theverge--2020-12-09--PUBG’s new creative director wants to put the focus back on survival

It ’ s been a year of experimentation for PUBG .
Over the course of 2020 , the genre-defining battle royale game received new , smaller maps and tightly focused gameplay modes .
December 16th will see the debut of PUBG ’ s 10th season , which introduces new AI enemies in a dense , 32-player map called “ Haven.
” Looking ahead , though , PUBG ’ s new creative director Dave Curd says this process of testing ideas has helped the team find what makes the game distinct among the sea of battle royale games it inspired .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a lot of small maps , mainly because we ’ re trying to find the range of what ’ s acceptable , ” he tells The Verge .
“ Now that we ’ ve had this year of development , my feeling is those big , long stretches of downtime , punctuated with exciting gunfights , that I think has the most unique PUBG flavor .
I think that ’ s what we do best that our competitors don ’ t. ” Curd has been in the role for the last few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first creative director since creator Brendan “ PlayerUnknown ” Greene stepped down last year to start a new project .
Curd has worked on the game for three years , starting out as an artist before heading up the relatively new PUBG studio in Madison , Wisconsin .
Prior to that , he served as art director at Call of Duty developer Raven Software .
He says that , as part of his new role , he thinks a lot about the long-term life of PUBG — and that process involves defining what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re always curious what ’ s beyond the blue circle , ” he says .
“ We don ’ t see the game of PUBG as a giant team death match with a shrinking circle .
We see it as a survival experience .
If you think about PUBG , we ’ ve got really deep , interesting gunplay , and I think that ’ s contributed to our staying power .
But if you analyze a match of PUBG , a very small percentage of your time is actually spent shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re in survival phase.
” One of the challenges has been figuring out how to make that phase more interesting , particularly for new players .
One of the goal ’ s of the new season 10 map is to create more interactions for players outside of fighting each other .
The new AI soldiers , for instance , guard valuable gear , forcing players to make a decision about whether it ’ s worth the risk to engage .
Similarly , the new tactical parachute is meant to make traversing the dense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience .
“ You think about a new user who joins PUBG today .
They download it , they boot it up : the players they ’ re encountering are very challenging to compete with , ” Curd explains .
“ All of the players that have been here for years have amazing recoil control , they really understand how to follow the circle , and they ’ re just amazing veterans .
So if you ’ re a new user , I think it ’ s really difficult .
The game has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re playing with this in season 10 by giving more adventures to get into and more ways to get out of trouble.
” The goal is that these new experiences will make players stick around and dig deeper into the main survival experience .
Similarly , the PUBG team has also been experimenting with storytelling — there ’ s even a lore website — in an attempt to find more ways to lure people in .
It ’ s a very tricky balancing act , trying to grow a popular game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s especially challenging now as the battle royale genre is arguably as popular as its ever been , with games like Fortnite , Apex Legends , and Call of Duty : Warzone all enjoying healthy player bases .
Some of those titles have introduced bots and experimented with easier modes in an attempt to make the experience more approachable for new players — Fortnite ’ s last few years have been largely defined by developer Epic ’ s attempts to balance casual and competitive play , often with mixed results .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using a different philosophy .
“ That ’ s something that ’ s been on my mind , ” he says .
“ Not making the game easier , or even friendlier , but just making it more interesting.
” Season 10 of PUBG launches December 16th on PC , followed by a console version on the 17th .

It’s been a year of experimentation for PUBG. Over the course of 2020, the genre-defining battle royale game received new, smaller maps and tightly focused gameplay modes. December 16th will see the debut of PUBG’s 10th season, which introduces new AI enemies in a dense, 32-player map called “Haven.” Looking ahead, though, PUBG’s new creative director Dave Curd says this process of testing ideas has helped the team find what makes the game distinct among the sea of battle royale games it inspired.
“[In] 2020, we made a lot of small maps, mainly because we’re trying to find the range of what’s acceptable,” he tells The Verge. “Now that we’ve had this year of development, my feeling is those big, long stretches of downtime, punctuated with exciting gunfights, that I think has the most unique PUBG flavor. I think that’s what we do best that our competitors don’t.”
Curd has been in the role for the last few months, serving as PUBG’s first creative director since creator Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene stepped down last year to start a new project. Curd has worked on the game for three years, starting out as an artist before heading up the relatively new PUBG studio in Madison, Wisconsin. Prior to that, he served as art director at Call of Duty developer Raven Software. He says that, as part of his new role, he thinks a lot about the long-term life of PUBG — and that process involves defining what exactly the game is.
“We’re always curious what’s beyond the blue circle,” he says. “We don’t see the game of PUBG as a giant team death match with a shrinking circle. We see it as a survival experience. If you think about PUBG, we’ve got really deep, interesting gunplay, and I think that’s contributed to our staying power. But if you analyze a match of PUBG, a very small percentage of your time is actually spent shooting. Most of the time you’re in survival phase.”
“The game has a really steep learning curve.”
One of the challenges has been figuring out how to make that phase more interesting, particularly for new players. One of the goal’s of the new season 10 map is to create more interactions for players outside of fighting each other. The new AI soldiers, for instance, guard valuable gear, forcing players to make a decision about whether it’s worth the risk to engage. Similarly, the new tactical parachute is meant to make traversing the dense, more vertical map a more fun experience.
“You think about a new user who joins PUBG today. They download it, they boot it up: the players they’re encountering are very challenging to compete with,” Curd explains. “All of the players that have been here for years have amazing recoil control, they really understand how to follow the circle, and they’re just amazing veterans. So if you’re a new user, I think it’s really difficult. The game has a really steep learning curve. So we’re playing with this in season 10 by giving more adventures to get into and more ways to get out of trouble.”
The goal is that these new experiences will make players stick around and dig deeper into the main survival experience. Similarly, the PUBG team has also been experimenting with storytelling — there’s even a lore website — in an attempt to find more ways to lure people in.
It’s a very tricky balancing act, trying to grow a popular game with a dedicated player base. It’s especially challenging now as the battle royale genre is arguably as popular as its ever been, with games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone all enjoying healthy player bases. Some of those titles have introduced bots and experimented with easier modes in an attempt to make the experience more approachable for new players — Fortnite’s last few years have been largely defined by developer Epic’s attempts to balance casual and competitive play, often with mixed results.
But Curd says that the PUBG team is using a different philosophy. “That’s something that’s been on my mind,” he says. “Not making the game easier, or even friendlier, but just making it more interesting.”


theverge--2020-12-09--The Verge’s favorite gadgets of 2020

The Verge’s favorite gadgets of 2020

We covered nearly a hundred products on our YouTube channel in 2020 and countless more here on the site .
But while we return all our review units , there are some products we get sad about having to send back — so sad , in fact , that we end up buying them for ourselves ( or at least have wishful thoughts about buying them ) because we simply can ’ t live without them .
What follows are some of the gadgets that our staff really liked .
The Galaxy Buds Live ( or the Galaxy Beans as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t the perfect pair of true wireless headphones , but they fit my specific needs perfectly .
That ’ s because I wanted a pair of earbuds to wear while cycling .
So for starters , they couldn ’ t be too bulky or have a stem that ’ d catch on the straps of my helmet .
Nor did I want a pair of earbuds that were too good at blocking out environmental noise ; it ’ s more important for me to hear incoming traffic than the end of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ open-air design from a negative into a positive for me .
Throw in a USB-C port and support for wireless charging , and you ’ re left with my favorite gadget of the year .
— Jon Porter , reporter The Oculus Quest 2 is a big compromise as a platform , since it ties virtual reality directly to the Facebook service .
As a gadget , though , it can ’ t be beat .
The Quest 2 is the first piece of consumer VR hardware without a big and obvious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be used without any wires , but you can also plug it into a laptop to play higher-powered games .
It ’ s light enough to wear without hurting your head , although it ’ s best when tricked out with an alternate head strap and some special short-cord headphones .
And it supports some of the best VR games around , including my personal obsession Beat Saber .
The Quest 2 isn ’ t quite the Nintendo Switch of virtual reality — but it ’ s surprisingly close .
— Adi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peloton bike , the Bike Plus , has been a bright spot in a horrifying year .
I ’ m still testing it and working on the review , but the small bugs I ’ ve found so far don ’ t take away from the fact that having a place to listen to good music , sweat , and work out all my 2020 frustrations has been incredible .
I need an outlet for everything I ’ m feeling from being cooped up in my apartment .
That said , the bike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 monthly subscription plan attached .
It ’ s a massive cost that is tempting for me to spend , but I do wonder if , when the pandemic wanes , I ’ ll crave in-person gym experiences again .
— Ashley Carman , senior reporter The PS5 was one of my most highly anticipated pieces of tech this year , and I am happy to say it has lived up to the expectations I set for the console .
While I still have concerns on how expandable storage will work , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger launch than its competitor , the Xbox Series X , for this reason : namely , the DualSense is one of the most innovative controllers I have seen in the last few years .
Its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers provide extra realism to immerse me even more in the games I play .
— Taylor Lyles , writer I reviewed a whole bunch of convertible laptops this year , but the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the closest to being one that I ’ d actually consider buying .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it : the keyboard is a bit flat for my taste , and the lack of USB-A ports means I can ’ t connect some of my peripherals without a dongle .
But when it comes to the most important aspects of a 2-in-1 laptop , the XPS 13 doesn ’ t just check all the boxes — it blows the boxes off the page .
The build quality is exceptional , the touchpad is comfortable , the 16:10 display is roomy and gorgeous , the battery life lasts all day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light .
You can even play games like Overwatch at well above 60fps .
As someone looking for a reliable , portable machine , I really couldn ’ t ask for anything more .
— Monica Chin , reporter DJI ’ s new Mini 2 drone is the drone I didn ’ t really expect to love as much as I do .
It ’ s not the ultimate do-it-all drone — in fact , it misses a lot of features you ’ d find on more expensive drones .
The Mini 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensors , it has a tiny photo sensor , and photos are only 12MP .
But it also nails the basics : those 12MP photos look sharp , dynamic range is good for that small sensor , and video looks crisp .
It also has two awesome features : it includes DJI ’ s OcuSync 2 wireless connectivity and it weighs only 249g .
OcuSync 2 enables radio transmission and a nearly impeccable connection , compared to the flaky Wi-Fi connection in the original Mavic Mini .
And being a sub-250g drone means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( but be sure to follow other FAA regulations ) .
It ’ s easy to bring anywhere you go and it ’ s incredibly fun to fly .
If you ’ re a content creator , drone enthusiast , or a total beginner , this is a perfect drone to get .
— Vjeran Pavic , senior director The iPhone 12 mini isn ’ t the best iPhone 12 for most people .
If you asked me , I ’ d tell you to get the regular iPhone 12 or maybe the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really care about the camera .
But the 12 mini is my favorite and the one I purchased .
It has been a very long time since we ’ ve had a small phone with true flagship specs .
Usually , smaller phones are either nonexistent or deeply compromised .
With the 12 mini , there ’ s really only one compromise that matters : the battery life isn ’ t great .
That ’ s the reason I don ’ t recommend it right off the bat .
But if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think it can fit into your lifestyle , having a small phone again is great .
It just feels like it was designed for human hands instead of being designed to maximize the screen size .
That ’ s why it ’ s my favorite .
— Dieter Bohn , executive editor Fujifilm went back to the basics with the Instax SQ1 , which is absolutely the least tech-y gadget I reviewed this year .
With no screens , only two shooting modes , and a rotating ring around the lens that turns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SQ1 feels more like a toy than a $ 120 camera .
And it ’ s perfect that way because it inspires creativity and fun .
Although it ’ s a bit bulky , the joy it provides by instantly developing memories in that iconic Polaroid frame still makes me want to bring it everywhere .
Plus , taking photos of the contents of your friends ’ refrigerators and then hiding the photo under the milk carton never gets old .
— Becca Farsace , senior director

We covered nearly a hundred products on our YouTube channel in 2020 and countless more here on the site. But while we return all our review units, there are some products we get sad about having to send back — so sad, in fact, that we end up buying them for ourselves (or at least have wishful thoughts about buying them) because we simply can’t live without them.
What follows are some of the gadgets that our staff really liked.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Live Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The Galaxy Buds Live (or the Galaxy Beans as they should have been called) aren’t the perfect pair of true wireless headphones, but they fit my specific needs perfectly. That’s because I wanted a pair of earbuds to wear while cycling. So for starters, they couldn’t be too bulky or have a stem that’d catch on the straps of my helmet. Nor did I want a pair of earbuds that were too good at blocking out environmental noise; it’s more important for me to hear incoming traffic than the end of a guitar solo. That turned the Beans’ open-air design from a negative into a positive for me. Throw in a USB-C port and support for wireless charging, and you’re left with my favorite gadget of the year. — Jon Porter, reporter
Oculus Quest 2 Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The Oculus Quest 2 is a big compromise as a platform, since it ties virtual reality directly to the Facebook service. As a gadget, though, it can’t be beat. The Quest 2 is the first piece of consumer VR hardware without a big and obvious compromise. It’s self-contained and can be used without any wires, but you can also plug it into a laptop to play higher-powered games. It’s light enough to wear without hurting your head, although it’s best when tricked out with an alternate head strap and some special short-cord headphones. And it supports some of the best VR games around, including my personal obsession Beat Saber. The Quest 2 isn’t quite the Nintendo Switch of virtual reality — but it’s surprisingly close. — Adi Robertson, senior reporter
Peloton bike
Reviewing the new Peloton bike, the Bike Plus, has been a bright spot in a horrifying year. I’m still testing it and working on the review, but the small bugs I’ve found so far don’t take away from the fact that having a place to listen to good music, sweat, and work out all my 2020 frustrations has been incredible. I need an outlet for everything I’m feeling from being cooped up in my apartment. That said, the bike costs nearly $2,500 with a $40 monthly subscription plan attached. It’s a massive cost that is tempting for me to spend, but I do wonder if, when the pandemic wanes, I’ll crave in-person gym experiences again. — Ashley Carman, senior reporter
PS5
The PS5 was one of my most highly anticipated pieces of tech this year, and I am happy to say it has lived up to the expectations I set for the console. While I still have concerns on how expandable storage will work, I find the PS5 to have had a stronger launch than its competitor, the Xbox Series X, for this reason: namely, the DualSense is one of the most innovative controllers I have seen in the last few years. Its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers provide extra realism to immerse me even more in the games I play. — Taylor Lyles, writer
PlayStation 5 $ 500 Sony’s flagship next-gen console priced at $499. Compared to the PS5 Digital Edition, this console is $100 more and includes a disc drive. (Be warned: these consoles can be extremely hard to find and are often out of stock.) $500 at Best Buy
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
I reviewed a whole bunch of convertible laptops this year, but the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the closest to being one that I’d actually consider buying. There are certainly things I don’t love about it: the keyboard is a bit flat for my taste, and the lack of USB-A ports means I can’t connect some of my peripherals without a dongle. But when it comes to the most important aspects of a 2-in-1 laptop, the XPS 13 doesn’t just check all the boxes — it blows the boxes off the page. The build quality is exceptional, the touchpad is comfortable, the 16:10 display is roomy and gorgeous, the battery life lasts all day, and the chassis is unbelievably thin and light. You can even play games like Overwatch at well above 60fps. As someone looking for a reliable, portable machine, I really couldn’t ask for anything more. — Monica Chin, reporter
DJI Mini 2
DJI’s new Mini 2 drone is the drone I didn’t really expect to love as much as I do. It’s not the ultimate do-it-all drone — in fact, it misses a lot of features you’d find on more expensive drones. The Mini 2 doesn’t have any obstacle avoidance sensors, it has a tiny photo sensor, and photos are only 12MP. But it also nails the basics: those 12MP photos look sharp, dynamic range is good for that small sensor, and video looks crisp. It also has two awesome features: it includes DJI’s OcuSync 2 wireless connectivity and it weighs only 249g. OcuSync 2 enables radio transmission and a nearly impeccable connection, compared to the flaky Wi-Fi connection in the original Mavic Mini. And being a sub-250g drone means you don’t need FAA registration (but be sure to follow other FAA regulations). It’s easy to bring anywhere you go and it’s incredibly fun to fly. If you’re a content creator, drone enthusiast, or a total beginner, this is a perfect drone to get. — Vjeran Pavic, senior director
DJI Mini 2 Bundle $ 479 $ 599 20 % off $ 479 $ 479 $ 599 20 % off The DJI Mini 2 might look identical to Mavic Mini, but it now comes with DJI’s OcuSync 2 wireless connectivity for up to 2.5 times the wireless range and more stable connectivity. Plus, it offers 4K video recording. $479 at GameStop
iPhone 12 mini Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
The iPhone 12 mini isn’t the best iPhone 12 for most people. If you asked me, I’d tell you to get the regular iPhone 12 or maybe the 12 Pro Max, especially if you really care about the camera. But the 12 mini is my favorite and the one I purchased. It has been a very long time since we’ve had a small phone with true flagship specs. Usually, smaller phones are either nonexistent or deeply compromised. With the 12 mini, there’s really only one compromise that matters: the battery life isn’t great. That’s the reason I don’t recommend it right off the bat. But if you’re aware of that battery life and think it can fit into your lifestyle, having a small phone again is great. It just feels like it was designed for human hands instead of being designed to maximize the screen size. That’s why it’s my favorite. — Dieter Bohn, executive editor
Instax SQ1 Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge
Fujifilm went back to the basics with the Instax SQ1, which is absolutely the least tech-y gadget I reviewed this year. With no screens, only two shooting modes, and a rotating ring around the lens that turns the camera on and off, the SQ1 feels more like a toy than a $120 camera. And it’s perfect that way because it inspires creativity and fun. Although it’s a bit bulky, the joy it provides by instantly developing memories in that iconic Polaroid frame still makes me want to bring it everywhere. Plus, taking photos of the contents of your friends’ refrigerators and then hiding the photo under the milk carton never gets old. — Becca Farsace, senior director


theverge--2020-12-09--WhatsApp criticizes Apple’s new app privacy labels over iMessage inconsistency

WhatsApp has hit back at Apple over its new privacy labels for apps in the App Store , Axios reports , arguing that it ’ s unfair that they don ’ t appear to cover the pre-installed first-party service iMessage , since it ’ s not available on the App Store .
The Facebook-owned messaging service reportedly submitted its privacy label information to Apple on Monday , and it has published an FAQ outlining what each label means in terms of the service ’ s data collection , and why it needs this information .
“ We think labels should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps as well as reflect the strong measures apps may take to protect people ’ s private information , ” WhatsApp told Axios in a statement .
Although it said giving users easy-to-read privacy information is “ a good start , ” it added that “ it ’ s important people can compare these ‘ privacy nutrition ’ labels from apps they download with apps that come pre-installed , like iMessage.
” “ It ’ s important people can compare these ‘ privacy nutrition ’ labels from apps they download with apps that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new privacy labels feature as part of a host of new privacy features at WWDC 2020 .
Likening them to the nutrition labels used on packaged groceries , the company said the feature should provide app users with more information about the data being collected on them .
As of December 8th , developers are required to provide the information when submitting new apps and updates , however Axios notes that it ’ s unclear when they ’ ll start appearing on the App Store .
Facebook has also been critical of other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , like its requirement that developers show a warning and ask for permission to collect a user ’ s Identification for Advertisers ( IDFA ) starting with iOS 14 .
This is an identifier which helps advertisers target their ads .
In response , Facebook said it would stop collecting IDFA information through its apps , in a move that would “ severely impact ” its ad network .
“ This is not a change we want to make , but unfortunately Apple ’ s updates to iOS 14 have forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , “ We know this may severely impact publishers ’ ability to monetize through Audience Network on iOS 14 , and , despite our best efforts , may render Audience Network so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it on iOS 14 in the future.
” Apple later announced that it would be delaying the launch of the privacy feature until “ early next year ” to allow developers to make the necessary changes .

WhatsApp has hit back at Apple over its new privacy labels for apps in the App Store, Axios reports, arguing that it’s unfair that they don’t appear to cover the pre-installed first-party service iMessage, since it’s not available on the App Store. The Facebook-owned messaging service reportedly submitted its privacy label information to Apple on Monday, and it has published an FAQ outlining what each label means in terms of the service’s data collection, and why it needs this information.
“We think labels should be consistent across first and third party apps as well as reflect the strong measures apps may take to protect people’s private information,” WhatsApp told Axios in a statement. Although it said giving users easy-to-read privacy information is “a good start,” it added that “it’s important people can compare these ‘privacy nutrition’ labels from apps they download with apps that come pre-installed, like iMessage.”
“It’s important people can compare these ‘privacy nutrition’ labels from apps they download with apps that come pre-installed”
Apple first announced the new privacy labels feature as part of a host of new privacy features at WWDC 2020. Likening them to the nutrition labels used on packaged groceries, the company said the feature should provide app users with more information about the data being collected on them. As of December 8th, developers are required to provide the information when submitting new apps and updates, however Axios notes that it’s unclear when they’ll start appearing on the App Store.
Apple has since clarified that its own apps will be offer similar labels when they roll out; those apps that aren’t in the App Store, like Messages, will provide privacy information in a similar format on Apple’s website.
Facebook has also been critical of other aspects of Apple’s privacy push this year, like its requirement that developers show a warning and ask for permission to collect a user’s Identification for Advertisers (IDFA) starting with iOS 14. This is an identifier which helps advertisers target their ads. In response, Facebook said it would stop collecting IDFA information through its apps, in a move that would “severely impact” its ad network.
“This is not a change we want to make, but unfortunately Apple’s updates to iOS 14 have forced this decision,” Facebook said at the time, “We know this may severely impact publishers’ ability to monetize through Audience Network on iOS 14, and, despite our best efforts, may render Audience Network so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it on iOS 14 in the future.”
Apple later announced that it would be delaying the launch of the privacy feature until “early next year” to allow developers to make the necessary changes.


theverge--2020-12-09--Google gives Chrome users an easier way to sync info across devices

Google is making it easier for Chrome users to sync their passwords and payment information across devices , the company has announced in a blog post .
The new features will roll out “ over the coming weeks and months , ” Google says .
Chrome on Android will be able to access saved payment information after you log into the browser with a Google Account .
Payments can be confirmed by entering a card ’ s CVC or via biometric security .
Logging into a Google Account in the first place on an Android device will also be simplified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a Google service like Gmail , the option will be given to sign into the browser with a Google Account on the device “ with a single tap.
” Chrome ’ s desktop version is also being updated to give access to saved passwords if signed in with a Google Account .
When you save a new password , Chrome will give the option to save it either on the device , or to a Google Account to have access across all devices .
Similar functionality is already available in Chrome via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bookmarks , history , passwords , and other settings across devices , 9to5Google notes .
But Google says the problem with this approach is that it relies on the sync option being turned on for each device .
The new approach , signing into a browser with a Google Account , makes it “ simpler and more intuitive ” to access your information , the company claims .
These are just the latest changes Google is making to how information gets synced across devices .
Last year , the company added the option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desktop browser via Google Accounts , without having to turn on Chrome sync .

Google is making it easier for Chrome users to sync their passwords and payment information across devices, the company has announced in a blog post. The new features will roll out “over the coming weeks and months,” Google says.
Chrome on Android will be able to access saved payment information after you log into the browser with a Google Account. Payments can be confirmed by entering a card’s CVC or via biometric security. Logging into a Google Account in the first place on an Android device will also be simplified. If you’re already logged into a Google service like Gmail, the option will be given to sign into the browser with a Google Account on the device “with a single tap.”
Chrome’s desktop version is also being updated to give access to saved passwords if signed in with a Google Account. When you save a new password, Chrome will give the option to save it either on the device, or to a Google Account to have access across all devices.
On desktop, you’ll have the option of saving passwords to the device, or to a Google Account. Image: Google
Similar functionality is already available in Chrome via its sync feature, which carries your bookmarks, history, passwords, and other settings across devices, 9to5Google notes. But Google says the problem with this approach is that it relies on the sync option being turned on for each device. The new approach, signing into a browser with a Google Account, makes it “simpler and more intuitive” to access your information, the company claims.


theverge--2020-12-09--FireEye cybersecurity tools compromised in state-sponsored attack

One of the US ’ s leading cybersecurity firms , FireEye , says it ’ s been hacked by a state-sponsored attacker .
Hackers targeted and accessed the firm ’ s so-called Red Team tools , which it uses to test customer security and find vulnerabilities .
Now there ’ s concern that the hackers could release these tools publicly or use them to attack others , though there is no evidence that this has happened yet .
FireEye says that it does not believe any customer information was taken .
Although the blog post , authored by FireEye CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is responsible , it says that the attacking nation has “ top-tier offensive capabilities.
” The Wall Street Journal reports that Russia is a suspect , specifically its foreign-intelligence service known as the SVR .
However , the investigation into who is responsible is ongoing .
“ This attack is different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the years ” “ This attack is different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the years , ” Mandia wrote in the post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained in operational security and executed with discipline and focus.
” The disclosure did not say when the hack took place or when FireEye became aware of it .
“ They operated clandestinely , using methods that counter security tools and forensic examination .
They used a novel combination of techniques not witnessed by us or our partners in the past , ” wrote Mandia .
FireEye says it ’ s investigating the hack alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation , as well as industry partners like Microsoft .
FireEye ’ s disclosure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notes caused its shares to drop around 7 percent in after-hours trading , was praised by US Senator Mark Warner , who serves as vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chairs the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus .
“ I applaud FireEye for quickly going public with this news , and I hope the company ’ s decision to disclose this intrusion serves as an example to others facing similar intrusions , ” he said , adding that the attack “ shows the difficulty of stopping determined nation-state hackers.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has developed over 300 countermeasures to help its customers and the cybersecurity community defend against the stolen tools .
It ’ s implemented these countermeasures into its own security products , shared them with “ colleagues in the security community , ” and is making them publicly available .
FireEye intends to share further countermeasures as they become available .

One of the US’s leading cybersecurity firms, FireEye, says it’s been hacked by a state-sponsored attacker. Hackers targeted and accessed the firm’s so-called Red Team tools, which it uses to test customer security and find vulnerabilities. Now there’s concern that the hackers could release these tools publicly or use them to attack others, though there is no evidence that this has happened yet. FireEye says that it does not believe any customer information was taken.
Although the blog post, authored by FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia, does not say who is responsible, it says that the attacking nation has “top-tier offensive capabilities.” The Wall Street Journal reports that Russia is a suspect, specifically its foreign-intelligence service known as the SVR. However, the investigation into who is responsible is ongoing.
“This attack is different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the years”
“This attack is different from the tens of thousands of incidents we have responded to throughout the years,” Mandia wrote in the post, noting that the attackers “are highly trained in operational security and executed with discipline and focus.” The disclosure did not say when the hack took place or when FireEye became aware of it.
“They operated clandestinely, using methods that counter security tools and forensic examination. They used a novel combination of techniques not witnessed by us or our partners in the past,” wrote Mandia. FireEye says it’s investigating the hack alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as industry partners like Microsoft.
FireEye’s disclosure of the attack, which the WSJ notes caused its shares to drop around 7 percent in after-hours trading, was praised by US Senator Mark Warner, who serves as vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chairs the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus. “I applaud FireEye for quickly going public with this news, and I hope the company’s decision to disclose this intrusion serves as an example to others facing similar intrusions,” he said, adding that the attack “shows the difficulty of stopping determined nation-state hackers.”


theverge--2020-12-09--Zoom, murder hornets, Among Us, and Joe Biden topped Google trending searches in 2020

Google has released its list of the top trending searches in the US for 2020 , and as one might expect , “ coronavirus , ” “ election results , ” and “ Zoom ” led the way .
To be clear : these aren ’ t top searches or most-searched topics .
Rather , they ’ re “ searches that had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2020 as compared to 2019 , ” Google said .
As year-in-review content goes , it ’ s pretty depressing ; also among the top trending searches were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chadwick Boseman , all of whom died in 2020 .
Google ’ s top trending searches in news included “ stimulus checks , ” as the government ’ s distribution of $ 1,200 payments didn ’ t exactly go smoothly ; “ unemployment , ” as millions lost their jobs due to pandemic lockdowns ; “ Australia fires ” which , I have to be honest , I forgot was actually this year ; “ Super Tuesday ” ; and “ Hurricane Laura.
” Also among the top news results was the creature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this hellscape of a year : the “ murder hornet.
” The top people in Google ’ s trending searches included President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris , Kanye West , Tom Brady , Tom Hanks , and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un .
All in all , it ’ s been a pretty terrible year , and the search topics mostly bear it out .
But there were a few bright spots in the entertainment categories — and thank goodness for streaming services because we really needed the distraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under movies , the top trending searches were for Best Picture winner Parasite , Black Panther , Sonic the Hedgehog , Little Women , and Harley Quinn : Birds of Prey .
Netflix dominated the top trending TV shows , which included the one we could not escape no matter how hard we tried : Tiger King , along with The Queen ’ s Gambit , Cobra Kai , Outer Banks , and Ozark as well as Hulu ’ s Little Fires Everywhere .
And under games , the little game that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 list , along with Fall Guys : Ultimate Knockout , Valorant , The Last of Us 2 , and , of course , Animal Crossing .
There was also a “ during coronavirus ” trending search category ; people wanted to know whether they could visit the dentist , buy a house , find a job , date , or get an Uber .
So that ’ s what searches trended on Google in 2020 , a year that felt decades long .
Let ’ s meet back here next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking a bit brighter .

Google has released its list of the top trending searches in the US for 2020, and as one might expect, “coronavirus,” “election results,” and “Zoom” led the way. To be clear: these aren’t top searches or most-searched topics. Rather, they’re “searches that had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2020 as compared to 2019,” Google said. As year-in-review content goes, it’s pretty depressing; also among the top trending searches were Kobe Bryant, Naya Rivera, and Chadwick Boseman, all of whom died in 2020.
Google’s top trending searches in news included “stimulus checks,” as the government’s distribution of $1,200 payments didn’t exactly go smoothly; “unemployment,” as millions lost their jobs due to pandemic lockdowns; “Australia fires” which, I have to be honest, I forgot was actually this year; “Super Tuesday”; and “Hurricane Laura.” Also among the top news results was the creature that should probably be the mascot for this hellscape of a year: the “murder hornet.”
The top people in Google’s trending searches included President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Kanye West, Tom Brady, Tom Hanks, and North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
All in all, it’s been a pretty terrible year, and the search topics mostly bear it out. But there were a few bright spots in the entertainment categories — and thank goodness for streaming services because we really needed the distraction while we were all locked down.
Under movies, the top trending searches were for Best Picture winner Parasite, Black Panther, Sonic the Hedgehog, Little Women, and Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. Netflix dominated the top trending TV shows, which included the one we could not escape no matter how hard we tried: Tiger King, along with The Queen’s Gambit, Cobra Kai, Outer Banks, and Ozark as well as Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere.
And under games, the little game that could from 2018, Among Us, topped the 2020 list, along with Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, Valorant, The Last of Us 2, and, of course, Animal Crossing.
There was also a “during coronavirus” trending search category; people wanted to know whether they could visit the dentist, buy a house, find a job, date, or get an Uber.


theverge--2020-12-08--The hard-to-find PS5 and RTX 3090 have each inspired daring heists

The 2020 holiday shopping season has been defined by how difficult it is to purchase consoles like the PS5 and GPUs like the GeForce RTX 3090 , prompting some people to use other , less legal methods to get both products .
Bots account for some of the consoles up for resale , but theft is apparently another source .
Around $ 340,000 worth of GeForce RTX 3090 GPUs were stolen from MSI , according to Tom ’ s Hardware .
That amounts to 40 containers of the popular cards , based off the translation of an internal document from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The GeForce RTX 3090 sits at the high end of of Nvidia ’ s line at $ 1,499 , and often sells for hundreds of dollars more on eBay , which seems like enough motivation to steal them .
What ’ s less clear is how these cards were stolen .
Tom ’ s Hardware says that MSI ’ s communications cite video surveillance and inspections of each truck as the main security for GPUs shipping out of warehouses .
This has led MSI to believe company “ insiders ” are the thieves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any information provided other than that document in the tweet , which is dated Friday , December 4th .
On the PS5 side of things , thefts in the UK have involved a method that seems far more dramatic and dangerous .
In a maneuver The Times refers to as a “ rollover ” , thieves use cars , one in front of a delivery truck and one behind , to slow down the truck from the front and open its back while standing on the hood of the car that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of insider information about what ’ s actually in a given truck , but The Times says it ’ s been used 27 times this year , increasing in frequency as holiday shipments have started to carry more and more expensive products .
You can see an example of a “ rollover ” in a video from Romania above .
In another likely theft , Amazon PS5 buyers received air fryers , cat litter and other household objects instead of the console .
IGN found a collection of customers who received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different from Amazon ’ s traditional Prime-branded black version .
Conversations with current Amazon employees suggested that it would be very difficult to smuggle PS5s out of an Amazon warehouse , but it ’ s possible the consoles were switched out from the delivery trucks .
IGN ’ s full odyssey is worth a read , but as of now , affected customers are receiving actual PS5s , and the culprits remain unknown .
Getting a PS5 or GeForce RTX card at this point requires dealing with prices higher than what both products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't just easily buy one at a store , the true prices aren ’ t $ 499 for a PS5 and $ 1,499 for a GeForce RTX 3090 , but what they cost at resale .
We saw average prices of the PS5 reach $ 1,024 and GeForce RTX 3090 averaging $ 2,076 when we last surveyed eBay .
You can start to see why both products have become the targets of thieves .
If there ’ s any lesson to be learned besides “ don ’ t steal , ” it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer ways to make pre-orders and sales more fair .
The pandemic has impacted the amount of consoles and graphics cards that can be safely manufactured , but creating scarcity with limited restocks only worsens the problem .
Until there ’ s an easier method to guarantee a purchase , reselling , and the occasional theft that helps it happen , will continue .

The 2020 holiday shopping season has been defined by how difficult it is to purchase consoles like the PS5 and GPUs like the GeForce RTX 3090, prompting some people to use other, less legal methods to get both products. Bots account for some of the consoles up for resale, but theft is apparently another source.
Around $340,000 worth of GeForce RTX 3090 GPUs were stolen from MSI, according to Tom’s Hardware. That amounts to 40 containers of the popular cards, based off the translation of an internal document from MSI embedded in the tweet below.
The GeForce RTX 3090 sits at the high end of of Nvidia’s line at $1,499, and often sells for hundreds of dollars more on eBay, which seems like enough motivation to steal them. What’s less clear is how these cards were stolen. Tom’s Hardware says that MSI’s communications cite video surveillance and inspections of each truck as the main security for GPUs shipping out of warehouses. This has led MSI to believe company “insiders” are the thieves, but there hasn’t been any information provided other than that document in the tweet, which is dated Friday, December 4th.
On the PS5 side of things, thefts in the UK have involved a method that seems far more dramatic and dangerous. In a maneuver The Times refers to as a “rollover”, thieves use cars, one in front of a delivery truck and one behind, to slow down the truck from the front and open its back while standing on the hood of the car that’s following. This method reportedly requires some kind of insider information about what’s actually in a given truck, but The Times says it’s been used 27 times this year, increasing in frequency as holiday shipments have started to carry more and more expensive products. You can see an example of a “rollover” in a video from Romania above.
In another likely theft, Amazon PS5 buyers received air fryers, cat litter and other household objects instead of the console. IGN found a collection of customers who received a “PS5” box with resealed tape different from Amazon’s traditional Prime-branded black version. Conversations with current Amazon employees suggested that it would be very difficult to smuggle PS5s out of an Amazon warehouse, but it’s possible the consoles were switched out from the delivery trucks. IGN’s full odyssey is worth a read, but as of now, affected customers are receiving actual PS5s, and the culprits remain unknown.
Getting a PS5 or GeForce RTX card at this point requires dealing with prices higher than what both products retail for. Given that you can't just easily buy one at a store, the true prices aren’t $499 for a PS5 and $1,499 for a GeForce RTX 3090, but what they cost at resale. We saw average prices of the PS5 reach $1,024 and GeForce RTX 3090 averaging $2,076 when we last surveyed eBay. You can start to see why both products have become the targets of thieves.


theverge--2020-12-09--Former employees say Apple stood by while suppliers violated Chinese labor laws

Apple has been complicit in its suppliers ’ violations of Chinese labor laws , according to a report from The Information .
Suppliers have periodically filled their factories with temporary workers or “ dispatch labor , ” violating a Chinese labor law requiring no more than 10 percent of a factory ’ s workers be temporary employees .
Much like in the US , temporary employees in China receive lower pay and fewer benefits , and they ’ ve become increasingly common as interest in factory jobs has shrunk according to The Information ’ s sources .
The law limiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect in 2014 , and that year Apple conducted a survey of its suppliers in China to determine how many already complied .
The company found that among 362 factories , “ nearly half were over the quota for temporary workers , ” according to a presentation The Information reviewed .
Apple took no major action against its suppliers for violating temp-worker labor laws Despite that figure , not much had changed by 2016 and the end of a grace period for complying .
Three former members of Apple ’ s “ supplier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ took no major action against its suppliers for violating the temp-worker labor law out of concerns it would create costs , drain resources and delay product launches.
” If the claims are true , it ’ s notable because Apple says it applies its supplier code of conduct policies equally across its supply chain , which should prevent these kinds of violations from happening .
New data Apple collected in 2018 shows the problem continued .
The Information says that a Quanta factory manufacturing Apple Watches hired 5,000 temporary workers to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s around 27 percent temporary workers , above the 10 percent limit set by the law .
This isn ’ t the first time labor laws have been violated on Apple ’ s watch .
In 2019 , Apple actually admitted to at least a portion of this dispatch labor problem in its dealings with Foxconn .
Foxconn had exceeded the 10 percent limit , despite previously agreeing multiple times to stop .
And just last month another supplier , Pegatron , violated student labor laws and falsified its records to cover it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to put the company on “ probation , ” preventing it from conducting any new business with Apple until the problem was resolved .
Despite the Pegatron example , punishments have still not been broadly applied .
Limits on temporary labor are an issue that all large tech companies manufacturing in China have likely been dealing with , but it ’ s Apple ’ s desire to “ surprise and delight , ” along with maintaining aggressive production quotas , that have potentially worsened the problem .
In a quote from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much : “ We are making it difficult for our suppliers to comply with this law as 10 % dispatch is simply not enough to cope with the spikes in labor demand.
” Apple is aware this is an issue , but until it ’ s willing to step in and take bolder action , suppliers will take shortcuts to keep Apple ’ s business .

Apple has been complicit in its suppliers’ violations of Chinese labor laws, according to a report from The Information. Suppliers have periodically filled their factories with temporary workers or “dispatch labor,” violating a Chinese labor law requiring no more than 10 percent of a factory’s workers be temporary employees.
Much like in the US, temporary employees in China receive lower pay and fewer benefits, and they’ve become increasingly common as interest in factory jobs has shrunk according to The Information’s sources. The law limiting the use of dispatch labor came into effect in 2014, and that year Apple conducted a survey of its suppliers in China to determine how many already complied. The company found that among 362 factories, “nearly half were over the quota for temporary workers,” according to a presentation The Information reviewed.
Apple took no major action against its suppliers for violating temp-worker labor laws
Despite that figure, not much had changed by 2016 and the end of a grace period for complying. Three former members of Apple’s “supplier responsibility team” said that the company “took no major action against its suppliers for violating the temp-worker labor law out of concerns it would create costs, drain resources and delay product launches.” If the claims are true, it’s notable because Apple says it applies its supplier code of conduct policies equally across its supply chain, which should prevent these kinds of violations from happening.
New data Apple collected in 2018 shows the problem continued. The Information says that a Quanta factory manufacturing Apple Watches hired 5,000 temporary workers to bring its workforce to 18,000. That’s around 27 percent temporary workers, above the 10 percent limit set by the law.
This isn’t the first time labor laws have been violated on Apple’s watch. In 2019, Apple actually admitted to at least a portion of this dispatch labor problem in its dealings with Foxconn. Foxconn had exceeded the 10 percent limit, despite previously agreeing multiple times to stop. And just last month another supplier, Pegatron, violated student labor laws and falsified its records to cover it up. Apple’s reported response was to put the company on “probation,” preventing it from conducting any new business with Apple until the problem was resolved.
Despite the Pegatron example, punishments have still not been broadly applied. Limits on temporary labor are an issue that all large tech companies manufacturing in China have likely been dealing with, but it’s Apple’s desire to “surprise and delight,” along with maintaining aggressive production quotas, that have potentially worsened the problem. In a quote from the report, an unnamed Apple executive admits as much: “We are making it difficult for our suppliers to comply with this law as 10% dispatch is simply not enough to cope with the spikes in labor demand.”


theverge--2020-12-09--Samsung announces massive 110-inch 4K TV with next-gen MicroLED picture quality

Over the last couple years , Samsung has showed off ( and sold to a very rich few ) its futuristic , modular TV dubbed The Wall that uses MicroLED technology .
MicroLED shares many of OLED ’ s best traits — without most of the associated drawbacks — and is widely viewed as the next big upgrade leap for the displays in our lives .
Now , Samsung is taking MicroLED and putting it into a more traditional TV form factor .
Today the company announced the 110-inch MicroLED TV , which goes up for presale today in Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter of 2021 .
As for the first question that probably comes to mind , no , Samsung is n't yet revealing a price for this enormous TV using the latest picture technology .
But you can expect it ’ ll cost far more than any of the company ’ s other 4K ( or even 8K ) sets on account of the self-emitting MicroLED magic .
You won ’ t really notice any bezels or borders in these images ; this TV has a 99.99 percent screen-to-body ratio , but Samsung still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majestic Sound System ” that it claims “ delivers breathtaking 5.1 channel sound with no external speaker.
” Here ’ s what Samsung says about picture quality : Since all those LEDs are self-illuminating , you get the perfect blacks and fantastic contrast that have come to define OLED .
But crucially , MicroLED is inorganic and thus should have better long-term durability .
There shouldn ’ t be any threat of burn in , which is already getting rarer on modern OLED TVs .
Samsung estimates a lifespan of around 100,000 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In the case of The Wall , those MicroLEDs are put into modular panels that can be combined to create a TV of pretty much any size — if you ’ ve got the scratch to pay for it .
Here ’ s one example of The Wall that was installed in a luxury London home .
But the 110-inch TV is a more traditional form factor .
As for whether the 110-inch MicroLED includes HDMI 2.1 and supports all the things that it makes possible ( like 120Hz 4K gaming ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but an answer was n't available at press time .
One neat software trick is the ability to simultaneously watch up to four sources of content ( even from different HDMI inputs ) with the TV ’ s Multi View feature .
Samsung says that manufacturing a 110-inch MicroLED TV was n't possible until recent innovations , and the company credits “ a new production process derived from its semiconductor business ” as helping to make it possible .
Smaller MicroLED TVs are already on the roadmap , so while this thing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s out of reach for many people , someday there will be models that won ’ t be as cost-prohibitive .
That ’ s still a ways out , though , and Samsung is expected to have a fresh lineup of more mainstream ( and still great looking ) consumer QLED 4K and 8K TVs next month during a virtual CES 2021 .

Over the last couple years, Samsung has showed off (and sold to a very rich few) its futuristic, modular TV dubbed The Wall that uses MicroLED technology. MicroLED shares many of OLED’s best traits — without most of the associated drawbacks — and is widely viewed as the next big upgrade leap for the displays in our lives. Now, Samsung is taking MicroLED and putting it into a more traditional TV form factor. Today the company announced the 110-inch MicroLED TV, which goes up for presale today in Korea and will launch globally in the first quarter of 2021.
As for the first question that probably comes to mind, no, Samsung isn't yet revealing a price for this enormous TV using the latest picture technology. But you can expect it’ll cost far more than any of the company’s other 4K (or even 8K) sets on account of the self-emitting MicroLED magic. You won’t really notice any bezels or borders in these images; this TV has a 99.99 percent screen-to-body ratio, but Samsung still managed to build in “an embedded Majestic Sound System” that it claims “delivers breathtaking 5.1 channel sound with no external speaker.”
Image: Samsung
Here’s what Samsung says about picture quality:
The 110-inch MicroLED uses micrometer-sized LED lights to eliminate the backlight and color filters utilized in conventional displays. Instead, it is self-illuminating — producing light and color from its own pixel structures. It expresses 100 percent of the DCI and Adobe RGB color gamut, and accurately delivers wide color gamut images taken with high-end DSLR cameras. This results in stunning, lifelike colors, and accurate brightness from the display’s 4K resolution and 8 million pixels.
Since all those LEDs are self-illuminating, you get the perfect blacks and fantastic contrast that have come to define OLED. But crucially, MicroLED is inorganic and thus should have better long-term durability. There shouldn’t be any threat of burn in, which is already getting rarer on modern OLED TVs. Samsung estimates a lifespan of around 100,000 hours — or “up to a decade.” In the case of The Wall, those MicroLEDs are put into modular panels that can be combined to create a TV of pretty much any size — if you’ve got the scratch to pay for it. Here’s one example of The Wall that was installed in a luxury London home. But the 110-inch TV is a more traditional form factor.
As for whether the 110-inch MicroLED includes HDMI 2.1 and supports all the things that it makes possible (like 120Hz 4K gaming), I’ve asked Samsung. but an answer wasn't available at press time. One neat software trick is the ability to simultaneously watch up to four sources of content (even from different HDMI inputs) with the TV’s Multi View feature.
Samsung says that manufacturing a 110-inch MicroLED TV wasn't possible until recent innovations, and the company credits “a new production process derived from its semiconductor business” as helping to make it possible. Smaller MicroLED TVs are already on the roadmap, so while this thing is sure to have a price that’s out of reach for many people, someday there will be models that won’t be as cost-prohibitive.


theverge--2020-12-09--Sony is buying anime streaming service Crunchyroll from AT&T for $1.175 billion

Sony will be buying anime streaming service Crunchyroll from AT & T for $ 1.175 billion , Sony and AT & T announced Wednesday .
Specifically , Crunchyroll will become part of Sony ’ s Funimation , which already licenses many popular shows such as Attack on Titan , Fullmetal Alchemist , and One Piece .
Now that Sony owns both Crunchyroll and Funimation , the company has tremendous power over anime in the US at a time when many other media companies are trying to figure out their anime content .
Netflix has also invested heavily in both licensing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are excited to embark on this new journey ” “ We are excited to embark on this new journey , ” said Joanne Waage , general manager of Crunchyroll , in a statement .
“ Crunchyroll has built a world-class brand with a passionate fan-base of over 3 million subscribers , 50 million social followers and 90 million registered users .
These amazing fans have helped to propel anime into a global phenomenon .
Combining the strength of the Crunchyroll brand and the expertise of our global team with Funimation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incredible art form of anime.
” “ The union of Funimation and Crunchyroll is a win for anime fans around the world that will elevate the art and culture of this medium for decades to come , ” Colin Decker , CEO of Funimation Global Group , said in a statement .
“ Combining these two great companies will be a win for fans , and enable us to compete at a truly global scale .
I am honored to welcome the wonderful Crunchyroll team to a shared mission—to help everyone belong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AT & T has been shopping around Crunchyroll for some time , and AT & T and Sony have apparently been in talks for months about the deal .
In August , The Information reported that AT & T wanted Sony to pay $ 1.5 billion for Crunchyroll , and the two sides were reportedly close to a nearly $ 1 billion deal in October .
AT & T purchased Crunchyroll as part of Otter Media in 2018 from the Chernin Group for a reported sum of more than $ 1 billion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The sale gave AT & T ownership over a number of digital properties .
John Stankey , current CEO of AT & T but then head of WarnerMedia , said the company would use the Otter Media acquisition to “ harness Otter ’ s expertise ” while strengthening its own digital assets .
Under Stankey ’ s leadership , AT & T and WarnerMedia are now focused on building up HBO Max , the crown jewel of the company ’ s streaming offerings .

Sony will be buying anime streaming service Crunchyroll from AT&T for $1.175 billion, Sony and AT&T announced Wednesday. Specifically, Crunchyroll will become part of Sony’s Funimation, which already licenses many popular shows such as Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, and One Piece.
Now that Sony owns both Crunchyroll and Funimation, the company has tremendous power over anime in the US at a time when many other media companies are trying to figure out their anime content. Netflix has also invested heavily in both licensing and producing its own anime content.
“We are excited to embark on this new journey”
“We are excited to embark on this new journey,” said Joanne Waage, general manager of Crunchyroll, in a statement. “Crunchyroll has built a world-class brand with a passionate fan-base of over 3 million subscribers, 50 million social followers and 90 million registered users. These amazing fans have helped to propel anime into a global phenomenon. Combining the strength of the Crunchyroll brand and the expertise of our global team with Funimation is an exciting prospect and a win for the incredible art form of anime.”
“The union of Funimation and Crunchyroll is a win for anime fans around the world that will elevate the art and culture of this medium for decades to come,” Colin Decker, CEO of Funimation Global Group, said in a statement. “Combining these two great companies will be a win for fans, and enable us to compete at a truly global scale. I am honored to welcome the wonderful Crunchyroll team to a shared mission—to help everyone belong to the extraordinary world of anime.”
AT&T has been shopping around Crunchyroll for some time, and AT&T and Sony have apparently been in talks for months about the deal. In August, The Information reported that AT&T wanted Sony to pay $1.5 billion for Crunchyroll, and the two sides were reportedly close to a nearly $1 billion deal in October.


theverge--2020-12-09--Florida’s justification for raiding COVID data whistleblower Rebekah Jones is looking a little shaky

On Tuesday , Florida state police entered the home of Rebekah Jones with guns drawn , seizing her computer and phone , in an attempt to prove that she ’ d sent an unauthorized “ group text ” through “ a Department of Health messaging system ” that is “ to be used for emergencies only , ” according to authorities .
There are now two reasons why that ’ s significant .
First , as we reported at the time , Jones isn ’ t just any former Florida Department of Health employee : she ’ s the whistleblower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking dashboard , then accused her bosses of ordering her to manipulate Florida ’ s data to justify reopening the state .
Second , it ’ s now come to our attention that the supposedly private messaging system that Jones might have accessed might have effectively just been an email address — an email address that the Florida Department of Health may have inadvertently published for anyone to see on the open web .
As Ars Technica reports , Redditors discovered that not only does the Florida Department of Health have a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ username and password is also freely accessible on the web .
Here ’ s a redacted screenshot that Ars captured of just one of at least seven PDFs that contain the information , PDFs that I also easily found with a Google search .
All of them are still online at the time I type these words : But it ’ s not just the username and password that are listed : these pages also have the email address of the exact group Florida ’ s Department of Law Enforcement ( FDLE ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the FDLE ’ s affidavit — which is how it got a search warrant for Jones ’ home — the department characterizes StateESF8.Planning as a “ multi-user account group ” and talks about how Florida uses it to “ coordinate the state ’ s health and medical resources , capabilities , and capacities.
” That all sounds very official and important : However , the publicly available usernames , passwords , and email addresses suggest it might have just been a bog-standard mailing list with an awful lot of users , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email address still appears to be valid , though the Florida webmail application no longer seems to be online .
None of this necessarily means that Jones didn ’ t send the message ( though she vehemently denies she did ) .
An FDLE agent under oath says the “ group text ” was specifically sent from a Comcast ID associated with her home address , and that ’ s why her home was raided .
But if Jones did happen to send an email to a giant mailing list she used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the open web , would that be much of a crime ?
( I am not a lawyer . )
I asked the FDLE to explain how it could have been accessed illegally — if the email address might have required someone to use private credentials somehow — but it declined , citing the active investigation .
A spokesperson simply stated that my suggestions were “ not accurate , ” and that “ this was not simply an email.
” The Florida Department of Health didn ’ t respond to a request for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorney appointed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis to nominate judges resigned in protest over the raid on Jones ’ house , calling it “ unconscionable.
” “ You don ’ t send 12 armed officers to raid her computer for doing that .
That ’ s Gestapo .
That ’ s authoritarian dictator tactics .
That ’ s not America .
It really viscerally bothered me , ” he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune .
Update , 7:00PM ET : Added info about the resignation of Ron Filipkowski .

On Tuesday, Florida state police entered the home of Rebekah Jones with guns drawn, seizing her computer and phone, in an attempt to prove that she’d sent an unauthorized “group text” through “a Department of Health messaging system” that is “to be used for emergencies only,” according to authorities.
There are now two reasons why that’s significant. First, as we reported at the time, Jones isn’t just any former Florida Department of Health employee: she’s the whistleblower who built Florida’s once-celebrated COVID-19 tracking dashboard, then accused her bosses of ordering her to manipulate Florida’s data to justify reopening the state.
Second, it’s now come to our attention that the supposedly private messaging system that Jones might have accessed might have effectively just been an email address — an email address that the Florida Department of Health may have inadvertently published for anyone to see on the open web.
As Ars Technica reports, Redditors discovered that not only does the Florida Department of Health have a single shared username and password, but that username and password is also freely accessible on the web. Here’s a redacted screenshot that Ars captured of just one of at least seven PDFs that contain the information, PDFs that I also easily found with a Google search. All of them are still online at the time I type these words:
Screenshot by Ars Technica
But it’s not just the username and password that are listed: these pages also have the email address of the exact group Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) claimed was hacked: “StateESF8.Planning.” You don't even need a username and password to send an email to an email address, anyone can do that.
In the FDLE’s affidavit — which is how it got a search warrant for Jones’ home — the department characterizes StateESF8.Planning as a “multi-user account group” and talks about how Florida uses it to “coordinate the state’s health and medical resources, capabilities, and capacities.” That all sounds very official and important:
A small portion of the affadavit.
However, the publicly available usernames, passwords, and email addresses suggest it might have just been a bog-standard mailing list with an awful lot of users, not something particularly private or secure. The email address still appears to be valid, though the Florida webmail application no longer seems to be online.
None of this necessarily means that Jones didn’t send the message (though she vehemently denies she did). An FDLE agent under oath says the “group text” was specifically sent from a Comcast ID associated with her home address, and that’s why her home was raided.
But if Jones did happen to send an email to a giant mailing list she used to be part of, one listed on the open web, would that be much of a crime? (I am not a lawyer.)
I asked the FDLE to explain how it could have been accessed illegally — if the email address might have required someone to use private credentials somehow — but it declined, citing the active investigation. A spokesperson simply stated that my suggestions were “not accurate,” and that “this was not simply an email.” The Florida Department of Health didn’t respond to a request for comment.
On Wednesday, a Republican attorney appointed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis to nominate judges resigned in protest over the raid on Jones’ house, calling it “unconscionable.”
“You don’t send 12 armed officers to raid her computer for doing that. That’s Gestapo. That’s authoritarian dictator tactics. That’s not America. It really viscerally bothered me,” he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.


theverge--2020-12-09--Facebook calls antitrust lawsuits ‘revisionist history’

On Wednesday afternoon , the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of 48 state attorneys general filed broad antitrust charges against Facebook , seeking a reversal of its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram .
Now , Facebook has responded to those charges in an extensive post titled “ Lawsuits Filed by the FTC and the State Attorneys General Are Revisionist History , ” written by general counsel Jennifer Newstead .
Newstead ’ s primary defense is that both acquisitions resulted in better products for consumers — an implicit reference to the “ consumer harm ” standard that has also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s case against Google .
“ These transactions were intended to provide better products for the people who use them , and they unquestionably did , ” Facebook argues .
“ The FTC and states stood by for years while Facebook invested billions of dollars and millions of hours to make Instagram and WhatsApp into the apps that users enjoy today.
” Facebook also takes issue with the retroactive nature of the breakup .
Both acquisitions are more than five years old , and were approved by regulatory agencies at the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ move forward because they did not threaten competition , ” the post reads , detailing the FTC and European Commission reviews of the deals .
“ This lawsuit risks sowing doubt and uncertainty about the US government ’ s own merger review process and whether acquiring businesses can actually rely on the outcomes of the legal process.
” The question of retroactive review is an open topic in legal circles , but some scholars have argued it is beneficial for regulators to revisit previously cleared transactions .
The post also directly addresses one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — that Facebook locks out potentially competitive products from its platform , starving competitors of a much-needed user base .
This behavior was particularly stark in the case of Vine , which was locked out of Facebook ’ s social API functions as soon as it was acquired by Twitter , reportedly at the direction of Mark Zuckerberg himself .
In the post , Newstead claims this kind of API restriction is standard practice for platforms .
“ Where platforms give access to other developers — and many do not provide access at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ core functions , ” the post reads .
“ LinkedIn , The New York Times , Pinterest and Uber , to name a few , all have similar policies.
” “ Overall , we disagree with the government ’ s allegations and we plan to fight this in court , ” Zuckerberg said in a post to employees shared by New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac on Twitter .
“ The reality is that we compete with many other services in everything we do , and we compete fairly.
” You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Facebook staffers in Isaac ’ s tweet : Update December 9th , 7:45PM ET : Added tweet with Zuckerberg ’ s post to Facebook staff .

On Wednesday afternoon, the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of 48 state attorneys general filed broad antitrust charges against Facebook, seeking a reversal of its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. Now, Facebook has responded to those charges in an extensive post titled “Lawsuits Filed by the FTC and the State Attorneys General Are Revisionist History,” written by general counsel Jennifer Newstead.
Newstead’s primary defense is that both acquisitions resulted in better products for consumers — an implicit reference to the “consumer harm” standard that has also been central to the Department of Justice’s case against Google.
“Regulators correctly allowed these deals to move forward”
“These transactions were intended to provide better products for the people who use them, and they unquestionably did,” Facebook argues. “The FTC and states stood by for years while Facebook invested billions of dollars and millions of hours to make Instagram and WhatsApp into the apps that users enjoy today.”
Facebook also takes issue with the retroactive nature of the breakup. Both acquisitions are more than five years old, and were approved by regulatory agencies at the time.
“Regulators correctly allowed these deals to move forward because they did not threaten competition,” the post reads, detailing the FTC and European Commission reviews of the deals. “This lawsuit risks sowing doubt and uncertainty about the US government’s own merger review process and whether acquiring businesses can actually rely on the outcomes of the legal process.”
The question of retroactive review is an open topic in legal circles, but some scholars have argued it is beneficial for regulators to revisit previously cleared transactions.
The post also directly addresses one if the central allegations of both lawsuits — that Facebook locks out potentially competitive products from its platform, starving competitors of a much-needed user base. This behavior was particularly stark in the case of Vine, which was locked out of Facebook’s social API functions as soon as it was acquired by Twitter, reportedly at the direction of Mark Zuckerberg himself.
In the post, Newstead claims this kind of API restriction is standard practice for platforms. “Where platforms give access to other developers — and many do not provide access at all — they usually prohibit duplication of core functions,” the post reads. “LinkedIn, The New York Times, Pinterest and Uber, to name a few, all have similar policies.”
“Overall, we disagree with the government’s allegations and we plan to fight this in court,” Zuckerberg said in a post to employees shared by New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac on Twitter. “The reality is that we compete with many other services in everything we do, and we compete fairly.”
You can read more of Zuckerberg’s message to Facebook staffers in Isaac’s tweet:


theverge--2020-12-09--SpaceX flies Starship prototype rocket to highest altitude yet — but doesn’t stick the landing

During a test flight on Wednesday , SpaceX flew a prototype of its next generation Starship rocket to its highest height yet in the skies above Texas — but failed to stick the landing , with the vehicle exploding when it hit the ground .
Propelled by three main engines , the vehicle launched to an altitude of nearly 8 miles , or 12.5 kilometers , before crash landing into the Earth .
The nearly seven-minute test flight took off at around 5:45PM ET from SpaceX ’ s facility at Boca Chica , Texas .
The prototype climbed to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two of its three main engines seemingly shut down while it ascended .
Eventually all three engines cut off , and SpaceX attempted to perform a “ bell flop ” maneuver , with the vehicle falling horizontally on the way down to Earth .
Just before reaching the ground , the prototype reignited its engines — but the vehicle came in way too fast and blew apart when it hit the ground .
The flight was the most ambitious test yet of SpaceX ’ s Starship The flight was the most ambitious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meant to test out the launch and landing capabilities of the future rocket .
Made out of a steel alloy , the silo-shaped rocket is supposed to act as a spaceship , a rocket , and a lander all in one , carrying people and cargo to deep-space destinations .
SpaceX plans to launch the vehicle to orbit on another massive rocket called the Super Heavy .
Once in space , Starship is supposed to use its main engines to land upright on other worlds — such as the Moon or Mars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still considered the test a win .
On its livestream of the event , the company included a banner that read : “ Awesome test .
Congrats Starship team !
” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also expressed enthusiasm for the flight on Twitter , noting that the test succeeded in a number of its objectives .
Earlier , Musk only gave the flight a one-third chance of success , noting that a “ lot of things need to go right.
” Even before the flight occurred , SpaceX had noted on its website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t the marker for success .
“ With a test such as this , success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn , which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship , ” the company wrote .
SpaceX has been cranking out Starship prototypes over the last few years at the company ’ s test facility in Boca Chica , performing incremental tests and flights on the vehicles in preparation for sending one to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the eighth major prototype the company has crafted .
SpaceX has flown a few Starship prototypes before , but only to just under 500 feet , or 150 meters , in the air .
Those prototypes were also smaller in size than the final Starship design , and didn ’ t sport the nosecone at the top of the vehicle .
The prototype that flew today bore a much stronger resemblance to the finalized Starship , including the nosecone , as well as flaps on the side of the vehicle meant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicle was also equipped with three Raptors , giant engines that SpaceX has developed just for Starship .
The final Starship will supposedly be equipped with six main Raptor engines — three optimized to be used at sea level and three optimized for use in the vacuum of space .
SpaceX already has two other prototypes built , similar in size and shape to today ’ s prototype — dubbed SN9 and SN10 .
It ’ s possible those vehicles will see some upcoming flights , as well , especially now that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece .
SpaceX has a lot riding on these tests , as the company hopes to use Starship to fulfill Musk ’ s ambitions of starting a settlement on Mars .
NASA is also considering using Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program .
It ’ s possible NASA astronauts could take SpaceX ’ s Starship down to the surface of the Moon as a part of the agency ’ s Artemis program .
Meanwhile , SpaceX has started construction on another important piece of the Starship system : the Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orbit .
It ’ s unclear when the vehicle will take its first flight .
In September of 2019 , Musk predicted that SpaceX would send a Starship into orbit within six months .
More than a year later , the timeline for the first orbital flight is murky — but today ’ s flight puts SpaceX closer to that important launch .

During a test flight on Wednesday, SpaceX flew a prototype of its next generation Starship rocket to its highest height yet in the skies above Texas — but failed to stick the landing, with the vehicle exploding when it hit the ground. Propelled by three main engines, the vehicle launched to a target altitude of nearly 8 miles, or 12.5 kilometers, before crash landing into the Earth.
The nearly seven-minute test flight took off at around 5:45PM ET from SpaceX’s facility at Boca Chica, Texas. The prototype climbed to its target altitude, but during the flight, two of its three main engines seemingly shut down while it ascended. Eventually all three engines cut off, and SpaceX attempted to perform a “bell flop” maneuver, with the vehicle falling horizontally on the way down to Earth. Just before reaching the ground, the prototype reignited its engines — but the vehicle came in way too fast and blew apart when it hit the ground.
The flight was the most ambitious test yet of SpaceX’s Starship
The flight was the most ambitious test yet of SpaceX’s Starship, meant to test out the launch and landing capabilities of the future rocket. Made out of a steel alloy, the silo-shaped rocket is supposed to act as a spaceship, a rocket, and a lander all in one, carrying people and cargo to deep-space destinations. SpaceX plans to launch the vehicle to orbit on another massive rocket called the Super Heavy. Once in space, Starship is supposed to use its main engines to land upright on other worlds — such as the Moon or Mars.
Despite the explosive landing, SpaceX still considered the test a win. On its livestream of the event, the company included a banner that read: “Awesome test. Congrats Starship team!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also expressed enthusiasm for the flight on Twitter, noting that the test succeeded in a number of its objectives. Earlier, Musk only gave the flight a one-third chance of success, noting that a “lot of things need to go right.”
Even before the flight occurred, SpaceX had noted on its website that completing a perfect flight wasn’t the marker for success. “With a test such as this, success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship,” the company wrote.
Image: SpaceX
SpaceX has been cranking out Starship prototypes over the last few years at the company’s test facility in Boca Chica, performing incremental tests and flights on the vehicles in preparation for sending one to orbit. The one that flew today is the eighth major prototype the company has crafted. SpaceX has flown a few Starship prototypes before, but only to just under 500 feet, or 150 meters, in the air. Those prototypes were also smaller in size than the final Starship design, and didn’t sport the nosecone at the top of the vehicle.
The prototype that flew today bore a much stronger resemblance to the finalized Starship, including the nosecone, as well as flaps on the side of the vehicle meant to help with steering during landing. The vehicle was also equipped with three Raptors, giant engines that SpaceX has developed just for Starship. The final Starship will supposedly be equipped with six main Raptor engines — three optimized to be used at sea level and three optimized for use in the vacuum of space.
SpaceX already has two other prototypes built, similar in size and shape to today’s prototype — dubbed SN9 and SN10. It’s possible those vehicles will see some upcoming flights, as well, especially now that the eighth prototype is no longer in one piece.
SpaceX has a lot riding on these tests, as the company hopes to use Starship to fulfill Musk’s ambitions of starting a settlement on Mars. NASA is also considering using Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis program. It’s possible NASA astronauts could take SpaceX’s Starship down to the surface of the Moon as a part of the agency’s Artemis program.


theverge--2020-12-09--A secretive treasure hunter is unmasked by a court case

Finding a long-hidden treasure in the woods of Wyoming seems like a tall tale that would be told around a campfire , but it happens to be reality for Jack Stuef .
As with many treasure hunting stories , though , the intrigue isn ’ t over just because the prize has been found .
Stuef had been trying to stay anonymous and had done so until this week , but now he says he ’ s been forced to reveal his identity after a lawsuit was filed alleging that he obtained the treasure through hacking and stalking .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounds of treasure-y things like gold coins and jewelry , was hidden by Forrest Fenn , a Santa Fe art dealer , and has been the object of a widely publicized hunt that ’ s been going on since 2010 .
Stuef ’ s desire for his identity to remain hidden is understandable , as some treasure hunters have gone as far as to break into Fenn ’ s house and file lawsuits against him after he announced the hunt .
Stuef now has to deal with a lawsuit of his own , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Unknown Defendant ” ) and Fenn by Barbara Anderson , another treasure hunter who says she ’ s spent a considerable amount of time and money on the search .
She filed it in an attempt to find the identity of the finder and alleges that the treasure ’ s finder followed her and hacked into her computer and email to steal the information and clues she had gathered .
Anderson had been searching in and around Santa Fe , though the treasure ended up being found in Wyoming .
She claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that led to the treasure ’ s actual location but that Stuef followed her to it and was able to beat her to the treasure ’ s location .
Stuef denies that any of this happened , but he says developments in the case will soon lead to his identity becoming a matter of public record , so he wanted to beat it to the punch and reveal himself on his own terms .
“ The U.S. District Court for New Mexico has ruled that Forrest ’ s estate must provide some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not know and with whom I have never communicated , ” he says in his Medium post revealing his identity , before calling the lawsuit “ meritless.
” He says that he “ found the treasure as [ Fenn ] designed it to be found.
” Alongside the Medium post , there ’ s a story in Outside that has more details about Stuef ’ s two-year search — except for the one many treasure hunters were hoping to learn : where he found it .
Stuef says that he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes would ’ ve been Fenn ’ s wishes .
( Fenn died in September . )
He doesn ’ t want the location to “ become a tourist attraction ” for treasure hunters .
For now , he still has the treasure chest hidden away in a vault somewhere ( as all treasures should be ) , but he hopes to sell it to someone who will let other treasure hunters see it ( though exactly where that is , he ’ s keeping a secret for now ) .

Finding a long-hidden treasure in the woods of Wyoming seems like a tall tale that would be told around a campfire, but it happens to be reality for Jack Stuef. As with many treasure hunting stories, though, the intrigue isn’t over just because the prize has been found. Stuef had been trying to stay anonymous and had done so until this week, but now he says he’s been forced to reveal his identity after a lawsuit was filed alleging that he obtained the treasure through hacking and stalking.
The chest in question, filled with 22 pounds of treasure-y things like gold coins and jewelry, was hidden by Forrest Fenn, a Santa Fe art dealer, and has been the object of a widely publicized hunt that’s been going on since 2010. Stuef’s desire for his identity to remain hidden is understandable, as some treasure hunters have gone as far as to break into Fenn’s house and file lawsuits against him after he announced the hunt.
Stuef now has to deal with a lawsuit of his own, which was filed against him (as “Unknown Defendant”) and Fenn by Barbara Anderson, another treasure hunter who says she’s spent a considerable amount of time and money on the search. She filed it in an attempt to find the identity of the finder and alleges that the treasure’s finder followed her and hacked into her computer and email to steal the information and clues she had gathered. Anderson had been searching in and around Santa Fe, though the treasure ended up being found in Wyoming. She claims that she had found the final clue that led to the treasure’s actual location but that Stuef followed her to it and was able to beat her to the treasure’s location.
Stuef denies that any of this happened, but he says developments in the case will soon lead to his identity becoming a matter of public record, so he wanted to beat it to the punch and reveal himself on his own terms. “The U.S. District Court for New Mexico has ruled that Forrest’s estate must provide some of my personal information to a woman I do not know and with whom I have never communicated,” he says in his Medium post revealing his identity, before calling the lawsuit “meritless.” He says that he “found the treasure as [Fenn] designed it to be found.”


theverge--2020-12-09--Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical to become an actual one-night Broadway-style show

TikTok ’ s fan-made crowdsourced Ratatouille musical is making the jump from social media to the stage .
Ratatouille : The TikTok Musical is going to debut as an actual show for a one-night-only concert on January 1st , which will benefit The Actors Fund .
The streamed show will be produced by Seaview Productions ( best known for producing Slave Play , the most Tony Award-nominated show in Broadway history ) and is being presented “ in association with TikTok.
” The so-called Ratatouille musical — based on the 2007 Disney / Pixar film — has been percolating over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What started as a one-off bit has slowly snowballed into a massive undertaking , with bored Broadway fans , composers , set designers , costume makers , choreographers , and more working together to build bits and pieces of the ( until now ) fictional show .
There aren ’ t many details yet on what the actual show will look like , although the musical promises to “ celebrate the delectable crowd-sourced creation by giving it the full high-kicking , lip-smacking Broadway treatment.
” Just what that means in terms of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of yet , unclear .
The cast and creative team have similarly not yet been announced , although some of “ Broadway ’ s biggest and brightest talents ” are apparently involved .
Many of the viral TikTok stars that have helped contribute to the crowdsourced show in the past few months are involved in the production , too .
Blake Rouse ( the composer behind two of the more popular songs on TikTok , “ The Rat ’ s Way of Life ” and “ Ratatouille Tango ” ) tells The Verge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show .
Jess Siswick — another TikTok creator — is having her mocked-up Playbill program for the show appear as the actual promotional artwork .
Two of the Ratatouille musical ’ s original creators also appear to be involved , or at least approve of the project : both Emily Jacobsen ( @ e_jaccs ) , who wrote the original “ Remy the Ratatouille ” song for TikTok , and composer Daniel Mertzlufft , whose viral theatrical arrangement of that song helped kickstart the Ratatouille frenzy , have both tweeted about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the project appears to have Disney ’ s blessing : “ Although we do not have development plans for the title , we love when our fans engage with Disney stories .
We applaud and thank all of the online theatre makers for helping to benefit The Actors Fund in this unprecedented time of need , ” notes a Disney statement provided to The Verge .
The show will stream through TodayTix on January 1st at 7PM ET , with tickets ranging from $ 5 to $ 50 ( depending on the desired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show will be available to watch on demand for 72 hours .

TikTok’s fan-made crowdsourced Ratatouille musical is making the jump from social media to the stage. Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical is going to debut as an actual show for a one-night-only concert on January 1st, which will benefit The Actors Fund.
The streamed show will be produced by Seaview Productions (best known for producing Slave Play, the most Tony Award-nominated show in Broadway history) and is being presented “in association with TikTok.”
The so-called Ratatouille musical — based on the 2007 Disney / Pixar film — has been percolating over the past several months on TikTok. What started as a one-off bit has slowly snowballed into a massive undertaking, with bored Broadway fans, composers, set designers, costume makers, choreographers, and more working together to build bits and pieces of the (until now) fictional show.
There aren’t many details yet on what the actual show will look like, although the musical promises to “celebrate the delectable crowd-sourced creation by giving it the full high-kicking, lip-smacking Broadway treatment.” Just what that means in terms of the scope of the show is, as of yet, unclear. The cast and creative team have similarly not yet been announced, although some of “Broadway’s biggest and brightest talents” are apparently involved.
Most importantly, though, the project appears to have Disney’s blessing: “Although we do not have development plans for the title, we love when our fans engage with Disney stories. We applaud and thank all of the online theatre makers for helping to benefit The Actors Fund in this unprecedented time of need,” notes a Disney statement provided to The Verge.