theverge--2020-01-15--Bose is closing all of its retail stores in North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia

Bose plans to close its entire retail store footprint in North America , Europe , Japan , and Australia .
The company announced the decision earlier today and pointed to the fact that its headphones , speakers , and other products “ are increasingly purchased through e-commerce ” as the reasoning .
Hundreds of employees will be laid off as a result .
Bose opened its first physical retail store in 1993 and currently has locations in many shopping centers and the remaining malls scattered across the US .
The stores are used to showcase the company ’ s product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s signature noise-canceling headphones in recent years to include smart speakers and sunglasses that double as earbuds .
There are often similar demo areas at retailers like Best Buy , though Bose has plenty of competition to worry about in that environment .
The Framingham , Massachusetts-based company is privately held and is not revealing exactly how many workers are being impacted by its decision to pull out of physical retail .
“ Originally , our retail stores gave people a way to experience , test , and talk to us about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems , ” said Colette Burke , Bose ’ s vice president of global sales .
“ At the time , it was a radical idea , but we focused on what our customers needed , and where they needed it — and we ’ re doing the same thing now.
” Bose is shuttering its retail presence in North America , Europe , Japan , and Australia “ over the next few months.
” That adds up to a total of 119 stores , according to a spokesperson .
“ In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will remain open , including approximately 130 stores located in Greater China and the United Arab Emirates ; and additional stores in India , Southeast Asia , and South Korea , ” the company told The Verge by email .
Bose says it ’ s offering outplacement assistance and severance to employees that are being laid off .
The company ’ s full statement is below : Given the dramatic shift to online shopping in specific markets , Bose plans to close its remaining 119 retail stores across North America , Europe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
In other parts of the world , Bose stores will remain open , including approximately 130 stores located in Greater China and the United Arab Emirates ; and additional stores in India , Southeast Asia , and South Korea .
In 1993 , Bose opened its first store in the United States to provide personal , private demonstrations for Wave music systems and Lifestyle home theater systems .
As smartphones changed the industry , the company ’ s focus turned to mobile , Bluetooth , and Wi-Fi solutions .
Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earbuds , portable speakers , and smart speakers are increasingly purchased through e-commerce , including Bose.com ; and Bose is a larger multi-national company , with a localized mix of channels tailored for a country or region .
“ Originally , our retail stores gave people a way to experience , test , and talk to us about multi-component , CD and DVD-based home entertainment systems , ” said Colette Burke , vice president of Global Sales , Bose Corporation .
“ At the time , it was a radical idea , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and where they needed it – and we ’ re doing the same thing now .
It ’ s still difficult , because the decision impacts some of our amazing store teams who make us proud every day .
They take care of every person who walks through our doors – whether that ’ s helping with a problem , giving expert advice , or just letting someone take a break and listen to great music .
Over the years , they ’ ve set the standard for customer service .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be offering outplacement assistance and severance to affected employees .
Additional details , including the number of employees affected , will remain private .
Bose products are carried at Amazon , Best Buy , Target , Apple stores , other third-party retailers , and on the company ’ s own website .

Given the dramatic shift to online shopping in specific markets, Bose plans to close its remaining 119 retail stores across North America, Europe, Japan and Australia over the next several months. In other parts of the world, Bose stores will remain open, including approximately 130 stores located in Greater China and the United Arab Emirates; and additional stores in India, Southeast Asia, and South Korea.
In 1993, Bose opened its first store in the United States to provide personal, private demonstrations for Wave music systems and Lifestyle home theater systems. As smartphones changed the industry, the company’s focus turned to mobile, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi solutions. Today, Bose noise-cancelling headphones, truly wireless sport earbuds, portable speakers, and smart speakers are increasingly purchased through e-commerce, including Bose.com; and Bose is a larger multi-national company, with a localized mix of channels tailored for a country or region.
“Originally, our retail stores gave people a way to experience, test, and talk to us about multi-component, CD and DVD-based home entertainment systems,” said Colette Burke, vice president of Global Sales, Bose Corporation. “At the time, it was a radical idea, but we focused on what our customers needed, and where they needed it – and we’re doing the same thing now. It’s still difficult, because the decision impacts some of our amazing store teams who make us proud every day. They take care of every person who walks through our doors – whether that’s helping with a problem, giving expert advice, or just letting someone take a break and listen to great music. Over the years, they’ve set the standard for customer service. And everyone at Bose is grateful.”
Bose will be offering outplacement assistance and severance to affected employees. Additional details, including the number of employees affected, will remain private.


theverge--2020-01-15--Wildfire smoke forced tennis players to withdraw from Australian Open matches

Athletes at the Australian Open are breathing in poor-quality air polluted by bushfire smoke , making it nearly impossible for them to do their jobs .
Dalila Jakupovic , ranked 210 in the world by the Women ’ s Tennis Association , withdrew from her qualifying match yesterday after smoke sent her into a coughing fit .
Maria Sharapova ’ s match was abandoned after two hours of play in smoky air , and Novak Djokovic said before the start of the tournament that delaying the competition until the air cleared might be necessary , albeit as a last resort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for professional sports have been ongoing since at least the 2008 Beijing Olympics , which had the highest levels of air pollution of any measured games .
Bad air can impair athletic performance and impact athletes ’ health .
As fire seasons grow in length and intensity , leagues and athletic governing bodies will keep being confronted with the problem .
Breathing in polluted air over a short period of time can exacerbate respiratory and heart conditions .
Over longer terms , it can increase the risks of heart disease and some cancers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air someone takes in per minute , so someone who is playing a sport in bad air would inhale more pollution than someone who is just sitting outside .
“ Because they work so hard and breathe so much , athletes actually turn out to be a sensitive subgroup to pollutants , ” says Ed Avol , a professor of clinical preventive medicine and air pollution expert at the University of Southern California .
Physical activity increases the amount of air someone takes in per minute Air pollutants can decrease lung function and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are key for athletic performance .
At the professional level , where athletes are only separated by slim margins , any hit to physical function can have a major impact .
One study of the German professional soccer league , Bundesliga , showed that polluted air was associated with worse athlete productivity on the field .
The air quality in Melbourne , where the Australian Open is held , is currently some of the worst in the world , thanks to an intense bushfire season that ’ s burned millions of acres across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Open on Monday were halted because of the smog , and matches were delayed two hours on Wednesday .
Tournament organizers said that they were monitoring the air quality conditions .
“ With the wide ranging smoke and fire issues , you have high concentrations of particles and gases in the air , ” Avol says .
“ Everyone should be taking some personal protections and minimizing exercise .
Breathing in high amounts gives you a much higher dose.
” The Women ’ s Tennis Association has rules on the books for modifications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the Australian Open and some other major tournaments , but they ’ re making decisions around air quality on the fly .
Other sports leagues in Australia are doing the same : the Football Federation Australia said in December that it was still in the process of formalizing an air quality policy for its men ’ s and women ’ s leagues , the A-League and W-League .
A W-league game was postponed due to poor air quality at the start of January , while an A-league match scheduled for the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with better conditions ) went forward .
During the 2018 California wildfire season , US leagues had to make similar decisions .
That year , the football game between the University of California , Berkley and Stanford University was postponed due to poor air quality .
The National Collegiate Athletic Association recommends that schools should consider rescheduling games or moving them indoors if the Air Quality Index , a composite measure of air pollution , is above 200 .
Some professional sports teams , on the other hand , kept playing through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Outdoor games in the National Women ’ s Soccer League went on , despite poor air quality .
The league added hydration breaks to the games and had oxygen on hand at the sidelines , but it faced criticism for not responding to the issue quickly enough .
The San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants played outdoors in San Francisco in November 2018 , despite unhealthy air quality .
The league said it would relocate the game if the Air Quality Index was above 200 , but it hovered around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Environmental Protection Agency .
While leagues are setting their own limits , it ’ s hard to say objectively what the air quality limit should be , from a health perspective , for sporting events .
Groups like the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency have air quality standards , but those are based on how air pollution would affect the average person , and everyone responds differently to exposure .
“ As a rough rule of thumb , if you can smell the smoke and see the smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good environment where you should be exercising hard , ” Avol says .
But leagues and tournaments also consider the financial impact of scheduling decisions .
“ They ’ re going to make business-based decisions , and they ’ re going to operate at air quality levels you or I might choose not to.
” Northern California , western Oregon , and the Great Plains are projected to have over 50 percent more multiday periods with high levels of wildfire-generated air pollution as climate change progresses .
In Australia , climate change means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could happen more often .
That ’ s going to impact human and animal health , across the board , but it ’ s also going to change sports , exercise , and recreation .
“ Science says exposure to these contaminants have negative health effects , ” Avol says .
Integrating that awareness into conversations around sports is only going to become more of an issue .
“ Clearly , we ’ re headed for a collision course .
”

Athletes at the Australian Open are breathing in poor-quality air polluted by bushfire smoke, making it nearly impossible for them to do their jobs. Dalila Jakupovic, ranked 210 in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association, withdrew from her qualifying match yesterday after smoke sent her into a coughing fit. Maria Sharapova’s match was abandoned after two hours of play in smoky air, and Novak Djokovic said before the start of the tournament that delaying the competition until the air cleared might be necessary, albeit as a last resort.
Questions over appropriate air quality conditions for professional sports have been ongoing since at least the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which had the highest levels of air pollution of any measured games. Bad air can impair athletic performance and impact athletes’ health. As fire seasons grow in length and intensity, leagues and athletic governing bodies will keep being confronted with the problem.
Breathing in polluted air over a short period of time can exacerbate respiratory and heart conditions. Over longer terms, it can increase the risks of heart disease and some cancers.
Physical activity increases the amount of air someone takes in per minute, so someone who is playing a sport in bad air would inhale more pollution than someone who is just sitting outside. “Because they work so hard and breathe so much, athletes actually turn out to be a sensitive subgroup to pollutants,” says Ed Avol, a professor of clinical preventive medicine and air pollution expert at the University of Southern California.
Physical activity increases the amount of air someone takes in per minute
Air pollutants can decrease lung function and reduce blood flow — both of which are key for athletic performance. At the professional level, where athletes are only separated by slim margins, any hit to physical function can have a major impact. One study of the German professional soccer league, Bundesliga, showed that polluted air was associated with worse athlete productivity on the field.
The air quality in Melbourne, where the Australian Open is held, is currently some of the worst in the world, thanks to an intense bushfire season that’s burned millions of acres across the country. Practice sessions at the Open on Monday were halted because of the smog, and matches were delayed two hours on Wednesday. Tournament organizers said that they were monitoring the air quality conditions.
“With the wide ranging smoke and fire issues, you have high concentrations of particles and gases in the air,” Avol says. “Everyone should be taking some personal protections and minimizing exercise. Breathing in high amounts gives you a much higher dose.”
The Women’s Tennis Association has rules on the books for modifications to matches during extreme heat, as do the Australian Open and some other major tournaments, but they’re making decisions around air quality on the fly. Other sports leagues in Australia are doing the same: Football Federation Australia said in an email to The Verge that it was still in the process of formalizing an air quality policy for its men’s and women’s leagues, the A-League and W-League. In practice, though, the leagues are postponing games if the Air Quality Index (AQI), a composite measure of air pollution, is above 200, a spokesperson told The Verge. If the AQI is between 151 and 200, the league consults with team doctors to decide if games should move forward. A W-league game was postponed due to poor air quality at the start of January, while an A-league match scheduled for the same day (but played in an area with better conditions) went forward.
During the 2018 California wildfire season, US leagues had to make similar decisions. That year, the football game between the University of California, Berkley and Stanford University was postponed due to poor air quality. The National Collegiate Athletic Association recommends that schools should consider rescheduling games or moving them indoors if the AQI, is above 200.
Some professional sports teams, on the other hand, kept playing through the smoky air during the 2018 fire season. Outdoor games in the National Women’s Soccer League went on, despite poor air quality. The league added hydration breaks to the games and had oxygen on hand at the sidelines, but it faced criticism for not responding to the issue quickly enough. The San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants played outdoors in San Francisco in November 2018, despite unhealthy air quality. The league said it would relocate the game if the AQI was above 200, but it hovered around 156, which is still considered unhealthy by the Environmental Protection Agency.
While leagues are setting their own limits, it’s hard to say objectively what the air quality limit should be, from a health perspective, for sporting events. Groups like the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency have air quality standards, but those are based on how air pollution would affect the average person, and everyone responds differently to exposure. “As a rough rule of thumb, if you can smell the smoke and see the smoke, it’s probably not a good environment where you should be exercising hard,” Avol says. But leagues and tournaments also consider the financial impact of scheduling decisions. “They’re going to make business-based decisions, and they’re going to operate at air quality levels you or I might choose not to.”
Northern California, western Oregon, and the Great Plains are projected to have over 50 percent more multiday periods with high levels of wildfire-generated air pollution as climate change progresses. In Australia, climate change means the intense bushfire season seen this year could happen more often. That’s going to impact human and animal health, across the board, but it’s also going to change sports, exercise, and recreation. “Science says exposure to these contaminants have negative health effects,” Avol says. Integrating that awareness into conversations around sports is only going to become more of an issue. “Clearly, we’re headed for a collision course.”


theverge--2020-01-15--Apple’s latest AI acquisition leaves some Wyze cameras without people detection

Earlier today , Apple confirmed it purchased Seattle-based AI company Xnor.ai ( via MacRumors ) .
Acquisitions at Apple ’ s scale happen frequently , though rarely do they impact everyday people on the day of their announcement .
This one is different .
Cameras from fellow Seattle-based company Wyze , including the Wyze Cam V2 and Wyze Cam Pan , have utilized Xnor.ai ’ s on-device people detection since last summer .
But now that Apple owns the company , it ’ s no longer available .
Some people on Wyze ’ s forum are noting that the beta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to roll out .
There ’ s no release date on Wyze ’ s own person detection Oddly enough , word of this lapse in service isn ’ t anything new .
Wyze issued a statement in November 2019 saying that Xnor.ai had terminated their contract ( though its reason for doing so wasn ’ t as clear then as it is today ) , and that a firmware update slated for mid-January 2020 would remove the feature from those cameras .
There ’ s a bright side to this loss , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xnor.ai makes Wyze ’ s affordable cameras less appealing in the interim .
Wyze says that it ’ s working on its own in-house version of people detection for launch at some point this year .
And whether it operates on-device via “ edge AI ” computing like Xnor.ai ’ s does , or by authenticating through the cloud , it will be free for users when it launches .
That ’ s good and all , but the year just started , and it ’ s a little worrying Wyze hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frame for its replacement of the feature .
Two days ago , Wyze ’ s social media community manager stated that the company was “ making great progress ” on its forums , but they didn ’ t offer up when it would be available .
As for what Apple plans to do with Xnor.ai is anyone ’ s guess .
Ahead of its partnership with Wyze , the AI startup had developed a small , wireless AI camera that ran exclusively on solar power .
Regardless of whether Apple is more interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was seen working on Wyze cameras for a short time , or its clever hardware ideas around AI-powered cameras , it ’ s getting all of it with the purchase .

Earlier today, Apple confirmed it purchased Seattle-based AI company Xnor.ai (via MacRumors). Acquisitions at Apple’s scale happen frequently, though rarely do they impact everyday people on the day of their announcement. This one is different.
Cameras from fellow Seattle-based company Wyze, including the Wyze Cam V2 and Wyze Cam Pan, have utilized Xnor.ai’s on-device people detection since last summer. But now that Apple owns the company, it’s no longer available. Some people on Wyze’s forum are noting that the beta firmware removing the people detection has already started to roll out.
There’s no release date on Wyze’s own person detection
Oddly enough, word of this lapse in service isn’t anything new. Wyze issued a statement in November 2019 saying that Xnor.ai had terminated their contract (though its reason for doing so wasn’t as clear then as it is today), and that a firmware update slated for mid-January 2020 would remove the feature from those cameras.
There’s a bright side to this loss, though, even if Apple snapping up Xnor.ai makes Wyze’s affordable cameras less appealing in the interim. Wyze says that it’s working on its own in-house version of people detection for launch at some point this year. And whether it operates on-device via “edge AI” computing like Xnor.ai’s does, or by authenticating through the cloud, it will be free for users when it launches.
That’s good and all, but the year just started, and it’s a little worrying Wyze hasn’t followed up with a specific time frame for its replacement of the feature. Two days ago, Wyze’s social media community manager stated that the company was “making great progress” on its forums, but they didn’t offer up when it would be available.


theverge--2020-01-15--Chief Justice Roberts wants to know if ‘OK Boomer’ counts as age discrimination

The term “ OK Boomer ” has been entered into the official records of the US Supreme Court .
Today , Chief Justice John Roberts used the phrase as a means to discuss age discrimination at a Supreme Court hearing and whether uttering it during a job interview could qualify as legal evidence .
The moment came during a case hearing for Babb v. Wilkie , in which plaintiff Norris Babb — who was in her early 50s at the time of the incident — alleged that she was denied a promotion from the Department of Veterans Affairs based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Roberts posited that if a hiring person were to say , “ OK Boomer ... is that actionable ?
” According to the court transcript , the hypothetical question was met with laughter .
Ultimately , the court moved on after noting that it would likely be actionable if the term was used as a way to negatively judge a job candidate , especially if done so against a younger alternate .
“ If the decision makers are sitting around the table and they say , ‘ we ’ ve got Candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ we ’ ve got Candidate B who ’ s 55 and is a boomer ’ — and is probably tired and you know , doesn ’ t have a lot of computer skills , I think that absolutely would be actionable , ” the court concluded .
Supreme Court justices aren ’ t expected to maintain a deep familiarity with memes , but the moment did mark the first time the phrase was uttered in a high court hearing .
“ OK , Boomer ” has made its appearance in legal settings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 25-year-old New Zealand lawmaker used the phrase as a retort against an older member of Parliament who heckled her during a speech for a climate crisis bill .
“ Boomer ” is a colloquial but not always derogatory term for Americans who were born between 1946 and 1964 , a period dubbed “ the baby boom ” for its heightened birth rates .
Chief Justice Roberts was born in 1955 .

The term “OK Boomer” has been entered into the official records of the US Supreme Court. Today, Chief Justice John Roberts used the phrase as a means to discuss age discrimination at a Supreme Court hearing and whether uttering it during a job interview could qualify as legal evidence.
The moment came during a case hearing for Babb v. Wilkie, in which plaintiff Norris Babb — who was in her early 50s at the time of the incident — alleged that she was denied a promotion from the Department of Veterans Affairs based on her age and gender. During questioning, Roberts posited that if a hiring person were to say, “OK Boomer ... is that actionable?” According to the court transcript, the hypothetical question was met with laughter.
Ultimately, the court moved on after noting that it would likely be actionable if the term was used as a way to negatively judge a job candidate, especially if done so against a younger alternate. “If the decision makers are sitting around the table and they say, ‘we’ve got Candidate A who’s 35’ and ‘we’ve got Candidate B who’s 55 and is a boomer’ — and is probably tired and you know, doesn’t have a lot of computer skills, I think that absolutely would be actionable,” the court concluded.
Supreme Court justices aren’t expected to maintain a deep familiarity with memes, but the moment did mark the first time the phrase was uttered in a high court hearing. “OK, Boomer” has made its appearance in legal settings before, though: last November, a 25-year-old New Zealand lawmaker used the phrase as a retort against an older member of Parliament who heckled her during a speech for a climate crisis bill.


theverge--2020-01-15--The Rise of Skywalker is proof that Star Wars needs to reinvent itself

Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker has officially crossed $ 1 billion at the box office worldwide , making it Disney ’ s seventh film in 2019 to hit the 10-figure mark , via Variety .
But The Rise of Skywalker has taken longer than its predecessors to hit $ 1 billion , the latest indication that the ninth Star Wars film just isn ’ t doing very well at the box office compared to the other sequels .
For nearly any other film , hitting $ 1 billion at the box office in four weeks would be something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skywalker is a Star Wars film , as well as the closing piece of the resurrected sequel trilogy .
It ’ s taken Rise of Skywalker 28 days to cross the $ 1 billion mark , when The Force Awakens hit that same mark in 12 days and The Last Jedi in 19 .
‘ The Rise of Skywalker ’ isn ’ t any other film There are any number of factors that likely contributed to The Rise of Skywalker underperforming : fatigue from an oversaturation of Star Wars films in the marketplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choices made by The Last Jedi .
But it ’ s impossible to ignore that most people thought The Rise of Skywalker just wasn ’ t very good .
Other films , such as Pacific Rim , The Great Wall , and the more recent Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers films , could rely on the international audience to make up for a lackluster domestic box office .
While popular in the United States , the Star Wars franchise in general has failed to make as much of a dent in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe , The Fast and the Furious , and Jurassic World .
As The New York Times notes , a key part of that is China , one of the biggest movie markets in the world .
Chinese audiences simply don ’ t have the same connection to Star Wars as US audiences — the original films simply weren ’ t available in the ‘ 70s and ‘ 80s .
The sequels can ’ t ride on nostalgia .
The result is that The Rise of Skywalker gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience and an uninterested international audience .
After Rise of Skywalker , Disney is giving the franchise some time to rest .
The next film in the series isn ’ t scheduled to hit theaters until 2022 , assuming there are no delays or changes in plan — issues that plagued the last several films .
So the future of Star Wars ( for now ) lies in smaller shows like The Mandalorian , which just concluded its well-received first season on Disney ’ s new Disney+ streaming service .
A second season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are two other live-action series based on Rogue One ’ s Cassian Andor ( Diego Luna ) and the prequel trilogy ’ s iteration of a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi played once again by Ewan McGregor .
Star Wars will return to the big screen at some point — as The Rise of Skywalker shows , even poorly received Star Wars films are still ( usually ) billion-dollar blockbusters .
But with the lore-heavy Skywalker Saga concluded , it ’ s likely that the next phase of Star Wars will look a little more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Furious films , emphasizing more standalone , bite-sized adventures that don ’ t have all the baggage of past films attached .

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has officially crossed $1 billion at the box office worldwide, making it Disney’s seventh film in 2019 to hit the 10-figure mark, via Variety. But The Rise of Skywalker has taken longer than its predecessors to hit $1 billion, the latest indication that the ninth Star Wars film just isn’t doing very well at the box office compared to the other sequels.
For nearly any other film, hitting $1 billion at the box office in four weeks would be something to celebrate. But The Rise of Skywalker is a Star Wars film, as well as the closing piece of the resurrected sequel trilogy. It’s taken Rise of Skywalker 28 days to cross the $1 billion mark, when The Force Awakens hit that same mark in 12 days and The Last Jedi in 19.
‘The Rise of Skywalker’ isn’t any other film
There are any number of factors that likely contributed to The Rise of Skywalker underperforming: fatigue from an oversaturation of Star Wars films in the marketplace, or lingering malcontent over the controversial choices made by The Last Jedi. But it’s impossible to ignore that most people thought The Rise of Skywalker just wasn’t very good.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Other films, such as Pacific Rim, The Great Wall, and the more recent Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers films, could rely on the international audience to make up for a lackluster domestic box office. While popular in the United States, the Star Wars franchise in general has failed to make as much of a dent in the international market, especially when compared to franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Fast and the Furious, and Jurassic World.
As The New York Times notes, a key part of that is China, one of the biggest movie markets in the world. Chinese audiences simply don’t have the same connection to Star Wars as US audiences — the original films simply weren’t available in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The sequels can’t ride on nostalgia. The result is that The Rise of Skywalker gets hit with both a relatively unenthusiastic domestic audience and an uninterested international audience.
So the future of Star Wars (for now) lies in smaller shows like The Mandalorian, which just concluded its well-received first season on Disney’s new Disney+ streaming service. A second season is already in the works, as are two other live-action series based on Rogue One’s Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the prequel trilogy’s iteration of a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi played once again by Ewan McGregor.


theverge--2020-01-15--Instagram is hiding faked images, and it could hurt digital artists

Instagram announced in December that it was rolling out a false information warning feature that used third-party fact-checkers to reduce the spread of misinformation .
But the feature is now labeling some digitally manipulated art as false information and hiding photos from digital artists and photographers from the Explore and hashtag pages .
According to PetaPixel , photographer Toby Harriman spotted the false information warning pop-up on a photo of a man standing in front of some rainbow-colored hills .
“ As much as I do love it to help better associate real vs photoshop .
I also have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want to have to click through barriers to see it , ” Harriman wrote .
The photo , first taken by photographer Christopher Hainey and digitally altered by artist Ramzy Masri , does have a history of going viral with misinformation attached to it .
The false information warning links to an article from fact-checking website NewsMobile , which debunks the numerous Instagram posts that shared the photo as “ Death Valley National Park.
” Artists and photographers shouldn ’ t panic about the feature flagging their digitally manipulated work since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos — just the ones that have been identified by fact-checking websites as false .
But though the feature may be useful for combating the spread of misinformation , it does have the potential to be an obstacle for digital artists who want their work to be seen .
The false information warning is an extra step for people to have to tap through to see the post , and Instagram explained in its blog post that the platform will make “ content from accounts that repeatedly receive these labels harder to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pages.
” Artists can ’ t control when their work will go viral or what kinds of misinformation others will attach to that work .
There ’ s a chance that an artist ’ s account could be labeled as one that frequently spreads false information , even if it ’ s not their intention , which could affect their visibility on the platform .
“ so people can better decide for themselves what to read , trust , and share ” Facebook and Instagram have faced their share of criticism around choosing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last May , Facebook declined to delete a distorted video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) , opting to add a disclaimer for users saying the video had been faked .
The company applied the same policy in June when it decided to leave up a deepfake video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Instagram .
“ We will treat this content the same way we treat all misinformation on Instagram , ” a spokesperson told The Verge .
“ If third-party fact-checkers mark it as false , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaces like Explore and hashtag pages.
” Facebook has been embroiled in controversy for the last few months regarding its revised political ad policy , which now says it will not subject posts from politicians to fact-checking .
The Verge has reached out to Instagram for comment and will update when we hear back .

Instagram announced in December that it was rolling out a false information warning feature that used third-party fact-checkers to reduce the spread of misinformation. But the feature is now labeling some digitally manipulated art as false information and hiding photos from digital artists and photographers from the Explore and hashtag pages.
According to PetaPixel, photographer Toby Harriman spotted the false information warning pop-up on a photo of a man standing in front of some rainbow-colored hills. “As much as I do love it to help better associate real vs photoshop. I also have a huge respect for digital art and don’t want to have to click through barriers to see it,” Harriman wrote.
The photo, first taken by photographer Christopher Hainey and digitally altered by artist Ramzy Masri, does have a history of going viral with misinformation attached to it. The false information warning links to an article from fact-checking website NewsMobile, which debunks the numerous Instagram posts that shared the photo as “Death Valley National Park.”
Artists and photographers shouldn’t panic about the feature flagging their digitally manipulated work since it isn’t targeting all Photoshopped photos — just the ones that have been identified by fact-checking websites as false. But though the feature may be useful for combating the spread of misinformation, it does have the potential to be an obstacle for digital artists who want their work to be seen.
The false information warning is an extra step for people to have to tap through to see the post, and Instagram explained in its blog post that the platform will make “content from accounts that repeatedly receive these labels harder to find by removing it from Explore and hashtag pages.” Artists can’t control when their work will go viral or what kinds of misinformation others will attach to that work. There’s a chance that an artist’s account could be labeled as one that frequently spreads false information, even if it’s not their intention, which could affect their visibility on the platform.
“so people can better decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share”
Facebook and Instagram have faced their share of criticism around choosing to leave up posts with fake information. Last May, Facebook declined to delete a distorted video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), opting to add a disclaimer for users saying the video had been faked. The company applied the same policy in June when it decided to leave up a deepfake video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Instagram.
“We will treat this content the same way we treat all misinformation on Instagram,” a spokesperson told The Verge. “If third-party fact-checkers mark it as false, we will filter it from Instagram’s recommendation surfaces like Explore and hashtag pages.” Facebook has been embroiled in controversy for the last few months regarding its revised political ad policy, which now says it will not subject posts from politicians to fact-checking.


theverge--2020-01-16--The browser wars are back, but it’s different this time

Share All sharing options for : The browser wars are back , but it ’ s different this time If you weren ’ t convinced we live in a new era for Microsoft ’ s consumer-facing software , the one-two punch of Windows 7 closing down and the new Chromium-based version of Edge officially launching ought to do it for you .
Microsoft ’ s new Edge Chromium browser is out now for both Windows and macOS .
We ’ ll be taking a closer , more critical look at the Edge browser now that it ’ s no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tom Warren has just as many thoughts about the future of Windows as I do about the implications of the switch over to the Chromium codebase , which is mostly maintained by Google .
We ’ ll be getting into all of it , but I want to start with some very high-level things to know about browsers right now — because after many years of stasis , things are really about to change .
Just today , alongside the Edge launch we also got the very sad news that Mozilla had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports .
In a public memo , interim CEO Mitchell Baker wrote that “ to responsibly make additional investments in innovation to improve the internet , we can and must work within the limits of our core finances.
” The Mozilla and Microsoft news isn ’ t directly connected , but it is indirectly connected in a thousand ways .
Both companies have in some sense spent the past few years contending with Google .
For Microsoft , it was the realization that its project to create its own web rendering engine was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth the investment .
Too many websites rendered oddly in Edge , often because they were coded specifically for Chrome or Safari ’ s Webkit instead of following more generic standards .
The deep irony is that long ago , Microsoft ’ s Internet Explorer nearly broke the web because it demanded custom code from web developers .
So Microsoft made the tough call : it bailed and switched to the same technology that runs Chrome .
But there are key differences : Microsoft has taken a different stance on web tracking than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plugged Edge into Microsoft ’ s services .
For me , the key thing to watch will be whether or not this new Chromium-based Edge feels tacked-on to Windows .
On a very personal note , the fact that some Microsoft email clients still revert to Word ’ s HTML rendering engine is a huge thorn in my side .
But there are a million ways that HTML rendering affects and OS , and I ’ ll be waiting to see how Chromium affects Windows and vice verse .
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how kind it was to battery life .
There ’ s also the question of Microsoft ’ s app framework future — how much of it will be Electron , how much will be Progressive Web Apps , and how much will be actual Windows apps .
All open questions , and all questions I ’ m likely to defer to Tom Warren on .
As with everything else , something to watch .
For Mozilla , it was switching back to Google Search as the default in Firefox and leading the charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s decisions around blocking trackers inspired Apple to be even more aggressive in doing the same last year .
This week even Google was forced to throw in the towel and commit to eventually disabling third-party cookie .
As I noted in my article on Tuesday about Chrome ’ s decision , there are many , many ( many ! )
forces at play in the coming browser wars .
At a high level , if I had to explain what ’ s happening without worrying too much about the details , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put it in one incredibly overwrought sentence : The next browser war is here and it ’ s a goat rodeo The mobile web is broken and unfettered tracking and data sharing have made visiting websites feel toxic , but since the ecosystem of websites and ad companies can ’ t fix it through collective action , it falls on browser makers to use technological innovations to limit that surveillance , however each company that makes a browser is taking a different approach to creating those innovations , and everybody distrusts everybody else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the web instead of the best interest of their employers ’ profits .
Here ’ s a shorter sentence : the next browser war is here and it ’ s a goat rodeo .
I ’ ve been avoiding getting into the precise details of the proposals out there to fix the tracking problem because things are changing so quickly across so many different tracks .
I am sure that sometime soon I will break and tuck into Google ’ s Privacy Sandbox and Apple ’ s Intelligent Tracking Prevention and Mozilla ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of this off .
Until then , know that there are two important things to know .
First : there are new browser technologies and limits coming that could radically change how ads work and could make it easier for you to protect your privacy no matter what browser you use .
Since this is the web , it ’ ll take time , but everybody seems committed .
Second : the way many of us think about a Browser War is in terms of marketshare — and that is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a browser war , but it won ’ t be won or lost based on who can convince the most people to switch to their browser .
Because most people can ’ t or won ’ t switch on the platform that matters : mobile .
In 2020 , the desktop is a minor skirmish compared to browsers on phones .
On phones , many people aren ’ t really free to choose their browser .
That ’ s literally true on the iPhone , which Apple locks down so apps can only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s for-intents-and-purposes true on Android , where the vast majority of browsers just use Chromium .
Yes , there is an Android browser ballot happening in Europe , but it ’ s much too early to know what its effects will be .
Phone are the platforms that matter , but they limit choice That brings me back to the new Edge .
Microsoft has committed itself to Android so fully that it is currently working on making its own Android-based Surface phone , due out later this year .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it makes perfect sense to want to get your own first-party browser that ’ s fully kitted up with your services on that phone .
The easiest , best way to do that on Android is to just use Chromium .
And if you want your company to be good at Chromium on mobile , it doesn ’ t hurt to ensure it ’ s also good at Chromium on Windows .
The fact that I ’ ve looped all the way back to Microsoft needing to provide services on mobile isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meandering , it ’ s the whole point .
The new Browser Wars aren ’ t about who makes the fastest or best browser , they ’ re about whose services you want and whose data policies you trust .
Anyway , here ’ s how to download Microsoft ’ s new Edge browser .
You should do it .
And install Firefox .
And maybe Brave and Vivaldi and whatever else .
A return to real browser competition on the desktop means we might have our best chance in years to fix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might just create some momentum that could make the mobile web better too .
More from The Verge └ Bose is closing all of its retail stores in North America , Europe , Japan , and Australia I have been enrolled in Google ’ s Advanced Protection Program for a few months now and by-and-large it ’ s not been a problem .
But it is often a hassle .
I can ’ t seem to get my personal Gmail info working on Windows ’ default apps and often on phones where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Anyway , this is a good step forward and hopefully builds up demand for more standardized support for FIDO security keys .
But my Very Strongly Stated Advice if you sign up is to spend some time making sure the logins you absolutely need still work and — most of all — buy some backup security keys and keep them in a safe place .
Because if you get locked out from losing a two-factor key , friend you are Locked The Eff Out .
└ Twitter ’ s Jack Dorsey on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably never do it ’ Great review from Chris Welch .
These earbuds look so much more elegant than AirPods .
The main downsides are a lack of wireless charging and active noise cancellation .
The upside is USB-C charging and working with two paired devices at once .
And price !
And battery life !
I haven ’ t listened to them myself but my gut tells me that unless you really want active noice cancellation , these will be my default recommendation .
└ This global power adapter makes traveling with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Faulkner reviews a very simple thing that significantly improves your quality of life when you travel internationally .
└ Spotify will now make a playlist for your cat └ This daily word guessing game is the perfect way to kill time — and confidence └ This Jigglypuff Bluetooth speaker could be a sleeper hit Just trust me : click through and see the eldrich horror that is a plastic Jigglypuff in a brightly list FCC testing facility .
Ominous .
Looming .
Scary .

If you weren’t convinced we live in a new era for Microsoft’s consumer-facing software, the one-two punch of Windows 7 closing down and the new Chromium-based version of Edge officially launching ought to do it for you. Microsoft’s new Edge Chromium browser is out now for both Windows and macOS.
We’ll be taking a closer, more critical look at the Edge browser now that it’s no longer in beta over the coming days. Tom Warren has just as many thoughts about the future of Windows as I do about the implications of the switch over to the Chromium codebase, which is mostly maintained by Google.
We’ll be getting into all of it, but I want to start with some very high-level things to know about browsers right now — because after many years of stasis, things are really about to change.
Just today, alongside the Edge launch we also got the very sad news that Mozilla had to lay off about 70 people, TechCrunch reports. In a public memo, interim CEO Mitchell Baker wrote that “to responsibly make additional investments in innovation to improve the internet, we can and must work within the limits of our core finances.”
The Mozilla and Microsoft news isn’t directly connected, but it is indirectly connected in a thousand ways. Both companies have in some sense spent the past few years contending with Google.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
By subscribing, you are agreeing to receive a daily newsletter from The Verge that highlights top stories of the day, as well as occasional messages from sponsors and / or partners of The Verge.
For Microsoft, it was the realization that its project to create its own web rendering engine was an uphill climb that wasn’t worth the investment. Too many websites rendered oddly in Edge, often because they were coded specifically for Chrome or Safari’s Webkit instead of following more generic standards. The deep irony is that long ago, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer nearly broke the web because it demanded custom code from web developers.
So Microsoft made the tough call: it bailed and switched to the same technology that runs Chrome. But there are key differences: Microsoft has taken a different stance on web tracking than Google and it has also, obviously, plugged Edge into Microsoft’s services.
For me, the key thing to watch will be whether or not this new Chromium-based Edge feels tacked-on to Windows. On a very personal note, the fact that some Microsoft email clients still revert to Word’s HTML rendering engine is a huge thorn in my side. But there are a million ways that HTML rendering affects and OS, and I’ll be waiting to see how Chromium affects Windows and vice verse. One of the old Edge’s best features was how kind it was to battery life.
There’s also the question of Microsoft’s app framework future — how much of it will be Electron, how much will be Progressive Web Apps, and how much will be actual Windows apps. All open questions, and all questions I’m likely to defer to Tom Warren on. As with everything else, something to watch.
For Mozilla, it was switching back to Google Search as the default in Firefox and leading the charge to a more privacy-focused model. Firefox’s decisions around blocking trackers inspired Apple to be even more aggressive in doing the same last year. This week even Google was forced to throw in the towel and commit to eventually disabling third-party cookie.
As I noted in my article on Tuesday about Chrome’s decision, there are many, many (many!) forces at play in the coming browser wars. At a high level, if I had to explain what’s happening without worrying too much about the details, here’s how I’d put it in one incredibly overwrought sentence:
The next browser war is here and it’s a goat rodeo
The mobile web is broken and unfettered tracking and data sharing have made visiting websites feel toxic, but since the ecosystem of websites and ad companies can’t fix it through collective action, it falls on browser makers to use technological innovations to limit that surveillance, however each company that makes a browser is taking a different approach to creating those innovations, and everybody distrusts everybody else to act in the best interest of the web instead of the best interest of their employers’ profits.
Here’s a shorter sentence: the next browser war is here and it’s a goat rodeo.
I’ve been avoiding getting into the precise details of the proposals out there to fix the tracking problem because things are changing so quickly across so many different tracks. I am sure that sometime soon I will break and tuck into Google’s Privacy Sandbox and Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention and Mozilla’s defaults that deserve credit for kicking a lot of this off. Until then, know that there are two important things to know.
First: there are new browser technologies and limits coming that could radically change how ads work and could make it easier for you to protect your privacy no matter what browser you use. Since this is the web, it’ll take time, but everybody seems committed.
Second: the way many of us think about a Browser War is in terms of marketshare — and that is the wrong metric this time. There is a browser war, but it won’t be won or lost based on who can convince the most people to switch to their browser. Because most people can’t or won’t switch on the platform that matters: mobile.
In 2020, the desktop is a minor skirmish compared to browsers on phones.
On phones, many people aren’t really free to choose their browser. That’s literally true on the iPhone, which Apple locks down so apps can only use its web rendering technology. And it’s for-intents-and-purposes true on Android, where the vast majority of browsers just use Chromium. Yes, there is an Android browser ballot happening in Europe, but it’s much too early to know what its effects will be.
Phone are the platforms that matter, but they limit choice
That brings me back to the new Edge. Microsoft has committed itself to Android so fully that it is currently working on making its own Android-based Surface phone, due out later this year. And so if you’re Microsoft, it makes perfect sense to want to get your own first-party browser that’s fully kitted up with your services on that phone.
The easiest, best way to do that on Android is to just use Chromium. And if you want your company to be good at Chromium on mobile, it doesn’t hurt to ensure it’s also good at Chromium on Windows.
The fact that I’ve looped all the way back to Microsoft needing to provide services on mobile isn’t (just) my usual rhetorical meandering, it’s the whole point. The new Browser Wars aren’t about who makes the fastest or best browser, they’re about whose services you want and whose data policies you trust.
Anyway, here’s how to download Microsoft’s new Edge browser. You should do it. And install Firefox. And maybe Brave and Vivaldi and whatever else. A return to real browser competition on the desktop means we might have our best chance in years to fix up the web again — and it might just create some momentum that could make the mobile web better too.
More from The Verge
Verge Deal of the day Apple’s AirPods Pro are $30 off at Amazon Normally $250, the Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are down to $220 at Amazon. Compared to the standard AirPods, these feature better sound quality and noise cancellation. We’ve seen these drop a bit lower in price before, but that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy . Prices displayed are based on the MSRP at time of posting.
I have been enrolled in Google’s Advanced Protection Program for a few months now and by-and-large it’s not been a problem. But it is often a hassle. I can’t seem to get my personal Gmail info working on Windows’ default apps and often on phones where I use Login with Google things to haywire.
Anyway, this is a good step forward and hopefully builds up demand for more standardized support for FIDO security keys. But my Very Strongly Stated Advice if you sign up is to spend some time making sure the logins you absolutely need still work and — most of all — buy some backup security keys and keep them in a safe place. Because if you get locked out from losing a two-factor key, friend you are Locked The Eff Out.
So you’re telling me there’s a chance?
Reviews
Great review from Chris Welch. These earbuds look so much more elegant than AirPods. The main downsides are a lack of wireless charging and active noise cancellation. The upside is USB-C charging and working with two paired devices at once. And price! And battery life!
I haven’t listened to them myself but my gut tells me that unless you really want active noice cancellation, these will be my default recommendation.
Cameron Faulkner reviews a very simple thing that significantly improves your quality of life when you travel internationally.
Some fun
Welp this is habit forming.


theverge--2020-01-16--Chris Evans started a new site about politics because he thinks Wikipedia entries are too long

The Interface is a daily column and newsletter about the intersection of social media and democracy .
Subscribe here .
With our politics increasingly polarized and democracy in retreat , worried Americans are responding in all manner of ways .
Some , such as former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams , have mounted a fight against voter suppression .
Others , such as Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes , are lobbying social networks to change their products and policies to promote transparency and accuracy in political advertising .
And then there ’ s the actor Chris Evans , best known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to an earnest new cover story that came out today in Wired , Evans is doing ... ... .. this : The origin story of A Starting Point , as the site will be called , is as follows .
One day during a break from filming Avengers : Infinity War , Evans was watching the news .
He heard an unfamiliar acronym — NAFTA , or maybe DACA .
He Googled the term , and was met with headlines that took multiple , competing points of view .
He clicked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was very long .
“ It ’ s this never-ending thing , ” Evans told Arielle Pardes , “ and you ’ re just like , who is going to read 12 pages on something ?
” I don ’ t know — someone who cares ?
In any case , Evans was crushed by the realization that to answer his question , he might have to read for several minutes .
And so he decided to solve his problem in the next-most-logical way : by flying to Washington every six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of members of Congress and Democratic presidential candidates , and posting them on a website that he built with an actor friend and “ the founder and CEO of a medical technology company called Masimo.
” And when all the videos are posted , what then ?
Of course , all that assumes that people who won ’ t read a Wikipedia entry will watch videos instead .
I would always rather read a few sentences about an unfamiliar subject than listen to a congressman filibuster about it until the camera shuts off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big fan of C-SPAN .
Still , there are a few obvious problems with Evans ’ brainchild .
One , it presumes that citizens can best be informed by hearing directly from politicians .
Certainly politicians have a privileged viewpoint when it comes to some subjects — primarily their own opinions .
But on most subjects , the median member of Congress can only repeat what they were told in briefings by staffers and lobbyists .
To suggest that they have a monopoly on the truth is naive .
Two , A Starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by exposing people to multiple points of view .
In fact , the opposite is true .
Human beings are fact-resistant , never more so than when a fact contradicts a closely held belief .
Earlier studies found a so-called “ backfire effect ” in which seeing a fact contrary to your opinion would make you believe your erroneous opinion even more .
Later studies have struggled to replicate that finding , but at the very least it seems fair to say that changing people ’ s views is extremely hard to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , A Starting Point begins from the premise that voters are all basically the same , and differ primarily in how much information they have about candidates and issues .
In reality , politics is tribal .
As Ezra Klein explains in a book coming out later this month , Americans are increasingly polarized around their identities , with partisan affiliation representing a large and growing portion of that identity .
Thus the inclination to dismiss what members of the opposing political party say out of hand , based on what they represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come down too hard on Evans here : there are worse ways to spend your time than trying to increase participation in the political process .
( For example , Evans ’ Avengers co-star Chris Hemsworth has a subscription-based fitness app . )
But if you ’ re worried about democracy , you ’ re probably better off banding together with existing civil society groups , activists , and political scientists than you are going it alone .
Defeating Thanos required that the Avengers work together with heroes even stronger than themselves .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a shame Evans doesn ’ t .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending up : Facebook launched a new security feature that sends users a notification when their account is used to log into a third-party app .
It ’ s both an added layer of protection and a way for people to gain more control over their information .
⭐ The National Security Agency announced that it alerted Microsoft to a vulnerability in its Windows operating system , rather than following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quiet and exploiting the flaw to develop cyberweapons .
Julian E. Barnes and David E. Sanger at the New York Times explain the significant change in protocol : The warning allowed Microsoft to develop a patch for the problem and gave the government an early start on fixing the vulnerability .
In years past , the National Security Agency has collected all manner of computer vulnerabilities to gain access to digital networks to gather intelligence and generate hacking tools to use against American adversaries .
But that policy was heavily criticized in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those tools , which fell into the hands of cybercriminals and other malicious actors , including North Korean and Russian hackers .
By taking credit for spotting a critical vulnerability and leading the call to update computer systems , the National Security Agency appeared to adopt a shift in strategy and took on an unusually public role for one of the most secretive arms of the American government .
The move shows the degree to which the agency was bruised by accusations that it caused hundreds of millions of dollars in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
California ’ s new privacy law gives consumers the right to see and delete their data .
But getting access often requires giving up more personal details .
( Kashmir Hill / The New York Times ) Network security giant Cloudflare said it ’ s going to give its security services to US political campaigns for free .
The move is part of the company ’ s efforts to secure upcoming elections against cyberattacks and election interference .
( Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch ) The person tasked with creating and enforcing Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top lawyer Vijaya Gadde .
She says CEO Jack Dorsey rarely weighs in on individual enforcement decisions .
Oh , well in that case !
( ( Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg ) Twitter suspended Grindr from its ad network after a report revealed privacy concerns with how the app shared personal data with advertisers .
( Garett Sloane / Ad Age ) Trump apparently prefers to tweet alone because he doesn ’ t like to wear the reading glasses he needs to see his phone screen .
( Matt Stieb / Intelligencer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company will probably never launch the edit button .
In a video interview with Wired , the executive crushed the idea that the feature could go live in 2020 .
The Verge ’ s James Vincent explains : Twitter is preparing to launch pinned lists for Android .
Already available on iOS , the feature allows users to create a list of topics or accounts and then pin them to the main feed .
( Ben Schoon / 9To5Google ) YouTube launched new feature called profile cards that show a user ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The feature has been touted as a way for creators to more easily identify their biggest fans by offering easy access to their past comments .
It ’ s currently available on Android .
( Sarah Perez / TechCrunch ) YouTube introduced filters to the subscriptions tab on its iOS app to help you decide what to watch next .
The filters , which include “ unwatched ” and “ continue watching , ” will be coming to Android “ in the future.
” ( Jay Peters / The Verge ) There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
The website urges people to “ silence VC thought leadership and platitudes from your feed.
” Reading The Interface , for example .
Send us tips , comments , questions , and Avengers outtakes : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

With our politics increasingly polarized and democracy in retreat, worried Americans are responding in all manner of ways. Some, such as former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, have mounted a fight against voter suppression. Others, such as Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes, are lobbying social networks to change their products and policies to promote transparency and accuracy in political advertising.
And then there’s the actor Chris Evans, best known for playing Captain America in 10 Marvel movies. According to an earnest new cover story that came out today in Wired, Evans is doing ........ this:
He would build an online platform organized into tidy sections—immigration, health care, education, the economy—each with a series of questions of the kind most Americans can’t succinctly answer themselves. What, exactly, is a tariff? What’s the difference between Medicare and Medicaid? Evans would invite politicians to answer the questions in minute-long videos. He’d conduct the interviews himself, but always from behind the camera. The site would be a place to hear both sides of an issue, to get the TL;DR on WTF was happening in American politics.
The origin story of A Starting Point, as the site will be called, is as follows. One day during a break from filming Avengers: Infinity War, Evans was watching the news. He heard an unfamiliar acronym — NAFTA, or maybe DACA. He Googled the term, and was met with headlines that took multiple, competing points of view. He clicked on the Wikipedia entry, but found that it was very long. “It’s this never-ending thing,” Evans told Arielle Pardes, “and you’re just like, who is going to read 12 pages on something?”
I don’t know — someone who cares?
In any case, Evans was crushed by the realization that to answer his question, he might have to read for several minutes. And so he decided to solve his problem in the next-most-logical way: by flying to Washington every six weeks, recording more than 1,000 videos of members of Congress and Democratic presidential candidates, and posting them on a website that he built with an actor friend and “the founder and CEO of a medical technology company called Masimo.”
And when all the videos are posted, what then?
If Evans got it right, he believed, this wouldn’t be some small-fry website. He’d be helping “create informed, responsible, and empathetic citizens.” He would “reduce partisanship and promote respectful discourse.” At the very least, he would “get more people involved” in politics.
Of course, all that assumes that people who won’t read a Wikipedia entry will watch videos instead. I would always rather read a few sentences about an unfamiliar subject than listen to a congressman filibuster about it until the camera shuts off, but maybe you’re a big fan of C-SPAN.
Still, there are a few obvious problems with Evans’ brainchild. One, it presumes that citizens can best be informed by hearing directly from politicians. Certainly politicians have a privileged viewpoint when it comes to some subjects — primarily their own opinions. But on most subjects, the median member of Congress can only repeat what they were told in briefings by staffers and lobbyists. To suggest that they have a monopoly on the truth is naive.
Two, A Starting Point assumes that you can reduce partisanship by exposing people to multiple points of view. In fact, the opposite is true. Human beings are fact-resistant, never more so than when a fact contradicts a closely held belief. Earlier studies found a so-called “backfire effect” in which seeing a fact contrary to your opinion would make you believe your erroneous opinion even more. Later studies have struggled to replicate that finding, but at the very least it seems fair to say that changing people’s views is extremely hard to do, especially with mere facts.
Finally, A Starting Point begins from the premise that voters are all basically the same, and differ primarily in how much information they have about candidates and issues. In reality, politics is tribal. As Ezra Klein explains in a book coming out later this month, Americans are increasingly polarized around their identities, with partisan affiliation representing a large and growing portion of that identity. Thus the inclination to dismiss what members of the opposing political party say out of hand, based on what they represent.
I don’t want to come down too hard on Evans here: there are worse ways to spend your time than trying to increase participation in the political process. (For example, Evans’ Avengers co-star Chris Hemsworth has a subscription-based fitness app.) But if you’re worried about democracy, you’re probably better off banding together with existing civil society groups, activists, and political scientists than you are going it alone. Defeating Thanos required that the Avengers work together with heroes even stronger than themselves. Captain America knew that. It’s a shame Evans doesn’t.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
🔼 Trending up: Facebook launched a new security feature that sends users a notification when their account is used to log into a third-party app. It’s both an added layer of protection and a way for people to gain more control over their information.
Governing
⭐ The National Security Agency announced that it alerted Microsoft to a vulnerability in its Windows operating system, rather than following the agency’s typical approach of keeping quiet and exploiting the flaw to develop cyberweapons. Julian E. Barnes and David E. Sanger at the New York Times explain the significant change in protocol:
The warning allowed Microsoft to develop a patch for the problem and gave the government an early start on fixing the vulnerability. In years past, the National Security Agency has collected all manner of computer vulnerabilities to gain access to digital networks to gather intelligence and generate hacking tools to use against American adversaries. But that policy was heavily criticized in recent years when the agency lost control of some of those tools, which fell into the hands of cybercriminals and other malicious actors, including North Korean and Russian hackers. By taking credit for spotting a critical vulnerability and leading the call to update computer systems, the National Security Agency appeared to adopt a shift in strategy and took on an unusually public role for one of the most secretive arms of the American government. The move shows the degree to which the agency was bruised by accusations that it caused hundreds of millions of dollars in preventable damage by allowing vulnerabilities to circulate.
California’s new privacy law gives consumers the right to see and delete their data. But getting access often requires giving up more personal details. (Kashmir Hill / The New York Times)
Network security giant Cloudflare said it’s going to give its security services to US political campaigns for free. The move is part of the company’s efforts to secure upcoming elections against cyberattacks and election interference. (Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch)
The person tasked with creating and enforcing Twitter’s rules is the company’s top lawyer Vijaya Gadde. She says CEO Jack Dorsey rarely weighs in on individual enforcement decisions. Oh, well in that case! ( (Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg)
Twitter suspended Grindr from its ad network after a report revealed privacy concerns with how the app shared personal data with advertisers. (Garett Sloane / Ad Age)
Industry
⭐ Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said the company will probably never launch the edit button. In a video interview with Wired, the executive crushed the idea that the feature could go live in 2020. The Verge’s James Vincent explains:
[Dorsey] notes that the service has moved on since, but the company doesn’t consider an edit button worth it. There are good reasons for editing tweets, he says, like fixing typos and broken links, but also malicious applications, like editing content to mislead people. “So, these are all the considerations,” says Dorsey. “But we’ll probably never do it.”
Twitter is preparing to launch pinned lists for Android. Already available on iOS, the feature allows users to create a list of topics or accounts and then pin them to the main feed. (Ben Schoon / 9To5Google)
YouTube launched new feature called profile cards that show a user’s public information and comment history. The feature has been touted as a way for creators to more easily identify their biggest fans by offering easy access to their past comments. It’s currently available on Android. (Sarah Perez / TechCrunch)
YouTube introduced filters to the subscriptions tab on its iOS app to help you decide what to watch next. The filters, which include “unwatched” and “continue watching,” will be coming to Android “in the future.” (Jay Peters / The Verge)
And finally...
There’s now a tool to mute VCs on Twitter. The website urges people to “silence VC thought leadership and platitudes from your feed.”
Less investor tweets means less content to consume and more time to do literally anything else.
Reading The Interface, for example.
Talk to us


theverge--2020-01-16--The Apple Archive is a compelling and completely unofficial trip down memory lane

A new and completely unofficial archive of all things Apple is attempting to make almost 44 years of the company ’ s official videos , ads , and imagery available to browse online .
9to5Mac reports that The Apple Archive currently contains just under 1TB of data , comprising over 15,000 files , and it includes everything from print ads , to TV spots , WWDC sessions , internal training videos , and even a collection of macOS and iOS wallpapers .
The whole collection is well worth browsing through , but there are a few particularly interesting inclusions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ AirPower charging pad is fascinating .
Not only does it show off how Apple might have marketed its wireless charger had it actually released , but also because the ad is so clearly in an unfinished state , offering the kind of work-in-progress insight that we so rarely get to see from a company like Apple .
Or how about this huge collection of internal videos which includes this particularly excellent video on Apple ’ s early patenting strategy ( skip to the 4:15 mark if you don ’ t believe me ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photograph “ VR ” scenes .
The archive includes a very 80s “ I ’ m Different ” TV ad that aired nine years before the well-known video of Steve Jobs introducing Apple ’ s iconic “ Think Different ” ad campaign .
The Apple Archive is the work of Sam Gold , who started putting it together after the EveryAppleVideo YouTube channel was unceremoniously taken down .
After experimenting with starting his own YouTube channel , a Google Drive folder , and even attempting to work with the Internet Archive , Gold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the archive ’ s video content .
This collection is by no means finished .
Gold is constantly on the lookout for higher resolution content , the videos are also having subtitles added where possible , and they ’ re also being transcoded to save on space .
The archive is an excellent dose of nostalgia for Apple fans .
It might not have the same level of finish as Apple ’ s official coffee table book , but then again it doesn ’ t come with a $ 300 price tag .

A new and completely unofficial archive of all things Apple is attempting to make almost 44 years of the company’s official videos, ads, and imagery available to browse online. 9to5Mac reports that The Apple Archive currently contains just under 1TB of data, comprising over 15,000 files, and it includes everything from print ads, to TV spots, WWDC sessions, internal training videos, and even a collection of macOS and iOS wallpapers.
The whole collection is well worth browsing through, but there are a few particularly interesting inclusions. This unreleased social ad for the long-delayed-then-cancelled AirPower charging pad is fascinating. Not only does it show off how Apple might have marketed its wireless charger had it actually released, but also because the ad is so clearly in an unfinished state, offering the kind of work-in-progress insight that we so rarely get to see from a company like Apple.
Work started after the EveryAppleVideo YouTube channel disappeared
The Apple Archive is the work of Sam Gold, who started putting it together after the EveryAppleVideo YouTube channel was unceremoniously taken down. After experimenting with starting his own YouTube channel, a Google Drive folder, and even attempting to work with the Internet Archive, Gold finally settled on using Vimeo to host the archive’s video content.
This collection is by no means finished. Gold is constantly on the lookout for higher resolution content, the videos are also having subtitles added where possible, and they’re also being transcoded to save on space.


theverge--2020-01-16--YouTube advertisers blindsided by climate change denial videos

YouTube has been recommending and serving ads against videos that feature denial of or misinformation about climate change , according to a new report .
The identified videos had 21.1 million views between them and might be suggested to users after a search for “ climate change , ” “ global warming , ” or the conspiracy theory “ climate manipulation.
” The study , from the nonprofit activist group Avaaz , found ads from 108 brands running on videos that contained climate change misinformation .
Those brands included major companies like Samsung , Uber , Nintendo , Showtime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for environmental groups , including Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund , appeared on the videos as well .
Avaaz says 10 advertisers , including Samsung and the environmental groups , said they were unaware their ads appeared on these videos ( the others didn ’ t respond ) .
Avaaz wants advertisers to pressure YouTube to stop promoting and putting ads on misinformation The report also states that YouTube promotes these videos in its “ up next ” box , but the evidence is less clear-cut .
In a statement emailed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the methodology of the report , which used an indirect method for assessing video recommendations , and said that its platform prioritizes “ authoritative voices ” on topics prone to misinformation , like climate change .
YouTube has long struggled to find a balance between maintaining an open platform and keeping its platform safe for both viewers and advertisers .
In the past , companies have paused ad spending after learning that their commercials ran on videos that featured hate speech or comment sections with predatory remarks about children .
This has led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , limiting what videos they can make money on , and changing its video promotion algorithms , such as to limit the spread of conspiracy theories .
Avaaz ’ s study shows just how fraught finding that balance can be .
Three of the top climate change denial videos it highlights come from Fox News and PragerU ( which is not a university , but a nonprofit making videos that “ function as dog whistles to the extreme right , ” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center ) .
Several videos cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading to higher global temperatures — a widely accepted conclusion among climate researchers and the broader scientific community .
“ If there is factually inaccurate information in the video , then YouTube should not be giving it free advertising.
” While known to be wrong , these are not just views espoused by fringe YouTubers — they ’ re promoted by major political figures and , in some instances , the president of the United States .
As a result , putting restrictions on these videos would mean wading into a political battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change being an existential threat that urgently needs to be addressed .
By highlighting the major advertisers that become aligned with these extremist viewpoints because of YouTube , Avaaz hopes to build the necessary pressure on YouTube to make a change .
( Samsung says it immediately contacted YouTube to “ resolve the current issue and prevent future repetition.
” ) Avaaz ’ s goal with this latest report is not to ban climate change denial videos , but to get YouTube to stop running ads on them and recommending them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about removing content , this isn ’ t about sanctioning different channels or media outlets , ” says Nell Greenberg , a campaign director at Avaaz who oversaw the report .
“ This is simply saying if there is factually inaccurate information in the video , then YouTube should not be giving it free advertising.
” Advertisers currently have the option to prevent their ads from running on any videos that discuss climate change .
But they don ’ t have an option to only run on accurate videos about climate change — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ A lot of brands want their ads on climate change videos .
They ’ re environmental organizations or do a lot for sustainability , ” Greenberg says .
“ They don ’ t want ads running on videos that have factually inaccurate information , and that ’ s not available to them.
” The study didn ’ t look directly at YouTube recommendations , so it ’ s not clear which videos are actually being promoted Avaaz was able to directly confirm that ads were running on videos that featured climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its evidence that YouTube promotes these videos through its “ up next ” feature is shakier , because it didn ’ t directly observe the feature in action .
Instead , Avaaz relied on a YouTube developer tool that presents what videos might be related to others .
The resulting list “ does not provide an exact replica of YouTube ’ s suggestions algorithm , ” the study says .
YouTube says the tool may be biased by , for example , a website that embeds multiple videos side by side .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” represents much of what YouTube ’ s suggestions would present to viewers , but it didn ’ t confirm that any of these videos actually show up .
Avaaz ’ s study looked at what it deems likely to be the first 100 “ up next ” recommendations for videos related to each of the three search terms .
It then had people watch through those videos to look for misinformation — a term it took to broadly mean any “ verifiably false or misleading ” statements .
“ Global warming ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ climate change ” to eight ; and “ climate manipulation ” to 21 .
YouTube has taken steps to fight misinformation .
Some search results and videos now include a fact-check box with information pulled from Wikipedia .
Searching “ climate change ” and “ global warming ” will present you with this box , however “ climate manipulation ” does not .
It ’ s also reduced recommendations of “ borderline content ” — videos it deems as problematic , but not quite troubling enough to be banned — such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As our systems appear to have done in the majority of cases in this report , we prioritize authoritative voices for millions of news and information queries , and surface information panels on topics prone to misinformation — including climate change — to provide users with context alongside their content , ” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement .
YouTube doesn ’ t outright ban climate change denial .
However , because it views climate change as a subject prone to misinformation , authoritative sources are supposed to be prioritized in search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on climate change should show up before videos from individual YouTube creators , but it also means that a major cable channel that broadly denies the existence of climate change would be considered authoritative , too , even if it ’ s spreading misinformation .
“ For very good reason , there is conversation that gets wrapped up in this about free speech , ” Greenberg says .
“ We are not in any way talking about free speech — what we ’ re talking about is free advertising and free promotion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendation algorithms are doing .
”

YouTube has been recommending and serving ads against videos that feature denial of or misinformation about climate change, according to a new report. The identified videos had 21.1 million views between them and might be suggested to users after a search for “climate change,” “global warming,” or the conspiracy theory “climate manipulation.”
The study, from the nonprofit activist group Avaaz, found ads from 108 brands running on videos that contained climate change misinformation. Those brands included major companies like Samsung, Uber, Nintendo, Showtime, Harley Davidson, and Warner Bros. Ads for environmental groups, including Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, appeared on the videos as well. Avaaz says 10 advertisers, including Samsung and the environmental groups, said they were unaware their ads appeared on these videos (the others didn’t respond).
Avaaz wants advertisers to pressure YouTube to stop promoting and putting ads on misinformation
The report also states that YouTube promotes these videos in its “up next” box, but the evidence is less clear-cut. In a statement emailed to The Verge, YouTube called into question the methodology of the report, which used an indirect method for assessing video recommendations, and said that its platform prioritizes “authoritative voices” on topics prone to misinformation, like climate change.
YouTube has long struggled to find a balance between maintaining an open platform and keeping its platform safe for both viewers and advertisers. In the past, companies have paused ad spending after learning that their commercials ran on videos that featured hate speech or comment sections with predatory remarks about children. This has led to YouTube placing stricter rules on creators, limiting what videos they can make money on, and changing its video promotion algorithms, such as to limit the spread of conspiracy theories.
Avaaz’s study shows just how fraught finding that balance can be. Three of the top climate change denial videos it highlights come from Fox News and PragerU (which is not a university, but a nonprofit making videos that “function as dog whistles to the extreme right,” according to the Southern Poverty Law Center). Several videos cast doubt on whether greenhouse gas emissions are leading to higher global temperatures — a widely accepted conclusion among climate researchers and the broader scientific community.
“If there is factually inaccurate information in the video, then YouTube should not be giving it free advertising.”
While known to be wrong, these are not just views espoused by fringe YouTubers — they’re promoted by major political figures and, in some instances, the president of the United States. As a result, putting restrictions on these videos would mean wading into a political battle that YouTube would rather avoid, despite climate change being an existential threat that urgently needs to be addressed.
By highlighting the major advertisers that become aligned with these extremist viewpoints because of YouTube, Avaaz hopes to build the necessary pressure on YouTube to make a change. (Samsung says it immediately contacted YouTube to “resolve the current issue and prevent future repetition.”) Avaaz’s goal with this latest report is not to ban climate change denial videos, but to get YouTube to stop running ads on them and recommending them to viewers.
“This isn’t about removing content, this isn’t about sanctioning different channels or media outlets,” says Nell Greenberg, a campaign director at Avaaz who oversaw the report. “This is simply saying if there is factually inaccurate information in the video, then YouTube should not be giving it free advertising.”
Advertisers currently have the option to prevent their ads from running on any videos that discuss climate change. But they don’t have an option to only run on accurate videos about climate change — it’s all or nothing. “A lot of brands want their ads on climate change videos. They’re environmental organizations or do a lot for sustainability,” Greenberg says. “They don’t want ads running on videos that have factually inaccurate information, and that’s not available to them.”
The study didn’t look directly at YouTube recommendations, so it’s not clear which videos are actually being promoted
Avaaz was able to directly confirm that ads were running on videos that featured climate change misinformation by watching the videos. However, its evidence that YouTube promotes these videos through its “up next” feature is shakier, because it didn’t directly observe the feature in action.
Instead, Avaaz relied on a YouTube developer tool that presents what videos might be related to others. The resulting list “does not provide an exact replica of YouTube’s suggestions algorithm,” the study says. YouTube says the tool may be biased by, for example, a website that embeds multiple videos side by side. Avaaz believes the data “very likely” represents much of what YouTube’s suggestions would present to viewers, but it didn’t confirm that any of these videos actually show up.
Avaaz’s study looked at what it deems likely to be the first 100 “up next” recommendations for videos related to each of the three search terms. It then had people watch through those videos to look for misinformation — a term it took to broadly mean any “verifiably false or misleading” statements. “Global warming” led to 16 videos with misinformation; “climate change” to eight; and “climate manipulation” to 21.
YouTube has taken steps to fight misinformation. Some search results and videos now include a fact-check box with information pulled from Wikipedia. Searching “climate change” and “global warming” will present you with this box, however “climate manipulation” does not. It’s also reduced recommendations of “borderline content” — videos it deems as problematic, but not quite troubling enough to be banned — such as medical misinformation and conspiracy theories.
“As our systems appear to have done in the majority of cases in this report, we prioritize authoritative voices for millions of news and information queries, and surface information panels on topics prone to misinformation — including climate change — to provide users with context alongside their content,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement.
YouTube doesn’t outright ban climate change denial. However, because it views climate change as a subject prone to misinformation, authoritative sources are supposed to be prioritized in search and recommendations. That means news reports on climate change should show up before videos from individual YouTube creators, but it also means that a major cable channel that broadly denies the existence of climate change would be considered authoritative, too, even if it’s spreading misinformation.


theverge--2020-01-16--Pioneer DJ’s new mixer isn’t for the average DJ

Pioneer DJ has announced a new professional gig mixer for gear-heads that want more control over how mixes and tracks sound while performing .
Called the DVM-V10 , it sports six channels ( in comparison to the usual four ) , dual headphone inputs to seamlessly play back-to-back with other DJs , and the ability to EQ the master output .
The release confirms circulating rumors about the mixer , which have been repeatedly popping up on Facebook and Reddit over the past 24 hours .
While some excitement over Pioneer DJ rumors is to be expected , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chatter in advance of a new product from the company .
But , the DVM-V10 isn ’ t a simple update ; it ’ s a drastic form and function departure from Pioneer DJ ’ s established line of club mixers .
Here ’ s the thing : Pioneer DJ owns the majority of the professional club DJ market .
It has thusly defined , to a degree , how people DJ .
Chances are , when an artist submits their rider to a club , there ’ s going to be Pioneer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what most people are used to playing on , and so , most clubs carry it .
THE DVM-V10 is a drastic form and function departure for Pioneer DJ But over the past few years , competing mixers have tapped into a specific sub-market Pioneer DJ didn ’ t have a product for : techno and tech house DJs .
These artists have a penchant for incorporating more live gear ; bringing their own effects boxes and drum machines to gigs in order to tweak , transform , and stack audio in myriads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allen & Heath Xone:96 and Model 1 have carved a niche .
These mixers have features to specifically appeal to DJs in these genres , and their more intricate setups .
They have extra channels , MIDI I/O for talking with connected gear , and other ways to affect tracks directly on the mixer itself ( in the Model 1 ’ s case , there ’ s an “ overdrive ” option on every channel ) .
Pioneer DJ ’ s DVM-V10 is the company ’ s response to these genres ’ desires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layer and sculpt sound .
There ’ s a laundry list of new features with a few highlights .
Notably , each channel now has a four-band EQ instead of the usual three , along with a compressor for beefing up older or unfinished tracks .
( Pioneer DJ says the compressor will have “ minimal effect on mastered music.
” ) Equally exciting is the expanded send/return section on the DVM-V10 , so you can route audio to one of four built-in FX and up to two pieces of external equipment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sequencers .
Not only does this apply to traditional hardware pieces , but selected smartphone apps by connecting your device with MULTI I/O .
And , the 5-pin MIDI port has returned .
The filter function also got a major upgrade .
It now allows you to switch between a high or low pass filter , and then apply resonance control to add additional nuance or intensity .
The DVM-V10 is an extremely robust mixer that isn ’ t for the average jockey In addition , there ’ s a new shimmer effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by layering a reverb tail that ’ s pitched up on top of an original dry signal ) , a three-band EQ for the master output , and for the particularly picky , an additional EQ to adjust the audio that comes through booth monitors ( also seen in the Xone:96 and Model 1 ) .
There ’ s loads more to pick apart but on paper , this is an extremely robust 6-channel club mixer that isn ’ t for the average jockey mixing between two songs .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caters to a specific crowd interested in building complex , layered sets using multiple audio sources .
It ’ s also a bold move by the segment ’ s market leader to go after a more demanding breed of DJs .
Whether artists who have already been plied by the Xone:96 and Model 1 will give this a shot remains to be seen , but it certainly looks like Pioneer DJ has been studying and taking notes .
Pioneer DJ ’ s DJM-V10 will be available from early February 2020 , priced at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pioneer DJ ’ s website .

Pioneer DJ has announced a new professional gig mixer for gear-heads that want more control over how mixes and tracks sound while performing. Called the DJM-V10, it sports six channels (in comparison to the usual four), dual headphone jacks to seamlessly play back-to-back with other DJs, and the ability to EQ the master output.
The release confirms circulating rumors about the mixer, which have been repeatedly popping up on Facebook and Reddit over the past 24 hours. While some excitement over Pioneer DJ rumors is to be expected, it’s rare to have this much hyped-up chatter in advance of a new product from the company. But, the DJM-V10 isn’t a simple update; it’s a drastic form and function departure from Pioneer DJ’s established line of club mixers.
Here’s the thing: Pioneer DJ owns the majority of the professional club DJ market. It has thusly defined, to a degree, how people DJ. Chances are, when an artist submits their rider to a club, there’s going to be Pioneer DJ equipment listed. It’s what most people are used to playing on, and so, most clubs carry it.
THE DJM-V10 is a drastic form and function departure for Pioneer DJ
But over the past few years, competing mixers have tapped into a specific sub-market Pioneer DJ didn’t have a product for: techno and tech house DJs. These artists have a penchant for incorporating more live gear; bringing their own effects boxes and drum machines to gigs in order to tweak, transform, and stack audio in myriads of ways.
This is where the Allen & Heath Xone:96 and Model 1 have carved a niche. These mixers have features to specifically appeal to DJs in these genres, and their more intricate setups. They have extra channels, MIDI I/O for talking with connected gear, and other ways to affect tracks directly on the mixer itself (in the Model 1’s case, there’s an “overdrive” option on every channel).
Back of the Pioneer DJ DJM-V10 mixer. Image: Pioneer DJ
Pioneer DJ’s DJM-V10 is the company’s response to these genres’ desires for a more hands-on mixer that can layer and sculpt sound. There’s a laundry list of new features with a few highlights. Notably, each channel now has a four-band EQ instead of the usual three, along with a compressor for beefing up older or unfinished tracks. (Pioneer DJ says the compressor will have “minimal effect on mastered music.”)
Equally exciting is the expanded send/return section on the DJM-V10, so you can route audio to one of four built-in FX and up to two pieces of external equipment, like synths, guitar pedals, or sequencers. Not only does this apply to traditional hardware pieces, but selected smartphone apps by connecting your device with MULTI I/O. And, the 5-pin MIDI port has returned.
The filter function also got a major upgrade. It now allows you to switch between a high or low pass filter, and then apply resonance control to add additional nuance or intensity.
The DJM-V10 is an extremely robust mixer that isn’t for the average jockey
In addition, there’s a new shimmer effect (shimmer is a type of reverb made by layering a reverb tail that’s pitched up on top of an original dry signal), a three-band EQ for the master output, and for the particularly picky, an additional EQ to adjust the audio that comes through booth monitors (also seen in the Xone:96 and Model 1).
There’s loads more to pick apart but on paper, this is an extremely robust 6-channel club mixer that isn’t for the average jockey mixing between two songs. It’s a specific product by Pioneer DJ that caters to a specific crowd interested in building complex, layered sets using multiple audio sources. It’s also a bold move by the segment’s market leader to go after a more demanding breed of DJs. Whether artists who have already been plied by the Xone:96 and Model 1 will give this a shot remains to be seen, but it certainly looks like Pioneer DJ has been studying and taking notes.