theverge--2020-01-14--Epic says its PC game store now has more than 100 million users

Epic has some new metrics for the Epic Game Store a little over a year after its launch .
The Fortnite developer now says the store has amassed 108 million users , thanks in part to the software doubling as the official PC launcher for the hit battle royale game .
That means it ’ s on par with , and perhaps even larger than , Valve ’ s competing Steam store , which had 90 million users as of January of last year .
( Valve has yet to release a more recent stat . )
But Epic says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well beyond Fortnite , generating $ 680 million in revenue thus far .
Of that amount , Epic says $ 251 million represents sales of third-party games , not including any coupons and not including any funding Epic has given to developers as part of exclusivity deals or promotions .
Epic says it ’ s kicked in $ 23 million in coupons and discounts toward game sales , and it ’ s also given away 73 titles as part of its free game program , with more than 200 million titles claimed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ program as well , and it ’ s announcing today that it ’ s extending the free game giveaways through 2020 .
Yet , Epic has a long way to go if it ’ s to truly compete with Steam , the leading PC game marketplace and the primary storefront Epic is trying to compete against with its more developer-friendly 88-12 revenue split .
In 2017 , Valve is estimated to have earned more than $ 4 billion in revenue for just game sales , not including microtransactions , downloadable content like expansion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Epic also detailed a list of the nine most popular titles to date , although the company isn ’ t releasing concrete sales figures for these respective titles .
Those games include World War Z , Borderlands 3 , Untitled Goose Game , Metro Exodus , Control , The Outer Worlds , The Division 2 , Dauntless , and Satisfactory .

Epic has some new metrics for the Epic Game Store a little over a year after its launch. The Fortnite developer now says the store has amassed 108 million registered users, thanks in part to the software doubling as the official PC launcher for the hit battle royale game.
Without monthly user stats, it’s hard to compare that number with Valve’s competing Steam store, which had 90 million users as of January of last year. (Valve has yet to release a more recent stat.) But it bodes well for Epic that so many people have dowloaded its launcher and that a significant portion of that number likely do use it at least once a month, even just to play Fortnite.
Epic says its PC game store is a success well beyond Fortnite, generating $680 million in revenue thus far. Of that amount, Epic says $251 million represents sales of third-party games, not including any coupons and not including any funding Epic has given to developers as part of exclusivity deals or promotions.
Related Epic challenges Steam with its own PC game store
Epic says it’s kicked in $23 million in coupons and discounts toward game sales, and it’s also given away 73 titles as part of its free game program, with more than 200 million titles claimed. The company plans to keep up the program as well, and it’s announcing today that it’s extending the free game giveaways through 2020.
Yet, Epic has a long way to go if it’s to truly compete with Steam, the leading PC game marketplace and the primary storefront Epic is trying to compete against with its more developer-friendly 88-12 percent revenue split. In 2017, Valve is estimated to have earned more than $4 billion in revenue from just game sales, and that doesn’t even include microtransactions, downloadable content like expansion passes, and other digital goods.
Epic also detailed a list of the nine most popular titles to date, although the company isn’t releasing concrete sales figures for these respective titles. Those games include World War Z, Borderlands 3, Untitled Goose Game, Metro Exodus, Control, The Outer Worlds, The Division 2, Dauntless, and Satisfactory.


theverge--2020-01-14--Square Enix delays Final Fantasy VII Remake and Avengers games until later in 2020

Square Enix has announced delays for two of its most anticipated 2020 games : Final Fantasy VII Remake has been pushed from March 3rd to April 10th , while the upcoming Marvel ’ s Avengers has been delayed from May 15th to September 4th .
Both games ’ development teams are explaining their respective delays as needed to give the developers more time to polish the gameplay experiences .
“ We are making this tough decision in order to give ourselves a few extra weeks to apply final polish to the game and to deliver you with the best possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the producer for Final Fantasy VII Remake .
“ I , on behalf of the whole team , want to apologize to everyone , as I know this means waiting for the game just a little bit longer .
Thank you for your patience and continued support.
” Scot Amos and Ron Rosenberg , the heads of Crystal Dynamics , posted a similar statement regarding Marvel ’ s Avengers : “ We will spend this additional development time focusing on fine tuning and polishing the game to to the high standards our fans @ @ @ @ @

Square Enix has announced delays for two of its most anticipated 2020 games: Final Fantasy VII Remake has been pushed from March 3rd to April 10th, while the upcoming Marvel’s Avengers has been delayed from May 15th to September 4th.
Both games’ development teams are explaining their respective delays as needed to give the developers more time to polish the gameplay experiences.
“We are making this tough decision in order to give ourselves a few extra weeks to apply final polish to the game and to deliver you with the best possible experience,” commented Yoshinori Kitase, the producer for Final Fantasy VII Remake. “I, on behalf of the whole team, want to apologize to everyone, as I know this means waiting for the game just a little bit longer. Thank you for your patience and continued support.”


theverge--2020-01-14--Sen. Ron Wyden calls for an investigation of the ad-blocking industry

On Tuesday , one of the Senate ’ s fiercest tech critics , Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-OR ) , called on regulators requesting that they investigate the ad-blocking industry for anti-competitive behavior .
For years now , some of the largest tech firms have paid ad-blocking companies like Eyeo , which owns Adblock Plus , to avoid the software ’ s restrictions and have their ads displayed on devices .
In 2015 , a report from the Financial Times showed that companies like Microsoft , Amazon , and Google were paying out ad blockers so that they could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software ’ s filters .
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission , Wyden outlined this behavior and asked Chairman Joseph Simons to open an investigation into the entire ad-blocking industry as a response .
Wyden argued that any company that accepts payment to be whitelisted should be “ far more transparent ” about the process with its users .
In the case of Adblock Plus , the company announced in 2016 that it would be accepting some ads that weren ’ t “ intrusive or annoying.
” The company whitelists these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on devices , but Wyden argues that this behavior is “ anti-competitive .
The FTC confirmed that it had received the letter .
“ Hundreds of millions of consumers around the world have downloaded and installed software tools that purport to block online ads , ” Wyden wrote in his letter .
“ In turn , the largest ad companies … have quietly paid millions of dollars to some of the largest ad blocking software companies in order to be able to continue to track and target consumers with ads.
” Over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegated more resources toward investigating competition problems in the tech space .
Last February , the commission launched a task force of at least 17 attorneys who would focus on the technology space in light of new antitrust questions surrounding the market power of large tech companies like Google and Facebook .
Updated at 1/14/2020 at 11:21 a.m .
ET : Added a note saying that the FTC had received Wyden ’ s letter .

On Tuesday, one of the Senate’s fiercest tech critics, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), called on regulators requesting that they investigate the ad-blocking industry for anti-competitive behavior.
For years now, some of the largest tech firms have paid ad-blocking companies like Eyeo, which owns Adblock Plus, to avoid the software’s restrictions and have their ads displayed on devices. In 2015, a report from the Financial Times showed that companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google were paying out ad blockers so that they could be added to a whitelist to avoid the software’s filters.
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Wyden outlined this behavior and asked Chairman Joseph Simons to open an investigation into the entire ad-blocking industry as a response. Wyden argued that any company that accepts payment to be whitelisted should be “far more transparent” about the process with its users.
In the case of Adblock Plus, the company announced in 2016 that it would be accepting some ads that weren’t “intrusive or annoying.” The company whitelists these acceptable ads and allows them to run on devices, but Wyden argues that this behavior is “anti-competitive.
The FTC confirmed that it had received the letter.
“Hundreds of millions of consumers around the world have downloaded and installed software tools that purport to block online ads,” Wyden wrote in his letter. “In turn, the largest ad companies … have quietly paid millions of dollars to some of the largest ad blocking software companies in order to be able to continue to track and target consumers with ads.”
Over the past few years, the FTC has delegated more resources toward investigating competition problems in the tech space. Last February, the commission launched a task force of at least 17 attorneys who would focus on the technology space in light of new antitrust questions surrounding the market power of large tech companies like Google and Facebook.


theverge--2020-01-14--Latest Galaxy S20 Plus leak shows off 120Hz display and no headphone jack

Details surrounding Samsung ’ s upcoming Galaxy S20 are starting to pick up ahead of the planned debut on February 11th , and a new leak from XDA Developers has confirmed tons of new information about the flagship , including the rumored 120Hz display , the fact that the S20 will still use an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor , and the loss of a headphone jack .
The new leak comes from the S20 Plus , which will feature a 3200 x 1440 pixel display at a 20:9 aspect ratio ( taller than previous models ) and which has a centered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Note 10 .
That display is confirmed to offer a super-fast 120Hz refresh rate for smoother animations , but there ’ s a catch : you ’ ll only be able to use it with FHD+ resolution .
The higher-res WQHD+ setting will only work at 60Hz , at least for now .
XDA ’ s source also was able to confirm from their device that the S20 still uses an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor , similar to the S10 , as opposed to the optical sensors used by most other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensor was fairly controversial , with complaints of slow speeds and a high-profile screen protector issue .
Qualcomm claims to have addressed many of those problems with its second-generation 3D Sonic Max sensor , but it ’ s not clear yet whether the S20 Plus is using that new sensor or the same first-gen model as the S10 .
Lastly , XDA ’ s report confirms a few more specs for the S20 Plus : it ’ ll feature 25W fast charging , 12GB of RAM , and a 4,500mAh battery .
Sadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the Note 10 and Galaxy Fold , the S20 is killing the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of USB-C and Bluetooth audio .
According to the rumors , Samsung is expected to launch three S20 models this year : the smaller S20 , a larger S20 Plus , and a new high-end S20 Ultra model .
Screen sizes for the different models have yet to be confirmed , although rumors claim that the S20 will have a 6.2-inch display , the S20 Plus a 6.7-inch display , and the S20 Ultra a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ S20 Plus next to an S10 Plus confirm that the new model is considerably taller than its 2019 counterpart .
All three phones are also expected to feature Qualcomm ’ s latest Snapdragon 865 processor ( along with the company ’ s X55 5G modem ) , although that detail is similarly unconfirmed .
The S20 Ultra is also said to offer specs that surpass the regular S20 models , with 16GB of RAM and the 108-megapixel sensor Samsung has been working on , along with a 5,000mAh battery and up to 1TB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously published the first real-world shots of the S20 Plus model confirming the name , design , 5G support , and the quadruple rear-camera setup .

Details surrounding Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S20 are starting to pick up ahead of the planned debut on February 11th, and a new leak from XDA Developers has confirmed tons of new information about the flagship, including the rumored 120Hz display, the fact that the S20 will still use an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, and the loss of a headphone jack.
The new leak comes from the S20 Plus, which will feature a 3200 x 1440 pixel display at a 20:9 aspect ratio (taller than previous models) and which has a centered hole-punch camera, similar to last year’s Note 10. That display is confirmed to offer a super-fast 120Hz refresh rate for smoother animations, but there’s a catch: you’ll only be able to use it with FHD+ resolution. The higher-res WQHD+ setting will only work at 60Hz, at least for now.
XDA’s source also was able to confirm from their device that the S20 still uses an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor, similar to the S10, as opposed to the optical sensors used by most other companies. The S10’s ultrasonic sensor was fairly controversial, with complaints of slow speeds and a high-profile screen protector issue. Qualcomm claims to have addressed many of those problems with its second-generation 3D Sonic Max sensor, but it’s not clear yet whether the S20 Plus is using that new sensor or the same first-gen model as the S10.
Lastly, XDA’s report confirms a few more specs for the S20 Plus: it’ll feature 25W fast charging, 12GB of RAM, and a 4,500mAh battery. Sadly, the source also confirms that much like the Note 10 and Galaxy Fold, the S20 is killing the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of USB-C and Bluetooth audio.
According to the rumors, Samsung is expected to launch three S20 models this year: the smaller S20, a larger S20 Plus, and a new high-end S20 Ultra model. Screen sizes for the different models have yet to be confirmed, although rumors claim that the S20 will have a 6.2-inch display, the S20 Plus a 6.7-inch display, and the S20 Ultra a massive 6.9-inch panel. Shots of the S20 Plus next to an S10 Plus confirm that the new model is considerably taller than its 2019 counterpart. All three phones are also expected to feature Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865 processor (along with the company’s X55 5G modem), although that detail is similarly unconfirmed.
The S20 Ultra is also said to offer specs that surpass the regular S20 models, with 16GB of RAM and the 108-megapixel sensor Samsung has been working on, along with a 5,000mAh battery and up to 1TB of internal storage.


theverge--2020-01-14--Aston Martin won’t say whether its electric car is dead or alive

Aston Martin might have killed the Rapide E , its first electric car , before it ever shipped according to an Autocar report from late last week .
But Aston Martin won ’ t say if this is true or not , as a spokesperson tells The Verge that the company “ can ’ t comment on product speculation.
” “ Everybody is asking ... ” the spokesperson said in a text message , before repeating the line about speculation .
“ Can ’ t say any more than that I ’ m afraid.
” The automaker did not mention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call with financial analysts last week .
Autocar also reported , according a single source close to the British automaker , Aston Martin is instead planning to use the Rapide E as a research project for future electric vehicles — likely under its resurrected Lagonda brand .
The Rapide E has had a rocky five-year history The Rapide E made its official debut in April 2019 at the Auto Shanghai motor show after a tortuous four years of development .
Announced in 2015 , Aston Martin had once planned to build the car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese tech conglomerate LeEco .
But when LeEco went under in 2017 , Aston Martin was forced to scale back its ambitions for the Rapide E. The British automaker announced that year that it would only make 155 of the electric sports sedan , and wound up once again partnering with Williams Advanced Engineering ( the technical arm of the Williams F1 team ) , which had built the original Rapide E prototype .
Production troubles aside , Aston Martin would be asking a lot of those 155 customers if it ever brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specs never quite lined up with the price tag , which at one point was $ 255,000 .
Aston Martin was only promising around 200 miles of range at best , and that ’ s before any official estimates from the European Union or the Environmental Protection Agency in the US .
That could be partially thanks to the weight ; at 4,717 pounds , the Rapide E was about 400 pounds heavier than the internal combustion Rapide S. But it ’ s also because , in the simplest terms , Aston Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the internal combustion engine Rapide .
Yes , the Rapide E was supposed to have twin motors that put out over 600 horsepower , with a top speed of 155 miles per hour and a 0 to 60 mph time of under four seconds .
But anyone pushing the car to that level of performance would also undoubtedly crush the battery ’ s already limited range .
Aston Martin has struggled mightily over the last few years ( and has gone bankrupt seven times in its 100-plus-year history ) , and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
The automaker has pinned much of its hopes on the DBX , its first SUV , but that vehicle isn ’ t due until later this year .
In the meantime , Aston Martin is reportedly soliciting bids from outside investors , as it has $ 1 billion in debt and finished 2019 with just $ 139 million in cash .

Aston Martin might have killed the Rapide E, its first electric car, before it ever shipped according to an Autocar report from late last week. But Aston Martin won’t say if this is true or not, as a spokesperson tells The Verge that the company “can’t comment on product speculation.”
“Everybody is asking...” the spokesperson said in a text message, before repeating the line about speculation. “Can’t say any more than that I’m afraid.”
The automaker did not mention anything about the Rapide E on a call with financial analysts last week. Autocar also reported, according a single source close to the British automaker, Aston Martin is instead planning to use the Rapide E as a research project for future electric vehicles — likely under its resurrected Lagonda brand.
The Rapide E has had a rocky five-year history
The Rapide E made its official debut in April 2019 at the Auto Shanghai motor show after a tortuous four years of development. Announced in 2015, Aston Martin had once planned to build the car as part of a joint venture with Chinese tech conglomerate LeEco. But when LeEco went under in 2017, Aston Martin was forced to scale back its ambitions for the Rapide E. The British automaker announced that year that it would only make 155 of the electric sports sedan, and wound up once again partnering with Williams Advanced Engineering (the technical arm of the Williams F1 team), which had built the original Rapide E prototype.
Production troubles aside, Aston Martin would be asking a lot of those 155 customers if it ever brought the Rapide E to market. The specs never quite lined up with the price tag, which at one point was $255,000. Aston Martin was only promising around 200 miles of range at best, and that’s before any official estimates from the European Union or the Environmental Protection Agency in the US. That could be partially thanks to the weight; at 4,717 pounds, the Rapide E was about 400 pounds heavier than the internal combustion Rapide S. But it’s also because, in the simplest terms, Aston Martin was stuffing electric tech into the body of the internal combustion engine Rapide.
Yes, the Rapide E was supposed to have twin motors that put out over 600 horsepower, with a top speed of 155 miles per hour and a 0 to 60 mph time of under four seconds. But anyone pushing the car to that level of performance would also undoubtedly crush the battery’s already limited range.


theverge--2020-01-14--How to trade in your MacBook, macOS desktop, iPhone, or iPad

It isn ’ t enough to have great new devices , apps , and games — you also have to know how to use them .
Here at The Verge , we offer step-by-step how-tos for experienced and new users who are working with online , macOS , Windows , Chrome OS , iOS , and Android apps , services , phones , laptops , and other tools .
From simple instructions on how to install and use new devices , to little-known strategies on how to take advantage of hidden features and the best methods for adding power or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technological back .
If you ’ re looking to trade in your Apple product — be it a MacBook , iMac , Mac desktop , iPhone , or iPad — you stand to get a pretty good return .
Apple ’ s tech has a reputation on the secondhand market for retaining value long after release .
This speaks to build quality , but mostly to Apple ’ s long-lasting software support for its older products .
The trend is positive both for buyers who will end up with a product that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sellers , who will make a good percentage of their original purchase price back .
There are plenty of ways of trading in your old Apple products for cash .
You can easily net an extra $ 50 to $ 100 from a sale if you ’ ve taken care of your tech , as buyers will pay more for products that look closer to new condition .
So it pays to make sure that your hardware is in good shape .
How you clean your Apple product will vary depending on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ ll want to apply some screen cleaner to your iPhone , MacBook , iMac , or iPad before listing it for sale .
While doing so , take note of any scratches or other defects in the display or the body , and be sure to accurately report them during the selling process , or you ’ ll probably be met with an unhappy buyer and no sale .
Remove any stickers from your tech , and if you have a can of compressed air , clean out any ports and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more immediate that your device is preowned than forgetting to clean out port gunk .
If you ’ re selling a macOS desktop , like a Mac Pro or Mac mini , open it up and gently remove any dust that has accumulated within , and if you want to add some RAM to sweeten the deal for buyers , this is your chance .
It ’ s an easy task if you have the Mac Pro from 2013 , or a Mac mini made before late 2012 .
Unfortunately for my colleague @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 2014 Mac mini proved to be a lot more complicated .
Ensuring that your tablet or computer is properly wiped is mutually beneficial for both buyer and seller .
What good is hardware that you can ’ t access due to an unknown passcode ?
Depending on what product you ’ re dealing with , the process for initiating a factory reset will be different , but it ’ s usually easy .
How to erase your MacBook or macOS desktop On your MacBook or macOS desktop , first make sure you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal files to your cloud storage service of choice or to an external hard drive via Time Machine .
Once you ’ ve ensured that everything is duplicated and safe in a location other than your hard drive , you can wipe the computer .
• Click the Apple logo up top , and hit “ Restart ” • Once you hear the startup chime , hold down the Command + R keys until the Apple logo appears on your screen .
This will load you into the recovery partition of your hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information once and for all .
• Of the applications listed , open Disk Utility , then click into the first option listed under your hard drive ’ s name .
If you haven ’ t changed its name , it will probably be called “ Macintosh HD.
” • Navigate to “ Erase ” and confirm the selection .
If you choose to securely wipe your computer , it will take a few hours for the operation to write over your drive several times .
• With this step finished , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system .
Click the red “ x ” and you ’ ll be popped back to the recovery menu .
Make sure your machine is connected to the internet , then hit “ Reinstall macOS ” to return it to factory settings .
How to erase an iPhone or iPad Before you wipe your phone or tablet , switch on iCloud to sync all of the information that you want to keep .
Then : • Open up the Settings app and navigate to “ General ” • Once you ’ re there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” then hit “ Erase all content and settings ” • If asked , enter your passcode or Apple ID password , then the operation will execute It ’ s far easier and faster to bring your iPhone or iPad back to factory settings than it is for one of Apple ’ s computers .
Apple ’ s GiveBack trade service will give you Apple Store credit in exchange for your computer , iPhone , or iPad .
At Apple ’ s site , you can find out how much you can get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You ’ ll just need your serial number and access to its specifications to find the value .
Apple won ’ t pay you as much for your device as it might go for on the public market , but it ’ s a good option if you just want to flip your tech without a fuss .
If Apple isn ’ t offering enough for your tech , you can alternatively sell it to get some money that you can use toward buying a new MacBook Air , Mac mini , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely .
You ’ ll find passionate people from all over who will likely take interest in your gear if it ’ s priced well and in good condition ( and even if it ’ s not , so long as it ’ s priced accordingly ) .
As for where you can sell your tech , Swappa.com and Craigslist remain the best options , but for different reasons .
If you are selling a tablet , phone , or laptop , you ’ ll want to go with Swappa ( it currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like Craigslist , Swappa doesn ’ t charge a fee to post to its market of buyers .
One area where Swappa is ahead is that it supports PayPal , which protects both buyers and sellers during the transaction process .
Comparatively , Craigslist doesn ’ t limit what you want to sell , or charge you for listing your items .
In fact , for better or worse , it doesn ’ t hold your hand at all .
It will be up to you to arrange the meeting point , negotiate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how money will be exchanged .
This can be stressful , but it can also be super easy and fast .
I ’ ve had plenty of good experiences selling on Craigslist , though you ’ ll always want to make sure that you meet in public places and don ’ t fall for an offer that seems too good to be true .
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If you’re looking to trade in your Apple product — be it a MacBook, iMac, Mac desktop, iPhone, or iPad — you stand to get a pretty good return. Apple’s tech has a reputation on the secondhand market for retaining value long after release. This speaks to build quality but mostly to Apple’s long-lasting software support for its older products. The trend is positive both for buyers, who will end up with a product that could continue to work for years, and sellers, who will make a good percentage of their original purchase price back.
There are plenty of ways of trading in your old Apple products for cash. You can easily net an extra $50 to $100 from a sale if you’ve taken care of your tech, as buyers will pay more for products that look closer to new condition. So it pays to make sure that your hardware is in good shape.
Clean your gear
How you clean your Apple product will vary depending on what it is you’re selling. You’ll want to apply some screen cleaner to your iPhone, MacBook, iMac, or iPad before listing it for sale. While doing so, take note of any scratches or other defects in the display or the body, and be sure to accurately report them during the selling process, or you’ll probably be met with an unhappy buyer and no sale.
Remove any stickers from your tech, and if you have a can of compressed air, clean out any ports and grilles. There’s no reminder more immediate that your device is preowned than forgetting to clean out port gunk.
If you’re selling a macOS desktop, like a Mac Pro or Mac mini, open it up and gently remove any dust that has accumulated within, and if you want to add some RAM to sweeten the deal for buyers, this is your chance.
Detach your services
You’re going to perform a factory reset, which should take care of anything you have associated with your computer or iPhone, but just in case...
Make sure you’re completely backed up on iCloud (or your favored backup solution).
Sign out of services such as Messages, Find My, and iCloud.
Unpair devices such as an Apple Watch and any headsets or earbuds.
Perform a factory reset
Ensuring that your computer, phone, or watch is properly wiped is mutually beneficial for both buyer and seller. What good is hardware that you can’t access due to an unknown passcode? Depending on what product you’re dealing with, the process for initiating a factory reset will be different, but it’s usually easy.
MacBook or macOS desktop
On your MacBook or macOS desktop, first make sure you’ve backed up all of your personal files to your cloud storage service of choice or to an external hard drive. Once you’ve ensured that everything is duplicated and safe in a location other than your hard drive, you can wipe the computer.
If you’ve got a system running macOS Ventura:
Go to System Settings > General.
You’ll see Migration Assistant on the right. Click on Erase All Content and Settings and follow the directions from there.
Click on Erase All Content and Settings and follow the directions from there.
If you have macOS Monterey:
Go to System Settings > System Preferences.
Click on Erase All Content and Settings and follow the directions from there.
If you have an older system that hasn’t been updated, or if the directions above don’t work, try this:
Click the Apple logo up top, and hit Restart .
. Once you hear the startup chime, hold down the Command + R keys until the Apple logo appears on your screen. This will load you into the recovery partition of your hard drive, letting you obliterate your personal information once and for all.
until the Apple logo appears on your screen. This will load you into the recovery partition of your hard drive, letting you obliterate your personal information once and for all. Of the applications listed, open Disk Utility , then click into the first option listed under your hard drive’s name. If you haven’t changed its name, it will probably be called “Macintosh HD.”
, then click into the first option listed under your hard drive’s name. If you haven’t changed its name, it will probably be called “Macintosh HD.” Navigate to Erase and confirm the selection. If you choose to securely wipe your computer, it will take a few hours for the operation to write over your drive several times.
and confirm the selection. If you choose to securely wipe your computer, it will take a few hours for the operation to write over your drive several times. With this step finished, you’re ready to reinstall the operating system. Click the red x, and you’ll be popped back to the recovery menu. Make sure your machine is connected to the internet, then hit Reinstall macOS to return it to factory settings.
iPhone or iPad
Before you wipe your phone or tablet, switch on iCloud to sync all of the information that you want to keep. Then:
Open up the Settings app and navigate to General.
app and navigate to Once you’re there, scroll down to Transfer or Reset Phone , then hit Erase all content and settings at the bottom of the screen. (If you’re transferring to a new iPhone and aren’t sure you’re ready, tap Get Started under the subhead Prepare for New iPhone first.)
, then hit at the bottom of the screen. (If you’re transferring to a new iPhone and aren’t sure you’re ready, tap under the subhead first.) If asked, enter your passcode or Apple ID password.
Apple Watch
We have directions on how to reset your Apple Watch to factory settings here.
Trade or sell your Apple hardware
You can simply trade in your hardware via Apple itself, or you can go to a number of sites that will offer you the chance to sell your stuff.
Apple Trade In gives you store credit toward a new device.
Apple Trade In will give you Apple Store credit in exchange for your computer, iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. (It will even do a trade-in for an Android phone.) On Apple’s site, you can find out how much you can get for your device — click on the blue Find your trade-in value button. You’ll just need to answer a few questions to find the value. You can either mail your device in or trade it in at Apple Stores in the US and Canada. Apple may not pay you as much for your device as it might go for on the public market, but it’s a good option if you just want to flip your tech without a fuss.
If Apple isn’t offering enough for your tech, or if you prefer cash, you can sell it instead. You’ll find passionate people from all over who will likely take interest in your gear if it’s priced well and in good condition (and even if it’s not, so long as it’s priced accordingly).
There are a variety of services where you can go to sell your hardware. These are just a few:
You may want to start with sites such as Flipsy and SellCell, which offer comparisons from a number of different buy-back sites.
If you are selling a tablet, phone, laptop, or certain types of desktops, you can try Swappa, which allows you to either post your device to sell on its site or sell it immediately to one of Swappa’s trade-in partners for less money (but a presumably faster response).
Decluttr buys and sells a variety of refurbished tech. It operates the way many similar trade-in sites do: you go through a questionnaire and get a quote on your device; if you accept the quote, you send in the device. If they find that the device is in the condition stated, you’re paid by direct deposit or PayPal. Decluttr also says it will recycle the original box and charger that came with your device if you choose to send them.
If you’re a frequent Best Buy customer, then it might be worth it to try that store’s trade-in service; you will receive a Best Buy gift card in the amount of your trade-in.
Comparatively, Craigslist doesn’t limit what you want to sell or charge you for listing your items. In fact, for better or worse, it doesn’t hold your hand at all. It will be up to you to arrange the meeting point, negotiate a price, and, finally, decide on how money will be exchanged. This can be stressful, but it can also be super easy and fast. Just make sure that you meet in public places and don’t fall for an offer that seems too good to be true.


theverge--2020-01-14--Microsoft tries to improve child abuse detection by opening its Xbox chat tool to other companies

Microsoft has released a new tool for identifying child predators who groom children for abuse in online chats .
Project Artemis , based on a technique Microsoft has been using on the Xbox , will now be made available to other online companies with chat functions .
It comes at a time when multiple platforms are dealing with child predators targeting kids for sexual abuse by striking up conversations in chat windows .
Artemis works by recognizing specific words and speech patterns and flagging suspicious messages for review by a human moderator .
The moderator then determines whether to escalate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement officials .
If a moderator finds a request for child sexual exploitation or images of child abuse , the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be notified for further action .
“ There is abuse on every platform.
” “ Sometimes we yell at the platforms — and there is abuse on every platform that has online chat — but we should applaud them for putting mechanisms in place , ” says Julie Cordua , CEO of nonprofit tech organization Thorn , which works to prevent online sexual abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ oh we don ’ t have abuse ’ I ’ ll say to them , ‘ well , are you looking ?
’ ” In December , The New York Times found that online chat platforms were fertile “ hunting grounds ” for child predators who groom their victims by first befriending them and then insinuating themselves into a child ’ s life , both online and off .
Most major platforms are dealing with some measure of abuse by child predators , including Microsoft ’ s Xbox Live .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for threatening children with rape and murder over the Xbox Live chat .
Detection of online child sexual abuse and policies for handling it can vary greatly from company to company , with many of the companies involved wary of potential privacy violations , the Times reported .
In 2018 , Facebook announced a system to catch predators that looks at whether someone quickly contacts many children and how often they ’ re blocked .
But Facebook also has access to much more data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Microsoft ’ s tool is important , according to Thorn , because it ’ s available to any company using chat and helps to set an industry standard for what detection and monitoring of predators should look like , helping with the development of future prevention tools .
Chats are difficult to monitor for potential child abuse because there can be so much nuance in a conversation , Cordua says .
Child predators can lurk in online chat rooms to find victims much like they would offline , but with much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York who has written extensively about protecting children from online sexual abuse , in particular , the often subtle practice of grooming .
“ Within 30 minutes they may be talking sexually with a child , ” she says .
“ In person it ’ s harder to get access to a child , but online a predator is able to go in , test the waters and if it doesn ’ t work , go ahead and move on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t stop with one platform , Cordua adds .
“ They ’ ll try to isolate the child and will follow them across multiple platforms , so they can have multiple exploitation points , ” she says .
A predator may ask a child for a photo , then ratchet up the demands to videos , increasing the level of sexual content .
“ The child is racked with guilt and fear , and this is why the predator goes across platforms : he can say ‘ oh I know all your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t send me a video I ’ ll send that first photo to everyone at your junior high.
’ ” “ We need to get better at identifying where this is happening.
” Artemis has been in development for more than 14 months , Microsoft says , beginning in November 2018 at a Microsoft “ 360 Cross-Industry Hackathon , ” which was co-sponsored by two children ’ s protection groups , the WePROTECT Global Alliance and the Child Dignity Alliance .
A team including Roblox , Kik , Thorn , and The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project .
It was led by Hany Farid who developed the PhotoDNA tool for detecting and reporting images of child sexual exploitation online .
Some of the details about how the Artemis tool will work in practice are unclear , however , and are likely to vary depending on which platform is using it .
It ’ s not stated whether Artemis would work with chat programs that use end-to-end encryption , or what steps will be taken to prevent potential PTSD among moderators .
Thorn will be administering the program and handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onboarded , Microsoft says .
Cordua says while Artemis has some initial limitations — it currently only works in English — the tool is a huge step in the right direction .
Since each company that uses the tool can customize it for its own audience ( chats on gaming platforms will obviously vary from those on social apps ) , there will be ample opportunity to adapt and refine how the tool works .
And , she says , it ’ s about time platforms move away from the failed practices of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grooming and abuse .
In its blog post , Microsoft adds that the Artemis tool is “ by no means a panacea ” but is a first step toward detecting online grooming of children by sexual predators , which it terms “ weighty ” problems .
“ The first step is we need to get better at identifying where this is happening , ” Cordua says .
“ But all companies that host any chat or video should be doing this or they are complicit in allowing the abuse of children on their @ @ @

Microsoft has released a new tool for identifying child predators who groom children for abuse in online chats. Project Artemis, based on a technique Microsoft has been using on the Xbox, will now be made available to other online companies with chat functions. It comes at a time when multiple platforms are dealing with child predators targeting kids for sexual abuse by striking up conversations in chat windows.
Artemis works by recognizing specific words and speech patterns and flagging suspicious messages for review by a human moderator. The moderator then determines whether to escalate the situation by contacting police or other law enforcement officials. If a moderator finds a request for child sexual exploitation or images of child abuse, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be notified for further action.
“There is abuse on every platform.”
“Sometimes we yell at the platforms — and there is abuse on every platform that has online chat — but we should applaud them for putting mechanisms in place,” says Julie Cordua, CEO of nonprofit tech organization Thorn, which works to prevent online sexual abuse of children. “If someone says, ‘oh we don’t have abuse’ I’ll say to them, ‘well, are you looking?’”
In December, The New York Times found that online chat platforms were fertile “hunting grounds” for child predators who groom their victims by first befriending them and then insinuating themselves into a child’s life, both online and off. Most major platforms are dealing with some measure of abuse by child predators, including Microsoft’s Xbox Live. In 2017, as the Times noted, a man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for threatening children with rape and murder over the Xbox Live chat.
Detection of online child sexual abuse and policies for handling it can vary greatly from company to company, with many of the companies involved wary of potential privacy violations, the Times reported. In 2018, Facebook announced a system to catch predators that looks at whether someone quickly contacts many children and how often they’re blocked. But Facebook also has access to much more data about its users than other platforms might.
Child predators lurk in online chats to find vulnerable kids
Microsoft’s tool is important, according to Thorn, because it’s available to any company using chat and helps to set an industry standard for what detection and monitoring of predators should look like, helping with the development of future prevention tools. Chats are difficult to monitor for potential child abuse because there can be so much nuance in a conversation, Cordua says.
Child predators can lurk in online chat rooms to find victims much like they would offline, but with much more immediate access, says Elizabeth Jeglic, a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York who has written extensively about protecting children from online sexual abuse, in particular, the often subtle practice of grooming. “Within 30 minutes they may be talking sexually with a child,” she says. “In person it’s harder to get access to a child, but online a predator is able to go in, test the waters and if it doesn’t work, go ahead and move on to the next victim.”
It doesn’t stop with one platform, Cordua adds. “They’ll try to isolate the child and will follow them across multiple platforms, so they can have multiple exploitation points,” she says. A predator may ask a child for a photo, then ratchet up the demands to videos, increasing the level of sexual content. “The child is racked with guilt and fear, and this is why the predator goes across platforms: he can say ‘oh I know all your friends on Facebook, if you don’t send me a video I’ll send that first photo to everyone at your junior high.’”
“We need to get better at identifying where this is happening.”
Artemis has been in development for more than 14 months, Microsoft says, beginning in November 2018 at a Microsoft “360 Cross-Industry Hackathon,” which was co-sponsored by two children’s protection groups, the WePROTECT Global Alliance and the Child Dignity Alliance. A team including Roblox, Kik, Thorn, and The Meet Group worked with Microsoft on the project. It was led by Hany Farid who developed the PhotoDNA tool for detecting and reporting images of child sexual exploitation online.
Some of the details about how the Artemis tool will work in practice are unclear, however, and are likely to vary depending on which platform is using it. It’s not stated whether Artemis would work with chat programs that use end-to-end encryption, or what steps will be taken to prevent potential PTSD among moderators.
Thorn will be administering the program and handling licensing and support to get participating companies onboarded, Microsoft says.
Cordua says while Artemis has some initial limitations — it currently only works in English — the tool is a huge step in the right direction. Since each company that uses the tool can customize it for its own audience (chats on gaming platforms will obviously vary from those on social apps), there will be ample opportunity to adapt and refine how the tool works. And, she says, it’s about time platforms move away from the failed practices of self-policing and toward pro-active prevention of child grooming and abuse.
In its blog post, Microsoft adds that the Artemis tool is “by no means a panacea” but is a first step toward detecting online grooming of children by sexual predators, which it terms “weighty” problems.


theverge--2020-01-14--Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time is the GOAT of low-stakes television

It ’ s kind of amazing that Jeopardy !
still makes news .
Maybe someone is in the middle of a 70-game winning streak , or a robot is playing , or someone is making an insane amount of money on the show .
Somehow , you can still become a minor celebrity on Jeopardy !
On Jeopardy !
The Greatest of All Time , three contestants are competing in a seven-night gauntlet .
Three nights in , and it ’ s one of my favorite TV shows right now .
Jeopardy !
is fun to watch because it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can play and win .
And maybe you could !
As a combination of trivia , gambling , and reflexes , it ’ s the perfect combination of things no one can truly be the best at — just the best in a given room .
It ’ s also easy to overestimate your performance : trivia always feels easy because when you know an answer , you know .
This also makes it easy to overestimate your own performance .
A game of Jeopardy !
has 30 clues on a board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Final Jeopardy .
The game moves fast to fit all that trivia in twenty-odd minutes .
I imagine that most people are like myself and think that they rock at Jeopardy !
before they do the math and realize that they would also have to clean up the architecture category as easily as they did the movie one , and commit to being a more humble fan .
Or maybe you can do those things .
Applying to be a contestant is pretty easy , even if making it on the show is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you know an answer , you know Jeopardy !
, in its most dramatic moments , features human beings that behave just like anime characters — emphatically mashing buzzers , exaggerating their most pensive facial expressions , and generally doing everything they can to keep their emotions in check , lest Alex Trebek notice how badly they want his approval .
It ’ s the Olympics of restraint , which makes the occasional glimpses of contestants ’ personalities or Alex ’ s withering wit incredibly fun to watch .
This is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Time is Jeopardy !
at its finest .
It ’ s not because of the high skill level at which the contestants are playing , although that ’ s definitely there for those who appreciate it .
It ’ s because this is the rare circumstance where the same three contestants — each with their own lengthy history on the show — keep coming back to compete against one another .
There ’ s a simple-but-great narrative at play if you want one .
Ken Jennings , who holds the record for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run , is the easy favorite .
He ’ s a charmingly goofy man with a very corny Twitter account and a sweet demeanor , making him the platonic Jeopardy !
hero .
Directly opposed to him is James Holzhauer , a professional gambler whose aggressive style and occasional harmless needling of his opponents makes him a wonderful low-stakes heel .
And then there ’ s the underdog , Brad Rutter , who has lost every game so far despite holding the record for winning the most money in game show history on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this show gets to a tragic figure : the man with the longest history on this show coming back and falling short because he can ’ t quite land the Daily Doubles he needs to compete with gamblers like Holzhauer .
if you get the chance and fail , it won ’ t cost you anything other than your time The Greatest of All Time could wrap up tonight .
Its first three games , which aired last Tuesday through Thursday , ended with Holzhauer winning one game and Jennings winning two .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s game : if Jennings wins , it ’ s over , but if Rutter or Holzhauer do , the series continues until a contestant has won three .
There is virtually no other context in which watching three millionaires compete for an additional $ 1 million prize is this charming .
Perhaps this is because Jeopardy !
still feels so egalitarian , even as most of its celebrated players are largely white and male .
Either through completely normal and harmless delusion or actual bona fides , it ’ s easy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as well .
And more importantly , if you get the chance and fail , it won ’ t cost you anything other than your time .
Jeopardy !
is one of the few long-running game shows that is not designed to have contestants behave like rats in a greed-fueled maze , where they are expected to shout at a wheel or perform ridiculous stunts .
It ’ s the rare game show that ’ s built in a way that lets you hold onto your dignity .
Maybe that ’ s @ @ @ @ @

It’s kind of amazing that Jeopardy! still makes news. Maybe someone is in the middle of a 70-game winning streak, or a robot is playing, or someone is making an insane amount of money on the show. Somehow, you can still become a minor celebrity on Jeopardy! On Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time, three contestants are competing in a seven-night gauntlet. Three nights in, and it’s one of my favorite TV shows right now.
Jeopardy! is fun to watch because it’s a game show you feel like you can play and win. And maybe you could! As a combination of trivia, gambling, and reflexes, it’s the perfect combination of things no one can truly be the best at — just the best in a given room. It’s also easy to overestimate your performance: trivia always feels easy because when you know an answer, you know. This also makes it easy to overestimate your own performance.
A game of Jeopardy! has 30 clues on a board, with two boards per game plus Final Jeopardy. The game moves fast to fit all that trivia in twenty-odd minutes. I imagine that most people are like myself and think that they rock at Jeopardy! before they do the math and realize that they would also have to clean up the architecture category as easily as they did the movie one, and commit to being a more humble fan. Or maybe you can do those things. Applying to be a contestant is pretty easy, even if making it on the show is not.
Trivia always feels easy because when you know an answer, you know
Jeopardy!, in its most dramatic moments, features human beings that behave just like anime characters — emphatically mashing buzzers, exaggerating their most pensive facial expressions, and generally doing everything they can to keep their emotions in check, lest Alex Trebek notice how badly they want his approval. It’s the Olympics of restraint, which makes the occasional glimpses of contestants’ personalities or Alex’s withering wit incredibly fun to watch.
This is also the reason why The Greatest of All Time is Jeopardy! at its finest. It’s not because of the high skill level at which the contestants are playing, although that’s definitely there for those who appreciate it. It’s because this is the rare circumstance where the same three contestants — each with their own lengthy history on the show — keep coming back to compete against one another. There’s a simple-but-great narrative at play if you want one.
Ken Jennings, who holds the record for the longest winning streak after his legendary 74-game run, is the easy favorite. He’s a charmingly goofy man with a very corny Twitter account and a sweet demeanor, making him the platonic Jeopardy! hero. Directly opposed to him is James Holzhauer, a professional gambler whose aggressive style and occasional harmless needling of his opponents makes him a wonderful low-stakes heel. And then there’s the underdog, Brad Rutter, who has lost every game so far despite holding the record for winning the most money in game show history on Jeopardy! He’s the closest this show gets to a tragic figure: the man with the longest history on this show coming back and falling short because he can’t quite land the Daily Doubles he needs to compete with gamblers like Holzhauer.
if you get the chance and fail, it won’t cost you anything other than your time
The Greatest of All Time could wrap up tonight. Its first three games, which aired last Tuesday through Thursday, ended with Holzhauer winning one game and Jennings winning two. What happens next depends on tonight’s game: if Jennings wins, it’s over, but if Rutter or Holzhauer do, the series continues until a contestant has won three.
There is virtually no other context in which watching three millionaires compete for an additional $1 million prize is this charming. Perhaps this is because Jeopardy! still feels so egalitarian, even as most of its celebrated players are largely white and male. Either through completely normal and harmless delusion or actual bona fides, it’s easy to believe you have a shot at doing just as well. And more importantly, if you get the chance and fail, it won’t cost you anything other than your time.


theverge--2020-01-14--Yahoo parent Verizon promises it won’t track you with OneSearch, its new privacy-focused search engi

Yahoo parent Verizon promises it won’t track you with OneSearch, its new privacy-focused search engine

Verizon and its subsidiaries , including Yahoo , have become known for massive data breaches , privacy blunders , and oddly named web entities , but now the internet service provider has launched a whole new search engine without Yahoo branding , one that it says will definitely not share your search results with advertisers or tailor results based on your search history .
On its ad-supported OneSearch platform , users can “ search the internet with increased confidence , knowing your personal and search data isn ’ t being tracked , stored , or shared with advertisers , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , head of consumer product at Verizon Media .
Ads on OneSearch will be generated based on keywords , not cookies , and there will be a self-destruct option for search results to be purged after a certain period .
Search results will be generated by Microsoft ’ s Bing browser .
As consumers tire of having their every move tracked online , there are a growing number of browsers that claim to preserve users ’ privacy , including Brave and DuckDuckGo , and ad- and tracker-blocking extensions like Ghostery .
Verizon was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cookie trackers If Verizon ’ s track record with search and privacy wasn ’ t so spotty , this might be a welcome addition to the growing field of privacy-based browsers .
When it combined AOL and Yahoo into Oath in 2017 , Verizon was clear about its plans to use its network to target ads .
And in 2016 , the company paid a $ 1.3 million fine to the Federal Communications Commission for its use of “ super cookies ” that tracked users on their networks via their cellphones without asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And don ’ t forget Yahoo ’ s famous hack , where all 3 billion of its customers ’ accounts were breached in 2013 .
Why Verizon is introducing a new search engine brand when it already owns Yahoo is not clear , but as VentureBeat notes , Yahoo owned the “ oneSearch ” name long before it became part of Verizon .
According to the OneSearch privacy policy , search results will only be personalized based on location , which it will collect from IP addresses .
OneSearch says that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their search results .

Verizon and its subsidiaries, including Yahoo, have become known for massive data breaches, privacy blunders, and oddly named web entities, but now the internet service provider has launched a whole new search engine without Yahoo branding, one that it says will definitely not share your search results with advertisers or tailor results based on your search history.
On its ad-supported OneSearch platform, users can “search the internet with increased confidence, knowing your personal and search data isn’t being tracked, stored, or shared with advertisers,” according to a statement from Michael Albers, head of consumer product at Verizon Media.
Ads on OneSearch will be generated based on keywords, not cookies, and there will be a self-destruct option for search results to be purged after a certain period. Search results will be generated by Microsoft’s Bing browser.
As consumers tire of having their every move tracked online, there are a growing number of browsers that claim to preserve users’ privacy, including Brave and DuckDuckGo, and ad- and tracker-blocking extensions like Ghostery.
Verizon was fined $1.3 million for using super cookie trackers
If Verizon’s track record with search and privacy wasn’t so spotty, this might be a welcome addition to the growing field of privacy-based browsers. When it combined AOL and Yahoo into Oath in 2017, Verizon was clear about its plans to use its network to target ads. And in 2016, the company paid a $1.3 million fine to the Federal Communications Commission for its use of “super cookies” that tracked users on their networks via their cellphones without asking for permission or providing an opt-out option. And don’t forget Yahoo’s famous hack, where all 3 billion of its customers’ accounts were breached in 2013.
Why Verizon is introducing a new search engine brand when it already owns Yahoo is not clear, but as VentureBeat notes, Yahoo owned the “oneSearch” name long before it became part of Verizon.


theverge--2020-01-14--Boeing had more cancellations than orders in 2019 as 737 Max crisis deepens

Boeing ended the year with negative commercial airplane orders for the first time in decades , CNBC reports .
At the end of 2019 , the aerospace giant lost orders for 87 airplanes , meaning it had more cancellations than new orders .
The high rate of cancellations is the latest sign that the crisis surrounding the 737 Max — the airplane involved in two fatal crashes that took the lives of 346 people — is continuing to affect Boeing ’ s bottom line .
Its order book for the troubled jet shrank by 183 planes — though much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas airlines , like India ’ s Jet Airways and Vietnam ’ s VietJet , going bankrupt .
But thanks to ongoing problems getting the 737 Max certified , there wasn ’ t enough demand to make up the losses .
There was a 90 percent drop in orders for 737 models during the year , according to CNN .
Boeing barely had any firm orders for the Max after the grounding in mid-March , but other models also suffered a 29 percent drop in new orders .
There was a 90 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year Meanwhile , American Airlines extended its cancellations for the 737 Max until June 4th , after previously targeting April 7th .
The carrier has pushed the date back multiple times as Boeing continues to struggle to get approval from regulators to greenlight the 737 Max .
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max jets after two deadly crashes in October 2018 and March 2019 .
Both crashes have been linked to a piece of software that Boeing had installed on the 737 Max known as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest firestorm to envelop the company involved internal messages in which Boeing employees discussed the problems with the 737 Max in ways the company characterized as “ completely unacceptable.
” In the chats and emails released by congressional investigators , employees mocked regulators , balked at letting their own family members fly on the 737 Max , and described interactions with FAA officials as cover-ups .
The messages show how Boeing tried to reduce the amount of simulator training required by the FAA to certify pilots for the 737 Max .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would recommend simulator training for pilots of its 737 Max jets after previously stating that such training was unnecessary .
Boeing originally sold the 737 Max to carriers on the promise they wouldn ’ t have to pay to train their pilots on simulators , which can be costly for airlines .
Instead , pilots who were certified to fly on the 737 Next Generation planes took a short course on an iPad to fly the Max , according to The New York Times .

Boeing ended the year with negative commercial airplane orders for the first time in decades, CNBC reports. At the end of 2019, the aerospace giant lost orders for 87 airplanes, meaning it had more cancellations than new orders.
The high rate of cancellations is the latest sign that the crisis surrounding the 737 Max — the airplane involved in two fatal crashes that took the lives of 346 people — is continuing to affect Boeing’s bottom line. Its order book for the troubled jet shrank by 183 planes — though much of that had to do with some low-cost overseas airlines, like India’s Jet Airways, going bankrupt. But thanks to ongoing problems getting the 737 Max certified, there wasn’t enough demand to make up the losses.
There was a 90 percent drop in orders for 737 models during the year, according to CNN. Boeing barely had any firm orders for the Max after the grounding in mid-March, but other models also suffered a 29 percent drop in new orders.
There was a 90 percent drop in orders for 737 models during the year
Meanwhile, American Airlines extended its cancellations for the 737 Max until June 4th, after previously targeting April 7th. The carrier has pushed the date back multiple times as Boeing continues to struggle to get approval from regulators to greenlight the 737 Max.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max jets after two deadly crashes in October 2018 and March 2019. Both crashes have been linked to a piece of software that Boeing had installed on the 737 Max known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS.
The latest firestorm to envelop the company involved internal messages in which Boeing employees discussed the problems with the 737 Max in ways the company characterized as “completely unacceptable.” In the chats and emails released by congressional investigators, employees mocked regulators, balked at letting their own family members fly on the 737 Max, and described interactions with FAA officials as cover-ups.
The messages show how Boeing tried to reduce the amount of simulator training required by the FAA to certify pilots for the 737 Max. Last week, the company said it would recommend simulator training for pilots of its 737 Max jets after previously stating that such training was unnecessary.
Boeing originally sold the 737 Max to carriers on the promise they wouldn’t have to pay to train their pilots on simulators, which can be costly for airlines. Instead, pilots who were certified to fly on the 737 Next Generation planes took a short course on an iPad to fly the Max, according to The New York Times.


theverge--2020-01-14--How to sell your old iPhone

How to sell your old iPhone

If you were recently gifted a new iPhone , you may be wondering about the best way to sell your old phone for the best price .
( As opposed to trading it in , which could be more convenient , but it also often means you won ’ t get as much for it . )
This guide can help walk you through that process .
Since you ’ re going to wipe your phone ( you definitely don ’ t want anyone else getting their hands on your stuff ) , first , you ’ ll want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a current backup of all of your data saved on iCloud , your laptop , or any other local / cloud storage .
If iCloud Backup is switched on in your iCloud settings on your phone , and you ’ ve selected everything you want to back up , it will make it easier to import all of your data into a new phone .
You can also back up your phone through iTunes on your laptop and import your data from there .
When you ’ re sure that all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s time to wipe your phone .
Disable “ Find My iPhone ” and unpair any devices from your phone , including your Apple Watch .
Sign out from your Apple ID and remove the SIM card from the phone .
Erase your phone by going into “ Settings ” > “ General.
” Tap “ Reset ” and then select “ Erase All Content and Settings.
” Before you even think of selling your phone , you need to make sure it ’ s looking its best .
Remove the case or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can see , including scratches or dents , which you ’ ll have to mention when selling the phone .
Then , clean your phone using a screen wipe or screen cleaner .
( You might want to leave your screen protector on if it ’ s in good condition . )
It ’ s also a good idea to take photos of your phone .
You ’ ll need them for the listing when selling the phone online ; in addition , they ’ re useful in case the recipient reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find out how much your phone is worth is to use sales sites such as Swappa , eBay , Craigslist , or the subreddits r/Phoneswap , r/Appleswap , and r/Hardwareswap to see what price other used phones are going for .
Adjust your search to filter for phones in the same condition as yours and set your price accordingly .
There are a variety of places you can sell your phone .
One such site , Swappa , charges a fee from the buyer rather than the seller , depending on the price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommends you factor shipping costs into the price you set , as the seller is responsible for paying the shipping company directly .
eBay gives you 50 free listings , depending on the type of listing , but after that , it ’ ll cost you 35 cents per listing .
eBay also charges the seller a percentage of the item ’ s price .
Facebook Marketplace is also an option , or you can join one of the Facebook ’ s buy / sell groups .
Both Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for free .
If you decide to make the transaction in person , it ’ s safest to meet in a public place , like a cafe If you decide to do the transaction in person , it ’ s safest to meet in a public place , like a cafe .
Cash is probably the best way to go to avoid Venmo scams or PayPal chargebacks .
For added security , The Verge ’ s Chris Welch has recommended using a counterfeit detector pen to authenticate cash .
Whatever you decide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure you ’ re happy with your new phone first .
You don ’ t want to have to return that brand-new phone because of problems ( or because you just don ’ t like it ) and suddenly find yourself desperately scrounging around for a temporary substitute .
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
For more information , see

If you’re an iPhone owner, it’s very possible you’re considering trading up to the latest model, which (when this article was last updated) is likely to be the iPhone 13. However, if your current iPhone is still in good shape, you may be wondering about what to do with it. Should you sell it? Trade it in? Give it away?
Well — any of the above. This guide will walk you through the process of preparing your old phone, and what your best alternatives are for disposing of it.
Are you transferring to a new iPhone?
If you’re transferring to a new iPhone — or even if you’re not — you probably want to back up your phone before you do anything else (see below). Backing up to iCloud is probably easiest — and it also gives you the option of transferring your data either directly from your old phone to your new phone, or transferring your data from iCloud.
Once you’ve done that, then go ahead and copy all your data to your new phone. If you want, you can also try going to “Settings” > “General” > “Transfer or Reset iPhone.” Depending on the version of iOS you’re running, you may have access to a wizard called “Prepare for New iPhone,” which will run you through all the steps necessary to transfer your data to your new phone. (It will also let you check your phone’s trade-in Status.)
It doesn’t hurt to check that your iPhone is backed up to iCloud. Under “Transfer or Reset Phone” you’ll find a wizard to walk you through the process.
Back up your phone
As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to have a current backup of all of your data saved on iCloud, your laptop, or any other local / cloud storage. Backing up your phone on iCloud Backup is probably the easiest. If it’s been a while and you want to make sure backup is switched on in your phone’s iCloud settings:
Tap on “Settings” > [your name] top button > “iCloud” > “iCloud Backup.”
If “iCloud Backup” is switched off, toggle it on. If it’s already toggled on, and you’re preparing to wipe your old iPhone, you may want to tap “Back Up Now” just in case.
You can also back up your iPhone to a computer: either to your Mac by using your Finder (if your Mac is using a macOS version before 10.15, you’ll use iTunes) or to a Windows PC (again, using iTunes).
Related The Verge guide to the iPhone
Wipe your phone
When you’re sure that all of your data is stored — and you’ve transferred all your data to your new phone — it’s time to wipe your old phone.
First, you have to make sure you’ve gotten rid of a few identifiable features:
Disable “Find My iPhone” by going to “Settings” > “Find My” > “Find My Phone” and toggling “Find My Phone” and “Find My Network” to off.
Unpair any devices from your phone, including your Apple Watch.
Toggle iMessages off (just in case).
Then you need to sign out from your Apple ID:
Select “Settings” > [your name] top button > “Sign Out” (at the bottom of the page).
Enter your Apple ID password.
You’ll be asked if you want to keep a copy of your data on this iPhone. Assuming you’ve backed everything up and are about to wipe your phone, you don’t need to toggle anything on.
Tap on “Sign Out” in the upper right corner, and then again on the “Are you sure?” pop-up window.
Finally, get ready to erase it:
Remove the SIM card from the phone.
Go into “Settings” > “General” > “Transfer or Reset iPhone” and select “Erase All Content and Settings.”
If you’re wiping your phone, you don’t want to keep any data on it. You’ll get one last chance to change your mind.
Clean it up
Before you even think of selling your phone, you need to make sure it’s looking its best. Remove the case and / or any stickers, and assess the damage you can see, including scratches or dents, which you’ll have to mention when selling the phone. Then, clean your phone using a screen wipe or screen cleaner. (You might want to leave your screen protector on if it’s in good condition.)
It’s also a good idea to take photos of your phone. You’ll need them for the listing when selling the phone online; in addition, they’re useful in case the recipient reports further damage.
Sell your phone
There are a variety of places where you can try to sell your used phone. A few of those are listed here, along with the estimates I got for an iPhone 11 in good condition with 256GB of storage.
The first thing you might think of is to trade your phone in to Apple. This may be especially useful if you haven’t bought your new iPhone yet, and you want to see if you can save a little on your new device. If you’ve already bought your new phone, then you can go to Apple’s trade-in page and see what your phone is worth. Note that in return you’ll be getting a gift card for future Apple purchases. The quote for the iPhone 11 was $390 in trade-in value at the time of publish.
Decluttr buys the phone from you and then resells it. The company gives you a price online; you then ship your phone to Decluttr within 28 days. The phone will be inspected; if there are issues, you will be offered a revised price which you will have 14 days to accept or decline. An iPhone 11 in good condition with 256GB received a quote for $401.
Best Buy lets you either mail in your phone or bring it to your nearest Best Buy retail store; either way, you can trade it in for an e-gift card. My iPhone 11 was given an estimated value of $360 (increased to $400 if traded in for specific tech products).
Flipsy deals with a variety of retail sites; it will let you know what vendors offer how much, and then you get 14 days to ship the device. The vendor pays for shipping. If the vendor doesn’t agree with your assessment, they will send a revised offer; since each vendor has its own return policies, it’s a good idea to check before you ship. The iPhone 11 got prices from two vendors; the highest was $455.
With Swappa, you create a listing along with a price; when your device is sold, you receive payment from Swappa and then ship the phone directly to the buyer. Swappa charges a fee from the buyer, depending on the price of the phone, but you are responsible for shipping costs. The average price that an iPhone 11 with 256GB could be sold for was quoted as $543.
And of course, there’s eBay. Selling here can be a bit complicated, but basically you get up to 250 listings for free each month; once you sell your item, there is a 10.2 percent fee plus a $0.30 transaction fee.
Places where you can sell your phone free of charge (except, of course, for shipping fees) include Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and the subreddits r/Phoneswap, r/Appleswap, and r/Hardwareswap.
If you don’t want to sell or trade in your old phone, there are other things you can do with it
Play it safe
Most of these transactions take place via mail. However, if you decide to do the transaction in person, it’s safest to meet in a public place — and these days, if you’re at all concerned about infection, to either do it outdoors in a park or other public space, or in a cafe or other indoor venue that follows current safety recommendation.
And if you decide you don’t want to sell or trade in your old phone, there are other things you can do with it, including using it as a webcam or letting it be your kids’ first grown-up phone.
Whatever you decide to do with your old phone, just make sure you’re happy with your new phone first. You don’t want to have to return that brand-new phone because of problems (or because you just don’t like it) and suddenly find yourself desperately scrounging around for a temporary substitute.


theverge--2020-01-14--Google just bought a startup that will help it list physical stores’ products online

Google is expanding its grasp on retailers .
In a blog post today , Google announced that it ’ s purchased Pointy , a Dublin-based startup that helps local retailers sell their products online .
The deal is expected to close in the weeks to come .
Currently , Pointy allows sellers to either use an app or special bar code scanner to keep up-to-date inventory information on in-store products .
That way , a shopper could more easily purchase a product online and pick it up in-store , rather than going with a larger retailer like Amazon or Walmart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for nearby brick-and-mortar stores , so it makes sense it would want to improve how it gathers that data to ensure it ’ s as accurate and comprehensive as possible .
“ One of the challenges small merchants face is getting their in-store inventory information online in a way that is easy to manage and reliably up to date , ” reads Google ’ s announcement post .
“ Since organizing the world ’ s information is core to what we do , we ’ ve been working to make it easier for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to interested shoppers on Google.
” Neither Google nor Pointy disclosed the deal amount , but Yahoo Finance reports that the acquisition is a $ 163M deal .
“ By joining forces , we will be able to help people discover local stores and products on a much larger scale , ” said Pointy ’ s founders in a statement .
“ We think this is the right way to accomplish what we set out to do — to bring the world ’ s retailers online and give them the tools they need @ @ @ @

Google is expanding its grasp on retailers. In a blog post today, Google announced that it’s purchased Pointy, a Dublin-based startup that helps local retailers sell their products online. The deal is expected to close in the weeks to come.
Currently, Pointy allows sellers to either use an app or special bar code scanner to keep up-to-date inventory information on in-store products. That way, a shopper could more easily purchase a product online and pick it up in-store, rather than going with a larger retailer like Amazon or Walmart. Google Shopping already does inventory listings for nearby brick-and-mortar stores, so it makes sense it would want to improve how it gathers that data to ensure it’s as accurate and comprehensive as possible.
“One of the challenges small merchants face is getting their in-store inventory information online in a way that is easy to manage and reliably up to date,” reads Google’s announcement post. “Since organizing the world’s information is core to what we do, we’ve been working to make it easier for local merchants to better showcase their products to interested shoppers on Google.”


theverge--2020-01-14--Amazon no longer banning Marketplace sellers from using FedEx shipping

Amazon has lifted its ban on FedEx Ground and Home shipping services after initially prohibiting its third-party Marketplace sellers from using the company over the holiday season .
The news , which was reported on Tuesday by CNBC , means Marketplace sellers will be able to use the potentially cheaper options from FedEx over Amazon ’ s own shipping platform and UPS starting today , January 14th , at 5PM ET , according to a notice sent out by Amazon .
Amazon first imposed a ban on FedEx Ground and Home services last month , citing FedEx ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality control with regards to package delivery during the high-volume holiday season .
There was concern at the time from some small business owners that the ban would disproportionately affect more cost-conscious sellers who relied on FedEx ’ s cheaper options to still qualify for Prime , as the Prime label greatly improves product visibility and placement in Amazon search results and on category landing pages .
Amazon and FedEx are in a heated competition over package delivery Amazon said the ban would be temporary , but it was also demanding sellers either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option to qualify for Prime or pay out of pocket for FedEx Express .
Alternatively , sellers could remove Prime labels from their products and offer FedEx Ground or Home as an optional paid shipping option .
According to CNBC , Amazon says it is once again content with FedEx ’ s delivery performance , so it ’ s lifting the ban today .
Amazon and FedEx no longer work together after FedEx first declined to renew its FedEx Express contract with Amazon for air shipments in June and then ended its ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now relies on a mix of UPS and its own Flex delivery platform that ’ s modeled like Uber as well as a series of third-party contractors .
Although , until the initial FedEx ban , Amazon allowed its Marketplace sellers to use FedEx services .
Amazon has spent billions of dollars over the last decade to build out its own delivery infrastructure as a way to eventually reduce costs it incurs by relying on third-party companies .
In its last quarter , Amazon spent $ 9.6 billion on fulfillment , in part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company is now approaching the total package volume of both FedEx and UPS in the US and is on pace to surpass both .

Amazon has lifted its ban on FedEx Ground and Home shipping services after initially prohibiting its third-party Marketplace sellers from using the company over the holiday season. The news means Marketplace sellers will be able to use the potentially cheaper options from FedEx over Amazon’s own shipping platform and UPS starting today, January 14th, at 5PM ET, according to a notice sent out by Amazon. The news was reported on Tuesday by CNBC, and Amazon confirmed to The Verge that it did indeed send the email out today announcing the lifting of the ban.
Amazon first imposed a ban on FedEx Ground and Home services last month, citing FedEx’s “delivery performance” and its concern for quality control with regards to package delivery during the high-volume holiday season. There was concern at the time from some small business owners that the ban would disproportionately affect more cost-conscious sellers who relied on FedEx’s cheaper options to still qualify for Prime, as the Prime label greatly improves product visibility and placement in Amazon search results and on category landing pages.
Amazon and FedEx are in a heated competition over package delivery
Amazon said the ban would be temporary, but it was also demanding sellers either switch to UPS or another provided shipping option to qualify for Prime or pay out of pocket for FedEx Express. Alternatively, sellers could remove Prime labels from their products and offer FedEx Ground or Home as an optional paid shipping option. According to CNBC, Amazon says it is once again content with FedEx’s delivery performance, so it’s lifting the ban today.
Amazon and FedEx no longer work together after FedEx first declined to renew its FedEx Express contract with Amazon for air shipments in June and then ended its ground shipping contract two months later. Amazon now relies on a mix of UPS and its own Flex delivery platform that’s modeled like Uber as well as a series of third-party contractors. Although, until the initial FedEx ban, Amazon allowed its Marketplace sellers to use FedEx services.


theverge--2020-01-15--Twitter’s Jack Dorsey on edit button: ‘We’ll probably never do it’

Twitter users have been asking for the option to edit tweets ever since the service launched in 2006 , but the company has always prevaricated , saying it ’ s looking into the problem , or considering it deeply , or a hundred other ways of saying “ please stop bothering us about this , please.
” Now , Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has given perhaps the most definitive answer on the question to date .
During a video Q & A with Wired , Dorsey was asked if there ’ ll be an edit button for Twitter in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smile : “ The answer is no.
” Watch below : This isn ’ t a huge surprise .
Although Twitter ’ s users have long argued for the benefits of an edit button , the company has always been ambivalent ; happy to consider the question to placate its users , but never actually committing to a fix .
As Twitter ’ s product lead Kayvon Beykpour said last summer : “ Honestly , it ’ s a feature that I think we should build at some point , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our priorities.
” In the video Q & A , Dorsey expands on this thinking , noting that the decision to leave out an edit button has its roots in Twitter ’ s original design .
“ We started as an SMS , text message service .
And as you all know , when you send a text , you can ’ t really take it back , ” he says .
“ We wanted to preserve that vibe , that feeling , in the early days.
” “ These are all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never do it.
” He notes that the service has moved on since , but the company doesn ’ t consider an edit button worth it .
There are good reasons for editing tweets , he says , like fixing typos and broken links , but also malicious applications , like editing content to mislead people .
“ So , these are all the considerations , ” says Dorsey .
“ But we ’ ll probably never do it.
” But again , note that there ’ s just a sliver of ambiguity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll probably never do it ” ) , which leaves open the possibility of enabling edits in future .
Whether out of strategy or spite , Dorsey just won ’ t fully commit to an answers , giving himself the option of changing his mind in future .
At least , then , he understands the appeal of an edit button .

Twitter users have been asking for the option to edit tweets ever since the service launched in 2006, but the company has always prevaricated, saying it’s looking into the problem, or considering it deeply, or a hundred other ways of saying “please stop bothering us about this, please.”
Now, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has given perhaps the most definitive answer on the question to date. During a video Q&A with Wired, Dorsey was asked if there’ll be an edit button for Twitter in 2020. He replies, with a faint smile: “The answer is no.” Watch below:
This isn’t a huge surprise. Although Twitter’s users have long argued for the benefits of an edit button, the company has always been ambivalent; happy to consider the question to placate its users, but never actually committing to a fix. As Twitter’s product lead Kayvon Beykpour said last summer: “Honestly, it’s a feature that I think we should build at some point, but it’s not anywhere near the top of our priorities.”
In the video Q&A, Dorsey expands on this thinking, noting that the decision to leave out an edit button has its roots in Twitter’s original design. “We started as an SMS, text message service. And as you all know, when you send a text, you can’t really take it back,” he says. “We wanted to preserve that vibe, that feeling, in the early days.”
“These are all the considerations ... But we’ll probably never do it.”
He notes that the service has moved on since, but the company doesn’t consider an edit button worth it. There are good reasons for editing tweets, he says, like fixing typos and broken links, but also malicious applications, like editing content to mislead people.
“So, these are all the considerations,” says Dorsey. “But we’ll probably never do it.”