theverge--2020-10-15--Google’s new ‘hum to search’ feature can figure out the song that’s stuck in your head

Google is adding a new “ hum to search ” feature to its search tools today that will let you hum ( or whistle , or sing ) the annoying song that ’ s stuck in your head , and then use machine learning techniques to try to identify it .
The new feature is available today in the Google app on both iOS and Android , or in Google Assistant — just ask Google “ What ’ s the song ” or tap the newly added “ search a song ” button , and then hum your earworm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how likely a match it thinks it is , after which you ’ ll be able to tap results to listen to it ( just like you would any other song that you looked up in Google search ) .
Google says that the feature works by using its machine learning models to “ transform the audio into a number-based sequence representing the song ’ s melody , ” which it can then compare to existing songs .
The company says that it trains these models on “ a variety of sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humming , as well as studio recordings , ” stripping away things like the instruments and vocal quality to focus just on that numeric sequence .
Consequently , the hum to search feature should work whether you ’ re tone-deaf or have perfect pitch .
The new hum to search feature is available today in English on iOS and in more than 20 languages on Android , with plans to add more in the future .

Google is adding a new “hum to search” feature to its search tools today that will let you hum (or whistle, or sing) the annoying song that’s stuck in your head, and then use machine learning techniques to try to identify it.
The new feature is available today in the Google app on both iOS and Android, or in Google Assistant — just ask Google “What’s the song” or tap the newly added “search a song” button, and then hum your earworm. Google will then show you results based on how likely a match it thinks it is, after which you’ll be able to tap results to listen to it (just like you would any other song that you looked up in Google search).
Google says that the feature works by using its machine learning models to “transform the audio into a number-based sequence representing the song’s melody,” which it can then compare to existing songs. The company says that it trains these models on “a variety of sources, including humans singing, whistling or humming, as well as studio recordings,” stripping away things like the instruments and vocal quality to focus just on that numeric sequence. Consequently, the hum to search feature should work whether you’re tone-deaf or have perfect pitch.


theverge--2020-10-16--An Apple Watch with Family Setup is an expensive electronic child leash

The most interesting Apple Watch product Apple announced this year wasn ’ t the new flagship Series 6 or the new lower-cost Watch SE .
It wasn ’ t watchOS 7 with its handful of new watchfaces , the ability to track your sleep , or detect when you ’ re washing your hands to reprimand you if you don ’ t go the full 20 seconds either .
The most interesting thing is Apple ’ s new Family Setup service , which lets parents provision an Apple Watch for their kids to use .
They can choose what apps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who they can call or send messages to , and track their location through GPS .
Even if you ’ re not a parent , the new Family Setup service is interesting because it gives us an idea of what a truly standalone Apple Watch could be .
For the past few weeks , I ’ ve strapped an Apple Watch SE to my eight-year-old child to see what the new Family Setup service is like to use in the real world ( or at least as real of an experience as I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown ) .
Here ’ s what I ’ ve learned .
The easiest way to think of Family Setup is it ’ s Apple ’ s take on the GPS tracking smartwatches for kids that have been sold by carriers for the past few years .
Parents like those devices for their ability to see where their child ’ s location is at any given time and check in with them via text message or calls .
Beyond that , the basic watches might track some simple fitness metrics and tell the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full-fledged smartwatches .
Their designs are often chunky and kid-friendly , and their user interfaces are simplified down with big buttons and colorful graphics .
The parental management apps for smartphones are similarly basic and not especially pleasant to use .
There may also be data privacy concerns , as sometimes the companies that make these watches aren ’ t as secure or have worse data policies than Apple .
Family Setup is slightly different .
Instead of being a dedicated device solely designed for kids , it is just a mode that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You need an iPhone to configure it , but beyond that , the Watch isn ’ t paired to any specific device , unlike the standard system that requires you to link an Apple Watch with an iPhone .
A Family Setup Apple Watch has a majority of the capabilities of the Apple Watch that you or I might purchase and use .
It has all of the same watchfaces , including their deep levels of customization ; comes with many of the same preinstalled apps ; can use Apple ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and more ; and can even install apps from the App Store that ’ s on the Watch itself .
When you hand a Family Setup Apple Watch to your kid , you are giving them a full-fledged smartwatch That means when you are handing a Family Setup Apple Watch to your kid , you are handing them a full-fledged smartwatch with all of the capabilities and responsibilities associated with it .
It is no more durable than any other Apple Watch , it needs to be charged every day , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited in capabilities as you decide .
The interface is no different from watchOS 7 , which means there ’ s still the fiddly constellation of app icons when you press the crown , tap elements are rather small , and there ’ s a lot of text to read .
Depending on the age of your child , this interface can either be just fine or a challenge to use — at the very least , I recommend switching the app launcher to the list view for easier access .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Apple Watch .
To use Family Setup , you need to have a Watch with cellular connectivity and then sign up for a service plan through your carrier , which runs about $ 10 per month .
The Apple Watch SE with LTE is the lowest-cost new model that Apple sells that ’ s compatible , and it starts at $ 329 .
You can use Family Setup with something as old as a Series 4 , but since the vast majority of people do not buy the cellular versions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you ’ ll have one to pass down to a kid or find a great deal on the secondhand market .
That cost is two to three times as much as what you can get a basic GPS tracking watch for , and it ’ s undeniably a lot of money to spend on a gadget that you ’ re going to strap to a kid ’ s wrist .
As I learned when reviewing the Apple Watch SE , it doesn ’ t take much to break an Apple Watch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can add AppleCare to the Watch just like any other Apple device to provide some insurance against breakage , but that ’ s even more to spend up front .
The highlight feature for a lot of parents will likely be the GPS tracking capabilities , which neatly integrate into Apple ’ s existing Find My app .
You can see where your child is , set up notifications for when they arrive or leave a specific location , and even get an alert if they aren ’ t at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Testing that feature has been challenging during the pandemic-related lockdown we ’ re currently in since my kid rarely leaves our home , and when they do , I ’ m generally with them .
I was able to get an alert for when they arrived at school , and I can check the Find My app to confirm that they are indeed at school when they are supposed to be .
But with no extracurriculars and no play dates at friends ’ houses happening now , this feature has had limited utility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work under Family Setup is far longer than what doesn ’ t The list of features that do work on the Apple Watch with Family Setup is far longer than what ’ s not supported , which includes Podcasts , Remote , Apple News , Home , and Shortcuts .
Messages , phone calls , walkie talkie , watchfaces , timers , alarms , stopwatch , Reminders , Calendar , Breathe , Maps , weather , and Voice Memos are all fully functional in Family Setup .
Your child can ask Siri for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send messages , and perform most other tasks short of controlling smart home gadgets .
A unique Family Setup feature is the new Schooltime mode , which is an extreme downtime feature that effectively locks out every capability of the Watch outside of telling the time .
When Schooltime is enabled , a special school bus-yellow watchface is displayed that only shows the time and date .
Apple says this is designed to make it easy for teachers to see if the Watch is locked from a distance .
Parents can program what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the school schedule of their child .
Since Schooltime locks out everything , including the ability to send messages or receive notifications , the child can unlock it if they need to use the Watch for something .
Each unlock is reported in the parent ’ s Apple Watch app .
The Apple Watch will also track your child ’ s fitness activity , though there are some limitations here .
High and low heart rate notifications are limited to ages 13 and up , fall detection is only available for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irregular heart rhythm notifications , EKG , cycle tracking , sleep tracking , and blood oxygen sensing aren ’ t available at all under Family Setup .
Those limitations make Family Setup less ideal for elder care uses , where you ’ d likely want to monitor for things like irregular heart rhythm or falls and have the ability to spot-check EKG readings .
The health tracking limitations make Family Setup less than ideal for elder care uses If the Apple Watch wearer is under the age of 13 , the Activity app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve moved as opposed to active calories , as it does for adults .
This is designed to keep kids from focusing on calorie consumption , but I think it would be beneficial for everyone if Apple transitioned away from counting calorie burn full stop .
Workout tracking is still available , so a child can track runs and other activities .
My kid has particularly enjoyed measuring the distance of their bike rides using the cycling tracking feature and has unsurprisingly gotten attached to closing their rings by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watch wearers are familiar with .
Lastly , Family Setup on an Apple Watch also supports Apple Pay , so a wearer can purchase items using it where Apple Pay is accepted .
Parents can set up an Apple Cash card on their phone and then link it to the child ’ s Watch .
Funds can be added by sending a text message to the Watch , which the child taps to add to their card .
Parents can also get notifications when money is spent or sent from the card , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to , see a record of transactions in the Wallet app on their iPhone , and remotely lock the ability to use the Apple Cash card on the Watch .
Setting up Family Setup on an Apple Watch is not unlike setting up an Apple Watch for yourself .
The main difference is that you need to create an Apple ID for your child during the process , which the Watch app on the iPhone walks you through .
The setup also walks you through enabling approval for App Store purchases ; setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a plan through your carrier ; setting fitness tracking goals ; turning on Messages ; and more .
You are also prompted to set up which contacts will show up on the Watch and who your child will be allowed to communicate with using the Watch .
This is an important step .
When I initially set up the Watch for my child , I breezed through this without setting it up properly , and it took less than a day for spam texts and calls to start showing up on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection requires attaching an actual phone number to the Watch , your child is open to whatever database that phone number has been in .
Limiting who they can contact and , more importantly , who can contact them prevents spammers and randoms from sending them messages or calling the Watch .
Messages from unapproved contacts that are sent to the Watch will still show up in the Messages app , though you aren ’ t able to read their contents .
I wish Apple would just block them entirely so my kid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ periodically deleting them .
Beyond the initial setup , things get a bit wonkier from the parent ’ s side .
Instead of doing everything through the Apple Watch app , as you might expect , some features in Family Setup are managed in the Watch app , others are managed in the Screen Time settings page , while others still are accessed through the Apple Health app .
Tracking your child ’ s location and setting up location alerts is done via the Find My app , an entirely different app from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s confusing and hard to remember what setting is where ; a consolidated place for all of this would make it a lot easier .
The Screen Time settings are the most important .
Once you ’ ve set up the Watch and added your child to your family , you will be able to access your child ’ s Screen Time page in the Screen Time section of the Settings app on your iPhone .
From there , you can enable downtime schedules , turn on communication limits for both normal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to be used on the Watch , and control the content and privacy features .
This allows you to enable or disable App Store and iTunes purchases , limit explicit content , and further control who your child can interact with through features like Game Center .
It ’ s quite comprehensive , though it does take a fair amount of time to go through all of the options and understand what they do and how they will impact the experience for your child .
During my testing , I ran into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn on the content and privacy restrictions at all .
The solution wasn ’ t obvious – I had to sign out of iCloud on my iPhone and sign back in , which resolved it .
The only feature that ’ s managed in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone is the Schooltime schedule , where you can program schedules for it and see a report of how many times your child bypassed the lock .
In the few weeks we ’ ve been testing Family Setup , my kid has mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bunch of Memoji of themselves and their siblings .
They have liked using the cycling workout feature to see how long their bike rides are , asking Siri for weather reports when getting dressed in the morning , and sending messages to their parents or grandparents .
They also like being able to close their Activity rings each day .
Battery life has been right around Apple ’ s prediction of 14 hours : my kid wears the Watch from about 7:30AM to 7:30PM , and there ’ s typically 15–20 percent battery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beyond that , the limitations of Family Setup and the fact that the Watch is not paired to a specific phone have diminished its usefulness .
It ’ s extremely difficult to get things like calendar events , which are very useful when managing remote schooling , syncing on the Watch , due to the fact that it ’ s not actually paired to a phone .
The Schooltime lockout mode is so aggressive that I can ’ t send emergency messages to my child , nor can they see any reminders or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Schooltime lock even prevented me from getting a notification each time my child leaves school because it blocked the notification on the Watch that requires them to approve the recurring alert .
( It ’ s a privacy feature .
One-time location alerts do not need approval , but the Watch does inform the wearer each time an alert is sent to the parent ’ s phone . )
It ’ s clear that Apple designed the Schooltime for a normal school schedule , where a student goes to school from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t really have a need for any smartwatch features .
But in our current situation of hybrid remote and in-school learning , the Schooltime mode is too restrictive .
Apple suggests customizing a special downtime mode that allows certain apps and notifications through instead , but that ’ s another level of work and management for the parent .
The other features also feel designed for a different time .
As mentioned , my kid isn ’ t exactly traveling to multiple places much right now , so the need to track their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Apple Card support has not had any utility for us in our daily life because , again , my kid isn ’ t actually going anywhere without me or my spouse .
There are just very few instances where they ’ d need to buy something on their own and didn ’ t have some cash provided to them for that purpose .
I can ’ t fault Apple for this .
It ’ s obvious that Family Setup was in the works well before the pandemic disrupted everything about our lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when things do return to normal , these are features that I ’ d be looking to utilize .
It ’ s also possible that the value of certain features will become more apparent as my kid gets older and more independent .
But right now , the value of having a smartwatch on my eight-year-old ’ s wrist is not especially high .
Value is certainly subjective , but there ’ s no denying that an Apple Watch with Family Setup has a high cost .
It ’ s also something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kid .
Apple says it designed the service for kids ages five and up , but as mentioned , even my eight-year-old isn ’ t independent enough to really make use of most of what it offers .
Older kids can take more advantage of it , but it won ’ t be long before they will not be satisfied with a watch managed by mommy and daddy and will just want an iPhone of their own .
That leaves a rather narrow band of age ranges for which Family Setup provides an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost .
As a parent who will have multiple kids hitting the age where they will want a smartphone in their lives in the near future , I ’ d really like to see the parental controls and content restrictions available in Family Setup extended to accounts that can be used on a full-fledged iPhone .
Right now , many parents rely on third-party apps and device management services to lock down and track the devices their children have .
It ’ d be a lot better if Apple just supported all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the company ’ s roadmap .
It certainly feels like an obvious evolution of Family Setup .
But for now , Family Setup is limited to the Apple Watch , and it ’ s not quite the same as a smartphone .
For my family , it doesn ’ t provide enough utility to justify the cost , pandemic lockdown or not .
For others , if you ’ ve been eyeing one of the GPS tracking watches but either didn ’ t trust the manufacturer or didn ’ t feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does provide a known experience from a company that ’ s widely trusted when it comes to support and privacy .
That trust and experience just come at a cost .

The most interesting Apple Watch product Apple announced this year wasn’t the new flagship Series 6 or the new lower-cost Watch SE. It wasn’t watchOS 7 with its handful of new watchfaces, the ability to track your sleep, or detect when you’re washing your hands to reprimand you if you don’t go the full 20 seconds either.
The most interesting thing is Apple’s new Family Setup service, which lets parents provision an Apple Watch for their kids to use. They can choose what apps and services their kids can access, who they can call or send messages to, and track their location through GPS. Even if you’re not a parent, the new Family Setup service is interesting because it gives us an idea of what a truly standalone Apple Watch could be.
For the past few weeks, I’ve strapped an Apple Watch SE to my eight-year-old child to see what the new Family Setup service is like to use in the real world (or at least as real of an experience as I can get in the middle of pandemic lockdown). Here’s what I’ve learned.
Giving your kid an Apple Watch with Family Setup is handing them a full-fledged smartwatch.
The easiest way to think of Family Setup is it’s Apple’s take on the GPS tracking smartwatches for kids that have been sold by carriers for the past few years. Parents like those devices for their ability to see where their child’s location is at any given time and check in with them via text message or calls. Beyond that, the basic watches might track some simple fitness metrics and tell the time, but they are far from full-fledged smartwatches. Their designs are often chunky and kid-friendly, and their user interfaces are simplified down with big buttons and colorful graphics. The parental management apps for smartphones are similarly basic and not especially pleasant to use. There may also be data privacy concerns, as sometimes the companies that make these watches aren’t as secure or have worse data policies than Apple.
Family Setup is slightly different. Instead of being a dedicated device solely designed for kids, it is just a mode that you enable on a cellular-enabled Apple Watch. You need an iPhone to configure it, but beyond that, the Watch isn’t paired to any specific device, unlike the standard system that requires you to link an Apple Watch with an iPhone.
A Family Setup Apple Watch has a majority of the capabilities of the Apple Watch that you or I might purchase and use. It has all of the same watchfaces, including their deep levels of customization; comes with many of the same preinstalled apps; can use Apple’s services like iMessage, Music, Siri, and more; and can even install apps from the App Store that’s on the Watch itself.
When you hand a Family Setup Apple Watch to your kid, you are giving them a full-fledged smartwatch
That means when you are handing a Family Setup Apple Watch to your kid, you are handing them a full-fledged smartwatch with all of the capabilities and responsibilities associated with it. It is no more durable than any other Apple Watch, it needs to be charged every day, and it can be as open or as limited in capabilities as you decide. The interface is no different from watchOS 7, which means there’s still the fiddly constellation of app icons when you press the crown, tap elements are rather small, and there’s a lot of text to read. Depending on the age of your child, this interface can either be just fine or a challenge to use — at the very least, I recommend switching the app launcher to the list view for easier access.
It’s also just as expensive as any other Apple Watch. To use Family Setup, you need to have a Watch with cellular connectivity and then sign up for a service plan through your carrier, which runs about $10 per month. The Apple Watch SE with LTE is the lowest-cost new model that Apple sells that’s compatible, and it starts at $329. You can use Family Setup with something as old as a Series 4, but since the vast majority of people do not buy the cellular versions of the Apple Watch, it’s unlikely that you’ll have one to pass down to a kid or find a great deal on the secondhand market.
That cost is two to three times as much as what you can get a basic GPS tracking watch for, and it’s undeniably a lot of money to spend on a gadget that you’re going to strap to a kid’s wrist. As I learned when reviewing the Apple Watch SE, it doesn’t take much to break an Apple Watch, and fixing it isn’t cheap. You can add AppleCare to the Watch just like any other Apple device to provide some insurance against breakage, but that’s even more to spend up front.
Family Setup still allows for most of the Apple Watch’s functions.
The highlight feature for a lot of parents will likely be the GPS tracking capabilities, which neatly integrate into Apple’s existing Find My app. You can see where your child is, set up notifications for when they arrive or leave a specific location, and even get an alert if they aren’t at an expected location at a specific time.
Testing that feature has been challenging during the pandemic-related lockdown we’re currently in since my kid rarely leaves our home, and when they do, I’m generally with them. I was able to get an alert for when they arrived at school, and I can check the Find My app to confirm that they are indeed at school when they are supposed to be. But with no extracurriculars and no play dates at friends’ houses happening now, this feature has had limited utility.
The list of features that do work under Family Setup is far longer than what doesn’t
The list of features that do work on the Apple Watch with Family Setup is far longer than what’s not supported, which includes Podcasts, Remote, Apple News, Home, and Shortcuts. Messages, phone calls, walkie talkie, watchfaces, timers, alarms, stopwatch, Reminders, Calendar, Breathe, Maps, weather, and Voice Memos are all fully functional in Family Setup. Your child can ask Siri for weather reports, to set timers, send messages, and perform most other tasks short of controlling smart home gadgets.
A unique Family Setup feature is the new Schooltime mode, which is an extreme downtime feature that effectively locks out every capability of the Watch outside of telling the time. When Schooltime is enabled, a special school bus-yellow watchface is displayed that only shows the time and date. Apple says this is designed to make it easy for teachers to see if the Watch is locked from a distance.
Parents can program what time Schooltime is enabled and disabled based on the school schedule of their child. Since Schooltime locks out everything, including the ability to send messages or receive notifications, the child can unlock it if they need to use the Watch for something. Each unlock is reported in the parent’s Apple Watch app.
The Apple Watch will also track your child’s fitness activity, though there are some limitations here. High and low heart rate notifications are limited to ages 13 and up, fall detection is only available for those over the age of 18, and irregular heart rhythm notifications, EKG, cycle tracking, sleep tracking, and blood oxygen sensing aren’t available at all under Family Setup. Those limitations make Family Setup less ideal for elder care uses, where you’d likely want to monitor for things like irregular heart rhythm or falls and have the ability to spot-check EKG readings.
The health tracking limitations make Family Setup less than ideal for elder care uses
If the Apple Watch wearer is under the age of 13, the Activity app will track the number of minutes they’ve moved as opposed to active calories, as it does for adults. This is designed to keep kids from focusing on calorie consumption, but I think it would be beneficial for everyone if Apple transitioned away from counting calorie burn full stop. Workout tracking is still available, so a child can track runs and other activities. My kid has particularly enjoyed measuring the distance of their bike rides using the cycling tracking feature and has unsurprisingly gotten attached to closing their rings by the end of the day, a feeling many Apple Watch wearers are familiar with.
Lastly, Family Setup on an Apple Watch also supports Apple Cash, so a wearer can purchase items using it where Apple Pay is accepted. Parents can set up an Apple Cash card on their phone and then link it to the child’s Watch. Funds can be added by sending a text message to the Watch, which the child taps to add to their card. Parents can also get notifications when money is spent or sent from the card, limit who a child can send money to, see a record of transactions in the Wallet app on their iPhone, and remotely lock the ability to use the Apple Cash card on the Watch.
The Schooltime mode is an aggressive lockout that prevents the use of most features and receiving notifications.
Setting up Family Setup on an Apple Watch is not unlike setting up an Apple Watch for yourself. The main difference is that you need to create an Apple ID for your child during the process, which the Watch app on the iPhone walks you through. The setup also walks you through enabling approval for App Store purchases; setting up the necessary cellular connection and subscribing to a plan through your carrier; setting fitness tracking goals; turning on Messages; and more.
You are also prompted to set up which contacts will show up on the Watch and who your child will be allowed to communicate with using the Watch. This is an important step. When I initially set up the Watch for my child, I breezed through this without setting it up properly, and it took less than a day for spam texts and calls to start showing up on their Watch.
Since setting up a cellular connection requires attaching an actual phone number to the Watch, your child is open to whatever database that phone number has been in. Limiting who they can contact and, more importantly, who can contact them prevents spammers and randoms from sending them messages or calling the Watch. Messages from unapproved contacts that are sent to the Watch will still show up in the Messages app, though you aren’t able to read their contents. I wish Apple would just block them entirely so my kid doesn’t have to deal with periodically deleting them.
Beyond the initial setup, things get a bit wonkier from the parent’s side. Instead of doing everything through the Apple Watch app, as you might expect, some features in Family Setup are managed in the Watch app, others are managed in the Screen Time settings page, while others still are accessed through the Apple Health app. Tracking your child’s location and setting up location alerts is done via the Find My app, an entirely different app from the three already mentioned. It’s confusing and hard to remember what setting is where; a consolidated place for all of this would make it a lot easier.
The most important parental control options are in the Screen Time section of the iPhone’s Settings app.
The Screen Time settings are the most important. Once you’ve set up the Watch and added your child to your family, you will be able to access your child’s Screen Time page in the Screen Time section of the Settings app on your iPhone. From there, you can enable downtime schedules, turn on communication limits for both normal and downtime periods, manage which apps are allowed to be used on the Watch, and control the content and privacy features. This allows you to enable or disable App Store and iTunes purchases, limit explicit content, and further control who your child can interact with through features like Game Center. It’s quite comprehensive, though it does take a fair amount of time to go through all of the options and understand what they do and how they will impact the experience for your child.
During my testing, I ran into a bug where I was unable to turn on the content and privacy restrictions at all. The solution wasn’t obvious – I had to sign out of iCloud on my iPhone and sign back in, which resolved it.
The only feature that’s managed in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone is the Schooltime schedule, where you can program schedules for it and see a report of how many times your child bypassed the lock.
Managing the Schooltime mode is in the Apple Watch app, while the GPS tracking features are in the Find My app.
In the few weeks we’ve been testing Family Setup, my kid has mostly used the Memoji watchface and customized a bunch of Memoji of themselves and their siblings. They have liked using the cycling workout feature to see how long their bike rides are, asking Siri for weather reports when getting dressed in the morning, and sending messages to their parents or grandparents. They also like being able to close their Activity rings each day. Battery life has been right around Apple’s prediction of 14 hours: my kid wears the Watch from about 7:30AM to 7:30PM, and there’s typically 15–20 percent battery life when they take it off.
Agree to Continue: Apple Watch Family Setup Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. Using Family Setup with an Apple Watch requires an iPhone, which comes with two mandatory agreements and (if you use Apple Pay), six optional ones.
There is a terms and conditions agreement specifically for watchOS, which you can have emailed to you. Apple is transparent that many of the privacy settings you’ve chosen for your phone will transfer over to the Watch.
You also have to create an Apple ID for your family member, which carries many of the same agreements tied to the iPhone.
Apple has a Family Privacy disclosure that must be agreed to. You can choose to have this emailed to you.
Using Family Setup requires enabling a cellular service plan on the watch, which requires agreeing to terms from your carrier. These agreements are mandatory, and you cannot negotiate them. Final tally: five mandatory agreements and all of the agreements necessary to use an iPhone.
Beyond that, the limitations of Family Setup and the fact that the Watch is not paired to a specific phone have diminished its usefulness. It’s extremely difficult to get things like calendar events, which are very useful when managing remote schooling, syncing on the Watch, due to the fact that it’s not actually paired to a phone. The Schooltime lockout mode is so aggressive that I can’t send emergency messages to my child, nor can they see any reminders or calendar entries without bypassing the lock. The Schooltime lock even prevented me from getting a notification each time my child leaves school because it blocked the notification on the Watch that requires them to approve the recurring alert. (It’s a privacy feature. One-time location alerts do not need approval, but the Watch does inform the wearer each time an alert is sent to the parent’s phone.)
It’s clear that Apple designed the Schooltime for a normal school schedule, where a student goes to school from the morning to the mid-afternoon and shouldn’t really have a need for any smartwatch features. But in our current situation of hybrid remote and in-school learning, the Schooltime mode is too restrictive. Apple suggests customizing a special downtime mode that allows certain apps and notifications through instead, but that’s another level of work and management for the parent.
The other features also feel designed for a different time. As mentioned, my kid isn’t exactly traveling to multiple places much right now, so the need to track their whereabouts isn’t especially valuable. The Apple Cash support has not had any utility for us in our daily life because, again, my kid isn’t actually going anywhere without me or my spouse. There are just very few instances where they’d need to buy something on their own and didn’t have some cash provided to them for that purpose.
I can’t fault Apple for this. It’s obvious that Family Setup was in the works well before the pandemic disrupted everything about our lives, and it’s possible that when things do return to normal, these are features that I’d be looking to utilize. It’s also possible that the value of certain features will become more apparent as my kid gets older and more independent. But right now, the value of having a smartwatch on my eight-year-old’s wrist is not especially high.
Memoji on the Apple Watch.
Value is certainly subjective, but there’s no denying that an Apple Watch with Family Setup has a high cost. It’s also something that has a limited shelf life with your kid. Apple says it designed the service for kids ages five and up, but as mentioned, even my eight-year-old isn’t independent enough to really make use of most of what it offers. Older kids can take more advantage of it, but it won’t be long before they will not be satisfied with a watch managed by mommy and daddy and will just want an iPhone of their own. That leaves a rather narrow band of age ranges for which Family Setup provides an appropriate amount of utility relative to its cost.
As a parent who will have multiple kids hitting the age where they will want a smartphone in their lives in the near future, I’d really like to see the parental controls and content restrictions available in Family Setup extended to accounts that can be used on a full-fledged iPhone. Right now, many parents rely on third-party apps and device management services to lock down and track the devices their children have. It’d be a lot better if Apple just supported all of this natively. Perhaps that’s on the company’s roadmap. It certainly feels like an obvious evolution of Family Setup.
But for now, Family Setup is limited to the Apple Watch, and it’s not quite the same as a smartphone. For my family, it doesn’t provide enough utility to justify the cost, pandemic lockdown or not. For others, if you’ve been eyeing one of the GPS tracking watches but either didn’t trust the manufacturer or didn’t feel like they are good products, Family Setup does provide a known experience from a company that’s widely trusted when it comes to support and privacy. That trust and experience just come at a cost.
Photography by Dan Seifert / The Verge


theverge--2020-10-16--Sony’s WH-1000XM4 are cheaper now than during Prime Day

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
One of the best deals of Prime Day has returned at Newegg .
Sony ’ s WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-canceling headphones in black are down to $ 284 instead of $ 350 .
This actually beats the $ 298 pricing at Amazon and Best Buy by $ 14 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week , this one doesn ’ t include a gift card .
That ’ s no matter if you ’ re just looking for the lowest price — this is it .
Sony ’ s WH-1000XM4 improve on an already stellar XM3 formula of excellent sound , effective noise cancellation , long-lasting battery life , USB-C charging , and lots of comfort .
In my colleague Chris Welch ’ s review , he praised this model for two key improvements over the previous model : updated mics for clearer call quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources simultaneously via Bluetooth .
Also in the realm of wireless headphones , Jabra ’ s Elite 75t wireless earbuds are $ 30 off their usual price at Amazon and Best Buy .
Normally $ 180 , they ’ re $ 150 in titanium black or gold / beige colorways .
This model has been cheaper before , but it ’ s still a good price .
Plus , Jabra recently announced these will soon get an active noise cancellation feature patched in for free .
The remastered version of Tony Hawk ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both PS4 and Xbox One .
Already cheaper than most full-priced games , this price drop lowers the game from $ 40 to $ 34 .
It ’ s not a huge discount , but if you were waiting for a slight cut to the cost , now ’ s your chance to dip back into these excellent remakes — complete with most of their beloved original soundtracks .
Razer ’ s Blade 15 Base model in the silver colorway with a 4K OLED panel is cheaper at Best Buy than it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s $ 2,000 .
In addition to the OLED , it features a six-core Intel Core i7-10750H processor , 16GB of RAM , Nvidia ’ s RTX 2070 Max-Q graphics chip , and a 512GB SSD .
These specs are good for gaming , and they ’ ll look fantastic on the OLED .
However , running games at 4K will thoroughly tax this machine , so if you want a fast frame rate , you ’ ll likely need to lower the resolution of each game down to 1440p @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the SD card reader found in the Blade 15 Advanced model .
Lastly , Daily Steals is offering a discount on the second-generation AirPods with wired charging case that matches the Prime Day deal of $ 115 .
To get this price , enter the code VERGEPODS at checkout .
Like the AirPods Pro deal we featured yesterday , these are new / open-box but arrive with their retail packaging and all original accessories .
These AirPods also include a one-year warranty through Daily Steals .

One of the best deals of Prime Day has returned at Newegg. Sony’s WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-canceling headphones in black are down to $284 instead of $350. This actually beats the $298 pricing at Amazon and Best Buy by $14, though, unlike those retailers’ deal earlier this week, this one doesn’t include a gift card. That’s no matter if you’re just looking for the lowest price — this is it.
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 improve on an already stellar XM3 formula of excellent sound, effective noise cancellation, long-lasting battery life, USB-C charging, and lots of comfort. In my colleague Chris Welch’s review, he praised this model for two key improvements over the previous model: updated mics for clearer call quality and the ability to connect to two sources simultaneously via Bluetooth.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Also in the realm of wireless headphones, Jabra’s Elite 75t wireless earbuds are $30 off their usual price at Amazon and Best Buy. Normally $180, they’re $150 in titanium black or gold / beige colorways. This model has been cheaper before, but it’s still a good price. Plus, Jabra recently announced these will soon get an active noise cancellation feature patched in for free.
Jabra Elite 75t (Refurbished) $ 85 $ 180 53 % off $ 85 $ 85 $ 180 53 % off A successor to the 65t wireless earbuds, that features a new design, better battery life, and noticeably improved sound quality. $85 at Newegg
The remastered version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is discounted on both PS4 and Xbox One. Already cheaper than most full-priced games, this price drop lowers the game from $40 to $34. It’s not a huge discount, but if you were waiting for a slight cut to the cost, now’s your chance to dip back into these excellent remakes — complete with most of their beloved original soundtracks.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Razer’s Blade 15 Base model in the silver colorway with a 4K OLED panel is cheaper at Best Buy than it is directly through Razer. Normally $2,300, it’s $2,000. In addition to the OLED, it features a six-core Intel Core i7-10750H processor, 16GB of RAM, Nvidia’s RTX 2070 Max-Q graphics chip, and a 512GB SSD. These specs are good for gaming, and they’ll look fantastic on the OLED. However, running games at 4K will thoroughly tax this machine, so if you want a fast frame rate, you’ll likely need to lower the resolution of each game down to 1440p or 1080p. This model also lacks the SD card reader found in the Blade 15 Advanced model.
Razer Blade 15 $ 2000 $ 2300 13 % off $ 2000 $ 2000 $ 2300 13 % off $2000 at Best Buy
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


theverge--2020-10-16--Twitter will stop removing ‘hacked content’ unless it’s shared by hackers

Twitter is changing its policy against posting hacked materials following criticism for how it handled a New York Post story about former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter .
Twitter ’ s trust and safety lead , Vijaya Gadde , tweeted a thread Thursday night saying the platform would “ no longer remove hacked content unless it is directly shared by hackers or those acting in concert with them.
” Instead , Twitter will label tweets with context instead of blocking them .
The move comes after Twitter blocked links to Post articles that claimed to show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive at the Ukrainian energy company Burisma .
The accuracy of the Post story has been called into question by several fact-checking organizations .
“ We don ’ t want to incentivize hacking by allowing Twitter to be used as distribution for possibly illegally obtained materials , ” Twitter Safety tweeted , explaining the decision .
But Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted Friday morning that “ straight blocking of URLs was wrong , and we updated our policy and enforcement to fix .
Our goal is to attempt to add context , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gadde said Twitter ’ s hacked materials policy was put into place in 2018 “ to discourage and mitigate harms associated with hacks and unauthorized exposure of private information .
We tried to find the right balance between people ’ s privacy and the right of free expression , but we can do better.
” He added that the company is changing its policy to “ address the concerns that there could be many unintended consequences to journalists , whistleblowers and others in ways that are contrary to Twitter ’ s purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is continuing to block links to the Post articles for violating its rules against sharing private information .
And according to NBC News , the FBI is investigating whether the emails referenced in the Post story are connected with a foreign intelligence operation .
The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to subpoena Dorsey , with Republican senators calling his decision “ election interference .
”

Twitter is changing its policy against posting hacked materials following criticism for how it handled a New York Post story about former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Twitter’s trust and safety lead, Vijaya Gadde, tweeted a thread Thursday night saying the platform would “no longer remove hacked content unless it is directly shared by hackers or those acting in concert with them.” Instead, Twitter will label tweets with context instead of blocking them.
The move comes after Twitter blocked links to Post articles that claimed to show that Hunter Biden introduced his father to an executive at the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. The accuracy of the Post story has been called into question by several fact-checking organizations. “We don’t want to incentivize hacking by allowing Twitter to be used as distribution for possibly illegally obtained materials,” Twitter Safety tweeted, explaining the decision.
But Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted Friday morning that “straight blocking of URLs was wrong, and we updated our policy and enforcement to fix. Our goal is to attempt to add context, and now we have capabilities to do that.”
Gadde said Twitter’s hacked materials policy was put into place in 2018 “to discourage and mitigate harms associated with hacks and unauthorized exposure of private information. We tried to find the right balance between people’s privacy and the right of free expression, but we can do better.”
He added that the company is changing its policy to “address the concerns that there could be many unintended consequences to journalists, whistleblowers and others in ways that are contrary to Twitter’s purpose of serving the public conversation.”
Twitter initially continued to block links to the Post articles for violating its rules against sharing private information. And according to NBC News, the FBI is investigating whether the emails referenced in the Post story are connected with a foreign intelligence operation. But Twitter later reversed its position, saying it was unblocking the articles because the information had spread widely enough that it could no longer be considered private.
The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to subpoena Dorsey, with Republican senators calling his decision “election interference.”


theverge--2020-10-16--T-Mobile is also offering a $30 discount on the iPhone 12 and 12 mini

T-Mobile has clarified that it will offer a $ 30 discount on the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 — same as AT & T and Verizon .
That means the phones will start at $ 699 and $ 799 , respectively , for T-Mobile customers as well , instead of the usual starting prices of $ 729 and $ 829 that Apple charges .
There ’ s been no small amount of confusion over Apple ’ s pricing for its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini .
During its announcement this week , Apple said that the phones would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 699 prices , but later , it became clear on the company ’ s website that those were in fact discounted prices being offered for AT & T and Verizon customers , with the full price of the phones actually starting at $ 729 and $ 829 .
T-Mobile has added an additional offer for customers who buy through Apple , offering an extra $ 150 on top of Apple ’ s own trade-in offers when trading in an iPhone .
At first , it seemed like T-Mobile wouldn ’ t offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the company now lists the same $ 30 discount for orders through Apple ’ s website — although , curiously , T-Mobile ’ s site still lists the full $ 829 price , at least for the iPhone 12 .
That leaves Apple ’ s unlocked option as the sole holdout — barring any change from Apple , it seems that customers who want to buy an unlocked iPhone will have to pay $ 30 extra .
It ’ s worth noting that , according to Apple , “ all iPhone models @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & T Installment Plans.
” That means nearly any AT & T , Verizon , or T-Mobile iPhone purchased with that $ 30 discount is technically unlocked — but customers will only get that discount if they purchase a carrier phone and activate it on that carrier .

T-Mobile has clarified that it will offer a $30 discount on the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 — same as AT&T and Verizon. That means the phones will start at $699 and $799, respectively, for T-Mobile customers as well, instead of the usual starting prices of $729 and $829 that Apple charges.
There’s been no small amount of confusion over Apple’s pricing for its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. During its announcement this week, Apple said that the phones would start at the lower $799 and $699 prices, but later, it became clear on the company’s website that those were in fact discounted prices being offered for AT&T and Verizon customers, with the full price of the phones actually starting at $729 and $829.
T-Mobile has added an additional offer for customers who buy through Apple, offering an extra $150 on top of Apple’s own trade-in offers when trading in an iPhone.
At first, it seemed like T-Mobile wouldn’t offer a similar discount for its customers, but the company now lists the same $30 discount for orders through Apple’s website — although, curiously, T-Mobile’s site still lists the full $829 price, at least for the iPhone 12.


theverge--2020-10-16--How to preorder the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro

Apple ’ s newest iPhones — the iPhone 12 , 12 mini , 12 Pro , and 12 Pro Max — were announced earlier this week , and they ’ ve generated a lot of interest from iPhone fans .
In fact , with this many iPhone models , it can be a bit overwhelming to decide which iPhone 12 model is best for you .
( To make things easier , my colleague Chaim Gartenberg wrote an in-depth article detailing key differences between the each model in the iPhone 12 line . )
Preorders for the iPhone 12 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phones will be released on Friday , October 23rd .
Below , we tell you where you can preorder them and what deals you can get from each vendor .
And if it ’ s the iPhone 12 mini or the 12 Pro Max that you ’ re after , preorders for both phones start on Friday , November 6th with shipments slated for Friday , November 13th .
We ’ ll have preorder links and pricing details for each carrier as we get closer to the release date .
Where to preorder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the iPhone 12 directly through Apple ’ s website starting at $ 799 .
If you have an iPhone 11 Pro Max , you can get up to $ 500 in credit toward your purchase thanks to Apple ’ s trade-in program .
• Verizon is offering a $ 30 discount if you purchase an iPhone 12 , knocking the starting price down to $ 799 or $ 33.33 per month for 24 months .
It ’ s offering up to $ 550 in trade-in credit for other select phones , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Like Verizon , AT & T is offering the iPhone 12 starting at $ 799 or $ 26.67 per month for 30 months .
AT & T is offering a promotion that will allow customers to get the phone for $ 0 with a trade-in on an eligible device .
• T-Mobile is offering the same promotion as Verizon and AT & T , with the iPhone 12 starting at $ 799 .
• Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 for $ 799 with Verizon or AT & T , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a line or create a new account .
If you have a phone to trade in , Best Buy is offering the iPhone 12 for free with eligible trade-ins .
• You can buy the iPhone 12 at Target , but the only carrier it ’ s currently offering is AT & T .
Where to preorder the iPhone 12 Pro • You can preorder the iPhone 12 Pro directly through Apple ’ s store page now starting at $ 999 .
If you are trading in an older iPhone , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward your purchase thanks to Apple ’ s trade-in program .
• Verizon is offering the iPhone 12 Pro at $ 999 or $ 41.66 per month .
It ’ s offering up to $ 550 in trade-in credit for other select phones , including the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus .
• AT & T is offering the iPhone 12 Pro starting at $ 999 or $ 33.34 per month .
If you are trading in an older phone , you can get up to $ 800 off the purchase , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 12 Pro with a starting price of $ 999 .
If you are a new customer or you are adding a line to your account , T-Mobile will give you up to $ 850 in bill credits .
For existing customers , you can get half off your iPhone 12 Pro in bill credits when upgrading to this model .
If you have been with T-Mobile or Sprint ( pre-merger ) for more than five years , you can receive and additional $ 200 off your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is offering the iPhone 12 Pro at $ 999 with Verizon or AT & T , or $ 899 with Sprint if you add a new line to the account or add a line to an existing account .
The retailer is offering a promotion to get the iPhone 12 Pro for as low as $ 6.67 a month with a eligible trade-in .
• Target has the iPhone 12 Pro up for preorder , but the only carrier currently available is AT & T .

Apple’s newest iPhones — the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max — were announced earlier this month, and they’ve generated a lot of interest from iPhone fans. In fact, with this many iPhone models, it can be a bit overwhelming to decide which iPhone 12 model is best for you. (To make things easier, my colleague Chaim Gartenberg wrote an in-depth article detailing key differences between the each model in the iPhone 12 line.)
The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are available for purchase online and in-store. Below, we tell you where you can order them and what deals you can get from each retailer.
And if it’s the iPhone 12 mini or the 12 Pro Max that you’re after, preorders for both phones start on Friday, November 6th with shipments slated for Friday, November 13th. We’ll have preorder links and pricing details for each carrier as we get closer to the release date.
iPhone 12 Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Where to buy the iPhone 12
Related How to choose between all the new iPhone 12 models
iPhone 12 Pro Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Where to buy the iPhone 12 Pro


theverge--2020-10-16--You can preorder the latest iPad Air starting today

Apple ’ s new iPad Air will be available to preorder today .
The new tablet , announced at last month ’ s Apple event , has a similar design to the iPad Pro but a lower starting price of $ 599 .
Announcing the preorder details , Apple confirmed the new tablet will be available beginning October 23rd , the same day as the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro .
In addition to its small bezels and squared-off edges , the iPad Air shares other features of the iPad Pro .
It uses USB-C rather than Lightning for charging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with iPad Pro accessories like the $ 299 Magic Keyboard and new $ 129 Apple Pencil , which attaches magnetically to the side of the device .
It ’ s also got a more modern Apple A14 Bionic processor , compared to the A12Z Bionic chip in this year ’ s iPad Pro , though the iPad Air has a six-core CPU rather than eight .
There are a couple of iPad Pro features that haven ’ t trickled down to the more affordable tablet , however .
There ’ s no Face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a Touch ID sensor built into the tablet ’ s side-mounted power button .
The Air ’ s 10.9-inch 2360 x 1640 display is also a little smaller than the 11-inch iPad Pro ’ s , and doesn ’ t have its high 120Hz refresh rate .
There ’ s also no LIDAR alongside the camera , a feature which can be useful for AR applications .
Unless you need those specific features , however , than the iPad Air has the potential to be a more affordable alternative .
We look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our full review .

In addition to its small bezels and squared-off edges, the iPad Air shares other features of the iPad Pro. It uses USB-C rather than Lightning for charging and connectivity, and it also works with iPad Pro accessories like the $299 Magic Keyboard and new $129 Apple Pencil, which attaches magnetically to the side of the device. It’s also got a more modern Apple A14 Bionic processor, compared to the A12Z Bionic chip in this year’s iPad Pro, though the iPad Air has a six-core CPU rather than eight.
There are a couple of iPad Pro features that haven’t trickled down to the more affordable tablet, however. There’s no Face ID this time around; instead you get a Touch ID sensor built into the tablet’s side-mounted power button. The Air’s 10.9-inch 2360 x 1640 display is also a little smaller than the 11-inch iPad Pro’s, and doesn’t have its high 120Hz refresh rate. There’s also no LIDAR alongside the camera, a feature which can be useful for AR applications.


theverge--2020-10-16--Google is making US voting locations easier to find via search and its Assistant

Google is adding new election features to its voice assistant , Google Search , and Google Maps , to make it easier for US citizens to find voting locations ahead of the election next month .
In Google Search , queries like “ early voting locations ” and “ ballot drop boxes near me ” will give details about where you can vote in person or return mail-in ballots , while asking the Google Assistant where to vote will “ soon ” provide relevant information on your phone , speaker , or smart display , Google says .
Then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Google says its Maps service can now give you directions to voting or ballot drop box locations , and will provide information about voting hours .
Google Maps will provide information on voting hours and locations Information like this is especially important this year given many more voters are expected to use mail-in ballots in light of the pandemic .
Google says it has partnered with the Voting Information Project to source the voting location information , and plans to list over 200,000 voting locations nationwide .
In cases where this information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google says it will point users towards state and local election websites .
As well as proactively providing voting information , Google and its subsidiaries are also attempting to limit the spread of voting misinformation , including claims about mail-in voting .
Just last month , YouTube unveiled new rules targeting misinformation about mail-in voting .
However , Google was criticized back in August for failing to remove misleading ads about voting by mail .
President Trump has repeatedly claimed that mail voting will result in fraud .

Google is adding new election features to its voice assistant, Google Search, and Google Maps, to make it easier for US citizens to find voting locations ahead of the election next month. In Google Search, queries like “early voting locations” and “ballot drop boxes near me” will give details about where you can vote in person or return mail-in ballots, while asking the Google Assistant where to vote will “soon” provide relevant information on your phone, speaker, or smart display, Google says.
Then, once you’ve found a location, Google says its Maps service can now give you directions to voting or ballot drop box locations, and will provide information about voting hours.
Google Maps will provide information on voting hours and locations
Information like this is especially important this year given many more voters are expected to use mail-in ballots in light of the pandemic. Google says it has partnered with the Voting Information Project to source the voting location information, and plans to list over 200,000 voting locations nationwide. In cases where this information is not available to provide directly, Google says it will point users towards state and local election websites.


theverge--2020-10-16--Sony Xperia 5 II review: the right tool for the right jobs

More than any other smartphone I ’ ve used this year , the Sony Xperia 5 II feels like a tool .
It ’ s not just that it has a very understated design ( though this definitely plays a part ) , it ’ s that Sony ’ s whole approach is to give you as much control over the phone as possible .
Control over how it looks , and sounds , and takes photos and video .
Like any tool , though , you get more out of the Xperia 5 II when you ’ re prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workman never blames their tools , after all .
But I ’ d wager that most people who are paying $ 949 ( £799 / €899 ) for a phone are probably looking for a device that ’ s prepared to meet them halfway , and can handle most jobs on default or automatic settings .
That ’ s what I want to see if the Xperia 5 II can accomplish .
The Xperia 5 II goes on sale on December 4th in the US , and is available in Europe from this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much I like the Xperia 5 II ’ s design .
The combination of Sony ’ s trademark 21:9 aspect ratio with a slightly smaller 6.1-inch display compared to the larger Xperia 1 , makes for a pleasantly narrow phone that fits in the hand nicely without feeling cramped to use .
This screen is only 1080p this time around , but at this size I don ’ t think you ’ re left wanting extra resolution .
At the top and bottom of the display you ’ ll find bezels a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these days , and that means there are no notches or hole-punch cutouts to speak of .
You get a stereo pair of capable front-facing speakers which sound less echoey than their downward-firing competitors .
Up top you ’ ll find a headphone jack , which is a great inclusion and almost unheard of in a premium-priced smartphone these days , and around back there ’ s an understated camera bump housing the phone ’ s main , ultrawide , and telephoto lenses .
If you want a phone that ’ s guaranteed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably it .
Like I said , it ’ s a tool .
As well as volume controls and a side-mounted power and fingerprint sensor combo button , there are both dedicated camera shutter and Google Assistant buttons on the side of the phone .
Given Sony ’ s photography ambitions for the 5 II , I ’ ll allow it the physical shutter control , but the Google Assistant button feels unnecessary — especially in a position that ’ s too low to be convenient to press .
The Xperia 5 II @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes it hard to reach the top of the screen when using it one-handed , but you get a lot more useful screen real estate across many apps like Twitter or Gmail .
Personally , I like that it gives me enough space to split-screen my Aeropress recipe generator app with a stopwatch app for making coffee , but I ’ m probably the only one doing that .
Beyond its aspect ratio , the HDR-compatible OLED screen is bright , colorful , and a pleasure to watch videos on , and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and responsive to use .
Internally , aside from the increasingly-rare microSD storage expansion , you ’ ll find a typical array of specs for the price , including a Snapdragon 865 processor , 8GB of RAM , 128GB of storage ( there ’ s also a 256GB version , but it ’ s exclusive to Asia ) , and a 4,000mAh battery .
There ’ s no support for wireless charging , an annoying omission at this price , and if you ’ re buying the phone in the US then there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( in Europe you get sub-6GHz support , but no millimeter wave ) .
No wireless charging , and no 5G in the US Given the state of 5G coverage at the moment , our advice tends to be that it ’ s not worth paying extra for 5G if a less expensive phone otherwise fits your needs .
But on the flip side , if you ’ re paying $ 949 for a phone at this point in 2020 , then it seems a little ridiculous for it to not to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to handle most of the jobs you ’ re going to need it for right now , but no 5G in the US means it could soon fall behind .
I didn ’ t encounter any battery problems with the Xperia 5 II .
The phone easily got me through a day of working from home featuring plenty of Twitter , Slack , Gmail , and YouTube use , with around 40 to 50 percent of charge left when I plugged it in at night .
Sony ’ s take on Android 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving you extra settings to tweak .
( The company was unable to confirm when an update to Android 11 might arrive . )
Sony gives you a wild amount of control over the phone display ’ s white balance settings , for example , and there ’ s a Dolby Atmos EQ menu in the settings if you want to tune how the phone ’ s audio sounds .
There ’ s a lot you can customize to make the Xperia 5 II the right tool for your needs .
I wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of apps that come preinstalled on the phone , however .
That includes apps like LinkedIn which can be disabled but not easily uninstalled .
It ’ s especially annoying when so much of the Xperia 5 II is designed to put control into your hands .
Sony ’ s approach to smartphone photography is twofold .
First , when left to its own devices , it tends to prioritize accuracy over vivid , colorful photographs .
That often results in a less punchy looking image than you get from most phones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in editing after the fact .
The Xperia 5 II has three rear cameras : a main , ultrawide , and telephoto If you want to fully do things your own way , Sony is also prepared to let you .
Its pro photography mode gives you huge amounts of control over how you take photos , giving you an experience modeled after its standalone mirrorless Alpha cameras .
There are a lot of controls to dig into if you want them , but they might feel too involved for someone who just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of friends and get a nice photograph .
First , though , let ’ s talk about hardware .
The Xperia 5 II includes three rear cameras ; a main camera with a large 1/1.7-inch sensor , an ultrawide camera with a 124-degree field of view , and a telephoto with 3x optical zoom .
What ’ s nice here is that they all have the same resolution , 12 megapixels , which means you don ’ t see a marked change in detail when you switch between them .
In daylight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can sometimes look a little flat .
It ’ s accuracy over excitement .
Weirdly , the exception to this seems to be people , where Sony ’ s handset seems to want to brighten your skin and smooth it out , even with the camera ’ s “ Soft Skin Effect ” option turned off .
Even if you ’ re using the standard camera app , you still get a responsive eye auto-focus system , and burst shooting of up to 10fps .
I found the combination of fast eye-tracked autofocus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular .
Low light photography is where Sony ’ s approach to photography is most obvious .
By default , the camera app won ’ t brighten your night shots so much that they look like they were taken in daylight .
Instead , you get accurate photos that the camera takes a moment to process each time .
It ’ s a very different experience from a phone like the Pixel 4 , where you can tap the shutter button and immediately get a clear , bright photo , even at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photography mode and a whole wealth of options opens up .
There are white balance , auto-focus , exposure , burst shooting , flash , and HDR settings aplenty , letting you control almost every aspect of your photography .
It ’ s enough that you can get just about any look for your photos if you ’ re prepared to put the work in , including making night shots look clear as day .
But the whole process can be a little involved , and it ’ s frustrating if you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out their phone and reliably get a crisp , clear shot every time .
You get a similar level of control when it comes to filming video , where you have the option of recording at up to 120fps slow-motion in 4K .
I was particularly impressed with the focus pulling settings , which are fun to play around with .
For the most part , though , I think most people will be happy with recording video in the regular camera app .
You can get good photographs out of the Sony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to work to get them to look the way you want .
Its cameras are powerful tools , but they ’ re not going to do the work for you .
Sony has a very particular idea about the kind of phone it wants the Xperia 5 II to be .
Although it matches many of its flagship competitors in terms of specs , its most interesting features surround the amount of control it gives you .
There are advanced camera features and audio visual modes to really tailor the experience to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to want these advanced settings to justify the Xperia 5 II ’ s relatively high $ 949 price tag in the US .
At that price it should really include 5G support as well as wireless charging .
These trade-offs might be more worthwhile at a lower price , but not with a near-thousand-dollar price tag .
In Europe I think the €899 / £799 price makes a lot more sense given you get 5G support , but the lack of wireless charging remains .
Sony ’ s Xperia 5 II feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s expensive and sometimes makes you work to get the most out of it .
That makes it the right tool for plenty of jobs , but not necessarily the right tool for a smartphone ’ s job .

More than any other smartphone I’ve used this year, the Sony Xperia 5 II feels like a tool. It’s not just that it has a very understated design (though this definitely plays a part), it’s that Sony’s whole approach is to give you as much control over the phone as possible. Control over how it looks, and sounds, and takes photos and video.
Like any tool, though, you get more out of the Xperia 5 II when you’re prepared to put more in. A good workman never blames their tools, after all. But I’d wager that most people who are paying $949 (£799 / €899) for a phone are probably looking for a device that’s prepared to meet them halfway, and can handle most jobs on default or automatic settings. That’s what I want to see if the Xperia 5 II can accomplish.
The Xperia 5 II goes on sale on December 4th in the US, and is available in Europe from this week.
I cannot overstate how much I like the Xperia 5 II’s design. The combination of Sony’s trademark 21:9 aspect ratio with a slightly smaller 6.1-inch display compared to the larger Xperia 1, makes for a pleasantly narrow phone that fits in the hand nicely without feeling cramped to use. This screen is only 1080p this time around, but at this size I don’t think you’re left wanting extra resolution.
At the top and bottom of the display you’ll find bezels a little bigger than many other flagships opt for these days, and that means there are no notches or hole-punch cutouts to speak of. You get a stereo pair of capable front-facing speakers which sound less echoey than their downward-firing competitors.
Up top you’ll find a headphone jack, which is a great inclusion and almost unheard of in a premium-priced smartphone these days, and around back there’s an understated camera bump housing the phone’s main, ultrawide, and telephoto lenses. If you want a phone that’s guaranteed to not turn heads then this is probably it. Like I said, it’s a tool.
The Xperia 5 II’s bezels are a little big compared to its competitors. There’s an understated camera bump on the rear. Plus a headphone jack up top.
As well as volume controls and a side-mounted power and fingerprint sensor combo button, there are both dedicated camera shutter and Google Assistant buttons on the side of the phone. Given Sony’s photography ambitions for the 5 II, I’ll allow it the physical shutter control, but the Google Assistant button feels unnecessary — especially in a position that’s too low to be convenient to press.
The Xperia 5 II’s screen’s aspect ratio makes it hard to reach the top of the screen when using it one-handed, but you get a lot more useful screen real estate across many apps like Twitter or Gmail. Personally, I like that it gives me enough space to split-screen my Aeropress recipe generator app with a stopwatch app for making coffee, but I’m probably the only one doing that. Beyond its aspect ratio, the HDR-compatible OLED screen is bright, colorful, and a pleasure to watch videos on, and its 120Hz refresh rate means it feels smooth and responsive to use.
Internally, aside from the increasingly-rare microSD storage expansion, you’ll find a typical array of specs for the price, including a Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage (there’s also a 256GB version, but it’s exclusive to Asia), and a 4,000mAh battery. There’s no support for wireless charging, an annoying omission at this price, and if you’re buying the phone in the US then there’s also no support for 5G (in Europe you get sub-6GHz support, but no millimeter wave).
No wireless charging, and no 5G in the US
Given the state of 5G coverage at the moment, our advice tends to be that it’s not worth paying extra for 5G if a less expensive phone otherwise fits your needs. But on the flip side, if you’re paying $949 for a phone at this point in 2020, then it seems a little ridiculous for it to not to support 5G. The phone has the specs to handle most of the jobs you’re going to need it for right now, but no 5G in the US means it could soon fall behind.
I didn’t encounter any battery problems with the Xperia 5 II. The phone easily got me through a day of working from home featuring plenty of Twitter, Slack, Gmail, and YouTube use, with around 40 to 50 percent of charge left when I plugged it in at night.
Sony’s take on Android 10 is restrained, and mainly consists of giving you extra settings to tweak. (The company was unable to confirm when an update to Android 11 might arrive.) Sony gives you a wild amount of control over the phone display’s white balance settings, for example, and there’s a Dolby Atmos EQ menu in the settings if you want to tune how the phone’s audio sounds. There’s a lot you can customize to make the Xperia 5 II the right tool for your needs.
I wasn’t a fan of the number of apps that come preinstalled on the phone, however. That includes apps like LinkedIn which can be disabled but not easily uninstalled. It’s especially annoying when so much of the Xperia 5 II is designed to put control into your hands.
There’s one too many buttons on the phone’s right side. A 21:9 display gives you more options for split-screening.
Sony’s approach to smartphone photography is twofold. First, when left to its own devices, it tends to prioritize accuracy over vivid, colorful photographs. That often results in a less punchy looking image than you get from most phones, but you can always tweak the image in editing after the fact.
The Xperia 5 II has three rear cameras: a main, ultrawide, and telephoto
If you want to fully do things your own way, Sony is also prepared to let you. Its pro photography mode gives you huge amounts of control over how you take photos, giving you an experience modeled after its standalone mirrorless Alpha cameras. There are a lot of controls to dig into if you want them, but they might feel too involved for someone who just wants to point their phone at a group of friends and get a nice photograph.
First, though, let’s talk about hardware. The Xperia 5 II includes three rear cameras; a main camera with a large 1/1.7-inch sensor, an ultrawide camera with a 124-degree field of view, and a telephoto with 3x optical zoom. What’s nice here is that they all have the same resolution, 12 megapixels, which means you don’t see a marked change in detail when you switch between them.
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1 / 19 Main camera, taken with burst mode. Previous Next
1 / 19 Main camera, taken with burst mode.
In daylight you get detailed photographs, but these can sometimes look a little flat. It’s accuracy over excitement. Weirdly, the exception to this seems to be people, where Sony’s handset seems to want to brighten your skin and smooth it out, even with the camera’s “Soft Skin Effect” option turned off. Even if you’re using the standard camera app, you still get a responsive eye auto-focus system, and burst shooting of up to 10fps. I found the combination of fast eye-tracked autofocus and burst photography great for photographing pets in particular.
Low light photography is where Sony’s approach to photography is most obvious. By default, the camera app won’t brighten your night shots so much that they look like they were taken in daylight. Instead, you get accurate photos that the camera takes a moment to process each time. It’s a very different experience from a phone like the Pixel 4, where you can tap the shutter button and immediately get a clear, bright photo, even at night.
The pro photography mode gives you a wealth of controls.
Swap over to the advanced photography mode and a whole wealth of options opens up. There are white balance, auto-focus, exposure, burst shooting, flash, and HDR settings aplenty, letting you control almost every aspect of your photography. It’s enough that you can get just about any look for your photos if you’re prepared to put the work in, including making night shots look clear as day. But the whole process can be a little involved, and it’s frustrating if you’re someone who just wants to whip out their phone and reliably get a crisp, clear shot every time.
You get a similar level of control when it comes to filming video, where you have the option of recording at up to 120fps slow-motion in 4K. I was particularly impressed with the focus pulling settings, which are fun to play around with. For the most part, though, I think most people will be happy with recording video in the regular camera app.
You can get good photographs out of the Sony Xperia 5 II, but you sometimes have to work to get them to look the way you want. Its cameras are powerful tools, but they’re not going to do the work for you.
It’s not a phone that’ll turn heads. It can be hard to reach the top of the screen when using the phone one-handed.
Sony has a very particular idea about the kind of phone it wants the Xperia 5 II to be. Although it matches many of its flagship competitors in terms of specs, its most interesting features surround the amount of control it gives you. There are advanced camera features and audio visual modes to really tailor the experience to your needs.
But I think you have to want these advanced settings to justify the Xperia 5 II’s relatively high $949 price tag in the US. At that price it should really include 5G support as well as wireless charging. These trade-offs might be more worthwhile at a lower price, but not with a near-thousand-dollar price tag. In Europe I think the €899 / £799 price makes a lot more sense given you get 5G support, but the lack of wireless charging remains.
Sony’s Xperia 5 II feels like a very capable tool, but it’s expensive and sometimes makes you work to get the most out of it. That makes it the right tool for plenty of jobs, but not necessarily the right tool for a smartphone’s job.
Agree to Continue: Sony Xperia 5 II Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To use the Sony Xperia 1 II, you must agree to: Google Terms of Service
Google Play Terms of Service
Google Privacy Policy (included in ToS)
Install apps and updates: “You agree this device may also automatically download and install updates and apps from Google, your carrier, and your device’s manufacturer, possibly using cellular data.”
Agree that you are “aware” of warranty, safety, and the existence of data costs. The following agreements are optional: Agreement to share diagnostics with Sony which is handled in accordance with its privacy policy.
Share location data with Google.
Back up to Google Drive.
Allow apps and services scanning even when Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is off.
Send usage and diagnostic data Other features like Google Pay and Google Assistant may require additional agreements. Final tally: five mandatory agreements and at least five optional agreements.


theverge--2020-10-16--Your brand new Oculus Quest 2 can’t play Oculus Go games, John Carmack confirms

If you bought a new Oculus Quest 2 with the hopes of experiencing games from the now-discontinued Oculus Go , I have bad news : the company has decided not to include support for Go titles on the Quest 2 , Oculus ’ consulting CTO John Carmack confirms on Twitter .
When the Oculus Quest 2 launched three days ago , some people noticed there was no feature on the UI that allowed users to access Go apps and games , something the original Quest headset featured .
Carmack did not go into much detail on why support was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totally lost the internal debate over backwards compatibility.
” The Oculus Go was discontinued in June , but last year , Carmack tweeted out that Oculus planned to bring Go emulation to the Quest , allowing users to play games originally released on the Go onto its then-flagship virtual reality headset .
Not every app and game released on the Go was backwards compatible , but Quest owners had access to a decent library of titles released on Oculus ’ first standalone headset , which was accessible through the Quest ’ user interface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended following the reveal of the Quest 2 in September .

If you bought a new Oculus Quest 2 with the hopes of experiencing games from the now-discontinued Oculus Go, I have bad news: the company has decided not to include support for Go titles on the Quest 2, Oculus’ consulting CTO John Carmack confirms on Twitter.
When the Oculus Quest 2 launched three days ago, some people noticed there was no feature on the UI that allowed users to access Go apps and games, something the original Quest headset featured. Carmack did not go into much detail on why support was not added other than “[he] totally lost the internal debate over backwards compatibility.”


theverge--2020-10-16--Sony clears up when and how it’ll listen to recordings of PS5 voice chats

Sony has clarified more details surrounding a controversial new PlayStation voice chat recording feature , first mentioned in its recent 8.0 update earlier this week , after some users were led to believe the company would be actively recording and moderating conversations among private groups .
In a new blog post published Friday , Catherine Jensen , Sony ’ s vice president of global consumer experience , admits the company “ should have more clearly explained why this function was being rolled out.
” Jensen now confirms Sony will not be actively listening in on voice chats whatsoever when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Its sole purpose is to help in reporting of inappropriate behavior , including actions that violate our Community Code of Conduct , ” she writes .
“ Please note that this feature will not actively monitor or listen in on your conversations – ever – and it ’ s strictly reserved for reporting online abuse or harassment.
” “ Please note that this feature will not actively monitor or listen in on your conversations – ever.
” Instead , the company says the feature will record the past five minutes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basis .
That way , if a user encounters harassment or anything they feel violates Sony ’ s rules around player behavior , they can submit up to a 40-second clip for Sony ’ s moderation team to review .
That will include 20 seconds of the potentially offending behavior as selected by the user , with 10 seconds before and 10 seconds after the selected segment for added context .
“ These reports can be submitted directly through the PS5 console , and will be sent to our Consumer Experience team for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recording and take action , if needed .
Some submitted reports won ’ t be valid , and our team will take this as an opportunity to provide guidance and education , ” Jensen explains .
She goes on to say that there will not be the option to opt-out of voice chat recording , because Sony wants “ all users to feel safe when playing with others online , not just those who choose to enable it .
”

Sony has clarified more details surrounding a controversial new PlayStation voice chat recording feature, first mentioned in its recent 8.0 update earlier this week, after some users were led to believe the company would be actively recording and moderating conversations among private groups.
In a new blog post published Friday, Catherine Jensen, Sony’s vice president of global consumer experience, admits the company “should have more clearly explained why this function was being rolled out.”
Jensen now confirms Sony will not be actively listening in on voice chats whatsoever when the feature launches with the PS5 next month. “Its sole purpose is to help in reporting of inappropriate behavior, including actions that violate our Community Code of Conduct,” she writes. “Please note that this feature will not actively monitor or listen in on your conversations – ever – and it’s strictly reserved for reporting online abuse or harassment.”
“Please note that this feature will not actively monitor or listen in on your conversations – ever.”
Instead, the company says the feature will record the past five minutes of any private voice chat on a rolling basis. That way, if a user encounters harassment or anything they feel violates Sony’s rules around player behavior, they can submit up to a 40-second clip for Sony’s moderation team to review. That will include 20 seconds of the potentially offending behavior as selected by the user, with 10 seconds before and 10 seconds after the selected segment for added context.
“These reports can be submitted directly through the PS5 console, and will be sent to our Consumer Experience team for moderation, who will then listen to the recording and take action, if needed. Some submitted reports won’t be valid, and our team will take this as an opportunity to provide guidance and education,” Jensen explains.


theverge--2020-10-16--Tesla’s seven-day return policy has been quietly removed

Tesla has reportedly canceled an audacious return policy in which new buyers of its electric vehicles could return them for a full refund within seven days .
The news , reported on Friday by Electrek , marks an end to one of CEO Elon Musk ’ s flashier marketing strategies .
Musk has used the seven-day return policy as a way to boast about Tesla ’ s high customer satisfaction rates , with the company so confident new buyers would be happy with their purchase that they wouldn ’ t take Tesla up on its bold offer , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry .
The policy also bolstered the idea that Tesla cars are like consumer electronics products — you could order and customize them online and have them delivered to your door , like an Amazon package , and then return it if you were unsatisfied .
Electrek doesn ’ t list a concrete reason for why Tesla removed the policy , only reporting that it was removed some time yesterday and any mention of it is now scrubbed from the company ’ s website .
Electrek reports that new buyers wishing to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through the customer service department , and it ’ s unclear what types of situations may warrant a full or even partial refund after purchase .
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Earlier this month , Electrek reported that Tesla had dissolved its public relations department , making press inquires more difficult as there is no longer a dedicated person fielding such requests .

Tesla has reportedly canceled an audacious return policy in which new buyers of its electric vehicles could return them for a full refund within seven days. The news, reported on Friday by Electrek, marks an end to one of CEO Elon Musk’s flashier marketing strategies.
Musk has used the seven-day return policy as a way to boast about Tesla’s high customer satisfaction rates, with the company so confident new buyers would be happy with their purchase that they wouldn’t take Tesla up on its bold offer, which is practically unheard of in the standard automobile industry. The policy also bolstered the idea that Tesla cars are like consumer electronics products — you could order and customize them online and have them delivered to your door, like an Amazon package, and then return it if you were unsatisfied.
Electrek doesn’t list a concrete reason for why Tesla removed the policy, only reporting that it was removed some time yesterday and any mention of it is now scrubbed from the company’s website. Electrek reports that new buyers wishing to return a Tesla vehicle will now have to go through the customer service department, and it’s unclear what types of situations may warrant a full or even partial refund after purchase.


theverge--2020-10-16--Go read this story about the ‘heat gap’ deepening the world’s divisions

I will never look at a cantaloupe the same way again , thanks to Vann Newkirk II ’ s latest story in The Atlantic , “ Earth ’ s New Gilded Era.
” The fruit brings back some of my favorite summer memories with my mom , who makes a juice with it that Filipinos lovingly call “ melon ” — pronounced with a long , rolling L ( “ mell-lown ” ) so that the name is as satisfying to say as the juice is to drink on a hot day .
Newkirk ’ s story is a tale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fruit ’ s journey from the fields where it ’ s harvested by people working in scorching heat , to a hotel breakfast buffet where the melon is a refreshing snack for summer vacationers .
The contrast is just one illustration of the many ways heat will draw the lines between the world ’ s haves and have-nots as climate change wreaks havoc on the planet .
“ The heat gap will be a defining manifestation of inequality ” “ In the coming century , when wealth inequality will likely increase and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shrink , the heat gap between rich and poor might be the world ’ s most daunting challenge , ” Newkirk writes .
“ In a hot world , the heat gap will be a defining manifestation of inequality.
” Newkirk draws out the different ways heat plays an insidious role in systemic racism , classism , and sexism .
He looks at “ mass fainting events ” in Bangladesh and Cambodia that affected a largely female workforce making clothes and shoes in hot factories .
The alarming phenomenon has been cast off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is when I get “ hysterical ” enough to nearly throw my laptop against the wall in outrage .
Even though the sexist term was banished from diagnostic manuals 40 years ago , it keeps popping up as a way to discredit women , and in this case , dismiss their very real concerns about increasingly oppressive working conditions .
Wealthy countries like the US aren ’ t immune Wealthy countries like the US aren ’ t immune from the ways rising temperatures exacerbate inequity , Newkirk writes .
I live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve written in the past about New York ’ s urban heat islands , neighborhoods built in a way that makes them warmer than surrounding areas .
A disproportionate number of Black people die here each year during heat waves as a result .
Newkirk travels even further back in time to explore how racist redlining policies “ placed ” communities of color in literally the hottest spots in their cities .
And then he brings us to today ’ s protests against racism and police brutality and explains why rising temperatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder for Black people to breathe in this country .
If some of these connections seem like a stretch , reading Newkirk ’ s story will connect the dots .
If it already makes perfect sense to you based on all the ways you experience the world — either as a person of color , immigrant , woman , worker , or anyone already feeling the searing heat of climate change — it ’ s still affirming , alarming , and worth your time .

I will never look at a cantaloupe the same way again, thanks to Vann Newkirk II’s latest story in The Atlantic, “Earth’s New Gilded Era.” The fruit brings back some of my favorite summer memories with my mom, who makes a juice with it that Filipinos lovingly call “melon” — pronounced with a long, rolling L (“mell-lown”) so that the name is as satisfying to say as the juice is to drink on a hot day.
Newkirk’s story is a tale of two cantaloupes: he follows the fruit’s journey from the fields where it’s harvested by people working in scorching heat, to a hotel breakfast buffet where the melon is a refreshing snack for summer vacationers. The contrast is just one illustration of the many ways heat will draw the lines between the world’s haves and have-nots as climate change wreaks havoc on the planet.
“The heat gap will be a defining manifestation of inequality”
“In the coming century, when wealth inequality will likely increase and the spaces where humans can live comfortably will shrink, the heat gap between rich and poor might be the world’s most daunting challenge,” Newkirk writes. “In a hot world, the heat gap will be a defining manifestation of inequality.”
Newkirk draws out the different ways heat plays an insidious role in systemic racism, classism, and sexism. He looks at “mass fainting events” in Bangladesh and Cambodia that affected a largely female workforce making clothes and shoes in hot factories. The alarming phenomenon has been cast off as “hysteria,” Newkirk writes, which is when I get “hysterical” enough to nearly throw my laptop against the wall in outrage. Even though the sexist term was banished from diagnostic manuals 40 years ago, it keeps popping up as a way to discredit women, and in this case, dismiss their very real concerns about increasingly oppressive working conditions.
Wealthy countries like the US aren’t immune
Wealthy countries like the US aren’t immune from the ways rising temperatures exacerbate inequity, Newkirk writes. I live in New York City, and I’ve written in the past about New York’s urban heat islands, neighborhoods built in a way that makes them warmer than surrounding areas. A disproportionate number of Black people die here each year during heat waves as a result. Newkirk travels even further back in time to explore how racist redlining policies “placed” communities of color in literally the hottest spots in their cities. And then he brings us to today’s protests against racism and police brutality and explains why rising temperatures contribute to the many factors making it harder for Black people to breathe in this country.