theverge--2020-04-02--Automated tool can find 100 Zoom meeting IDs per hour

An automated tool developed by security researchers is able to find around 100 Zoom meeting IDs in an hour and information for nearly 2,400 Zoom meetings in a single day of scans , according to a new report from security expert Brian Krebs .
Security professional Trent Lo and members of SecKC , a Kansas City-based security meetup group , made a program called zWarDial that can automatically guess Zoom meeting IDs , which are nine to 11 digits long , and glean information about those meetings , according to the report .
In addition to being able to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instance of zWarDial can successfully determine a legitimate meeting ID 14 percent of the time , Lo told Krebs on Security .
And as part of the nearly 2,400 upcoming or recurring Zoom meetings zWarDial found in a single day of scanning , the program extracted a meeting ’ s Zoom link , date and time , meeting organizer , and meeting topic , according to data Lo shared with Krebs on Security .
In January , security researchers at Check Point Research said Zoom had implemented a feature that would block repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own disclosure of a way to identify valid Zoom meeting IDs .
zWarDial avoids Zoom ’ s blocking by routing searches through Tor , Lo said to Krebs on Security .
However , zWarDial can ’ t find meetings that are password-protected , according to Lo .
By default , Zoom says it password-protects new meetings , instant meetings , and meetings accessed by manually entering a meeting ID , so the fact that zWarDial is able to find around as many meeting IDs as it can suggests that many Zoom meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you want to password-protect your meetings yourself , you can do that in the Zoom app by going to the “ Meetings ” tab , clicking the “ Edit ” button under your personal meeting ID , checking the “ Require meeting password ” checkbox , and then entering a password to use for your meetings .
The steps are similar on the mobile app .
Zoom usage has shot up dramatically as more people have come to rely on the video conferencing app during the COVID-19 pandemic , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a litany of security and privacy issues with the service .
For example , trolls have been able to “ Zoombomb ” calls , an issue with Zoom ’ s “ Company Directory ” setting could leak user emails and photos , and Zoom confirmed to The Intercept that video calls on the app aren ’ t end-to-end encrypted like the company claims .
To help address these issues , Zoom has announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features and will focus on fixing privacy and security issues .

An automated tool developed by security researchers is able to find around 100 Zoom meeting IDs in an hour and information for nearly 2,400 Zoom meetings in a single day of scans, according to a new report from security expert Brian Krebs.
Security professional Trent Lo and members of SecKC, a Kansas City-based security meetup group, made a program called zWarDial that can automatically guess Zoom meeting IDs, which are nine to 11 digits long, and glean information about those meetings, according to the report.
In addition to being able to find around 100 meetings per hour, one instance of zWarDial can successfully determine a legitimate meeting ID 14 percent of the time, Lo told Krebs on Security. And as part of the nearly 2,400 upcoming or recurring Zoom meetings zWarDial found in a single day of scanning, the program extracted a meeting’s Zoom link, date and time, meeting organizer, and meeting topic, according to data Lo shared with Krebs on Security.
In January, security researchers at Check Point Research said Zoom had implemented a feature that would block repeated attempts to scan for meeting IDs following their own disclosure of a way to identify valid Zoom meeting IDs. zWarDial avoids Zoom’s blocking by routing searches through Tor, Lo said to Krebs on Security.
However, zWarDial can’t find meetings that are password-protected, according to Lo. By default, Zoom says it password-protects new meetings, instant meetings, and meetings accessed by manually entering a meeting ID, so the fact that zWarDial is able to find around as many meeting IDs as it can suggests that many Zoom meetings still don’t have a password.
“Zoom strongly encourages users to implement passwords for all of their meetings to ensure uninvited users are not able to join,” Zoom said in a statement to The Verge. “Passwords for new meetings have been enabled by default since late last year, unless account owners or admins opted out. We are looking into unique edge cases to determine whether, under certain circumstances, users unaffiliated with an account owner or administrator may not have had passwords switched on by default at the time that change was made.”
If you want to password-protect your meetings yourself, you can do that in the Zoom app by going to the “Meetings” tab, clicking the “Edit” button under your personal meeting ID, checking the “Require meeting password” checkbox, and then entering a password to use for your meetings. The steps are similar on the mobile app.
Zoom usage has shot up dramatically as more people have come to rely on the video conferencing app during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that increased usage has cast a spotlight on a litany of security and privacy issues with the service.
For example, trolls have been able to “Zoombomb” calls, an issue with Zoom’s “Company Directory” setting could leak user emails and photos, and Zoom confirmed to The Intercept that video calls on the app aren’t end-to-end encrypted like the company claims. To help address these issues, Zoom has announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features and will focus on fixing privacy and security issues.


theverge--2020-04-02--After coming under fire for its discount program, Grubhub says it will pay restaurants $250 each

After it initially made restaurants participating in a discount program foot the bill , Grubhub on Thursday said it would be changing the program to cover the discount — for up to 25 orders per restaurant .
Grubhub ’ s Supper for Support promotion offers diners $ 10 off an order of $ 30 or more placed via Grubhub between 5 and 9PM during the month of April .
Under the original terms of the deal , however , restaurants that opted in were expected to cover both the $ 10 discount and Grubhub ’ s commission on the undiscounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the customer actually paid .
After withering criticism and backlash for a “ promotion ” which appeared to take advantage of struggling restaurants , Grubhub said Thursday it ’ s putting $ 30 million toward Support for Supper , giving each participating restaurant a measly $ 250 to cover the cost of the per-order discount .
After that $ 250 is spent , it appears the restaurants are once again on the hook to make up the difference .
Grubhub spokesperson Dan Abernethy said in an email to The Verge that participating restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the additional discounts , which he said was clearly communicated to them .
He added that “ like all Grubhub promotions , commissions are calculated on the pre-promotion total.
” Abernethy said that there had been some confusion about Support for Supper which he said was “ an entirely optional initiative to drive more business to restaurants , ” that had been so successful that Grubhub was “ doubling down on the promotion.
” Grubhub , which reported revenue of $ 341 million and gross food sales of $ 1.6 billion for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipates the funding for the Support for Supper promotion “ will help generate at least $ 100 million in restaurant sales.
” It claims that restaurants participating in its promotions during the COVID-19 pandemic have seen up to a 30 percent increase in sales .
More people are ordering delivery from restaurants , many of which are closed due to social-distancing restrictions .
A report from restaurant review platform Yelp estimates that restaurant delivery was up 300 percent in the past month .

After it initially made restaurants participating in a discount program foot the bill, Grubhub on Thursday said it would be changing the program to cover the discount — for up to 25 orders per restaurant.
Grubhub’s Supper for Support promotion offers diners $10 off an order of $30 or more placed via Grubhub between 5 and 9PM during the month of April. Under the original terms of the deal, however, restaurants that opted in were expected to cover both the $10 discount and Grubhub’s commission on the undiscounted order total, not the lower amount the customer actually paid.
After withering criticism and backlash for a “promotion” which appeared to take advantage of struggling restaurants, Grubhub said Thursday it’s putting $30 million toward Support for Supper, giving each participating restaurant a measly $250 to cover the cost of the per-order discount. After that $250 is spent, it appears the restaurants are once again on the hook to make up the difference.
Grubhub spokesperson Dan Abernethy said in an email to The Verge that participating restaurants decide upfront whether they want to fund the additional discounts, which he said was clearly communicated to them. He added that “like all Grubhub promotions, commissions are calculated on the pre-promotion total.”
Abernethy said that there had been some confusion about Support for Supper which he said was “an entirely optional initiative to drive more business to restaurants,” that had been so successful that Grubhub was “doubling down on the promotion.”


theverge--2020-04-02--SoundCloud now lets artists add a direct donation button to their page

SoundCloud has introduced a new donation button artists can add to their profile to help offset the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The initiative provides an additional way for fans to directly support acts on SoundCloud as live concerts and festivals are indefinitely postponed in many portions of the world .
To add the button to your SoundCloud artist page , click “ Edit , ” and then “ Add support link.
” Pick your platform of choice , and then hit “ Save changes ” to generate the button , which appears above your stats and on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ variety of services , including Kickstarter , Bandcamp , Paypal , and Patreon , and will not take a cut of any donations made through the platform .
Artists keep 100 percent of donations made through their page Additionally , SoundCloud separately announced a new marketing and distribution platform called Repost by SoundCloud .
The result of an acquisition SoundCloud made last year , Repost by SoundCloud includes a number of tools for independent artists to get their music into the world and plan out their marketing .
Through Repost by SoundCloud , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spotify , Apple Music , TikTok , and Instagram , set up pre-save campaigns , claim content on YouTube , and pitch tracks for playlists .
It also opens up access to SoundCloud-specific features like track background art and banner click-throughs .
The service is available to those 18 years or older and is included with SoundCloud ’ s Pro Unlimited subscription tier .
It can also be purchased for $ 30 a year .
In both cases , you keep 100 percent of your SoundCloud royalties and 80 percent of the revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by SoundCloud is a permanent feature , it ’ s not apparent how long the direct donation button will stick around .
SoundCloud ’ s announcement says it will be active “ as long as we ’ re all in this , ” suggesting that it ’ s a temporary initiative because of the crisis .
Recently , SoundCloud partnered with Twitch in another relief effort to help fast-track musicians to affiliate status in order to unlock Twitch ’ s monetization tools .

SoundCloud has introduced a new donation button artists can add to their profile to help offset the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative provides an additional way for fans to directly support acts on SoundCloud as live concerts and festivals are indefinitely postponed in many portions of the world.
To add the button to your SoundCloud artist page, click “Edit,” and then “Add support link.” Pick your platform of choice, and then hit “Save changes” to generate the button, which appears above your stats and on your track pages. SoundCloud supports a variety of services, including Kickstarter, Bandcamp, Paypal, and Patreon, and will not take a cut of any donations made through the platform.
Artists keep 100 percent of donations made through their page
Additionally, SoundCloud separately announced a new marketing and distribution platform called Repost by SoundCloud. The result of an acquisition SoundCloud made last year, Repost by SoundCloud includes a number of tools for independent artists to get their music into the world and plan out their marketing.
Through Repost by SoundCloud, artists can distribute music to platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and Instagram, set up pre-save campaigns, claim content on YouTube, and pitch tracks for playlists. It also opens up access to SoundCloud-specific features like track background art and banner click-throughs.
The service is available to those 18 years or older and is included with SoundCloud’s Pro Unlimited subscription tier. It can also be purchased for $30 a year. In both cases, you keep 100 percent of your SoundCloud royalties and 80 percent of the revenue received from other services.
While Repost by SoundCloud is a permanent feature, it’s not apparent how long the direct donation button will stick around. SoundCloud’s announcement says it will be active “as long as we’re all in this,” suggesting that it’s a temporary initiative because of the crisis.


theverge--2020-04-02--Amazon executives privately insulted a warehouse worker, then attacked him on Twitter

After firing Chris Smalls , who helped organize a warehouse worker strike at Amazon ’ s Staten Island , New York facility over novel coronavirus safety , Amazon executives publicly attacked him on Twitter .
Now we might know why .
Leaked meeting notes obtained by Vice News lay out a plan for executives to smear Smalls and make him the focus of the company ’ s effort to discredit a growing labor movement inside the company .
“ He ’ s not smart , or articulate , and to the extent the press wants to focus on us versus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much stronger PR position than simply explaining for the umpteenth time how we ’ re trying to protect workers , ” said David Zapolsky , Amazon ’ s general counsel , in the meeting notes , which Vice News reports were forwarded throughout the company .
“ We should spend the first part of our response strongly laying out the case for why the organizer ’ s conduct was immoral , unacceptable , and arguably illegal , in detail , and only then follow with our usual talking points about worker safety , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most interesting part of the story , and if possible make him the face of the entire union/organizing movement.
” Zapolsky confirmed the authenticity of the memo by explaining his comments : “ I let my emotions draft my words and get the better of me , ” he told Vice News .
But instead of apologizing for denigrating Smalls , he continued to attack him using the same strategy outlined in his memo .
“ I was frustrated and upset that an Amazon employee would endanger the health and safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premises after having been warned to quarantine himself after exposure to virus Covid-19 , ” Zapolsky told Vice .
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Smalls helped organize the warehouse walkout that took place on Monday to protest the company ’ s handling of COVID-19 .
Smalls and other workers were upset at how Amazon has been dealing with unsanitary warehouse working conditions in the event a worker is diagnosed with the illness .
Amazon has only closed facilities when being forced to do so by government authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay at home and maintain normal operations .
Workers have complained that Amazon has not properly informed employees about infections , and they accused the company of avoiding sanitary procedures unless forced to shut down facilities for deep cleaning .
Last week , Amazon shut down a returns processing warehouse in Kentucky after three employees tested positive and the governor forced the site to close .
Earlier this month , a sortation center in Queens , New York , was shut down for cleaning after workers walked out to protest the handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is under fire for its handling of worker safety during the COVID-19 pandemic On Wednesday , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( D-VT ) harshly criticized Amazon on Twitter for its handling of the situation , writing , “ It ’ s disgraceful that Amazon , which is owned by the richest man in the world , is not only failing to protect its workers but has now fired a worker for protesting dangerous conditions.
” This prompted two Amazon senior vice presidents ( SVPs ) to publicly respond to Sanders with lines of argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommended PR strategy .
Dave Clark , Amazon ’ s SVP of global operations , accused Sanders of being “ misinformed again ” and said Smalls “ violated social distancing rules multiple times.
” Jay Carney , a former press secretary in the Obama administration who is now Amazon ’ s SVP of global corporate affairs , wrote , “ Mr .
Smalls purposely violated social distancing rules , repeatedly , & was put on Paid 14-day quarantine for COVID exposure .
3/30 he returned to the site .
Knowingly putting our team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has become especially combative on Twitter of late when talking to members of the news media , proceeded to engage with a number of replies to his tweets accusing critics of being “ pathetic ” and responding with “ ad hominem vitriol , ” he says .
In a blog post published late Thursday , Clark officially responded to the controversy in what is Amazon ’ s most direct response to the ongoing wave of employee protests and criticism over its handling of worker safety .
Clark says Amazon respects “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” but he goes on to defend the firing of Smalls and further frame the issue as a workplace safety matter .
He also indirectly accuses Smalls of putting “ the heath of others at risk ” : We want to be very clear that we respect the rights of these employees to protest and recognize their legal right to do so .
At the same time , these rights do not provide a blanket immunity against bad actions , particularly those that endanger the health , and potentially the lives , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we keep people safe during this pandemic , and one of the primary ways we can do that is to ensure everyone at our sites is taking precautions , such as social distancing , frequent hand washing , and disinfecting surfaces .
We have taken and will continue to take strong actions to enforce compliance with our health and safety programs at all levels of the team , from front line employees through senior leaders .
This is not about any one individual .
When anyone on our team at any level purposely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will take swift , decisive action without concern about external reaction .
We did not , and have not ever , terminated an associate for speaking out on their working conditions , but we will act swiftly with individuals who purposely put others at risk .
Smalls has disputed the claims , saying he was the only person of multiple workers who interacted with the worker who tested positive .
He also has disputed the timeline of events , saying Amazon only instructed him to begin self-quarantining shortly before the strike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worker who tested positive nearly two weeks prior .
“ I am outraged and disappointed , but I ’ m not shocked , ” Smalls said in a statement at the time .
“ As usual , Amazon would rather sweep a problem under the rug than act to keep workers and working communities safe.
” Update April 2nd , 5:48PM ET : Added quotes and context from Amazon SVP Dave Clark ’ s blog post published this evening .

After firing Chris Smalls, who helped organize a warehouse worker strike at Amazon’s Staten Island, New York facility over novel coronavirus safety, Amazon executives publicly attacked him on Twitter. Now we might know why. Leaked meeting notes obtained by Vice News lay out a plan for executives to smear Smalls and make him the focus of the company’s effort to discredit a growing labor movement inside the company.
“He’s not smart, or articulate, and to the extent the press wants to focus on us versus him, we will be in a much stronger PR position than simply explaining for the umpteenth time how we’re trying to protect workers,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s general counsel, in the meeting notes, which Vice News reports were forwarded throughout the company.
“He’s not smart, or articulate.”
“We should spend the first part of our response strongly laying out the case for why the organizer’s conduct was immoral, unacceptable, and arguably illegal, in detail, and only then follow with our usual talking points about worker safety,” Zapolsky continued. “Make him the most interesting part of the story, and if possible make him the face of the entire union/organizing movement.”
Zapolsky confirmed the authenticity of the memo by explaining his comments: “I let my emotions draft my words and get the better of me,” he said in a statement given to the The Verge. But instead of apologizing for denigrating Smalls, he continued to attack him using the same strategy outlined in his memo. “I was frustrated and upset that an Amazon employee would endanger the health and safety of other Amazonians by repeatedly returning to the premises after having been warned to quarantine himself after exposure to virus Covid-19,” Zapolsky said.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company could not confirm or comment on the authenticity of any email or memo from Zapolsky.
Smalls helped organize the warehouse walkout that took place on Monday to protest the company’s handling of COVID-19. Smalls and other workers were upset at how Amazon has been dealing with unsanitary warehouse working conditions in the event a worker is diagnosed with the illness.
Amazon has only closed facilities when being forced to do so by government authorities, deciding instead to instruct workers to stay at home and maintain normal operations. Workers have complained that Amazon has not properly informed employees about infections, and they accused the company of avoiding sanitary procedures unless forced to shut down facilities for deep cleaning.
Last week, Amazon shut down a returns processing warehouse in Kentucky after three employees tested positive and the governor forced the site to close. Earlier this month, a sortation center in Queens, New York, was shut down for cleaning after workers walked out to protest the handling of COVID-19 cases at the facility.
Amazon is under fire for its handling of worker safety during the COVID-19 pandemic
On Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) harshly criticized Amazon on Twitter for its handling of the situation, writing, “It’s disgraceful that Amazon, which is owned by the richest man in the world, is not only failing to protect its workers but has now fired a worker for protesting dangerous conditions.”
This prompted two Amazon senior vice presidents (SVPs) to publicly respond to Sanders with lines of argument that appear consistent with Zapolsky’s recommended PR strategy. Dave Clark, Amazon’s SVP of global operations, accused Sanders of being “misinformed again” and said Smalls “violated social distancing rules multiple times.”
Jay Carney, a former press secretary in the Obama administration who is now Amazon’s SVP of global corporate affairs, wrote, “Mr. Smalls purposely violated social distancing rules, repeatedly, & was put on Paid 14-day quarantine for COVID exposure. 3/30 he returned to the site. Knowingly putting our team at risk is unacceptable.”
Carney, who has become especially combative on Twitter of late when talking to members of the news media, proceeded to engage with a number of replies to his tweets accusing critics of being “pathetic” and responding with “ad hominem vitriol,” he says.
In a blog post published late Thursday, Clark officially responded to the controversy in what is Amazon’s most direct response to the ongoing wave of employee protests and criticism over its handling of worker safety. Clark says Amazon respects “the rights of these employees to protest,” but he goes on to defend the firing of Smalls and further frame the issue as a workplace safety matter. He also indirectly accuses Smalls of putting “the heath of others at risk”:
We want to be very clear that we respect the rights of these employees to protest and recognize their legal right to do so. At the same time, these rights do not provide a blanket immunity against bad actions, particularly those that endanger the health, and potentially the lives, of colleagues. It is vitally important that we keep people safe during this pandemic, and one of the primary ways we can do that is to ensure everyone at our sites is taking precautions, such as social distancing, frequent hand washing, and disinfecting surfaces. We have taken and will continue to take strong actions to enforce compliance with our health and safety programs at all levels of the team, from front line employees through senior leaders. This is not about any one individual. When anyone on our team at any level purposely puts the health of others at risk, we will take swift, decisive action without concern about external reaction. We did not, and have not ever, terminated an associate for speaking out on their working conditions, but we will act swiftly with individuals who purposely put others at risk.
Smalls has disputed the claims, saying he was the only person of multiple workers who interacted with the worker who tested positive. He also has disputed the timeline of events, saying Amazon only instructed him to begin self-quarantining shortly before the strike, despite having come into contact with the worker who tested positive nearly two weeks prior.
“I am outraged and disappointed, but I’m not shocked,” Smalls said in a statement at the time. “As usual, Amazon would rather sweep a problem under the rug than act to keep workers and working communities safe.”
Update April 2nd, 5:48PM ET: Added quotes and context from Amazon SVP Dave Clark’s blog post published this evening.


theverge--2020-04-02--Facebook Messenger desktop app launches for Windows and Mac

Messenger comes to the big screen .
Messenger desktop for MacOS and Windows is here .
bit.ly/MessengerDesktop Facebook Messenger finally has its own desktop app , making it easier to message and video chat with friends and family from your computer .
The app , which is now available on the Microsoft Store and Mac App Store , lets you message friends and start video calls , just like on the mobile and web versions .
It also includes a dark mode , which Facebook has been rolling out as one of the new features introduced to the desktop ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standalone desktop app for Facebook Messenger has been a long time coming , with strong hints that Facebook was working on an app as early as 2016 .
Facebook later launched a desktop app for Workplace , its collaboration tool , in late 2017 .
But it didn ’ t announce Messenger for desktop until last year .
Facebook ’ s Messenger desktop app joins the increasingly important pool of videoconferencing tools such as Zoom , which is facing backlash for its privacy and security issues .
As many of us practice social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chat apps are becoming vital tools to keep in contact with friends and family .
Facebook finally launching a full version of its Messenger desktop app should make it a little bit easier for users to video chat with their friends .

Facebook Messenger finally has its own desktop app, making it easier to message and video chat with friends and family from your computer.
The app, which is now available on the Microsoft Store and Mac App Store, lets you message friends and start video calls, just like on the mobile and web versions. It also includes a dark mode, which Facebook has been rolling out as one of the new features introduced to the desktop’s redesign.
Facebook’s Messenger desktop app joins the increasingly important pool of videoconferencing tools
The launch of a standalone desktop app for Facebook Messenger has been a long time coming, with strong hints that Facebook was working on an app as early as 2016. Facebook later launched a desktop app for Workplace, its collaboration tool, in late 2017. But it didn’t announce Messenger for desktop until last year.


theverge--2020-04-02--How to view your notification history on Android

If you ’ ve used Android for quite some time , it ’ s likely you ’ ve mistakenly swiped away a notification or two for one reason or another .
Maybe you ’ re swiping in a hurry , or you accidentally cleared everything in the notification drawer without meaning to , or maybe you just wonder where all your notifications go and if there ’ s a historical list of them after you ’ ve dismissed them .
But don ’ t worry .
You can find everything from missed messages , emails , app updates , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Log option — if your phone can access it .
How to find your Notification Log • Long-press anywhere on your home screen .
• Scroll down and long-press the “ Settings ” widget , then place it on your home screen .
• You ’ ll get a list of features that the Settings shortcut can access .
Tap “ Notification Log.
” • Tap the widget and scroll through your past notifications .
What if I can ’ t find the Notification Log ?
Every Android phone may not have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortcut on the Google Pixel 2 XL , Pixel 3 , and Razer Phone 2 — all phones with stock or near-stock versions of Android .
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and LG G7 didn ’ t have the log listed anywhere within Android ’ s system settings .
But if your phone doesn ’ t offer the log , there is a workaround for this , as written up by Rita El Khoury on Android Police .
For phones that don ’ t have the default log ( or if you want a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also download Unnotification .
The app brings back your last dismissed notification , as well as your notification history .
You can find the app on the Play Store .
Update April 2nd , 2020 , 4:50PM ET : This article was originally published on October 19th , 2018 , and it has been updated to slightly change the directions and to link directly to the review of Unnotifcation .
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see

If you’ve used Android for quite some time, it’s likely you’ve mistakenly swiped away a notification or two for one reason or another. Maybe you’re swiping in a hurry, or you accidentally cleared everything in the notification drawer without meaning to, or maybe you just wonder where all your notifications go and if there’s a historical list of them after you’ve dismissed them.
But don’t worry. You can find everything from missed messages, emails, app updates, and even system messages in the stock Notification Log option — if your phone can access it.
How to find your Notification Log
Long-press anywhere on your home screen.
Select “Widgets” from the pop-up menu.
Scroll down and long-press the “Settings” widget, then place it on your home screen.
You’ll get a list of features that the Settings shortcut can access. Tap “Notification Log.”
Tap the widget and scroll through your past notifications.
What if I can’t find the Notification Log?
Every Android phone may not have the stock Notification Log. I tested this shortcut on the Google Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, and Razer Phone 2 — all phones with stock or near-stock versions of Android. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and LG G7 didn’t have the log listed anywhere within Android’s system settings. But if your phone doesn’t offer the log, there is a workaround for this, as written up by Rita El Khoury on Android Police.
For phones that don’t have the default log (or if you want a more user-friendly experience), you can also download Unnotification. The app brings back your last dismissed notification, as well as your notification history. You can find the app on the Play Store.
Update April 2nd, 2020, 4:50PM ET: This article was originally published on October 19th, 2018, and it has been updated to slightly change the directions and to link directly to the review of Unnotifcation.


theverge--2020-04-02--GM is working with Honda to build two new electric vehicles

General Motors and Honda are joining forces to develop two new electric vehicles , the companies announced on Thursday .
They ’ ll have Honda nameplates but will be built using GM ’ s newly announced flexible EV platform with its Ultium-branded improved battery packs .
Honda will design the exteriors and interiors of the new EVs , while the platform will be engineered to support Honda ’ s specifications , the companies say .
They will be manufactured at GM ’ s North American plants , with sales expected to begin in the 2024 model year .
Honda will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new EVs It ’ s a surprising piece of news , given the otherwise dire conditions for the auto industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Honda and GM , along with practically the entire auto industry , have temporarily shuttered their factories in the US and abroad in accordance with public health guidelines .
Sales are down sharply as most customers are staying at home , and experts say the real pain is still to come , with automakers girding themselves for an extended economic slump .
COVID-19 cases were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US in early March when GM hosted an “ EV Day ” at its design headquarters in Warren , Michigan , to lay out its broader electric vehicle strategy .
The company also showcased roughly a dozen products , including the Cadillac “ Lyriq ” EV crossover and two electric versions of GMC ’ s Hummer .
( The release dates for all three , including the revamped Chevy Bolt , have been delayed due to the pandemic . )
Honda ’ s electric lineup is limited .
The automaker recently discontinued its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sell hydrogen and plug-in hybrid versions of the vehicle .
Its Honda E is expected to go on sale this summer in Europe .
GM and Honda aren ’ t the only automakers getting cozy GM and Honda have a preexisting relationship when it comes to EVs .
The Japanese automaker is an investor in GM ’ s majority-owned autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise ( $ 2 billion over 12 years ) .
As part of the deal , Cruise and Honda said they would jointly develop a purpose-built electric autonomous vehicle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cruise Origin , was first unveiled late last year .
Weeks later , GM said it would spend $ 2.2 billion to retrofit its Detroit-Hamtramck plant for the production of autonomous and electric vehicles .
The new Honda EVs are likely to be built in that refurbished plant .
But GM and Honda aren ’ t the only automakers getting cozy with each other .
Ford and VW recently announced a major tie-up to building EVs and AVs .
In fact , car companies big and small are racing to build on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SUVs , pickup trucks , and sedans .
In tandem , many of the same companies are also testing self-driving cars , either as taxis to ferry passengers around cities or as delivery robots carrying groceries and other goods .
But EVs still represent a small fraction of the total vehicles sold globally , and many of the rosy predictions about mass driverless cars hitting the road have failed to come to pass .

General Motors and Honda are joining forces to develop two new electric vehicles, the companies announced on Thursday. They’ll have Honda nameplates but will be built using GM’s newly announced flexible EV platform with its Ultium-branded improved battery packs.
Honda will design the exteriors and interiors of the new EVs, while the platform will be engineered to support Honda’s specifications, the companies say. They will be manufactured at GM’s North American plants, with sales expected to begin in the 2024 model year.
Honda will design the exteriors and interiors of the new EVs
It’s a surprising piece of news, given the otherwise dire conditions for the auto industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Honda and GM, along with practically the entire auto industry, have temporarily shuttered their factories in the US and abroad in accordance with public health guidelines. Sales are down sharply as most customers are staying at home, and experts say the real pain is still to come, with automakers girding themselves for an extended economic slump.
COVID-19 cases were just starting to pop up in the US in early March when GM hosted an “EV Day” at its design headquarters in Warren, Michigan, to lay out its broader electric vehicle strategy. The company also showcased roughly a dozen products, including the Cadillac “Lyriq” EV crossover and two electric versions of GMC’s Hummer. (The release dates for all three, including the revamped Chevy Bolt, have been delayed due to the pandemic.)
Honda’s electric lineup is limited. The automaker recently discontinued its Clarity EV, though it will continue to sell hydrogen and plug-in hybrid versions of the vehicle. Its Honda E is expected to go on sale this summer in Europe.
GM and Honda aren’t the only automakers getting cozy
GM and Honda have a preexisting relationship when it comes to EVs. The Japanese automaker is an investor in GM’s majority-owned autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise ($2 billion over 12 years). As part of the deal, Cruise and Honda said they would jointly develop a purpose-built electric autonomous vehicle. A pre-production version of that vehicle, the Cruise Origin, was first unveiled late last year. Weeks later, GM said it would spend $2.2 billion to retrofit its Detroit-Hamtramck plant for the production of autonomous and electric vehicles. The new Honda EVs are likely to be built in that refurbished plant.
But GM and Honda aren’t the only automakers getting cozy with each other. Ford and VW recently announced a major tie-up to building EVs and AVs. In fact, car companies big and small are racing to build on Tesla’s success by mass-producing battery-powered SUVs, pickup trucks, and sedans. In tandem, many of the same companies are also testing self-driving cars, either as taxis to ferry passengers around cities or as delivery robots carrying groceries and other goods.


theverge--2020-04-02--HBO is making a ton of TV shows and movies free to non-subscribers

HBO is making a number of its original series and popular movies available for free beginning April 3rd to non-subscribers , including The Wire , Detective Pikachu , and The Sopranos .
The move is being described by Variety as a “ good will gesture ” by WarnerMedia ; an effort from the conglomerate to provide entertainment to people stuck at home due to the novel coronavirus .
More than 500 hours of content will be made available , with many of HBO ’ s top series among the list , including Succession , Veep , True Detective , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows .
Popular movies like Detective Pikachu , Sucker Punch , and Happy Feet 2 are also part of the deal .
Noticeably absent from the deal ?
Game of Thrones .
That ’ s still only available to HBO customers .
WarnerMedia is one of many companies making some of its programming available for free to non-customers .
The move also comes at a time when WarnerMedia is seeing massive surges in streaming engagement .
While the television industry as a whole saw a 20 percent increase last week compared to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest usage on its platform since summer .
The percentage of people binge-viewing series has increased 65 percent , while movie watching is up 70 percent on HBO Now .
People are watching old shows , new shows , documentaries , and movies .
It ’ s not just WarnerMedia , either .
Netflix ’ s chief content officer , Ted Sarandos , told CNN that Netflix has seen a surge in streams .
Third-party companies have reported seeing massive increases in usage and subscription signups for streaming platforms like Disney Plus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitch , has seen a 31 percent growth in viewership .
YouTube Gaming saw a 15 percent growth in viewership during a time when everyone is at home .
Streaming entertainment for free is a nice thing for companies to do , but it ’ s also a way to find additional paying subscribers in the long run .
AT & T and WarnerMedia are just about to launch HBO Max , the company ’ s biggest streaming initiative to date .
Showing potential customers what they can get by signing up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month , by offering a tease of free programming is a smart business move .
But hey , even if this doesn ’ t translate to more signups for HBO Max , HBO Now , or standard HBO , at least there are a few series and movies available for people to revisit or watch for the first time .
The programming , listed in full below as reported by Variety , will be available to stream beginning Friday for a limited time .
WarnerMedia didn ’ t say when the limited-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Now Die : The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter The Inventor : Out for Blood in Silicon Valley We Are the Dream : The Kids of the MLK Oakland Oratorical Fest The Lego Movie 2 : The Second Part

HBO is making a number of its original series and popular movies available for free beginning April 3rd to non-subscribers, including The Wire, Detective Pikachu, and The Sopranos.
The move is being described by Variety as a “good will gesture” by WarnerMedia; an effort from the conglomerate to provide entertainment to people stuck at home due to the novel coronavirus. More than 500 hours of content will be made available, with many of HBO’s top series among the list, including Succession, Veep, True Detective, and Six Feet Under, alongside the aforementioned shows. Popular movies like Detective Pikachu, Sucker Punch, and Happy Feet 2 are also part of the deal. Noticeably absent from the deal? Game of Thrones. That’s still only available to HBO customers.
WarnerMedia is one of many companies making some of its programming available for free to non-customers. The move also comes at a time when WarnerMedia is seeing massive surges in streaming engagement. While the television industry as a whole saw a 20 percent increase last week compared to the month prior, HBO Now saw the highest usage on its platform since summer. The percentage of people binge-viewing series has increased 65 percent, while movie watching is up 70 percent on HBO Now. People are watching old shows, new shows, documentaries, and movies.
It’s not just WarnerMedia, either. Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, told CNN that Netflix has seen a surge in streams. Third-party companies have reported seeing massive increases in usage and subscription signups for streaming platforms like Disney Plus. Amazon’s other streaming platform, Twitch, has seen a 31 percent growth in viewership. YouTube Gaming saw a 15 percent growth in viewership during a time when everyone is at home.
Streaming entertainment for free is a nice thing for companies to do, but it’s also a way to find additional paying subscribers in the long run. AT&T and WarnerMedia are just about to launch HBO Max, the company’s biggest streaming initiative to date. Showing potential customers what they can get by signing up for Max, which will run $14.99 a month, by offering a tease of free programming is a smart business move.
But hey, even if this doesn’t translate to more signups for HBO Max, HBO Now, or standard HBO, at least there are a few series and movies available for people to revisit or watch for the first time. The programming, listed in full below as reported by Variety, will be available to stream beginning Friday for a limited time. WarnerMedia didn’t say when the limited-time offer would end.
Series
Ballers
Barry
Silicon Valley
Six Feet Under
The Sopranos
Succession
True Blood
Veep
The Wire
Documentaries
The Apollo
The Case Against Adnan Syed
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter
The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Jane Fonda in Five Acts
McMillion$
True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality
United Skates
We Are the Dream: The Kids of the MLK Oakland Oratorical Fest
Movies
Arthur
Arthur 2: On the Rocks
Blinded By the Light
The Bridges of Madison County
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Empire of the Sun
Forget Paris
Happy Feet Two
Isn’t It Romantic?
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
Midnight Special
My Dog Skip
Nancy Drew And The Hidden Staircase
Pan
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
Red Riding Hood
Smallfoot
Storks
Sucker Punch


theverge--2020-04-02--Zoom has disabled a feature that was exposing users’ LinkedIn profiles

As COVID-19 forces schools , offices , and social groups to move their daily operations online , video calling service Zoom has become the new centerpiece of many people ’ s daily life .
But the increased use has brought heightened scrutiny to the company ’ s data practices .
Every day , it seems , new vulnerabilities in the platform are coming to light .
Today is no exception .
The New York Times discovered that Zoom has been supporting a data-mining feature that automatically matched users ’ names and email addresses to their LinkedIn profiles when they signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or using a pseudonym on their call .
If another user in their meeting was subscribed to a service called LinkedIn Sales Navigator , they were able to access the LinkedIn profiles of other participants in their Zoom meetings by clicking an icon next to their names — without those users ’ knowledge or consent .
Reached for comment by the Times , Zoom stated that it takes its users ’ privacy “ extremely seriously ” and that it will disable the feature .
LinkedIn also told the Times that it will suspend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this further.
” Zoom has made several changes to its practices in response to recent privacy backlash .
After a software engineer discovered that the service was dodging macOS restrictions to install itself without users providing final consent , Zoom issued an update to remove the trickery .
CEO Eric S. Yuan announced a 90-day feature freeze to fix privacy and security issues .
Zoom also updated its iOS app last week to remove code that shared device data with Facebook , and it rewrote parts of its privacy policy after users and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t prevent the company from using customers ’ personal data for targeted ads .

As COVID-19 forces schools, offices, and social groups to move their daily operations online, video calling service Zoom has become the new centerpiece of many people’s daily life. But the increased use has brought heightened scrutiny to the company’s data practices. Every day, it seems, new vulnerabilities in the platform are coming to light.
Today is no exception. The New York Times discovered that Zoom has been supporting a data-mining feature that automatically matched users’ names and email addresses to their LinkedIn profiles when they signed in — even if they were anonymous or using a pseudonym on their call. If another user in their meeting was subscribed to a service called LinkedIn Sales Navigator, they were able to access the LinkedIn profiles of other participants in their Zoom meetings by clicking an icon next to their names — without those users’ knowledge or consent.
Reached for comment by the Times, Zoom stated that it takes its users’ privacy “extremely seriously” and that it will disable the feature.
LinkedIn also told the Times that it will suspend its Zoom integration “while we investigate this further.”
Zoom says it takes users’ privacy “extremely seriously”
Zoom has made several changes to its practices in response to recent privacy backlash. After a software engineer discovered that the service was dodging macOS restrictions to install itself without users providing final consent, Zoom issued an update to remove the trickery. CEO Eric S. Yuan announced a 90-day feature freeze to fix privacy and security issues.


theverge--2020-04-02--Grimes posted the music stems and video files for her single so anyone can remix it

Grimes recently released a new music video for “ You ’ ll Miss Me When I ’ m Not Around , ” and it came with a surprise : a content dump containing assets from her new album Miss Anthropocene and an invitation for anyone to remix the song or video .
The music video features Grimes in front of a green screen and was originally shot so her team could create visuals for the album .
Now , it ’ s an opportunity for collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Because we ’ re all in lockdown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we thought if people are bored and wan na learn new things , we could release the raw components of one of these for anyone who wants to try making stuff using our footage.
” The file , called “ Grimes Art Kit , ” contains instructions for downloading all the different assets for “ You ’ ll Miss Me When I ’ m Not Around.
” It contains the lyrics , artwork , fonts , Native Instruments tools , video footage in 1080p and 4K , and all of the song ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including guitar , effects , the synths , and three layers of vocals .
She says her team is working on securing free short-term access to the visual tools they use for those who don ’ t own pro editing software .
You ’ re free to tinker with the song and video however you like , but if you post it online , there are some rules .
It can ’ t be monetized , so YouTube and SoundCloud are the only approved platforms .
And any remix of the song @ @ @ @ @ @ @ label , not you .
Also , make sure your YouTube upload has “ You ’ ll Miss Me When I ’ m Not Around ” in the title and includes # GrimesArtKit in the description .
Grimes ’ team says this will ensure that all uploads using the song ’ s assets will get approved .
Having this sort of carte blanche access to remix a major artist ’ s content is a unique opportunity .
Rights around a song ’ s ownership can be complicated and messy , and frustrations with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a longstanding gripe for many creators .
Grimes will be sharing some of her favorites , so if you ’ d like a chance at having your work reposted , tag her when you share on Twitter or Instagram and use the # GrimesArtKit hashtag .
Download the “ Grimes Art Kit ” instructions here to toy around and make your very own Grimes remix .

Grimes recently released a new music video for “You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around,” and it came with a surprise: a content dump containing assets from her new album Miss Anthropocene and an invitation for anyone to remix the song or video.
The music video features Grimes in front of a green screen and was originally shot so her team could create visuals for the album. Now, it’s an opportunity for collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Because we’re all in lockdown,” she wrote on Instagram, “we thought if people are bored and wanna learn new things, we could release the raw components of one of these for anyone who wants to try making stuff using our footage.”
The file, called “Grimes Art Kit,” contains instructions for downloading all the different assets for “You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around.” It contains the lyrics, artwork, fonts, Native Instruments tools, video footage in 1080p and 4K, and all of the song’s stems — separated pieces of audio — including guitar, effects, the synths, and three layers of vocals. She says her team is working on securing free short-term access to the visual tools they use for those who don’t own pro editing software.
You’re free to tinker with the song and video however you like, but if you post it online, there are some rules. It can’t be monetized, so YouTube and SoundCloud are the only approved platforms. And any remix of the song that’s posted belongs to the label, not you. Also, make sure your YouTube upload has “You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around” in the title and includes #GrimesArtKit in the description. Grimes’ team says this will ensure that all uploads using the song’s assets will get approved.
Having this sort of carte blanche access to remix a major artist’s content is a unique opportunity. Rights around a song’s ownership can be complicated and messy, and frustrations with platform algorithms taking down legitimate content is a longstanding gripe for many creators.
Grimes will be sharing some of her favorites, so if you’d like a chance at having your work reposted, tag her when you share on Twitter or Instagram and use the #GrimesArtKit hashtag.


theverge--2020-04-03--Brydge Pro Plus review: an almost awesome iPad laptop

The Brydge Pro Plus has both great and terrible timing .
Originally conceived as a niche product to leverage iPadOS ’ janky-but-somewhat-useful pointer support , the Pro Plus ’ trackpad suddenly looked a lot more practical once Apple vastly improved the feature with this month ’ s unexpected release of iPadOS 13.4 .
Now , the iPad-plus-Brydge-keyboard combination can be more laptop-like than ever .
Brydge ’ s problem , however , is that Apple also announced its own iPad keyboard with a trackpad and a wild floating design , potentially Sherlocking the smaller company .
Brydge ’ s keyboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not necessarily a killer .
But there ’ s another problem : it ’ s not fully compatible with all of the iPad ’ s new trackpad features .
Still , the Pro Plus has some things going for it .
It ’ s available now , it ’ s much less expensive , and it has a more traditional laptop-style form factor — if that ’ s what you ’ re into .
Brydge has been making iPad keyboards for a long time now , and the Pro Plus is a twist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPad Pro design .
Last year I said that keyboard was the best option for anyone wanting their iPad to work more like a laptop .
The Pro Plus works largely the same way — it charges over USB-C , connects over Bluetooth and you slot the iPad ’ s bottom corners into two rubberised hinges that don ’ t obscure the screen .
Brydge also includes a leather back cover that attaches to your iPad magnetically , though I couldn ’ t use the one that came with my review unit because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPad ’ s larger camera bump .
( Brydge is shipping an updated cover with orders made after that iPad ’ s announcement . )
Purely as a keyboard , I don ’ t have many complaints .
I ’ ve been going back and forth between the Pro Plus and Apple ’ s desktop Magic Keyboard this week , and even though I ’ m testing the smaller 11-inch Brydge .
it doesn ’ t feel cramped and I prefer its larger key travel .
Unlike Apple ’ s own iPad keyboards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top , including controls for screen brightness , backlighting , and so on .
For me , at least , this is a better feeling keyboard than anything Apple makes .
The combination is half a pound lighter than a MacBook Air With the Pro Plus attached , the 11-inch iPad Pro is transformed into an adorable laptop .
The keyboard ’ s design is really in keeping with the iPad itself ; it ’ s slightly thicker than the tablet but its aluminum frame has similar proportions .
When you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with something that ’ s easy to toss into a bag , while the flexible hinges make it easy to use on your lap .
It weighs a little over a pound , and the tablet-keyboard combination is about half a pound lighter than a MacBook Air .
The trackpad is also very good given the size constraints .
It ’ s hard to see how Brydge could have made it any bigger , at least on the 11-inch model , but it ’ s still pretty small .
For comparison , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s and feels more like a Surface Pro ’ s .
I don ’ t really find the size to be a problem for regular pointer control — it ’ s more than big enough to zip the cursor from one side of the screen to another .
But since the clicking action uses a regular “ diving board ” mechanism that pivots from the top , it means the area that you can actually press down on is pretty small .
You ’ re left with a little less space to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the button with your thumb ; I found myself using tap-to-click a lot , which I never do on a Mac .
It ’ ll be fine for anyone not used to Apple ’ s luxuriously huge laptop trackpads , I think .
But the size is the least of this trackpad ’ s problems .
If you haven ’ t used it yet , know that iPadOS 13.4 ’ s pointer support is genuinely delightful .
The way the blob-like cursor pings around with momentum and transforms into different shapes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-person shooter-style auto-aim , is the most fun I ’ ve had with a mouse since the first time I went to Disneyland .
I was always skeptical about the idea of bolting Mac-style mouse pointers onto iOS , but that ’ s not what Apple did here .
It feels completely native to the iPad and doesn ’ t compromise anything about the finger-first UI .
The most fun I ’ ve had with a mouse since the first time I went to Disneyland Much of that is true when you use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works fine as a single finger facsimile ; it ’ s responsive and precise , and better in that regard than many laptops .
My primary use case for an iPad trackpad is text editing , and despite the slightly cramped size the Pro Plus is fine when you want to select a bunch of text or move your cursor around without reaching up to touch the screen .
That alone is enough to make this the most useful keyboard Brydge has ever made .
The real problem is that its multi-finger gestures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst .
Two-finger scrolling does work , for example , but its behavior is completely different across apps .
It ’ s okay in Safari , if a little jerky .
It ’ s out of control in Twitter , zooming you through your timeline at an unreadable pace .
And in Slack , it seems to exhibit entirely different speeds whether you ’ re scrolling on the channel list or the chat itself .
Three-finger gestures , meanwhile , aren ’ t supported at all .
iPadOS 13.4 includes iPhone X-style features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to the home screen or bring up the multitasking menu , depending on how long you hold it .
That just doesn ’ t work on the Brydge Pro Plus .
There are replacement solutions — in this case , you swipe down at the bottom of the screen to bring up the dock , then again to go home , then again to multitask .
You can also resort to more complicated workarounds by diving into the Accessibility settings .
There , you can assign a three-finger tap to the app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Brydge ’ s suggested settings mean you have the virtual home button floating on your screen when the keyboard is disconnected .
None of this is as slick as what Apple has designed .
The reason I know that is because I ’ ve also been using my iPad Pro with the Magic Trackpad that Apple ships as an option for the iMac , and the experience is dramatically better .
Scrolling is smooth everywhere , the three-finger gestures are great , and you can click anywhere on the surface .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s upcoming Magic Keyboard for the iPad .
There ’ s still a lot we don ’ t know about that keyboard , since it isn ’ t going to be available until May .
Weight is a big one — it looks like it ’ ll have to be pretty heavy to suspend the iPad in air like that without the whole thing tipping over .
It ’ s also not clear just how flexible the viewing angles will be .
But it does at least seem obvious that the trackpad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This isn ’ t necessarily Brydge ’ s fault .
The Pro Plus was evidently designed before iPadOS 13.4 , and it would have been about as good a solution for the prior state of affairs as anyone could have hoped for .
Brydge tells me it ’ ll be working on improvements and making them available for anyone who buys the Pro Plus , but it ’ s not clear how extensive any tweaks can be .
And you know what we always say about buying hardware based on future software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t recommend the Brydge Pro Plus to anyone who ’ s considering dropping $ 299 or $ 349 on Apple ’ s Magic Keyboard next month — you should at least wait to see how that turns out .
But at $ 199 for the 11-inch model and $ 229 for the 12.9-inch , you are saving a fair bit of money with the Brydge , and if you care more about the typing experience and laptop form factor it might still be a solid option .
I should reiterate that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pro Plus is a frustrating device , because Brydge clearly did everything it could to make it work before having the rug swept out from under it by iPadOS 13.4 .
That means the Brydge Pro is a better product than it otherwise would have been , but maybe not as good as it theoretically could be , and also likely not as good as its impending competitor .
While the Pro Plus comes real close to turning the iPad Pro into an awesome little laptop , right now it isn ’ @ @ @ @

The Brydge Pro Plus has both great and terrible timing. Originally conceived as a niche product to leverage iPadOS’ janky-but-somewhat-useful pointer support, the Pro Plus’ trackpad suddenly looked a lot more practical once Apple vastly improved the feature with this month’s unexpected release of iPadOS 13.4. Now, the iPad-plus-Brydge-keyboard combination can be more laptop-like than ever.
Brydge’s problem, however, is that Apple also announced its own iPad keyboard with a trackpad and a wild floating design, potentially Sherlocking the smaller company. Brydge’s keyboard costs less, so that’s not necessarily a killer. But there’s another problem: it’s not fully compatible with all of the iPad’s new trackpad features.
Still, the Pro Plus has some things going for it. It’s available now, it’s much less expensive, and it has a more traditional laptop-style form factor — if that’s what you’re into.
7 Verge Score Brydge Pro Plus $ 199.99 The Good One of the best iPad keyboards
Convenient laptop form factor
Useful trackpad functionality The Bad Trackpad isn’t as smooth as it could be
Some gestures not supported
Apple’s Magic Keyboard is coming next month $200 at Brydge How we rate and review products
Brydge has been making iPad keyboards for a long time now, and the Pro Plus is a twist on its existing model for the latest iPad Pro design. Last year I said that keyboard was the best option for anyone wanting their iPad to work more like a laptop. The Pro Plus works largely the same way — it charges over USB-C, connects over Bluetooth and you slot the iPad’s bottom corners into two rubberised hinges that don’t obscure the screen. Brydge also includes a leather back cover that attaches to your iPad magnetically, though I couldn’t use the one that came with my review unit because it wouldn’t fit my 2020 iPad’s larger camera bump. (Brydge is shipping an updated cover with orders made after that iPad’s announcement.)
Purely as a keyboard, I don’t have many complaints. I’ve been going back and forth between the Pro Plus and Apple’s desktop Magic Keyboard this week, and even though I’m testing the smaller 11-inch Brydge. it doesn’t feel cramped and I prefer its larger key travel. Unlike Apple’s own iPad keyboards, Brydge also includes a function row at the top, including controls for screen brightness, backlighting, and so on. For me, at least, this is a better feeling keyboard than anything Apple makes.
The combination is half a pound lighter than a MacBook Air
With the Pro Plus attached, the 11-inch iPad Pro is transformed into an adorable laptop. The keyboard’s design is really in keeping with the iPad itself; it’s slightly thicker than the tablet but its aluminum frame has similar proportions. When you fold it up you’re left with something that’s easy to toss into a bag, while the flexible hinges make it easy to use on your lap. It weighs a little over a pound, and the tablet-keyboard combination is about half a pound lighter than a MacBook Air.
The trackpad is also very good given the size constraints. It’s hard to see how Brydge could have made it any bigger, at least on the 11-inch model, but it’s still pretty small. For comparison, it’s dwarfed by the 12-inch MacBook’s and feels more like a Surface Pro’s. I don’t really find the size to be a problem for regular pointer control — it’s more than big enough to zip the cursor from one side of the screen to another. But since the clicking action uses a regular “diving board” mechanism that pivots from the top, it means the area that you can actually press down on is pretty small. You’re left with a little less space to work with when you’re holding down the button with your thumb; I found myself using tap-to-click a lot, which I never do on a Mac.
It’ll be fine for anyone not used to Apple’s luxuriously huge laptop trackpads, I think. But the size is the least of this trackpad’s problems.
If you haven’t used it yet, know that iPadOS 13.4’s pointer support is genuinely delightful. The way the blob-like cursor pings around with momentum and transforms into different shapes, locking onto your likely tap targets with first-person shooter-style auto-aim, is the most fun I’ve had with a mouse since the first time I went to Disneyland. I was always skeptical about the idea of bolting Mac-style mouse pointers onto iOS, but that’s not what Apple did here. It feels completely native to the iPad and doesn’t compromise anything about the finger-first UI.
The most fun I’ve had with a mouse since the first time I went to Disneyland
Much of that is true when you use the Brydge Pro Plus. The trackpad works fine as a single finger facsimile; it’s responsive and precise, and better in that regard than many laptops. My primary use case for an iPad trackpad is text editing, and despite the slightly cramped size the Pro Plus is fine when you want to select a bunch of text or move your cursor around without reaching up to touch the screen. That alone is enough to make this the most useful keyboard Brydge has ever made.
The real problem is that its multi-finger gestures are inconsistent at best and unusable at worst. Two-finger scrolling does work, for example, but its behavior is completely different across apps. It’s okay in Safari, if a little jerky. It’s out of control in Twitter, zooming you through your timeline at an unreadable pace. And in Slack, it seems to exhibit entirely different speeds whether you’re scrolling on the channel list or the chat itself.
Three-finger gestures, meanwhile, aren’t supported at all. iPadOS 13.4 includes iPhone X-style features like a three-finger swipe up to get back to the home screen or bring up the multitasking menu, depending on how long you hold it. That just doesn’t work on the Brydge Pro Plus. There are replacement solutions — in this case, you swipe down at the bottom of the screen to bring up the dock, then again to go home, then again to multitask.
You can also resort to more complicated workarounds by diving into the Accessibility settings. There, you can assign a three-finger tap to the app switcher, which helps somewhat. Some of Brydge’s suggested settings mean you have the virtual home button floating on your screen when the keyboard is disconnected. None of this is as slick as what Apple has designed.
The reason I know that is because I’ve also been using my iPad Pro with the Magic Trackpad that Apple ships as an option for the iMac, and the experience is dramatically better. Scrolling is smooth everywhere, the three-finger gestures are great, and you can click anywhere on the surface. That should also be the case with Apple’s upcoming Magic Keyboard for the iPad.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about that keyboard, since it isn’t going to be available until May. Weight is a big one — it looks like it’ll have to be pretty heavy to suspend the iPad in air like that without the whole thing tipping over. It’s also not clear just how flexible the viewing angles will be. But it does at least seem obvious that the trackpad will work better than Brydge’s.
This isn’t necessarily Brydge’s fault. The Pro Plus was evidently designed before iPadOS 13.4, and it would have been about as good a solution for the prior state of affairs as anyone could have hoped for. Brydge tells me it’ll be working on improvements and making them available for anyone who buys the Pro Plus, but it’s not clear how extensive any tweaks can be. And you know what we always say about buying hardware based on future software promises.
Right now I can’t recommend the Brydge Pro Plus to anyone who’s considering dropping $299 or $349 on Apple’s Magic Keyboard next month — you should at least wait to see how that turns out. But at $199 for the 11-inch model and $229 for the 12.9-inch, you are saving a fair bit of money with the Brydge, and if you care more about the typing experience and laptop form factor it might still be a solid option. I should reiterate that this is the best Brydge keyboard yet.
But the Pro Plus is a frustrating device, because Brydge clearly did everything it could to make it work before having the rug swept out from under it by iPadOS 13.4. That means the Brydge Pro is a better product than it otherwise would have been, but maybe not as good as it theoretically could be, and also likely not as good as its impending competitor. While the Pro Plus comes real close to turning the iPad Pro into an awesome little laptop, right now it isn’t quite enough.


theverge--2020-04-03--Why Amazon got out of the Apple App Store tax, and why other developers won’t

Why Amazon got out of the Apple App Store tax , and why other developers won ’ t Share All sharing options for : Why Amazon got out of the Apple App Store tax , and why other developers won ’ t Apple and Amazon very , very quietly unveiled a monumental app deal this week , without fanfare or , sadly , much in the way of transparency .
Out of nowhere , buttons to buy or rent movies appeared in the Amazon Prime Video app .
It ’ s difficult to express how strange this is : for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the rule that all digital goods sold in iOS apps must use Apple ’ s payment methods , including Apple ’ s 30 percent cut .
Suddenly , that rule appears to apply to all developers except those who have the leverage to cut a special deal with Apple .
That ’ s the most damning way of putting it and the truth is perhaps a bit more nuanced .
But if you wanted to cast that nuance aside and rail against metaphorical smoke-filled rooms where giant companies cut deals that aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , I wouldn ’ t argue with you too much .
I want to get into some of the details here — much of which is based more on reasonable assumption than confirmed information ( see the note about transparency above ) .
I think it ’ s interesting in its own right , but I also think it ’ s important context for the real question : what does this mean for everybody else in the App Store ecosystem ?
( I ’ ll disclose here that my wife works for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I recuse myself from reporting on it so I have literally no idea what Oculus ’ policies are . )
Apple provided us with a statement about the change .
You may have read it already , but there ’ s enough detail in the wording to give us a fuller picture of what ’ s really going on .
( An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the change and some of the features without giving a formal comment . )
There is quite a lot to unpack here .
Firstly , I just want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ established program , ” one that already applied to those smaller cable companies .
But it was completely new news to me and also to longtime Apple reporter Mark Gurman , who definitely would have remembered such a thing !
Anyway , you can suss out the outlines of the deal that was struck .
Amazon gets buy buttons inside its app for current Prime Video subscribers , Apple gets Amazon ’ s complete and total participation in the Apple TV features it cares about the most .
Instead of just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen grid , Amazon ’ s services are now deeply integrated into the user experiences Apple wants to move everybody towards .
Nilay Patel made this point quite strongly in today ’ s Vergecast podcast — give it a listen .
Apple has long wanted to make the TV app the primary interface on the Apple TV box , but it needs more services to integrate into that UI .
Apple also very much wants to get consumers to sign up for other channels like HBO or Cinemax through its Apple TV app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second Amazon concession comes in .
Over at Daring Fireball , John Gruber did the work of punching the subscribe and pay buttons on all the possible permutations of subscribing to Amazon Prime Video in and out of Apple ’ s TV app .
What he discovered is something that isn ’ t mentioned in Apple ’ s statement : if you ’ re not already a Prime Video subscriber , the sign-up flow in Amazon ’ s app ends up getting routed through Apple ’ s payment system .
There are some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the statement .
I ’ ll just emphasize them here : “ customers have the option to buy or rent movies and TV shows using the payment method tied to their existing video subscription.
” Which means that Apple is getting a cut of the new subscriptions that start in Amazon ’ s app .
Perhaps it ’ s the standard 30 percent in the first year , 15 percent after that .
Perhaps it ’ s something better .
Bottom line , new customers have their payments routed through Apple , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple has clear incentives to cut a deal with Amazon All of the above is why I ’ m comfortable saying that Amazon had leverage on Apple : Apple has clear incentives in the form of getting more participation in the Apple TV app and in getting a cut on the new subscribers it drives to Amazon .
Amazon has the incentive of not paying more money to Apple .
Most of all , you can tell it ’ s about leverage simply because the Amazon Kindle app hasn ’ t changed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ book directly in the Kindle app , nor is Amazon even allowed to link to or even hint at the possibility that it has a whole damn Kindle store on its website where you can make one-click purchases .
Last but certainly not least , let us turn our attention to my favorite part of Apple ’ s statement , the one that defines what kind of companies are apparently able to get this sweetheart deal : “ premium subscription video entertainment providers.
” Last time I checked , Netflix is a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , last time I checked it had zero interest in giving up its own UI just to have its shows mixed in with everybody else ’ s in the Apple TV app .
Actually , I haven ’ t technically checked — but Nick Statt is doing so with Netflix and a whole host of other companies as I write these words .
Keep an eye out for his report .
Take that phrase and add the word “ games ” to it and you ’ re pretty much describing Fortnite .
Epic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredibly outspoken about App Store taxes .
He ’ s taken Fortnite off the Google Play Store and would dearly love to find a way to not have to give Apple a cut on iOS devices .
Does he have a personal stake in that fight ?
Obviously .
But he ’ s also one of a growing chorus of voices pushing back against the so-called “ Apple Tax.
” When the Amazon news hit , the very first thing I wrote in our Slack was “ Tim Sweeney is going to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he did post a “ congratulations ” tweet so thick with schadenfreude you could wedge a Fortnite pickaxe into it .
Epic is not the only company pushing back against Apple ’ s App Store fees .
Spotify has filed a formal antitrust complaint in the European Union .
Apple ’ s pushback is that fewer than 0.5 percent of Spotify users are charged Apple ’ s 15-percent fee , but that argument disingenuously leaves out the fact that Spotify hasn ’ t offered a direct way to subscribe in its iOS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House Judiciary ’ s July 2019 hearing on “ Online platforms and entrepreneurship ” on C-Span ( how I choose to spend my self-isolation is my business ) .
In it , Apple ’ s corporate law & chief compliance officer Kyle Andeer repeated the claim about Spotify .
He also pointed out that 84 percent of apps in the App Store pay nothing to Apple because they ’ re free and that a decade ago , app developers were paying quite a bit more than 30 % to retail stores for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( The relevant question from Rep Jamie Raskin starts about 90 minutes in . )
All of these arguments are old hat .
And though the Netflixes , Fortnites , and Spotifys of the world are surely vexed by Apple ’ s policies , I think that for many smaller developers the 30-percent fee is simply not at the top of their list of concerns .
Higher priorities likely include prices being driven down , market dynamics being corrupted by free-to-play games , upgrades made difficult because of limited pricing models , review-bombing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payroll .
If there ’ s a moral and rhetorical force behind my opening line about smoke-filled rooms , it ’ s this : developing mobile apps is hard and succeeding is even harder , but at least you could tell yourself that even gigantic companies like Amazon have to deal with the same rules you do .
The question is whether Apple needs to be held to a standard of fairness and transparency for the app ecosystem it fully controls on iOS or not .
Because Apple has such strict control over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it bears a higher burden of responsibility to treat iOS developers fairly and consistently .
Note I didn ’ t say “ equally , ” because it ’ s unrealistic to expect that a first-time dev could get the same accommodations as massive companies .
But if the rule is you pay Apple a 30-percent cut of your app ’ s cost unless Apple really needs something from you to bolster its own subscription business , that ’ s neither fair nor consistent .
I asked Apple if there was something other developers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s similar to what Amazon now has .
The company referred me to its original statement .
Big news in laptop land : Intel and Nvidia dropped their new stuff on the world .
I ’ m particularly interested to see how Intel ’ s 10th Gen chips stack up against AMD .
Sadly , “ 10th Gen ” isn ’ t a very descriptive term these days , what with the 10nm vs 14nm models and other complications in the roadmap .
The chips we ’ re looking at today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so , there are also a handful of new gaming laptops .
My favorite , in case you ’ re wondering , is Asus ’ .
It ’ s not only a member of the Keyboard In The Front Club , I think it is now the president .
It was voted into office by unanimous consent after showing that its bottom screen flips up .
It ’ s ridiculous and I love it .
┏ Nvidia ’ s RTX Super GPUs for laptops have arrived — here ’ s where you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MSI announces new laptops with Comet Lake H and new Nvidia GPUs .
┏ Razer ’ s new Blade 15 has powerful specs and an improved keyboard .
┏ Asus ’ ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is a gaming laptop with two screens .
A little more than a week ago , Casey Newton called for a daily coronavirus briefing from Amazon .
I agreed then and agree even more now , if only because it would be a forcing function for senior executives to present a coherent response strategy , More than many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s an essential businesses .
And yet for all of the thinking , effort , robotics , and software that has gone into its warehouse logistics , precious little of that disciplined , organized approach is apparent in its efforts to protect the workers in those warehouses .
Yesterday , it belatedly did the right thing by pledging to provide temperature checks and masks in all warehouses .
I also applaud the decision to stop selling N95 and surgical masks to the public and even the virtual SXSW film festival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon ’ s general counsel privately insulted a warehouse worker that had been fired .
Amazon contends he had broken social distancing rules , but that doesn ’ t excuse the memo in the slightest .
And then , as is his wont , Amazon SVP Jay Carney popped off on Twitter with the following , easily one of the top five self-owns in the history of corporate PR : Meanwhile , though this next story isn ’ t technically , it ’ s certainly related .
Jeff Bezos ’ space company is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
Loren Grush has the inside story on what ’ s going on at Blue Origin and their attitude to the pandemic seems really shortsighted to me .
Which is ironic , given the company ’ s long-term vision of securing the future of humanity .
More from The Verge ┏ Zoom freezes features to focus on security and privacy for its 200 million daily users .
Given what I would characterize as a spotty history of responding to security concerns with the appropriate level of seriousness , I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the occasion yesterday .
It has already begun issuing fixes and it seems like there ’ s more to come .
┏ eBay is waiving seller fees for new businesses to help shuttered retailers move online .
┏ The show must go on : here ’ s how Twitch streamers are handling quarantine .
Bijan Stephen talks to a bunch of streamers as their numbers are ballooning : ┏ Plastic bags are making a comeback because of COVID-19 .
A lot of stuff you used to take for granted , like that reusable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is suddenly a lot more complicated .
Justine Calma looks at one of those issues .
┏ New York finally legalizes electric bikes and scooters .
Good .
As Andrew Hawkins notes , this rule disproportionately hurt delivery workers and was especially punishing for immigrants .
┏ Spotify now works with Siri on the Apple Watch .
This is nice , but Google and Amazon just let you pick your default music service .

Apple and Amazon very, very quietly unveiled a monumental app deal this week, without fanfare or, sadly, much in the way of transparency. Out of nowhere, buttons to buy or rent movies appeared in the Amazon Prime Video app. It’s difficult to express how strange this is: for over a decade, Apple has stuck to the rule that all digital goods sold in iOS apps must use Apple’s payment methods, including Apple’s 30 percent cut.
Suddenly, that rule appears to apply to all developers except those who have the leverage to cut a special deal with Apple. That’s the most damning way of putting it and the truth is perhaps a bit more nuanced. But if you wanted to cast that nuance aside and rail against metaphorical smoke-filled rooms where giant companies cut deals that aren’t offered to anybody else, well, I wouldn’t argue with you too much.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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I want to get into some of the details here — much of which is based more on reasonable assumption than confirmed information (see the note about transparency above). I think it’s interesting in its own right, but I also think it’s important context for the real question: what does this mean for everybody else in the App Store ecosystem? (I’ll disclose here that my wife works for Oculus on its app store, but I recuse myself from reporting on it so I have literally no idea what Oculus’ policies are.)
Apple provided us with a statement about the change. You may have read it already, but there’s enough detail in the wording to give us a fuller picture of what’s really going on. (An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the change and some of the features without giving a formal comment.)
Here’s Apple:
Apple has an established program for premium subscription video entertainment providers to offer a variety of customer benefits — including integration with the Apple TV app, AirPlay 2 support, tvOS apps, universal search, Siri support and, where applicable, single or zero sign-on. On qualifying premium video entertainment apps such as Prime Video, Altice One and Canal+, customers have the option to buy or rent movies and TV shows using the payment method tied to their existing video subscription.
There is quite a lot to unpack here.
Firstly, I just want to point out that Apple calls this an “established program,” one that already applied to those smaller cable companies. But it was completely new news to me and also to longtime Apple reporter Mark Gurman, who definitely would have remembered such a thing!
Anyway, you can suss out the outlines of the deal that was struck. Amazon gets buy buttons inside its app for current Prime Video subscribers, Apple gets Amazon’s complete and total participation in the Apple TV features it cares about the most. Instead of just being yet another icon in the home screen grid, Amazon’s services are now deeply integrated into the user experiences Apple wants to move everybody towards.
Nilay Patel made this point quite strongly in today’s Vergecast podcast — give it a listen. Apple has long wanted to make the TV app the primary interface on the Apple TV box, but it needs more services to integrate into that UI.
Apple also very much wants to get consumers to sign up for other channels like HBO or Cinemax through its Apple TV app. And that’s where the second Amazon concession comes in.
Over at Daring Fireball, John Gruber did the work of punching the subscribe and pay buttons on all the possible permutations of subscribing to Amazon Prime Video in and out of Apple’s TV app. What he discovered is something that isn’t mentioned in Apple’s statement: if you’re not already a Prime Video subscriber, the sign-up flow in Amazon’s app ends up getting routed through Apple’s payment system.
There are some hidden caveat words at the very end of the statement. I’ll just emphasize them here: “customers have the option to buy or rent movies and TV shows using the payment method tied to their existing video subscription.”
Which means that Apple is getting a cut of the new subscriptions that start in Amazon’s app. Perhaps it’s the standard 30 percent in the first year, 15 percent after that. Perhaps it’s something better. Bottom line, new customers have their payments routed through Apple, existing Prime customers don’t.
Apple has clear incentives to cut a deal with Amazon
All of the above is why I’m comfortable saying that Amazon had leverage on Apple: Apple has clear incentives in the form of getting more participation in the Apple TV app and in getting a cut on the new subscribers it drives to Amazon. Amazon has the incentive of not paying more money to Apple.
Most of all, you can tell it’s about leverage simply because the Amazon Kindle app hasn’t changed. You can’t buy a Kindle book directly in the Kindle app, nor is Amazon even allowed to link to or even hint at the possibility that it has a whole damn Kindle store on its website where you can make one-click purchases.
Last but certainly not least, let us turn our attention to my favorite part of Apple’s statement, the one that defines what kind of companies are apparently able to get this sweetheart deal: “premium subscription video entertainment providers.”
Last time I checked, Netflix is a “premium subscription video entertainment provider.” Also, last time I checked it had zero interest in giving up its own UI just to have its shows mixed in with everybody else’s in the Apple TV app. Actually, I haven’t technically checked — but Nick Statt is doing so with Netflix and a whole host of other companies as I write these words. Keep an eye out for his report.
Take that phrase and add the word “games” to it and you’re pretty much describing Fortnite. Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney has been incredibly outspoken about App Store taxes. He’s taken Fortnite off the Google Play Store and would dearly love to find a way to not have to give Apple a cut on iOS devices. Does he have a personal stake in that fight? Obviously. But he’s also one of a growing chorus of voices pushing back against the so-called “Apple Tax.”
When the Amazon news hit, the very first thing I wrote in our Slack was “Tim Sweeney is going to lose his shit.” Sweeney did not, but he did post a “congratulations” tweet so thick with schadenfreude you could wedge a Fortnite pickaxe into it.
I recently rewatched the House Judiciary’s July 2019 hearing on “Online platforms and entrepreneurship” on C-Span (how I choose to spend my self-isolation is my business). In it, Apple’s corporate law & chief compliance officer Kyle Andeer repeated the claim about Spotify. He also pointed out that 84 percent of apps in the App Store pay nothing to Apple because they’re free and that a decade ago, app developers were paying quite a bit more than 30% to retail stores for the physical distribution of their goods. (The relevant question from Rep Jamie Raskin starts about 90 minutes in.)
All of these arguments are old hat. And though the Netflixes, Fortnites, and Spotifys of the world are surely vexed by Apple’s policies, I think that for many smaller developers the 30-percent fee is simply not at the top of their list of concerns. Higher priorities likely include prices being driven down, market dynamics being corrupted by free-to-play games, upgrades made difficult because of limited pricing models, review-bombing over subscription fees, and just making payroll.
If there’s a moral and rhetorical force behind my opening line about smoke-filled rooms, it’s this: developing mobile apps is hard and succeeding is even harder, but at least you could tell yourself that even gigantic companies like Amazon have to deal with the same rules you do. The question is whether Apple needs to be held to a standard of fairness and transparency for the app ecosystem it fully controls on iOS or not.
Because Apple has such strict control over what apps can appear on iOS, it bears a higher burden of responsibility to treat iOS developers fairly and consistently. Note I didn’t say “equally,” because it’s unrealistic to expect that a first-time dev could get the same accommodations as massive companies.
But if the rule is you pay Apple a 30-percent cut of your app’s cost unless Apple really needs something from you to bolster its own subscription business, that’s neither fair nor consistent. I asked Apple if there was something other developers could do to qualify for a deal that’s similar to what Amazon now has. The company referred me to its original statement.
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Intel and Nvidia’s new lineup
Big news in laptop land: Intel and Nvidia dropped their new stuff on the world. I’m particularly interested to see how Intel’s 10th Gen chips stack up against AMD. Sadly, “10th Gen” isn’t a very descriptive term these days, what with the 10nm vs 14nm models and other complications in the roadmap. The chips we’re looking at today are for gaming laptops, mainly.
And so, there are also a handful of new gaming laptops. My favorite, in case you’re wondering, is Asus’. It’s not only a member of the Keyboard In The Front Club, I think it is now the president. It was voted into office by unanimous consent after showing that its bottom screen flips up. It’s ridiculous and I love it.
Amazon’s inchoate pandemic responses
A little more than a week ago, Casey Newton called for a daily coronavirus briefing from Amazon. I agreed then and agree even more now, if only because it would be a forcing function for senior executives to present a coherent response strategy,
More than many companies, Amazon can make the case that it’s an essential businesses. And yet for all of the thinking, effort, robotics, and software that has gone into its warehouse logistics, precious little of that disciplined, organized approach is apparent in its efforts to protect the workers in those warehouses.
But at the same time, Amazon’s general counsel privately insulted a warehouse worker that had been fired. Amazon contends he had broken social distancing rules, but that doesn’t excuse the memo in the slightest. And then, as is his wont, Amazon SVP Jay Carney popped off on Twitter with the following, easily one of the top five self-owns in the history of corporate PR:
Indeed.
Meanwhile, though this next story isn’t technically, it’s certainly related. Jeff Bezos’ space company is pressuring employees to launch a tourist rocket during the pandemic. Loren Grush has the inside story on what’s going on at Blue Origin and their attitude to the pandemic seems really shortsighted to me. Which is ironic, given the company’s long-term vision of securing the future of humanity.
In a meeting with the New Shepard team on Wednesday, April 1st, Blue Origin leadership talked about ways to do a trip to Van Horn with a smaller group than usual and suggested that employees should keep a low profile while in town, according to a recording provided to The Verge. In the meeting, numerous employees voiced concerns about the trip, and one manager said there may be employment repercussions if they didn’t agree with management’s decisions. “I would say that you should ask yourself, as an individual, are you acting as a toxin in the organization, fanning discontent, or are you really trying to help our senior leaders make better decisions?” Jeff Ashby, a senior mission assurance director at Blue Origin and a former NASA astronaut, said to employees during the meeting.
More from The Verge
┏ Zoom freezes features to focus on security and privacy for its 200 million daily users. Given what I would characterize as a spotty history of responding to security concerns with the appropriate level of seriousness, I was pleasantly surprised to see Zoom rise to the occasion yesterday. It has already begun issuing fixes and it seems like there’s more to come.
┏ The show must go on: here’s how Twitch streamers are handling quarantine. Bijan Stephen talks to a bunch of streamers as their numbers are ballooning:
Twitch is bigger than it’s ever been before. The site’s viewership increased a full 31 percent between March 8th and March 22nd, growing to 43 million hours watched from 33 million hours
┏ Plastic bags are making a comeback because of COVID-19. A lot of stuff you used to take for granted, like that reusable bags are obviously better than disposable ones, is suddenly a lot more complicated. Justine Calma looks at one of those issues.
Like pretty much everything else right now, reusable bags should probably be handled more carefully to minimize the risk of transmitting disease to other people. At the same time, there has been no evidence so far that using reusable grocery bags have been responsible for spreading the novel coronavirus.
┏ New York finally legalizes electric bikes and scooters. Good. As Andrew Hawkins notes, this rule disproportionately hurt delivery workers and was especially punishing for immigrants.