theverge--2020-01-17--Moog’s new synth promises big bass in a pint-sized machine

Moog has officially announced a new synth called Subsequent 25 at this year ’ s NAMM in Anaheim , California .
Replacing the adored Sub Phatty synth , Moog ’ s made several tweaks with the Subsequent 25 that make it capable of delivering even more powerful bass and thicker leads than its predecessor .
The Subsequent 25 is Moog ’ s most compact keyboard synthesizer , which the company says makes it a fit for both stage and studio .
Some will balk at the synth ’ s teeny size ( the entire thing is just over 20 inches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s appeal if you ’ re looking for that classic , beefy Moog sound in a pint-sized footprint .
Building upon the success of the Subsequent 37 and Sub Phatty , the Subsequent 25 is a two-note paraphonic analog synth that comes with a 25-note keyboard .
Formally , it ’ s replacing the Sub Phatty — Moog says it ’ s “ transitioning production ” of that synth , and the Subsequent 25 will be the new standard production model moving forward .
The Subsequent 25 promises sounds “ beyond the original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Subsequent 25 has two oscillators along with a sub-oscillator and a noise generator .
Oscillators one and two can be split to play two different notes at the same time in Duo Mode , or all three can be stacked up in the synth ’ s Unison mode .
There are a few modernized sonic items in the Subsequent 25 .
For one , the classic Moog ladder filter — which provides rich resonance and self-oscillation — has reshaped gain staging .
Basically the filter ’ s levels have been readjusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saturation and doling out a richer low end .
Moog is revered for the fat sounds its oscillators and filters produce , and the Sub Phatty took things one step further .
It was Moog ’ s first synth to feature its Multidrive circuit , which sits just before the amplifier section , giving even additional snarl and edgy grit to sounds .
So fans should be pleased that Moog ’ s also re-tuned this model ’ s Multidrive circuit , and this combo of tweaks promises sounds from the Subsequent 25 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growl of the Sub Phatty.
” Other improvements include twice the headroom , a new , more powerful headphone amplifier , four CV inputs for integrating other pieces of gear , new presets designed for the upgraded circuitry , and an upgraded keybed ( which Moog says is for “ improved playability ” ) .
Additionally , there ’ s full MIDI implementation , so you can automate everything on the front panel along with a lot of hidden parameters via plug-ins or a MIDI controller / sequencer .
One little downer is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 presets , but it also comes with Moog ’ s free Editor Librarian software ( available for both PC and Mac ) .
So theoretically that can be used for creating , saving , and recalling an infinite number of sounds to use on the synth .
To demo what it ’ s capable of , the company collaborated with musician Flying Lotus and graphic designer Julian House to create a short film called Building Your World .
The Subsequent 25 is available to order now and costs $ 849 .
Find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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

Moog has officially announced a new synth called Subsequent 25 at this year’s NAMM in Anaheim, California. Replacing the adored Sub Phatty synth, Moog’s made several tweaks with the Subsequent 25 that make it capable of delivering even more powerful bass and thicker leads than its predecessor.
The Subsequent 25 is Moog’s most compact keyboard synthesizer, which the company says makes it a fit for both stage and studio. Some will balk at the synth’s teeny size (the entire thing is just over 20 inches long!), but there’s appeal if you’re looking for that classic, beefy Moog sound in a pint-sized footprint.
Building upon the success of the Subsequent 37 and Sub Phatty, the Subsequent 25 is a two-note paraphonic analog synth that comes with a 25-note keyboard. Formally, it’s replacing the Sub Phatty — Moog says it’s “transitioning production” of that synth, and the Subsequent 25 will be the new standard production model moving forward.
The Subsequent 25 promises sounds “beyond the original grit and growl of the Sub Phatty”
The Subsequent 25 has two oscillators along with a sub-oscillator and a noise generator. Oscillators one and two can be split to play two different notes at the same time in Duo mode, or all three can be stacked up in the synth’s Unison mode.
There are a few modernized sonic items in the Subsequent 25. For one, the classic Moog ladder filter — which provides rich resonance and self-oscillation — has reshaped gain staging. Basically the filter’s levels have been readjusted at each point of amplification, boosting saturation and doling out a richer low end.
Moog is revered for the fat sounds its oscillators and filters produce, and the Sub Phatty took things one step further. It was Moog’s first synth to feature its Multidrive circuit, which sits just before the amplifier section, giving even additional snarl and edgy grit to sounds. So fans should be pleased that Moog’s also re-tuned this model’s Multidrive circuit, and this combo of tweaks promises sounds from the Subsequent 25 that are “beyond the original grit and growl of the Sub Phatty.”
Other improvements include twice the headroom, a new, more powerful headphone amplifier, four CV inputs for integrating other pieces of gear, new presets designed for the upgraded circuitry, and an upgraded keybed (which Moog says is for “improved playability”). Additionally, there’s full MIDI implementation, so you can automate everything on the front panel along with a lot of hidden parameters via plug-ins or a MIDI controller / sequencer. One little downer is that the Subsequent 25 only comes with 16 presets, but it also comes with Moog’s free Editor Librarian software (available for both PC and Mac). So theoretically that can be used for creating, saving, and recalling an infinite number of sounds to use on the synth.
To demo what it’s capable of, the company collaborated with musician Flying Lotus and graphic designer Julian House to create a short film called Building Your World.
The Subsequent 25 is available to order now and costs $849. Find out more at the Moog website.
Moog Subsequent 25 / Available for $849 Order on Guitar Center


theverge--2020-01-17--Netflix will nearly double the number of French language originals

Netflix today signaled a significant new investment in France with the opening of its new Paris office and a content roadmap that will see the streaming service nearly double the number of French language originals it has produced so far .
Since 2014 , Netflix has produced 24 productions in French , including six films and nine television series .
But the new plan is to add 20 new productions , and to grow its new corporate presence in Paris consisting of 40 employees to one nearly three times the size .
Netflix is doing similar expansions across the globe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South America .
The company has plans to open offices in Germany and Italy , and last year it opened a large office in Mexico City .
It also has offices in England , the Netherlands , and Spain .
The goal is to diversify its lineup of shows and movies to attract more international customers , especially as growth in its US subscriber base has hit its upper limit and competition from domestic giants like Disney and HBO heats up .
Last July , the number of Netflix customers in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s made Netflix ’ s focus on international expansion more crucial than ever before .
Netflix is expanding across Europe to diversify its lineup and attract international users Netflix has had successful run with foreign language shows , including Spanish language crime thriller hits like Narcos and Money Heist and German language sci-fi show Dark .
It ’ s also struck gold with some of its foreign language films , including Oscar nominated Roma from Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón .
And Netflix is investing heavily in Japanese language content , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legendary Hideaki Anno anime Neon Genesis Evangelion , as another segment of the streaming wars now includes an escalating bidding war for sought-after animated films and shows both new and old .
Yet while expanding its presence in a country like France is arguably good for business , there ’ s also a legal reason at play .
The European Parliament finalized in October 2018 new regulation regarding Netflix and other streaming services ’ presence in the EU that mandates that at least 30 percent of all content carried on the platform be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Netflix , and other companies have until September 2020 to hit that quota .
So it ’ s likely Netflix ’ s new investments in Germany , Italy , and France will help it do so .
There ’ s also Netflix ’ s somewhat contentious relationship with the French cinema community , after the company ’ s high-profile showdown with the Cannes Film Festival over contest eligibility requirements .
Netflix was banned back in 2018 from competing for the festival ’ s most prestigious awards due to its limited theatrical runs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s new rules around local releases and , more broadly , the country ’ s cultural commitment to cinema as an institution .
Netflix then pulled out of the festival officially , and it did not submit any films for the 2019 Cannes .
So a new , dedicated presence in Paris and a substantial increase in its investment in local productions may help smooth over that once-soured relationship .

Netflix today signaled a significant new investment in France with the opening of its new Paris office and a content roadmap that will see the streaming service nearly double the number of French language originals it has produced so far. Since 2014, Netflix has produced 24 productions in French, including six films and nine television series. But the new plan is to add 20 new productions, and to grow its new corporate presence in Paris consisting of 40 employees to one nearly three times the size.
Netflix is doing similar expansions across the globe, including elsewhere in Europe and in South America. The company has plans to open offices in Germany and Italy, and last year it opened a large office in Mexico City. It also has offices in England, the Netherlands, and Spain.
The goal is to diversify its lineup of shows and movies to attract more international customers, especially as growth in its US subscriber base has hit its upper limit and competition from domestic giants like Disney and HBO heats up. Last July, the number of Netflix customers in the US declined For the first time ever. That’s made Netflix’s focus on international expansion more crucial than ever before.
Netflix is expanding across Europe to diversify its lineup and attract international users
Netflix has had successful run with foreign language shows, including Spanish language crime thriller hits like Narcos and Money Heist and German language sci-fi show Dark. It’s also struck gold with some of its foreign language films, including Oscar nominated Roma from Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón. And Netflix is investing heavily in Japanese language content, including securing the worldwide streaming rights to the legendary Hideaki Anno anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, as another segment of the streaming wars now includes an escalating bidding war for sought-after animated films and shows both new and old.
Yet while expanding its presence in a country like France is arguably good for business, there’s also a legal reason at play. The European Parliament finalized in October 2018 new regulation regarding Netflix and other streaming services’ presence in the EU that mandates that at least 30 percent of all content carried on the platform be originally produced in the region. Amazon, Netflix, and other companies have until September 2020 to hit that quota. So it’s likely Netflix’s new investments in Germany, Italy, and France will help it do so.
There’s also Netflix’s somewhat contentious relationship with the French cinema community, after the company’s high-profile showdown with the Cannes Film Festival over contest eligibility requirements. Netflix was banned back in 2018 from competing for the festival’s most prestigious awards due to its limited theatrical runs, which ran afoul of France’s new rules around local releases and, more broadly, the country’s cultural commitment to cinema as an institution.


theverge--2020-01-17--We’re blowing it with self-driving car safety reporting, Cruise says

Next month , California ’ s Department of Motor Vehicles will release the latest batch of reports from companies testing self-driving vehicles in the state .
But the reports offer , at best , a flawed glimpse into the slow and often opaque process of testing autonomous vehicles on public roads , says Kyle Vogt , co-founder and CTO of GM-based Cruise .
In a Medium post , Vogt posits that maybe it ’ s time for a new metric for reporting safety of self-driving cars .
By law , all companies that are actively testing self-driving cars on public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of miles driven and the frequency in which human safety drivers were forced to take control of their autonomous vehicles ( also known as a “ disengagement ” ) .
The idea that the disengagement reports are useful is “ a myth , ” Vogt argues But Vogt slams the notion that the disengagement reports are useful for tracking technological progress .
“ The idea that disengagements give a meaningful signal about whether an [ autonomous vehicle ] is ready for commercial deployment is a myth , ” he writes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , agree that the reports are largely meaningless .
But in the absence of any federal reporting requirements for companies testing AVs on public roads , they are often acknowledged as being the best dataset we ’ ve got to track this technology ’ s progress .
Vogt goes on to blast other companies for effectively pulling the wool over the media ’ s eyes with flashy demos that prove nothing but the ability to execute a decent test ride .
Our collective fixation on disengagements has been further fueled by the AV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demo rides that include a de facto story-line that goes something like , “ I didn ’ t touch the wheel during this demo , therefore it works.
” This is silly , and everyone knows it .
It ’ s like judging a basketball team ’ s performance for the year based on how they looked during a practice session .
Or winning a single spin of roulette and claiming you ’ ve beaten the house .
A carefully curated and constrained demo ride is just the tip of the iceberg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ignore what ’ s lurking below the surface .
The AV industry is in a trust race , so it ’ s important that we do things to build confidence in the technology .
It ’ s certainly convincing to go on a ride where it seems the human is just there for show , or on rides where there ’ s no human present at all .
So companies carefully curate demo routes , avoid urban areas with cyclists and pedestrians , constrain geofences and pickup/dropoff locations , and limit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the ride — all in order to limit the number of disengagements .
Because after all , an AV is only ready for primetime if it can do dozens , hundreds , or even thousands of these kinds of trips without a human touching the wheel .
That ’ s the ultimate sign that the technology is ready , right ?
Wrong .
It ’ s hard not to see this as a not-so-subtle shot at Waymo , which has been giving members of the public , as well as some reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its fully driverless vehicles in its test area in the suburbs of Phoenix .
Cruise has long been critical of Waymo ’ s decision to concentrate most of its testing in a suburban environment , rather than a more complex , urban one like Cruise has .
“ That ’ s the ultimate sign that the technology is ready , right ?
Wrong.
” “ Keep in mind that driving on a well-marked highway or wide , suburban roads is not the same as driving in a chaotic urban environment , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skill required is just like skiing on green slopes vs. double black diamonds.
” Cruise has been waging a slow-burn war against the California disengagement reports for years now .
Jalopnik took the company to task in 2018 for failing to report an incident when one of its self-driving cars ran a red light in San Francisco after the safety driver took control to avoid blocking a crosswalk .
According to Cruise ’ s interpretation of the California requirements , the human driver didn ’ t act out of safety concerns or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hard not to see this post as Vogt ’ s attempt to get ahead of next month ’ s disengagement reports .
He lists a variety of reasons why Cruise ’ s safety drivers will routinely take control of their test vehicles , as a courtesy to other road users or just out of an abundance of caution .
And he even goes so far as to include a graph that he says shows Cruise ’ s improving rates of disengagements , or the distance traveled between disengagements .
Vogt says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data that more accurately conveys the progress that it is making .
Ultimately , I believe that in order for an AV operator to deploy AVs at scale in a ridesharing fleet , the general public and regulators deserve hard , empirical evidence that an AV has performance that is super-human ( better than the average human driver ) so that the deployment of the AV technology has a positive overall impact on automotive safety and public health .
This requires a ) data on the true performance of human drivers and AVs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an objective , apples-to-apples comparison with statistically significant results .
We will deliver exactly that once our AVs are validated and ready for deployment .
Expect to hear more from us about this very important topic soon .
Vogt ends by issuing a challenge to his competitors to follow Cruise ’ s lead in uploading long , uninterrupted footage of their vehicles driving the streets of San Francisco .
“ Despite all the AV demos that have taken place over the years , the only video that I ’ ve found anywhere online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the one that we posted back in early 2017 ( slowed down version here ) , ” he says .
“ I haven ’ t seen any others that are more than a few minutes long.
” Cruise , which is backed by Honda and General Motors , is gearing up to make a big announcement next week concerning its desire to “ move beyond the car.
” In preparation , the company emptied out its Instagram account and replaced it with nine posts , each displaying coordinates in latitude and longitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Our collective fixation on disengagements has been further fueled by the AV companies themselves. Many of them give demo rides that include a de facto story-line that goes something like, “I didn’t touch the wheel during this demo, therefore it works.” This is silly, and everyone knows it. It’s like judging a basketball team’s performance for the year based on how they looked during a practice session. Or winning a single spin of roulette and claiming you’ve beaten the house. A carefully curated and constrained demo ride is just the tip of the iceberg, and we all know what happens if we ignore what’s lurking below the surface.
The AV industry is in a trust race, so it’s important that we do things to build confidence in the technology. It’s certainly convincing to go on a ride where it seems the human is just there for show, or on rides where there’s no human present at all. So companies carefully curate demo routes, avoid urban areas with cyclists and pedestrians, constrain geofences and pickup/dropoff locations, and limit the kinds of maneuvers the AV will attempt during the ride — all in order to limit the number of disengagements. Because after all, an AV is only ready for primetime if it can do dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of these kinds of trips without a human touching the wheel. That’s the ultimate sign that the technology is ready, right? Wrong.


theverge--2020-01-17--Disney is dropping ‘Fox,’ rebranding its acquired studio as 20th Century Studios

Disney ’ s landmark purchase of 20th Century Fox last year is complete , and now the company is looking to phase out the “ Fox ” branding in its new assets : the 20th Century Fox film studio is being rebranded to just “ 20th Century Studios , ” and Fox Searchlight Pictures is now “ Searchlight Pictures , ” according to a report from Variety .
The move away from the Fox brand isn ’ t entirely surprising , given that Fox Corporation — the remaining piece of the original Fox brand — still exists and runs things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Fox TV channel that weren ’ t sold to Disney .
The new names will begin rolling out soon Removing the “ Fox ” from the studios and film divisions that Disney does own will presumably make things in the entertainment world a little clearer .
( The fact that Fox News , in particular , is a politically contentious brand that doesn ’ t gel with Disney ’ s politically neutral , family-friendly ethos may have also contributed to the name change . )
The new names will begin rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Downhill — Searchlight ’ s next film — is already set to feature the updated logo alongside a “ Searchlight Pictures Presents ” label , while Call of the Wild ( out on February 21st ) will be the first to feature the new 20th Century Studios branding .
All that ’ s changing is the naming , though : Variety ’ s report reassuringly notes that the iconic 20th Century Fox opening and fanfare will still remain on 20th Century Studios films , albeit in a modified version that won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it anymore .
The company is still said to be deciding whether to change the names of the Fox TV production studios 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios ( which are less visible to consumers than the much more prominent film branding ) .

Disney’s landmark purchase of 20th Century Fox last year is complete, and now the company is looking to phase out the “Fox” branding in its new assets: the 20th Century Fox film studio is being rebranded to just “20th Century Studios,” and Fox Searchlight Pictures is now “Searchlight Pictures,” according to a report from Variety.
The move away from the Fox brand isn’t entirely surprising, given that Fox Corporation — the remaining piece of the original Fox brand — still exists and runs things like Fox News, Fox Sports, and the Fox TV channel that weren’t sold to Disney.
The new names will begin rolling out soon
Removing the “Fox” from the studios and film divisions that Disney does own will presumably make things in the entertainment world a little clearer. (The fact that Fox News, in particular, is a politically contentious brand that doesn’t gel with Disney’s politically neutral, family-friendly ethos may have also contributed to the name change.)
The new names will begin rolling out soon. According to Variety, Downhill — Searchlight’s next film — is already set to feature the updated logo alongside a “Searchlight Pictures Presents” label, while Call of the Wild (out on February 21st) will be the first to feature the new 20th Century Studios branding.
All that’s changing is the naming, though: Variety’s report reassuringly notes that the iconic 20th Century Fox opening and fanfare will still remain on 20th Century Studios films, albeit in a modified version that won’t have the word “Fox” in it anymore.


theverge--2020-01-18--Watch as SpaceX’s newest spacecraft attempts to escape a fake rocket emergency

On Sunday , SpaceX is launching one of its last big flight tests for NASA , one that could ultimately pave the way for the company to fly people to space later this year .
For this flight , SpaceX will test out the emergency escape system on its new passenger spacecraft — and will probably destroy a Falcon 9 rocket in the process .
The vehicle that SpaceX is testing is its new Crew Dragon capsule , a passenger spacecraft the company has been developing for NASA as part of the agency ’ s Commercial Crew program .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SpaceX ’ s Crew Dragon , the agency wants to know that the vehicle can keep people safe in the unlikely event of an emergency .
That ’ s what this weekend ’ s test , known as an in-flight abort test , is all about .
SpaceX plans to mimic a failed rocket launch and show that its Crew Dragon can survive and protect its precious inhabitants inside .
“ We want to practice , practice , practice , ” Benji Reed , director of crew mission management at SpaceX , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We test like we fly , and we want to practice like we fly.
” Embedded in the hull of the Crew Dragon are eight SuperDraco engines , designed to fire if the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the capsule starts to suffer some major failure .
The SuperDracos can propel the spacecraft up and away from the decaying rocket .
Once the Crew Dragon is at a safe distance , the capsule would then deploy its parachutes and lower itself gently into the Atlantic Ocean .
A recovery boat would then meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew inside .
SpaceX has tested out this escape system before , but only when the Crew Dragon was on the ground .
The company and NASA want to see this process in action while the capsule is zooming into the sky on top of a rocket .
That ’ s when the system will be needed most if a worst-case scenario happens in the future .
So this weekend , SpaceX will launch one of its used Falcon 9 rockets — which has been to space and back three times before — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At 84 seconds after launch , when the rocket and capsule are feeling the most stress during flight , the SuperDracos will fire and the rocket ’ s main engines will cut off .
The Crew Dragon will then go through the entire escape routine .
SpaceX definitely expects to lose its Falcon 9 rocket during this test .
The vehicle should break apart on the way back down to Earth thanks to the speed it ’ s going and the weather conditions .
As for how it will be destroyed , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be fully fueled , which means some of that propellant might light up .
“ We expect there to be some sort of ignition and probably a fireball of some kind , ” said Reed .
No people will be on board this flight , though SpaceX will have two smart dummies inside the Crew Dragon to gather data about how the maneuver would affect future crew members .
Both the dummies and vehicle will be recovered by boat after the test .
If this test goes well , then the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have people on board SpaceX ’ s Falcon 9 is scheduled to take off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida on Sunday , during a six-hour launch window between 8AM and 2PM ET .
SpaceX will wait to launch until they see good weather at both the launch site and the place in the Atlantic Ocean the Crew Dragon is expected to fall .
Having those weather conditions line up may take some time .
“ Y ’ all may be waiting for a while , while we ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to conduct this test , ” Kathy Lueders , the program manager for NASA ’ s Commercial Crew Program , said during the press conference .
SpaceX was originally supposed to launch on Saturday but had to stand down due to bad weather at both locations .
If this test goes well , then the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people on board .
The date for that highly anticipated trip is still very much an open question .
The Crew Dragon that will be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida by the end of this month , according to SpaceX .
And after the in-flight abort , SpaceX and NASA will need to review all the data and do additional paperwork , and SpaceX still has to do some more tests of its parachutes , which it upgraded last year .
“ We are really human certifying these Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 , ” said Lueders , adding that “ making sure we ’ ve dotted all the “ I ” s and crossed the “ T ” s before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” SpaceX ’ s coverage will begin 20 minutes prior to takeoff , while NASA ’ s coverage is set to begin 15 minutes beforehand .
Since liftoff time could change a lot , be sure to check both SpaceX and NASA ’ s twitter feed for updates .

On Sunday morning, SpaceX successfully launched one of its last big flight tests for NASA, a launch that could pave the way for the company to carry passengers into space later this year. The flight tested the emergency escape system on the company’s new passenger spacecraft, and SpaceX destroyed one of its Falcon 9 rockets in the process — on purpose.
SpaceX was testing its new Crew Dragon capsule, a passenger spacecraft the company is developing for NASA’s Commercial Crew program. This weekend’s test, known as an in-flight abort test, helped to ensure that the Crew Dragon can keep its crew safe in the unlikely event of an emergency, a requirement before NASA will allow astronauts to fly on it. SpaceX mimicked a failed rocket launch, to show that its Crew Dragon can survive and protect its precious inhabitants inside.
Early analysis of the test flight indicated that everything went according to plan. “As far as we can tell, it was a picture-perfect mission,” said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in a press conference following the test.
“We want to practice, practice, practice.”
The Crew Dragon’s escape system is made up of eight SuperDraco engines, embedded in the outer hull of the capsule. These small thrusters are designed to fire if the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the capsule suffers a major failure during flight. The SuperDracos can propel the spacecraft up and away from the decaying rocket. Once the Crew Dragon is at a safe distance, the capsule can deploy its four main parachutes and lower itself gently into the Atlantic Ocean. A recovery boat would then meet up with the capsule and rescue the crew inside.
SpaceX has tested out this escape system before, but only when the Crew Dragon was on the ground. The company and NASA wanted to see this process in action while the capsule is zooming into the sky on top of a rocket. That’s when the system will be needed most if a worst-case scenario happens in the future.
Image: SpaceX
At 10:30AM ET on Sunday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, SpaceX launched one of its used Falcon 9 rockets — which has been to space and back three times before — with a Crew Dragon on top. At 84 seconds after launch, when the rocket and capsule were feeling the most stress during flight, the SuperDracos fired and the rocket’s main engines cut off. The Crew Dragon then went through the entire escape routine and successfully splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean as planned.
Thanks to the SuperDracos, the Crew Dragon traveled up to a mile away from the Falcon 9 it was flying on. The capsule reached twice the speed of sound during the test and reached a peak altitude of 131,000 feet, pulling up to 3.5 Gs at one point during the test. There were no people on board during this flight, though SpaceX did have two smart dummies inside the Crew Dragon to help gather data about how the maneuver would affect future crew members. Both the dummies and vehicle were recovered by boat following the splashdown.
SpaceX expected to lose its Falcon 9 rocket during this test, and the vehicle burst into flames shortly after the Crew Dragon separated from the rocket. The rocket was fully fueled for this launch, causing the propellant to light up. The explosion occurred about 10 seconds after the Crew Dragon had separated from the rocket, so the capsule was a significant distance away at that point.
An artistic animation of what happened during today’s abort test Image: SpaceX
But Musk said the Crew Dragon could have survived if it had been right on top of the fireball. “Since the spacecraft has a very powerful base heat shield, it should not really be significantly affected by the fireball,” Musk said. “It could quite literally look like something out of Star Wars, where it flies right out of the fireball.” Musk also noted that the Crew Dragon could do an escape like at any point during the climb to space, right up until it’s deployed into orbit.
With this test now complete, the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people on board
With this test now complete, the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people on board: NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. The pair watched the launch from Florida today, as did their families.
“Our families were certainly watching from back home. Obviously, they’re keenly interested in those kinds of things,” Hurley said in a press conference after the launch. “You have a whole bunch of different things that go through your mind, emotions that you experience during a launch. This is a key one leading up to our launch, so I think that part of it is pretty exciting.”
The date of Behnken and Hurley’s highly anticipated trip is still very much an open question, though. The Crew Dragon that will be used for that test is slated to be ready by the end of the February, according to Musk. And after the in-flight abort, SpaceX and NASA will need to review all the data and do additional paperwork, and SpaceX still has to do some more tests of its parachutes, which it upgraded last year. The company also has to accommodate other flights that are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station this year. However, Musk said that if all goes well, the first crewed flight on the Crew Dragon could take place in the second quarter of this year.
In the meantime, NASA is looking to buy an additional seat on Russia’s Soyuz rocket to make sure the space agency has continued access to the space station. Since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011, NASA has had to rely on Russia to transport the agency’s astronauts to and from the ISS. The Commercial Crew program is meant to return human spaceflight to the US, but until the vehicles are ready, NASA must rely on the Soyuz for a little while longer.
Despite that reality, both NASA and SpaceX are getting excited about the prospect of finally flying people this year from Florida. “Anyone who has an adventurous bone in their body is going to be very excited about this,” said Musk.


theverge--2020-01-18--7 new trailers you should watch this week

With all the noise around how there ’ ll probably never be a second season of Watchmen this week , I figured I should finally get around to writing about Watchmen since it ’ s been weeks since it wrapped up .
There was a ton I liked about the series : the show within a show ; the oddball , barely explained side characters ; the way it reframes some of the graphic novel ’ s biggest ideas .
The Hooded Justice episode , in particular , was worth watching the entire season for .
That hour is perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entirety of the show , and it feels so true to the book that it hardly seems like it wasn ’ t in there in the first place .
I did find the series ’ structure a little frustrating , though .
Very little actually happens during the timeline of the show — there ’ s a murder , some flashbacks , and then the ending arrives .
Nearly everything important occurred before the show started , and we just have to wait for characters to reveal to us what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turns add up to something interesting , I just wish it had felt a little more like that scheming was happening in the present , rather than like we were waiting for a “ republic serial villain ” to lay things out for us when the time is right .
Check out seven trailers from this week below .
Marvel put out a short new teaser for Black Widow this week .
It includes a lot of the same footage as the first trailer , so there ’ s not too much to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for spoilers , it also includes a first glimpse at the film ’ s villain , Taskmaster .
The movie comes out May 1st .
The first second of this trailer features a ripped , shirtless vampire , just in case you were wondering what kind of movie this is going to be .
Morbius is Sony ’ s latest attempt to expand its universe of Spider-Man films .
While I ’ m utterly unmoved by everything I ’ m seeing here , there is one fun little twist : Michael Keaton .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the trailer , suggesting he ’ s reprising his role from Spider-Man : Homecoming .
Morbius comes out July 31st .
After the success of Bong Joon-ho ’ s film adaptation in 2013 , Snowpiercer is being turned into a series for TNT .
It ’ s a strange world that leaves a lot of room for exploration , so I ’ m curious to see where this goes .
For now , though , the imagery all looks really similar to what appeared in the film .
The show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an internet troll who gets guns bolted onto his hands and is forced to participate in an online reality show death match .
I really can not offer a comment beyond that .
It comes out March 5th .
Netflix keeps adding more and more reality shows , and Next In Fashion looks like an easy winner .
The Project Runway-esque series gives Queer Eye fans another place to watch Tan France , who co-hosts with Alexa Chung .
The series debuts January 29th .
AMC has a mysterious new series coming up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to explain just what ’ s going on here — the whole thing looks a little bit like Netflix ’ s Maniac , a little bit like a Michel Gondry film , and a little bit like a mishmash of every show about some dark global conspiracy .
Point being , you should at least check this out for a moment to see what it ’ s like — plus , it co-stars André 3000 .
The show debuts March 1st .
The Misfits ’ Glenn Danzig directed a horror movie .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll leave it at that .

With all the noise around how there’ll probably never be a second season of Watchmen this week, I figured I should finally get around to writing about Watchmen since it’s been weeks since it wrapped up.
There was a ton I liked about the series: the show within a show; the oddball, barely explained side characters; the way it reframes some of the graphic novel’s biggest ideas. The Hooded Justice episode, in particular, was worth watching the entire season for. That hour is perhaps a better encapsulation of the show than the entirety of the show, and it feels so true to the book that it hardly seems like it wasn’t in there in the first place.
I did find the series’ structure a little frustrating, though. Very little actually happens during the timeline of the show — there’s a murder, some flashbacks, and then the ending arrives. Nearly everything important occurred before the show started, and we just have to wait for characters to reveal to us what they’ve already done. Those twists and turns add up to something interesting, I just wish it had felt a little more like that scheming was happening in the present, rather than like we were waiting for a “republic serial villain” to lay things out for us when the time is right.
Check out seven trailers from this week below.
Black Widow
Marvel put out a short new teaser for Black Widow this week. It includes a lot of the same footage as the first trailer, so there’s not too much to see here. But for those eager for spoilers, it also includes a first glimpse at the film’s villain, Taskmaster. The movie comes out May 1st.
Morbius
The first second of this trailer features a ripped, shirtless vampire, just in case you were wondering what kind of movie this is going to be. Morbius is Sony’s latest attempt to expand its universe of Spider-Man films. While I’m utterly unmoved by everything I’m seeing here, there is one fun little twist: Michael Keaton. He appears for a split second at the end of the trailer, suggesting he’s reprising his role from Spider-Man: Homecoming. Morbius comes out July 31st.
Snowpiercer
After the success of Bong Joon-ho’s film adaptation in 2013, Snowpiercer is being turned into a series for TNT. It’s a strange world that leaves a lot of room for exploration, so I’m curious to see where this goes. For now, though, the imagery all looks really similar to what appeared in the film. The show debuts May 31st.
Guns Akimbo
Daniel Radcliffe plays an internet troll who gets guns bolted onto his hands and is forced to participate in an online reality show death match. I really cannot offer a comment beyond that. It comes out March 5th.
Next In Fashion
Netflix keeps adding more and more reality shows, and Next In Fashion looks like an easy winner. The Project Runway-esque series gives Queer Eye fans another place to watch Tan France, who co-hosts with Alexa Chung. The series debuts January 29th.
Dispatches From Elsewhere
AMC has a mysterious new series coming up from Jason Segel. It’s hard to explain just what’s going on here — the whole thing looks a little bit like Netflix’s Maniac, a little bit like a Michel Gondry film, and a little bit like a mishmash of every show about some dark global conspiracy. Point being, you should at least check this out for a moment to see what it’s like — plus, it co-stars André 3000. The show debuts March 1st.
Verotika


theverge--2020-01-19--Watch as SpaceX’s newest spacecraft attempts to escape a fake rocket emergency

Update January 19th , 7:15AM ET : SpaceX is currently targeting 10AM ET for liftoff , though that time is still subject to change .
On Sunday , SpaceX is launching one of its last big flight tests for NASA , one that could ultimately pave the way for the company to fly people to space later this year .
For this flight , SpaceX will test out the emergency escape system on its new passenger spacecraft — and will probably destroy a Falcon 9 rocket in the process .
The vehicle that SpaceX is testing is its new Crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company has been developing for NASA as part of the agency ’ s Commercial Crew program .
Before NASA will let its astronauts fly on SpaceX ’ s Crew Dragon , the agency wants to know that the vehicle can keep people safe in the unlikely event of an emergency .
That ’ s what this weekend ’ s test , known as an in-flight abort test , is all about .
SpaceX plans to mimic a failed rocket launch and show that its Crew Dragon can survive and protect its precious inhabitants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , practice , practice , ” Benji Reed , director of crew mission management at SpaceX , said during a press conference on Frida .
“ We test like we fly , and we want to practice like we fly.
” Embedded in the hull of the Crew Dragon are eight SuperDraco engines , designed to fire if the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the capsule starts to suffer some major failure .
The SuperDracos can propel the spacecraft up and away from the decaying rocket .
Once the Crew Dragon is at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deploy its parachutes and lower itself gently into the Atlantic Ocean .
A recovery boat would then meet up with the capsule and rescue the crew inside .
SpaceX has tested out this escape system before , but only when the Crew Dragon was on the ground .
The company and NASA want to see this process in action while the capsule is zooming into the sky on top of a rocket .
That ’ s when the system will be needed most if a worst-case scenario happens in the future .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its used Falcon 9 rockets — which has been to space and back three times before — with a Crew Dragon on top .
At 84 seconds after launch , when the rocket and capsule are feeling the most stress during flight , the SuperDracos will fire and the rocket ’ s main engines will cut off .
The Crew Dragon will then go through the entire escape routine .
SpaceX definitely expects to lose its Falcon 9 rocket during this test .
The vehicle should break apart on the way back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s going and the weather conditions .
As for how it will be destroyed , that ’ s unclear .
But the rocket will be fully fueled , which means some of that propellant might light up .
“ We expect there to be some sort of ignition and probably a fireball of some kind , ” said Reed .
No people will be on board this flight , though SpaceX will have two smart dummies inside the Crew Dragon to gather data about how the maneuver would affect future crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be recovered by boat after the test .
If this test goes well , then the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people on board SpaceX ’ s Falcon 9 is scheduled to take off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida on Sunday , during a six-hour launch window between 8AM and 2PM ET .
SpaceX will wait to launch until they see good weather at both the launch site and the place in the Atlantic Ocean the Crew Dragon is expected to fall .
Having those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
“ Y ’ all may be waiting for a while , while we ’ re trying to find the perfect time for us to be able to conduct this test , ” Kathy Lueders , the program manager for NASA ’ s Commercial Crew Program , said during the press conference .
SpaceX was originally supposed to launch on Saturday but had to stand down due to bad weather at both locations .
If this test goes well , then the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly anticipated trip is still very much an open question .
The Crew Dragon that will be used for that test is slated to arrive in Florida by the end of this month , according to SpaceX .
And after the in-flight abort , SpaceX and NASA will need to review all the data and do additional paperwork , and SpaceX still has to do some more tests of its parachutes , which it upgraded last year .
“ We are really human certifying these Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve dotted all the “ I ” s and crossed the “ T ” s before our crewed demonstration mission is very important.
” SpaceX ’ s coverage will begin 20 minutes prior to takeoff , while NASA ’ s coverage is set to begin 15 minutes beforehand .
Since liftoff time could change a lot , be sure to check both SpaceX and NASA ’ s twitter feed for updates .


theverge--2020-01-19--The Touryst is a bite-sized, open-world vacation game

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game , especially if you only have a few hours a week to play .
In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend .
I was really into playing open-world games when the genre was still new .
While I didn ’ t complete everything in those early Assassin ’ s Creed games , or in the original Crackdown or Infamous , I did spend a lot of time doing pretty much everything the games had to offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find it pretty difficult to devote enough time to finish the main quest line of an open-world game , never mind the additional stuff .
But The Touryst scratches that itch , only in a much shorter time frame .
The Touryst is a platformer / adventure game where you play as a tourist visiting an archipelago of vaguely Pacific-inspired tropical islands .
There you can sunbathe on the beach , attend a sunset dance party , scuba dive , visit a jazz club , go spelunking for diamonds , or investigate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each of the islands .
That last one represents the main quest line and how the game progresses .
It ’ s also why you aren ’ t just relaxing on the beach at the first island for your whole vacation .
In order to figure out the mysteries of these alien ruins , you are tasked with visiting them and finding a strange energy core hidden within each one .
Gameplay-wise the ruins offer a set of puzzle / platforming challenges across a set of rooms .
Each is based around either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like pick up and precisely throw certain objects , or a unique mechanic like platforms that float and move based on where you stand on them .
A few of the puzzle rooms have some frustrating precision platforming ( mainly toward the end of the game ) , although most of the rooms have a trick to getting through them which makes it more of a puzzle .
For example , one room requires you to cover up some lights to open a door , but a weird alien snake will keep unblocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll figure out that if you stand in a specific location , the snake stops moving , allowing you to throw rocks to cover the lights .
You progress through the game by completing these ruins , but you ’ ll actually be spending most of your time taking part in open-world gameplay tasks disguised as vacation activities .
The Touryst may not technically be an open-world game , as each island is discrete from the others and requires a man in a boat and a loading screen to move between , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it feels like one .
These activities are also further gamified with explicit missions attached to completing them .
For instance , you could go to an arcade and play a few ‘ 80s- and ‘ 90s-inspired arcade games , but if you happen to talk to the person outside you ’ ll get a mission to get the top score on all of them .
The Touryst would have been a fun game if it was just solving platforming puzzles in mysterious ruins .
But the open-world-like exploration and activities make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposed to just set dressing .
It really captures the feeling of stumbling onto an adventure while on vacation .
The Touryst was created by Shin ’ en Multimedia .
You can get it on Nintendo Switch for $ 19.99 .
It takes about four or five hours to finish .

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game, especially if you only have a few hours a week to play. In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend.
I was really into playing open-world games when the genre was still new. While I didn’t complete everything in those early Assassin’s Creed games, or in the original Crackdown or Infamous, I did spend a lot of time doing pretty much everything the games had to offer. These days, however, I find it pretty difficult to devote enough time to finish the main quest line of an open-world game, never mind the additional stuff. But The Touryst scratches that itch, only in a much shorter time frame.
The Touryst is a platformer / adventure game where you play as a tourist visiting an archipelago of vaguely Pacific-inspired tropical islands. There you can sunbathe on the beach, attend a sunset dance party, scuba dive, visit a jazz club, go spelunking for diamonds, or investigate the mystery behind the ancient alien ruins on each of the islands.
That last one represents the main quest line and how the game progresses. It’s also why you aren’t just relaxing on the beach at the first island for your whole vacation. In order to figure out the mysteries of these alien ruins, you are tasked with visiting them and finding a strange energy core hidden within each one. Gameplay-wise the ruins offer a set of puzzle / platforming challenges across a set of rooms. Each is based around either something your character can normally do, like pick up and precisely throw certain objects, or a unique mechanic like platforms that float and move based on where you stand on them.
A few of the puzzle rooms have some frustrating precision platforming (mainly toward the end of the game), although most of the rooms have a trick to getting through them which makes it more of a puzzle. For example, one room requires you to cover up some lights to open a door, but a weird alien snake will keep unblocking the lights. Eventually, you’ll figure out that if you stand in a specific location, the snake stops moving, allowing you to throw rocks to cover the lights.
You progress through the game by completing these ruins, but you’ll actually be spending most of your time taking part in open-world gameplay tasks disguised as vacation activities. The Touryst may not technically be an open-world game, as each island is discrete from the others and requires a man in a boat and a loading screen to move between, but there are so many disparate activities that it feels like one. These activities are also further gamified with explicit missions attached to completing them. For instance, you could go to an arcade and play a few ‘80s- and ‘90s-inspired arcade games, but if you happen to talk to the person outside you’ll get a mission to get the top score on all of them.
The Touryst would have been a fun game if it was just solving platforming puzzles in mysterious ruins. But the open-world-like exploration and activities make the islands feel more like actual places as opposed to just set dressing. It really captures the feeling of stumbling onto an adventure while on vacation.


theverge--2020-01-19--SpaceX successfully tests escape system on new spacecraft — while destroying a rocket

On Sunday morning , SpaceX successfully launched one of its last big flight tests for NASA , a launch that could pave the way for the company to carry passengers into space later this year .
The flight tested the emergency escape system on the company ’ s new passenger spacecraft , and SpaceX destroyed one of its Falcon 9 rockets in the process — on purpose .
SpaceX was testing its new Crew Dragon capsule , a passenger spacecraft the company is developing for NASA ’ s Commercial Crew program .
This weekend ’ s test , known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that the Crew Dragon can keep its crew safe in the unlikely event of an emergency , a requirement before NASA will allow astronauts to fly on it .
SpaceX mimicked a failed rocket launch , to show that its Crew Dragon can survive and protect its precious inhabitants inside .
Early analysis of the test flight indicated that everything went according to plan .
“ As far as we can tell , it was a picture-perfect mission , ” said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in a press conference following the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is made up of eight SuperDraco engines , embedded in the outer hull of the capsule .
These small thrusters are designed to fire if the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the capsule suffers a major failure during flight .
The SuperDracos can propel the spacecraft up and away from the decaying rocket .
Once the Crew Dragon is at a safe distance , the capsule can deploy its four main parachutes and lower itself gently into the Atlantic Ocean .
A recovery boat would then meet up with the capsule and rescue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out this escape system before , but only when the Crew Dragon was on the ground .
The company and NASA wanted to see this process in action while the capsule is zooming into the sky on top of a rocket .
That ’ s when the system will be needed most if a worst-case scenario happens in the future .
At 10:30AM ET on Sunday from Cape Canaveral , Florida , SpaceX launched one of its used Falcon 9 rockets — which has been to space and back three times before — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At 84 seconds after launch , when the rocket and capsule were feeling the most stress during flight , the SuperDracos fired and the rocket ’ s main engines cut off .
The Crew Dragon then went through the entire escape routine and successfully splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean as planned .
Thanks to the SuperDracos , the Crew Dragon traveled up to a mile away from the Falcon 9 it was flying on .
The capsule reached twice the speed of sound during the test and reached a peak altitude of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gs at one point during the test .
There were no people on board during this flight , though SpaceX did have two smart dummies inside the Crew Dragon to help gather data about how the maneuver would affect future crew members .
Both the dummies and vehicle were recovered by boat following the splashdown .
SpaceX expected to lose its Falcon 9 rocket during this test , and the vehicle burst into flames shortly after the Crew Dragon separated from the rocket .
The rocket was fully fueled for this launch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The explosion occurred about 10 seconds after the Crew Dragon had separated from the rocket , so the capsule was a significant distance away at that point .
But Musk said the Crew Dragon could have survived if it had been right on top of the fireball .
“ Since the spacecraft has a very powerful base heat shield , it should not really be significantly affected by the fireball , ” Musk said .
“ It could quite literally look like something out of Star Wars , where it flies right out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Crew Dragon could do an escape like at any point during the climb to space , right up until it ’ s deployed into orbit .
If this test goes well , then the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people on board With this test now complete , the next big flight of the Crew Dragon will have people on board : NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley .
The pair watched the launch from Florida today , as did their families .
“ Our families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obviously , they ’ re keenly interested in those kinds of things , ” Hurley said in a press conference after the launch .
“ You have a whole bunch of different things that go through your mind , emotions that you experience during a launch .
This is a key one leading up to our launch , so I think that part of it is pretty exciting.
” The date of Behnken and Hurley ’ s highly anticipated trip is still very much an open question , though .
The Crew Dragon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is slated to be ready by the end of the February , according to Musk .
And after the in-flight abort , SpaceX and NASA will need to review all the data and do additional paperwork , and SpaceX still has to do some more tests of its parachutes , which it upgraded last year .
The company also has to accommodate other flights that are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station this year .
However , Musk said that if all goes well , the first crewed flight on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second quarter of this year .
In the meantime , NASA is looking to buy an additional seat on Russia ’ s Soyuz rocket to make sure the space agency has continued access to the space station .
Since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011 , NASA has had to rely on Russia to transport the agency ’ s astronauts to and from the ISS .
The Commercial Crew program is meant to return human spaceflight to the US , but until the vehicles are ready , NASA must rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite that reality , both NASA and SpaceX are getting excited about the prospect of finally flying people this year from Florida .
“ Anyone who has an adventurous bone in their body is going to be very excited about this , ” said Musk .
Update January 19th , 1:30PM ET : This article was updated several times to indicate changes in launch time and finally a successful test .
Additional information was added from a NASA press conference .


theverge--2020-01-17--Lenovo is building another standalone VR headset, but it’s not for consumers

Lenovo hasn ’ t made the best bets in virtual reality so far , but it seems like the company ’ s about to try again — according to a new FCC filing for the “ Lenovo VR3030S , ” which company docs identify as an upcoming standalone VR headset .
Standalone means that like Lenovo ’ s previous Mirage Solo or the Oculus Quest , it shouldn ’ t require you to plug in a phone or PC , because the processing power is built right in .
But where the ill-fated Mirage Solo relied on Google ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it appears this new one will use a proprietary Lenovo platform and is solely for the educational market : According to the product page , the “ Lenovo Mirage VR S3 ” headset contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and runs on Android , with a 1,920 x 2,160 resolution per eye and a 4200mAh battery inside , USB-C charging , and a simple controller .
It appears to be a simple inexpensive 3DoF headset without inside-out tracking , like the Oculus Go , meaning you won ’ t be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turning your body in different directions .
A press release says it ’ s coming in spring 2020 .
Speaking of Lenovo ’ s unlucky bets in virtual reality , it ’ s a little-known fact that the Chinese electronics company was behind the Oculus Rift S headset — you know , the tethered PC one that wound up playing second fiddle to the standalone Oculus Quest .
( Did you also know that a licensing deal between Sony and Lenovo is how the Oculus headset can basically have the same headband as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do . )
While the FCC filings don ’ t offer any other details on the new standalone VR headset , we ’ re curious if Lenovo will submit FCC certification documents for a new set of VR controllers , too — the Mirage Solo wound up relying on Google-built wands , and the Explorer shared the same controllers with most other Windows MR headsets , though Lenovo did source its own simple two-button sticks for its second-gen Mirage AR headset with Disney .
Update , January 19th at 1:00PM ET : Updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have identified which headset this is .
Nice spot , GamingScienceTeacher !

Lenovo hasn’t made the best bets in virtual reality so far, but it seems like the company’s about to try again — according to a new FCC filing for the “Lenovo VR3030S,” which company docs identify as an upcoming standalone VR headset.
Standalone means that like Lenovo’s previous Mirage Solo or the Oculus Quest, it shouldn’t require you to plug in a phone or PC, because the processing power is built right in. But where the ill-fated Mirage Solo relied on Google’s effectively defunct Daydream VR platform for consumers, it appears this new one will use a proprietary Lenovo platform and is solely for the educational market:
According to the product page, the “Lenovo Mirage VR S3” headset contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and runs on Android, with a 1,920 x 2,160 resolution per eye and a 4200mAh battery inside, USB-C charging, and a simple controller. It appears to be a simple inexpensive 3DoF headset without inside-out tracking, like the Oculus Go, meaning you won’t be able to move around in VR at all beyond turning your body in different directions. A press release says it’s coming in spring 2020.
Speaking of Lenovo’s unlucky bets in virtual reality, it’s a little-known fact that the Chinese electronics company was behind the Oculus Rift S headset — you know, the tethered PC one that wound up playing second fiddle to the standalone Oculus Quest. (Did you also know that a licensing deal between Sony and Lenovo is how the Oculus headset can basically have the same headband as the PlayStation VR? Well now you do.)
The Oculus Rift S. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
While the FCC filings don’t offer any other details on the new standalone VR headset, we’re curious if Lenovo will submit FCC certification documents for a new set of VR controllers, too — the Mirage Solo wound up relying on Google-built wands, and the Explorer shared the same controllers with most other Windows MR headsets, though Lenovo did source its own simple two-button sticks for its second-gen Mirage AR headset with Disney.


theverge--2020-01-20--Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai says there is ‘no question’ that AI needs to be regulated

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has called for new regulations in the world of AI , highlighting the dangers posed by technology like facial recognition and deepfakes , while stressing that any legislation must balance “ potential harms ... with social opportunities.
” “ [ T ] here is no question in my mind that artificial intelligence needs to be regulated .
It is too important not to , ” writes Pichai in an editorial for The Financial Times .
“ The only question is how to approach it.
” Although Pichai says new regulation is needed , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see many significant controls placed on AI .
He notes that for some products like self-driving cars , “ appropriate new rules ” should be introduced .
But in other areas , like healthcare , existing frameworks can be extended to cover AI-assisted products .
“ Companies such as ours can not just build promising new technology and let market forces decide how it will be used.
” “ Companies such as ours can not just build promising new technology and let market forces decide how it will be used , ” writes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on us to make sure that technology is harnessed for good and available to everyone.
” The Alphabet CEO , who heads perhaps the most prominent AI company in the world , also stresses that “ international alignment will be critical to making global standards work , ” highlighting a potential area of difficulty for tech companies when it comes to AI regulation .
Currently , US and EU plans for AI regulation seem to be diverging .
While the White House is advocating for light-touch regulation that avoids “ overreach ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is considering more direct intervention , such as a five-year ban on facial recognition .
As with regulations on data privacy , any divergence between the US and EU will create additional costs and technical challenges for international firms like Google .
But Pichai ’ s editorial also foregrounds unresolved questions in Google ’ s own approach to AI regulation .
For example , the CEO notes that the company ’ s internal principles ban certain uses of the technology , “ such as to support mass surveillance or violate human rights.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this that Google doesn ’ t sell facial recognition technology .
At the same time , Pichai doesn ’ t call for rivals who do sell facial recognition , like Amazon and many others , to be stopped .
If Google believes such technologies are a danger to the public , why does the company not call for direct regulation on this specific issue ?
Ultimately , Google — like government regulators — must balance the promise and threat of AI technologies .
But as Pichai notes , “ principles that remain on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , talk about the need for regulation is going to have to turn into action .

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has called for new regulations in the world of AI, highlighting the dangers posed by technology like facial recognition and deepfakes, while stressing that any legislation must balance “potential harms ... with social opportunities.”
“[T]here is no question in my mind that artificial intelligence needs to be regulated. It is too important not to,” writes Pichai in an editorial for The Financial Times. “The only question is how to approach it.”
Although Pichai says new regulation is needed, he advocates a cautious approach that might not see many significant controls placed on AI. He notes that for some products like self-driving cars, “appropriate new rules” should be introduced. But in other areas, like healthcare, existing frameworks can be extended to cover AI-assisted products.
“Companies such as ours cannot just build promising new technology and let market forces decide how it will be used.”
“Companies such as ours cannot just build promising new technology and let market forces decide how it will be used,” writes Pichai. “It is equally incumbent on us to make sure that technology is harnessed for good and available to everyone.”
The Alphabet CEO, who heads perhaps the most prominent AI company in the world, also stresses that “international alignment will be critical to making global standards work,” highlighting a potential area of difficulty for tech companies when it comes to AI regulation.
Currently, US and EU plans for AI regulation seem to be diverging. While the White House is advocating for light-touch regulation that avoids “overreach” in order to encourage innovation, the EU is considering more direct intervention, such as a five-year ban on facial recognition. As with regulations on data privacy, any divergence between the US and EU will create additional costs and technical challenges for international firms like Google.
Pichai’s editorial did not call out any specific proposals for regulations, but in comments made later in the day at a conference in Brussels he suggested a temporary ban on facial recognition — as being mooted by the EU — might be welcome. This fits with Google’s own approach to facial recognition, which it refuses to sell because of worries it will be used for mass surveillance. Rivals like Microsoft and Amazon continue to sell the technology.
As Pichai notes, “principles that remain on paper are meaningless.” Sooner or later, talk about the need for regulation is going to have to turn into action.


theverge--2020-01-20--Instagram is dropping the annoying IGTV button

Instagram is removing the IGTV shortcut button from the top right corner of the Facebook-owned app ’ s home screen , reports TechCrunch .
First launched in June 2018 , IGTV is Instagram ’ s long-form video service that was originally meant to rival the likes of YouTube .
Instagram says it decided to remove the button after discovering that relatively few people were tapping it .
“ Most people are finding IGTV content through previews in Feed , the IGTV channel in Explore , creators ’ profiles and the standalone app , ” an Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IGTV icon in the top right corner of the home screen in the Instagram app.
” It ’ s a minor , but welcome change to Instagram ’ s interface as it ’ s one less thing vying for your attention .
It does mean that users will now have to dig deeper into the app to find IGTV content .
Of course , you can also download the standalone IGTV app , but data suggests that a relatively small proportion of Instagram ’ s billion-plus users have bothered to do so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downloaded rival video app TikTok .
The move is the latest sign that Instagram is de-prioritising IGTV as a distinct , standalone service .
Last week , AdWeek reported that users can now post IGTV videos using the same video-upload interface as they use for their main feed .
Instagram has reportedly struggled to attract creators and users to IGTV since its launch .
The service doesn ’ t offer the same revenue-share opportunities from ads as YouTube , and creators have previously said that brands haven ’ t offered the same sponsored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do for their main Instagram posts .

Instagram is removing the IGTV shortcut button from the top right corner of the Facebook-owned app’s home screen, reports TechCrunch. First launched in June 2018, IGTV is Instagram’s long-form video service that was originally meant to rival the likes of YouTube.
Instagram says it decided to remove the button after discovering that relatively few people were tapping it. “Most people are finding IGTV content through previews in Feed, the IGTV channel in Explore, creators’ profiles and the standalone app,” an Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch, “very few are clicking into the IGTV icon in the top right corner of the home screen in the Instagram app.”
The shortcut button could previously be found on the top-right of the app’s home screen, next to the direct message icon. Screenshot by Jon Porter / The Verge
It’s a minor, but welcome change to Instagram’s interface as it’s one less thing vying for your attention. It does mean that users will now have to dig deeper into the app to find IGTV content. Of course, you can also download the standalone IGTV app, but data suggests that a relatively small proportion of Instagram’s billion-plus users have bothered to do so, in comparison with the millions that have downloaded rival video app TikTok.
The move is the latest sign that Instagram is de-prioritising IGTV as a distinct, standalone service. Last week, AdWeek reported that users can now post IGTV videos using the same video-upload interface as they use for their main feed.


theverge--2020-01-20--Samsung names Roh Tae-moon new smartphone boss

Samsung Electronics has appointed Roh Tae-moon its new mobile chief , taking over from co-ceo DJ Koh , who ’ ll continue to lead the chaebol ’ s IT and mobile communications division .
Roh , 52 , is said to be “ an engineering maven , ” according to Bloomberg , “ who ’ s meticulous about phone features.
” Roh joined Samsung in 1997 and has been a key player in the research and development of the Galaxy device lineups .
He ’ s also been instrumental in cutting costs , according to Reuters , through the outsourcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese handset makers like Huawei .
Samsung continues to dominate mobile handset marketshare globally , but has seen an increase in competition at the low- and mid-tier levels from Chinese competitors like Huawei , Vivo , and Oppo .
Roh will be tasked with growing important markets like China and India as well as making foldables successful , after Samsung stumbled with the Galaxy Fold .
Samsung is expected to unveil its second-generation foldable alongside its new Galaxy S20 flagship series of phones at an event on February 11th in San Francisco .

Samsung Electronics has appointed Roh Tae-moon its new mobile chief, taking over from co-CEO DJ Koh, who’ll continue to lead the chaebol’s IT and mobile communications division. Roh, 52, is said to be “an engineering maven,” according to Bloomberg, “who’s meticulous about phone features.”
Roh joined Samsung in 1997 and has been a key player in the research and development of the Galaxy device lineups. He’s also been instrumental in cutting costs, according to Reuters, through the outsourcing of handset production to better compete with Chinese handset makers like Huawei.
Samsung continues to dominate mobile handset marketshare globally, but has seen an increase in competition at the low- and mid-tier levels from Chinese competitors like Huawei, Vivo, and Oppo. Roh will be tasked with growing important markets like China and India as well as making foldables successful, after Samsung stumbled with the Galaxy Fold.


theverge--2020-01-20--Studio Ghibli films are coming to Netflix outside North America next month

Netflix has acquired the rights to 21 feature films from the beloved Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli for all regions outside the US , Canada , and Japan .
The company will add the movies to its library in waves starting next month .
Until very recently , Studio Ghibli refused to offer digital versions of its content in any format .
Last month the company started selling downloadable copies , however , and WarnerMedia announced that it had obtained US streaming rights for its upcoming spring launch of HBO Max .
With Netflix ’ s acquisition , the movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Europe , the Middle East , Africa , Australia , New Zealand , and the Americas .
Netflix is subtitling the movies in 28 languages and providing new dubs for up to 20 languages , which is no small task .
As with HBO Max , however , Netflix ’ s deal doesn ’ t cover Grave of the Fireflies , since Studio Ghibli doesn ’ t hold the publishing rights .
The first wave of releases drops on February 1st .
It includes Castle in the Sky , My Neighbor Totoro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only Yesterday ( a personal favorite ) , Porco Rosso , Ocean Waves , and Tales from Earthsea .
On March 1st , Netflix will add Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind , Princess Mononoke , My Neighbors the Yamadas , Spirited Away , The Cat Returns , Arrietty , and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya .
Then , on April 1st , the service gets Pom Poko , Whisper of the Heart , Howl ’ s Moving Castle , Ponyo , From Up on Poppy Hill , The Wind Rises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You should watch basically all of them .

Netflix has acquired the rights to 21 feature films from the beloved Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli for all regions outside the US, Canada, and Japan. The company will add the movies to its library in waves starting next month.
Until very recently, Studio Ghibli refused to offer digital versions of its content in any format. Last month the company started selling downloadable copies, however, and WarnerMedia announced that it had obtained US streaming rights for its upcoming spring launch of HBO Max.
With Netflix’s acquisition, the movies will be available to watch across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas. Netflix is subtitling the movies in 28 languages and providing new dubs for up to 20 languages, which is no small task. As with HBO Max, however, Netflix’s deal doesn’t cover Grave of the Fireflies, since Studio Ghibli doesn’t hold the publishing rights.
The first wave of releases drops on February 1st. It includes Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Only Yesterday (a personal favorite), Porco Rosso, Ocean Waves, and Tales from Earthsea.
On March 1st, Netflix will add Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Arrietty, and The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. Then, on April 1st, the service gets Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, From Up on Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises, and When Marnie Was There. You should watch basically all of them.
Netflix / Plans start at $8.99 per month Subscribe


theverge--2020-01-19--The iPad Pro can now run Fortnite at 120 frames per second

Epic Games has just released an update for the iOS version of Fortnite that unlocks a niche-but-cool feature if you have the hardware to support it : a 120 frames per second mode for the latest ( 2018 ) iPad Pro .
This mode makes the most of the screen ’ s high refresh rate to deliver ultra-smooth performance .
The update also adds support for controller thumbstick buttons .
I checked the 120 fps mode out for a few rounds , and while I ’ m not sure how many people play competitive Fortnite on an iPad , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does occasionally drop down into the 100s or 90s , which I ’ m sure will happen more often if you ’ re playing for hours on end , but otherwise the game does indeed deliver the advertised 120 fps .
Enabling the mode automatically drops the resolution and fixes the visual settings at “ medium , ” just as you can only run at 60 fps with “ high ” settings and 30 fps with “ epic ” .
It ’ s a pretty big visual downgrade , but then again I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get an advantage in Quake III Arena back in the day , so I ’ m sure the tradeoff will be worth it for some .
Epic first added 60 fps support for Fortnite on iOS with the launch of the iPhone XS and XR in 2018 .
At the time , it was the only way to play the game at 60 fps on the go — the Nintendo Switch version is restricted to 30 fps , though many higher-end Android phones now support the faster frame rate as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PS4 and Xbox One , and of course you can run the PC version at whatever frame rate your hardware is capable of .

Epic Games has just released an update for the iOS version of Fortnite that unlocks a niche-but-cool feature if you have the hardware to support it: a 120 frames per second mode for the latest (2018) iPad Pro. This mode makes the most of the screen’s high refresh rate to deliver ultra-smooth performance. The update also adds support for controller thumbstick buttons.
I checked the 120 fps mode out for a few rounds, and while I’m not sure how many people play competitive Fortnite on an iPad, the difference is noticeable. The frame rate does occasionally drop down into the 100s or 90s, which I’m sure will happen more often if you’re playing for hours on end, but otherwise the game does indeed deliver the advertised 120 fps.
It’s a pretty big visual downgrade
Enabling the mode automatically drops the resolution and fixes the visual settings at “medium,” just as you can only run at 60 fps with “high” settings and 30 fps with “epic”. It’s a pretty big visual downgrade, but then again I used to disable textures altogether to try to get an advantage in Quake III Arena back in the day, so I’m sure the tradeoff will be worth it for some.


theverge--2020-01-20--Tesla says faulty acceleration allegation is ‘completely false’

In response to a petition to the NHTSA complaining about “ sudden unexpected acceleration ” in a variety of Tesla models and model years , Tesla issued a forceful statement today claiming that the allegations are “ completely false.
” Tesla opened its statement by identifying the petitioner as a “ Tesla short-seller ; ” on Friday , CNBC reported that the petition was brought by Brian Sparks , an independent investor who “ is currently shorting Tesla stock.
” “ We investigate every single incident where the driver alleges to us that their vehicle accelerated contrary to their input @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every case where we had the vehicle ’ s data , we confirmed that the car operated as designed.
” Tesla has had a long and contentious relationship with government regulators , including the NHTSA and NTSB .
But in today ’ s statement , Tesla says that it is “ transparent with the NHTSA , and routinely [ reviews ] customer complaints of unintended acceleration with them.
” The company says it has discussed a majority of complaints alleged in the petition with regulators , and found that “ the data proved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elon Musk has long railed against short sellers , claiming they spread lies about his company and are being funded by oil companies .
As he once told The New York Times , he believes short sellers are “ desperately pushing a narrative that will possibly result in Tesla ’ s destruction.
” Musk ’ s attempt to take his company private to defend against short sellers resulted in him being sued by the SEC .
The NHTSA said it would review the petition as part of its “ standard practice in such @ @ @

In response to a petition to the NHTSA complaining about “sudden unexpected acceleration” in a variety of Tesla models and model years, Tesla issued a forceful statement today claiming that the allegations are “completely false.” Tesla opened its statement by identifying the petitioner as a “Tesla short-seller;” on Friday, CNBC reported that the petition was brought by Brian Sparks, an independent investor who “is currently shorting Tesla stock.”
“We investigate every single incident where the driver alleges to us that their vehicle accelerated contrary to their input,” Tesla says. “In every case where we had the vehicle’s data, we confirmed that the car operated as designed.”
Tesla has had a long and contentious relationship with government regulators, including the NHTSA and NTSB. But in today’s statement, Tesla says that it is “transparent with the NHTSA, and routinely [reviews] customer complaints of unintended acceleration with them.” The company says it has discussed a majority of complaints alleged in the petition with regulators, and found that “the data proved the vehicle functioned properly.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has long railed against short sellers, claiming they spread lies about his company and are being funded by oil companies. As he once told The New York Times, he believes short sellers are “desperately pushing a narrative that will possibly result in Tesla’s destruction.” Musk’s attempt to take his company private to defend against short sellers resulted in him being sued by the SEC.


theverge--2020-01-20--Garmin’s new Tactix Delta smartwatch looks designed for a privacy-conscious Navy SEAL

Garmin ’ s Tactix Delta is the latest in its lineup of rugged smartwatches built to military standards .
New for the Tactix ’ s fourth generation is a big 1.4-inch display similar to what we saw on the Fenix 6 last year , as well as a power manager feature , which gives you battery life predictions based on which settings you turn on and off .
New for this version of the Tactix is stealth mode , which completely disables storing and sharing of your information , and a kill switch that can be set to erase all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely new features — they individually appeared in the Instinct Tactical Edition and Marq Commander watches respectively — but considering the security risks GPS tracking in particular can sometimes have , it makes sense for Garmin to also include them in this military-focused range .
Available now for $ 899.99 Along with the new privacy features , Garmin included a range of “ tactical features ” that are making a return from its previous Tactix smartwatches .
There ’ s Jumpmaster mode , which is designed to help guide skydivers to their objective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display two sets of coordinate systems on a single screen .
There ’ s also a more typical set of smartwatch features included .
The Garmin Tactix Delta can store up to 2,000 songs , supports Garmin Pay , and can be set to receive notifications from a paired smartwatch .
Garmin says you ’ ll get 21 days of battery life when the device is in smartwatch mode , or 80 days in battery saver watch mode .
The Garmin Tactix Delta is available now for $ 899.99 .

Garmin’s Tactix Delta is the latest in its lineup of rugged smartwatches built to military standards. New for the Tactix’s fourth generation is a big 1.4-inch display similar to what we saw on the Fenix 6 last year, as well as a power manager feature, which gives you battery life predictions based on which settings you turn on and off.
New for this version of the Tactix is stealth mode, which completely disables storing and sharing of your information, and a kill switch that can be set to erase all device memory. These aren’t entirely new features — they individually appeared in the Instinct Tactical Edition and Marq Commander watches respectively — but considering the security risks GPS tracking in particular can sometimes have, it makes sense for Garmin to also include them in this military-focused range.
Available now for $899.99
Along with the new privacy features, Garmin included a range of “tactical features” that are making a return from its previous Tactix smartwatches. There’s Jumpmaster mode, which is designed to help guide skydivers to their objective, and dual-position GPS, which can display two sets of coordinate systems on a single screen.
There’s also a more typical set of smartwatch features included. The Garmin Tactix Delta can store up to 2,000 songs, supports Garmin Pay, and can be set to receive notifications from a paired smartwatch. Garmin says you’ll get 21 days of battery life when the device is in smartwatch mode, or 80 days in battery saver watch mode.


theverge--2020-01-20--Huawei signs deal with TomTom for a Google Maps alternative

Chinese phone maker Huawei will work with Dutch digital mapping company TomTom to put maps on its phones , Reuters reports .
A TomTom spokesperson told Reuters that the deal closed “ some time ago , ” but it became public late last week .
While TomTom maintains self-branded apps on iOS and Android , Reuters describes Huawei building its own apps with TomTom ’ s maps , traffic information , and navigation tools .
TomTom has previously provided data for Apple Maps — it was part of a shambolic patchwork of data providers at launch , but Apple reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app as well .
Previous reports have said Huawei is building a full-fledged mapping system known as “ Map Kit.
” That software would be meant for app developers and could use data from Russian tech giant Yandex and Huawei ’ s own “ telecom base stations.
” The TomTom deal could signal that Huawei is at least temporarily backing off Map Kit , or that it ’ s simply still working on the tech and needs a short-term solution .
Like many Android phone makers , Huawei has so far relied on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed sanctions on the company last year , threatening its ties to American tech companies like Google .
Huawei is still using Android for now , but the future of that deal is “ unclear , ” and Huawei is building its own operating system called HarmonyOS .
The TomTom deal further reduces its dependance on Google — although mapping apps can be notoriously tough to get right , so Huawei isn ’ t in the clear yet .

Chinese phone maker Huawei will work with Dutch digital mapping company TomTom to put maps on its phones, Reuters reports. A TomTom spokesperson told Reuters that the deal closed “some time ago,” but it became public late last week.
While TomTom maintains self-branded apps on iOS and Android, Reuters describes Huawei building its own apps with TomTom’s maps, traffic information, and navigation tools. TomTom has previously provided data for Apple Maps — it was part of a shambolic patchwork of data providers at launch, but Apple reportedly kept using its services after overhauling the app as well.
Previous reports have said Huawei is building a full-fledged mapping system known as “Map Kit.” That software would be meant for app developers and could use data from Russian tech giant Yandex and Huawei’s own “telecom base stations.” The TomTom deal could signal that Huawei is at least temporarily backing off Map Kit, or that it’s simply still working on the tech and needs a short-term solution.


theverge--2020-01-20--Radiohead launched an online ‘public library’ with rare tracks and a printable library card

Alright , I ’ ll admit it : despite the headline above , a downloadable library card may be the least exciting part of the “ Radiohead Public Library , ” a new online collection of the band ’ s material .
But the clever touch emphasizes how much the Radiohead Public Library ( henceforth RPL ) does feel like browsing a particularly chaotic research archive .
And just like a library , it can point you toward some of the band ’ s lesser-known work — including its debut album Drill .
The archive launched today , and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as “ an online resource containing videos , music , artwork , websites , merchandise , and assorted ephemera.
” It ’ s very loosely arranged by album , and as NME notes , you can find links to work that ’ s been historically tough to find online .
The four-track Drill was just added to the band ’ s YouTube channel .
TKOL RMX 8 , an addendum to the 2011 remix album TKOL RMX 1234567 , is back online after its original digital stream went down .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merchandise orders , but the card itself is just a downloadable image file — ideally , you should probably print it out , crop an awkwardly shot passport photo onto it , and laminate it for future use .
RPL also contains scanned newsletters , album art , and a store where you can order dozens of old Radiohead t-shirt designs — they ’ ll start shipping February 3rd .
NME writes that band members Colin and Jonny Greenwood , Ed O ’ Brien , Philip Selway , and Thom Yorke will each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one day from now until January 24th — Colin Greenwood posted a curated playlist this morning with some commentary and a picture of his library card .
Radiohead has expressed ambivalence of major streaming services , but the band has also made swaths of its catalog available for free in the past — including the pay-what-you-want album In Rainbows .
It also released 18 hours of previously unheard OK Computer studio sessions last year , following a blackmail threat by a hacker .

Alright, I’ll admit it: despite the headline above, a downloadable library card may be the least exciting part of the “Radiohead Public Library,” a new online collection of the band’s material. But the clever touch emphasizes how much the Radiohead Public Library (henceforth RPL) does feel like browsing a particularly chaotic research archive. And just like a library, it can point you toward some of the band’s lesser-known work — including its debut album Drill.
The archive launched today, and in a brief introduction, the band describes it as “an online resource containing videos, music, artwork, websites, merchandise, and assorted ephemera.” It’s very loosely arranged by album, and as NME notes, you can find links to work that’s been historically tough to find online. The four-track Drill was just added to the band’s YouTube channel. TKOL RMX 8, an addendum to the 2011 remix album TKOL RMX 1234567, is back online after its original digital stream went down.
You can register for a library account to place merchandise orders, but the card itself is just a downloadable image file — ideally, you should probably print it out, crop an awkwardly shot passport photo onto it, and laminate it for future use.
RPL also contains scanned newsletters, album art, and a store where you can order dozens of old Radiohead t-shirt designs — they’ll start shipping February 3rd. NME writes that band members Colin and Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Philip Selway, and Thom Yorke will each serve as a “librarian” for one day from now until January 24th — Colin Greenwood posted a curated playlist this morning with some commentary and a picture of his library card.


theverge--2020-01-20--Go read this NYT expose on a creepy new facial recognition database used by US police

Hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the US have started using a new facial recognition system from Clearview AI , a new investigation by The New York Times has revealed .
The database is made up of billions of images scraped from millions of sites including Facebook , YouTube , and Venmo .
The Times says that Clearview AI ’ s work could “ end privacy as we know it , ” and the piece is well worth a read in its entirety .
The use of facial recognition systems by police is already a growing concern , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not to mention the methods it used to assemble it , is particularly troubling .
The Clearview system is built upon a database of over three billion images scraped from the internet , a process which may have violated websites ’ terms of service .
Law enforcement agencies can upload photos of any persons of interest from their cases , and the system returns matching pictures from the internet , along with links to where these images are hosted , such as social media profiles .
The NYT says the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know it ” The NYT says the system has already helped police solve crimes including shoplifting , identify theft , credit card fraud , murder , and child sexual exploitation .
In one instance , Indiana State Police were able to solve a case within 20 minutes by using the app .
The use of facial recognition algorithms by police carry risks .
False positives can incriminate the wrong people , and privacy advocates fear their use could help to create a police surveillance state .
Police departments have reportedly used doctored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a federal study has uncovered “ empirical evidence ” of bias in facial recognition systems .
Using the system involves uploading photos to Clearview AI ’ s servers , and it ’ s unclear how secure these are .
Although Clearview AI says its customer-support employees will not look at the photos that are uploaded , it appeared to be aware that Kashmir Hill ( the Times journalist investigating the piece ) was having police search for her face as part of her reporting : While the company was dodging me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At my request , a number of police officers had run my photo through the Clearview app .
They soon received phone calls from company representatives asking if they were talking to the media — a sign that Clearview has the ability and , in this case , the appetite to monitor whom law enforcement is searching for .
The Times reports that the system appears to have gone viral with police departments , with over 600 already signed up .
Although there ’ s been no independent verification of its accuracy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify photos of her even when she covered the lower half of her face , and that it managed to find photographs of her that she ’ d never seen before .
One expert quoted by The Times said that the amount of money involved with these systems means that they need to be banned before the abuse of them becomes more widespread .
“ We ’ ve relied on industry efforts to self-police and not embrace such a risky technology , but now those dams are breaking because there is so much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professor of law and computer science at Northeastern University , Woodrow Hartzog , “ I don ’ t see a future where we harness the benefits of face recognition technology without the crippling abuse of the surveillance that comes with it .
The only way to stop it is to ban it .
”

Hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the US have started using a new facial recognition system from Clearview AI, a new investigation by The New York Times has revealed. The database is made up of billions of images scraped from millions of sites including Facebook, YouTube, and Venmo. The Times says that Clearview AI’s work could “end privacy as we know it,” and the piece is well worth a read in its entirety.
The use of facial recognition systems by police is already a growing concern, but the scale of Clearview AI’s database, not to mention the methods it used to assemble it, is particularly troubling. The Clearview system is built upon a database of over three billion images scraped from the internet, a process which may have violated websites’ terms of service. Law enforcement agencies can upload photos of any persons of interest from their cases, and the system returns matching pictures from the internet, along with links to where these images are hosted, such as social media profiles.
The NYT says the company’s work could “end privacy as we know it”
The NYT says the system has already helped police solve crimes including shoplifting, identify theft, credit card fraud, murder, and child sexual exploitation. In one instance, Indiana State Police were able to solve a case within 20 minutes by using the app.
The use of facial recognition algorithms by police carry risks. False positives can incriminate the wrong people, and privacy advocates fear their use could help to create a police surveillance state. Police departments have reportedly used doctored images that could lead to wrongful arrests, and a federal study has uncovered “empirical evidence” of bias in facial recognition systems.
Using the system involves uploading photos to Clearview AI’s servers, and it’s unclear how secure these are. Although Clearview AI says its customer-support employees will not look at the photos that are uploaded, it appeared to be aware that Kashmir Hill (the Times journalist investigating the piece) was having police search for her face as part of her reporting:
While the company was dodging me, it was also monitoring me. At my request, a number of police officers had run my photo through the Clearview app. They soon received phone calls from company representatives asking if they were talking to the media — a sign that Clearview has the ability and, in this case, the appetite to monitor whom law enforcement is searching for.
The Times reports that the system appears to have gone viral with police departments, with over 600 already signed up. Although there’s been no independent verification of its accuracy, Hill says the system was able to identify photos of her even when she covered the lower half of her face, and that it managed to find photographs of her that she’d never seen before.