of the overall story by completely rebuilding every element — from the dialogue , cutscenes , and subplots to every environment , gameplay system , and boss battle .
After spending close to four hours with FFVII Remake late last month during a San Francisco demo , I ’ m confident this gamble has paid off in a big way with a far more fully realized version of the world than any of its disparate spinoffs have managed to achieve .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impressive component is the one players will be spending most of their time interacting with : the combat .
Unlike the FFVII many are familiar with , the remake features a fascinating hybrid battle system closer to what you ’ d find in Final Fantasy XV or Kingdom Hearts .
Yet instead of sticking closely to one of those two styles , the remake borrows the best of the series ’ action-based real-time systems and blends them with the turn-based strategy design that made the original such a lauded RPG .
It feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Final Fantasy XII combined with something from an action-heavy studio like PlatinumGames .
The battle system borrows the best of past ‘ Final Fantasy ’ games and ‘ Kingdom Hearts ’ We ’ ve seen a bit of this reimagined take on combat in early gameplay videos and in the big , flashy E3 demo last year that showed off the game ’ s opening boss fight .
But I was able to go deep with the battle system through the first two hours of the game and then two later boss fights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my party and another with Tifa and Aerith .
I walked away impressed with not just how new and fresh everything felt , but also how much of the original game ’ s spirit felt intact .
Never once did I feel like I was leaning too far into just running around with Cloud and swinging my Buster Sword , or spending inordinate amounts of time digging through menus to cast spells or use items .
Everything flowed nicely , and by the end of my demo , I was seamlessly switching between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and special moves while quick swapping to Aerith to dive into the menu for heals , magic , and the occasional summon .
It seems like a considerable amount of thought went into how to evolve the original game ’ s take on RPG combat for a modern setting .
There are no more random battle encounters .
Enemies typically find you ( although you can avoid them if you ’ re crafty ) and you then engage in an open combat arena .
Once the mode switches , you can run around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mix of character-specific combos and special moves that can be various levels of effective depending not just on what you ’ re fighting , but also how far away and how large the enemy is .
In that sense , it ’ s similar to FFXV but in a way that feels less slapdash and much more deliberate and refined .
For instance , Barret is great for long-distance fighting thanks to his gun-equipped arm , and it ’ s often required you switch to him to help stagger flying enemies or foes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then swap to Cloud and drop heavy sword combos .
A much more deliberate , refined version of the ‘ FFXV ’ battle system Tifa , on the other hand , is agile and devastating in melee situations , letting her cover a ton of ground with combos and special attacks in a way that makes her the most fun to control when you ’ re fighting large amounts of standard enemies at once .
Aerith , like Barret , is great at range , but her magic stats make her an excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often delegate those tasks to her while you focus on damage-dealing with the others .
At any given moment , you can slow the combat down to a crawl with what ’ s known as tactical mode and pull up the menu , which lets you perform magic , use items , or queue up one of quite a few more powerful special moves dependent on the gear you have equipped .
Any menu-specific move requires you to charge the ATB ( for Active Time Battle ) bar , which has been updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system that first helped popularize Square ’ s unique take on turn-based battling .
Now , instead of just waiting for your character ’ s turn to come around , you have to perform melee attacks to charge the bar .
You can also sit back away from the danger and let it charge on its own more slowly while the AI controls your companions .
Once full , however , you can unleash special attacks and magic , some of which require just one bar , while others — like summons — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around , the summons stick around on the battlefield and help you fight in real time , and you can even have characters like Ifrit or Shiva perform special attacks by charging the summoner ’ s ATB bar to full and casting the spell manually .
There will be some settings options for players who don ’ t like this hybrid system , including a classic mode for people who want to just play a turn-based version of FFVII Remake in the spirit of the original .
The original game featured a customizable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast-paced you wanted the game , but it ultimately meant just picking what your characters did from a menu and then watching the animations play out .
You can still do that in the Remake , but in my opinion that sounds like it ’ ll drain the combat system of its much more vibrant elements .
You ’ ll be able to use a turn-based classic mode if you so choose The best part , in my short time with the game , was the freedom the battle system allows .
Sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to victory in most battles , just like you could just mindlessly select “ attack ” in the original ’ s turn-based system and more or less breeze your way through the mobs of random enemies .
It ’ ll certainly look a lot cooler with the updated graphics and Cloud ’ s excellent sword animations .
And only in the really hard boss battles I encountered did I have to really think about how to maximize my use of the ATB bars and mix and match proper items and magic use .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ game and almost never switching off Cloud unless the game literally forces them to .
But a lot of the fun here comes from changing characters on the fly , experimenting with special moves , and really mastering the flow of the new system .
Every character has a unique style to them that feels like playing a totally different game when you switch over .
Plus , there are tons of new customization options for weapons , skills , and the game ’ s materia magic system that stand to make overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In one particular telling situation , I found myself on the demo ’ s final boss battle : a terrifying and enormous beast known as Aps that I distinctly remember fighting in the Midgar sewers so many years ago .
The boss was not only vicious , fast , and powerful , but it had high defense .
My melee attacks weren ’ t doing much .
I was struggling to get magic spells cast with Aerith because she was getting knocked out too often .
Soon enough , I was out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I made the call to sacrifice both Cloud and Tifa and keep Aerith alive with my last elixir item , with the hopes Aerith ’ s fire magic and her self-healing limit break might carry me to victory .
I was right — only just barely .
I survived by the skin of my teeth by timing my dodges to avoid the creature ’ s tornado attack and summoning Ifrit to help me take it down .
It was an exhilarating fight and exactly the kind of cinematic set piece moment that felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something the game just handed to you by way of a cutscene .
At that moment , I felt like I was playing an original and proper action RPG , and I almost forgot entirely that it was instead a remake of a 23-year-old classic .
And that ’ s the beauty of FFVII Remake — in the heat of these kinds of battles , it feels brand new .
If you have a PS4 , you can now play a demo of Final Fantasy VII Remake .

Final Fantasy VII Remake is shaping up to be much more than just a nostalgia trip, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the game’s completely reimagined battle system.
When the game was first announced in 2015, many diehard fans appropriately expected a remake would mean a visual overhaul of more or the less the same turn-based RPG they fell in love with more than two decades ago. But Square Enix and the trio of legendary directors, including original character designer Tetsuya Nomura, that signed on to helm the project decided on something much more ambitious and risky: a total reimagining of FFVII from the ground up. That includes blowing up the tried-and-true turn-based system and replacing it with something far more modern.
The trade-offs in that broader decision to reboot the whole game have already been made abundantly clear. Instead of one giant game, players are getting multiple entries. The first installment centers solely on the city of Midgar, which takes up, by some estimates, a little more than the first quarter of the original game’s first of three discs. But the experience we are getting on April 10th makes up for covering that small slice of the overall story by completely rebuilding every element — from the dialogue, cutscenes, and subplots to every environment, gameplay system, and boss battle.
Related A Final Fantasy VII Remake demo is out now for PS4
After spending close to four hours with FFVII Remake late last month during a San Francisco demo, I’m confident this gamble has paid off in a big way with a far more fully realized version of the world than any of its disparate spinoffs have managed to achieve. And best of all is that its most impressive component is the one players will be spending most of their time interacting with: the combat.
Image: Square Enix Image: Square Enix Image: Square Enix
Unlike the FFVII many are familiar with, the remake features a fascinating hybrid battle system closer to what you’d find in Final Fantasy XV or Kingdom Hearts. Yet instead of sticking closely to one of those two styles, the remake borrows the best of the series’ action-based real-time systems and blends them with the turn-based strategy design that made the original such a lauded RPG. It feels like a polished, modern version of Final Fantasy XII combined with something from an action-heavy studio like PlatinumGames.
The battle system borrows the best of past ‘Final Fantasy’ games and ‘Kingdom Hearts’
We’ve seen a bit of this reimagined take on combat in early gameplay videos and in the big, flashy E3 demo last year that showed off the game’s opening boss fight. But I was able to go deep with the battle system through the first two hours of the game and then two later boss fights, one with Tifa and Barret in my party and another with Tifa and Aerith. I walked away impressed with not just how new and fresh everything felt, but also how much of the original game’s spirit felt intact.
Never once did I feel like I was leaning too far into just running around with Cloud and swinging my Buster Sword, or spending inordinate amounts of time digging through menus to cast spells or use items. Everything flowed nicely, and by the end of my demo, I was seamlessly switching between Cloud and Tifa to drop damage-heavy combos and special moves while quick swapping to Aerith to dive into the menu for heals, magic, and the occasional summon.
It seems like a considerable amount of thought went into how to evolve the original game’s take on RPG combat for a modern setting. There are no more random battle encounters. Enemies typically find you (although you can avoid them if you’re crafty) and you then engage in an open combat arena. Once the mode switches, you can run around, dodge attacks, and perform a mix of character-specific combos and special moves that can be various levels of effective depending not just on what you’re fighting, but also how far away and how large the enemy is.
In that sense, it’s similar to FFXV but in a way that feels less slapdash and much more deliberate and refined. For instance, Barret is great for long-distance fighting thanks to his gun-equipped arm, and it’s often required you switch to him to help stagger flying enemies or foes with hard-to-reach weak points so you can then swap to Cloud and drop heavy sword combos.
A much more deliberate, refined version of the ‘FFXV’ battle system
Tifa, on the other hand, is agile and devastating in melee situations, letting her cover a ton of ground with combos and special attacks in a way that makes her the most fun to control when you’re fighting large amounts of standard enemies at once. Aerith, like Barret, is great at range, but her magic stats make her an excellent healer and spellcaster, so you can often delegate those tasks to her while you focus on damage-dealing with the others.
At any given moment, you can slow the combat down to a crawl with what’s known as tactical mode and pull up the menu, which lets you perform magic, use items, or queue up one of quite a few more powerful special moves dependent on the gear you have equipped. Any menu-specific move requires you to charge the ATB (for Active Time Battle) bar, which has been updated from the original game’s ATB system that first helped popularize Square’s unique take on turn-based battling.
Image: Square Enix
Now, instead of just waiting for your character’s turn to come around, you have to perform melee attacks to charge the bar. You can also sit back away from the danger and let it charge on its own more slowly while the AI controls your companions. Once full, however, you can unleash special attacks and magic, some of which require just one bar, while others — like summons — require a full two. This time around, the summons stick around on the battlefield and help you fight in real time, and you can even have characters like Ifrit or Shiva perform special attacks by charging the summoner’s ATB bar to full and casting the spell manually.
There will be some settings options for players who don’t like this hybrid system, including a classic mode for people who want to just play a turn-based version of FFVII Remake in the spirit of the original. The original game featured a customizable ATB system depending on how difficult and fast-paced you wanted the game, but it ultimately meant just picking what your characters did from a menu and then watching the animations play out. You can still do that in the Remake, but in my opinion that sounds like it’ll drain the combat system of its much more vibrant elements.
You’ll be able to use a turn-based classic mode if you so choose
The best part, in my short time with the game, was the freedom the battle system allows. Sure, you can button mash your way to victory in most battles, just like you could just mindlessly select “attack” in the original’s turn-based system and more or less breeze your way through the mobs of random enemies. It’ll certainly look a lot cooler with the updated graphics and Cloud’s excellent sword animations. And only in the really hard boss battles I encountered did I have to really think about how to maximize my use of the ATB bars and mix and match proper items and magic use. I could conceivably see someone playing the game and almost never switching off Cloud unless the game literally forces them to.
But a lot of the fun here comes from changing characters on the fly, experimenting with special moves, and really mastering the flow of the new system. Every character has a unique style to them that feels like playing a totally different game when you switch over. Plus, there are tons of new customization options for weapons, skills, and the game’s materia magic system that stand to make overall combat much deeper than the original.
Image: Square Enix
In one particular telling situation, I found myself on the demo’s final boss battle: a terrifying and enormous beast known as Aps that I distinctly remember fighting in the Midgar sewers so many years ago. The boss was not only vicious, fast, and powerful, but it had high defense. My melee attacks weren’t doing much. I was struggling to get magic spells cast with Aerith because she was getting knocked out too often.
Soon enough, I was out of phoenix downs to revive my teammates and I made the call to sacrifice both Cloud and Tifa and keep Aerith alive with my last elixir item, with the hopes Aerith’s fire magic and her self-healing limit break might carry me to victory. I was right — only just barely. I survived by the skin of my teeth by timing my dodges to avoid the creature’s tornado attack and summoning Ifrit to help me take it down.
It was an exhilarating fight and exactly the kind of cinematic set piece moment that felt both earned and organic, and not something the game just handed to you by way of a cutscene. At that moment, I felt like I was playing an original and proper action RPG, and I almost forgot entirely that it was instead a remake of a 23-year-old classic. And that’s the beauty of FFVII Remake — in the heat of these kinds of battles, it feels brand new.


theverge--2020-03-02--A Final Fantasy VII Remake demo is out now for PS4

If you have a PS4 , you can now play Final Fantasy VII Remake , which is a sentence that @ @ @ @ @ been waiting forever to hear .
Square Enix just released a demo of the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ the world ; the link in the tweet below should take you to your local @ @ @ @ @ Remake was first announced in 2015 and , after a recent delay , is now @ @ @ @ @ April 10th .
It is , of course , a remake of 1997 ’ s @ @ @ @ @ PlayStation , which is probably the most titanically popular Japanese RPG of all time .
@ @ @ @ @ getting in April isn ’ t the full story , though — it ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ section of the original release , and Square Enix hasn ’ t said how many @ @ @ @ @ s planning to develop .

If you have a PS4, you can now play Final Fantasy VII Remake, which is a sentence that a lot of people have been waiting forever to hear. Square Enix just released a demo of the upcoming game on PlayStation Network across the world; the link in the tweet below should take you to your local store.
Final Fantasy VII Remake was first announced in 2015 and, after a recent delay, is now set to be released on April 10th. It is, of course, a remake of 1997’s Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation, which is probably the most titanically popular Japanese RPG of all time.


theverge--2020-03-02--AT&T TV now available nationwide with Android TV set-top box — and a two-year contract

AT & T TV is launching nationwide today after initially rolling out to over a dozen markets last year .
The subscription TV service — not to be confused with AT & T TV Now ( formerly DirecTV Now ) — is contract-based , which is a departure from the freedom you get with month-to-month streaming TV apps like YouTube TV , Hulu with Live TV , and Sling TV .
Signing up for a two-year agreement gets you an Android TV set-top box and a very cable-like remote control ( with a Google Assistant button ) .
AT & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T TV as its premium streaming TV experience ; it ’ s more for people seeking a better cable / satellite alternative than a cheaper one .
This is basically AT & T ’ s next play as it moves on from DirecTV , which continues to bleed subscribers each quarter as more consumers cut the cord .
Alongside live TV , you can install apps like Netflix , Disney Plus , and others from the Google Play Store or control smart home devices with the Assistant-enabled remote .
Chromecast support is built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AT & T TV on the box when in front of your television , and there ’ s also an AT & T TV app for iOS , iPadOS , and Android .
Setup is pretty simple .
You plug the box into your TV ’ s HDMI port , enter your Wi-Fi info , sign in with your AT & T TV credentials , and then start watching .
Everything will feel familiar to cable/satellite converts : the remote has number buttons , with a channel guide that sticks closely to DirecTV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything is streaming over the web .
The “ home screen ” of AT & T TV ’ s custom Android TV experience is always live TV .
Whenever you turn it on , it ’ ll pick up from the last channel you were on .
Again , very cable-like , and that ’ s actually a touch that I appreciate .
Having to seek out live TV can make things feel disjointed .
On its own , AT & T TV starts at $ 49.99 per month .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can see what ’ s offered in each package .
The base “ entertainment ” package includes local broadcast channels , ESPN , AMC , HGTV , FX , USA , and a decent selection of other cable networks .
Sports fans will want to step up to the middle-tier “ choice ” channel package ( $ 54.99 ) , which adds regional sports networks — like all the ones that YouTube TV nearly just lost — and others such as the YES Network .
The company is promoting a bundle offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available ) and AT & T TV for a combined $ 80 per month .
With all plans , HBO is included for free for the first three months , but you ’ ll have to pay up after that to keep it .
Those prices would be fine ( or at least competitive ) if they stayed that way .
But ... they don ’ t .
AT & T TV pricing goes up dramatically after 12 months of service .
Entertainment goes from $ 49.99 to $ 93 ; Choice goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 124 ; and Ultimate to $ 135 .
You also have to contend with an activation fee and early termination fees if you cancel service before your service agreement is up .
( The ETF is $ 15 for each month that is still on your contract . )
If you ’ ve got YouTube TV or something similar , these might strike you as ugly memories of the cable days .
And since you ’ re stuck in that two-year agreement , there ’ s really no way to avoid the substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the point ?
Well , AT & T is pushing a message of simplicity .
You can search across live TV , on-demand content , and streaming apps from one central place without having to switch HDMI ports or juggle remotes .
“ For example , you can easily switch between a live basketball game , Netflix , YouTube , or listen to music on Pandora or Spotify , ” the company wrote in its press release .
Unfortunately , there are holes in that app selection , with Amazon Prime Video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So right off the bat , AT & T isn ’ t quite delivering on its vision .
The included cloud DVR lets you save up to 500 hours of shows and movies , though content gets deleted after 90 days .
AT & T TV allows for up to three concurrent streams , so a couple people can be streaming live TV outside the home when someone ’ s also watching on the couch .
I ’ ve been testing the box for the last several days , and I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service so far .
The overall interface and menus are straightforward to navigate , and there ’ s an old-fashioned channel grid if that ’ s your preference for channel surfing .
When you don ’ t want to bother pulling up the guide , you can just tell Google Assistant to tune to a certain network by name , which works decently for the most part .
I ’ ll be spending more time with AT & T TV over the next few weeks , and the company has said that HBO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience once it launches in May .
But does AT & T TV make sense if you ’ re already happy with a different internet TV service on your Roku or another streaming device ?
Certainly not .
It ’ s especially hard to justify those post-promotion prices compared to other streaming TV apps , which hover around $ 50 monthly right now .
AT & T is hoping that AT & T TV will come off as a next-generation replacement for cable and satellite and help stem its video losses , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service any serious consideration compared to the cheaper competition .
AT & T has done well in making live TV the central piece of AT & T TV , but fundamentally the end result isn ’ t that far off from subscribing to YouTube TV on an Nvidia Shield .

AT&T TV is launching nationwide today after initially rolling out to over a dozen markets last year. The subscription TV service — not to be confused with AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) — is contract-based, which is a departure from the freedom you get with month-to-month streaming TV apps like YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, and Sling TV. Signing up for a two-year agreement gets you an Android TV set-top box and a very cable-like remote control (with a Google Assistant button).
AT&T is trying to position AT&T TV as its premium streaming TV experience; it’s more for people seeking a better cable / satellite alternative than a cheaper one. This is basically AT&T’s next play as it moves on from DirecTV, which continues to bleed subscribers each quarter as more consumers cut the cord. Alongside live TV, you can install apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, and others from the Google Play Store or control smart home devices with the Assistant-enabled remote. Chromecast support is built in, too.
You can watch AT&T TV on the box when in front of your television, and there’s also an AT&T TV app for iOS, iPadOS, and Android. Setup is pretty simple. You plug the box into your TV’s HDMI port, enter your Wi-Fi info, sign in with your AT&T TV credentials, and then start watching. Everything will feel familiar to cable/satellite converts: the remote has number buttons, with a channel guide that sticks closely to DirecTV’s listings. But here, everything is streaming over the web.
The “home screen” of AT&T TV’s custom Android TV experience is always live TV. Whenever you turn it on, it’ll pick up from the last channel you were on. Again, very cable-like, and that’s actually a touch that I appreciate. Having to seek out live TV can make things feel disjointed.
On its own, AT&T TV starts at $49.99 per month. Here’s the company’s channel lineup so you can see what’s offered in each package. The base “entertainment” package includes local broadcast channels, ESPN, AMC, HGTV, FX, USA, and a decent selection of other cable networks. Sports fans will want to step up to the middle-tier “choice” channel package ($54.99), which adds regional sports networks — like all the ones that YouTube TV nearly just lost — and others such as the YES Network. The company is promoting a bundle offer that includes gigabit home internet (where available) and AT&T TV for a combined $80 per month. With all plans, HBO is included for free for the first three months, but you’ll have to pay up after that to keep it.
Those prices would be fine (or at least competitive) if they stayed that way. But... they don’t.
AT&T TV pricing goes up dramatically after 12 months of service. Entertainment goes from $49.99 to $93; Choice goes to $110; Xtra to $124; and Ultimate to $135. You also have to contend with an activation fee and early termination fees if you cancel service before your service agreement is up. (The ETF is $15 for each month that is still on your contract.) If you’ve got YouTube TV or something similar, these might strike you as ugly memories of the cable days. And since you’re stuck in that two-year agreement, there’s really no way to avoid the substantial price hike.
So then what’s the point? Well, AT&T is pushing a message of simplicity. You can search across live TV, on-demand content, and streaming apps from one central place without having to switch HDMI ports or juggle remotes. “For example, you can easily switch between a live basketball game, Netflix, YouTube, or listen to music on Pandora or Spotify,” the company wrote in its press release. Unfortunately, there are holes in that app selection, with Amazon Prime Video and Hulu unavailable on the box. So right off the bat, AT&T isn’t quite delivering on its vision.
The included cloud DVR lets you save up to 500 hours of shows and movies, though content gets deleted after 90 days. AT&T TV allows for up to three concurrent streams, so a couple people can be streaming live TV outside the home when someone’s also watching on the couch. I’ve been testing the box for the last several days, and I’ve had a pleasant enough experience with the service so far. The overall interface and menus are straightforward to navigate, and there’s an old-fashioned channel grid if that’s your preference for channel surfing. When you don’t want to bother pulling up the guide, you can just tell Google Assistant to tune to a certain network by name, which works decently for the most part.


theverge--2020-03-01--Sharp will use a TV factory to mass-produce face masks

Sharp plans to start making face masks at one of its factories in Japan in response to surging demand sparked by the coronavirus outbreak , The Associated Press reports .
The plant , in Kameyama , Mie prefecture , is usually used for mass-producing large LCD panels and assembling TVs .
Sharp will make 150,000 masks a day by the end of this month , rising to as much as 500,000 a day .
The facility is said to be well-suited for mask production because of the essential high standards of cleanliness .
Sharp , which is owned by Foxconn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on pricing or distribution plans for the masks .
It ’ s been difficult to find masks in Japan Face masks are a common sight in Japan , particularly in winter when many people wear them to help prevent the spread of illnesses .
But since the COVID-19 outbreak began , it ’ s been difficult to find them and other household items like toilet paper , with most retailers restricting buyers to a single pack at a time .
In some countries outside Japan , where masks are less often seen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices on online marketplaces .
US surgeon general Jerome Adams urged the public not to add to the demand in a tweet over the weekend .
“ Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS !
” Adams wrote .
“ They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching # Coronavirus , but if healthcare providers can ’ t get them to care for sick patients , it puts them and our communities at risk !
” World Health Organization guidelines state that healthy people should only wear masks if taking care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected with the coronavirus , but for people with symptoms they may help slow the spread of the disease in combination with thorough and frequent hand-washing .

Sharp plans to start making face masks at one of its factories in Japan in response to surging demand sparked by the coronavirus outbreak, The Associated Press reports. The plant, in Kameyama, Mie prefecture, is usually used for mass-producing large LCD panels and assembling TVs.
Sharp will make 150,000 masks a day by the end of this month, rising to as much as 500,000 a day. The facility is said to be well-suited for mask production because of the essential high standards of cleanliness. Sharp, which is owned by Foxconn, reportedly hasn’t yet settled on pricing or distribution plans for the masks.
It’s been difficult to find masks in Japan
Face masks are a common sight in Japan, particularly in winter when many people wear them to help prevent the spread of illnesses. But since the COVID-19 outbreak began, it’s been difficult to find them and other household items like toilet paper, with most retailers restricting buyers to a single pack at a time. In some countries outside Japan, where masks are less often seen in stores, sellers have been jacking up prices on online marketplaces.
US surgeon general Jerome Adams urged the public not to add to the demand in a tweet over the weekend. “Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS!” Adams wrote. “They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!”


theverge--2020-03-01--Second coronavirus death confirmed in Washington state

A second person died of the coronavirus in Washington , according to local health authorities .
It is also the second death from the disease in the U.S. Three more people in the county have also been hospitalized as a result of the disease .
There are now 10 confirmed cases of illnesses from the new coronavirus in King County , Washington .
A man in his 70s died at EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Kirkland — the same hospital where the death of a man in his 50s was announced yesterday .
Both men had underlying health problems .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one in her 80s and one in her 90s , and a man in his 70s .
All three have other health issues .
They are in critical condition .
These new cases , including the death , are in people who were residents at Life Care , a nursing facility .
Earlier today , health officials also said that two more people , men in their 60s , had also been hospitalized for illness from the novel coronavirus .
A total of six people who have connections to Life Care have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the new virus .
Genetic sequencing suggests the virus may have been circulating for six weeks .
Two samples of the virus — one from a person who traveled to Snohomish County in January from China , and one from a recently-diagnosed high school student with no history of travel to an affected area or contacts with known cases — were compared , and the sequence was nearly identical , according to Trevor Bedford , a computational biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle .
Bedford says his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s possible there are other explanations besides community spread .
However , he believes that an alternative explanation is unlikely , because of an unusual variant on one of the genes .
“ I believe we ’ re facing an already substantial outbreak in Washington State that was not detected until now due to narrow case definition requiring direct travel to China , ” Bedford said on Twitter .
Until last week , people with symptoms of COVID-19 weren ’ t tested for the virus unless they ’ d traveled to an area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with a confirmed case .
The testing criteria were expanded after a public backlash — and cases with unknown causes were found .
COVID-19 causes a fever , a cough , and shortness of breath .
More than 89,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 3,000 have died .

A second person died of the coronavirus in Washington, according to local health authorities. It is also the second death from the disease in the U.S. Three more people in the county have also been hospitalized as a result of the disease. There are now 10 confirmed cases of illnesses from the new coronavirus in King County, Washington.
A man in his 70s died at EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Kirkland — the same hospital where the death of a man in his 50s was announced yesterday. Both men had underlying health problems. The three other new cases are two women, one in her 80s and one in her 90s, and a man in his 70s. All three have other health issues. They are in critical condition.
These new cases, including the death, are in people who were residents at Life Care, a nursing facility. Earlier today, health officials also said that two more people, men in their 60s, had also been hospitalized for illness from the novel coronavirus. A total of six people who have connections to Life Care have been formally diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus.
Genetic sequencing suggests the virus may have been circulating for six weeks. Two samples of the virus — one from a person who traveled to Snohomish County in January from China, and one from a recently-diagnosed high school student with no history of travel to an affected area or contacts with known cases — were compared, and the sequence was nearly identical, according to Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.
Bedford says his work is preliminary, and it’s possible there are other explanations besides community spread. However, he believes that an alternative explanation is unlikely, because of an unusual variant on one of the genes.
“I believe we’re facing an already substantial outbreak in Washington State that was not detected until now due to narrow case definition requiring direct travel to China,” Bedford said on Twitter. Until last week, people with symptoms of COVID-19 weren’t tested for the virus unless they’d traveled to an area where the virus was circulating or had contact with a confirmed case. The testing criteria were expanded after a public backlash — and cases with unknown causes were found.


theverge--2020-03-01--Mike Bloomberg cosplays as president in coronavirus ad

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg ’ s presidential campaign purchased primetime ad space Sunday night — reportedly worth at least $ 1 million — so the former New York City mayor could cosplay as the president of the U.S .
He addressed the nation , vaguely , about the threat of coronavirus .
Bloomberg ’ s ad ran around 8:30PM ET on CBS and NBC , during “ God Friended Me , ” a CBS exclusive about an atheist who gets a friend request from God .
The ad space could have cost the Bloomberg campaign anywhere from $ 1.25 to 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
In this three-minute ad , Bloomberg stands in a room — or in front of a green screen of a room ?
— that looks remarkably similar to the White House ’ s Oval Office .
He wears a pin in the shape of an American flag while he addresses the American public about the coronavirus .
“ I know this has been a very worrisome week for many Americans , ” Bloomberg says at the top of the ad .
“ The coronavirus is spreading , and the economy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of uncertainty .
At times like this , it ’ s the job of the president to reassure the public that he or she is taking all of the necessary steps to protect the health and well-being of every citizen.
” Bloomberg hasn ’ t won a single primary contest .
He ’ s spent millions on television and social media ads to increase his name recognition among voters ahead of the important Super Tuesday primaries .
That money hasn ’ t won him the presidency just yet , but it sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can pretend like he ’ s already won .

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign purchased primetime ad space Sunday night — reportedly worth at least $1 million — so the former New York City mayor could cosplay as the president of the U.S. He addressed the nation, vaguely, about the threat of coronavirus.
Bloomberg’s ad ran around 8:30PM ET on CBS and NBC, during “God Friended Me,” a CBS exclusive about an atheist who gets a friend request from God. The ad space could have cost the Bloomberg campaign anywhere from $1.25 to 3 million, The New York Times reported Saturday.
In this three-minute ad, Bloomberg stands in a room — or in front of a green screen of a room? — that looks remarkably similar to the White House’s Oval Office. He wears a pin in the shape of an American flag while he addresses the American public about the coronavirus.
“I know this has been a very worrisome week for many Americans,” Bloomberg says at the top of the ad. “The coronavirus is spreading, and the economy is taking a hit. Markets have fallen because of uncertainty. At times like this, it’s the job of the president to reassure the public that he or she is taking all of the necessary steps to protect the health and well-being of every citizen.”


theverge--2020-03-02--Chris Matthews just quit Hardball live on air

Chris Matthews apparently just quit “ Hardball With Chris Matthews ” live on air .
The abrupt exit of the MSNBC anchor happened after columnist Laura Bassett accused Matthews of sexually harassing her in 2016 , and after a terse exchange with presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren about believing women in workplace disputes .
“ Compliments on a woman ’ s appearance that some men , including me , might have once incorrectly thought were okay , were never okay , ” Matthews said .
“ Not then , and certainly not today .
And for making such comments on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That was a lot to take in just now , I ’ m sure , ” said a surprised-looking Steve Kornacki , in response to Matthews ’ on-air resignation .
“ I ’ m sure you ’ re still absorbing that and I am too.
” The anchor had been planning retirement already , but missteps over the last few weeks sped up his departure , The Wall Street Journal reported .
A series of anchors will take on “ Hardball With Chris Matthews ” until the network figures out a permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a GQ story , Bassett wrote that Matthews wanted to know why he hadn ’ t “ fallen in love ” with her — right before she went on his show .
( She was scheduled to discuss allegations of sexual abuse against Donald Trump . )
Though Bassett wrote that she didn ’ t think the remarks rose to the level of “ illegal sexual harassment , ” she felt that they undermined her right before she went on-air .
The confrontation with Warren came after Warren had pressed presidential candidate Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his business .
A lawsuit alleged that , upon hearing of her pregnancy , Bloomberg had told a female employee to “ kill it.
” ( Bloomberg has denied saying this . )
Matthews asked Warren if she believed that Bloomberg had said this .
“ Well , a pregnant employee sure said that he did , ” Warren responded .
“ Why shouldn ’ t I believe her ?
” “ You believe he is lying ?
” Matthews asked , referring to Bloomberg .
Warren said she did .
“ Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself ?
” “ Yeah , ” Warren said .
“ And why would she lie ?
” Also , after Bernie Sanders won the Nevada caucuses , Matthews compared Sanders ’ victory to the fall of France to the Nazis in World War II .
Sanders is Jewish ; many of his relatives on his father ’ s side of the family were killed in the Holocaust .
Matthews later apologized .

Chris Matthews apparently just quit “Hardball With Chris Matthews” live on air. The abrupt exit of the MSNBC anchor happened after columnist Laura Bassett accused Matthews of sexually harassing her in 2016, and after a terse exchange with presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren about believing women in workplace disputes.
“Compliments on a woman’s appearance that some men, including me, might have once incorrectly thought were okay, were never okay,” Matthews said. “Not then, and certainly not today. And for making such comments on the past, I’m sorry.”
“That was a lot to take in just now, I’m sure,” said a surprised-looking Steve Kornacki, in response to Matthews’ on-air resignation. “I’m sure you’re still absorbing that and I am too.”
The anchor had been planning retirement already, but missteps over the last few weeks sped up his departure, The Wall Street Journal reported. A series of anchors will take on “Hardball With Chris Matthews” until the network figures out a permanent solution for the time slot.
In a GQ story, Bassett wrote that Matthews wanted to know why he hadn’t “fallen in love” with her — right before she went on his show. (She was scheduled to discuss allegations of sexual abuse against Donald Trump.) Though Bassett wrote that she didn’t think the remarks rose to the level of “illegal sexual harassment,” she felt that they undermined her right before she went on-air.
The confrontation with Warren came after Warren had pressed presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg on the use of NDAs at his business. A lawsuit alleged that, upon hearing of her pregnancy, Bloomberg had told a female employee to “kill it.” (Bloomberg has denied saying this.) Matthews asked Warren if she believed that Bloomberg had said this. “Well, a pregnant employee sure said that he did,” Warren responded. “Why shouldn’t I believe her?”
“You believe he is lying?” Matthews asked, referring to Bloomberg. Warren said she did. “Why would he lie? Just to protect himself?”
“Yeah,” Warren said. “And why would she lie?”


theverge--2020-03-02--Oppo’s new smartwatch looks just like the Apple Watch

Oppo has given us its best look yet at its upcoming smartwatch on the way — and it looks almost exactly like an Apple Watch .
The new watch will be called the Oppo Watch , and more will be announced about it on March 6th at the company ’ s Oppo Find X2 launch event , according to a tweet the company posted on Monday .
There ’ s still a lot we don ’ t know about the device , including price or many of its features , but there are a few things we can speculate about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like you can use the watch to make and receive calls .
And if you look at the watch on the right , it looks like there ’ s an option to send a message to the caller if you aren ’ t able to take their call .
The watches themselves also look slightly different than the Apple Watch .
While the body of the Oppo Watch appears to be pretty similar in shape to the Apple Watch , there ’ s no knob that could function like the Apple Watch ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oppo Watch has a second and larger button similar to other WearOS devices .
The watch on the left also comes in a nice blue color , which isn ’ t an option for the Apple Watch .
And the bands look a little different than those you can get for Apple ’ s wearable .
Oppo has been more forthright about design details in the lead up to the official announcement .
For instance , the Oppo Watch will apparently have a curved screen and “ 3D glass , ” according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brian Shen : Shen also reportedly shared another image of the watch on Weibo on January 30th .
It gives a better look at that second top button and reveals a microphone and an interesting green line on the bottom button : You can see a bit more of the Oppo Watch ’ s curved screen in what appears to be a leaked image of the Oppo Watch shared on Weibo on February 25th .
According to Google Translate , this Weibo post says the Oppo Watch is an “ Android system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s wearOS : Oppo ’ s event takes place on March 6th at 4:30AM ET , so we won ’ t have to wait long to learn more about the Oppo Watch .

Oppo has given us its best look yet at its upcoming smartwatch on the way — and it looks almost exactly like an Apple Watch.
The new watch will be called the Oppo Watch, and more will be announced about it on March 6th at the company’s Oppo Find X2 launch event, according to a tweet the company posted on Monday.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about the device, including price or many of its features, but there are a few things we can speculate about from this one image. It looks like you can use the watch to make and receive calls. And if you look at the watch on the right, it looks like there’s an option to send a message to the caller if you aren’t able to take their call.
The watches themselves also look slightly different than the Apple Watch. While the body of the Oppo Watch appears to be pretty similar in shape to the Apple Watch, there’s no knob that could function like the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown — instead, the Oppo Watch has a second and larger button similar to other WearOS devices. The watch on the left also comes in a nice blue color, which isn’t an option for the Apple Watch. And the bands look a little different than those you can get for Apple’s wearable.
Oppo has been more forthright about design details in the lead up to the official announcement. For instance, the Oppo Watch will apparently have a curved screen and “3D glass,” according to a February 17th tweet from Oppo exec Brian Shen:
Shen also reportedly shared another image of the watch on Weibo on January 30th. It gives a better look at that second top button and reveals a microphone and an interesting green line on the bottom button:
You can see a bit more of the Oppo Watch’s curved screen in what appears to be a leaked image of the Oppo Watch shared on Weibo on February 25th. According to Google Translate, this Weibo post says the Oppo Watch is an “Android system,” so perhaps it runs Google’s wearOS:


theverge--2020-03-02--Facebook pulls out of the SXSW conference citing coronavirus concerns

Facebook has pulled out of the upcoming SXSW conference in Austin , TX , according to a company statement given to Business Insider .
“ Due to concerns related to coronavirus , our company and employees will not be participating in SXSW this year , ” said the statement , which Facebook also shared with The Verge .
Twitter announced earlier today that it had pulled out of SXSW as well .
This evening , SXSW said the event was still proceeding as planned .
Over the past few weeks , Facebook has taken a number of actions in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company said it would be restricting social visits to physical offices and conducting job interviews primarily over video conferencing tools .
Last week , it canceled the in-person portion of its F8 developer conference , which would have taken place on May 5th and May 6th .
It also canceled a global marketing conference planned for this month on February 14th .
Many other tech industry events have also been canceled out of caution for coronavirus .
Google and Microsoft today canceled two small conferences , though their major developer conferences that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least for the moment .
The Game Developers Conference , originally planned for later this month , has been postponed to sometime this summer .
And Mobile World Congress , which was scheduled to take place in Barcelona at the end of February , was canceled twelve days before the show was supposed to start .
More than 3,000 people have died from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel strain of coronavirus , including six people in Washington state over the past few days .

Facebook has pulled out of the upcoming SXSW conference in Austin, TX, according to a company statement given to Business Insider. “Due to concerns related to coronavirus, our company and employees will not be participating in SXSW this year,” said the statement, which Facebook also shared with The Verge. Twitter announced earlier today that it had pulled out of SXSW as well. This evening, SXSW said the event was still proceeding as planned.
Over the past few weeks, Facebook has taken a number of actions in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Today, the company said it would be restricting social visits to physical offices and conducting job interviews primarily over video conferencing tools. Last week, it canceled the in-person portion of its F8 developer conference, which would have taken place on May 5th and May 6th. It also canceled a global marketing conference planned for this month on February 14th.
Many other tech industry events have also been canceled out of caution for coronavirus. Google and Microsoft today canceled two small conferences, though their major developer conferences that take place in May are still scheduled, at least for the moment. The Game Developers Conference, originally planned for later this month, has been postponed to sometime this summer. And Mobile World Congress, which was scheduled to take place in Barcelona at the end of February, was canceled twelve days before the show was supposed to start.


theverge--2020-03-02--Google and Microsoft just canceled two conferences ahead of their major ones

Google and Microsoft both announced on Monday that two industry conferences , Google ’ s Cloud Next in San Francisco and Microsoft ’ s MVP Summit in the Seattle suburbs of Bellevue and Redmond , are being cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak .
Google says it will be making its Cloud Next conference — an enterprise-focused meetup dedicated to G Suite and other cloud computing tools and by attendees the largest Google conference — into a “ digital-first ” event .
Microsoft plans to do the same with its MVP Summit .
“ We are transforming the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Digital Connect , a free , global , digital-first , multi-day event connecting our attendees to Next ’ 20 content and each other through streamed keynotes , breakout sessions , interactive learning and digital ‘ ask an expert ’ sessions with Google teams , ” the company said in a statement posted to the Cloud Next website .
Google and Microsoft are switching over to virtual versions of their conferences Cloud Next was slated to take place at San Francisco ’ s Moscone Center from April 6th to April 8th .
The company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tickets for the event and hotel stays , and all registered attendees will be given access to the digital version of the event instead , Google says .
Microsoft ’ s MVP Summit , a networking event for its “ Most Valuable Professional ” program , will also be transitioning to a virtual version .
It will take place from March 16th to 20th , the same week as the initially-planned physical conference .
These cancellations don ’ t bode well for both companies ’ annual developer conferences , which typically feature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both Google I/O and Microsoft Build are scheduled for May , yet Facebook decided last week to cancel its F8 developer conference , which occurs just a week before I/O and two weeks before Build .
Neither Google nor Microsoft has publicly announced any plans to postpone or cancel their developer conferences as of now , but moving Cloud Next and MVP Summit to “ virtual events ” could be the first step toward making a similar decision for I/O and Build .
These are just the latest technology-related events to be postponed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the novel coronavirus strain that originated in China but has since spread to numerous countries around the world .
Last week , the Game Developers Conference announced it would be postponing its annual event originally scheduled for later this month to some time later this summer .
The organization behind the global phone expo Mobile World Congress cancelled its event in Barcelona last month , as well .
Numerous other events have been similarly effected .
Countless other companies in the tech industry and beyond have also begun restricting employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and taking additional measures to help prevent the spread of the virus .
Today , Facebook announced it would be banning all social visits to its offices worldwide , and job interviews will be conducted via video conferencing .
So far , more than 3,000 people have died from COVID-19 , including six people in Washington state just in the past few days .
Numerous cases continue to pop up throughout the US as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expands its testing procedures .
Update March 2nd , 7:44PM ET @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s largest conference by attendees , while I/O is a dedicated to high-profile consumer product announcements .

Google and Microsoft both announced on Monday that two industry conferences, Google’s Cloud Next in San Francisco and Microsoft’s MVP Summit in the Seattle suburbs of Bellevue and Redmond, are being cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Google says it will be making its Cloud Next conference — an enterprise-focused meetup dedicated to G Suite and other cloud computing tools and by attendees the largest Google conference — into a “digital-first” event. Microsoft plans to do the same with its MVP Summit.
“We are transforming the event into Google Cloud Next ’20: Digital Connect, a free, global, digital-first, multi-day event connecting our attendees to Next ’20 content and each other through streamed keynotes, breakout sessions, interactive learning and digital ‘ask an expert’ sessions with Google teams,” the company said in a statement posted to the Cloud Next website.
Google and Microsoft are switching over to virtual versions of their conferences
Cloud Next was slated to take place at San Francisco’s Moscone Center from April 6th to April 8th. The company plans to refund attendees both the cost of tickets for the event and hotel stays, and all registered attendees will be given access to the digital version of the event instead, Google says.
Microsoft’s MVP Summit, a networking event for its “Most Valuable Professional” program, will also be transitioning to a virtual version. It will take place from March 16th to 20th, the same week as the initially-planned physical conference.
These cancellations don’t bode well for both companies’ annual developer conferences, which typically feature high-profile consumer product launches and announcements. Both Google I/O and Microsoft Build are scheduled for May, yet Facebook decided last week to cancel its F8 developer conference, which occurs just a week before I/O and two weeks before Build. Neither Google nor Microsoft has publicly announced any plans to postpone or cancel their developer conferences as of now, but moving Cloud Next and MVP Summit to “virtual events” could be the first step toward making a similar decision for I/O and Build.
These are just the latest technology-related events to be postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus strain that originated in China but has since spread to numerous countries around the world. Last week, the Game Developers Conference announced it would be postponing its annual event originally scheduled for later this month to some time later this summer. The organization behind the global phone expo Mobile World Congress cancelled its event in Barcelona last month, as well. Numerous other events have been similarly effected.
Countless other companies in the tech industry and beyond have also begun restricting employee travel, expanding remote and work-from-home policies, and taking additional measures to help prevent the spread of the virus. Today, Facebook announced it would be banning all social visits to its offices worldwide, and job interviews will be conducted via video conferencing. So far, more than 3,000 people have died from COVID-19, including six people in Washington state just in the past few days. Numerous cases continue to pop up throughout the US as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expands its testing procedures.


theverge--2020-03-02--Stanford group wants to use your computer to help researchers study the coronavirus

Stanford University ’ s Folding @ home distributed computing project is seeking volunteers to help researchers develop treatment therapies for the novel coronavirus .
Folding @ home ( FAH ) uses the processing capacity of networked computers to simulate the complex process of protein folding , which helps determine how to treat diseases like Alzheimer ’ s and cancer , and SARS , another coronavirus .
A brief explainer from Folding @ home : For both coronaviruses [ the current 2019 nCoV and SARS ] , the first step of infection occurs in the lungs , when a protein on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a receptor protein on a lung cell .
This viral protein is called the spike protein ... Proteins are not stagnant—they wiggle and fold and unfold to take on numerous shapes .
We need to study not only one shape of the viral spike protein , but all the ways the protein wiggles and folds into alternative shapes Studying how the protein folds could eventually help researchers develop drugs that could treat infections of the virus .
This kind of research requires substantial computational power , which FAH generates by tapping into volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The project famously used to use idle Sony PlayStation 3s , whose unique “ Core ” processors offered better performance at the time than comparable computers for the specific tasks FAH was doing .
But Sony removed the functionality from PS3s in 2012 .
To participate in the coronavirus project , download the FAH software , and your computer ’ s unused resources will go to the Folding @ home Consortium , “ where a research team at Memorial Sloan Kettering is working to advance our understanding of the structures of potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the design of new therapies , ” according to FAH ’ s blog post .
There have been more than 89,000 confirmed cases worldwide of COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus .
More than 3,000 people have died from the disease , including six people in Washington State .
Marked by a cough , fever , and shortness of breath , the illness is typically mild , affecting the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions most acutely .

Stanford University’s Folding@home distributed computing project is seeking volunteers to help researchers develop treatment therapies for the novel coronavirus.
Folding@home (FAH) uses the processing capacity of networked computers to simulate the complex process of protein folding, which helps determine how to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, and SARS, another coronavirus. A brief explainer from Folding@home:
For both coronaviruses [the current 2019 nCoV and SARS], the first step of infection occurs in the lungs, when a protein on the surface of the virus binds to a receptor protein on a lung cell. This viral protein is called the spike protein ... Proteins are not stagnant—they wiggle and fold and unfold to take on numerous shapes. We need to study not only one shape of the viral spike protein, but all the ways the protein wiggles and folds into alternative shapes
Studying how the protein folds could eventually help researchers develop drugs that could treat infections of the virus.
This kind of research requires substantial computational power, which FAH generates by tapping into volunteers’ CPUs when they’re idle. The project famously used to use idle Sony PlayStation 3s, whose unique “Core” processors offered better performance at the time than comparable computers for the specific tasks FAH was doing. But Sony removed the functionality from PS3s in 2012.
To participate in the coronavirus project, download the FAH software, and your computer’s unused resources will go to the Folding@home Consortium, “where a research team at Memorial Sloan Kettering is working to advance our understanding of the structures of potential drug targets for 2019-nCoV that could aid in the design of new therapies,” according to FAH’s blog post.


theverge--2020-03-02--Chinese nationals helped North Korea launder stolen cryptocurrency, US officials say

North Korean hackers stole $ 250 million worth of cryptocurrency from an exchange and two Chinese nationals helped them launder $ 100 million of it using prepaid iTunes gift cards and other methods , according to the US Department of Justice .
The US Treasury Department says the scheme is tied to the Lazarus Group , a criminal enterprise linked to North Korea and its efforts to steal cryptocurrency and various other high-profile cyberattacks .
Prosecutors said the North Korean hackers stole the crypto money in 2018 after an employee of a cryptocurrency exchange unknowingly downloaded North Korean malware .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ keys , virtual currency , and other customer information .
The hackers evaded law enforcement and safeguards on the virtual exchange by using fake IDs .
“ a grave threat to the security and integrity of the global financial system ” The North Korean government “ trains cyber actors to target and launder stolen funds , ” according to the Treasury Department .
Between December 2017 and April 2019 , defendants Tian Yinyin and Li Jiadong , both of China , laundered $ 100 million of funds traceable back to the 2018 hack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ converted about $ 1.4 million of bitcoin into prepaid Apple iTunes gift cards , which the Treasury Department says are accepted on some virtual currency exchanges to purchase additional bitcoin .
“ The hacking of virtual currency exchanges and related money laundering for the benefit of North Korean actors poses a grave threat to the security and integrity of the global financial system , ” US Attorney Timothy J. Shea of the District of Columbia said in a statement .
The indictments against Tian and Li detail how the North Korean hackers “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this campaign.
” The North Korean hackers also are “ tied to the theft of approximately $ 48.5 million worth of virtual currency from a South Korea-based virtual currency exchange in November 2019.
” Li and Tian were each indicted on charges of money laundering conspiracy and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business .

North Korean hackers stole $250 million worth of cryptocurrency from an exchange and two Chinese nationals helped them launder $100 million of it using prepaid iTunes gift cards and other methods, according to the US Department of Justice. The US Treasury Department says the scheme is tied to the Lazarus Group, a criminal enterprise linked to North Korea and its efforts to steal cryptocurrency and various other high-profile cyberattacks.
Prosecutors said the North Korean hackers stole the crypto money in 2018 after an employee of a cryptocurrency exchange unknowingly downloaded North Korean malware. That gave the attacker access to private keys, virtual currency, and other customer information. The hackers evaded law enforcement and safeguards on the virtual exchange by using fake IDs.
“a grave threat to the security and integrity of the global financial system”
The North Korean government “trains cyber actors to target and launder stolen funds,” according to the Treasury Department. Between December 2017 and April 2019, defendants Tian Yinyin and Li Jiadong, both of China, laundered $100 million of funds traceable back to the 2018 hack, according to the DOJ. Tian converted about $1.4 million of bitcoin into prepaid Apple iTunes gift cards, which the Treasury Department says are accepted on some virtual currency exchanges to purchase additional bitcoin.
“The hacking of virtual currency exchanges and related money laundering for the benefit of North Korean actors poses a grave threat to the security and integrity of the global financial system,” US Attorney Timothy J. Shea of the District of Columbia said in a statement. The indictments against Tian and Li detail how the North Korean hackers “used infrastructure in North Korea as part of this campaign.”


theverge--2020-03-02--Epic delays Fortnite tournaments until it fixes performance issues

Epic Games announced today that it won ’ t be hosting any Fortnite tournaments with cash prizes until it addresses performance issues affecting both players and the game ’ s servers .
“ Our goal is to improve performance before kicking off any cash prized competition , ” the company said in a statement .
Disappointingly , this tweet seems to suggest that we won ’ t be hearing anything about the next World Cup or any potential qualifying events in the near future .
Last July , Epic hosted the first Fortnite World Cup in New York City and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of a few months to vie for their shot at the trophy — and $ 30 million in prize money .
Fortnite ’ s latest season launched on February 20th , and there are a number of recent changes to the game that could be affecting performance .
One is that multiple areas on the map are now guarded by armed and coordinated NPCs , and perhaps Epic is seeing issues with how those characters sync up across games .
The game also moved over to the Unreal Engine ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when Epic announced that change , it said it expected to experience some “ bumps ” with the transition .
Epic may also be exercising caution in light of coronavirus There ’ s also the possibility that Epic is exercising caution about hosting the World Cup in light of the global coronavirus outbreak , which has already led to the postponement of the Game Developers Conference , many exhibitors pulling out of last week ’ s PAX East , and the cancellation of other major tech events like Mobile World Congress and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ’ s League of Legends Pro League has suspended its in-person matches and shifted to an online-only format for the time being .
There ’ s always a chance Epic could take a similar approach for the next World Cup , given last year ’ s World Cup qualifiers were all online and that the company has hosted online tournaments with cash prizes in the past .
And although it seems like we ’ ll be waiting to hear more about Epic ’ s plans for tournaments , popular streamers and Fortnite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nick “ NickMercs ” Kolcheff , and World Cup solo champion Kyle “ Bugha ” Giersdorf all reacted positively to today ’ s announcement on Twitter .

Epic Games announced today that it won’t be hosting any Fortnite tournaments with cash prizes until it addresses performance issues affecting both players and the game’s servers. “Our goal is to improve performance before kicking off any cash prized competition,” the company said in a statement.
Disappointingly, this tweet seems to suggest that we won’t be hearing anything about the next World Cup or any potential qualifying events in the near future. Last July, Epic hosted the first Fortnite World Cup in New York City and offered players 10 online qualifying tournaments over the course of a few months to vie for their shot at the trophy — and $30 million in prize money.
Fortnite’s latest season launched on February 20th, and there are a number of recent changes to the game that could be affecting performance. One is that multiple areas on the map are now guarded by armed and coordinated NPCs, and perhaps Epic is seeing issues with how those characters sync up across games. The game also moved over to the Unreal Engine’s Chaos physics engine in early February, and when Epic announced that change, it said it expected to experience some “bumps” with the transition.
Epic may also be exercising caution in light of coronavirus
China’s League of Legends Pro League has suspended its in-person matches and shifted to an online-only format for the time being. There’s always a chance Epic could take a similar approach for the next World Cup, given last year’s World Cup qualifiers were all online and that the company has hosted online tournaments with cash prizes in the past.