theverge--2020-03-31--Samsung Display is getting out of the LCD business

Samsung Display will stop producing LCD panels by the end of the year .
The display maker currently runs two LCD production lines in South Korea and two in China , according to Reuters .
Samsung tells The Verge that the decision will accelerate the company ’ s move towards quantum dot displays , while ZDNet reports that its future quantum dot TVs will use OLED rather than LCD panels .
The decision comes as LCD panel prices are said to be falling worldwide .
Last year , Nikkei reported that Chinese competitors are ramping up production of LCD screens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globally .
Samsung Display isn ’ t the only manufacturer to have closed down LCD production lines .
LG Display announced it would be ending LCD production in South Korea by the end of the 2020 as well .
Last October Samsung Display announced a five-year 13.1 trillion won ( around $ 10.7 billion ) investment in quantum dot technology for its upcoming TVs , as it shifts production away from LCDs .
However , Samsung ’ s existing quantum dot or QLED TVs still use LCD panels behind their quantum dot layer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-emissive quantum-dot diodes , which would remove the need for a separate layer .
Samsung ’ s investment in OLED TVs has also been reported by The Elec .
The company is no stranger to OLED technology for handhelds , but it exited the large OLED panel market half a decade ago , allowing rival LG Display to dominate ever since .
Although Samsung Display says that it will be able to continue supplying its existing LCD orders through the end of the year , there are questions about what Samsung Electronics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will use in its LCD TVs going forward .
Samsung told The Verge that it does not expect the shutdown to affect its LCD-based QLED TV lineup .
So for the near-term , nothing changes .
One alternative is that Samsung buys its LCD panels from suppliers like TCL-owned CSOT and AUO , which already supply panels for Samsung TVs .
Last year The Elec reported that Samsung could close all its South Korean LCD production lines , and make up the difference with panels bought from Chinese manufacturers like CSOT , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Samsung has also been showing off its MicroLED display technology at recent trade shows , which uses self-emissive LED diodes to produce its pixels .
However , in 2019 Samsung predicted that the technology was two or three years away from being viable for use in a consumer product .

Samsung Display will stop producing LCD panels by the end of the year. The display maker currently runs two LCD production lines in South Korea and two in China, according to Reuters. Samsung tells The Verge that the decision will accelerate the company’s move towards quantum dot displays, while ZDNet reports that its future quantum dot TVs will use OLED rather than LCD panels.
The decision comes as LCD panel prices are said to be falling worldwide. Last year, Nikkei reported that Chinese competitors are ramping up production of LCD screens, even as demand for TVs weakens globally. Samsung Display isn’t the only manufacturer to have closed down LCD production lines. LG Display announced it would be ending LCD production in South Korea by the end of the 2020 as well.
Samsung is investing in quantum dot technology
Last October Samsung Display announced a five-year 13.1 trillion won (around $10.7 billion) investment in quantum dot technology for its upcoming TVs, as it shifts production away from LCDs. However, Samsung’s existing quantum dot or QLED TVs still use LCD panels behind their quantum dot layer. Samsung is also working on developing self-emissive quantum-dot diodes, which would remove the need for a separate layer.
Samsung’s investment in OLED TVs has also been reported by The Elec. The company is no stranger to OLED technology for handhelds, but it exited the large OLED panel market half a decade ago, allowing rival LG Display to dominate ever since.
Although Samsung Display says that it will be able to continue supplying its existing LCD orders through the end of the year, there are questions about what Samsung Electronics, the largest TV manufacturer in the world, will use in its LCD TVs going forward. Samsung told The Verge that it does not expect the shutdown to affect its LCD-based QLED TV lineup. So for the near-term, nothing changes.
One alternative is that Samsung buys its LCD panels from suppliers like TCL-owned CSOT and AUO, which already supply panels for Samsung TVs. Last year The Elec reported that Samsung could close all its South Korean LCD production lines, and make up the difference with panels bought from Chinese manufacturers like CSOT, which Samsung Display has invested in.


theverge--2020-03-31--Intel has its laptop work cut out this year

Even if you would never see yourself buying a gaming laptop , you should take the time to read Monica Chin ’ s review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 .
There are a lot — I mean a LOT — of remarkable things about this laptop .
First and foremost , it is running on the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS chip , which runs at 35W with 8 cores at 3.0 GHz that can boost up to 4.4 GHz .
In context , what that actually means is that it outclasses anything Intel has put into a laptop to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this release ever since Nilay Patel interviewed AMD CEO Lisa Su earlier this year .
She talked big game then , and by all accounts her company has delivered .
What ’ s most remarkable about this laptop is that by gaming laptop standards it is absolutely thin and light .
You can get a build with a 120Hz display ( at 1080p ) and Monica say she ’ s getting nearly nine hours of battery life in regular day-to-day use .
That ’ s unheard of .
Unfortunately , if like me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get into PC gaming so I ’ ll make this my main laptop , ” you should know that it doesn ’ t come with a webcam .
Which is a curious choice .
Intel still has new 10th Gen chips due later this year that may compete , but as Monica wrote , “ Asus and AMD have successfully put Intel on notice.
” This isn ’ t the only difficult news Intel is facing this week .
Acer is joining Asus in making laptops with AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile processors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ongoing rumors of the Mac switching to ARM .
The latest report from Ming-chi Kuo says that there will be “ several ” next year .
If “ several ” means “ at least three , ” then that ’ s two more ARM-based Macs than I figured Apple would release to start .
If it ’ s true , it ’ s a very aggressive transition plan coming just one year after a bunch of people will have purchased new MacBooks because they were holding out for better keyboards .
Something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all bummer news for Intel , though .
After flirting with ARM for years , it seems like all the decent Chromebooks run Intel now .
And Samsung ’ s Galaxy Chromebook hits shelves April 6th .
This laptop is the latest test to see if there ’ s demand for a high-end Chromebook — the first since the Pixelbook .
In fact , I think it ’ s fair to say Google chose not to rev the Pixelbook and instead put that effort into helping Samsung out with this .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test , well , first we have to review it and see if it ’ s any good .
My main concern during the hands-on was screen wobble when typing .
I am rooting for it if only because I love the color so much — fewer gray laptops more intense colors like this red please .
┏ Microsoft aims to win back consumers with new Microsoft 365 subscriptions .
You could make the case that this was the most important thing that happened in tech yesterday and I wouldn ’ t necessarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get this subscription out of the headspace of Office and into the general consumer headspace .
When it comes to value for money , Microsoft ’ s subscription that gets you a bunch of OneDrive storage , access to Office apps , and a few spiffy add-ons is better than what Google and Apple have on offer .
I ’ ll be very curious to see if there ’ s consumer uptake on Microsoft Teams , too .
I tend to doubt it — but the coronavirus has more people than ever using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
┏ Microsoft ’ s new Edge vertical tabs look ideal for 16:9 screens .
┏ OnePlus 8 to be announced on April 14th , and the latest OnePlus 8 leaks reveal “ Interstellar Glow ” and other colors .
┏ Good Job !
lets you chaotically smash through your office complex from home .
┏ Resident Evil 3 remake is fun while it lasts .
┏ Google aims to donate more than 2 million face masks to the CDC .
┏ Google cancels its infamous April Fools ’ jokes this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a buzzkill but truly : don ’ t bring it back .
┏ Amazon ’ s Alexa voice assistant can now help you diagnose COVID-19 .
┏ Amazon warehouse workers walk out in rising tide of COVID-19 protests .
Josh Dzieza reports : ┏ A new COVID-19 test can return results in 5 minutes .
Good news , and the new test could increase US testing capacity by 50 percent .
Unfortunately , that doesn ’ t mean we are testing enough yet .
┏ US government officials using mobile ad location data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ auto show canceled as FEMA prepares venue to be a field hospital for COVID-19 .
┏ The entire world is streaming more than ever — and it ’ s straining the internet .
┏ Sony is now slowing down PlayStation downloads in the US .
┏ Microsoft tweaks Xbox and Teams services during 775 percent surge in cloud demand .
┏ NASA tasks SpaceX with sending cargo and supplies to future lunar space station .
┏ OneWeb files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection .
It has 74 satellites in orbit .
Gon na @ @ @ @ @ @

Even if you would never see yourself buying a gaming laptop, you should take the time to read Monica Chin’s review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. There are a lot — I mean a LOT — of remarkable things about this laptop.
First and foremost, it is running on the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS chip, which runs at 35W with 8 cores at 3.0 GHz that can boost up to 4.4 GHz. In context, what that actually means is that it outclasses anything Intel has put into a laptop to date. I’ve been anticipating this release ever since Nilay Patel interviewed AMD CEO Lisa Su earlier this year. She talked big game then, and by all accounts her company has delivered.
What’s most remarkable about this laptop is that by gaming laptop standards it is absolutely thin and light. You can get a build with a 120Hz display (at 1080p) and Monica say she’s getting nearly nine hours of battery life in regular day-to-day use. That’s unheard of.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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Unfortunately, if like me you were thinking “Well I wanted to get into PC gaming so I’ll make this my main laptop,” you should know that it doesn’t come with a webcam. Which is a curious choice.
Intel still has new 10th Gen chips due later this year that may compete, but as Monica wrote, “Asus and AMD have successfully put Intel on notice.” This isn’t the only difficult news Intel is facing this week. Acer is joining Asus in making laptops with AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile processors, too.
And then there’s ongoing rumors of the Mac switching to ARM. The latest report from Ming-chi Kuo says that there will be “several” next year. If “several” means “at least three,” then that’s two more ARM-based Macs than I figured Apple would release to start. If it’s true, it’s a very aggressive transition plan coming just one year after a bunch of people will have purchased new MacBooks because they were holding out for better keyboards. Something to watch for!
It’s not all bummer news for Intel, though. After flirting with ARM for years, it seems like all the decent Chromebooks run Intel now. And Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook hits shelves April 6th. This laptop is the latest test to see if there’s demand for a high-end Chromebook — the first since the Pixelbook. In fact, I think it’s fair to say Google chose not to rev the Pixelbook and instead put that effort into helping Samsung out with this.
As for whether it will be a successful test, well, first we have to review it and see if it’s any good. My main concern during the hands-on was screen wobble when typing. I am rooting for it if only because I love the color so much — fewer gray laptops more intense colors like this red please.
Verge Deal of the day Apple’s AirPods Pro are $30 off at Amazon Normally $250, the Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are down to $220 at Amazon. Compared to the standard AirPods, these feature better sound quality and noise cancellation. We’ve seen these drop a bit lower in price before, but that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy . Prices displayed are based on the MSRP at time of posting.
News from The Verge
┏ Microsoft aims to win back consumers with new Microsoft 365 subscriptions. You could make the case that this was the most important thing that happened in tech yesterday and I wouldn’t necessarily argue. Microsoft’s smart to get this subscription out of the headspace of Office and into the general consumer headspace.
When it comes to value for money, Microsoft’s subscription that gets you a bunch of OneDrive storage, access to Office apps, and a few spiffy add-ons is better than what Google and Apple have on offer. I’ll be very curious to see if there’s consumer uptake on Microsoft Teams, too. I tend to doubt it — but the coronavirus has more people than ever using enterprise tools like Zoom for non-business use.
Pandemic
┏ Google cancels its infamous April Fools’ jokes this year. I know some people will call me a buzzkill but truly: don’t bring it back.
┏ Amazon warehouse workers walk out in rising tide of COVID-19 protests. Josh Dzieza reports:
Amazon has a strong infrastructure for keeping its warehouse employees informed. For example, when the company announces mandatory overtime, Palmer points out, the company sends out texts and emails to every worker. “With this incident, they have not sent out one text — nothing at all,” Palmer says.
┏ A new COVID-19 test can return results in 5 minutes. Good news, and the new test could increase US testing capacity by 50 percent. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean we are testing enough yet.
Commercial and state labs are now running upwards of 100,000 tests per day, but the US is still running fewer tests per capita than many other countries.
One example of how the anonymized data was reportedly used: Researchers discovered large numbers of people were gathering in a New York City park, and notified local authorities.
The streaming slowdown
Space


theverge--2020-03-31--Muto review: a near-perfect electric city bike

What makes the perfect electric city bike ?
That depends on who you ask and where they live .
For Europeans , a bicycle is often the primary mode of transportation in relatively flat , bike-friendly cities like Amsterdam , Copenhagen , or Berlin .
We ride our bikes everywhere — to work , shops , daycare , and cafes — before locking them up outside each night .
We use our bikes to carry groceries , kids , and Christmas trees , sometimes all at the same time , while friends straddle the rear carrier to hitch a ride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect e-bike has to be affordable , adaptable , durable , and easily serviceable .
It should also be as attractive as the young European professionals who are increasingly buying e-bikes for the purposes of a healthier , more environmentally friendly commute .
Lots of e-bikes tick some of those boxes , but I ’ ve yet to find one that ticks every box needed for daily commuting in my home city of Amsterdam .
Until now .
It ’ s made , surprisingly , by Stella — a Dutch company known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Three years ago , Stella tasked a small internal team with shedding its stodgy image by designing an e-bike that would appeal to young urbanites .
The result is called Muto , a pedal-assisted electric bike that has the potential to become the default e-bike for Europe and beyond .
Electric bikes are exploding in popularity globally .
There are a few breakout brands like VanMoof at the premium end , Rad Power in the middle , and Swagtron on the budget side , with hundreds of brands filling the gaps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but many , especially at the low end , are little more than nameplates affixed to off-the-shelf Chinese e-bikes assembled from a catalog .
Eventually , the industry will coalesce around a few winners , but right now , it ’ s anyone ’ s game .
More new e-bikes are sold in the Netherlands than regular bikes , and Muto ’ s parent company Stella claims to sell more than any other brand .
The 10-year-old Dutch bike maker , headquartered in Nunspeet , about 50 miles east of Amsterdam , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior to the coronavirus pandemic .
It ’ s clear that Muto ’ s designers sweated every last detail Notably , Muto has a removable battery that neatly integrates ( and locks ) into the downtube .
Most Stella bikes suffer from bolton-exia — a condition native to e-bike makers bad at design .
Symptoms include bulbous growths on the downtube ( Rad Power ! )
or lazy slabs of lithium resting on rear carriers ( Swagtron ! )
.
Muto has none of that .
It ’ s clear that Muto ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As such , Muto gives Stella access to a booming new market of young urban commuters .
It ’ s more than just a new bike ; it ’ s a new brand that relies on a new European manufacturer that manages distribution from Venlo , not Nunspeet , a Dutch town along the German border .
Muto ’ s first e-bike has typical base-level specs for Europe : a 250W motor with 25 km/h ( 15.5 mph ) top speed and a 70km ( 43.5 mile ) estimated range when set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24.9 miles ) when set to max , according to Muto .
The 252Wh battery recharges to full in about 3.5 hours .
I was able to conduct a single endurance test , taking the battery from 100 percent to zero over a distance of 31.2km ( 19.4 miles ) .
Although the test was conducted over flat terrain , it was a very windy ( 15-knot average ) day .
Fortunately , the bike was very easy to pedal home the last 2.8 km ( about 1.7 miles ) under my own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 8-speed shifter .
But the ride is the least interesting part of owning a Muto .
The name “ Muto ” is a play on words like “ metamorphosis ” and “ multipurpose ” hinting at the e-bike ’ s unmatched ability to adapt .
To start , the big M logo is more than a nod to the name ; it ’ s also the shape of the frame .
The step-through M-frame is suitable for riders ranging from 159cm to 190cm tall ( 5 feet , 2 inches to 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covers 80 percent of Europeans , according to Muto .
The aluminum is glued like an aircraft , not welded , for a seamless look .
It ’ s available in black , gray , blue , and white .
The black frame is my preference , while the gray frame looks especially gloomy , like a glossy coat of furniture primer .
My review bike came with the tall seat post , which was fine for my 183cm ( 6-foot ) frame .
I was also able to comfortably use the shorter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 164 cm ( 5 feet , 5 inches ) , tested the bike with the short saddle and found the lowest setting on the high side despite being three inches ( 7.6 cm ) taller than Muto ’ s stated minimum .
The saddle is very comfortable over long distances￼ although the default riding position is quite sporty .
￼The handlebar can be adjusted higher for those who prefer a more upright riding style￼ .
Muto ’ s biggest innovation , though , is with the interchangeable “ Click & Roll ” system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove a wide variety of Muto-designed boxes , bags , and carriers to the front and rear of the bike .
The mounts can be locked with a key to prevent theft .
Headed to the office ?
Snap Muto ’ s sleek €59,95 Chameleon Bamboo carrier onto the back to hold Muto ’ s waterproof €69.95 Starfish pannier stuffed with your laptop , lunch , and rain gear .
When you return home , leave the computer bag behind , move the carrier to the front , and snap the €65 Urban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A bar integrated into the frame folds back over the rear fender to support the weight of your kid .
The video above shows nine configurations in just 69 seconds .
Yes , new parents , that means you can easily leave the child seat at home on date night , allowing you to maintain some semblance of pride when pulling up outside that trendy new cocktail bar .
At launch , Muto is available with five different custom-designed carriers of varying sizes and five different bags .
Muto says more accessories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built tough .
The e-bike weighs 23.5 kg ( 51.8 pounds ) before all of the accessories are added .
Its slightly smaller 26-inch wheels are ideal for cities and come fitted with Schwalbe Big Apple tires that are wide enough to glide across tram rails and ruts .
Shimano hydraulic disc brakes stop the bike assuredly , even when loaded down with an adult , child , and a few days ’ worth of groceries .
A sturdy center-mount stand keeps the bike upright when it ’ s time to step away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Click & Roll system , I took my daughter , who weighs 40 kilograms ( 88 pounds ) for a ride while sitting in the Chameleon carrier attached at the rear .
Muto says the rear carrier is rated for 20 kg ( 10 kg at the front ) or 27 kg with child seat .
Nevertheless , it held up , even though her body position created a powerful lever force on the mount as we bounced along Amsterdam ’ s cobbled roads .
The brake and gear cables are semi-exposed but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid snagging when parked in crowded bike racks .
The cable management also gives the bike a clean , finished look .
Muto is only sold online .
That means no local bike shop to complain to when something goes wrong .
Fortunately , outside of the front-hub motor and electronics , most of Muto ’ s components are repairable by any bike shop .
Muto ’ s parent company Stella has over 45 bike shops in the Netherlands and is opening its first stores in Belgium and Germany this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries when purchasing insurance through Muto ( more on that later ) .
And you ’ ll definitely want insurance if you ’ re planning to leave your expensive electric city bike parked outside .
Fortunately , Muto ’ s drivetrain consists of a maintenance-free Gates carbon belt drive and Nexus 8 internal geared hub .
That means eight speeds with no rust , no derailleur , no external lubrication , and no splatter on your trousers .
Muto offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and standard two-year warranty .
If the electronics or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for repairs , which might involve a pickup and return in a specially designed Muto return box .
Individual parts with instructions can be ordered directly from Muto .
While that sounds obvious , it ’ s not so easy when buying €500 e-bikes off Amazon or Indiegogo .
Muto is an e-bike you ’ ll keep for years , not until the first breakdown .
Muto is being offered for an introductory price of €1,549 ( plus shipping ) that jumps to €1,699 at some undefined point in the future .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s also not expensive — it ’ s right in the sweet spot for what you should expect to pay for a good-quality electric city bike that can hold up to daily use for years .
Muto can be purchased anywhere , but it ’ s prioritizing four European countries at launch .
￼Shipping to the Netherlands , Belgium , and Germany costs €30 , or €49 to Denmark .
You can also buy it from the US , but delivering it could be costly since Muto hasn ’ t made any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a real-wheel lock integrated into the frame .
However , it doesn ’ t offer any kind of GPS theft recovery found on more premium bikes .
Instead , Stella has partnered with Kingpolis insurance in the Netherlands , Germany , and Belgium .
The insurance costs about €8 per month , depending upon location , and can be terminated after the first year .
It covers bike theft , damage , and 24/7 breakdown assistance in Europe .
The base Muto comes with a ton of features you have to pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include a simple bell , mudguards , reflectors , and integrated front and rear lighting , including adorable little “ Muto ” lights on the side of the bike .
The lights can not be turned off as a matter of safety , according to the company .
If you ’ re buying a Muto , then you ’ ll definitely be buying some of the carrier accessories .
Fortunately , those are also reasonably priced , but you ’ ll have to pay between €5 and €10 to have them shipped .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Amsterdam , with Berlin and Copenhagen pop-ups coming soon .
So .
Muto ticks all the boxes , but is it perfect ?
Not quite .
To start with , the control pad mounted on the handlebar that shows the battery and power levels is hard to push .
For my riding preference , the issue is exasperated by the need to push the top button seven times every time the bike turns on in order to get it back into max power mode .
( It would ideally remember the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power modes , which feels like five too many on the road .
Muto doesn ’ t offer any type of app integration , which is fine by me .
Power is delivered quietly and evenly to the pedals .
I rode my test Muto almost exclusively in max-power mode as the lower power modes require more effort than I ’ m willing to expend ( exercise ! )
on an e-bike .
Getting the bike started relies almost exclusively on leg power .
That ’ s because Muto is only fitted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engage the motor , as opposed to a more sophisticated ( and expensive ) torque sensor that delivers power more intuitively .
It ’ s fine : the gears shift smoothly and reliably .
Muto also lacks a throttle as you probably guessed .
If you ’ re looking for a hulking 700-watt vehicle that rides like a moped , then Muto isn ’ t the e-bike for you .
So-called “ speed pedelecs ” must be ridden on streets alongside cars in much of Europe , instead of the safety of bike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as city bikes .
Muto does have walk support , though .
Pushing the lower button on the control pad turns on the motor to provide enough power to easily push the bike up special bike ramps found next to the stairwells in European train stations , for example .
I also have a modest concern with Muto quality control .
The first test bike I received appeared to have a slightly warped disc brake , which caused the front wheel to rub somewhat while riding .
I couldn ’ t see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a €1,500 bike should ride silently , even on the cobbled roads of Amsterdam .
Then , on my replacement bike , I found the rear-wheel lock difficult to close .
It sounds minor , but the annoyance builds to a crescendo when you ’ re struggling with it a few times every day .
I should note that my bikes were review bikes , meaning other people had ridden them before me , possibly causing the hardware issues I experienced .
But if the bikes were damaged so quickly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) I ’ d have other concerns about their integrity .
Muto is investigating but didn ’ t have an answer in time for publication .
The issues were minor , and I might not even mention them if the bike cost €750 .
But at twice that price I expect more .
Regardless , if you ’ re interested in buying , you might want to wait a few weeks to ensure Muto works out any bugs that might exist in its manufacturing and assembly process .
Muto is a fantastic e-bike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or want to use , bicycles as their primary mode of transportation .
It ’ s so good , with so many thoughtful features available at such a reasonable price , that it could very well become the Toyota Camry or VW Golf of electric bikes .
If you ’ re in Europe and in the market to buy an e-bike , Muto should be near the top of the list for consideration .
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For more information , see

What makes the perfect electric city bike? That depends on who you ask and where they live.
For Europeans, a bicycle is often the primary mode of transportation in relatively flat, bike-friendly cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, or Berlin. We ride our bikes everywhere — to work, shops, daycare, and cafes — before locking them up outside each night. We use our bikes to carry groceries, kids, and Christmas trees, sometimes all at the same time, while friends straddle the rear carrier to hitch a ride.
In such an environment, the perfect e-bike has to be affordable, adaptable, durable, and easily serviceable. It should also be as attractive as the young European professionals who are increasingly buying e-bikes for the purposes of a healthier, more environmentally friendly commute.
Lots of e-bikes tick some of those boxes, but I’ve yet to find one that ticks every box needed for daily commuting in my home city of Amsterdam. Until now. It’s made, surprisingly, by Stella — a Dutch company known for making utterly forgettable e-bikes loved by grandparents.
Three years ago, Stella tasked a small internal team with shedding its stodgy image by designing an e-bike that would appeal to young urbanites. The result is called Muto, a pedal-assisted electric bike that has the potential to become the default e-bike for Europe and beyond.
9 Verge Score Muto Muto $ 1710 The Good Innovative Click & Roll accessory system
Near-perfect design for a European city bike
Good value for the money The Bad Control panel requires too firm a press
Potential quality-control issues
Might not accommodate shorter riders $1710 at Muto How we rate and review products
Electric bikes are exploding in popularity globally. There are a few breakout brands like VanMoof at the premium end, Rad Power in the middle, and Swagtron on the budget side, with hundreds of brands filling the gaps. Some e-bike makers are truly unique, but many, especially at the low end, are little more than nameplates affixed to off-the-shelf Chinese e-bikes assembled from a catalog. Eventually, the industry will coalesce around a few winners, but right now, it’s anyone’s game.
More new e-bikes are sold in the Netherlands than regular bikes, and Muto’s parent company Stella claims to sell more than any other brand. The 10-year-old Dutch bike maker, headquartered in Nunspeet, about 50 miles east of Amsterdam, had been assembling about 600 e-bikes a day prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s clear that Muto’s designers sweated every last detail
Notably, Muto has a removable battery that neatly integrates (and locks) into the downtube. Most Stella bikes suffer from bolton-exia — a condition native to e-bike makers bad at design. Symptoms include bulbous growths on the downtube (Rad Power!) or lazy slabs of lithium resting on rear carriers (Swagtron!). Muto has none of that. It’s clear that Muto’s designers sweated every last detail.
As such, Muto gives Stella access to a booming new market of young urban commuters. It’s more than just a new bike; it’s a new brand that relies on a new European manufacturer that manages distribution from Venlo, not Nunspeet, a Dutch town along the German border.
Muto’s first e-bike has typical base-level specs for Europe: a 250W motor with 25 km/h (15.5 mph) top speed and a 70km (43.5 mile) estimated range when set to medium power, or 40 km (24.9 miles) when set to max, according to Muto. The 252Wh battery recharges to full in about 3.5 hours.
I was able to conduct a single endurance test, taking the battery from 100 percent to zero over a distance of 31.2km (19.4 miles). Although the test was conducted over flat terrain, it was a very windy (15-knot average) day. Fortunately, the bike was very easy to pedal home the last 2.8 km (about 1.7 miles) under my own power, thanks to the near-frictionless drivetrain and 8-speed shifter.
But the ride is the least interesting part of owning a Muto.
Adaptability
The name “Muto” is a play on words like “metamorphosis” and “multipurpose” hinting at the e-bike’s unmatched ability to adapt.
To start, the big M logo is more than a nod to the name; it’s also the shape of the frame. The step-through M-frame is suitable for riders ranging from 159cm to 190cm tall (5 feet, 2 inches to 6 feet, 2 inches), which covers 80 percent of Europeans, according to Muto. The aluminum is glued like an aircraft, not welded, for a seamless look. It’s available in black, gray, blue, and white. The black frame is my preference, while the gray frame looks especially gloomy, like a glossy coat of furniture primer.
My review bike came with the tall seat post, which was fine for my 183cm (6-foot) frame. I was also able to comfortably use the shorter post. My wife, who measures 164 cm (5 feet, 5 inches), tested the bike with the short saddle and found the lowest setting on the high side despite being three inches (7.6 cm) taller than Muto’s stated minimum. The saddle is very comfortable over long distances￼ although the default riding position is quite sporty. ￼The handlebar can be adjusted higher for those who prefer a more upright riding style￼.
Muto’s biggest innovation, though, is with the interchangeable “Click & Roll” system. It lets you quickly add or remove a wide variety of Muto-designed boxes, bags, and carriers to the front and rear of the bike. The mounts can be locked with a key to prevent theft.
Nine configurations in 69 seconds.
Headed to the office? Snap Muto’s sleek €59,95 Chameleon Bamboo carrier onto the back to hold Muto’s waterproof €69.95 Starfish pannier stuffed with your laptop, lunch, and rain gear. When you return home, leave the computer bag behind, move the carrier to the front, and snap the €65 Urban Iki rear child seat onto the back. A bar integrated into the frame folds back over the rear fender to support the weight of your kid. The video above shows nine configurations in just 69 seconds.
Yes, new parents, that means you can easily leave the child seat at home on date night, allowing you to maintain some semblance of pride when pulling up outside that trendy new cocktail bar.
At launch, Muto is available with five different custom-designed carriers of varying sizes and five different bags. Muto says more accessories are on the way.
Durability
Muto is built tough. The e-bike weighs 23.5 kg (51.8 pounds) before all of the accessories are added. Its slightly smaller 26-inch wheels are ideal for cities and come fitted with Schwalbe Big Apple tires that are wide enough to glide across tram rails and ruts. Shimano hydraulic disc brakes stop the bike assuredly, even when loaded down with an adult, child, and a few days’ worth of groceries. A sturdy center-mount stand keeps the bike upright when it’s time to step away.
To test the durability of the Click & Roll system, I took my daughter, who weighs 40 kilograms (88 pounds) for a ride while sitting in the Chameleon carrier attached at the rear. Muto says the rear carrier is rated for 20 kg (10 kg at the front) or 27 kg with child seat. Nevertheless, it held up, even though her body position created a powerful lever force on the mount as we bounced along Amsterdam’s cobbled roads.
The brake and gear cables are semi-exposed but mostly routed through the frame in order to avoid snagging when parked in crowded bike racks. The cable management also gives the bike a clean, finished look.
Serviceability
Muto is only sold online. That means no local bike shop to complain to when something goes wrong. Fortunately, outside of the front-hub motor and electronics, most of Muto’s components are repairable by any bike shop. Muto’s parent company Stella has over 45 bike shops in the Netherlands and is opening its first stores in Belgium and Germany this year.
24/7 roadside assistance is available in select countries when purchasing insurance through Muto (more on that later). And you’ll definitely want insurance if you’re planning to leave your expensive electric city bike parked outside.
Fortunately, Muto’s drivetrain consists of a maintenance-free Gates carbon belt drive and Nexus 8 internal geared hub. That means eight speeds with no rust, no derailleur, no external lubrication, and no splatter on your trousers.
Muto offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and standard two-year warranty. If the electronics or motor fails, you can contact Muto for repairs, which might involve a pickup and return in a specially designed Muto return box. Individual parts with instructions can be ordered directly from Muto. While that sounds obvious, it’s not so easy when buying €500 e-bikes off Amazon or Indiegogo. Muto is an e-bike you’ll keep for years, not until the first breakdown.
Value for money
Muto is being offered for an introductory price of €1,549 (plus shipping) that jumps to €1,699 at some undefined point in the future. That’s not cheap, but it’s also not expensive — it’s right in the sweet spot for what you should expect to pay for a good-quality electric city bike that can hold up to daily use for years.
Muto can be purchased anywhere, but it’s prioritizing four European countries at launch. ￼Shipping to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany costs €30, or €49 to Denmark. You can also buy it from the US, but delivering it could be costly since Muto hasn’t made any overseas shipping arrangements yet.
Muto comes with a real-wheel lock integrated into the frame. However, it doesn’t offer any kind of GPS theft recovery found on more premium bikes. Instead, Stella has partnered with Kingpolis insurance in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. The insurance costs about €8 per month, depending upon location, and can be terminated after the first year. It covers bike theft, damage, and 24/7 breakdown assistance in Europe.
The base Muto comes with a ton of features you have to pay extra for from other brands. These include a simple bell, mudguards, reflectors, and integrated front and rear lighting, including adorable little “Muto” lights on the side of the bike. The lights cannot be turned off as a matter of safety, according to the company.
If you’re buying a Muto, then you’ll definitely be buying some of the carrier accessories. Fortunately, those are also reasonably priced, but you’ll have to pay between €5 and €10 to have them shipped.
Muto bikes are available now to test-ride in Amsterdam, with Berlin and Copenhagen pop-ups coming soon.
So. Muto ticks all the boxes, but is it perfect? Not quite.
To start with, the control pad mounted on the handlebar that shows the battery and power levels is hard to push. For my riding preference, the issue is exasperated by the need to push the top button seven times every time the bike turns on in order to get it back into max power mode. (It would ideally remember the last setting.) Muto supports nine pedal-assisted power modes, which feels like five too many on the road. Muto doesn’t offer any type of app integration, which is fine by me.
Power is delivered quietly and evenly to the pedals. I rode my test Muto almost exclusively in max-power mode as the lower power modes require more effort than I’m willing to expend (exercise!) on an e-bike. Getting the bike started relies almost exclusively on leg power. That’s because Muto is only fitted with a cadence sensor to determine when to engage the motor, as opposed to a more sophisticated (and expensive) torque sensor that delivers power more intuitively. It’s fine: the gears shift smoothly and reliably.
Muto also lacks a throttle as you probably guessed. If you’re looking for a hulking 700-watt vehicle that rides like a moped, then Muto isn’t the e-bike for you. So-called “speed pedelecs” must be ridden on streets alongside cars in much of Europe, instead of the safety of bike paths, making them impractical for use as city bikes.
Muto does have walk support, though. Pushing the lower button on the control pad turns on the motor to provide enough power to easily push the bike up special bike ramps found next to the stairwells in European train stations, for example.
A slight concern with quality control
I also have a modest concern with Muto quality control. The first test bike I received appeared to have a slightly warped disc brake, which caused the front wheel to rub somewhat while riding. I couldn’t see the warp, but I could hear it, and a €1,500 bike should ride silently, even on the cobbled roads of Amsterdam. Then, on my replacement bike, I found the rear-wheel lock difficult to close. It sounds minor, but the annoyance builds to a crescendo when you’re struggling with it a few times every day.
I should note that my bikes were classified as pre-production bikes, near the final stage of development before mass production begins. At least one bike was also used by another reviewer before I received it. That might explain the hardware issues, or might not.
The issues were minor, and I might not even mention them if the bike cost €750. But at twice that price a buyer should expect more. Regardless, if you’re interested in buying, you might want to wait a few weeks to ensure Muto works out any bugs that might exist in its manufacturing and assembly process.
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Muto is a fantastic e-bike designed for city dwellers who use, or want to use, bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. It’s so good, with so many thoughtful features available at such a reasonable price, that it could very well become the Toyota Camry or VW Golf of electric bikes.
If you’re in Europe and in the market to buy an e-bike, Muto should be near the top of the list for consideration.
Update March 31st, 8:45AM ET: Review updated with confirmation from Muto that my review bikes were pre-production models.


theverge--2020-03-31--The US government should disclose how it’s using location data to fight the coronavirus

Last week , we talked about the case for the government using location data gleaned from our smartphones to manage the response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Taiwan , Israel , and England have all been using location data in various ways to understand the spread of the disease and , in some cases , enforce orders requiring citizens to isolate themselves .
Any such project comes with the risk that temporary infringements on our privacy will become permanent .
I expected the debate about location data might unfold over the next few weeks as the coronavirus reaches more communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , the United States government just went ahead and started analyzing our smartphone location data .
The data is reportedly being supplied by mobile advertising companies , and is being shared with the Centers for Disease Control as well as state and local governments .
Byron Tau had the scoop at the Wall Street Journal : The story goes on to note that location data can reveal whether citizens are complying with orders to stay at home — and , by tracking the decline in foot traffic to retail stores , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on the economy .
Anyway , this all happened rather fast .
( It happened before the Washington Post could even publish its survey of tech experts about whether America should use location in this way .
A slim majority voted that America should not .
Sorry ! )
And , as Violet Blue notes at Engadget , it happened without our explicit consent .
The Journal story explains that the government was able to get data from mobile ad companies rather than US telecom providers because telecoms ’ use of data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ is not .
Blue writes that other countries using location data took a more forthright approach — one that may be less likely to spook people away from getting tested , for example .
Blue writes : Hopefully the American approach will include more direct communication about the use of our location data soon .
Elsewhere , big tech companies continue to consider and develop new tools responding to the crisis .
On Friday , Apple launched an app and a website to help people screen themselves for COVID-19 .
Jay Peters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple noted that the tool should not be considered a replacement for actual medical care .
But at a time when it ’ s nearly impossible for many people to get tested , Apple ’ s product should be useful in educating people about the disease ’ s symptoms and encourage people who are likely infected to seek medical help .
Over at TechCrunch , Jon Evans looks at a call for Apple and Google to go a step further and build operating system-specific versions of Singapore ’ s TraceTogether , an app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phones ( without location tracking ) , keeps local logs of those contacts , and only uploads them to the Ministry of Health when the user chooses/consents , presumably after a diagnosis , so those contacts can be alerted.
” Singapore has said it will make the app broadly available via open source , but some are calling for Apple and Google to roll their own versions quickly : Apple has invested so much in defining itself as a privacy savior that it ’ s difficult to imagine the company building something like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how well intentioned .
But I didn ’ t expect the federal government to start tracking our phones over the weekend , either .
Even if , to those of us working from home , every day can feel eerily similar to the one before it , the world around us is changing with unsettling speed .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
⬆Trending up : Facebook announced $ 25 million in grants to local news outlets harmed by the coronavirus , along with $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that marketing spending are still somewhat fuzzy , but it ’ s still a boost for the news industry .
⬆Trending up : Google CEO Sundar Pichai is encouraging employees to volunteer in local communities to help out during the coronavirus pandemic .
The company is also increasing its employee donation-matching program to up to $ 10,000 a year .
⬆Trending up : Google is rushing to cancel its plans for April Fools ’ Day this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The company asked employees to ensure that any plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are put on hold lest they be considered in poor taste .
Trending down : Facebook said an article from the conservative outlet The Federalist suggesting people infect themselves with coronavirus en masse does not violate the platform ’ s rules .
Twitter and Reddit removed the article and Twitter event temporarily restricted The Federalist ’ s account .
⭐Twitter deleted two tweets by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro because they contained misinformation about COVID-19 .
The deletions were the first time the site has taken action against content posted by the president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Twitter also deleted a tweet from Rudy Giuliani in which he quoted conservative activist Charlie Kirk touting an anti-malaria drug as a miracle cure for the coronavirus .
( Ina Fried / Axios ) The Chinese government ’ s propaganda machine has been spreading misinformation about the coronavirus outbreak through hacked Twitter accounts .
Some of the accounts belong to people in the US .
( Jeff Kao and Mia Shuang Li / ProPublica ) ⭐Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island in New York are going on strike today .
They want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of protections for employees who are continuing to come to work amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Annie Palmer at CNBC has the story : Amazon is offering warehouse workers higher wages to pick and pack Whole Foods groceries amid rising demand and a worker shortage .
Employees who are selected to make the switch can make $ 19 per hour , a $ 2 raise on top of the pay hike Amazon announced earlier this month .
( Krystal Hu / Reuters ) Amazon admitted to unintentionally hiding some of its competitors ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery of non-essential items due to COVID-19 .
The company is currently working on a fix .
( Jason Del Rey / Recode ) Governments are using the coronavirus pandemic to seize new powers aimed at stopping the spread of the virus .
But some of the measures go far beyond what is needed , and there likely aren ’ t enough safeguards in place to ensure the authority won ’ t be abused .
( Selam Gebrekidan / The New York Times ) The New York Times is sharing coronavirus case data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a powerful resource at a time when there ’ s no government database to look to for complete information .
Google removed the Infowars Android app from the Play Store .
The move extinguished one of the last mainstream strongholds of infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones .
The takedown came after Jones posted a video disputing the need for social distancing and shelter in places .
( Lily Hay Newman / Wired ) Doctors are going viral on YouTube by posting videos about the novel coronavirus .
Some aren ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ / OneZero ) “ With me ” videos on YouTube are seeing huge spikes in viewership as people stay home due to the spread of the coronavirus .
The videos largely show people doing everyday tasks or crafts .
( Julia Alexander / The Verge ) Facebook said it ’ s going to launch various features over the next couple weeks to make Facebook Live more accessible and easy to use .
The features will be aimed at people who have low caps on their mobile data plans .
( Ashley Carman / @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharp increase in the use of Facebook Live as people turn to social media to learn new skills .
Niani Barracks , a hair stylist in Detroit , is teaching the popular virtual class called A Safe Space for Black Girls That Never Learned How to Braid .
( Sandra E. Garcia / The New York Times ) The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative , Mark Zuckerberg ’ s philanthropic arm , has committed $ 25 million to a research fund designed to help identify and develop treatments for COVID-19 .
( Jay Peters / @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is running Facebook ads promoting chloroquine , a drug touted by Donald Trump as a possible game changer in the coronavirus fight .
Scientists are urging caution about promoting the drug ’ s effectiveness as a treatment for COVID-19 .
( Cameron Wilson / BuzzFeed ) Zoom issued an update to its iOS app to stop send certain pieces of data to Facebook .
The move came after Vice found that the app sent information like when a user opened the app , their timezone , city , and device details to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ / Vice ) Social distancing has resulted in a massive uptick in bartering on Nextdoor , where friends and neighbors source food and household items from one another .
My friend Ryan mailed me some yeast !
( Katie Reid / OneZero ) An international group of nearly 400 cybersecurity experts is trying to fight hacking related to the novel coronavirus .
Their top priority is stopping hacks against medical facilities and other frontline responders to the pandemic .
( Joseph Menn / Reuters ) As millions of Americans continue to lose their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , state websites are struggling to manage the traffic of people trying to file for unemployment .
The US Department of Labor said a seasonally adjusted 3,283,000 people filed for unemployment just last week , and the situation is likely to get worse .
( Paris Martineau / Wired ) A state in southern India is asking residents to download an app and send a selfie every waking hour to make sure they ’ re complying with the quarantine .
The goal is to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus text message says taking ibuprofen or Advil could make COVID-19 symptoms worse — but there ’ s no evidence that ’ s actually true .
The message falsely claims to be coming from a Vienna laboratory studying COVID-19 .
( Zoe Schiffer / The Verge ) Therapists across the US are now offering virtual sessions as the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep people home .
They ’ re doing workshops , opening their DMs up for questions , and partnering with influencers to get their messages out .
( Ashley Carman / @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people occupied ( and connected ) amid the coronavirus pandemic .
( Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times ) Here ’ s what a day in social isolation looks like if you livestream every activity possible .
( Cameron Wilson / BuzzFeed ) Total cases in the US : 156,391 Total deaths in the US : Over 2,500 Data from The New York Times .
⭐Facebook , Twitter , and Google have prepared for 2016-style threats to the next election .
But the tactics have changed , and the platforms are struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheera Frenkel and Nicole Perlroth at The New York Times describe the problem : HQ Trivia , the live game-show app that shut down in February and laid off its entire staff , is unexpectedly returning with a new show .
The company has been acquired by an undisclosed investor who has been working to restart operations .
( Dan Primack / Axios ) Facebook struck a deal to buy all of the augmented reality displays made by Plessey .
The deal could give Facebook an edge over Apple , which recently looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alex Heath and Amir Efrati / The Information ) Facebook announced Jeffrey D. Zients won ’ t seek reelection after joining the board in 2018 as an independent director .
The news marks an almost complete shake-up of the directors overseeing the social-media giant .
Robert M. Kimmitt , former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and US Ambassador to Germany , will succeed Jeffrey D. Zients as lead independent director .
( Jeff Horwitz and Deepa Seetharaman / The Wall Street Journal ) Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine .
Download @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spice up your video chats .
Watch Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan interview California Gov .
Gavin Newsom about the coronavirus crisis .
Listen to The Backstreet Boys sing “ I want It That Way , ” social distance style .
Listen to Joan Baez sing a song dedicated to John Prine , a friend and fellow musician who is critically ill with COVID-19 .
Play Nintendo ’ s new Good Job !
, a game that lets you chaotically smash through your office park from home .
Astrophysicist gets magnets stuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re all trying to help respond to the COVID-19 crisis in our own way .
Daniel Reardon , for example , was trying to build a necklace that sounds an alarm whenever you touch your face .
Unfortunately , as Naaman Zhou recounts at the Guardian , he wound up with magnets up his nose : Be safe out there y ’ all .
Send us tips , comments , questions , and anonymized location data : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

Last week, we talked about the case for the government using location data gleaned from our smartphones to manage the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan, Israel, and England have all been using location data in various ways to understand the spread of the disease and, in some cases, enforce orders requiring citizens to isolate themselves. Any such project comes with the risk that temporary infringements on our privacy will become permanent.
I expected the debate about location data might unfold over the next few weeks as the coronavirus reaches more communities and its death toll surges. Instead, though, the United States government just went ahead and started analyzing our smartphone location data. The data is reportedly being supplied by mobile advertising companies, and is being shared with the Centers for Disease Control as well as state and local governments. Byron Tau had the scoop at the Wall Street Journal:
The aim is to create a portal for federal, state and local officials that contains geolocation data in what could be as many as 500 cities across the U.S., one of the people said, to help plan the epidemic response. The data—which is stripped of identifying information like the name of a phone’s owner—could help officials learn how coronavirus is spreading around the country and help blunt its advance. It shows which retail establishments, parks and other public spaces are still drawing crowds that could risk accelerating the transmission of the virus, according to people familiar with the matter. In one such case, researchers found that New Yorkers were congregating in large numbers in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and handed that information over to local authorities, one person said. Warning notices have been posted at parks in New York City, but they haven’t been closed.
The story goes on to note that location data can reveal whether citizens are complying with orders to stay at home — and, by tracking the decline in foot traffic to retail stores, begin to quantify the pandemic’s impact on the economy.
Anyway, this all happened rather fast. (It happened before the Washington Post could even publish its survey of tech experts about whether America should use location in this way. A slim majority voted that America should not. Sorry!) And, as Violet Blue notes at Engadget, it happened without our explicit consent. The Journal story explains that the government was able to get data from mobile ad companies rather than US telecom providers because telecoms’ use of data is highly regulated, whereas ad companies’ is not. Blue writes that other countries using location data took a more forthright approach — one that may be less likely to spook people away from getting tested, for example. Blue writes:
The countries with the best balance of privacy and virus tracing are containing it, namely South Korea and Taiwan. In fact, most of the countries showing success with coronavirus tracing have unique, current legislation specific to pandemics with provisions on data collection. The laws in Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan meet the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards. These countries are thinking about what will happen in the days after we all survive the novel coronavirus, and acknowledge that it’s a terrible idea to unbraid privacy from healthcare. In South Korea and Taiwan, two countries who’ve done well to push back against the virus without the draconian tech-surveillance measures of China and Israel, legislation around data collection includes oversight and transparency for its citizens. “For example,” Haaretz wrote regarding South Korea’s approach, “citizens were provided with an explanation of what information was collected, for what purpose and when it would be erased.”
Hopefully the American approach will include more direct communication about the use of our location data soon.
Elsewhere, big tech companies continue to consider and develop new tools responding to the crisis. On Friday, Apple launched an app and a website to help people screen themselves for COVID-19. Jay Peters wrote it up at The Verge:
Apple today launched a website and a new app dedicated to COVID-19 screening. The resources offer an online screening tool, information about the disease, and some guidance on when to seek testing or emergency care. Apple developed the site and app in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the White House. The screening tool asks you questions about your symptoms, recent travel, and contact you may have had with people who have had or been exposed to the virus. After completing the screening process, you’ll be taken to a page with recommended next steps that will also suggest whether you need to be tested for COVID-19.
Apple noted that the tool should not be considered a replacement for actual medical care. But at a time when it’s nearly impossible for many people to get tested, Apple’s product should be useful in educating people about the disease’s symptoms and encourage people who are likely infected to seek medical help.
Over at TechCrunch, Jon Evans looks at a call for Apple and Google to go a step further and build operating system-specific versions of Singapore’s TraceTogether, an app that “uses Bluetooth to track nearby phones (without location tracking), keeps local logs of those contacts, and only uploads them to the Ministry of Health when the user chooses/consents, presumably after a diagnosis, so those contacts can be alerted.” Singapore has said it will make the app broadly available via open source, but some are calling for Apple and Google to roll their own versions quickly:
An open letter from “technologists, epidemiologists & medical professionals” calls on “Apple, Google, and other mobile operating system vendors” (the notion that any other vendors are remotely relevant is adorable) “to provide an opt-in, privacy preserving OS feature to support contact tracing.” They’re right. Android and iOS could, and should, add and roll out privacy-preserving, interoperable, TraceTogether-like functionality at the OS level (or Google Play Services level, to split fine technical hairs.) Granted, this means relying on corporate surveillance, which makes all of us feel uneasy. But at least it doesn’t mean creating a whole new surveillance infrastructure. Furthermore, Apple and Google, especially compared to cellular providers, have a strong institutional history and focus on protecting privacy and limiting the remit of their surveillance.
Apple has invested so much in defining itself as a privacy savior that it’s difficult to imagine the company building something like TraceTogether for its users, no matter how well intentioned. But I didn’t expect the federal government to start tracking our phones over the weekend, either. Even if, to those of us working from home, every day can feel eerily similar to the one before it, the world around us is changing with unsettling speed.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
⬆Trending up: Facebook announced $25 million in grants to local news outlets harmed by the coronavirus, along with $75 million in marketing support. Details on that marketing spending are still somewhat fuzzy, but it’s still a boost for the news industry.
⬆Trending up: Google CEO Sundar Pichai is encouraging employees to volunteer in local communities to help out during the coronavirus pandemic. The company is also increasing its employee donation-matching program to up to $10,000 a year.
⬆Trending up: Google is rushing to cancel its plans for April Fools’ Day this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The company asked employees to ensure that any plans they have for the traditionally prank-filled holiday are put on hold lest they be considered in poor taste.
🔽Trending down: Facebook said an article from the conservative outlet The Federalist suggesting people infect themselves with coronavirus en masse does not violate the platform’s rules. Twitter and Reddit removed the article and Twitter event temporarily restricted The Federalist’s account.
Pandemic
⭐Twitter deleted two tweets by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro because they contained misinformation about COVID-19. The deletions were the first time the site has taken action against content posted by the president. Here’s Ryan Broderick at BuzzFeed:
It’s not the first time that the site has used its coronavirus policy to delete a post by a sitting head of state, which Twitter provides a wider latitude than for most users. Last week, the site deleted a post by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for promoting a “natural brew” to cure COVID-19. In the tweets, Bosolonaro posted videos of himself taken during a walking tour in Brasília on Sunday, in which the president praised the use of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine for treating the virus and encouraged an end to social distancing and isolation measures in the country. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine attracted attention earlier this month after a small French study indicated positive results in treating COVID-19.
The Chinese government’s propaganda machine has been spreading misinformation about the coronavirus outbreak through hacked Twitter accounts. Some of the accounts belong to people in the US. (Jeff Kao and Mia Shuang Li / ProPublica)
⭐Amazon warehouse workers on Staten Island in New York are going on strike today. They want to call attention to an alleged lack of protections for employees who are continuing to come to work amid the coronavirus outbreak. Annie Palmer at CNBC has the story:
Nearly 100 workers at the facility, known as JFK8, plan to participate in the work stoppage, planned for noon ET. The employees will walk out Monday morning and “cease all operations” until their demands are heard by site leadership, said Chris Smalls, a management assistant at JFK8 and a lead organizer of the strike. Smalls and other workers said they’ve grown increasingly concerned about coming into work after an employee tested positive for the virus last week. An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC it was supporting the person, who is in quarantine, and asked anyone who was in contact with the worker to stay home with pay for two weeks. The facility has remained open.
Amazon is offering warehouse workers higher wages to pick and pack Whole Foods groceries amid rising demand and a worker shortage. Employees who are selected to make the switch can make $19 per hour, a $2 raise on top of the pay hike Amazon announced earlier this month. (Krystal Hu / Reuters)
Amazon admitted to unintentionally hiding some of its competitors’ faster delivery options as it delays the delivery of non-essential items due to COVID-19. The company is currently working on a fix. (Jason Del Rey / Recode)
Governments are using the coronavirus pandemic to seize new powers aimed at stopping the spread of the virus. But some of the measures go far beyond what is needed, and there likely aren’t enough safeguards in place to ensure the authority won’t be abused. (Selam Gebrekidan / The New York Times)
The New York Times is sharing coronavirus case data for every US county. It’s a powerful resource at a time when there’s no government database to look to for complete information.
Google removed the Infowars Android app from the Play Store. The move extinguished one of the last mainstream strongholds of infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The takedown came after Jones posted a video disputing the need for social distancing and shelter in places. (Lily Hay Newman / Wired)
Doctors are going viral on YouTube by posting videos about the novel coronavirus. Some aren’t even epidemiologists. Gulp. (Andrew Zaleski / OneZero)
“With me” videos on YouTube are seeing huge spikes in viewership as people stay home due to the spread of the coronavirus. The videos largely show people doing everyday tasks or crafts. (Julia Alexander / The Verge)
Facebook said it’s going to launch various features over the next couple weeks to make Facebook Live more accessible and easy to use. The features will be aimed at people who have low caps on their mobile data plans. (Ashley Carman / The Verge)
Australian billionaire Clive Palmer is running Facebook ads promoting chloroquine, a drug touted by Donald Trump as a possible game changer in the coronavirus fight. Scientists are urging caution about promoting the drug’s effectiveness as a treatment for COVID-19. (Cameron Wilson / BuzzFeed)
Zoom issued an update to its iOS app to stop send certain pieces of data to Facebook. The move came after Vice found that the app sent information like when a user opened the app, their timezone, city, and device details to the social media company. (Joseph Cox / Vice)
Social distancing has resulted in a massive uptick in bartering on Nextdoor, where friends and neighbors source food and household items from one another. My friend Ryan mailed me some yeast! (Katie Reid / OneZero)
An international group of nearly 400 cybersecurity experts is trying to fight hacking related to the novel coronavirus. Their top priority is stopping hacks against medical facilities and other frontline responders to the pandemic. (Joseph Menn / Reuters)
As millions of Americans continue to lose their jobs due to the spread of the coronavirus, state websites are struggling to manage the traffic of people trying to file for unemployment. The US Department of Labor said a seasonally adjusted 3,283,000 people filed for unemployment just last week, and the situation is likely to get worse. (Paris Martineau / Wired)
A state in southern India is asking residents to download an app and send a selfie every waking hour to make sure they’re complying with the quarantine. The goal is to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Pranav Dixit / BuzzFeed)
A viral coronavirus text message says taking ibuprofen or Advil could make COVID-19 symptoms worse — but there’s no evidence that’s actually true. The message falsely claims to be coming from a Vienna laboratory studying COVID-19. (Zoe Schiffer / The Verge)
Therapists across the US are now offering virtual sessions as the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep people home. They’re doing workshops, opening their DMs up for questions, and partnering with influencers to get their messages out. (Ashley Carman / The Verge)
Viral challenges are keeping people occupied (and connected) amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times)
Virus tracker
Total cases in the US: 156,391
Total deaths in the US: Over 2,500
Reported cases in California: 6,346
Reported cases in New York: 66,526
Reported cases in Washington: 4,916
Governing
⭐Facebook, Twitter, and Google have prepared for 2016-style threats to the next election. But the tactics have changed, and the platforms are struggling to keep up. Kevin Roose, Sheera Frenkel and Nicole Perlroth at The New York Times describe the problem:
By most accounts, the big tech companies have gotten better at stopping certain types of election meddling, such as foreign trolling operations and posts containing inaccurate voting information. But they are reluctant to referee other kinds of social media electioneering for fear of appearing to tip the scales. And their policies, often created hastily while under pressure, have proved confusing and inadequate. Adding to the companies’ troubles is the coronavirus pandemic, which is straining their technical infrastructure, unleashing a new misinformation wave and forcing their employees to coordinate a vast election effort spanning multiple teams and government agencies from their homes.
Industry
HQ Trivia, the live game-show app that shut down in February and laid off its entire staff, is unexpectedly returning with a new show. The company has been acquired by an undisclosed investor who has been working to restart operations. (Dan Primack / Axios)
Facebook struck a deal to buy all of the augmented reality displays made by Plessey. The deal could give Facebook an edge over Apple, which recently looked into buying the British firm. (Alex Heath and Amir Efrati / The Information)
Facebook announced Jeffrey D. Zients won’t seek reelection after joining the board in 2018 as an independent director. The news marks an almost complete shake-up of the directors overseeing the social-media giant. Robert M. Kimmitt, former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and US Ambassador to Germany, will succeed Jeffrey D. Zients as lead independent director. (Jeff Horwitz and Deepa Seetharaman / The Wall Street Journal)
Things to do
Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine.
Those good tweets
And finally...
Look, we’re all trying to help respond to the COVID-19 crisis in our own way. Daniel Reardon, for example, was trying to build a necklace that sounds an alarm whenever you touch your face. Unfortunately, as Naaman Zhou recounts at the Guardian, he wound up with magnets up his nose:
“When they got the three out from the left nostril, the last one fell down my throat,” he said. “That could have been a bit of a problem if I swallowed or breathed it in, but I was thankfully able to lean forward and cough it out … Needless to say I am not going to play with the magnets any more.” Medical records from the emergency department said that Reardon did not have difficulty breathing, and denied the presence of further magnets up his nose.
Be safe out there y’all.
Talk to us


theverge--2020-03-31--Huawei says US trade ban is a ‘big difficulty’ to selling phones

Huawei ’ s revenue grew by 19.1 percent last year to around $ 121 billion , but the company says those numbers would be far higher if the United States had not cracked down on its ability to do business .
Due to a trade ban initially ordered last May , Huawei is unable to acquire US parts and software or sell its products in the US .
That has cut the company out of an important market and hurt its ability to compete outside of China .
“ The consumer business has been the major business for our growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Huawei ’ s western Europe business , in a call with reporters to discuss the company ’ s 2019 financial results .
He called 2019 a “ big challenge ” for the company .
While Huawei never had a substantial presence with consumers in the US , the trade ban still hurts Huawei ’ s ability to compete abroad .
It ’ s unable to buy new laptop processors from Intel , and flagship phones like the P40 and the Mate 30 Pro can ’ t offer Google ’ s apps or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them nonstarters for many customers .
“ That gave us a quite a big difficulty ” in growing smartphone sales , Pang said .
Though the trade ban has yet to go into full effect , it ’ s likely to remain an obstacle for the foreseeable future .
The US government “ is not willing to talk with us ” about removing the trade ban , said Andy Purdy , Huawei ’ s chief security officer .
“ We hope at some point we can participate in those conversations.
” Huawei also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ servers , which rely on Intel chips , and big data analysis , which relies on those servers , is hurt being hurt by the ban .

Huawei’s revenue grew by 19.1 percent last year to around $121 billion, but the company says those numbers would be far higher if the United States had not cracked down on its ability to do business. Due to a trade ban initially ordered last May, Huawei is unable to acquire US parts and software or sell its products in the US. That has cut the company out of an important market and hurt its ability to compete outside of China.
“The consumer business has been the major business for our growth,” said Vincent Pang, president of Huawei’s western Europe business, in a call with reporters to discuss the company’s 2019 financial results. He called 2019 a “big challenge” for the company.
“That gave us a quite a big difficulty.”
While Huawei never had a substantial presence with consumers in the US, the trade ban still hurts Huawei’s ability to compete abroad. It’s unable to buy new laptop processors from Intel, and flagship phones like the P40 and the Mate 30 Pro can’t offer Google’s apps or Google’s app store, making them nonstarters for many customers. “That gave us a quite a big difficulty” in growing smartphone sales, Pang said.
Though the trade ban has yet to go into full effect, it’s likely to remain an obstacle for the foreseeable future. The US government “is not willing to talk with us” about removing the trade ban, said Andy Purdy, Huawei’s chief security officer. “We hope at some point we can participate in those conversations.”


theverge--2020-03-30--Sony delays almost its entire movie lineup into next year

Sony is the latest movie studio to announce major changes to its release slate due to the COVID-19 pandemic , as reported by Variety .
Tentpole movies like Uncharted , Ghostbusters : Afterlife , and Peter Rabbit 2 are all seeing big delays , leaving Kevin Hart ’ s Fatherhood as one of the only major titles on Sony ’ s 2020 schedule — and that was itself brought forward to October from January .
The upcoming third Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movie appears to be unaffected ; the Far from Home sequel ’ s release date was already set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s planned July 2020 movies , Ghostbusters : Afterlife and Jared Leto ’ s Morbius , have both been moved into next March .
Sony ’ s drastic schedule changes suggest the company does not see movie theaters reopening until the end of summer or later .
Other studios have made more cautious adjustments — Warner Bros , for example , moved Wonder Woman 1984 to August 14th from its planned June 5th release date .
Disney ’ s Mulan has been indefinitely delayed , while new James Bond movie No Time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Sony is the latest movie studio to announce major changes to its release slate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Variety. Tentpole movies like Uncharted, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Peter Rabbit 2 are all seeing big delays, leaving Kevin Hart’s Fatherhood as one of the only major titles on Sony’s 2020 schedule — and that was itself brought forward to October from January.
The upcoming third Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movie appears to be unaffected; the Far from Home sequel’s release date was already set as July 16, 2021. Sony’s planned July 2020 movies, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Jared Leto’s Morbius, have both been moved into next March.
Greyhound – TBD (from 6/12/2020)
Fatherhood – 10/23/2020 (from 1/15/2021)
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway – 1/15/2021 (from 08/07/2020)
Ghostbusters: Afterlife – 03/05/2021 (from 07/10/2020)
Morbius – 03/19/2021 (from 07/31/2020)
Uncharted – 10/8/2021 (from 03/05/2021)
Untitled Sony/Marvel – TBD (from 10/08/2021)


theverge--2020-03-31--You can play Candy Crush with free, unlimited lives this week

Mobile developer King is adding free , unlimited lives to Candy Crush Saga and a swath of other games this week , removing the timers that make players wait or pay if they fail too many levels .
The change lasts until April 5th , and it ’ s part of a World Health Organization partnership called # PlayApartTogether , which promotes awareness of safety and social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic .
Seven games are being updated with free lives : Candy Crush Saga , Candy Crush Soda Saga , Candy Crush Jelly Saga , Candy Crush Friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Witch 3 Saga , and Pet Rescue Saga .
I can ’ t say if those latter six are worth your newly unlimited playtime .
But Candy Crush Saga is a genuinely engrossing take on the classic match-three genre .
Beneath its treacly theme and sort of unsettling mascot , there are thousands of cleverly designed and often very tough puzzles .
( Yes , I can vouch personally for “ thousands ” — Candy Crush was my go-to subway game for years , although I haven ’ t played for quite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a New York Times essay today , the pandemic has made many people reevaluate their relationship with technology , turning a reflexive disdain for “ screen time ” into a critical consideration of what ’ s on those screens .
Similarly , Candy Crush sits in an often-maligned category of free-to-play phone apps — but it ’ s the perfect bite-sized puzzle game , and King temporarily removed its most annoying feature .

Mobile developer King is adding free, unlimited lives to Candy Crush Saga and a swath of other games this week, removing the timers that make players wait or pay if they fail too many levels. The change lasts until April 5th, and it’s part of a World Health Organization partnership called #PlayApartTogether, which promotes awareness of safety and social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic.
Seven games are being updated with free lives: Candy Crush Saga, Candy Crush Soda Saga, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, Candy Crush Friends Saga, Farm Heroes Saga, Bubble Witch 3 Saga, and Pet Rescue Saga. I can’t say if those latter six are worth your newly unlimited playtime. But Candy Crush Saga is a genuinely engrossing take on the classic match-three genre. Beneath its treacly theme and sort of unsettling mascot, there are thousands of cleverly designed and often very tough puzzles. (Yes, I can vouch personally for “thousands” — Candy Crush was my go-to subway game for years, although I haven’t played for quite a while.)


theverge--2020-03-31--Zoom is leaking some user information because of an issue with how the app groups contacts

Zoom is apparently leaking some email addresses , user photos , and allowing some users to initiate a video call with strangers because of an issue with how the app handles contacts that it perceives work for the same organization , according to a report by Vice .
Typically , Zoom will group contacts with the same email domain into a “ Company Directory ” so you can , for example , search for a specific person , see their photo and email , and start a video call with that person .
That makes sense for a company with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also been grouping some people together who signed up for the service with a personal email , reports Vice .
That means an affected user might be able to see the personal email addresses and photos of people with their same domain in their Company Directory , even if none of those people are actually colleagues .
It ’ s unclear how widespread this issue is or how many domains may be affected .
An affected user shared a screenshot with Vice showing 995 accounts in his Company Directory .
This user @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the domains xs4all.nl , dds.nl , and quicknet.nl , which are all email domains from Dutch ISPs .
Zoom said it blacklisted those domains after Vice brought them to the company ’ s attention .
“ Zoom maintains a blacklist of domains and regularly proactively identifies domains to be added ” “ Zoom maintains a blacklist of domains and regularly proactively identifies domains to be added , ” a Zoom spokesperson said to Vice in a statement .
Zoom also directed Vice to a support page where users can request to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group “ publicly used domains including gmail.com , yahoo.com , hotmail.com , etc , ” according to a support doc .
Zoom was not immediately available for comment .
Zoom has a spotty track record with security .
Last July , a security researcher discovered that a malicious website could open a Zoom video call on Macs without a user ’ s permission .
The company quickly patched its software and uninstalled a local web server that created the vulnerability .
Check Point Research published a report in January about a flaw that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Zoom confirmed today that its video calls aren ’ t actually end-to-end encrypted , despite what its website may say .

Zoom is apparently leaking some email addresses, user photos, and allowing some users to initiate a video call with strangers because of an issue with how the app handles contacts that it perceives work for the same organization, according to a report by Vice.
Typically, Zoom will group contacts with the same email domain into a “Company Directory” so you can, for example, search for a specific person, see their photo and email, and start a video call with that person. That makes sense for a company with employees on Zoom, but the app has also been grouping some people together who signed up for the service with a personal email, reports Vice. That means an affected user might be able to see the personal email addresses and photos of people with their same domain in their Company Directory, even if none of those people are actually colleagues.
It’s unclear how widespread this issue is or how many domains may be affected. An affected user shared a screenshot with Vice showing 995 accounts in his Company Directory. This user also said he ran into the issue with the domains xs4all.nl, dds.nl, and quicknet.nl, which are all email domains from Dutch ISPs. Zoom said it blacklisted those domains after Vice brought them to the company’s attention.
“Zoom maintains a blacklist of domains and regularly proactively identifies domains to be added”
“Zoom maintains a blacklist of domains and regularly proactively identifies domains to be added,” a Zoom spokesperson said to Vice in a statement. Zoom also directed Vice to a support page where users can request to have domains blacklisted. Zoom doesn’t group “publicly used domains including gmail.com, yahoo.com, hotmail.com, etc,” according to a support doc. Zoom was not immediately available for comment.


theverge--2020-03-31--Wyze firmware update lets you turn its security cameras into webcams

Smart home gadget maker Wyze has released a firmware update and set of instructions for turning its low-cost security camera into a working webcam at a time when proper webcams from brands like Logitech are increasingly hard to find .
The update , which was released roughly an hour ago on Wyze ’ s support website , involves manually installing firmware onto your Wyze camera that will temporarily turn it into a webcam , after which it will no longer connect to the Wyze app and function normally .
However , Wyze says you can reverse the process to restore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have it function normally again .
You have to manually install the firmware using a microSD card The instructions say you ’ ll need a Wyze Cam v2 , a microSD card , and a USB-A to USB-A cable for transferring the free firmware update from your computer to the camera .
According to Wyze , all you need to do is drop the firmware onto the root directory of the memory card , plug the memory card into an unplugged Wyze Cam v2 , and then hold the setup button while restarting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reboot it as a webcam .
From there , you should be able to plug the device into your Mac or Windows machine ( being careful to use the USB-A port of the device and not the microUSB power port ) and manually select it as a third-party HD output video source for applications like BlueJeans , Google Hangouts , Skype , and Zoom , among other providers .
It ’ s not an elegant solution , and I ’ m having trouble actually getting it to work on my own Wyze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have something to do with only having access to a formatted microSD I use for external storage on my Nintendo Switch .
( One solution there might be copying the files off , formatting the card , installing the firmware , and formatting again for the Switch before transferring the files back . )
Regardless , for those in need of a webcam who are having trouble finding one right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has office workers worldwide working from home , this could be a solution if you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Smart home gadget maker Wyze has released a firmware update and set of instructions for turning its low-cost security camera into a working webcam at a time when proper webcams from brands like Logitech are increasingly hard to find.
The update, which was released roughly an hour ago on Wyze’s support website, involves manually installing firmware onto your Wyze camera that will temporarily turn it into a webcam, after which it will no longer connect to the Wyze app and function normally. However, Wyze says you can reverse the process to restore security camera access to the device and have it function normally again.
You have to manually install the firmware using a microSD card
The instructions say you’ll need a Wyze Cam v2, a microSD card, and a USB-A to USB-A cable for transferring the free firmware update from your computer to the camera. According to Wyze, all you need to do is drop the firmware onto the root directory of the memory card, plug the memory card into an unplugged Wyze Cam v2, and then hold the setup button while restarting to flash the firmware onto the camera and reboot it as a webcam.
From there, you should be able to plug the device into your Mac or Windows machine (being careful to use the USB-A port of the device and not the microUSB power port) and manually select it as a third-party HD output video source for applications like BlueJeans, Google Hangouts, Skype, and Zoom, among other providers.
It’s not an elegant solution, and I’m having trouble actually getting it to work on my own Wyze Cam here at home. That may have something to do with only having access to a formatted microSD I use for external storage on my Nintendo Switch. (One solution there might be copying the files off, formatting the card, installing the firmware, and formatting again for the Switch before transferring the files back.)
Regardless, for those in need of a webcam who are having trouble finding one right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has office workers worldwide working from home, this could be a solution if you have the necessary gadgets lying around the house.


theverge--2020-03-31--Tesla created a ‘public health risk’ by keeping car factory open, local official said

Tesla announced on March 19th that it would temporarily shut down its electric car factory in California , after back-and-forth with local officials about whether the plant was subject to a county-wide coronavirus shelter-in-place order .
But the Silicon Valley automaker fought to keep the factory open after that announcement as well , according to new emails obtained by Protocol .
It also came after the county ’ s health officer decided that keeping the plant open was a “ public health risk.
” The emails were sent by the local police chief to Tesla ’ s senior policy advisor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter memorializing calls and virtual meetings between Tesla and local city and county officials .
They help shed light on the deliberations between the company and the authorities about whether the factory was an “ essential business , ” which would have allowed it to stay open following the county-wide ( and eventually state-wide ) shelter-in-place orders meant to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Tesla ’ s argument to those local officials , and to its own workers , has been that the company believes it should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to public guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , or CISA .
CISA issued guidelines outlining what it considered to be critical infrastructure in 2015 that included “ vehicles and commercial ships manufacturing.
” But in a March 28th memorandum about the novel coronavirus pandemic , vehicle manufacturing is not specifically listed in the “ critical manufacturing ” section of CISA ’ s guidance .
At the same time that Tesla was making this argument , every other major automaker ceased manufacturing operations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open because it believed it was “ national critical infrastructure ” Tesla tried to convince city and county officials of this in the days leading up to the shutdown announcement , and asked to be deemed an “ essential business ” so it could keep producing the Model 3 , Model S , Model X , and the Model Y ( which the company had just started delivering ) at the California factory .
Kimberly Petersen , the chief of police in Fremont , California ( where the factory is located ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s interim health officer had decided Tesla ’ s factory was not essential , according to the emails , meaning it would have to abide by the March 16th shelter-in-place order and stop operations .
The county health officer also told the city that keeping the manufacturing plant open and making the 10,000 or so workers report in would be a “ public health risk , ” though it ’ s unclear in the emails if this was specifically communicated to Tesla .
The company did not immediately respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chia and a number of other Tesla executives told the city in a virtual meeting that the company would comply with the order .
“ I would like to reiterate that the City of Fremont highly values Tesla as a partner and appreciates what you do for our economy and our community , ” Petersen wrote in her email memorializing the meeting , which was dated March 21st .
“ We are extremely grateful for your willingness to collaborate in our fight against the spread of COVID-19 by placing public health ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , though , Chia told the deputy city manager that he felt Petersen ’ s letter was “ not fully accurate , ” and the two sides had another virtual meeting on March 22nd .
During that meeting , Tesla ’ s acting general counsel told the city that he believed the state-wide shelter-in-place order issued by Gov .
Gavin Newsom superseded the county order , and that the language of the state order left room for Tesla to remain open .
In another memo sent to Tesla on March 22nd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bound to uphold [ the county health officer ’ s ] interpretation ” of the county-wide order .
Tesla ultimately decided to keep winding down its operations at the factory , save for basic operations like payroll .
It also told the city that it would keep bringing in some factory workers to perform so-called “ end-of-line ” work , and the Fremont police department found Tesla to be “ in compliance ” during a post-shutdown inspection , as was first reported by The Verge last week .
The company has since gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gigafactory in Nevada by more than 75 percent , and has also shut down its solar panel factory in New York .
Curiously , Petersen told Tesla in one of the emails that if the company “ transition [ ed ] to manufacturing ventilators , or other equipment intended to aid in the fight against COVID-19 , ” it could have kept the factory open .
Tesla is currently sourcing and delivering desperately needed ventilators in California and New York , along with surgical masks , and CEO Elon Musk has said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medtronic .
But Musk has said he plans to make the ventilators at Tesla ’ s New York factory , not in California .

Tesla announced on March 19th that it would temporarily shut down its electric car factory in California, after back-and-forth with local officials about whether the plant was subject to a county-wide coronavirus shelter-in-place order. But the Silicon Valley automaker fought to keep the factory open after that announcement as well, according to new emails obtained by Protocol. It also came after the county’s health officer decided that keeping the plant open was a “public health risk.”
The emails were sent by the local police chief to Tesla’s senior policy advisor, Dan Chia. Each one includes a letter memorializing calls and virtual meetings between Tesla and local city and county officials. They help shed light on the deliberations between the company and the authorities about whether the factory was an “essential business,” which would have allowed it to stay open following the county-wide (and eventually state-wide) shelter-in-place orders meant to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Tesla’s argument to those local officials, and to its own workers, has been that the company believes it should be considered “national critical infrastructure,” according to public guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA. CISA issued guidelines outlining what it considered to be critical infrastructure in 2015 that included “vehicles and commercial ships manufacturing.” But in a March 28th memorandum about the novel coronavirus pandemic, vehicle manufacturing is not specifically listed in the “critical manufacturing” section of CISA’s guidance. At the same time that Tesla was making this argument, every other major automaker ceased manufacturing operations in the US.
Tesla wanted to stay open because it believed it was “national critical infrastructure”
Tesla tried to convince city and county officials of this in the days leading up to the shutdown announcement, and asked to be deemed an “essential business” so it could keep producing the Model 3, Model S, Model X, and the Model Y (which the company had just started delivering) at the California factory.
Kimberly Petersen, the chief of police in Fremont, California (where the factory is located), told Chia on March 18th that the county’s interim health officer had decided Tesla’s factory was not essential, according to the emails, meaning it would have to abide by the March 16th shelter-in-place order and stop operations. The county health officer also told the city that keeping the manufacturing plant open and making the 10,000 or so workers report in would be a “public health risk,” though it’s unclear in the emails if this was specifically communicated to Tesla. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The next day, Chia and a number of other Tesla executives told the city in a virtual meeting that the company would comply with the order. “I would like to reiterate that the City of Fremont highly values Tesla as a partner and appreciates what you do for our economy and our community,” Petersen wrote in her email memorializing the meeting, which was dated March 21st. “We are extremely grateful for your willingness to collaborate in our fight against the spread of COVID-19 by placing public health ahead of all other priorities.”
Later that day, though, Chia told the deputy city manager that he felt Petersen’s letter was “not fully accurate,” and the two sides had another virtual meeting on March 22nd. During that meeting, Tesla’s acting general counsel told the city that he believed the state-wide shelter-in-place order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom superseded the county order, and that the language of the state order left room for Tesla to remain open. In another memo sent to Tesla on March 22nd, Petersen writes that she nonetheless felt “bound to uphold [the county health officer’s] interpretation” of the county-wide order.
Tesla ultimately decided to keep winding down its operations at the factory, save for basic operations like payroll. It also told the city that it would keep bringing in some factory workers to perform so-called “end-of-line” work, and the Fremont police department found Tesla to be “in compliance” during a post-shutdown inspection, as was first reported by The Verge last week.