theverge--2020-02-21--Company buying .org offers to sign a contract banning price hikes

Ethos Capital , the company controversially buying the .org top-level domain , is trying to appease critics with a set of new rules .
The legally binding agreements would ban steep fee increases for nonprofit domain holders , and they would establish an independent “ stewardship council ” that could veto attempts at censorship or inappropriate data use .
The rules would kick in if Ethos successfully acquires Public Interest Registry ( PIR ) , a nonprofit organization that manages .org .
ICANN , which oversees the internet ’ s top-level domains , is currently scrutinizing the acquisition .
President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the deal , and PIR announced today that it ’ s extending the review period until March 20th .
ICANN hasn ’ t yet taken a position on the latest proposal .
“ We are in the process [ of ] analyzing the information we have received and therefore have no comment beyond the fact that we welcome Ethos ’ efforts to engage with the Internet Society community and .org customers , and look forward to the outcome of those discussions , ” said Marby in a statement to The Verge .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from ICANN last month regarding the sale and so have a group of lawmakers , including presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
California ’ s secretary of state and others raised questions about the deal PIR said it would “ continue to work collaboratively ” to address any outstanding issues with ICANN .
In addition to the details above , Ethos and PIR committed to creating a “ Community Enablement Fund ” to support .org initiatives , and PIR promised to publish an annual transparency report .
The price restrictions , meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and renewal fees by more than 10 percent per year ( on average ) for the next eight years .
PIR and Ethos announced their deal last year , and the Internet Society ( ISOC ) — which founded PIR — says the billion-dollar sale will provide much-needed funding .
But critics have raised concerns about a private equity firm controlling a valuable resource for nonprofit groups .
The Electronic Frontier Foundation and other nonprofits petitioned ISOC to stop the sale .
In a statement , EFF senior staff attorney Mitch Stoltz cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The handpicked ‘ stewardship council ’ will have no real authority or practical ability to override the wishes of PIR ’ s new private equity owners , ” said Stoltz .
“ And based on what we know about the financial structure of this deal and the practices of many private equity fund managers , the sale risks bankrupting PIR , leaving millions of nonprofit and other non-commercial website owners in the lurch.
” A recently founded group called the “ Cooperative Corporation of .ORG Registrants , ” which includes ICANN founding chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maher , has asked for control of .org instead .
Even ISOC ’ s president , Andrew Sullivan , said he was “ uncomfortable ” with a lack of transparency .
Ethos and PIR ’ s press release quotes Sullivan praising the new agreements .
“ Ethos shows that it has been listening to the questions some have raised .
Ethos has responded by embedding its commitments on pricing , censorship and data use policies in a legally-binding contract , and giving ICANN and the community the ability to hold Ethos to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Ethos Capital, the company controversially buying the .org top-level domain, is trying to appease critics with a set of new rules. The legally binding agreements would ban steep fee increases for nonprofit domain holders, and they would establish an independent “stewardship council” that could veto attempts at censorship or inappropriate data use. The rules would kick in if Ethos successfully acquires Public Interest Registry (PIR), a nonprofit organization that manages .org.
ICANN, which oversees the internet’s top-level domains, is currently scrutinizing the acquisition. President and CEO Göran Marby previously expressed discomfort with the deal, and PIR announced today that it’s extending the review period until March 20th.
ICANN hasn’t yet taken a position on the latest proposal. “We are in the process [of] analyzing the information we have received and therefore have no comment beyond the fact that we welcome Ethos’ efforts to engage with the Internet Society community and .org customers, and look forward to the outcome of those discussions,” said Marby in a statement to The Verge. California’s attorney general requested information from ICANN last month regarding the sale and so have a group of lawmakers, including presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
California’s secretary of state and others raised questions about the deal
PIR said it would “continue to work collaboratively” to address any outstanding issues with ICANN. In addition to the details above, Ethos and PIR committed to creating a “Community Enablement Fund” to support .org initiatives, and PIR promised to publish an annual transparency report. The price restrictions, meanwhile, would forbid Ethos from raising domain registration and renewal fees by more than 10 percent per year (on average) for the next eight years.
PIR and Ethos announced their deal last year, and the Internet Society (ISOC) — which founded PIR — says the billion-dollar sale will provide much-needed funding. But critics have raised concerns about a private equity firm controlling a valuable resource for nonprofit groups.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation and other nonprofits petitioned ISOC to stop the sale. In a statement, EFF senior staff attorney Mitch Stoltz cast doubt on the new promises. “The handpicked ‘stewardship council’ will have no real authority or practical ability to override the wishes of PIR’s new private equity owners,” said Stoltz. “And based on what we know about the financial structure of this deal and the practices of many private equity fund managers, the sale risks bankrupting PIR, leaving millions of nonprofit and other non-commercial website owners in the lurch.”
A recently founded group called the “Cooperative Corporation of .ORG Registrants,” which includes ICANN founding chairman Esther Dyson and Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher, has asked for control of .org instead. Even ISOC’s president, Andrew Sullivan, said he was “uncomfortable” with a lack of transparency.
Ethos and PIR’s press release quotes Sullivan praising the new agreements. “Ethos shows that it has been listening to the questions some have raised. Ethos has responded by embedding its commitments on pricing, censorship and data use policies in a legally-binding contract, and giving ICANN and the community the ability to hold Ethos to its commitments,” says the statement.


theverge--2020-02-21--Fortnite’s wonderfully weird personality is back in latest season

Fortnite is weird again — and I couldn ’ t be happier .
The game ’ s latest season finally launched yesterday and , on the surface at least , it seems like a standard update .
It has a new secret agent theme , with opposing factions and lots of new stealth gameplay options .
But look beyond the well-tailored suits and you ’ ll find something even more notable : Fortnite ’ s offbeat personality is back in full force .
That ’ s something that was desperately missing from the previous season .
When Fortnite kicked off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September of last year , it felt exciting at first .
Everything was new again .
But that initial excitement eventually waned .
The first season dragged on for a long time — six months , or twice as long as a standard Fortnite season — and without many of the frequent changes and updates that longtime fans have come to expect .
It felt like a complete 180 from season X , which , admittedly changed things a little too much .
Aside from a handful of exciting moments , like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was mostly bland .
If I took a week off , I didn ’ t miss much , if anything .
Season 1 was a solid , if not particularly exciting foundation , and Epic has managed to build off of it in exciting ways .
The whole spy theme isn ’ t just cosmetic .
The map is now home to multiple locations filled with armed guards and lots of loot , which add a whole new layer to the experience .
You can infiltrate a base , steal a keycard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the best gear in the game .
There are characters and missions , and you can even wear a disguise .
And , I must add , you do all of this while playing a battle royale game with 99 other human players vying for the coveted victory .
And you can do it dressed as a banana in a tuxedo .
It ’ s wild .
What the new season adds is a dose of the unexpected .
The new armed guard characters are smarter than any of the NPCs I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinated in a way that , if you ’ re not paying attention , can easily knock you out of the game .
It adds a dynamic element when you drop in certain locations , particularly the large new fortress that ’ s been erected at the center of the map .
There are also new tweaks that are just plain silly fun , like cardboard boxes to hide in or gliders you can actually ride around on like bouncy stuffed animals .
“ I often think of dramatic pacing like audio volume.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has an appropriate secret agent vibe , with a huge table surrounded by special operatives and other elements hidden away in vaults .
There ’ s a secret spot that ’ s home to new challenges from Deadpool , who will be joining the cast at some unknown point in the future , too .
One of my favorite additions is that of choice .
Many of the new character skins can be customized in some way ; you can choose a light or dark theme based on one of the factions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple customization options .
But when you make a choice , it ’ s permanent , forcing you to really think about how you want these characters to look .
That ’ s not the kind of decision I ’ m used to making in Fortnite .
Given the sheer scale of the black hole event that led to Fortnite ’ s big chapter 2 reboot , it ’ s maybe not too surprising that Epic played things a little safe over the course of the first season .
In fact , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think of dramatic pacing like audio volume , ” Fortnite creative director Donald Mustard tweeted on Wednesday , just ahead of the new season .
“ With some stories you work to slowly crank it as loud as possible so that when you ratchet it back to zero you feel the full impact of both extremes .
Then , when the ‘ new volume ’ feels like normal you start to dial it up again.
” So far at least , that ’ s proving to be the case .
In the wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels refreshing and exciting — and like a return to what makes Fortnite so much fun in the first place .

Fortnite is weird again — and I couldn’t be happier. The game’s latest season finally launched yesterday and, on the surface at least, it seems like a standard update. It has a new secret agent theme, with opposing factions and lots of new stealth gameplay options. But look beyond the well-tailored suits and you’ll find something even more notable: Fortnite’s offbeat personality is back in full force.
That’s something that was desperately missing from the previous season. When Fortnite kicked off its ambitious reboot to chapter 2 in September of last year, it felt exciting at first. Everything was new again. But that initial excitement eventually waned.
The first season dragged on for a long time — six months, or twice as long as a standard Fortnite season — and without many of the frequent changes and updates that longtime fans have come to expect. It felt like a complete 180 from season X, which, admittedly changed things a little too much. Aside from a handful of exciting moments, like the introduction of lightsabers, the new chapter was mostly bland. If I took a week off, I didn’t miss much, if anything.
Season 1 was a solid, if not particularly exciting foundation, and Epic has managed to build off of it in exciting ways. The whole spy theme isn’t just cosmetic. The map is now home to multiple locations filled with armed guards and lots of loot, which add a whole new layer to the experience. You can infiltrate a base, steal a keycard, and open up a vault for some of the best gear in the game. There are characters and missions, and you can even wear a disguise. And, I must add, you do all of this while playing a battle royale game with 99 other human players vying for the coveted victory. And you can do it dressed as a banana in a tuxedo. It’s wild.
What the new season adds is a dose of the unexpected. The new armed guard characters are smarter than any of the NPCs I’ve faced in Fortnite before; coordinated in a way that, if you’re not paying attention, can easily knock you out of the game. It adds a dynamic element when you drop in certain locations, particularly the large new fortress that’s been erected at the center of the map. There are also new tweaks that are just plain silly fun, like cardboard boxes to hide in or gliders you can actually ride around on like bouncy stuffed animals.
“I often think of dramatic pacing like audio volume.”
Even the menu is cool. It has an appropriate secret agent vibe, with a huge table surrounded by special operatives and other elements hidden away in vaults. There’s a secret spot that’s home to new challenges from Deadpool, who will be joining the cast at some unknown point in the future, too.
One of my favorite additions is that of choice. Many of the new character skins can be customized in some way; you can choose a light or dark theme based on one of the factions, and a character named Maya has multiple customization options. But when you make a choice, it’s permanent, forcing you to really think about how you want these characters to look. That’s not the kind of decision I’m used to making in Fortnite.
Given the sheer scale of the black hole event that led to Fortnite’s big chapter 2 reboot, it’s maybe not too surprising that Epic played things a little safe over the course of the first season. In fact, the choice seems intentional. “I often think of dramatic pacing like audio volume,” Fortnite creative director Donald Mustard tweeted on Wednesday, just ahead of the new season. “With some stories you work to slowly crank it as loud as possible so that when you ratchet it back to zero you feel the full impact of both extremes. Then, when the ‘new volume’ feels like normal you start to dial it up again.”


theverge--2020-02-21--Coronavirus email hoax led to violent protests in Ukraine

An email that appeared to come from Ukraine ’ s ministry of health containing false information about coronavirus cases in the country led to a number of violent protests and standoffs with police , reports BuzzFeed News .
The email originated from outside Ukraine , according to a government statement , and it falsely claimed there were five cases of coronavirus in the country .
In reality , there have been zero reported cases of the virus in Ukraine .
But the email was sent the same day evacuees from China landed in the country , and some Ukranian residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads that led to medical facilities and , in some cases , by smashing the windows of the buses carrying those evacuees .
Ukrainian authorities released a statement saying the reports were not true To try and calm citizens , Ukraine ’ s Center for Public Health released a statement saying reports of five cases of coronavirus were false , and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky published a Facebook post saying the evacuees were all healthy and that they would be quarantined for two weeks out of extra caution .
Zelensky also urged citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have only been two confirmed cases of Ukrainians with the coronavirus , and they are among many who have been infected while on the cruise ship that was docked off the coast of Japan .
They have fully recovered , reports BuzzFeed News .
With so many people searching for information online about coronavirus , there is continued risk that people may come across misinformation and hoaxes about the disease , especially on social networks like Facebook and Twitter that are ill-equipped to handle fast-changing global news events and the flood of user-generated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put together a good summary of some of the most pervasive corona virus hoaxes that have been widely shared .
And we also have a guide about how to investigate information online and determine if it ’ s false or misleading .

An email that appeared to come from Ukraine’s ministry of health containing false information about coronavirus cases in the country led to a number of violent protests and standoffs with police, reports BuzzFeed News.
The email originated from outside Ukraine, according to a government statement, and it falsely claimed there were five cases of coronavirus in the country. In reality, there have been zero reported cases of the virus in Ukraine. But the email was sent the same day evacuees from China landed in the country, and some Ukranian residents protested the evacuees’ arrival by blocking roads that led to medical facilities and, in some cases, by smashing the windows of the buses carrying those evacuees.
Ukrainian authorities released a statement saying the reports were not true
To try and calm citizens, Ukraine’s Center for Public Health released a statement saying reports of five cases of coronavirus were false, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky published a Facebook post saying the evacuees were all healthy and that they would be quarantined for two weeks out of extra caution. Zelensky also urged citizens not to block their arrival.
There have only been two confirmed cases of Ukrainians with the coronavirus, and they are among many who have been infected while on the cruise ship that was docked off the coast of Japan. They have fully recovered, reports BuzzFeed News.


theverge--2020-02-22--Donald Trump ads will take over YouTube for Election Day

YouTube ’ s homepage will feature ads in support of Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign on election day 2020 , Bloomberg reported on Thursday .
Trump ’ s reelection campaign bought out YouTube ’ s masthead ad space for “ early November ” including election day , November 3 , according to Bloomberg .
By purchasing this highly trafficked ad space , the Trump campaign is betting that the visibility could aid his candidacy in some of the most important days leading up to the election .
This isn ’ t the first time that the Trump campaign purchased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election events .
Last summer , Trump ’ s reelection campaign spent between $ 500,000 to $ 1 million on the ad space ahead of the first Democratic presidential debate in June .
The debate was livestreaming on YouTube , and the ads blasted Trump ’ s face and message to potential future Democratic voters .
An unusually high number of candidates qualified for that debate , so it was split into two days .
Bloomberg reported Thursday that the YouTube banner is “ more akin to a Super Bowl ad ” than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not clear how much Trump ’ s reelection campaign spent on the ad space , but it can cost campaigns more than $ 1 million a day .
In October 2019 , YouTube introduced a specialized tool called Instant Reserve that allowed campaigns to reserve ad space in particular regions on particular days , with an eye towards state primary contests .
Starting the following November , that initial release gave candidates the option to buy any times through the end of 2020 .

YouTube’s homepage will feature ads in support of Donald Trump’s reelection campaign on election day 2020, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.
Trump’s reelection campaign bought out YouTube’s masthead ad space for “early November” including election day, November 3, according to Bloomberg. By purchasing this highly trafficked ad space, the Trump campaign is betting that the visibility could aid his candidacy in some of the most important days leading up to the election.
This isn’t the first time that the Trump campaign purchased the coveted masthead ads ahead of important election events. Last summer, Trump’s reelection campaign spent between $500,000 to $1 million on the ad space ahead of the first Democratic presidential debate in June. The debate was livestreaming on YouTube, and the ads blasted Trump’s face and message to potential future Democratic voters. An unusually high number of candidates qualified for that debate, so it was split into two days.
Bloomberg reported Thursday that the YouTube banner is “more akin to a Super Bowl ad” than a traditional targeted ad buy. It’s not clear how much Trump’s reelection campaign spent on the ad space, but it can cost campaigns more than $1 million a day.


theverge--2020-02-22--Twitter suspends 70 pro-Michael Bloomberg accounts for ‘platform manipulation’

Twitter announced Friday that it would suspend 70 accounts that posted content in support of Michael Bloomberg ’ s presidential campaign , first reported by the Los Angeles Times .
“ We have taken enforcement action on a group of accounts for violating our rules against platform manipulation and spam , ” a Twitter spokesperson told The Verge .
The dozens of accounts suspensions handed down by Twitter Friday focus on pro-Bloomberg posts pushing out identical messages .
According to the Times , some tweets included “ A President is Born : Barbra Streisand sings Mike ’ s praises , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the message .
It is in violation of Twitter ’ s rules to “ artificially amplify or disrupt conversation through the use of multiple accounts ” or compensating people to boost messages , “ even if the people involved use only one account.
” The campaign encourages campaign employees identify themselves Bloomberg , former New York City mayor and late-comer to the 2020 Democratic primary , has paid for a tsunami of ads on television and social media , spending over $ 1 million-a-day on Facebook alone .
Some have been more traditionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Google , but the Bloomberg campaign has also ventured into paying individual people and influencers for sponsored posts .
As part of this strategy , the Bloomberg campaign has hired hundreds of people in California to flood Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram with positive messages about the former mayor and his campaign .
By posting these messages , people can earn $ 2,500 a month .
Responding to the suspensions , Bloomberg spokesperson Sabrina Singh told The Verge that the campaign encourages campaign employees “ identify themselves as working on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their social media accounts.
” Singh continued , “ Through Outvote [ a voter canvassing app ] content is shared by staffers and volunteers to their network of friends and family and was not intended to mislead anyone .
”

Twitter announced Friday that it would suspend 70 accounts that posted content in support of Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign, first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
“We have taken enforcement action on a group of accounts for violating our rules against platform manipulation and spam,” a Twitter spokesperson told The Verge.
The dozens of accounts suspensions handed down by Twitter Friday focus on pro-Bloomberg posts pushing out identical messages. According to the Times, some tweets included “A President is Born: Barbra Streisand sings Mike’s praises,” as part of the body of the message. It is in violation of Twitter’s rules to “artificially amplify or disrupt conversation through the use of multiple accounts” or compensating people to boost messages, “even if the people involved use only one account.”
The campaign encourages campaign employees identify themselves
Bloomberg, former New York City mayor and late-comer to the 2020 Democratic primary, has paid for a tsunami of ads on television and social media, spending over $1 million-a-day on Facebook alone. Some have been more traditionally placed through ad tools provided by Facebook and Google, but the Bloomberg campaign has also ventured into paying individual people and influencers for sponsored posts.
As part of this strategy, the Bloomberg campaign has hired hundreds of people in California to flood Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with positive messages about the former mayor and his campaign. By posting these messages, people can earn $2,500 a month.


theverge--2020-02-22--9 new trailers you should watch this week

I recently watched The Souvenir , Joanna Hogg ’ s partly autobiographical film about a young filmmaker who gets wrapped up in a toxic and emotionally abusive relationship with an older man .
While looking up where to stream it , Google presented me with its “ top voted tags ” for the movie ( I have no idea how these are generated ) , which were : slow , boring , pretentious , overrated , confusing , strong acting , and “ +3 more.
” Perfect , I thought .
One fascinating technique the film repeatedly uses is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us into events well past when they ’ ve begun .
The entire beginning of the central romantic relationship is left offscreen , as is all but the ending of a very significant argument between the couple .
It ’ s disorienting and strange , but it helps to convey the feelings of the protagonist — suddenly in over her head , not entirely sure of how things got this way .
There ’ s apparently a sequel in the works .
The film by no means calls for one , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about making a sequel to a film that traditionally wouldn ’ t get one .
Check out nine trailers from this week below .
After almost two years off the air , Westworld ’ s season 3 premiere is almost here .
This season takes the hosts out of the park and into the real world where it seems like they teach Aaron Paul that capitalism is evil .
Everything about this show has been ludicrous from the start , and it looks like none of that is changing .
The series will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebooting the classic anthology series Amazing Stories .
The original show came from Steven Spielberg , and his production company is behind the reboot , so it makes sense just how warm , awe-filled , and Spielbergy all of these stories look .
The show will debut on March 6th .
Here ’ s the latest trailer for The Plot Against America , HBO ’ s adaptation of a Philip Roth novel about a racist demagogue who shocks America by winning the presidency and stoking violence across the country .
It will premiere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new documentary coming up about the life , music , and influence of Miles Davis .
The film premiered at Sundance last year to positive reviews , with The Hollywood Reporter saying it “ contains more rare footage and photos than can really be digested in two hours , ” which I think is a compliment .
The documentary will come to PBS on February 25th .
Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington star in Hulu ’ s adaptation of Little Fires Everywhere based on Celeste Ng ’ s hit 2017 novel .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next thing to watch for fans of Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects , with big stars and plenty of drama and mystery .
It will premiere on March 18th .
There ’ s Something in the Water Ellen Page narrates and co-directs this documentary about how black and indigenous communities in Canada have often borne the awful effects of companies polluting the environment .
It comes to Netflix on March 27th .
I Am Not Okay With This Netflix has a new YA series coming up about a teenage girl who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Eleven-like powers that she ’ s unable to control .
Except instead of there being some weird nightmarish monster conspiracy she ’ s running away from , she ’ s mostly just surrounded a colorful and twee coming of age story .
It ’ ll come out on February 26th .
Pete Davidson plays a college dropout who basically just acts like you ’ d expect Pete Davidson or a Pete Davidson character to act in Big Time Adolescence , a coming-of-age film that has him serving as a very poor role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hulu acquired the film , so it ’ ll be streaming on the service on March 20th , a week after it hits some theaters .
HBO is bringing one of its European shows to the US , and it looks wonderfully ridiculous .
It ’ s about time-traveling Vikings and cave people , and I just really don ’ t understand any of what ’ s happening .
The series debuted this week .

I recently watched The Souvenir, Joanna Hogg’s partly autobiographical film about a young filmmaker who gets wrapped up in a toxic and emotionally abusive relationship with an older man. While looking up where to stream it, Google presented me with its “top voted tags” for the movie (I have no idea how these are generated), which were: slow, boring, pretentious, overrated, confusing, strong acting, and “+3 more.” Perfect, I thought.
One fascinating technique the film repeatedly uses is to obfuscate the beginnings of things and drop us into events well past when they’ve begun. The entire beginning of the central romantic relationship is left offscreen, as is all but the ending of a very significant argument between the couple. It’s disorienting and strange, but it helps to convey the feelings of the protagonist — suddenly in over her head, not entirely sure of how things got this way.
There’s apparently a sequel in the works. The film by no means calls for one, but I think there’s something very cool about making a sequel to a film that traditionally wouldn’t get one.
Check out nine trailers from this week below.
Westworld
After almost two years off the air, Westworld’s season 3 premiere is almost here. This season takes the hosts out of the park and into the real world where it seems like they teach Aaron Paul that capitalism is evil. Everything about this show has been ludicrous from the start, and it looks like none of that is changing. The series will return on March 15th.
Amazing Stories
Apple is rebooting the classic anthology series Amazing Stories. The original show came from Steven Spielberg, and his production company is behind the reboot, so it makes sense just how warm, awe-filled, and Spielbergy all of these stories look. The show will debut on March 6th.
The Plot Against America
Here’s the latest trailer for The Plot Against America, HBO’s adaptation of a Philip Roth novel about a racist demagogue who shocks America by winning the presidency and stoking violence across the country. It will premiere on March 16th.
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
PBS has a new documentary coming up about the life, music, and influence of Miles Davis. The film premiered at Sundance last year to positive reviews, with The Hollywood Reporter saying it “contains more rare footage and photos than can really be digested in two hours,” which I think is a compliment. The documentary will come to PBS on February 25th.
Little Fires Everywhere
Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington star in Hulu’s adaptation of Little Fires Everywhere based on Celeste Ng’s hit 2017 novel. It feels like Hulu is trying to find the next thing to watch for fans of Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, with big stars and plenty of drama and mystery. It will premiere on March 18th.
There’s Something in the Water
Ellen Page narrates and co-directs this documentary about how black and indigenous communities in Canada have often borne the awful effects of companies polluting the environment. It comes to Netflix on March 27th.
I Am Not Okay With This
Netflix has a new YA series coming up about a teenage girl who starts to develop some sort of bizarro, Eleven-like powers that she’s unable to control. Except instead of there being some weird nightmarish monster conspiracy she’s running away from, she’s mostly just surrounded a colorful and twee coming of age story. It’ll come out on February 26th.
Big Time Adolescence
Pete Davidson plays a college dropout who basically just acts like you’d expect Pete Davidson or a Pete Davidson character to act in Big Time Adolescence, a coming-of-age film that has him serving as a very poor role model for a high school student. Hulu acquired the film, so it’ll be streaming on the service on March 20th, a week after it hits some theaters.
Beforeigners


theverge--2020-02-23--From The Strategist: the 13 Best Travel Mugs

If you ’ re an avid coffee drinker and you ’ re toying with the idea of a zero-waste ( or lower-waste ) lifestyle , your first step should be bringing your own thermos or mug to your local java spot .
Trading your daily paper to-go cup for a more eco-conscious reusable mug isn ’ t just about sustainability .
Experts like Natalie Slavutsky of Brooklyn Diamond Coffee agree that coffee actually tastes better out of ceramic , glass , or stainless steel than paper or plastic .
“ You ’ re just getting a better cup of coffee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Slavutsky .
If that doesn ’ t convince you to make a change , “ many cafés reward customers who bring in reusable drink ware with a discount for helping them move towards being more sustainable , ” says Allie Caran , director of education at Partner ’ s Coffee .
Here are the best reusable mugs and tumblers to bring into your local coffee shop according to baristas , coffee entrepreneurs , and one environmentally minded former Strategist editor .
More than any other brand , KeepCup kept coming up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were originally designed by two former baristas in Melbourne , Australia , making it easier for people like Joanna Lareau , barista at Blue Bottle Coffee , to do their jobs .
“ I like KeepCups because they ’ re made for baristas to pour into so they ’ re the easiest for us to make latte art in , ” says Lareau .
She also notes that , because of their small size , KeepCups are easier to use when making cortados or cappuccinos .
“ Some reusable cups are so big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ espresso machine , ” she says .
Ryan Fisher , director of operations and roaster at GoodBoyBob Coffee in Santa Monica , California , likes KeepCups because they ’ re stylish and the glass gets his coffee to the exact temperature he likes quickly .
Nearly all of the baristas we talked to say that their biggest pet peeve is customers bringing in less-than-clean reusable cups .
So finding one that ’ s simple to rinse out will both make your barista happy and keep your lattes tasting fresh .
According to Samya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coffee & Tea , KeepCups are just as good as any rival mugs in this category .
Plus they ’ re made with an inner slope , which she says “ allows baristas to pour amazing art every time.
” Two of the coffee experts we spoke to gave this stainless-steel insulated mug with a lid top billing .
Emily Orendorff , a barista at Intelligentsia Coffee , prefers the Miir Camp Cup because , as she explains , “ it ’ s shaped just like the mugs we use in the café @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle ) so it ’ s a breeze for baristas to make your drink in it , as well as easy to clean and to drink out of.
” While Caleb Chauncey , a barista at East Pole Coffee Co. in Atlanta , likes that its insulated interior keeps drinks warm or cold for long periods of time — and it keeps a consistent temperature on the outside , too .
“ It won ’ t burn your hand if you have a hot beverage inside and it won ’ t sweat when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
Like Orendorff , Chauncey also called out the mug ’ s handle as something most travel mugs don ’ t include and says he ’ s partial to the matte black finish .
Haley Boyd , a designer and sustainability enthusiast , has tried more than a her fair share of reusable coffee cups over the last few years .
She likes this simply shaped option from Japanese brand Kinto best , mostly because of the design .
“ This cup is my favorite .
It ’ s attractive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge logo , which is surprisingly hard to find , ” she says .
If you ’ re hoping to keep your coffee hot all day long , Kinto also makes an attractive tumbler .
Chris and Lindsay Grodzki of S & S Corner Shop in Springs , New York , love these simple Japanese tumblers .
“ These travel tumblers keep your drinks hot or cold for hours , ” says Lindsay , who appreciates how easy they are to clean and use again .
“ Our customers love these , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ ve definitely seen a movement to eliminate single-use drinkware grow in coffee industry , particularly in the past year , ” says Caran .
According to her , if you ’ re using a mug for coffee , glass or stainless steel is best because it won ’ t absorb strong flavors or aromas .
“ At Partners , we really like the glass mugs made by Joco , an Australian brand that makes a beautiful and functional line of products that are entirely plastic-free , ” Caran says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing more and more customers with Frank Green travel mugs .
Though they ’ re made of a special thermoplastic that ’ s BPA-free and dishwasher-safe ( as opposed to ceramic , glass , or stainless steel ) , Fisher says these tumblers “ keep drinks either hot or cold for hours.
” He prefers when customers use reusable mugs , cups , or tumblers that are similarly shaped to standard paper cups or ceramic mugs , as that ’ s what he is used to pouring into .
This 12-ounce tumbler fits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cupholder , and according to Fisher , has “ a totally spill-proof lid.
” For a thermal mug , Caran loves the minimal and functional design of this tumbler from Miir .
“ It ’ s super-sleek , retains heat ( and cold ) really well , and never leaks , ” she says .
Former Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens uses this Hydro Flask for her daily caffeine dose .
“ I drink lattes , which are eye-rollingly expensive when you add the almond milk and the tip and maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thermos-like container for my morning coffee .
Its stocky profile reminds me of the soup containers we all lugged around in elementary school.
” Vivienne Weidmann of Blue Bottle reminds us how important good lid design can be with her pick for the best travel tumbler .
“ What I like about the design of this lid in particular is that the mouth piece is big enough for me to sip the coffee without burning myself and there ’ s no space for milk or coffee or whatever I ’ m drinking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former espresso slinger at Marlow & Sons in Brooklyn , Derek Van Heule of Sticks Coffee Roasting in Mariposa , California , has had a while to refine his tumbler tastes .
His go-to is the Yeti Rambler .
“ It fits into my car cupholder — a lot of travel mugs don ’ t — and it keeps my coffee hot for a long time .
I like that it ’ s simply designed and durable , ” he says .
For something that won ’ t break the bank ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose it ) Casey Roberts of Everyman Espresso is a fan of this snap-top thermos that doesn ’ t spill or leak .
“ The Contigo brand is good , especially if you ’ re looking for something that travels well in a bag.
” Coffee director Gina Gerfao of Blue State Coffee knows it ’ s important to encourage people if you want to make real change .
“ Part of our mission is to minimize our environmental impact through sustainable practices , so we try to incentivize customers to bring their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Her pick , the Zojirushi insulated travel mug , has also been a Strategist favorite for years .
If , like Ryan Seacrest , you ’ re fanatic about drinking your coffee at the optimal temperature , you ’ ll love the Ember travel mug .
Seacrest included the Ember Mug in his list of things he can ’ t live without .
“ I have a very precise morning , and I only get my first half-cup of coffee before I end up having to get into the car , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the car , I transfer it into this mug .
You can program the temperature so it stays hot throughout the course of the morning , and I find that to be a luxury.
” The battery-powered thermos keeps any drink at perfect temperature for as long as you need .
A simple twist of the bottom allows you to adjust the temperature .
But if that ’ s too much work , you can customize your mug through an app on your phone .
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These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
For more information , see

If you’re an avid coffee drinker and you’re toying with the idea of a zero-waste (or lower-waste) lifestyle, your first step should be bringing your own thermos or mug to your local java spot. Trading your daily paper to-go cup for a more eco-conscious reusable mug isn’t just about sustainability. Experts like Natalie Slavutsky of Brooklyn Diamond Coffee agree that coffee actually tastes better out of ceramic, glass, or stainless steel than paper or plastic. “You’re just getting a better cup of coffee than in a paper cup,” says Slavutsky.
If that doesn’t convince you to make a change, “many cafés reward customers who bring in reusable drink ware with a discount for helping them move towards being more sustainable,” says Allie Caran, director of education at Partner’s Coffee. Here are the best reusable mugs and tumblers to bring into your local coffee shop according to baristas, coffee entrepreneurs, and one environmentally minded former Strategist editor.
KeepCup 12 oz. reusable coffee cup
More than any other brand, KeepCup kept coming up in our conversations. These small glass cups were originally designed by two former baristas in Melbourne, Australia, making it easier for people like Joanna Lareau, barista at Blue Bottle Coffee, to do their jobs. “I like KeepCups because they’re made for baristas to pour into so they’re the easiest for us to make latte art in,” says Lareau. She also notes that, because of their small size, KeepCups are easier to use when making cortados or cappuccinos. “Some reusable cups are so big they don’t fit into the espresso machine,” she says. Ryan Fisher, director of operations and roaster at GoodBoyBob Coffee in Santa Monica, California, likes KeepCups because they’re stylish and the glass gets his coffee to the exact temperature he likes quickly.
Nearly all of the baristas we talked to say that their biggest pet peeve is customers bringing in less-than-clean reusable cups. So finding one that’s simple to rinse out will both make your barista happy and keep your lattes tasting fresh. According to Samya Said, barista training manager for Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea, KeepCups are just as good as any rival mugs in this category. Plus they’re made with an inner slope, which she says “allows baristas to pour amazing art every time.”
KeepCup 12 oz. reusable coffee cup / The best travel mugs $24 on Amazon
Miir 12 oz. Camp Cup insulated mug
Two of the coffee experts we spoke to gave this stainless-steel insulated mug with a lid top billing. Emily Orendorff, a barista at Intelligentsia Coffee, prefers the Miir Camp Cup because, as she explains, “it’s shaped just like the mugs we use in the café (short and wide with a great handle) so it’s a breeze for baristas to make your drink in it, as well as easy to clean and to drink out of.” While Caleb Chauncey, a barista at East Pole Coffee Co. in Atlanta, likes that its insulated interior keeps drinks warm or cold for long periods of time — and it keeps a consistent temperature on the outside, too. “It won’t burn your hand if you have a hot beverage inside and it won’t sweat when you have a cold one,” he says. Like Orendorff, Chauncey also called out the mug’s handle as something most travel mugs don’t include and says he’s partial to the matte black finish.
Miir 12 oz. Camp Cup insulated mug / The best travel mugs $25 on Amazon
Kinto To Go Tumbler
Haley Boyd, a designer and sustainability enthusiast, has tried more than a her fair share of reusable coffee cups over the last few years. She likes this simply shaped option from Japanese brand Kinto best, mostly because of the design. “This cup is my favorite. It’s attractive and comes in a solid color without a huge logo, which is surprisingly hard to find,” she says.
Kinto To Go Tumbler / The best travel mugs $45 on Amazon
Kinto Travel Tumbler
If you’re hoping to keep your coffee hot all day long, Kinto also makes an attractive tumbler. Chris and Lindsay Grodzki of S&S Corner Shop in Springs, New York, love these simple Japanese tumblers. “These travel tumblers keep your drinks hot or cold for hours,” says Lindsay, who appreciates how easy they are to clean and use again. “Our customers love these, and so do we,” she says.
Kinto Travel Tumbler / The best travel mugs $29 on Amazon
Joco 16 oz. glass reusable coffee cup
“We’ve definitely seen a movement to eliminate single-use drinkware grow in coffee industry, particularly in the past year,” says Caran. According to her, if you’re using a mug for coffee, glass or stainless steel is best because it won’t absorb strong flavors or aromas. “At Partners, we really like the glass mugs made by Joco, an Australian brand that makes a beautiful and functional line of products that are entirely plastic-free,” Caran says.
Joco 16 oz. glass reusable coffee cup / The best travel mugs $22 on Amazon
Frank Green travel coffee mug
Fisher says he’s been seeing more and more customers with Frank Green travel mugs. Though they’re made of a special thermoplastic that’s BPA-free and dishwasher-safe (as opposed to ceramic, glass, or stainless steel), Fisher says these tumblers “keep drinks either hot or cold for hours.” He prefers when customers use reusable mugs, cups, or tumblers that are similarly shaped to standard paper cups or ceramic mugs, as that’s what he is used to pouring into. This 12-ounce tumbler fits easily in your hand or your car’s cupholder, and according to Fisher, has “a totally spill-proof lid.”
Frank Green travel coffee mug / The best travel mugs $30 on Amazon
Miir 12 oz. Travel Tumbler
For a thermal mug, Caran loves the minimal and functional design of this tumbler from Miir. “It’s super-sleek, retains heat (and cold) really well, and never leaks,” she says.
Miir 12 oz. Travel Tumbler / The best travel mugs $25 on Amazon
Hydro Flask 12 oz. Food Flask
Former Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens uses this Hydro Flask for her daily caffeine dose. “I drink lattes, which are eye-rollingly expensive when you add the almond milk and the tip and maybe get it iced. I got this thermos-like container for my morning coffee. Its stocky profile reminds me of the soup containers we all lugged around in elementary school.”
Hydro Flask 12 oz. Food Flask / The best travel mugs $30 on REI
Otterbox Elevation 20 Tumbler
Vivienne Weidmann of Blue Bottle reminds us how important good lid design can be with her pick for the best travel tumbler. “What I like about the design of this lid in particular is that the mouth piece is big enough for me to sip the coffee without burning myself and there’s no space for milk or coffee or whatever I’m drinking to dry up and collect in.”
Otterbox Elevation 20 Tumbler / The best travel mugs $25 on Amazon
Otterbox Elevation 20 Tumbler / The best travel mugs $30 on OtterBox
Yeti Rambler 30 oz. stainless steel tumbler
As a former espresso slinger at Marlow & Sons in Brooklyn, Derek Van Heule of Sticks Coffee Roasting in Mariposa, California, has had a while to refine his tumbler tastes. His go-to is the Yeti Rambler. “It fits into my car cupholder — a lot of travel mugs don’t — and it keeps my coffee hot for a long time. I like that it’s simply designed and durable,” he says.
Yeti Rambler 30 oz. stainless steel tumbler / The best travel mugs $35 on Amazon
Contigo Snapseal Byron stainless steel travel mug
For something that won’t break the bank (or upset you too much if you lose it) Casey Roberts of Everyman Espresso is a fan of this snap-top thermos that doesn’t spill or leak. “The Contigo brand is good, especially if you’re looking for something that travels well in a bag.”
Contigo Snapseal Byron stainless steel travel mug / The best travel mugs $12 on Amazon
Zojirushi 12 oz. Stainless Mug
Coffee director Gina Gerfao of Blue State Coffee knows it’s important to encourage people if you want to make real change. “Part of our mission is to minimize our environmental impact through sustainable practices, so we try to incentivize customers to bring their own mug by offering a 50-cent discount.” Her pick, the Zojirushi insulated travel mug, has also been a Strategist favorite for years.
Zojirushi 12 oz. Stainless Mug / The best travel mugs $22 on Amazon
Ember Mug temperature-control ceramic cup
If, like Ryan Seacrest, you’re fanatic about drinking your coffee at the optimal temperature, you’ll love the Ember travel mug. Seacrest included the Ember Mug in his list of things he can’t live without. “I have a very precise morning, and I only get my first half-cup of coffee before I end up having to get into the car,” he says. “When I get into the car, I transfer it into this mug. You can program the temperature so it stays hot throughout the course of the morning, and I find that to be a luxury.” The battery-powered thermos keeps any drink at perfect temperature for as long as you need. A simple twist of the bottom allows you to adjust the temperature. But if that’s too much work, you can customize your mug through an app on your phone.
Ember Mug temperature-control ceramic cup / The best travel mugs $80 on Amazon


theverge--2020-02-24--Chess champion Garry Kasparov who was replaced by AI says most US jobs are next

Garry Kasparov dominated chess until he was beaten by an IBM supercomputer called Deep Blue in 1997 .
The event made “ man loses to computer ” headlines the world over .
Kasparov recently returned to the ballroom of the New York hotel where he was defeated for a debate with AI experts .
Wired ’ s Will Knight was there for a revealing interview with perhaps the greatest human chess player the world has ever known .
” I was the first knowledge worker whose job was threatened by a machine , ” says Kasparov , something he foresees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology destroys jobs before creating jobs .
When you look at the statistics , only 4 percent of jobs in the US require human creativity .
That means 96 percent of jobs , I call them zombie jobs .
They ’ re dead , they just don ’ t know it .
For several decades we have been training people to act like computers , and now we are complaining that these jobs are in danger .
Of course they are.
” Experts say only about 14 percent of US jobs are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nevertheless , Kasparov has some advice for us zombies looking to re-skill .
” There are different machines , and it is the role of a human and understand exactly what this machine will need to do its best .
...
I describe the human role as being shepherds.
” Kasparov , for example , helps Alphabet ’ s DeepMind division understand potential weaknesses with AlphaZero ’ s chess play .
The interview also yielded this gem of a quote from Kasparov : ” People say , oh , we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Humans still have the monopoly on evil .
The problem is not AI .
The problem is humans using new technologies to harm other humans.
” It ’ s a fascinating read and one that should be done in its entirety , if only to find out why Kasparov thinks AI is making chess more interesting , even though humanity doesn ’ t stand a chance of beating it .

Garry Kasparov dominated chess until he was beaten by an IBM supercomputer called Deep Blue in 1997. The event made “man loses to computer” headlines the world over. Kasparov recently returned to the ballroom of the New York hotel where he was defeated for a debate with AI experts. Wired’s Will Knight was there for a revealing interview with perhaps the greatest human chess player the world has ever known.
”I was the first knowledge worker whose job was threatened by a machine,” says Kasparov, something he foresees coming for us all.
”Every technology destroys jobs before creating jobs. When you look at the statistics, only 4 percent of jobs in the US require human creativity. That means 96 percent of jobs, I call them zombie jobs. They’re dead, they just don’t know it. For several decades we have been training people to act like computers, and now we are complaining that these jobs are in danger. Of course they are.”
Experts say only about 14 percent of US jobs are at risk of replacement by AI and robots. Nevertheless, Kasparov has some advice for us zombies looking to re-skill.
”There are different machines, and it is the role of a human and understand exactly what this machine will need to do its best. ... I describe the human role as being shepherds.”
Kasparov, for example, helps Alphabet’s DeepMind division understand potential weaknesses with AlphaZero’s chess play.
The interview also yielded this gem of a quote from Kasparov:
”People say, oh, we need to make ethical AI. What nonsense. Humans still have the monopoly on evil. The problem is not AI. The problem is humans using new technologies to harm other humans.”


theverge--2020-02-24--Disney Plus announces preorder discounts for Europe

Disney is discounting the price of a yearly subscription to its streaming service in Europe , ahead of its regional launch on March 24th .
Customers who subscribe before March 23rd will get £10 , or €10 , off the price of a year ’ s subscription , bringing the annual cost down to £49.99 or €59.99 .
In Europe , the service will initially be available in the UK , Ireland , France , Germany , Italy , Spain , Austria , and Switzerland .
The promotion does not apply in the Netherlands , where the service already went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price works out to around £4/€5 a month , which compares to £5.99/€6.99 a month at its usual pricing ( monthly subscriptions are not receiving a similar pre-release discount ) .
In the US , the service offered a similar reduction , while also partnering with Verizon to give out a year of the service for free with certain plans .
In spite of how close the European launch of Disney Plus now is , there is still some confusion about what content will be available on the service at launch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simpsons will be available to stream on the service in the UK , and it ’ s also unclear whether The Mandalorian will be available all at once , or whether it will receive a staggered release schedule like it did in the US ( we ’ ve contacted Disney for confirmation ) .
Other Disney Plus titles that are coming to the service in Europe include High School Musical : The Musical : The Series , The World According To Jeff Goldblum , and a live-action version of Lady and the Tramp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US , where it surpassed 10 million subscribers on its first day .
It had over 28 million subscribers as of the beginning of this month , well beyond analyst predictions of between 10 and 18 million subscribers in its first year .

Disney is discounting the price of a yearly subscription to its streaming service in Europe, ahead of its regional launch on March 24th. Customers who subscribe before March 23rd will get £10, or €10, off the price of a year’s subscription, bringing the annual cost down to £49.99 or €59.99. In Europe, the service will initially be available in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland. The promotion does not apply in the Netherlands, where the service already went live.
At £49.99 a year, the price works out to around £4/€5 a month, which compares to £5.99/€6.99 a month at its usual pricing (monthly subscriptions are not receiving a similar pre-release discount). In the US, the service offered a similar reduction, while also partnering with Verizon to give out a year of the service for free with certain plans.
In spite of how close the European launch of Disney Plus now is, there is still some confusion about what content will be available on the service at launch. Disney is yet to confirm whether The Simpsons will be available to stream on the service in the UK, and it’s also unclear whether The Mandalorian will be available all at once, or whether it will receive a staggered release schedule like it did in the US (we’ve contacted Disney for confirmation).
Other Disney Plus titles that are coming to the service in Europe include High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, The World According To Jeff Goldblum, and a live-action version of Lady and the Tramp.
Disney+ / Launching March 24th for £59.99 or €69.99/year Subscribe


theverge--2020-02-24--HyperX’s Cloud Flight S has Qi charging, but at the expense of some useful features

HyperX is banking on your desire to have Qi wireless charging support in everything you own , including in your next gaming headset .
It ’ s the main selling point of the new $ 159 Cloud Flight S that ships today , and it ’ s what sets the 2020 model apart from previous versions .
When you ’ re done gaming , just place the headset ’ s left ear cup down onto a wireless charger to top it up .
It ’ s simple , and it essentially nixes the likelihood of encountering a dead battery mid-match @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banking on you already owning a wireless charging pad because it doesn ’ t include one in the box .
Of course , if you don ’ t have one , HyperX will upsell you its $ 59 dual wireless charging pad .
Considering how affordable these are ( as proved by our recommended picks for wireless charging pads ) , it ’ s unfortunate that the company chose to omit such a relatively low-cost toss-in .
And without one in the box , many people will resort to using its Micro USB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polar opposite in terms of ease of use .
This feels like a good place to mention this headset ’ s second big omission : wired playback .
The ear cup lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack .
As a result , it doesn ’ t support wired playback of any kind .
HyperX is marketing this headset toward PC and PS4 gamers ; with last year ’ s model ( and most other headsets on the market ) , you could get around the incompatibility with the Xbox One by plugging it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not this model — it ’ s exclusively a wireless affair .
However , it may be a consolation to some that the Cloud Flight S and its included USB receiver work perfectly when plugged into a Nintendo Switch dock .
A change I ’ m in favor of is that this headset doesn ’ t have any LEDs ( aside from the one that indicates when it ’ s powered on ) .
The customizable LED on the previous model was a serious drag on battery life if you left it on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not using it .
In fact , HyperX claims a solid 30 hours of battery life per charge here .
I ’ ve been using the headset during work and off-peak hours for nearly a week , and it ’ s meeting both the claim and my expectations .
According to the company ’ s NGenuity software , I have 15 percent of battery juice left after approximately 30 hours of use .
( Of course , if you use Qi charging , there ’ s no reason to worry about battery life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the performance . )
Also appealing are the four new remappable , concave buttons built onto the surface of the left ear cup .
The 2018 model had only a single button that muted the microphone .
This model quadruples the amount of buttons , so it ’ s now possible to customize this headset to your taste through HyperX ’ s NGenuity software .
Each button can be set to activate a range of actions , such as adjusting the mix of game and chat audio , muting the mic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , and more .
The other controls are scattered around each ear cup , though the layout is easy to learn .
The only control you ’ ll find on the right cup is the volume knob , which remains an effortless , responsive mechanism for making quick adjustments .
Over on the left cup , there ’ s the usual Micro USB charging port and a jack for plugging in the included removable noise-canceling boom microphone .
There ’ s also a power button and a dedicated button for turning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
In most other ways , HyperX ’ s latest headset is similar to the 2018 Cloud Flight .
And that ’ s not a bad thing .
It ’ s just as comfortable to wear for an extended period of time , and the wireless connection didn ’ t drop during my testing , even when the USB receiver was obstructed .
I used Remedy ’ s Control as my new audio benchmark for gaming .
Summoning Jesse Faden ’ s superpowers initiates a cacophony of strange noises of varying frequencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a headset , to the test .
The deeper sounds that make zipping around and throwing objects so satisfying weren ’ t as present here as I would have liked , though the Cloud Flight S handled the mids and highs in a satisfactory way .
If you really like to feel like you ’ re in the game , these will get you part of the way there .
Whether you plan to use the Cloud Flight S to game , listen to music , or watch movies , leaving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is essentially a must .
The headset ’ s sound performance is incredibly dull without it on , and it brings some much-needed oomph to the soundstage .
But if you ’ re not gaming , the EQ is pitched way too far toward bringing out the mids and highs above all else , making for an exhausting listening experience .
This sound quality seems on the mark with what you should expect from a model in this price range , though am I wrong to expect better ?
The Qi charging and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for HyperX ’ s popular headset lineup .
But I ’ d appreciate them a lot more if they didn ’ t come at the expense of other features , and if one of them didn ’ t require a separate purchase for proper use .
If these new features don ’ t seem crucial to you , you might just be better off getting the original Cloud Flight , or waiting to see what else 2020 has in store .
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for products purchased via affiliate links .
For more information , see our

HyperX is banking on your desire to have Qi wireless charging support in everything you own, including in your next gaming headset. It’s the main selling point of the new $159 Cloud Flight S that ships today, and it’s what sets the 2020 model apart from previous versions.
When you’re done gaming, just place the headset’s left ear cup down onto a wireless charger to top it up. It’s simple, and it essentially nixes the likelihood of encountering a dead battery mid-match. Unfortunately, the company is also banking on you already owning a wireless charging pad because it doesn’t include one in the box.
Of course, if you don’t have one, HyperX will upsell you its $59 dual wireless charging pad. Considering how affordable these are (as proved by our recommended picks for wireless charging pads), it’s unfortunate that the company chose to omit such a relatively low-cost toss-in. And without one in the box, many people will resort to using its Micro USB port to charge, which is the polar opposite in terms of ease of use.
7 Verge Score HyperX Cloud Flight S The Good Rock-solid wireless performance
Attractive design
Remappable controls are great The Bad Wireless only
Doesn’t include wireless charging pad
Sound performance is lackluster How we rate and review products
This feels like a good place to mention this headset’s second big omission: wired playback. The ear cup lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. As a result, it doesn’t support wired playback of any kind. HyperX is marketing this headset toward PC and PS4 gamers; with last year’s model (and most other headsets on the market), you could get around the incompatibility with the Xbox One by plugging it into your controller with a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable. Not this model — it’s exclusively a wireless affair. However, it may be a consolation to some that the Cloud Flight S and its included USB receiver work perfectly when plugged into a Nintendo Switch dock.
A change I’m in favor of is that this headset doesn’t have any LEDs (aside from the one that indicates when it’s powered on). The customizable LED on the previous model was a serious drag on battery life if you left it on, so you were almost better off not using it.
In fact, HyperX claims a solid 30 hours of battery life per charge here. I’ve been using the headset during work and off-peak hours for nearly a week, and it’s meeting both the claim and my expectations. According to the company’s NGenuity software, I have 15 percent of battery juice left after approximately 30 hours of use. (Of course, if you use Qi charging, there’s no reason to worry about battery life, though I’m still impressed with the performance.)
Also appealing are the four new remappable, concave buttons built onto the surface of the left ear cup. The 2018 model had only a single button that muted the microphone. This model quadruples the amount of buttons, so it’s now possible to customize this headset to your taste through HyperX’s NGenuity software. Each button can be set to activate a range of actions, such as adjusting the mix of game and chat audio, muting the mic, skipping songs on your preferred music streaming service, and more.
The other controls are scattered around each ear cup, though the layout is easy to learn. The only control you’ll find on the right cup is the volume knob, which remains an effortless, responsive mechanism for making quick adjustments. Over on the left cup, there’s the usual Micro USB charging port and a jack for plugging in the included removable noise-canceling boom microphone. There’s also a power button and a dedicated button for turning the digital 7.1 surround sound effect on and off.
In most other ways, HyperX’s latest headset is similar to the 2018 Cloud Flight. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s just as comfortable to wear for an extended period of time, and the wireless connection didn’t drop during my testing, even when the USB receiver was obstructed.
I used Remedy’s Control as my new audio benchmark for gaming. Summoning Jesse Faden’s superpowers initiates a cacophony of strange noises of varying frequencies that really puts a sound system, or a headset, to the test. The deeper sounds that make zipping around and throwing objects so satisfying weren’t as present here as I would have liked, though the Cloud Flight S handled the mids and highs in a satisfactory way. If you really like to feel like you’re in the game, these will get you part of the way there.
Whether you plan to use the Cloud Flight S to game, listen to music, or watch movies, leaving the 7.1 digital surround sound effect switched on is essentially a must. The headset’s sound performance is incredibly dull without it on, and it brings some much-needed oomph to the soundstage. But if you’re not gaming, the EQ is pitched way too far toward bringing out the mids and highs above all else, making for an exhausting listening experience. This sound quality seems on the mark with what you should expect from a model in this price range, though am I wrong to expect better?
The Qi charging and the remappable buttons are welcomed next steps for HyperX’s popular headset lineup. But I’d appreciate them a lot more if they didn’t come at the expense of other features, and if one of them didn’t require a separate purchase for proper use. If these new features don’t seem crucial to you, you might just be better off getting the original Cloud Flight, or waiting to see what else 2020 has in store.


theverge--2020-02-24--Apple’s over-ear headphones could be launching soon

Apple could release a new pair of over-ear headphones soon , according to placeholder listings that have reportedly been appearing in Target ’ s product database .
The listings , which were reported by YouTuber Jon Prosser , show a product called the “ Apple AirPods ( X Generation ) , ” with a price of $ 399 .
Prosser notes that there are three SKUs listed for the product , which suggests it could be available in three different colors .
Over the past couple of years there have been numerous reports that the company is working on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 2018 , Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg both reported that the headphones were due to release before the end of 2018 , but in June Bloomberg subsequently reported that they ’ d been delayed following “ development challenges.
” Most recently , Kuo predicted last month that Apple would release a pair of high-end Bluetooth headphones in the first half of 2020 .
According to AppleInsider ’ s sources at Target , placeholder listings like these are fairly common , and are usually an indication that products will ship within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
While placeholder names aren ’ t generally accurate , their sources said that placeholder pricing usually is .
A $ 399 price point would make the over-ear headphones around $ 150 more expensive than the in-ear AirPods Pro , but it ’ s the same price as both our current top picks for the best wireless over-ear headphones : the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and Sennheiser Momentum Wireless .
The release of a pair of over-ear headphones technically wouldn ’ t be a first for Apple , since it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beats brand for a while .
The wireless on-ear Beats Studio 3 , for example , are currently available for $ 350 .
However , they would be the company ’ s first under the Apple brand .
These headphones aren ’ t the only new products we could see from Apple in the first half of this year .
Last month ’ s report from Kuo claimed that we ’ d also see the company ’ s rumored Tag trackers ( although Kuo recently revised this to Q3 ) , a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wireless charger , and updates for its iPad Pro , MacBook Pro , and MacBook Air devices .
An Apple event had been rumored for March prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus , which has upended manufacturing and assembly efforts .

Apple could release a new pair of over-ear headphones soon, according to placeholder listings that have reportedly been appearing in Target’s product database. The listings, which were reported by YouTuber Jon Prosser, show a product called the “Apple AirPods (X Generation),” with a price of $399. Prosser notes that there are three SKUs listed for the product, which suggests it could be available in three different colors.
Over the past couple of years there have been numerous reports that the company is working on a pair of Apple-branded over-ear headphones. In early 2018, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg both reported that the headphones were due to release before the end of 2018, but in June Bloomberg subsequently reported that they’d been delayed following “development challenges.” Most recently, Kuo predicted last month that Apple would release a pair of high-end Bluetooth headphones in the first half of 2020.
According to AppleInsider’s sources at Target, placeholder listings like these are fairly common, and are usually an indication that products will ship within the month, or sometimes even within the week. While placeholder names aren’t generally accurate, their sources said that placeholder pricing usually is. A $399 price point would make the over-ear headphones around $150 more expensive than the in-ear AirPods Pro, but it’s the same price as both our current top picks for the best wireless over-ear headphones: the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and Sennheiser Momentum Wireless.
The release of a pair of over-ear headphones technically wouldn’t be a first for Apple, since it’s been selling over-ear headphones under its Beats brand for a while. The wireless on-ear Beats Studio 3, for example, are currently available for $350. However, they would be the company’s first under the Apple brand.


theverge--2020-02-24--Vivo’s Apex 2020 concept phone is coming on Friday

Vivo ’ s plan to unveil its third Apex concept phone were derailed by the cancellation of Mobile World Congress , but it looks like we ’ ll find out about it this week anyway .
The company says it ’ s going to announce the Apex 2020 on Friday and has supplied The Verge with a image teasing its “ fullview edge display.
” The render shows a phone screen with dramatically curved edges and the number “ 120 ” running from top to bottom .
This could be a reference to the curvature of the glass ; Vivo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year had a “ waterfall display ” with 88-degree curved edges .
Or it could refer to the refresh rate , though that wouldn ’ t exactly be groundbreaking .
Or hey , maybe it ’ s both .
The previous Apex phones never saw release themselves , but the line does provide some indication of where Vivo sees design going in the near future .
The first Apex introduced the world to pop-up selfie cameras , for example , while last year ’ s model hinted at the Nex 3 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Check back in on Friday to see what Vivo ’ s cooked up this time .

Vivo’s plan to unveil its third Apex concept phone were derailed by the cancellation of Mobile World Congress, but it looks like we’ll find out about it this week anyway. The company says it’s going to announce the Apex 2020 on Friday and has supplied The Verge with a image teasing its “fullview edge display.”
The render shows a phone screen with dramatically curved edges and the number “120” running from top to bottom. This could be a reference to the curvature of the glass; Vivo’s impressive Nex 3 flagship from last year had a “waterfall display” with 88-degree curved edges. Or it could refer to the refresh rate, though that wouldn’t exactly be groundbreaking. Or hey, maybe it’s both.


theverge--2020-02-24--Realme’s X50 Pro has a Snapdragon 865 and 5G for $600

Realme is continuing its push into the high end today with the announcement of the Realme X50 Pro , its first 5G phone and one that the company will push as a legitimate flagship contender in more markets than ever before .
It was intended for reveal at Mobile World Congress this week in an attempt to make a global splash ; Realme is going forward with the announcement despite the event ’ s cancellation .
The X50 Pro is a pretty hefty phone at 207g and 9.36mm thick , and its design doesn ’ t do much to step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The colorway on the device you see here , though , is pretty cool — Realme calls it “ Rust Red ” , and it ’ s kind of like a copper-brown frosted-glass matte finish on the back .
Realme is yet to blow my mind with hardware engineering , but it continues to put out some of the most interesting colors and textures of any phone maker .
The X50 Pro has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor as the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the majority of premium Android phones that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phone supports all “ mainstream ” 5G bands around the world .
RAM goes up to 12GB , while there ’ s a max of 256GB of storage .
There ’ s no microSD slot , a little surprisingly .
The display is a 6.44-inch 20:9 1080p OLED panel with a refresh rate of 90Hz .
Realme says it supports HDR10+ and covers 100 percent of the P3 color gamut .
There ’ s also a built-in optical fingerprint reader and a dual hole-punch cutout that houses a 32-megapixel selfie camera and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uses the same 64-megapixel Samsung sensor we ’ ve seen on other recent Realme phones .
It ’ s supported by an 8-megapixel ultrawide macro , a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto , and a monochrome depth sensor .
Realme is claiming 5x “ optical hybrid zoom ” and 20x “ hybrid zoom , ” which probably doesn ’ t mean all that much in practice given the hardware .
The X50 Pro has a 4,200mAh dual-cell battery and supports 65W “ SuperDart ” fast charging , which can supposedly get the phone to full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 percent charge in 20 .
That sounds similar to technological stablemate Oppo ’ s class-leading SuperVOOC 2.0 , which I ’ ve found to fill a 4,000mAh battery in under 32 minutes .
Realme ’ s bundled charger looks basically identical to Oppo ’ s , too , using GaN to keep the size down .
Realme is including solid stereo speakers and a decent haptic engine on the X50 Pro , two features that you can ’ t always count on finding in Chinese phones .
Unfortunately , though , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waterproofing rating , and I believe this is also Realme ’ s first phone to omit a headphone jack .
Realme is releasing the X50 Pro in Europe , China , and India at first , and while pricing details aren ’ t yet final , the company tells The Verge it should come in between €550-650 ( roughly $ 600-700 ) in Spain and cost less in China .
That still makes it by far the most expensive Realme phone yet , but one that gets the company onto the list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And with Samsung setting the floor for its new Galaxy S20 range at $ 999 , Realme still has room to provide a significant discount in the 5G space .

Realme is continuing its push into the high end today with the announcement of the Realme X50 Pro, its first 5G phone and one that the company will push as a legitimate flagship contender in more markets than ever before. It was intended for reveal at Mobile World Congress this week in an attempt to make a global splash; Realme is going forward with the announcement despite the event’s cancellation.
The X50 Pro is a pretty hefty phone at 207g and 9.36mm thick, and its design doesn’t do much to step beyond other devices from the company. The colorway on the device you see here, though, is pretty cool — Realme calls it “Rust Red”, and it’s kind of like a copper-brown frosted-glass matte finish on the back. Realme is yet to blow my mind with hardware engineering, but it continues to put out some of the most interesting colors and textures of any phone maker.
The X50 Pro has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor as the Samsung Galaxy S20 and the majority of premium Android phones that will be released this year. Realme says the phone supports all “mainstream” 5G bands around the world. RAM goes up to 12GB, while there’s a max of 256GB of storage. There’s no microSD slot, a little surprisingly.
The display is a 6.44-inch 20:9 1080p OLED panel with a refresh rate of 90Hz. Realme says it supports HDR10+ and covers 100 percent of the P3 color gamut. There’s also a built-in optical fingerprint reader and a dual hole-punch cutout that houses a 32-megapixel selfie camera and an 8-megapixel ultrawide.
The fastest fast-charging phone?
The main camera uses the same 64-megapixel Samsung sensor we’ve seen on other recent Realme phones. It’s supported by an 8-megapixel ultrawide macro, a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto, and a monochrome depth sensor. Realme is claiming 5x “optical hybrid zoom” and 20x “hybrid zoom,” which probably doesn’t mean all that much in practice given the hardware.
The X50 Pro has a 4,200mAh dual-cell battery and supports 65W “SuperDart” fast charging, which can supposedly get the phone to full capacity in 35 minutes, or to 60 percent charge in 20. That sounds similar to technological stablemate Oppo’s class-leading SuperVOOC 2.0, which I’ve found to fill a 4,000mAh battery in under 32 minutes. Realme’s bundled charger looks basically identical to Oppo’s, too, using GaN to keep the size down.
Realme is including solid stereo speakers and a decent haptic engine on the X50 Pro, two features that you can’t always count on finding in Chinese phones. Unfortunately, though, there’s still no wireless charging or waterproofing rating, and I believe this is also Realme’s first phone to omit a headphone jack.


theverge--2020-02-24--Sony’s new Xperia 1 II adds 5G to its lineup of tall phones

One year after the debut of its super-tall Xperia 1 , Sony is back with a successor , the obscenely titled Xperia 1 II .
In Europe the handset will be Sony ’ s first to support 5G , where it will be able to connect to sub-6GHz networks .
Sony is keen to emphasize the photography capabilities of its flagship smartphone , and there are also some neat hardware inclusions like a 3.5mm headphone jack and support for wireless charging .
( Both of those were missing from last year ’ s handset . )
It also announced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II .
In the US , where the flagship 1 II handset will be 4G only , Sony teased a separate 5G device called the Xperia Pro .
In an era of 108-megapixel smartphone cameras , the 12-megapixel triple-camera array found on the back of the Xperia 1 II risks coming across as under-specced , on paper anyway .
But Sony has what it thinks are a couple of tricks up its sleeve , thanks to features brought over from its Alpha lineup of cameras .
The first is that the phone supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( a first for a smartphone , according to Sony ) , and the second is the ability to calculate AF/AE at up to 60 times per second .
The eye-tracking autofocus returns from last year and now works with animals .
Sony says that this year the camera ’ s autofocus covers 70 percent of the frame .
Sony also has a new Photo Pro app , which joins the Cinema Pro app that it debuted last year .
The aim here is to give you more manual control over your photography @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interface to an interchangeable lens camera .
Of course , you can also take photographs using a more typical smartphone camera interface if you so choose .
In terms of camera hardware , the phone has three rear cameras and a 3D iToF sensor to assist with focusing .
All three cameras feature 12-megapixel sensors , similar to the iPhone 11 Pro .
On the Sony Xperia 1 II , the main 24mm f/1.7 camera has a larger 1/1.7-inch sensor , similar to the 1/1.76-inch sensor Samsung is using for the main camera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though it ’ s not as large as the 1/1.33-inch 108-megapixel sensor found in the Galaxy S20 Ultra .
Alongside its main sensor , Sony ’ s new phone also has a 16mm f/2.2 ultrawide camera , and a 70mm f/2.4 telephoto camera .
On the front , there ’ s an 8-megapixel selfie camera , and on the side there ’ s a dedicated camera button .
If you ’ re shooting video rather than photos , Sony ’ s new device ups the maximum frame rate for 4K recording to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sony also says the phone should be better at recording audio , thanks to its ability to filter out wind noise .
On the audio side , Sony has announced that the Xperia 1 II is the world ’ s first smartphone to come with built-in 360 Reality Audio decoding , the new audio format that Sony launched last fall .
This is an object-based spatial audio format that makes it appear as though audio is coming from all around you .
Sony says that you ’ ll be able to stream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ’ s phone , the Xperia 1 II has a 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED display with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio .
Although Sony is keen to emphasize the benefits of this screen for media consumption , last year , we found it had plenty of benefits for everyday usage of the phone , like being able to see more emails at once or more content on Twitter .
Rounding out the specs , the Xperia 1 II has a Snapdragon 865 processor , 8GB of RAM , 256GB of onboard storage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe , 5G connectivity will be handled by a Qualcomm X55 modem .
The fingerprint sensor is still side-mounted , there are dual front-facing speakers , and the phone is water resistant with IP65 and IP68 certifications .
Sony expects to ship the phone in Europe from late spring , while in the US a release date has yet to be determined .
While its new flagship won ’ t support 5G in the US , the company did tease a mysterious new 5G device called the Xperia Pro .
Although it looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sony is pitching the Pro as an accessory for broadcast video cameras , with an HDMI input that allows it to work as a camera monitor .
Then , Sony imagines you ’ ll be able to use its 5G connection ( it supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave ) to upload video footage to wherever you need it .
It ’ s an interesting idea that could pick up where RED failed with its more ambitious Hydrogen phone program , but it sounds like the product is still a concept for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have any information to share on potential release dates or pricing , and it even said that it hadn ’ t decided whether it will be selling it through its regular consumer channels .
Finally , Sony also has a new mid-range handset called the Xperia 10 II .
It ’ s got a slightly smaller 6-inch 21:9 1080p OLED display , a less powerful Snapdragon 665 processor , and a smaller 3,600mAh battery .
Although it ’ s also got a triple-camera array with the same combination of focal lengths , two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 megapixels .
It also keeps the 3.5mm headphone jack , but there ’ s no sign of wireless charging .
Sony plans to ship the phone in “ select markets ” this spring .
Update February 24th , 3:30AM ET : Added additional specs , an embedded video , and images .

One year after the debut of its super-tall Xperia 1, Sony is back with a successor, the obscenely titled Xperia 1 II. In Europe the handset will be Sony’s first to support 5G, where it will be able to connect to sub-6GHz networks. Sony is keen to emphasize the photography capabilities of its flagship smartphone, and there are also some neat hardware inclusions like a 3.5mm headphone jack and support for wireless charging. (Both of those were missing from last year’s handset.) It also announced a new mid-range handset called the Xperia 10 II. In the US, where the flagship 1 II handset will be 4G only, Sony teased a separate 5G device called the Xperia Pro.
In an era of 108-megapixel smartphone cameras, the 12-megapixel triple-camera array found on the back of the Xperia 1 II risks coming across as under-specced, on paper anyway. But Sony has what it thinks are a couple of tricks up its sleeve, thanks to features brought over from its Alpha lineup of cameras. The first is that the phone supports up to 20fps shooting in burst mode (a first for a smartphone, according to Sony), and the second is the ability to calculate AF/AE at up to 60 times per second. The eye-tracking autofocus returns from last year and now works with animals. Sony says that this year the camera’s autofocus covers 70 percent of the frame.
The phone’s eye auto-focus now works on animals and humans. Image: Sony
Sony also has a new Photo Pro app, which joins the Cinema Pro app that it debuted last year. The aim here is to give you more manual control over your photography with what Sony says is a similar interface to an interchangeable lens camera. Of course, you can also take photographs using a more typical smartphone camera interface if you so choose.
In terms of camera hardware, the phone has three rear cameras and a 3D iToF sensor to assist with focusing. All three cameras feature 12-megapixel sensors, similar to the iPhone 11 Pro. On the Sony Xperia 1 II, the main 24mm f/1.7 camera has a larger 1/1.7-inch sensor, similar to the 1/1.76-inch sensor Samsung is using for the main camera on the Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus, though it’s not as large as the 1/1.33-inch 108-megapixel sensor found in the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Alongside its main sensor, Sony’s new phone also has a 16mm f/2.2 ultrawide camera, and a 70mm f/2.4 telephoto camera. On the front, there’s an 8-megapixel selfie camera, and on the side there’s a dedicated camera button.
If you’re shooting video rather than photos, Sony’s new device ups the maximum frame rate for 4K recording to 60fps, and 120fps for 2K recording. Sony also says the phone should be better at recording audio, thanks to its ability to filter out wind noise.
On the audio side, Sony has announced that the Xperia 1 II is the world’s first smartphone to come with built-in 360 Reality Audio decoding, the new audio format that Sony launched last fall. This is an object-based spatial audio format that makes it appear as though audio is coming from all around you. Sony says that you’ll be able to stream the format on Tidal.
Like last year’s phone, the Xperia 1 II has a 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED display with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio. Although Sony is keen to emphasize the benefits of this screen for media consumption, last year, we found it had plenty of benefits for everyday usage of the phone, like being able to see more emails at once or more content on Twitter.
Rounding out the specs, the Xperia 1 II has a Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of onboard storage, and a 4,000mAh battery. In Europe, 5G connectivity will be handled by a Qualcomm X55 modem. The fingerprint sensor is still side-mounted, there are dual front-facing speakers, and the phone is water resistant with IP65 and IP68 certifications. Sony expects to ship the phone in Europe from late spring, while in the US a release date has yet to be determined.
Sony also teased the Xperia Pro, which will feature 5G connectivity including both sub-6GHz and mmWave. Image: Sony Sony envisages the Xperia Pro’s HDMI input allowing it to be used as a monitor for a camera. Image: Sony
While its new flagship won’t support 5G in the US, the company did tease a mysterious new 5G device called the Xperia Pro. Although it looks a lot like the Xperia 1 II, Sony is pitching the Pro as an accessory for broadcast video cameras, with an HDMI input that allows it to work as a camera monitor. Then, Sony imagines you’ll be able to use its 5G connection (it supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave) to upload video footage to wherever you need it.
It’s an interesting idea that could pick up where RED failed with its more ambitious Hydrogen phone program, but it sounds like the product is still a concept for the time being. Sony didn’t have any information to share on potential release dates or pricing, and it even said that it hadn’t decided whether it will be selling it through its regular consumer channels.
The Xperia 10 II’s screen has the same aspect ratio as the more expensive flagship, albeit with lower specs. Image: Sony
Finally, Sony also has a new mid-range handset called the Xperia 10 II. It’s got a slightly smaller 6-inch 21:9 1080p OLED display, a less powerful Snapdragon 665 processor, and a smaller 3,600mAh battery. Although it’s also got a triple-camera array with the same combination of focal lengths, two of them have 8-megapixel sensors rather than 12 megapixels. It also keeps the 3.5mm headphone jack, but there’s no sign of wireless charging. Sony plans to ship the phone in “select markets” this spring.


theverge--2020-02-24--Upgraded doomsday vault gets new seed deposits

Today , the so-called “ doomsday ” vault in Norway is taking in its biggest deposit of seeds since vital upgrades in 2019 .
The deposit will feature over 60,000 seed samples from 36 different groups — the most to send their seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault at one time .
That includes the Cherokee Nation , the first tribe based in the US to make a deposit .
Departments of agriculture from Thailand , the US , and Ireland and universities and research centers from Costa Rica , Ethiopia , Lebanon , and elsewhere will make contributions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first US-based tribe to make a deposit The Vault was built to safeguard the DNA of the world ’ s crops in order to ensure a diversity of species and that there ’ s always enough food on the planet for people to eat .
Any number of disasters — from floods to wars and power outages — could leave seeds in more than 1,700 regional gene banks around the world vulnerable .
So many of them keep backup copies at Svalbard .
Climate change is bringing new urgency to efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the international nonprofit organization Crop Trust .
The nonprofit manages the vault in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre .
“ Certainly , [ climate change ] is an enormous concern for global agriculture , ” says Hannes Dempewolf , head of global initiatives at Crop Trust .
Beyond preserving a wide range of species , the seeds within seed banks might also help plant breeders produce crops that are more resilient to emerging pests , diseases , and the effects of climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be more tolerant to drought , high temperatures , and saltier soil ( as a result of sea-level rise ) .
The Cherokee Nation is depositing nine seed varieties that predate European colonization .
The tribe maintains its own seed bank with heirloom plants — species that are important to its history , culture , and traditions .
The tribe ’ s most sacred corn and oldest heirloom variety , the Cherokee White Eagle Corn will be deposited .
During the Trail of Tears , the Cherokee brought the corn with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lands .
“ Generations from now , these seeds will still hold our history and there will always be a part of the Cherokee Nation in the world , ” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in a statement earlier this month .
“ Generations from now , these seeds will still hold our history ” The Svalbard vault has already amassed about 1 million seeds representing more than 5,000 species since opening in 2008 .
They ’ re stored deep within a mountain in a structure designed to be as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archipelago of Svalbard also houses a data archive . )
The seed vault is artificially cooled to -18 degrees Celsius to preserve the seeds , but the rock and permafrost surrounding the vault is supposed to keep them frozen even if the power goes out .
Climate change has already tested how impenetrable the vault really is .
Melting permafrost found its way inside the access tunnel to the vault in 2017 .
Luckily , the water froze inside before breaching the vault itself .
After that , Norway committed roughly €10 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vault more fail-safe .
The access tunnel was made more waterproof and its cooling system got an upgrade .
The improvements , completed last year , ended up costing €20 million ( $ 21.7 million ) .
The seeds added today are the first major deposit since the upgrades were made .

Today, the so-called “doomsday” vault in Norway is taking in its biggest deposit of seeds since vital upgrades in 2019. The deposit will feature over 60,000 seed samples from 36 different groups — the most to send their seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault at one time. That includes the Cherokee Nation, the first tribe based in the US to make a deposit. Departments of agriculture from Thailand, the US, and Ireland and universities and research centers from Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and elsewhere will make contributions as well.
The Cherokee Nation is the first US-based tribe to make a deposit
The Vault was built to safeguard the DNA of the world’s crops in order to ensure a diversity of species and that there’s always enough food on the planet for people to eat. Any number of disasters — from floods to wars and power outages — could leave seeds in more than 1,700 regional gene banks around the world vulnerable. So many of them keep backup copies at Svalbard. Climate change is bringing new urgency to efforts to save these food crops, according to the international nonprofit organization Crop Trust. The nonprofit manages the vault in partnership with the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre.
“Certainly, [climate change] is an enormous concern for global agriculture,” says Hannes Dempewolf, head of global initiatives at Crop Trust. Beyond preserving a wide range of species, the seeds within seed banks might also help plant breeders produce crops that are more resilient to emerging pests, diseases, and the effects of climate change. Crops of the future may need to be more tolerant to drought, high temperatures, and saltier soil (as a result of sea-level rise).
The Cherokee Nation is depositing nine seed varieties that predate European colonization. The tribe maintains its own seed bank with heirloom plants — species that are important to its history, culture, and traditions. The tribe’s most sacred corn and oldest heirloom variety, the Cherokee White Eagle Corn will be deposited. During the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee brought the corn with them as they were forced away from their lands. “Generations from now, these seeds will still hold our history and there will always be a part of the Cherokee Nation in the world,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said in a statement earlier this month.
“Generations from now, these seeds will still hold our history”
The Svalbard vault has already amassed about 1 million seeds representing more than 5,000 species since opening in 2008. They’re stored deep within a mountain in a structure designed to be as apocalypse-proof as possible. (The Arctic archipelago of Svalbard also houses a data archive.) The seed vault is artificially cooled to -18 degrees Celsius to preserve the seeds, but the rock and permafrost surrounding the vault is supposed to keep them frozen even if the power goes out.
Climate change has already tested how impenetrable the vault really is. Melting permafrost found its way inside the access tunnel to the vault in 2017. Luckily, the water froze inside before breaching the vault itself.