theverge--2020-12-15--The pandemic ruined time

The pandemic ruined time

I ’ m told that March lasted 31 days this year , just like it did last year .
Each of those days supposedly had 24 hours , like every other day this year , and that those hours each held the same number of minutes .
The seconds allegedly ticked by , methodically , one by one .
The calendar for 2020 is made up of uniform blocks , but that ’ s not what my mental map of the year looks like .
In my head , the year looks like the calendar version of a homunculus — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where each part is sized based on how much of the brain is devoted to controlling it .
The hands on a homunculus are enormous , and the elbow is disproportionately miniature .
In my mental map of the year , the summer is compressed and small ; the week of the election balloons off the page ; and March swells to crowd out February , April , and May .
March is when the full weight of the COVID-19 pandemic first settled on the United States .
Watching the virus take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching the world snap shut was disorienting .
March set the tone for a year characterized by uncertainty , confusion , stress , and anxiety — all of which mess with the way we experience the passage of time .
“ It ’ s very common for people in the midst of a traumatic experience to report that they feel like time is slowing down or stopping , ” says Alison Holman , who studies trauma and time perception at the University of California , Irvine .
“ All of a sudden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s pace.
” Many people who are in accidents like car crashes say that the incident felt longer than it actually was .
First-time skydivers who report high levels of fear before their jump say that they feel like they ’ re falling for longer than divers who are less scared .
Those anecdotes are backed up by more objective experiments : researchers show that when people see pictures in the lab for the same amount of time , they still think that they ’ re looking at scary images ( like of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re looking at neutral images .
People given a mild shock between two clicks of a stopwatch think the stretch of time covered is longer than people who don ’ t get the shock .
“ Emotions distort perceptions of time , ” says Kyla Rankin , who studies uncertainty and well-being in the University of California , Riverside department of psychology .
A network of regions in the brain govern how we feel the seconds tick by , and researchers are starting to understand how the circuits involved in feelings like surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
While the mechanics are still under investigation , the subjective experience is more well known .
Rankin , for instance , tracks disturbances in how people perceive time over longer stretches than are covered in lab experiments — months , rather than minutes — by following college students waiting for exam results or lawyers waiting to find out if they passed the bar exam .
“ That ’ s four months , ” Rankin says .
“ We took more of a subjective approach to ask about the amount of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to be forever ?
Or do you feel like you ’ re going to get your results before you know it ?
” People who were more worried about their bar exam results felt like time was passing more slowly , she found .
The two spiral together : people who are worried feel like time is moving more slowly , and the more slowly time seems to be passing , the worse they say they ’ re coping .
For that reason , Rankin says people who had more pandemic-related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
People working on the front lines of the pandemic in hospitals , or who lost friends or family to COVID-19 , might have a more unstable sense of time than people who were able to work from home and didn ’ t lose loved ones .
“ Time perception is affected by stress , and stress affects time perception , ” she says .
Stress has also robbed us of another anchor that grounds us in time : a conception of the future .
When jobs are unstable , school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rules regularly shift , it ’ s hard to envision what might happen next .
A sense of the future is central to our ability to get up in the morning A sense of the future is central to our ability to get up in the morning and confidently go about the day , Holman says .
“ What we ’ re doing today , what we ’ re doing tonight , what we ’ re doing tomorrow , we have a sense of that — and those things motivate us and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ When you mess with a person ’ s sense of time , and just chop off a future , you ’ ve disrupted the whole balance.
” When people experience this ‘ temporal disintegration ’ in response to a traumatic event , they run the risk of getting mentally stuck on that point in time .
“ Time isn ’ t moving forward for them in the same way it normally does , ” she says .
“ That ends up making them more distressed , because they stay focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlike any other traumatic event , she says — it ’ s a chronic stressor , extended over a long period of time , and punctuated by moments of intensity .
“ People may be going through their lockdown , or whatever they ’ re going through , and then someone in their family gets sick , or gets hospitalized , or dies .
And that ’ s an acute stress , ” she says .
That may distort time in unique ways , and Holman is conducting research to try to understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant that for some people , the disintegrated state of time could have lingered through the year .
“ I would expect that the distorted perceptions of time would likely persist as the chronic stressors persist , if they ’ re really serious , like the pandemic , ” she says .
It could be similar to the way people living with chronic depression tend to feel changes in time perception for as long as they ’ re having symptoms .
It ’ s December now , and I ’ m still feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forever — eventually , things should recalibrate , Holman says .
Once a stressor ends , people usually regain their footing in time .
After a car crash , time can recalibrate within a few hours or days .
That will carry into the future but won ’ t retroactively modify the memories we have from the year .
Mine are few and far between — March is vivid , but the rest feels blurry and punctuated by moments that feel like they might have happened in another lifetime .
The strange way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recollections of it a disorienting glare , as well .
“ I would guess that for this year , it ’ ll be hard to remember the details , ” Holman says .

I’m told that March lasted 31 days this year, just like it did last year. Each of those days supposedly had 24 hours, like every other day this year, and those hours each held the same number of minutes. The seconds allegedly ticked by, methodically, one by one.
The calendar for 2020 is made up of uniform blocks, but that’s not what my mental map of the year looks like. In my head, the year looks like the calendar version of a homunculus — a distorted version of the human body, where each part is sized based on how much of the brain is devoted to controlling it. The hands on a homunculus are enormous, and the elbow is disproportionately miniature. In my mental map of the year, the summer is compressed and small; the week of the election balloons off the page; and March swells to crowd out February, April, and May.
March is when the full weight of the COVID-19 pandemic first settled on the United States. Watching the virus take hold was sudden and scary, and watching the world snap shut was disorienting. March set the tone for a year characterized by uncertainty, confusion, stress, and anxiety — all of which mess with the way we experience the passage of time.
“It’s very common for people in the midst of a traumatic experience to report that they feel like time is slowing down or stopping,” says Alison Holman, who studies trauma and time perception at the University of California, Irvine. “All of a sudden, everything is just at a snail’s pace.”
Many people who are in accidents like car crashes say that the incident felt longer than it actually was. First-time skydivers who report high levels of fear before their jump say that they feel like they’re falling for longer than divers who are less scared. Those anecdotes are backed up by more objective experiments: researchers show that when people see pictures in the lab for the same amount of time, they still think that they’re looking at scary images (like of snakes) for longer than they’re looking at neutral images. People given a mild shock between two clicks of a stopwatch think the stretch of time covered is longer than people who don’t get the shock.
“Emotions distort perceptions of time”
“Emotions distort perceptions of time,” says Kyla Rankin, who studies uncertainty and well-being in the University of California, Riverside department of psychology. A network of regions in the brain govern how we feel the seconds tick by, and researchers are starting to understand how the circuits involved in feelings like surprise, fear, or stress interact with them. While the mechanics are still under investigation, the subjective experience is more well known.
Rankin, for instance, tracks disturbances in how people perceive time over longer stretches than are covered in lab experiments — months, rather than minutes — by following college students waiting for exam results or lawyers waiting to find out if they passed the bar exam.
“That’s four months,” Rankin says. “We took more of a subjective approach to ask about the amount of time — do you feel like it’s going to be forever? Or do you feel like you’re going to get your results before you know it?” People who were more worried about their bar exam results felt like time was passing more slowly, she found. The two spiral together: people who are worried feel like time is moving more slowly, and the more slowly time seems to be passing, the worse they say they’re coping.
For that reason, Rankin says people who had more pandemic-related distress might have experienced more time distortion this year. People working on the front lines of the pandemic in hospitals, or who lost friends or family to COVID-19, might have a more unstable sense of time than people who were able to work from home and didn’t lose loved ones. “Time perception is affected by stress, and stress affects time perception,” she says.
Stress has also robbed us of another anchor that grounds us in time: a conception of the future. When jobs are unstable, school schedules are up in the air, and rules regularly shift, it’s hard to envision what might happen next.
A sense of the future is central to our ability to get up in the morning
A sense of the future is central to our ability to get up in the morning and confidently go about the day, Holman says. “What we’re doing today, what we’re doing tonight, what we’re doing tomorrow, we have a sense of that — and those things motivate us and keep us going,” she says. “When you mess with a person’s sense of time, and just chop off a future, you’ve disrupted the whole balance.”
When people experience this ‘temporal disintegration’ in response to a traumatic event, they run the risk of getting mentally stuck on that point in time. “Time isn’t moving forward for them in the same way it normally does,” she says. “That ends up making them more distressed, because they stay focused on this negative event.”
This year is unlike any other traumatic event, she says — it’s a chronic stressor, extended over a long period of time and punctuated by moments of intensity. “People may be going through their lockdown, or whatever they’re going through, and then someone in their family gets sick, or gets hospitalized, or dies. And that’s an acute stress,” she says. That may distort time in unique ways, and Holman is conducting research to try to understand how.
The constant, unrelenting stress meant that for some people, the disintegrated state of time could have lingered through the year. “I would expect that the distorted perceptions of time would likely persist as the chronic stressors persist, if they’re really serious, like the pandemic,” she says. It could be similar to the way people living with chronic depression tend to feel changes in time perception for as long as they’re having symptoms.
It’s December now, and I’m still feeling unmoored. That won’t last forever — eventually, things should recalibrate, Holman says. Once a stressor ends, people usually regain their footing in time. After a car crash, time can recalibrate within a few hours or days.


theverge--2020-12-15--2020’s most popular games were my most reliable social spaces

This year , video games provided escapism for a lot of people .
But for many , myself included , the games I remember most fondly in 2020 were the ones that became social spaces .
The pandemic didn ’ t make me want to escape ; it made me miss my friends and family .
Animal Crossing : New Horizons came out amid the shutdowns , and it quickly became my virtual island paradise , even when I wasn ’ t playing .
I couldn ’ t log in to Facebook or Twitter without seeing almost everyone on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sharing memes , asking for Dodo codes to visit their friends ’ islands , and begging for specific fruit that they wanted to grow .
Some turned to Nookazon , a third-party trading platform , to buy outfits they had a hard time finding .
The latest Animal Crossing title ushered in a new community of people that were taking the game so seriously that someone without context could easily think all these people purchased some island real estate after reading a travel blog .
It was the early months of 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As it got warmer , Animal Crossing provided us with the tropical getaway we could actually visit .
I even know people who purchased a Switch just so they could play this game .
Even at work , my colleagues were also playing One of my best friends lives in another state , but that distance has never stopped her from being the person I go to when I need to vent about life .
So I begged her to buy a Switch so we could play Animal Crossing .
She came to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did , and since I was so far ahead , we would FaceTime , and I would guide her through the early tasks of the game , occasionally dropping off extra resources at her island if she needed to build the museum or wanted to decorate her house .
We would constantly “ hang out ” on each other ’ s islands .
Since I had just started working at The Verge , I was constantly telling my friend my experiences of my new job and some of the weirdest news I saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were actually hanging out like old times , despite the fact we were states apart and unable to see each other because of the shutdowns and travel advisories .
Even at work , my colleagues were also playing .
Our workplace is organized by Slack channels , so naturally , two were dedicated to Animal Crossing .
One was a social space centered on the game , sharing advice , pictures of bugs , and organizing happy hour visits to someone ’ s island .
( Verge news writer Jay Peters once planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other channel was all business , though : namely , colluding to manipulate the game ’ s “ stalk market ” so we would all get rich shorting turnip prices .
For a minute , it seemed like everyone was talking about Animal Crossing One week , I had an incredibly high turnip price on my island .
I shared the number in the Slack channel , and it blew up .
I opened my gates to visitors during my lunch break and the demand of people far exceeded the time it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peanut butter and jelly sandwich .
I left my Switch on idle , went back to work , and returned later to collect two million bells ’ worth of tips for my generosity .
It felt like my birthday in a way , which was in late April , and I , unfortunately , could not celebrate it with many people .
So I soaked in all the love and praise and endless thanks for being kind enough to open my gates and suffering through the hellish nightmare that is Animal Crossing ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and out of my island .
For a minute , it seemed like everyone was talking about Animal Crossing : discussing favorite villagers , sharing tips on capturing bugs and fish .
I was exchanging Dodo codes with people I went to high school with but would not have called friends — until they arrived on my island .
We could all share the common ground of playing a low-stakes adventure .
If the game is a satisfying loop , reconnecting with old friends and making new ones is the real reward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came out during the dog days of summer , and word got out on how addicting its gameplay was thanks to streaming platforms like Twitch , which is the way games go viral these days .
But most importantly for me , I have two younger cousins I hang out with frequently and they were looking for some new games to play since Fortnite was removed on iPad .
So together , we let our asses get kicked by Fall Guys .
It was fun sitting with them on the couch at my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We would take turns seeing how far we would get in each match before we were smacked hard , knocked off the platform into a never-ending sea of Pepto Bismol , and subsequently eliminated .
I am not a huge fan of battle royale games like Fortnite and PUBG , but Fall Guys is easily accessible for all ages and doesn ’ t have convoluted gameplay mechanics .
Also , it ’ s hard to not constantly laugh at all the sounds these bean-shaped characters make as they waddle to the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among Us ’ grew exponentially this year The most surprising game of 2020 , and arguably one with a lot of staying power in the long term , is Among Us , a cartoony riff on Werewolf , wherein an imposter or two attempts to murder all their friends .
Like Animal Crossing and Fall Guys , it ’ s a game the internet won ’ t shut up about .
While it was originally released in 2018 , Among Us ’ popularity grew exponentially this year .
My friends from college also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a bunch of us ended up creating a Discord server dedicated to Among Us .
We have channels dedicated to memes or finding new matches .
I think fondly of all the memories we have of hanging out in the college dorm rooms playing Mario Kart or compromising our friendships with an intense game of Mario Party .
With college now over and most of us living pretty far away from each other , I missed the days we could huddle in the dorms and play the GameCube classics .
Now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Among Us , getting nostalgic over stories from college while debating who the imposter is .
Over the last few months , I would often play this game after work , for hours on end , until I realized it was midnight .
It ’ s in those moments that reality kicked in and I realized I was not a 21-year-old who would stay out with my friends partying until 4AM ; I am a 25-year-old adult with responsibilities and a full-time job .
My priorities have changed , but making time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no matter the circumstances .
The common theme for all these games is the sense of normalcy they have provided in my life But the common theme here for all these games is the sense of normalcy they have provided in my life .
While I enjoy happy hours with my colleagues and weekly family Zoom meetings , these activities grew tiresome for me .
These things serve as a painful reminder of what life was like before the pandemic .
I miss going to rooftop bars after work and unwinding from work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandparents ’ house on the weekends and having cookouts and big Sunday dinners .
I love my family , and I love my colleagues , but I craved the more interactive and creative conversation that games offer .
I was playing games with friends and family before the pandemic began , and I play a lot of games solo , too .
But Animal Crossing , Fall Guys , and Among Us are good-ass games that continued to get better as I enjoyed them with familiar company .
They allowed me to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of my old life .
The point of going out to bars was never the drinking .
It was a common social space , and in a year where those places disappeared , we found new ones in fake islands and spaceships , and whatever the setting of Fall Guys is supposed to be .
Especially in 2020 , it ’ s not about where you are but who you ’ re with .

This year, video games provided escapism for a lot of people. But for many, myself included, the games I remember most fondly in 2020 were the ones that became social spaces. The pandemic didn’t make me want to escape; it made me miss my friends and family.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out amid the shutdowns, and it quickly became my virtual island paradise, even when I wasn’t playing. I couldn’t log in to Facebook or Twitter without seeing almost everyone on my feeds talking about Animal Crossing. People were sharing memes, asking for Dodo codes to visit their friends’ islands, and begging for specific fruit that they wanted to grow.
Some turned to Nookazon, a third-party trading platform, to buy outfits they had a hard time finding. The latest Animal Crossing title ushered in a new community of people that were taking the game so seriously that someone without context could easily think all these people purchased some island real estate after reading a travel blog. It was the early months of 2020, and we were stuck inside. As it got warmer, Animal Crossing provided us with the tropical getaway we could actually visit. I even know people who purchased a Switch just so they could play this game.
Even at work, my colleagues were also playing
One of my best friends lives in another state, but that distance has never stopped her from being the person I go to when I need to vent about life. So I begged her to buy a Switch so we could play Animal Crossing. She came to the game a few months after I did, and since I was so far ahead, we would FaceTime, and I would guide her through the early tasks of the game, occasionally dropping off extra resources at her island if she needed to build the museum or wanted to decorate her house. We would constantly “hang out” on each other’s islands.
Since I had just started working at The Verge, I was constantly telling my friend my experiences of my new job and some of the weirdest news I saw that day. It felt like we were actually hanging out like old times, despite the fact we were states apart and unable to see each other because of the shutdowns and travel advisories.
Fall Guys.
Even at work, my colleagues were also playing. Our workplace is organized by Slack channels, so naturally, two were dedicated to Animal Crossing. One was a social space centered on the game, sharing advice, pictures of bugs, and organizing happy hour visits to someone’s island. (Verge news writer Jay Peters once planned an extremely sophisticated scavenger hunt.) The other channel was all business, though: namely, colluding to manipulate the game’s “stalk market” so we would all get rich shorting turnip prices.
For a minute, it seemed like everyone was talking about Animal Crossing
One week, I had an incredibly high turnip price on my island. I shared the number in the Slack channel, and it blew up. I opened my gates to visitors during my lunch break and the demand of people far exceeded the time it took me to make and eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I left my Switch on idle, went back to work, and returned later to collect two million bells’ worth of tips for my generosity. It felt like my birthday in a way, which was in late April, and I, unfortunately, could not celebrate it with many people. So I soaked in all the love and praise and endless thanks for being kind enough to open my gates and suffering through the hellish nightmare that is Animal Crossing’s multiplayer loading screens as travelers came in and out of my island.
For a minute, it seemed like everyone was talking about Animal Crossing: discussing favorite villagers, sharing tips on capturing bugs and fish. I was exchanging Dodo codes with people I went to high school with but would not have called friends — until they arrived on my island. We could all share the common ground of playing a low-stakes adventure. If the game is a satisfying loop, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones is the real reward.
Fall Guys was a game that came out during the dog days of summer, and word got out on how addicting its gameplay was thanks to streaming platforms like Twitch, which is the way games go viral these days. But most importantly for me, I have two younger cousins I hang out with frequently and they were looking for some new games to play since Fortnite was removed on iPad. So together, we let our asses get kicked by Fall Guys.
It was fun sitting with them on the couch at my aunt and uncle’s house. We would take turns seeing how far we would get in each match before we were smacked hard, knocked off the platform into a never-ending sea of Pepto Bismol, and subsequently eliminated. I am not a huge fan of battle royale games like Fortnite and PUBG, but Fall Guys is easily accessible for all ages and doesn’t have convoluted gameplay mechanics. Also, it’s hard to not constantly laugh at all the sounds these bean-shaped characters make as they waddle to the end of the course.
The popularity of ‘Among Us’ grew exponentially this year
The most surprising game of 2020, and arguably one with a lot of staying power in the long term, is Among Us, a cartoony riff on Werewolf, wherein an imposter or two attempts to murder all their friends. Like Animal Crossing and Fall Guys, it’s a game the internet won’t shut up about. While it was originally released in 2018, Among Us’ popularity grew exponentially this year. My friends from college also started playing the game this year, and a bunch of us ended up creating a Discord server dedicated to Among Us. We have channels dedicated to memes or finding new matches.
Among Us.
I think fondly of all the memories we have of hanging out in the college dorm rooms playing Mario Kart or compromising our friendships with an intense game of Mario Party. With college now over and most of us living pretty far away from each other, I missed the days we could huddle in the dorms and play the GameCube classics.
Now we’re doing the equivalent of that in Among Us, getting nostalgic over stories from college while debating who the imposter is. Over the last few months, I would often play this game after work, for hours on end, until I realized it was midnight. It’s in those moments that reality kicked in and I realized I was not a 21-year-old who would stay out with my friends partying until 4AM; I am a 25-year-old adult with responsibilities and a full-time job. My priorities have changed, but making time for my friends will never get old no matter the circumstances.
The common theme for all these games is the sense of normalcy they have provided in my life
But the common theme here for all these games is the sense of normalcy they have provided in my life. While I enjoy happy hours with my colleagues and weekly family Zoom meetings, these activities grew tiresome for me. These things serve as a painful reminder of what life was like before the pandemic. I miss going to rooftop bars after work and unwinding from work mode; I miss going to my grandparents’ house on the weekends and having cookouts and big Sunday dinners. I love my family, and I love my colleagues, but I craved the more interactive and creative conversation that games offer.
I was playing games with friends and family before the pandemic began, and I play a lot of games solo, too. But Animal Crossing, Fall Guys, and Among Us are good-ass games that continued to get better as I enjoyed them with familiar company. They allowed me to make up for the lost time that was part of my old life.


theverge--2020-12-15--TikTok to hide graphic videos behind warning screens

TikTok has unveiled a newly updated set of community guidelines and tools , which include new warning screens on graphic videos , a new text-to-voice accessibility feature , and updated health resources .
The update brings new vaccine information which will be added to TikTok ’ s coronavirus resource hub as well as resources to be shown if people search for certain terms , like those related to self-harm .
According to TikTok , the graphic content warning screens are meant to prevent the accidental viewing of content that some might find disturbing .
The screen gives two options , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skip it entirely .
More extreme content is removed from the service entirely , but the new warning labels cover clips that might be allowed for “ documentary reasons , ” scenes from horror movies , or violent scenes of animals hunting .
This content is already not distributed via the service ’ s For You feed , TikTok says .
Also announced today is a new text-to-voice accessibility feature which will read out text as it appears in a video .
Its release follows the epilepsy warnings that the service recently started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users who search for terms like “ selfharm ” or “ hatemyself ” will be shown help resources , and links to organizations like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Textline .
Vaccine information is also being added to TikTok ’ s coronavirus resource hub , which is accessible from the service ’ s Discover page , search results , and banners on videos related to the disease or vaccines generally .
The hub will be updated to include commonly asked questions and answers about COVID-19 vaccines from public health experts like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the resource hub has been viewed over 2 billion times in the last six months .

TikTok has unveiled a newly updated set of community guidelines and tools, which include new warning screens on graphic videos, a new text-to-voice accessibility feature, and updated health resources. The update brings new vaccine information which will be added to TikTok’s coronavirus resource hub as well as resources to be shown if people search for certain terms, like those related to self-harm.
According to TikTok, the graphic content warning screens are meant to prevent the accidental viewing of content that some might find disturbing. The screen gives two options, letting users either view the clip or skip it entirely. More extreme content is removed from the service entirely, but the new warning labels cover clips that might be allowed for “documentary reasons,” scenes from horror movies, or violent scenes of animals hunting. This content is already not distributed via the service’s For You feed, TikTok says.
Searching for certain terms will now link users to helpful resources. Image: TikTok
Also announced today is a new text-to-voice accessibility feature which will read out text as it appears in a video. Its release follows the epilepsy warnings that the service recently started adding to photosensitive videos. Meanwhile, users who search for terms like “selfharm” or “hatemyself” will be shown help resources, and links to organizations like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Textline.


theverge--2020-12-15--Amazon generates millions of pounds of plastic waste

Amazon ’ s plastic pollution is under scrutiny today with the publication of a new report by the nonprofit ocean advocacy organization Oceana .
That report estimates that Amazon was responsible for 465 million pounds of plastic packaging waste last year .
Amazon says that figure is overblown — by over 350 percent .
Amazon claims that it uses about a quarter of Oceana ’ s estimate , according to an email from the company to The Verge .
If that ’ s the case , then Amazon still used more than 116 million pounds of plastic packaging in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total plastic footprint was either through a spokesperson or in its most recent sustainability report published last September .
“ Enough to circle the earth over a hundred times in the form of air pillows ” Oceana still stands by the figures in its report , despite Amazon ’ s objections .
“ [ Amazon ] continues to , in response to questions about plastic use , offer anecdotes about packaging weight rather than transparency , ” a spokesperson for the organization said in an email to The Verge .
“ Even the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its plastic packaging footprint would still be an enormous amount of plastic waste — enough to circle the earth over a hundred times in the form of air pillows and to cause very large problems for the oceans.
” The characteristic that makes plastic a sought-after packaging material for companies like Amazon happens to also make it a big problem for the world ’ s oceans — it ’ s easy to move because it ’ s so light-weight .
That makes it a great material for Amazon ’ s air pillows .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ride down a storm drain or a strong gust of wind to push plastic debris into the sea .
Once the plastic is at sea , it adds to floating mountains of garbage and frequently winds up in animals ’ bellies .
In 2019 , a whale off the shores of the Philippines was found with 88 pounds of plastic in its stomach .
And when humans eat fish that have ingested microplastics left over from our trash , that plastic can end up in our bellies , too .
Oceana is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a greater share of leftover packaging will end up in the ocean .
Since Amazon hasn ’ t publicly released numbers on its plastic pollution , Oceana tried to track it down itself .
“ What you don ’ t measure you can not manage .
So we had to estimate this , ” says Anne Schroeer , a director of strategic initiatives at Oceana .
“ Obviously , it would be much better if Amazon would publish their plastic footprint.
” “ What you don ’ t measure you can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to figure out how much plastic waste Amazon creates — which is why there ’ s such a big discrepancy between its figures and how much plastic Amazon says it actually used .
To reach its 465 million pound estimate , the nonprofit gathered data from packaging industry analysts on the amount of plastic packaging used around the world .
They then assumed that Amazon ’ s share of that plastic waste matched its share of the e-commerce market .
Using that assumption , Oceana estimated that up to 22 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waste polluted freshwater and marine ecosystems across the world last year .
It based that projection on a study published earlier this year that estimated that 11 percent of global plastic waste wound up in aquatic ecosystems .
That study , however , isn ’ t limited to packaging waste , which makes it difficult to use its data as a way to pinpoint how much plastic pollution Amazon sent to oceans , rivers , and lakes .
“ We share Oceana ’ s ambition to protect and restore the world ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of plastics .
However , Oceana has dramatically miscalculated Amazon ’ s use of plastic , ” a spokesperson for Amazon said in a statement .
“ We support the reduced use of plastics ” Amazon has taken measures to cut down on how much trash comes from its packages such as sending items in their original packaging rather than boxing them up with more plastic and cardboard .
The company says that it ’ s cut more than 900,000 tons of packaging material since 2015 .
It also developed a padded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alternative to the plastic packaging the company uses .
Although bags and envelopes made out of plastic film can technically be recycled , in reality , a lot of it is probably tossed away .
In most cities , curbside recycling programs don ’ t accept plastic film .
Most Amazon customers would need to bring it to a nearby drop-off location that does accept that type of plastic .
Oceana surveyed 600 Amazon Prime customers in the US in May , of which less than two percent of shoppers said they made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plastic packaging .
Historically , only nine percent of the entire world ’ s plastic waste has ever been recycled , according to a 2017 study .
Oceana believes Amazon can do more to slash its packaging waste , and sees the changes it ’ s made in India as a good example .
This June , Amazon India announced that it eliminated single-use plastics in its packaging at its fulfillment centers .
The move followed India ’ s goal of phasing out single use plastics by 2022 .
Amazon also offers “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indian cities — items are delivered in original packaging from the manufacturer and orders with multiple items are delivered in reusable totes .
Schroeer ’ s organization is pushing Amazon to bring reusable packaging to more places around the world .
“ [ Amazon has ] shown in India how fast they can really take action , ” Schroeer says .
“ We are really confident that they can change quickly .
”

Amazon’s plastic pollution is under scrutiny today with the publication of a new report by the nonprofit ocean advocacy organization Oceana. That report estimates that Amazon was responsible for 465 million pounds of plastic packaging waste last year. Amazon says that figure is overblown — by over 350 percent.
Amazon claims that it uses about a quarter of Oceana’s estimate, according to an email from the company to The Verge. If that’s the case, then Amazon still used more than 116 million pounds of plastic packaging in 2019. Amazon did not share what its total plastic footprint was either through a spokesperson or in its most recent sustainability report published last September.
“Enough to circle the earth over a hundred times in the form of air pillows”
Oceana still stands by the figures in its report, despite Amazon’s objections. “[Amazon] continues to, in response to questions about plastic use, offer anecdotes about packaging weight rather than transparency,” a spokesperson for the organization said in an email to The Verge. “Even the low number claimed by the company for its plastic packaging footprint would still be an enormous amount of plastic waste — enough to circle the earth over a hundred times in the form of air pillows and to cause very large problems for the oceans.”
The characteristic that makes plastic a sought-after packaging material for companies like Amazon happens to also make it a big problem for the world’s oceans — it’s easy to move because it’s so light-weight. That makes it a great material for Amazon’s air pillows. It also means that it only takes a ride down a storm drain or a strong gust of wind to push plastic debris into the sea. Once the plastic is at sea, it adds to floating mountains of garbage and frequently winds up in animals’ bellies. In 2019, a whale off the shores of the Philippines was found with 88 pounds of plastic in its stomach. And when humans eat fish that have ingested microplastics left over from our trash, that plastic can end up in our bellies, too.
Oceana is concerned that as more people shop online, a greater share of leftover packaging will end up in the ocean. Since Amazon hasn’t publicly released numbers on its plastic pollution, Oceana tried to track it down itself. “What you don’t measure you cannot manage. So we had to estimate this,” says Anne Schroeer, a director of strategic initiatives at Oceana. “Obviously, it would be much better if Amazon would publish their plastic footprint.”
“What you don’t measure you cannot manage”
Oceana used a roundabout way to try to figure out how much plastic waste Amazon creates — which is why there’s such a big discrepancy between its figures and how much plastic Amazon says it actually used. To reach its 465 million pound estimate, the nonprofit gathered data from packaging industry analysts on the amount of plastic packaging used around the world. They then assumed that Amazon’s share of that plastic waste matched its share of the e-commerce market.
Using that assumption, Oceana estimated that up to 22 million pounds of Amazon’s plastic packaging waste polluted freshwater and marine ecosystems across the world last year. It based that projection on a study published earlier this year that estimated that 11 percent of global plastic waste wound up in aquatic ecosystems. That study, however, isn’t limited to packaging waste, which makes it difficult to use its data as a way to pinpoint how much plastic pollution Amazon sent to oceans, rivers, and lakes.
“We share Oceana’s ambition to protect and restore the world’s oceans, and we support the reduced use of plastics. However, Oceana has dramatically miscalculated Amazon’s use of plastic,” a spokesperson for Amazon said in a statement.
“We support the reduced use of plastics”
Amazon has taken measures to cut down on how much trash comes from its packages such as sending items in their original packaging rather than boxing them up with more plastic and cardboard. The company says that it’s cut more than 900,000 tons of packaging material since 2015. It also developed a padded paper mailer in 2019 as a recyclable alternative to the plastic packaging the company uses.
Although bags and envelopes made out of plastic film can technically be recycled, in reality, a lot of it is probably tossed away. In most cities, curbside recycling programs don’t accept plastic film. Most Amazon customers would need to bring it to a nearby drop-off location that does accept that type of plastic. Oceana surveyed 600 Amazon Prime customers in the US in May, of which less than two percent of shoppers said they made the trek to drop off their used plastic packaging. Historically, only nine percent of the entire world’s plastic waste has ever been recycled, according to a 2017 study.
Oceana believes Amazon can do more to slash its packaging waste, and sees the changes it’s made in India as a good example. This June, Amazon India announced that it eliminated single-use plastics in its packaging at its fulfillment centers. The move followed India’s goal of phasing out single use plastics by 2022. Amazon also offers “packaging-free” delivery in more than 100 Indian cities — items are delivered in original packaging from the manufacturer and orders with multiple items are delivered in reusable totes.


theverge--2020-12-15--Signal adds support for encrypted group video calls

Encrypted messaging app Signal has added support for group video calls for up to five people , the company has announced .
Group calls can be started by tapping the video call button at the top of a supported group chat .
Calls are “ end-to-end encrypted — like everything else on Signal , ” the company says .
By default , participants are shown in a grid format , but you can swipe up for a view that focuses on individual speakers .
With a five-person limit , Signal isn ’ t going to be replacing video conferencing services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company says it ’ s working to increase the maximum number of call participants over time .
Group video calls are available in the service ’ s iOS and Android apps , but for now they ’ re limited to new-style Signal group chats , and won ’ t appear in older , legacy chats .
Signal launched its new group chats back in October , adding support for @ mentions , group admins , and more granular permissions .
Older legacy chats will be upgraded to the new chat style in @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Encrypted messaging app Signal has added support for group video calls for up to five people, the company has announced. Group calls can be started by tapping the video call button at the top of a supported group chat. Calls are “end-to-end encrypted — like everything else on Signal,” the company says. By default, participants are shown in a grid format, but you can swipe up for a view that focuses on individual speakers.
With a five-person limit, Signal isn’t going to be replacing video conferencing services like Zoom any time soon, but the company says it’s working to increase the maximum number of call participants over time.
Group calls default to a gallery view, but you can swipe up to focus on the person talking. Image: Signal


theverge--2020-12-15--Driving the Mustang Mach-E, Ford’s first real electric car

That was my wife ’ s first impression of the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E as we swept down a New Jersey rural road through surprisingly thick curtains of fog last Saturday .
It was night , visibility was almost nil , and all I could think about was that this was not the ideal driving test for Ford ’ s first electric vehicle of consequence .
I wanted to drive fast along some mountain road with hairpin turns — it ’ s an electric Mustang !
— but the fog and the slick road conditions ensured that I proceeded with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her ; it was smooth .
From the whisper-quiet handling to the sinewy body style to the leather interior , the Mach-E radiated effortlessness .
This is one of the most surprising — and satisfying — electric cars I ’ ve driven all year .
After all , the Mach-E is the first new addition to the Mustang lineup ever .
There ’ s no noisy V8 engine , no grumbling supercharger , no belching muffler , no non-existent backseat .
Rather , it ’ s a zero-emissions electric crossover SUV that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backseats and a load of groceries in the trunk .
Mustang fans are likely to be perplexed , but I think I can safely say that Ford has an unqualified hit on its hands Mustang fans are likely to be perplexed , but I think I can safely say that Ford has an unqualified hit on its hands .
And Ford definitely needed to knock this one out of the park .
Its next EV , the electric Ford F-150 , is also sure to be popular .
But Ford needed to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electric vehicle that was a blast to drive — and it did .
This isn ’ t just the opinion of a suburban dad who used the Mach-E to run errands and cart his kids around for three days .
Everywhere I went , I was swarmed by curious on-lookers .
It felt like hanging out with an automotive celebrity , based on the number of questions and requests for photos I got .
People were drawn to this car .
They had to know more .
“ An electric Mustang ?
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inherently disorienting about the Mach-E .
The Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic cars in American history .
It ’ s one of the original muscle cars , synonymous with drag strips and Steve McQueen ’ s epic car chase in 1968 ’ s Bullitt .
Somehow , I can ’ t quite picture McQueen ’ s irascible detective catching air on the hilly streets of San Francisco in this version of the Mustang , though I do think Lieutenant Bullitt would appreciate the all-wheel-drive and 333 horsepower that this First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level is a limited-production initial run , aptly named because it is the first version of the Mach-E to reach customers before the rest of the lineup reaches dealerships .
It comes with special “ First Edition ” labels , brushed aluminum pedals , red brake calipers , and a bright blue paint job that Ford won ’ t offer on most other versions of the Mustang Mach-E. ( Mine came in “ carbonized gray metallic.
” ) For a suggested price of $ 59,900 , you get an estimated 270 miles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mid-five-second range .
How does it drive ?
Let ’ s start with the good stuff : the Mach-E is an absolute dream to drive .
The handling was balanced and controlled .
The acceleration was impressive without feeling showy or dangerous .
There are three driving modes named Whisper , Engage , and Unbridled .
Each offers specific changes to the driving experience such as steering tweaks , varied pedal feel , gauge-cluster graphics , and specifically tuned sound .
When I first picked up the car , it was already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the most aggressive driving style .
I really enjoyed the sportiness of this driving mode , but my wife said it made her feel nauseous , so I toggled between Engage and Whisper for most of my time with the car .
Engage is said to be the mode that feels most like a Mustang , with tight steering and punchy acceleration .
Like Goldilocks , I found it to be just right .
Ford says the Mach-E will eventually have Level 2 autonomy , meaning a partially autonomous driver assist system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The top trim levels have all the hardware to support hands-free highway driving at launch , but the feature will not be available yet ; it ’ s supposedly coming in one of the first major over-the-air updates for the automaker .
Ford was reluctant to release a completely silent Mustang into the world The version I drove had all the basic advanced driver assist functions , including blindspot detection , adaptive cruise control , lane-keep assist , and automatic emergency braking .
They worked fine , nothing revelatory .
The lane-keep assist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excessively .
While EVs are not necessarily known for their driving sounds , Ford was reluctant to release a completely silent Mustang into the world .
The automaker created 30 unique sound profiles for the Mustang Mach-E , using Blade Runner and Batman ’ s Tumbler as a benchmark .
When the EV is started , you get something akin to the ominous theme song from Stranger Things , or a low-key bass slap .
Will this satisfy Mustang fans who crave the angry snort of a combustion engine ?
Doubtful , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to ignore .
The Mach-E is undeniably a Mustang , from the tri-bar tail lights , to the long hood and short nose combo , to the similarities in the bodywork .
But in case you forget , Ford has slapped its galloping pony logo on the grille , the steering wheel , the wheel center caps , and the rear hatch .
Ford ’ s Blue Oval logo is there too , at the center of the windshield on top of the vehicle ’ s vision system .
As a five-passenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , neither too large nor small , slotting in between the Ford Escape and Edge in length , but with a longer wheelbase than both .
It ’ s lower than a typical crossover — three inches lower than the Escape and five inches lower than the Edge — which made it easier for my kids to get into their carseats by themselves .
Thanks to a narrow A-pillar and a stubby front end , I felt like I could see everything I was supposed to from the driver ’ s seat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gargantuan front-ends , creating dangerous front blind spots for drivers that could be fatal to people outside the vehicle , especially small children .
Compact SUVs don ’ t typically have this problem , but it felt like Ford made the necessary design choices to ensure maximum visibility .
The front end is certainly more aggressive than the Tesla Model Y ’ s .
The multi-module LED headlights , which come with sequential turn signals that flash , are distinctive and expressive .
And the hatchback rear-end is the Mach-E ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are ... well , missing .
Not even a fold out or flip out handle .
Instead there ’ s an itty-bitty fixed finger handle on the backside of the driver and passenger side doors .
Above that there ’ s an electronic button that when pressed pops open the door .
The rear doors also have a button , but no handle .
It ’ s a very weird , idiosyncratic design choice , but I can ’ t begrudge Ford for doing it that way .
The automaker says it designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I can see why ; they were a big hit with my kids .
I was expecting to really dislike the faux grille , with its Yosemite Sam-looking handlebar mustache Let ’ s talk about the grille for a quick second .
I was expecting to really dislike the faux grille , with its Yosemite Sam-looking handlebar mustache .
But I didn ’ t mind it so much .
There was so much about this car that was just thoroughly enjoyable that the grille became an afterthought .
Also , I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual functional grille below the fake one that sucks in air when you run the AC , or when you ’ re using a DC fast charger .
Speaking of charging , I can ’ t recommend using a DC fast charger enough when charging the Mach-E .
I tried using the charger that came with the vehicle , plugged into a normal 120-volt outlet in my garage , but I shouldn ’ t have bothered .
Ford says you can only add 3 miles for every hour of charging through this method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needle .
But using a fast-charger that was in the automaker ’ s FordPass Charging Network , I was able to get from 40 percent to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes .
A 240-volt charger would get me 22 miles for every hour of charging .
Ford has plans to sell a faster home charger through a partnership with Amazon Home Services to help with installation — though it has yet to release pricing and availability .
Ford claims that its FordPass Charging Network is the largest public network in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charging stations in the US and parts of Canada , some of which are DC fast chargers that can charge the Mach-E to 80 percent in about 38 minutes .
But Ford didn ’ t build its own network like Tesla ; rather it leverages third-party EV chargers .
The company is also offering two years of complimentary charging for all new Mach-E owners , which is a nice incentive .
Inside , the seats are black leather with red stitching , a nice compliment to the grey paint job and the red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat to be very comfortable , and the headroom to be expansive .
The panoramic sunroof was similar to what ’ s found in most Teslas these days , and was a joy to sit under .
The soft fabric on the dash was a nice touch , and the air vents are real air vents , with open and close knobs , so this might be the car for you if you find Tesla ’ s digital air vents off-putting .
The screen is really enormous , floating above the dashboard like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though ?
Of course I ’ m talking about the massive 15.5-inch touchscreen that sits in the center of the dash .
Like most other EVs on the market , the Mach-E is lacking in physical buttons , save for one at the bottom of the screen that serves as volume control .
There ’ s another dial in the center console that works as the gear shifter — but other than that , everything is controlled through the touchscreen .
The screen is really enormous , floating above the dashboard like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of the Tesla Model S than the Model 3 , or perhaps even more like those tablets you ’ d find embedded in a high-tech refrigerator .
I found the Sync 4 software to be one of the biggest drawbacks to the Mach-E .
The layout was fine , but the user experience was lacking .
Navigation was essentially worthless ; after inputting a destination , the map offered no turn-by-turn directions and seemed to be lacking many street names .
After a few non-starter attempts , I simply defaulted to CarPlay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs .
The Mach-E supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly .
The smartphone integration only uses the top half of the screen , though the latest version of CarPlay supports portrait orientation , so Apple could have used the whole screen if it wanted .
That said , the image is large enough , about nine to 10 inches across , so you ’ re not really losing out with just half the screen .
Tapping through the settings gets you to the camera feature , where you can see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top down , as well the view from the rear-mounted camera .
Ford uses a good amount of the screen to show you these images , which really helps when reversing or navigating tight spaces .
There are still a bunch of buttons on the steering wheel , as well as buttons on the turning and wiper stalks .
Ford has found a nice balance between Tesla-style minimalism and the need to have some tactile controls .
This may sound like missing the forest for the trees , but the Mach-E has got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is a fantastic electric car , superbly designed and really fun to drive .
But that said , I ’ d love to see Ford take all the basic elements and stick it into the body of an Escape — something that retails for less than $ 25,000 and would instantly be affordable to a bigger swath of customers .
Give me a cheap , bland midsized Ford electric SUV to bang around town with my grubby kids , dammit !
The Mach-E is a gorgeous car with a less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the $ 43,895 Select version .
Even with the $ 7,500 federal tax credit , that version will just barely crack the average sale price for a new car in the US .
I get it ; it ’ s an electric Mustang .
That ’ s very cool , and cool costs extra .
I get why Ford chose the Mustang nameplate for its first EV .
It wanted our attention .
And now that has it , it ’ s time for Ford to show us what it can really @ @ @ @ @

“Smooth.”
That was my wife’s first impression of the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E as we swept down a New Jersey rural road through surprisingly thick curtains of fog last Saturday. It was night, visibility was almost nil, and all I could think about was that this was not the ideal driving test for Ford’s first electric vehicle of consequence. I wanted to drive fast along some mountain road with hairpin turns — it’s an electric Mustang! — but the fog and the slick road conditions ensured that I proceeded with caution.
But I had to agree with her; it was smooth. From the whisper-quiet handling to the sinewy body style to the leather interior, the Mach-E radiated effortlessness. This is one of the most surprising — and satisfying — electric cars I’ve driven all year. After all, the Mach-E is the first new addition to the Mustang lineup ever. There’s no noisy V8 engine, no grumbling supercharger, no belching muffler, no non-existent backseat. Rather, it’s a zero-emissions electric crossover SUV that can easily fit two carseats in the backseats and a load of groceries in the trunk.
Mustang fans are likely to be perplexed, but I think I can safely say that Ford has an unqualified hit on its hands
Mustang fans are likely to be perplexed, but I think I can safely say that Ford has an unqualified hit on its hands. And Ford definitely needed to knock this one out of the park. Its next EV, the electric Ford F-150, is also sure to be popular. But Ford needed to show everyone that it could make a powerful electric vehicle that was a blast to drive — and it did.
This isn’t just the opinion of a suburban dad who used the Mach-E to run errands and cart his kids around for three days. Everywhere I went, I was swarmed by curious on-lookers. It felt like hanging out with an automotive celebrity, based on the number of questions and requests for photos I got. People were drawn to this car. They had to know more. “An electric Mustang? An electric Mustang?”
Yes, an electric Mustang
There is something inherently disorienting about the Mach-E. The Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic cars in American history. It’s one of the original muscle cars, synonymous with drag strips and Steve McQueen’s epic car chase in 1968’s Bullitt. Somehow, I can’t quite picture McQueen’s irascible detective catching air on the hilly streets of San Francisco in this version of the Mustang, though I do think Lieutenant Bullitt would appreciate the all-wheel-drive and 333 horsepower that this First Edition Mach-E was packing.
Photo by Andrew Hawkins / The Verge Photo by Andrew Hawkins / The Verge
This trim level is a limited-production initial run, aptly named because it is one of the first versions of the Mach-E to reach customers before the rest of the lineup reaches dealerships. It comes with special “First Edition” labels, brushed aluminum pedals, red brake calipers, and a bright blue paint job that Ford won’t offer on most other versions of the Mustang Mach-E. (Mine came in “carbonized gray metallic.”) For a suggested price of $59,900, you get an estimated 270 miles of range and a 0-to-60 mph time in the mid-five-second range.
How does it drive?
Let’s start with the good stuff: the Mach-E is an absolute dream to drive. The handling was balanced and controlled. The acceleration was impressive without feeling showy or dangerous.
There are three driving modes named Whisper, Engage, and Unbridled. Each offers specific changes to the driving experience such as steering tweaks, varied pedal feel, gauge-cluster graphics, and specifically tuned sound. When I first picked up the car, it was already in Unbridled mode, which is described as the most aggressive driving style.
I really enjoyed the sportiness of this driving mode, but my wife said it made her feel nauseous, so I toggled between Engage and Whisper for most of my time with the car. Engage is said to be the mode that feels most like a Mustang, with tight steering and punchy acceleration. Like Goldilocks, I found it to be just right.
Photo by Sean O’Kane / The Verge
Ford says the Mach-E will eventually have Level 2 autonomy, meaning a partially autonomous driver assist system analogous to Tesla’s Autopilot. The top trim levels have all the hardware to support hands-free highway driving at launch, but the feature will not be available yet; it’s supposedly coming in one of the first major over-the-air updates for the automaker.
Ford was reluctant to release a completely silent Mustang into the world
The version I drove had all the basic advanced driver assist functions, including blindspot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. They worked fine, nothing revelatory. The lane-keep assist was a little ping-pongy, but not excessively.
While EVs are not necessarily known for their driving sounds, Ford was reluctant to release a completely silent Mustang into the world. The automaker created 30 unique sound profiles for the Mustang Mach-E, using Blade Runner and Batman’s Tumbler as a benchmark. When the EV is started, you get something akin to the ominous theme song from Stranger Things, or a low-key bass slap. Will this satisfy Mustang fans who crave the angry snort of a combustion engine? Doubtful, but I found it to be pleasant and easy to ignore.
The design
The Mach-E is undeniably a Mustang, from the tri-bar tail lights, to the long hood and short nose combo, to the similarities in the bodywork. But in case you forget, Ford has slapped its galloping pony logo on the grille, the steering wheel, the wheel center caps, and the rear hatch. Ford’s Blue Oval logo is there too, at the center of the windshield on top of the vehicle’s vision system.
As a five-passenger crossover SUV, it felt appropriately sized, neither too large nor small, slotting in between the Ford Escape and Edge in length, but with a longer wheelbase than both. It’s lower than a typical crossover — three inches lower than the Escape and five inches lower than the Edge — which made it easier for my kids to get into their carseats by themselves.
Thanks to a narrow A-pillar and a stubby front end, I felt like I could see everything I was supposed to from the driver’s seat. So many SUVs on the market today have gargantuan front-ends, creating dangerous front blind spots for drivers that could be fatal to people outside the vehicle, especially small children. Compact SUVs don’t typically have this problem, but it felt like Ford made the necessary design choices to ensure maximum visibility.
Photo by Sean O’Kane / The Verge
The front end is certainly more aggressive than the Tesla Model Y’s. The multi-module LED headlights, which come with sequential turn signals that flash, are distinctive and expressive. And the hatchback rear-end is the Mach-E’s most crossover trait.
The door handles are...well, missing. Not even a fold out or flip out handle. Instead there’s an itty-bitty fixed finger handle on the backside of the driver and passenger side doors. Above that there’s an electronic button that when pressed pops open the door. The rear doors also have a button, but no handle. It’s a very weird, idiosyncratic design choice, but I can’t begrudge Ford for doing it that way. The automaker says it designed these buttons-as-door-handles with children in mind, and I can see why; they were a big hit with my kids.
I was expecting to really dislike the faux grille, with its Yosemite Sam-looking handlebar mustache
Let’s talk about the grille for a quick second. I was expecting to really dislike the faux grille, with its Yosemite Sam-looking handlebar mustache. But I didn’t mind it so much. There was so much about this car that was just thoroughly enjoyable that the grille became an afterthought. Also, I didn’t realize that there was an actual functional grille below the fake one that sucks in air when you run the AC, or when you’re using a DC fast charger.
Charging
Speaking of charging, I can’t recommend using a DC fast charger enough when charging the Mach-E. I tried using the charger that came with the vehicle, plugged into a normal 120-volt outlet in my garage, but I shouldn’t have bothered. Ford says you can only add 3 miles for every hour of charging through this method; an overnight charge barely moved the needle. But using a fast-charger that was in the automaker’s FordPass Charging Network, I was able to get from 40 percent to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes.
(Full disclosure: I charged the vehicle when I was out by myself, sans wife and kids, and I can’t speak to anyone else’s patience with charging times but my own.)
A 240-volt charger would get me 22 miles for every hour of charging. Ford has plans to sell a faster home charger through a partnership with Amazon Home Services to help with installation — though it has yet to release pricing and availability.
Ford claims that its FordPass Charging Network is the largest public network in the country, featuring 35,000 plugs at 12,500 charging stations in the US and parts of Canada, some of which are DC fast chargers that can charge the Mach-E to 80 percent in about 38 minutes. But Ford didn’t build its own network like Tesla; rather it leverages third-party EV chargers. The company is also offering 250 kWh of complimentary charging at Electrify America fast-charging stations nationwide for all new Mach-E owners, which is a nice incentive.
The interior
Inside, the seats are black leather with red stitching, a nice compliment to the grey paint job and the red caliper brakes. I found the driver seat to be very comfortable, and the headroom to be expansive. The panoramic sunroof was similar to what’s found in most Teslas these days, and was a joy to sit under. The soft fabric on the dash was a nice touch, and the air vents are real air vents, with open and close knobs, so this might be the car for you if you find Tesla’s digital air vents off-putting.
The screen is really enormous, floating above the dashboard like the ether
What about that screen, though? Of course I’m talking about the massive 15.5-inch touchscreen that sits in the center of the dash. Like most other EVs on the market, the Mach-E is lacking in physical buttons, save for one at the bottom of the screen that serves as volume control. There’s another dial in the center console that works as the gear shifter — but other than that, everything is controlled through the touchscreen.
The screen is really enormous, floating above the dashboard like the ether. The vertical tablet reminded me more of the Tesla Model S than the Model 3, or perhaps even more like those tablets you’d find embedded in a high-tech refrigerator.
I found the Sync 4 software to be one of the biggest drawbacks to the Mach-E. The layout was fine, but the user experience was lacking. Navigation was essentially worthless; after inputting a destination, the map offered no turn-by-turn directions and seemed to be lacking many street names. After a few non-starter attempts, I simply defaulted to CarPlay for most of my navigation and infotainment needs.
(Update December 17th, 2:06PM ET: After this story went to publication, Ford reached out to let us know that the vehicle did not have software update and had a known connectivity issue.)
The Mach-E supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly. The smartphone integration only uses the top half of the screen, though the latest version of CarPlay supports portrait orientation, so Apple could have used the whole screen if it wanted. That said, the image is large enough, about nine to 10 inches across, so you’re not really losing out with just half the screen.
Tapping through the settings gets you to the camera feature, where you can see the 360-degree image of the car from the top down, as well the view from the rear-mounted camera. Ford uses a good amount of the screen to show you these images, which really helps when reversing or navigating tight spaces.
There are still a bunch of buttons on the steering wheel, as well as buttons on the turning and wiper stalks. Ford has found a nice balance between Tesla-style minimalism and the need to have some tactile controls.
The verdict
This may sound like missing the forest for the trees, but the Mach-E has got me really excited for what comes next. This is a fantastic electric car, superbly designed and really fun to drive. But that said, I’d love to see Ford take all the basic elements and stick it into the body of an Escape — something that retails for less than $25,000 and would instantly be affordable to a bigger swath of customers. Give me a cheap, bland midsized Ford electric SUV to bang around town with my grubby kids, dammit!
The Mach-E is a gorgeous car with a less than attractive price tag. The base model is the $43,895 Select version. Even with the $7,500 federal tax credit, that version will just barely crack the average sale price for a new car in the US. I get it; it’s an electric Mustang. That’s very cool, and cool costs extra.


theverge--2020-12-15--Facebook will combat COVID-19 misinformation more directly with notifications to users

Facebook will send notifications directly to users who like , share , or comment on COVID-19 posts that violate the company ’ s terms of service , according to a report from Fast Company .
This new feature works like this : if a user interacts with a post that ’ s later removed , Facebook sends a notification to the user telling them that the post was taken down .
If the user clicks the notification , they ’ ll be taken to a landing page with a screenshot of the post and a short explanation for why it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also feature links to COVID-19 educational resources and actions , like unfollowing the group that posted it .
This is an expansion of Facebook ’ s previous attempts to combat misinformation .
Before this , the company displayed a banner on the news feed , urging users who had engaged with content that had been removed , to “ Help Friends and Family Avoid False Information About Covid-19.
” But users were often confused at what the banner was referring to , a Facebook product manager told Fast Company .
The hope is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the banner , while still avoiding scolding users or re-exposing them to misinformation .
Facebook ’ s modified approach is arriving almost a year into the pandemic — a little late .
The notifications don ’ t debunk claims in removed posts .
They also don ’ t apply to posts that later have fact-checking labels put on them , Fast Company writes .
That means less-dangerous misinformation still has the opportunity to spread .
Facebook has been slow to act on misinformation that the company doesn ’ t consider dangerous .
Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months , Facebook only began removing COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in December .
The question now is : is this too little , and too late ?

Facebook will send notifications directly to users who like, share, or comment on COVID-19 posts that violate the company’s terms of service, according to a report from Fast Company.
This new feature works like this: if a user interacts with a post that’s later removed, Facebook sends a notification to the user telling them that the post was taken down. If the user clicks the notification, they’ll be taken to a landing page with a screenshot of the post and a short explanation for why it was removed. The landing page will also feature links to COVID-19 educational resources and actions, like unfollowing the group that posted it.
Facebook’s updated anti-misinformation notifications. Image: Facebook, Fast Company
This is an expansion of Facebook’s previous attempts to combat misinformation. Before this, the company displayed a banner on the news feed, urging users who had engaged with content that had been removed, to “Help Friends and Family Avoid False Information About Covid-19.” But users were often confused at what the banner was referring to, a Facebook product manager told Fast Company. The hope is that new approach is more direct than the banner, while still avoiding scolding users or re-exposing them to misinformation.
Facebook’s previous anti-misinformation banner. Image: Facebook
Facebook’s modified approach is arriving almost a year into the pandemic — a little late. The notifications don’t debunk claims in removed posts. They also don’t apply to posts that later have fact-checking labels put on them, Fast Company writes. That means less-dangerous misinformation still has the opportunity to spread.


theverge--2020-12-15--Facebook’s UK users will lose EU privacy protections next year

Facebook is moving its UK users out from under the strict privacy protections of the European Union , according to a report from Reuters .
Users of the social media site , and of Instagram and WhatsApp , will have to sign a terms of service agreement in the coming months with Facebook ’ s headquarters in California , instead of its European branch based in the Republic of Ireland .
Moving the user agreements to the US means that UK users will no longer be covered by data policies crafted to adhere to the EU ’ s stringent privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one Google made earlier this year .
It ’ s meant to avoid a situation where UK citizens are no longer citizens of the European Union , but have agreements based in an EU country , where Facebook is subject to the EU ’ s data protection laws .
Users will still be protected by the UK ’ s data privacy laws , which currently mirror the EU ’ s GDPR .
“ There will be no change to the privacy controls or the services Facebook offers to people in the UK.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK could eventually weaken its privacy laws once it ’ s outside the EU .
The executive director of Open Rights Group said to Reuters that “ [ t ] he bigger the company , the more personal data they hold , the more they are likely to be subject to surveillance duties or requirements to hand over data to the U.S. government.
” The worries aren ’ t founded on nothing .
Back in 2018 , the US passed the CLOUD Act , which makes it easier for the US government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign law enforcement ( which UK agencies would count as ) .
There ’ s also the matter of bargaining .
Because the UK will no longer be included in the EU ’ s trade agreements , the country will have to start making their own — and privacy advocates are worried about what protections the US may ask to be given up in negotiations .
Facebook ’ s UK branch told Reuters that “ there will be no change to the privacy controls or the services Facebook offers to people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , WhatsApp , and Instagram will have to re-agree to the terms and conditions again , which Facebook will ask them to do sometime in the next six months .

Facebook is moving its UK users out from under the strict privacy protections of the European Union, according to a report from Reuters. Users of the social media site, and of Instagram and WhatsApp, will have to sign a terms of service agreement in the coming months with Facebook’s headquarters in California, instead of its European branch based in the Republic of Ireland. Moving the user agreements to the US means that UK users will no longer be covered by data policies crafted to adhere to the EU’s stringent privacy regime.
This change is similar to the one Google made earlier this year. It’s meant to avoid a situation where UK citizens are no longer citizens of the European Union, but have agreements based in an EU country, where Facebook is subject to the EU’s data protection laws. Users will still be protected by the UK’s data privacy laws, which currently mirror the EU’s GDPR.
“There will be no change to the privacy controls or the services Facebook offers to people in the UK.”
Some UK privacy advocates are concerned the UK could eventually weaken its privacy laws once it’s outside the EU. The executive director of Open Rights Group said to Reuters that “[t]he bigger the company, the more personal data they hold, the more they are likely to be subject to surveillance duties or requirements to hand over data to the U.S. government.”
The worries aren’t founded on nothing. Back in 2018, the US passed the CLOUD Act, which makes it easier for the US government to share US companies’ data with foreign law enforcement (which UK agencies would count as).
There’s also the matter of bargaining. Because the UK will no longer be included in the EU’s trade agreements, the country will have to start making their own — and privacy advocates are worried about what protections the US may ask to be given up in negotiations.


theverge--2020-12-15--Amazon’s Luna cloud gaming service is now available on Android

Amazon ’ s cloud gaming service , Luna , is now available on Android , Amazon announced on Tuesday .
Like the iOS version of Luna , there ’ s no separate Luna app to download — instead , you ’ ll access the service through the Chrome web browser .
Amazon launched Luna in early access in October , where it was initially available on PC , Mac , Fire TV , and on iPhone and iPad via web apps .
The service works on a channels-based model , where you pay a monthly fee for each channel of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , there are two channels available .
Amazon ’ s $ 5.99-per-month Luna Plus channel has games from many different publishers , and Ubisoft ’ s $ 14.99-per-month Ubisoft Plus channel offers Ubisoft games .
( Paying that $ 14.99-per-month fee for the Ubisoft Plus channel also gives you access to Ubisoft Plus on PC and on Google ’ s cloud gaming service , Stadia . )
Luna only available in the US right now , and if you don ’ t have early access already , you can request it here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and want to start playing Luna on Android , follow the instructions in this video : Right now , Luna ’ s Android version works on some Pixel , Samsung , and OnePlus devices , but Amazon says Luna will add support for more Android devices during Luna ’ s early access period .
An Amazon spokesperson shared a list of currently-supported devices with The Verge : • Samsung Galaxy S10 , S10 Plus , Note 10 , Note 10 Plus , S20 , S20 Plus , S20 Ultra , Note 20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be using Android 9 or higher and Chrome version 86 or newer .
You ’ ll be able to play games using Amazon ’ s own Luna controller as well as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller .

Amazon’s cloud gaming service, Luna, is now available on Android, Amazon announced on Tuesday. Like the iOS version of Luna, there’s no separate Luna app to download — instead, you’ll access the service through the Chrome web browser.
Amazon launched Luna in early access in October, where it was initially available on PC, Mac, Fire TV, and on iPhone and iPad via web apps. The service works on a channels-based model, where you pay a monthly fee for each channel of games you want access to.
Right now, there are two channels available. Amazon’s $5.99-per-month Luna Plus channel has games from many different publishers, and Ubisoft’s $14.99-per-month Ubisoft Plus channel offers Ubisoft games. (Paying that $14.99-per-month fee for the Ubisoft Plus channel also gives you access to Ubisoft Plus on PC and on Google’s cloud gaming service, Stadia.)
Luna only available in the US right now, and if you don’t have early access already, you can request it here. If you do have early access and want to start playing Luna on Android, follow the instructions in this video:
Right now, Luna’s Android version works on some Pixel, Samsung, and OnePlus devices, but Amazon says Luna will add support for more Android devices during Luna’s early access period. An Amazon spokesperson shared a list of currently-supported devices with The Verge:
Pixel 4XL, 4A, 4A 5G, 5
Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, Note 10, Note 10 Plus, S20, S20 Plus, S20 Ultra, Note 20, Note 20 Ultra
OnePlus 7, 7 Pro, 7 Pro 5G, 8, 8 Pro, Nord, 7T, 7T Pro, 7T Pro 5G


theverge--2020-12-15--Gmail was messed up for a ‘significant’ number of users today

Google says that a “ significant subset ” of Gmail users ran into errors with the service Tuesday afternoon .
While users could access their inboxes , they may have encountered “ error messages , high latency , and/or other unexpected behavior , ” the company wrote in a message on its service status page .
Google said the issues with Gmail were resolved at 6:51PM ET .
The errors came just a day after many Google properties , including Gmail , YouTube , and Google Docs , were hit with a widespread outage .
Downdetector , which monitors reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of problems impacting Gmail starting around 3PM ET .
Users reported being unable to access their inboxes , while others have said they were receiving bounceback messages when trying to email someone with a Gmail address .
ProtonMail said that emails sent to Gmail users were “ permanently bouncing , ” returning error messages to the original sender .
Stadia , Google ’ s cloud gaming service , was also having issues this afternoon , but it ’ s unclear if they were related .
The company said a problem was “ prohibiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Verge that the issue with Stadia had been resolved at 4:31PM ET and that “ users should be able to play games as usual.
” Update December 15th , 7:15PM ET : Google says the problems with Gmail have now been fixed .
This article has been updated to reflect that the issues are resolved .

Google says that a “significant subset” of Gmail users ran into errors with the service Tuesday afternoon.
While users could access their inboxes, they may have encountered “error messages, high latency, and/or other unexpected behavior,” the company wrote in a message on its service status page. Google said the issues with Gmail were resolved at 6:51PM ET.
The errors came just a day after many Google properties, including Gmail, YouTube, and Google Docs, were hit with a widespread outage.
Downdetector, which monitors reports of website issues, showed a spike of problems impacting Gmail starting around 3PM ET. Users reported being unable to access their inboxes, while others have said they were receiving bounceback messages when trying to email someone with a Gmail address. ProtonMail said that emails sent to Gmail users were “permanently bouncing,” returning error messages to the original sender.
Stadia, Google’s cloud gaming service, was also having issues this afternoon, but it’s unclear if they were related. The company said a problem was “prohibiting some users from launching games.” Google told The Verge that the issue with Stadia had been resolved at 4:31PM ET and that “users should be able to play games as usual.”


theverge--2020-12-15--Sunrise movement staff vote to unionize

Sunrise movement staff vote to unionize

Activists working for the influential youth-led environmental group , Sunrise Movement , have voted to form a union , they announced today .
Some 96 percent of Sunrise workers voted for the union .
The group , which has pushed for a Green New Deal , will form a union with Communications Workers of America ( CWA ) Local 1180 in New York , CWA represents other big-name advocacy groups such as Amnesty International .
“ Sunrise Movement unequivocally supports , and fights for , the right of any and all workers to unionize.
” “ When we talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Green New Deal , we mean jobs where people get paid well , with the protections they deserve and that the labor movement fought for , ” Sunrise Movement Executive Director Varshini Prakash said in a statement today .
“ Sunrise Movement unequivocally supports , and fights for , the right of any and all workers to unionize.
” The votes were validated by Senator Ed Markey , a long-time Sunrise ally who spoke at a live-streamed announcement today .
The organization has 110 staff members ; about 80 of them will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Movement , founded in 2017 , gained momentum thanks to a huge network of grassroots organizers — the majority of whom are unpaid .
There are thousands more Sunrise supporters that are volunteers , according to Sunrise .
Volunteers will not be part of the union .
When asked about whether Sunrise workers are pushing for any particular protections or benefits , Gabbi Pierce , internal communications coordinator at Sunrise , said that wasn ’ t a primary focus .
Instead , workers unionized in order to gain tools that would let them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , “ to protect what we have as workers in an organization that we really value , ” Pierce said .
“ We ’ re more motivated to organize to protect what we like in our jobs , and what we have in our jobs.
” The announcement follows the high-profile exit of former Sunrise regional organizer Akshai Singh .
In July , Singh tweeted that they were fired “ in the midst of a union organizing campaign.
” In response , a letter from other Sunrise staff said that Singh was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not retaliation for union activity.
” “ All I want to say to that is that Sunrise management and leadership hasn ’ t engaged in union busting or any anti-union tactics , ” Pierce told The Verge when asked about Singh ’ s exit .
Singh ’ s departure in July struck a nerve , particularly among former volunteers who decided to leave the organization after experiencing burnout .
A recent episode of the popular Netflix show Queer Eye also profiled a Sunrise movement organizer whose mother worried that she was devoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group ’ s work .
“ The organization has alienated a lot of people , ” says Lynn Wang , who was a hub coordinator for Sunrise in Los Angeles before deciding to leave at the start of this year .
“ I think Sunrise maybe wants to put this behind them a little bit and move on .
”

Activists working for the influential youth-led environmental group, Sunrise Movement, have voted to form a union, they announced today. Some 96 percent of Sunrise workers voted for the union.
The group, which has pushed for a Green New Deal, will form a union with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1180 in New York, CWA represents other big-name advocacy groups such as Amnesty International.
“Sunrise Movement unequivocally supports, and fights for, the right of any and all workers to unionize.”
“When we talk about creating millions of good jobs through a Green New Deal, we mean jobs where people get paid well, with the protections they deserve and that the labor movement fought for,” Sunrise Movement Executive Director Varshini Prakash said in a statement today. “Sunrise Movement unequivocally supports, and fights for, the right of any and all workers to unionize.”
The votes were validated by Senator Ed Markey, a long-time Sunrise ally who spoke at a live-streamed announcement today. The organization has 110 staff members; about 80 of them will be eligible to join the union.
Sunrise Movement, founded in 2017, gained momentum thanks to a huge network of grassroots organizers — the majority of whom are unpaid. There are thousands more Sunrise supporters that are volunteers, according to Sunrise. Volunteers will not be part of the union.
When asked about whether Sunrise workers are pushing for any particular protections or benefits, Gabbi Pierce, internal communications coordinator at Sunrise, said that wasn’t a primary focus. Instead, workers unionized in order to gain tools that would let them deal with employment issues when they come up, “to protect what we have as workers in an organization that we really value,” Pierce said. “We’re more motivated to organize to protect what we like in our jobs, and what we have in our jobs.”
The announcement follows the high-profile exit of former Sunrise regional organizer Akshai Singh. In July, Singh tweeted that they were fired “in the midst of a union organizing campaign.” In response, a letter from other Sunrise staff said that Singh was “let go due to their performance, not retaliation for union activity.”
“All I want to say to that is that Sunrise management and leadership hasn’t engaged in union busting or any anti-union tactics,” Pierce told The Verge when asked about Singh’s exit.
“The organization has alienated a lot of people.”
Singh’s departure in July struck a nerve, particularly among former volunteers who decided to leave the organization after experiencing burnout. A recent episode of the popular Netflix show Queer Eye also profiled a Sunrise movement organizer whose mother worried that she was devoting all of her time and energy to the group’s work.


theverge--2020-12-15--Boring Company proposes massive Vegas expansion following monorail bankruptcy

Elon Musk ’ s tunneling venture , The Boring Company , is planning a massive citywide expansion of the currently modest underground transportation system it ’ s building in Las Vegas .
The startup now wants to build a 10-mile sub-surface “ loop ” that serves the famous Las Vegas Strip of casino hotels and reaches the city ’ s downtown area as well as McCarran International Airport , all with Tesla vehicles .
The Boring Company also wants to build an additional loop that connects properties owned by Caesars Entertainment .
The proposed new tunnels would make it possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center to Mandalay Bay in just three minutes , as opposed to 30 minutes by surface roads during peak traffic hours , the company claims .
The plans , first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal , were detailed in proposals submitted to Clark County officials on Monday .
The Boring Company ’ s expansion push comes just days after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ( LVCVA ) finished buying the Las Vegas Monorail , which filed for bankruptcy in September after shutting down in March .
Following the acquisition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had previously kept The Boring Company from digging any tunnels that served the same areas reached by the monorail .
The monorail is not expected to reopen until at least May 2021 .
The Boring Company is still completing its first Tesla-powered people-mover in Las Vegas The Boring Company is still working on making its first underground people-mover open to the public in Las Vegas , located underneath the Convention Center ( which is owned by the LVCVA ) .
While it was originally slated to open in January 2021 in time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade show ’ s shift to a virtual event ( and the pandemic in general ) has muddied those plans .
LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill told The Verge in May that they would likely wait until the next available trade show to open the so-called Convention Center Loop .
On Tuesday , LVCVA senior vice president of communications Lori Nelson-Kraft confirmed that this is still the most likely plan , saying she ’ s “ unsure at this time if we ’ ll open up the system prior to the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Boring Company did not respond to a request for comment .
The Boring Company plans to shuttle up to 4,000 passengers per hour through its tunnels using Tesla Model 3s , Model Xs , and a “ tram ” built on the Model 3 platform that can fit between 12 and 16 people , Hill told The Verge back in May .
While the goal is for those cars to eventually operate autonomously , they will have drivers at the outset .
Hill said that the people mover will evolve to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being laid in the tunnels before actually driving themselves .
The LVCVA announced that first project with the Boring Company in 2019 and is paying Musk ’ s startup $ 48.6 million to build the tunnels running under the convention center .
Since it ’ s meant to be an amenity for convention-goers , Hill explained in May that he considered the full price tag of $ 52.5 million to be a sunk cost .
But the expansion , if approved , will be funded differently .
The Boring Company will pay for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the new citywide loop , according to a presentation Hill gave in November , while casinos and other properties along the route that want a station will have to pay to have them built .
The company will present its proposal in front of the Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday and before county officials in February .

Elon Musk’s tunneling venture, The Boring Company, is planning a massive citywide expansion of the currently modest underground transportation system it’s building in Las Vegas. The startup now wants to build a 10-mile sub-surface “loop” that serves the famous Las Vegas Strip of casino hotels and reaches the city’s downtown area as well as McCarran International Airport, all with Tesla vehicles. The Boring Company also wants to build an additional loop that connects properties owned by Caesars Entertainment.
The proposed new tunnels would make it possible to go from the Las Vegas Convention Center to Mandalay Bay in just three minutes, as opposed to 30 minutes by surface roads during peak traffic hours, the company claims.
The plans, first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, were detailed in proposals submitted to Clark County officials on Monday. The Boring Company’s expansion push comes just days after the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) finished buying the Las Vegas Monorail, which filed for bankruptcy in September after shutting down in March.
Following the acquisition, the LVCVA killed a noncompete agreement that had previously kept The Boring Company from digging any tunnels that served the same areas reached by the monorail. The monorail is not expected to reopen until at least May 2021.
The Boring Company is still completing its first Tesla-powered people-mover in Las Vegas
The Boring Company is still working on making its first underground people-mover open to the public in Las Vegas, located underneath the Convention Center (which is owned by the LVCVA). While it was originally slated to open in January 2021 in time for the yearly Consumer Electronics Show, the trade show’s shift to a virtual event (and the pandemic in general) has muddied those plans.
LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill told The Verge in May that they would likely wait until the next available trade show to open the so-called Convention Center Loop. On Tuesday, LVCVA senior vice president of communications Lori Nelson-Kraft confirmed that this is still the most likely plan, saying she’s “unsure at this time if we’ll open up the system prior to the first large show we have inside our building.” The Boring Company did not respond to a request for comment.
The Boring Company plans to shuttle up to 4,000 passengers per hour through its tunnels using Tesla Model 3s, Model Xs, and a “tram” built on the Model 3 platform that can fit between 12 and 16 people, Hill told The Verge back in May. While the goal is for those cars to eventually operate autonomously, they will have drivers at the outset. Hill said that the people mover will evolve to following a “conduit” and sensors being laid in the tunnels before actually driving themselves.
The LVCVA announced that first project with the Boring Company in 2019 and is paying Musk’s startup $48.6 million to build the tunnels running under the convention center. Since it’s meant to be an amenity for convention-goers, Hill explained in May that he considered the full price tag of $52.5 million to be a sunk cost.


theverge--2020-12-15--Let the dulcet tones of Google’s Blob Opera ring in the holiday season with machine learning

Or at least , they do in Google ’ s latest machine learning experiment , the awe-inspiring Blob Opera , which will see a chorus of four adorable , colorful blobs serenade you with spine-tingling operatic music .
Drag a blob up or down , and you ’ ll change what pitch they sing in ; drag them from side to side , and you ’ ll change the vowel sound .
Each blob will also harmonize with the others , in what can only be described as magical .
The Blob Opera just sounds beautiful , with soaring harmonies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual opera singers — Christian Joel ( tenor ) , Frederick Tong ( bass ) , Joanna Gamble ( mezzo‑soprano ) , and Olivia Doutney ( soprano ) — recorded 16 hours of singing ( Ingunn Gyda Hrafnkelsdottir and John Holland-Avery also contributed ) , but it ’ s not their actual voices you ’ re hearing when the blobs sing .
Rather , the team trained a machine learning model on those voice recordings .
The blobs are singing what the algorithm “ thinks ” opera sounds like , based on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional model works to enable the harmonizing .
Created by David Li working in collaboration with Google ’ s Arts and Culture team , the Blob Opera isn ’ t just a cute toy — it ’ s a great example of how machine learning can be levered to create something new and unexpected out of existing data .
The machine learning-based nature of the opera is why the blobs are limited to vowel sounds instead of actual words , but the random noises still manage to approximate the gist of a true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the best part of the Blob Opera isn ’ t just the lovely harmonies or adorable characters — it ’ s the “ holiday surprise ” that ’ s activated by clicking the Christmas tree icons , which will give you the option to let the blobs sing any number of popular Christmas carols .
Joy to the world , indeed .

Hark! The blobs sing!
Or at least, they do in Google’s latest machine learning experiment, the awe-inspiring Blob Opera, which will see a chorus of four adorable, colorful blobs serenade you with spine-tingling operatic music. Drag a blob up or down, and you’ll change what pitch they sing in; drag them from side to side, and you’ll change the vowel sound. Each blob will also harmonize with the others, in what can only be described as magical.
The Blob Opera just sounds beautiful, with soaring harmonies ringing out from each blob. Four actual opera singers — Christian Joel (tenor), Frederick Tong (bass), Joanna Gamble (mezzo‑soprano), and Olivia Doutney (soprano) — recorded 16 hours of singing (Ingunn Gyda Hrafnkelsdottir and John Holland-Avery also contributed), but it’s not their actual voices you’re hearing when the blobs sing.
Rather, the team trained a machine learning model on those voice recordings. The blobs are singing what the algorithm “thinks” opera sounds like, based on what it learned through the training. An additional model works to enable the harmonizing.
Created by David Li working in collaboration with Google’s Arts and Culture team, the Blob Opera isn’t just a cute toy — it’s a great example of how machine learning can be levered to create something new and unexpected out of existing data.
The machine learning-based nature of the opera is why the blobs are limited to vowel sounds instead of actual words, but the random noises still manage to approximate the gist of a true opera, in spirit if not lyrics.
But the best part of the Blob Opera isn’t just the lovely harmonies or adorable characters — it’s the “holiday surprise” that’s activated by clicking the Christmas tree icons, which will give you the option to let the blobs sing any number of popular Christmas carols.