theverge--2020-10-03--Asus’ latest ZenBook Flip S is all about the screen

What to buy , what you should n't , and how to use it all .
There ’ s one really strong argument in favor of buying the ZenBook Flip S : the screen .
This $ 1,449 2-in-1 has a 4K OLED panel , and it ’ s one of the best displays you can get on a 13-inch notebook .
OLED panels — which made a name for themselves in high-end TVs but are growing more popular in laptops as well — can deliver a stunning picture compared to IPS LCD displays .
But all those pixels suck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battery , and companies sometimes slap them on laptops that can ’ t fully fill their power needs .
That ’ s particularly true in thin-and-light 13-inch machines , which are working with really limited space for a battery .
And it ’ s how you end up with releases like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook , a gorgeous OLED device that can ’ t make it five hours on one charge .
The ZenBook Flip ( which you should be able to buy sometime this month ) isn ’ t quite that bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Galaxy and lasts just long enough that life span isn ’ t a disqualifying factor .
Ultimately , though , you ’ re still compromising on battery life for this screen quality — OLED laptops of this size are uncommon for a reason .
So , to start with the screen : it ’ s a stunner .
There ’ s no glare , despite its glossy texture , so work in bright settings isn ’ t a problem .
Pictures were vibrant , blacks were deep , and colors were bright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheap .
In testing , the ZenBook covered 100 percent of the sRGB gamut and 100 percent of the Adobe RGB gamut , and it reached 452 nits at maximum brightness .
That ’ s brighter than the OLED Spectre x360 and more accurate than some of the best creator-focused OLED laptops like the Gigabyte Aero 15 .
It isn ’ t hard to find 4K OLED screens in larger laptops — it ’ s the display quality combined with a compact convertible build that make the ZenBook Flip S such an ambitious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounds ( 1.2kg ) and 0.55 inches ( 13.9mm ) thick .
Design-wise , it ’ s a world away from the last major ZenBook Flip release , the UX370 ( this model is the UX371 ) — Asus has brought the line into the modern era with sharper corners , smaller bezels ( 3.9mm on the sides ) , a sturdy build , and smooth premium finish .
You may not even notice the copper accents or the modest keyboard backlighting unless you ’ re looking for them , but they round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One thing to note is that the lid is a fingerprint magnet .
Many models collect a smudge here and there , but this thing was covered in fingerprints about eight hours after I first opened it .
Fingerprints are easy enough to remove , but it was a bummer to see on such a nice-looking machine nonetheless .
Like other ZenBooks , this one has a fold-under hinge that can lift the keyboard deck slightly off your desk .
Unlike some hinges with this design , this one is very slight — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into my legs while using the device on my lap .
Asus says the hinge is “ durability tested ” for over 20,000 open / close cycles , and it feels sturdy enough .
Form transitions weren ’ t always seamless , though .
The ZenBook sometimes attempted to switch to tablet mode when I was tilting it slightly to the side ( in the laptop position ) .
When I ’ d tilt it back upright , my windows wouldn ’ t all snap back to the same positions I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the screen also didn ’ t switch out of tablet mode after I swiveled it from the tablet to the laptop position , and I ’ d have to redo the transition .
This is an issue you ’ ll sometimes have with Windows 2-in-1s — it ’ s not unique to the Flip — but it can be a headache nonetheless .
Elsewhere , Asus has added an edge-to-edge keyboard and squeezed an extra column of keys onto the right side that includes Home , Page Up , Page Down , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Envys have a similar row ) .
The keyboard is an absolute highlight for me — it is comfortable and quiet with a ton of travel , and I make significantly fewer errors typing on it than I normally do .
That said , I have very small fingers , and folks with larger hands sometimes find this kind of layout a bit cramped .
Like other modern ZenBooks , the Flip S comes with Asus ’ NumberPad 2.0 .
When you tap a tiny icon in the top right corner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pops up .
( Swiping down from the top left corner also brings up the calculator app , which is handy . )
The numpad works really well , and you can also use the touchpad to navigate and click around while it ’ s up — the ZenBook never mistook my swipes for number inputs or vice versa .
It ’ s worth noting that the touchpad isn ’ t quite as comfortable of a location for data entry work as the right side of the keyboard , but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get to a numpad on a laptop of this size .
The port selection is fine , except that there ’ s no headphone jack .
Asus says it removed that in the name of thinness , and the Flip does ship with a dongle .
But plenty of the ZenBook ’ s competitors ( including the OLED Spectre x360 , which is only a tiny bit thicker ) have been able to squeeze one in .
It ’ s also missing a microSD slot , which the Spectre also has .
Apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HDMI port , two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports , and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A .
The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 — no LTE .
So all in all , a nice display in a nice form factor .
What ’ s the catch ?
It ’ s battery life .
The ZenBook Flip S comes with a 67Wh battery , which is huge for a 13-incher — and I ’ m not sure it would be usable with a much smaller tank .
With my usual office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I got just five hours and 15 minutes .
Sure , you ’ ll probably get a better result if you set the screen to 1080p — but if you ’ re going to be doing that regularly , save your money and get a 1080p screen .
The Flip does charge up decently fast , though .
My unit took 54 minutes and 29 seconds to get up to a 60 percent charge ( during very light Chrome use on the Battery Saver profile ) .
The second compromise is on power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first systems to be certified through Intel ’ s Evo platform , which is like Project Athena for the Tiger Lake generation .
The Evo brand is meant to certify that a laptop provides a number of benefits customers want , including all-day battery life , quick wake time , fast charging , Wi-Fi 6 , and Thunderbolt 4 .
The Flip S comes with a quad-core Core i7-1165G7 with Xe integrated graphics , in addition to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD ( to my relief , it didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other nonsense ) .
Note , though , that this is a fairly low-power implementation of the 1165G7 — and in synthetic benchmarks , many reviewers have seen the chip fall behind its 10th-generation predecessors .
The ZenBook Flip S certainly won ’ t slow you down if you ’ re just using it for multitasking in Chrome , Slack , Zoom , and other productivity apps .
( The bottom did get uncomfortably hot at some points during my testing , though the keyboard only got a bit warm ) .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice for running demanding programs .
One thing that did surprise me was the audio .
I wasn ’ t even planning to mention the speakers in this review because I just assumed they ’ d be as terrible as they always are in laptops this small .
But the ZenBook sounds great — it easily has some of the best speakers I ’ ve ever heard in a laptop of any size .
My music sounded like it was coming from all around the room , the percussion really hit , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is rare for laptop speakers ) .
Couple that with the exceptional screen , and the ZenBook Flip S is really an excellent multimedia device .
There ’ s probably no laptop I ’ ve tested this year , of any size or price , that I ’ d rather watch a movie on .
If you ’ re looking for a thin-and-light convertible with a premium look and an OLED screen , you ’ re largely going to be looking at this and the $ 1,799 Spectre x360 .
They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not-great battery life .
The ZenBook , for a few hundred less , is missing two important ports but does give you some of Tiger Lake ’ s new amenities , including Thunderbolt 4 and Xe graphics .
( And it ’ s a bit thinner ) .
Normally , since the ZenBook has the newest processor , I would say it ’ s the no-brainer choice .
Unfortunately , as we ’ ve seen from synthetic benchmarks , the Flip S is actually underperforming the 1065G7 ( which is inside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is , tasks that leverage every available core ) .
If you ’ re looking to do more intensive tasks like light gaming or multitasking in many different applications at once ( or if you really value a headphone jack and microSD slot ) , the 10th-gen Spectre ( or a non-OLED model with a more powerful CPU ) will actually be a better buy if you ’ re willing to pay the premium .
This will also depend somewhat on when the Flip S actually hits shelves , because there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1165G7 coming sometime this month , which Asus says will be “ up to 34 percent faster ” than last year ’ s model .
But if you ’ re someone like me who mostly needs a device for office work , Spotifying , emailing , photo organizing , and especially entertainment , you can probably save money and get the ZenBook because it ’ ll perform just fine .
You ’ ll get a slightly brighter screen , better audio , and a handy numpad , too .

There’s one really strong argument in favor of buying the ZenBook Flip S: the screen. This $1,449 2-in-1 has a 4K OLED panel, and it’s one of the best displays you can get on a 13-inch notebook.
OLED panels — which made a name for themselves in high-end TVs but are growing more popular in laptops as well — can deliver a stunning picture compared to IPS LCD displays. But all those pixels suck up a heck of a lot of battery, and companies sometimes slap them on laptops that can’t fully fill their power needs. That’s particularly true in thin-and-light 13-inch machines, which are working with really limited space for a battery. And it’s how you end up with releases like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook, a gorgeous OLED device that can’t make it five hours on one charge.
The ZenBook Flip (which you should be able to buy sometime this month) isn’t quite that bad. It has a bigger battery than the Galaxy and lasts just long enough that life span isn’t a disqualifying factor. Ultimately, though, you’re still compromising on battery life for this screen quality — OLED laptops of this size are uncommon for a reason.
So, to start with the screen: it’s a stunner. There’s no glare, despite its glossy texture, so work in bright settings isn’t a problem. Pictures were vibrant, blacks were deep, and colors were bright — it makes MacBook Pro screens look cheap. In testing, the ZenBook covered 100 percent of the sRGB gamut and 100 percent of the Adobe RGB gamut, and it reached 452 nits at maximum brightness. That’s brighter than the OLED Spectre x360 and more accurate than some of the best creator-focused OLED laptops like the Gigabyte Aero 15.
8 Verge Score Asus Zenbook Flip S (2020) $ 1549 The Good Nice design and build
Beautiful 4K OLED display
Actually good speakers
LED numpad built into the touchpad The Bad Not-great battery life
No headphone jack
CPU doesn’t reach its potential $1549 at B&H$1550 at Newegg How we rate and review products
It isn’t hard to find 4K OLED screens in larger laptops — it’s the display quality combined with a compact convertible build that make the ZenBook Flip S such an ambitious device. It’s just 2.65 pounds (1.2kg) and 0.55 inches (13.9mm) thick. Design-wise, it’s a world away from the last major ZenBook Flip release, the UX370 (this model is the UX371) — Asus has brought the line into the modern era with sharper corners, smaller bezels (3.9mm on the sides), a sturdy build, and smooth premium finish. You may not even notice the copper accents or the modest keyboard backlighting unless you’re looking for them, but they round out a very nice professional look.
One thing to note is that the lid is a fingerprint magnet. Many models collect a smudge here and there, but this thing was covered in fingerprints about eight hours after I first opened it. Fingerprints are easy enough to remove, but it was a bummer to see on such a nice-looking machine nonetheless.
The chassis and lid are made of aluminum alloy.
Like other ZenBooks, this one has a fold-under hinge that can lift the keyboard deck slightly off your desk. Unlike some hinges with this design, this one is very slight — I didn’t feel it digging into my legs while using the device on my lap. Asus says the hinge is “durability tested” for over 20,000 open / close cycles, and it feels sturdy enough.
Form transitions weren’t always seamless, though. The ZenBook sometimes attempted to switch to tablet mode when I was tilting it slightly to the side (in the laptop position). When I’d tilt it back upright, my windows wouldn’t all snap back to the same positions I’d had them in before.
Occasionally, the screen also didn’t switch out of tablet mode after I swiveled it from the tablet to the laptop position, and I’d have to redo the transition. This is an issue you’ll sometimes have with Windows 2-in-1s — it’s not unique to the Flip — but it can be a headache nonetheless.
Elsewhere, Asus has added an edge-to-edge keyboard and squeezed an extra column of keys onto the right side that includes Home, Page Up, Page Down, and End. (HP’s Spectres and Envys have a similar row). The keyboard is an absolute highlight for me — it is comfortable and quiet with a ton of travel, and I make significantly fewer errors typing on it than I normally do. That said, I have very small fingers, and folks with larger hands sometimes find this kind of layout a bit cramped.
Each Thunderbolt 4 supports up to 40Gbps data bandwidth.
Like other modern ZenBooks, the Flip S comes with Asus’ NumberPad 2.0. When you tap a tiny icon in the top right corner of the touchpad, an LED touch-based numpad pops up. (Swiping down from the top left corner also brings up the calculator app, which is handy.) The numpad works really well, and you can also use the touchpad to navigate and click around while it’s up — the ZenBook never mistook my swipes for number inputs or vice versa. It’s worth noting that the touchpad isn’t quite as comfortable of a location for data entry work as the right side of the keyboard, but it’s still the closest thing you’ll get to a numpad on a laptop of this size.
The port selection is fine, except that there’s no headphone jack. Asus says it removed that in the name of thinness, and the Flip does ship with a dongle. But plenty of the ZenBook’s competitors (including the OLED Spectre x360, which is only a tiny bit thicker) have been able to squeeze one in. It’s also missing a microSD slot, which the Spectre also has. Apart from that, there’s an HDMI port, two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A. The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 — no LTE.
So all in all, a nice display in a nice form factor. What’s the catch? It’s battery life. The ZenBook Flip S comes with a 67Wh battery, which is huge for a 13-incher — and I’m not sure it would be usable with a much smaller tank. With my usual office workflow and brightness around 200 nits, I got just five hours and 15 minutes. Sure, you’ll probably get a better result if you set the screen to 1080p — but if you’re going to be doing that regularly, save your money and get a 1080p screen.
The keyboard has a 19.05mm pitch and 1.4mm of key travel.
The Flip does charge up decently fast, though. My unit took 54 minutes and 29 seconds to get up to a 60 percent charge (during very light Chrome use on the Battery Saver profile).
The second compromise is on power. The Flip S is one of the first systems to be certified through Intel’s Evo platform, which is like Project Athena for the Tiger Lake generation. The Evo brand is meant to certify that a laptop provides a number of benefits customers want, including all-day battery life, quick wake time, fast charging, Wi-Fi 6, and Thunderbolt 4.
The Flip S comes with a quad-core Core i7-1165G7 with Xe integrated graphics, in addition to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD (to my relief, it didn’t come loaded with McAfee or any other nonsense). Note, though, that this is a fairly low-power implementation of the 1165G7 — and in synthetic benchmarks, many reviewers have seen the chip fall behind its 10th-generation predecessors.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: ASUS ZenBook Flip S (2020) Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To use the Asus ZenBook Flip S (2020) you have to agree to: Request for your region and keyboard layout
Windows 10 License Agreement and Asus License Agreement
Microsoft account
Windows Hello PIN
Register for an Asus account The following agreements are optional: Connecting to Wi-Fi
Windows Hello facial recognition
Privacy settings, including online speech recognition, find my device, inking and typing, advertising ID, location, diagnostic data, and tailored experiences
Sync an Android phone
OneDrive backup
Microsoft 365
Set up Cortana
Register for a McAfee account and an Asus account
Save your email address on your device That’s seven mandatory agreements and 15 optional ones to use the Asus ZenBook Flip S (2020).
The ZenBook Flip S certainly won’t slow you down if you’re just using it for multitasking in Chrome, Slack, Zoom, and other productivity apps. (The bottom did get uncomfortably hot at some points during my testing, though the keyboard only got a bit warm). But this laptop isn’t the best choice for running demanding programs.
One thing that did surprise me was the audio. I wasn’t even planning to mention the speakers in this review because I just assumed they’d be as terrible as they always are in laptops this small. But the ZenBook sounds great — it easily has some of the best speakers I’ve ever heard in a laptop of any size. My music sounded like it was coming from all around the room, the percussion really hit, and the bass was even present (which is rare for laptop speakers). Couple that with the exceptional screen, and the ZenBook Flip S is really an excellent multimedia device. There’s probably no laptop I’ve tested this year, of any size or price, that I’d rather watch a movie on.
The ZenBook’s audio is certified by Harman Kardon and includes a “smart amplifier chip” that’s meant to prevent damage to the speakers’ coils.
If you’re looking for a thin-and-light convertible with a premium look and an OLED screen, you’re largely going to be looking at this and the $1,799 Spectre x360. They’re both very nice computers with standout displays and not-great battery life. The ZenBook, for a few hundred less, is missing two important ports but does give you some of Tiger Lake’s new amenities, including Thunderbolt 4 and Xe graphics. (And it’s a bit thinner). Normally, since the ZenBook has the newest processor, I would say it’s the no-brainer choice.
Unfortunately, as we’ve seen from synthetic benchmarks, the Flip S is actually underperforming the 1065G7 (which is inside the Spectre) in multicore use cases (that is, tasks that leverage every available core). If you’re looking to do more intensive tasks like light gaming or multitasking in many different applications at once (or if you really value a headphone jack and microSD slot), the 10th-gen Spectre (or a non-OLED model with a more powerful CPU) will actually be a better buy if you’re willing to pay the premium. This will also depend somewhat on when the Flip S actually hits shelves, because there’s also an OLED Spectre x360 with the 1165G7 coming sometime this month, which Asus says will be “up to 34 percent faster” than last year’s model.
But if you’re someone like me who mostly needs a device for office work, Spotifying, emailing, photo organizing, and especially entertainment, you can probably save money and get the ZenBook because it’ll perform just fine. You’ll get a slightly brighter screen, better audio, and a handy numpad, too.


theverge--2020-10-03--When coronavirus is on the guest list

When coronavirus is on the guest list

Well , the coronavirus made it all the way to the White House .
In a country that still maintains the highest numbers of cases in the world , that ’ s not a huge surprise .
The White House might be an exclusive , highly-guarded venue , but viruses generally can squeeze their way onto any guest list — all they have to do is slide past the velvet rope as someone ’ s plus one .
That ’ s the thing about this virus .
It doesn ’ t matter if you ’ re a college football player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clerk , or the President .
If the virus gets the chance to introduce itself to your body , it will probably take it .
Unfortunately , a lot of our normal lives are spent in situations where the virus could turn into a social butterfly .
Normally , we work in offices or factories or job sites .
We go to school .
We pack into yoga studios or bars or restaurants .
The virus goes with us .
Even in places where the positivity rates are low , the virus isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are starting to see resurgences as people relax into a new normal and go about their lives , bringing the virus with them .
That ’ s what ’ s happening in Europe , where cases are rising .
In the US , experts continue to worry about what will happen in colder weather , when people traditionally gather together indoors to celebrate the holidays .
Time with family is a hard thing to give up in a year that ’ s already taken so much .
But over the past several months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the virus getting passed around in smaller groups , where families and friends are gathered together .
“ There ’ s a lot of magical thinking when it comes to covid , ” Allison Arwady , the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health told The Washington Post ’ s Leana Wen .
“ It ’ s natural to feel safe among those you know and love.
” But there ’ s no magic in this pandemic .
Just because you naturally feel safe among family and friends doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Texas sent beloved family members to the hospital .
A mini-vacation to a lake with dear friends led to eight people out of 11 catching COVID-19 .
A now-infamous wedding in Maine spawned 170 cases and 7 deaths .
The people we know , and love , and work with are all still potential vectors for the virus .
That ’ s why , Wen writes : “ If you wouldn ’ t sit in a room , maskless , with random people , you shouldn ’ t have an indoor dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We should be just as careful in relatives ’ homes as we are in grocery stores and doctors ’ offices.
” That ’ s going to mean taking precautions — holding shorter gatherings outside , masks mandatory .
For some , it might mean skipping longer trips altogether .
It hurts , but in this case , maintaining our distance is still the best way to keep the virus outside the loop .
Whether its your house or the White House , the virus arrives the same way — escorted through the front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened this week .
This Overlooked Variable Is the Key to the Pandemic This virus does not spread evenly .
Over at The Atlantic this week is a great exploration of the variable k , which measures how the virus is dispersed .
In this case , the virus gets dispersed mostly in big superspreading events or clusters .
If you want to read even more on this topic , check out Kai Kupferschmidt ’ s story on k , published in Science in May .
( Zeynep Tufekci/The Atlantic ) This scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public about airborne coronavirus transmission Evidence that the coronavirus can be carried in the air has been mounting — but several major public health organizations ( the CDC and the WHO among them ) have been slow to change their messaging .
An aerosols expert got frustrated , and turned to Google Docs to create his own resource .
The document is available here .
( Charlotte Jee/MIT Technology Review ) How Vienna ’ s opera houses are staying open in the pandemic As important as it is to look at the places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s equally important to look at places where people are getting things right .
Austria devised a system to keep live opera alive , even during the pandemic .
( Julia Belluz/Vox ) One in Seven Dire COVID Cases May Result from a Faulty Immune Response This is a weird virus that affects different people in very different ways .
Two new studies offer some clues as to why the disease might affect some people more severely .
( Claudia Wallis/Scientific American ) Regeneron ’ s Covid-19 antibody may help non-hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You probably have seen this treatment in the news — the FDA cleared it to be given to Donald Trump under compassionate use .
Earlier this week , the company reported some promising signs that their treatment drove down levels of the virus in infected patients .
But the results were published via press release , and the full data from the trial is not yet available .
( Matthew Herper/STAT ) Vaccine Chaos Is Looming Some of the vaccines that are farthest along are also the most challenging to produce .
Sarah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Sarah Zhang/The Atlantic ) Biotech Industry Pushes Trump Administration to Release New Vaccine Guidelines Facing mounting public distrust in the vaccine approval process , the vaccine industry wants to know what the administration ’ s new requirements for a vaccine are — and they would like the guidelines to be made public .
( Sheryl Gay Stolberg/The New York Times ) New York Dining Is Moving Indoors .
How Nervous Should You Be ?
Restaurant critic Pete Wells talked to engineers , experts , and scientists ahead of New York City ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( he also talked to servers in a different story ) .
The result is a clear look at just how hard it is to find clarity .
As Wells writes : “ I can ’ t believe clear , straightforward safety advice is still so hard to come by at the government level that I had to spend most of a week on the phone with experts , asking whether readers should actually eat inside the places I ’ m writing about.
” ( Pete Wells/The New York Times ) To the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive , may your road to recovery be smooth .
To the families and friends of the 1,025,567 people who have died worldwide — 208,600 of those in the US — your loved ones are not forgotten .

Well, the coronavirus made it all the way to the White House. In a country that still maintains the highest numbers of cases in the world, that’s not a huge surprise. The White House might be an exclusive, highly-guarded venue, but viruses generally can squeeze their way onto any guest list — all they have to do is slide past the velvet rope as someone’s plus one.
That’s the thing about this virus. It doesn’t matter if you’re a college football player, a nurse, a grocery store clerk, or the President. If the virus gets the chance to introduce itself to your body, it will probably take it.
Unfortunately, a lot of our normal lives are spent in situations where the virus could turn into a social butterfly. Normally, we work in offices or factories or job sites. We go to school. We pack into yoga studios or bars or restaurants. The virus goes with us.
Even in places where the positivity rates are low, the virus isn’t gone, and some places are starting to see resurgences as people relax into a new normal and go about their lives, bringing the virus with them. That’s what’s happening in Europe, where cases are rising.
In the US, experts continue to worry about what will happen in colder weather, when people traditionally gather together indoors to celebrate the holidays. Time with family is a hard thing to give up in a year that’s already taken so much. But over the past several months, experts have noticed an alarming trend — the virus getting passed around in smaller groups, where families and friends are gathered together.
“There’s a lot of magical thinking when it comes to covid,” Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health told The Washington Post’s Leana Wen. “It’s natural to feel safe among those you know and love.”
But there’s no magic in this pandemic. Just because you naturally feel safe among family and friends doesn’t mean you are. Small family parties in Texas sent beloved family members to the hospital. A mini-vacation to a lake with dear friends led to eight people out of 11 catching COVID-19. A now-infamous wedding in Maine spawned 170 cases and 7 deaths.
The people we know, and love, and work with are all still potential vectors for the virus. That’s why, Wen writes: “If you wouldn’t sit in a room, maskless, with random people, you shouldn’t have an indoor dinner party with close friends, either. We should be just as careful in relatives’ homes as we are in grocery stores and doctors’ offices.”
That’s going to mean taking precautions — holding shorter gatherings outside, masks mandatory. For some, it might mean skipping longer trips altogether. It hurts, but in this case, maintaining our distance is still the best way to keep the virus outside the loop. Whether its your house or the White House, the virus arrives the same way — escorted through the front door.
Here’s what else happened this week.
Research
This Overlooked Variable Is the Key to the Pandemic
This virus does not spread evenly. Over at The Atlantic this week is a great exploration of the variable k, which measures how the virus is dispersed. In this case, the virus gets dispersed mostly in big superspreading events or clusters. If you want to read even more on this topic, check out Kai Kupferschmidt’s story on k, published in Science in May.
(Zeynep Tufekci/The Atlantic)
This scientist made a Google Doc to educate the public about airborne coronavirus transmission
Evidence that the coronavirus can be carried in the air has been mounting — but several major public health organizations (the CDC and the WHO among them) have been slow to change their messaging. An aerosols expert got frustrated, and turned to Google Docs to create his own resource. The document is available here.
(Charlotte Jee/MIT Technology Review)
How Vienna’s opera houses are staying open in the pandemic
As important as it is to look at the places where things have gone horribly wrong, it’s equally important to look at places where people are getting things right. Austria devised a system to keep live opera alive, even during the pandemic.
(Julia Belluz/Vox)
One in Seven Dire COVID Cases May Result from a Faulty Immune Response
This is a weird virus that affects different people in very different ways. Two new studies offer some clues as to why the disease might affect some people more severely.
(Claudia Wallis/Scientific American)
Development
Regeneron’s Covid-19 antibody may help non-hospitalized patients recover faster, early data show
You probably have seen this treatment in the news — the FDA cleared it to be given to Donald Trump under compassionate use. Earlier this week, the company reported some promising signs that their treatment drove down levels of the virus in infected patients. But the results were published via press release, and the full data from the trial is not yet available. (Matthew Herper/STAT)
Vaccine Chaos Is Looming
Some of the vaccines that are farthest along are also the most challenging to produce. Sarah Zhang explores why in The Atlantic.
(Sarah Zhang/The Atlantic)
Biotech Industry Pushes Trump Administration to Release New Vaccine Guidelines
Facing mounting public distrust in the vaccine approval process, the vaccine industry wants to know what the administration’s new requirements for a vaccine are — and they would like the guidelines to be made public.
(Sheryl Gay Stolberg/The New York Times)
Perspectives
New York Dining Is Moving Indoors. How Nervous Should You Be?
Restaurant critic Pete Wells talked to engineers, experts, and scientists ahead of New York City’s re-opening of indoor dining this week (he also talked to servers in a different story). The result is a clear look at just how hard it is to find clarity. As Wells writes: “I can’t believe clear, straightforward safety advice is still so hard to come by at the government level that I had to spend most of a week on the phone with experts, asking whether readers should actually eat inside the places I’m writing about.”
(Pete Wells/The New York Times)
More than numbers
To the more than 34,460,100 people worldwide who have tested positive, may your road to recovery be smooth.
To the families and friends of the 1,025,567 people who have died worldwide — 208,600 of those in the US — your loved ones are not forgotten.


theverge--2020-10-04--Razer’s Blade 15 Advanced review: runs fast, runs hot

If you ’ ve seen one Razer Blade laptop in the past few years , you ’ ve essentially seen them all .
The new Blade 15 Advanced is another one of those monochromatic , monolithic machines milled out of aluminum .
But this one is a beast on the inside , with enough year-to-year improvements elsewhere to be worthy of your attention .
At nearly the top of Razer ’ s configuration tree sits this $ 2,999 ( $ 2,799 at the time of publishing ) model that I ’ ve been testing for the last week .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ processor , Nvidia ’ s RTX 2080 Super Max-Q graphics chip , a 1TB NVMe SSD , and 16GB of RAM .
Topping it off , it has a 1080p display with a 300Hz refresh rate .
This configuration is powerful , and it has no issue playing all of today ’ s most demanding games at high frame rates with its display ’ s native 1080p resolution ( yet ray tracing without hand-holding via Nvidia ’ s AI-assisted DLSS feature still presents a big challenge , as I ’ ll get into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 Advanced starts at $ 2,599 , and that price will get you the same processor and 300Hz refresh rate display but with the Nvidia RTX 2070 Super Max-Q , 16GB of RAM , and a 512GB NVMe SSD .
Perhaps just as important for some , this is the first high-end Blade that is easy to recommend for a variety of other use cases .
It ’ s easier to stick in a bag than most other hulking gaming laptops .
It has passable battery life and solid port selection with Thunderbolt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could be a boon for photographers and video editors .
Its keyboard layout also makes it better for typing than previous models .
The Blade 15 Advanced still isn ’ t a master at any of its many trades , but it ’ s getting better .
Gaming performance in this particular configuration is stellar for most titles , as is expected with the specs inside .
My usual gamut of benchmarks include Remedy ’ s Control and Rocket League ; the former being a game that can really push PCs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fast-paced game that requires precision that I also just happen to really enjoy playing .
At their highest settings , Control ran at a smooth 110 frames per second , while Rocket League unsurprisingly clocked in higher with a steady 250 frames per second .
Better yet , this display has a 300Hz refresh rate , so when games shot beyond 60 frames per second it was definitely noticeable .
If you ’ re after a laptop that has an RTX 2080 Max-Q , it ’ s likely you ’ re interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in games that support it .
Fortunately , that ’ s all possible here , but unfortunately , this is where it becomes fairly easy to spot this GPU ’ s shortcomings .
The aforementioned Control , with all of the gorgeous ray tracing features switched to their highest , brings the frame rate down to around 40 , though it was fairly steady .
Fortnite actually fared worse , averaging about 25 frames per second with its ray tracing features turned on .
Given Fortnite ’ s sprawling map and dynamic nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance gap makes sense , but I was surprised that this is what brought the laptop to its knees .
Thankfully , Nvidia ’ s deep learning super sampling ( DLSS ) feature helps to raise the frame rate of ray tracing gameplay without too noticeable a hit in visual quality .
Using it allowed the Blade 15 Advanced to run all of the ray tracing features on Control at around 100 frames per second .
Fortnite still presented a challenge , with the “ performance ” DLSS setting raising it to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 frames per second .
You can still have a very enjoyable gaming experience on the Blade 15 , but you might need to toggle a few settings to get the absolutely best visual fidelity and quality .
Turning on DLSS is technically a cop-out because the system can ’ t otherwise handle ray tracing ( in Control ’ s case , it drops the rendering down to 720p , then upscales with AI ) , but it still looks great on a 1080p display .
It ’ s a smart cop-out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just how hot the Blade 15 Advanced can get during a game .
Like the similarly specced Razer Blade Pro 17 my colleague Monica Chin tested out , you won ’ t want to touch near the display ’ s hinge or anywhere near the back on the bottom of the machine , either .
I had to quickly pull my hand away after testing how hot it was .
Less demanding games like Hades won ’ t cause the temperature to rise too high , but generally , its poor cooling means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it on a desk while you ’ re gaming .
And don ’ t be surprised if you feel some heat making its way toward the palm rests .
Even when you aren ’ t gaming , heating can still be an issue .
This machine got toasty when I exported a five-minute , 33-second 4K video in Adobe Premiere Pro , and it completed the task in four minutes , nine seconds at its fastest .
This result is slower than the Alienware M15 R3 ’ s three-minute , 42-second completion time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s two-minute , 42-second run through the export .
On the CPU and RAM front , Razer ’ s laptop matches what ’ s inside of the Aero 15 .
Yet , this Blade 15 Advanced variant has a more powerful GPU than both the Gigabyte or Alienware .
It should perform better , yet the cooling ( or lack thereof ) seems like the culprit here .
During repeated export tests , I noticed the CPU reaching 99 degrees Celsius ( about 212 degrees Fahrenheit — the literal boiling point of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed to slow down as it got overloaded .
This might not be an issue you ’ ll run into with your tasks , but it ’ s worth taking note that the thin Blade 15 Advanced gets very hot , to the point where the performance might sometimes take a hit .
I didn ’ t notice any signs of throttling during gameplay , but my experience with Premiere Pro sent a worrying sign that it could happen during a game .
I didn ’ t play longer than 30-minute bursts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a demanding PC game , you might run into heating issues that could impact performance .
As I touched on earlier , Razer ’ s keyboard is better than ever .
The old , obnoxious arrow key design was reworked with this year ’ s iteration , moving them completely out of the way while you ’ re typing .
Your mileage may vary in terms of whether the keys offer enough travel .
I think they ’ re more satisfying to type on than the MacBook Pro ’ s now-defunct butterfly keys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high bar .
To my knowledge , the glass Windows Precision trackpad hasn ’ t changed much .
It ’ s still plenty big and satisfying to use .
Also , compared to my colleague Dan Seifert ’ s experience with the low-end version of the 2019 Blade 15 Advanced , this new model has better battery life despite having more powerful specs , which is a feat .
His unit got about three hours of life while on battery-saver mode , but the one I ’ m using lasted around five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slack , plenty of Microsoft Edge tabs , Spotify , and the occasional Affinity Photo edit .
It ’ s still not a sterling life span , but it ’ s drastically improved .
In terms of minor but nagging faults , the matte black finish on the Blade 15 Advanced easily gets covered in fingerprints .
In fact , I rushed to take photos of it for the review before I actually tested it out because you wouldn ’ t like how it looked now .
After a week of using it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be cleaned , but it ’ s a chore .
I ’ d recommend getting the mercury ( silver ) colorway to avoid this problem , but Razer doesn ’ t offer many configurations ( including this one ) in that color .
Moving on , I appreciate the Windows Hello webcam for quickly logging in with my face , but the camera quality is grainy with poor exposure .
My basement studio apartment doesn ’ t get much natural light , but it makes me look like I live in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anomaly in the world of gaming laptops , but in our current age of endless Zoom meetings , it ’ d be great if Razer made improvements here .
A 1MP / 720p camera is laughable for a $ 3,000 laptop .
Razer ’ s latest Blade 15 Advanced brings a series of improvements , which is always great to see in a laptop that already has a comfortable lead over the competition in terms of design .
But if you ’ ve been paying attention to this year ’ s fleet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lead is shrinking .
MSI ’ s GS66 Stealth really impressed me earlier this year , with a similarly thin design , good battery life , and overall speedy performance ( even going toe to toe with a 300Hz refresh rate display ) .
If MSI can button up its build quality and continue offering perks like more RAM and a faster processor with its next iteration , Razer ’ s in trouble .
But at least for now , Razer still makes the best thin-profile gaming laptop .

If you’ve seen one Razer Blade laptop in the past few years, you’ve essentially seen them all. The new Blade 15 Advanced is another one of those monochromatic, monolithic machines milled out of aluminum. But this one is a beast on the inside, with enough year-to-year improvements elsewhere to be worthy of your attention.
At nearly the top of Razer’s configuration tree sits this $2,999 ($2,799 at the time of publishing) model that I’ve been testing for the last week. It has a powerful eight-core Intel Core i7-10875H processor, Nvidia’s RTX 2080 Super Max-Q graphics chip, a 1TB NVMe SSD, and 16GB of RAM. Topping it off, it has a 1080p display with a 300Hz refresh rate.
This configuration is powerful, and it has no issue playing all of today’s most demanding games at high frame rates with its display’s native 1080p resolution (yet ray tracing without hand-holding via Nvidia’s AI-assisted DLSS feature still presents a big challenge, as I’ll get into later). Pricing for the Blade 15 Advanced starts at $2,599, and that price will get you the same processor and 300Hz refresh rate display but with the Nvidia RTX 2070 Super Max-Q, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD.
Perhaps just as important for some, this is the first high-end Blade that is easy to recommend for a variety of other use cases. It’s easier to stick in a bag than most other hulking gaming laptops. It has passable battery life and solid port selection with Thunderbolt 3 and a fast SD card reader that could be a boon for photographers and video editors. Its keyboard layout also makes it better for typing than previous models.
The Blade 15 Advanced still isn’t a master at any of its many trades, but it’s getting better.
8 Verge Score Razer Blade 15 Advanced (2020) $ 2799.9 The Good Refined keyboard layout
Improved battery life
Customizable RAM and SSD
Synapse software is easy to use The Bad It gets noticeably hot
Poor webcam quality $2800 at Razer How we rate and review products
Gaming performance in this particular configuration is stellar for most titles, as is expected with the specs inside. My usual gamut of benchmarks include Remedy’s Control and Rocket League; the former being a game that can really push PCs to their limit, and the latter being a fast-paced game that requires precision that I also just happen to really enjoy playing. At their highest settings, Control ran at a smooth 110 frames per second, while Rocket League unsurprisingly clocked in higher with a steady 250 frames per second. Better yet, this display has a 300Hz refresh rate, so when games shot beyond 60 frames per second it was definitely noticeable.
It’ll take dedication to keep this all-black laptop free of smudges and fingerprints. The reconfigured arrow keys are now where they should have always been.
If you’re after a laptop that has an RTX 2080 Max-Q, it’s likely you’re interested in taking advantage of ray tracing features in games that support it. Fortunately, that’s all possible here, but unfortunately, this is where it becomes fairly easy to spot this GPU’s shortcomings. The aforementioned Control, with all of the gorgeous ray tracing features switched to their highest, brings the frame rate down to around 40, though it was fairly steady. Fortnite actually fared worse, averaging about 25 frames per second with its ray tracing features turned on. Given Fortnite’s sprawling map and dynamic nature compared to a scripted game, this performance gap makes sense, but I was surprised that this is what brought the laptop to its knees.
Thankfully, Nvidia’s deep learning super sampling (DLSS) feature helps to raise the frame rate of ray tracing gameplay without too noticeable a hit in visual quality. Using it allowed the Blade 15 Advanced to run all of the ray tracing features on Control at around 100 frames per second. Fortnite still presented a challenge, with the “performance” DLSS setting raising it to a relatively stable, but not perfect, 50 frames per second.
You can still have a very enjoyable gaming experience on the Blade 15, but you might need to toggle a few settings to get the absolutely best visual fidelity and quality. Turning on DLSS is technically a cop-out because the system can’t otherwise handle ray tracing (in Control’s case, it drops the rendering down to 720p, then upscales with AI), but it still looks great on a 1080p display. It’s a smart cop-out.
From left to right: Razer’s charging plug, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and a headphone jack. The right side hosts a UHS-III SD card reader, a Thunderbolt 3 port, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, and HDMI 2.0.
It’s hard not to notice just how hot the Blade 15 Advanced can get during a game. Like the similarly specced Razer Blade Pro 17 my colleague Monica Chin tested out, you won’t want to touch near the display’s hinge or anywhere near the back on the bottom of the machine, either. I had to quickly pull my hand away after testing how hot it was. Less demanding games like Hades won’t cause the temperature to rise too high, but generally, its poor cooling means you’ll definitely want to use it on a desk while you’re gaming. And don’t be surprised if you feel some heat making its way toward the palm rests.
Even when you aren’t gaming, heating can still be an issue. This machine got toasty when I exported a five-minute, 33-second 4K video in Adobe Premiere Pro, and it completed the task in four minutes, nine seconds at its fastest. This result is slower than the Alienware M15 R3’s three-minute, 42-second completion time and considerably behind the Gigabyte Aero 15’s two-minute, 42-second run through the export.
On the CPU and RAM front, Razer’s laptop matches what’s inside of the Aero 15. Yet, this Blade 15 Advanced variant has a more powerful GPU than both the Gigabyte or Alienware. It should perform better, yet the cooling (or lack thereof) seems like the culprit here. During repeated export tests, I noticed the CPU reaching 99 degrees Celsius (about 212 degrees Fahrenheit — the literal boiling point of water), and the progress bar seemed to slow down as it got overloaded. This might not be an issue you’ll run into with your tasks, but it’s worth taking note that the thin Blade 15 Advanced gets very hot, to the point where the performance might sometimes take a hit.
Around here, Razer’s laptop will start getting extremely hot to the touch during a game or other resource-heavy tasks. No complaints here with the Windows Hello setup, though the camera quality is fuzzy and has poor exposure.
I didn’t notice any signs of throttling during gameplay, but my experience with Premiere Pro sent a worrying sign that it could happen during a game. I didn’t play longer than 30-minute bursts, but if you log several hours of a demanding PC game, you might run into heating issues that could impact performance.
As I touched on earlier, Razer’s keyboard is better than ever. The old, obnoxious arrow key design was reworked with this year’s iteration, moving them completely out of the way while you’re typing. Your mileage may vary in terms of whether the keys offer enough travel. I think they’re more satisfying to type on than the MacBook Pro’s now-defunct butterfly keys, but that’s not exactly a high bar. To my knowledge, the glass Windows Precision trackpad hasn’t changed much. It’s still plenty big and satisfying to use.
Also, compared to my colleague Dan Seifert’s experience with the low-end version of the 2019 Blade 15 Advanced, this new model has better battery life despite having more powerful specs, which is a feat. His unit got about three hours of life while on battery-saver mode, but the one I’m using lasted around five hours doing general work tasks, including Slack, plenty of Microsoft Edge tabs, Spotify, and the occasional Affinity Photo edit. It’s still not a sterling life span, but it’s drastically improved.
The keys have shallow travel, but the layout is fantastic. This is great laptop for doing other tasks unrelated to gaming.
Agree to Continue: Razer Blade 15 Advanced (2020) Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To start using the Razer Blade 15 Advanced, you’ll need to agree to the following: A request for your region
A request for your keyboard layout
Microsoft account
PIN These are optional: Wi-Fi
Windows Hello face recognition
Activity history
Syncing up your Android phone
OneDrive
Office 365
Cortana voice assistant
Privacy settings (speech recognition, location, Find My Device, sharing diagnostic data, inking and typing, tailored experience, advertising ID)
Razer account In total, that’s four mandatory agreements and 15 optional agreements to use the Blade 15 Advanced.
In terms of minor but nagging faults, the matte black finish on the Blade 15 Advanced easily gets covered in fingerprints. In fact, I rushed to take photos of it for the review before I actually tested it out because you wouldn’t like how it looked now. After a week of using it, it frankly looks gross. It can be cleaned, but it’s a chore. I’d recommend getting the mercury (silver) colorway to avoid this problem, but Razer doesn’t offer many configurations (including this one) in that color.
Moving on, I appreciate the Windows Hello webcam for quickly logging in with my face, but the camera quality is grainy with poor exposure. My basement studio apartment doesn’t get much natural light, but it makes me look like I live in a cave. This isn’t an anomaly in the world of gaming laptops, but in our current age of endless Zoom meetings, it’d be great if Razer made improvements here. A 1MP / 720p camera is laughable for a $3,000 laptop.
Razer’s latest Blade 15 Advanced brings a series of improvements, which is always great to see in a laptop that already has a comfortable lead over the competition in terms of design. But if you’ve been paying attention to this year’s fleet of gaming laptops, the margin of Razer’s lead is shrinking. MSI’s GS66 Stealth really impressed me earlier this year, with a similarly thin design, good battery life, and overall speedy performance (even going toe to toe with a 300Hz refresh rate display). If MSI can button up its build quality and continue offering perks like more RAM and a faster processor with its next iteration, Razer’s in trouble.
But at least for now, Razer still makes the best thin-profile gaming laptop.
Now, where was I?


theverge--2020-10-04--Apple sues recycling partner for reselling more than 100,000 iPhones, iPads and Watches it was hired

Apple sues recycling partner for reselling more than 100,000 iPhones, iPads and Watches it was hired to dismantle

Apple is suing former recycling partner GEEP Canada — now a part of Quantum Lifecycle Partners — for allegedly stealing and reselling at least 103,845 iPhones , iPads and Watches that it was hired to disassemble .
“ At least 11,766 pounds of Apple devices left GEEP ’ s premises without being destroyed - a fact that GEEP itself confirmed , ” reads a portion of Apple ’ s complaint , as reported by The Logic ( via AppleInsider ) .
Apple sent the recycling firm over 500,000 iPhones , iPads , and Apple Watches between January 2015 and December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s report .
When Apple did an audit , it discovered 18 percent of those devices were still accessing the internet through cellular networks .
That 18 percent doesn ’ t count Apple devices without a cellular radio , so it ’ s possible an even higher percentage of the gadgets were resold .
Apple seeks to obtain at least $ 31 million Canadian dollars ( roughly $ 22.7 million USD ) from its former partner .
The recycling firm denies all wrongdoing , but it doesn ’ t deny there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-party suit claiming three employees stole the devices on their own behalf .
Apple disagrees , arguing that these employees were in fact senior management at the recycling firm , according to The Logic .
Last year , humans left behind a record amount of e-waste adding up to 53.6 million metric tons of discarded phones , computers , appliances , and other gadgets .
Like other tech companies , Apple has been trying to improve its environmental practices , including an effort to move recycling in-house with its own disassembly robots Daisy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recover iPhone components that traditional recyclers can ’ t .
However , the company still relies on other partners to recover valuable material from used devices , and from 2015 to 2018 GEEP Canada was one of them .
Refurbishing and reselling devices was also part of GEEP ’ s business , though : while the company offered multiple e-waste management services during that period , it also explicitly stated on its website that its mission was to “ encourage reuse whenever possible.
” “ Products sent for recycling are no longer adequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple ’ s standpoint , reselling these devices would not have been OK. Just because products were able to be resold on the grey market doesn ’ t mean they met Apple ’ s quality or safety standards .
“ Products sent for recycling are no longer adequate to sell to consumers and if they are rebuilt with counterfeit parts they could cause serious safety issues , including electrical or battery defects , ” the company tells The Verge .
Apple filed the complaint in January 2020 , but it ’ s known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 2017 and 2018 .
Apple hasn ’ t worked with GEEP Canada since .
In 2019 , we published a report about how one poster child of recycling firms , Total Reclaim , advertised its ethical practices while actually shipping off hazardous waste overseas without following regulations .

Apple is suing former recycling partner GEEP Canada — now a part of Quantum Lifecycle Partners — for allegedly stealing and reselling at least 103,845 iPhones, iPads, and Watches it was hired to disassemble. “At least 11,766 pounds of Apple devices left GEEP’s premises without being destroyed - a fact that GEEP itself confirmed,” reads a portion of Apple’s complaint, as reported by The Logic (via AppleInsider).
Apple sent the recycling firm over 500,000 iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches between January 2015 and December 2017, according to The Logic’s report. When Apple did an audit, it discovered 18 percent of those devices were still accessing the internet through cellular networks. That 18 percent doesn’t count Apple devices without a cellular radio, so it’s possible an even higher percentage of the gadgets were resold.
Apple seeks to obtain at least $31 million CAD (roughly $22.7 million USD) from its former partner. The recycling firm denies all wrongdoing, but it doesn’t deny there was a theft. It has reportedly filed a third-party suit claiming three employees stole the devices on their own behalf. Apple disagrees, arguing that these employees were in fact senior management at the recycling firm, according to The Logic.
Apple’s recycling robot Daisy can disassemble nine different iPhone models to recover valuable materials. Image: Apple Newsroom
However, the company still relies on other partners to recover valuable material from used devices, and from 2015 to 2018 GEEP Canada was one of them. Refurbishing and reselling devices was also part of GEEP’s business, though: while the company offered multiple e-waste management services during that period, it also explicitly stated on its website that its mission was to “encourage reuse whenever possible.”
“Products sent for recycling are no longer adequate to sell to consumers”
But from Apple’s standpoint, reselling these devices would not have been okay. Just because products were able to be resold on the grey market doesn’t mean they met Apple’s quality or safety standards. “Products sent for recycling are no longer adequate to sell to consumers and if they are rebuilt with counterfeit parts they could cause serious safety issues, including electrical or battery defects,” the company tells The Verge.
Apple filed the complaint in January 2020, but it’s known about the thefts since they were discovered between 2017 and 2018. Apple hasn’t worked with GEEP Canada since.


theverge--2020-10-04--First PS5 hands-on videos show off hardware and games, but no UI

Sony has invited a number of Japanese publications and YouTubers to get a closer look at the PlayStation 5 .
It ’ s the first time we ’ ve seen the PS5 hardware outside of leaked images from Taiwan ’ s National Communications Commission .
A variety of publications have now published detailed hands-on images and videos of the PS5 , providing a more realistic look at how big the console is and gameplay of titles like Astro ’ s Playroom and Godfall .
4gamer has published photos of the PS5 standing both vertically and horizontally , demonstrating how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the console in place .
Some photos also show how the PS5 will cool itself , and 4gamer notes that it wasn ’ t able to hear the fan inside the console or feel much heat exhausting from it during its limited time with the hardware .
Although these PS5 previews are clearly in a very limited environment , one of 4gamer ’ s photos does reveal a mysterious silver latch or bolt hidden inside the top-right section of the PS5 .
Sony has said PS5 owners will be able to expand storage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ console , but we ’ ve yet to see how this will work in reality .
This latch could be how you access the ability to expand PS5 storage , with it presumably allowing the side to be removed .
There ’ s no other obvious way to slot an SSD into the PS5 , but we ’ re still waiting on Sony to confirm how it will handle expandable storage .
We ’ ve known for weeks that the PS5 is the biggest console in modern history , and Dengeki Online helps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the PS5 next to a large TV .
It ’ s clear if you want the PS5 to sit vertically in a TV stand then you might need to clear some room , or use the console horizontally .
The PS5 laying flat looks like it should fit into most TV stands .
Most of the videos don ’ t show the PS5 in too much detail , as they ’ re largely focused on gameplay .
One from Famitsu ’ s YouTube channel does offer a brief look at the hardware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these Japanese publications and YouTubers also got a closer look at the new DualSense controller .
This new design includes haptic feedback ( replacing the old rumble technology ) and adaptive triggers that can adjust the resistance of the triggers for different gameplay effects .
Sony has even included a microphone , alongside a USB-C. We ’ ve seen Sony demonstrate the PS5 ’ s pack-in game , Astro ’ s Playroom , a number of times before , and the company has used it again during these hands-on videos to highlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reports that the confirm button on the PS5 will be X instead of O going forward , which means Japanese players are going to have to retrain their body ’ s muscle memory to get used to that significant change .
There ’ s little else to report on the controller just yet , but 4gamer does provide a good look at the different colorful LEDs on the DualSense .
None of the videos of publications were able to show the PlayStation 5 dashboard or UI elements , unfortunately .
These remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to be the boot experience or main PS5 dashboard all the way back in June .
Sony has also promised a fully redesigned PS5 dashboard with “ no pixel untouched.
” We ’ re still waiting to see exactly what Sony does with the new PS5 UI , and hopefully we ’ ll get a glimpse at it before the November 12th launch date .
Elsewhere there ’ s also a lot of gameplay of Astro ’ s Playroom , Godfall , and even Balan Wonderworld .
We ’ ve also seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and none of the previews seem to dig too deep on SSD performance or load times for games .
All three games look as smooth as you ’ d expect on the PS5 , but it ’ s disappointing not to see more Ratchet & Clank : Rift Apart gameplay given that title looks like the perfect demonstration for the PS5 ’ s speedy SSD .
Either way , you can find the latest PS5 gameplay in the video below .
These limited PS5 previews don ’ t answer all the questions we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re hoping Sony will start providing some answers soon .
We ’ re still waiting to hear about the PS5 dashboard , how you use expandable storage in the console , and just how well Sony ’ s backward compatibility for PS4 games works on the new PS5 .
There ’ s still more than a month to go until the PS5 launch on November 12th , so Sony has plenty of time to reveal a lot more about its next-gen console .
For now , these early previews have provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Sony has invited a number of Japanese publications and YouTubers to get a closer look at the PlayStation 5. It’s the first time we’ve seen the PS5 hardware outside of leaked images from Taiwan’s National Communications Commission. A variety of publications have now published detailed hands-on images and videos of the PS5, providing a more realistic look at how big the console is and gameplay of titles like Astro’s Playroom and Godfall.
4gamer has published photos of the PS5 standing both vertically and horizontally, demonstrating how the stand works in either position to hold the console in place. Some photos also show how the PS5 will cool itself, and 4gamer notes that it wasn’t able to hear the fan inside the console or feel much heat exhausting from it during its limited time with the hardware.
PS5 standing vertically. 4gamer
PS5 light. 4gamer
Although these PS5 previews are clearly in a very limited environment, one of 4gamer’s photos does reveal a mysterious silver latch or bolt hidden inside the top-right section of the PS5. Sony has said PS5 owners will be able to expand storage with regular SSD drives in this new console, but we’ve yet to see how this will work in reality.
Mysterious PS5 latch. 4gamer
This latch could be how you access the ability to expand PS5 storage, with it presumably allowing the side to be removed. There’s no other obvious way to slot an SSD into the PS5, but we’re still waiting on Sony to confirm how it will handle expandable storage.
We’ve known for weeks that the PS5 is the biggest console in modern history, and Dengeki Online helps put that into perspective with a shot of the PS5 next to a large TV. It’s clear if you want the PS5 to sit vertically in a TV stand then you might need to clear some room, or use the console horizontally. The PS5 laying flat looks like it should fit into most TV stands.
The PS5 in perspective Dengeki Online
Most of the videos don’t show the PS5 in too much detail, as they’re largely focused on gameplay. One from Famitsu’s YouTube channel does offer a brief look at the hardware up close.
Alongside the console itself, these Japanese publications and YouTubers also got a closer look at the new DualSense controller. This new design includes haptic feedback (replacing the old rumble technology) and adaptive triggers that can adjust the resistance of the triggers for different gameplay effects. Sony has even included a microphone, alongside a USB-C.
We’ve seen Sony demonstrate the PS5’s pack-in game, Astro’s Playroom, a number of times before, and the company has used it again during these hands-on videos to highlight the DualSense controller features. AV watch also reports that the confirm button on the PS5 will be X instead of O going forward, which means Japanese players are going to have to retrain their body’s muscle memory to get used to that significant change. There’s little else to report on the controller just yet, but 4gamer does provide a good look at the different colorful LEDs on the DualSense.
DualSense LED colors. 4gamer
None of the videos of publications were able to show the PlayStation 5 dashboard or UI elements, unfortunately. These remain a mystery, despite Sony teasing what appeared to be the boot experience or main PS5 dashboard all the way back in June. Sony has also promised a fully redesigned PS5 dashboard with “no pixel untouched.”
We’re still waiting to see exactly what Sony does with the new PS5 UI, and hopefully we’ll get a glimpse at it before the November 12th launch date.
Elsewhere there’s also a lot of gameplay of Astro’s Playroom, Godfall, and even Balan Wonderworld. We’ve also seen plenty of this game footage before, and none of the previews seem to dig too deep on SSD performance or load times for games.
All three games look as smooth as you’d expect on the PS5, but it’s disappointing not to see more Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart gameplay given that title looks like the perfect demonstration for the PS5’s speedy SSD. Either way, you can find the latest PS5 gameplay in the video below.
These limited PS5 previews don’t answer all the questions we still have around the PS5, and we’re hoping Sony will start providing some answers soon. We’re still waiting to hear about the PS5 dashboard, how you use expandable storage in the console, and just how well Sony’s backward compatibility for PS4 games works on the new PS5.


theverge--2020-10-04--Twitter’s ‘Birdwatch’ looks like a new attempt to root out propaganda and misinformation

Twitter has confirmed it ’ s working on a new feature , currently dubbed “ Birdwatch , ” that could let the Twitter community warn one another about misleading tweets that could cause harm .
There ’ s an awful lot we don ’ t know about the idea , including whether Twitter will actually release it to the public or how it might work in its final form , but enough has leaked out that we do have a pretty fair glimpse at the feature — which , we understand , is still early in development and would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As TechCrunch notes , the existence of such a tool was first discovered by Jane Manchun Wong , who often digs through app code for evidence of unreleased features , back in August .
At a basic level , the idea is that you ’ ll be able to attach a note to a misleading tweet : And as of late September , social media consultant Matt Navarra spotted a dedicated “ Add to Birdwatch ” button below a piece of content he ’ d tweeted : As of October 3rd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miniature survey to fill out as you ’ re reporting a piece of content , with options to take either side ( misleading/not misleading ) in the debate about a particular piece of information , as well as drilling down to how much harm you believe the tweet might cause : And as you can see in the reply to Jane Manchun Wong ’ s tweet above , Twitter ’ s own product lead has weighed in — he says Twitter will “ share more about our plans here soon.
” It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this feature might have an impact , particularly since it ’ s not clear if Twitter ’ s moderators or algorithms will act on the results .
The questionnaire does seem to go further than Twitter ’ s current reporting tools , which basically just ask you to categorize your complaint with a couple button presses and hope that Twitter ’ s moderation team will respond appropriately .
Twitter took a lot of flak on Friday and Saturday after confirming that it would suspend users who publicly hope for President Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s simply enforcing a policy that applies to everyone .
The tweet got ratio ’ d big time , particularly by women and members of other groups that often receive death threats and other forms of harassment for voicing their views .
( I ’ m omitting specific examples so they don ’ t get targeted yet again . )
Twitter attempted to reassure those users with a new thread on Saturday that promised most consistent enforcement , and “ action , not empty words ” .
It ’ ll be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a meaningful action — or just another place on Twitter for warring factions to debate the difference between lies and alternative facts .

Twitter has confirmed it’s working on a new feature, currently dubbed “Birdwatch,” that could let the Twitter community warn one another about misleading tweets that could cause harm.
There’s an awful lot we don’t know about the idea, including whether Twitter will actually release it to the public or how it might work in its final form, but enough has leaked out that we do have a pretty fair glimpse at the feature — which, we understand, is still early in development and would not be released ahead of the US election.
As TechCrunch notes, the existence of such a tool was first discovered by Jane Manchun Wong, who often digs through app code for evidence of unreleased features, back in August. At a basic level, the idea is that you’ll be able to attach a note to a misleading tweet:
And as of late September, social media consultant Matt Navarra spotted a dedicated “Add to Birdwatch” button below a piece of content he’d tweeted:
As of October 3rd, Birdwatch even appears to have its own miniature survey to fill out as you’re reporting a piece of content, with options to take either side (misleading/not misleading) in the debate about a particular piece of information, as well as drilling down to how much harm you believe the tweet might cause:
And as you can see in the reply to Jane Manchun Wong’s tweet above, Twitter’s own product lead has weighed in — he says Twitter will “share more about our plans here soon.”
It’s far too early to judge if this feature might have an impact, particularly since it’s not clear if Twitter’s moderators or algorithms will act on the results. The questionnaire does seem to go further than Twitter’s current reporting tools, which basically just ask you to categorize your complaint with a couple button presses and hope that Twitter’s moderation team will respond appropriately.
Twitter took a lot of flak on Friday and Saturday after confirming that it would suspend users who publicly hope for President Trump’s death, particularly after it tweeted that it’s simply enforcing a policy that applies to everyone.
The tweet got ratio’d big time, particularly by women and members of other groups that often receive death threats and other forms of harassment for voicing their views. (I’m omitting specific examples so they don’t get targeted yet again.)
Twitter attempted to reassure those users with a new thread on Saturday that promised most consistent enforcement, and “action, not empty words”.


theverge--2020-10-03--YouTube 4K has come to Apple TV, but we’re waiting on HDR, 60fps, and iPhone/iPad playback

“ A big frustration with the Apple TV 4K is about to be history , ” my colleague Chris Welch wrote , when we learned that Apple ’ s premiere set-top box would finally be able play 4K YouTube videos at their native resolution instead of being stuck at 1080p .
These days , even a $ 40 dongle can do better than that .
But though Apple ’ s latest software updates did bring YouTube 4K to the Apple TV 4K , the frustrations aren ’ t necessarily over .
It turns out you ’ re limited to watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smooth 60 frames per second , and without the depth of color and contrast that High Dynamic Range ( HDR ) provides .
That ’ s what 9to5Mac noticed yesterday , and we ’ ve confirmed with Google that — for now — Apple TV only supports 4K at 30fps with SDR content .
iPhones and iPads don ’ t necessarily have this limitation Google also appears to be working out uneven 4K support on the latest iPhones , even with iOS 14 installed .
While I was able to fire up one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhone 11 Pro , we heard from readers that 4K content which isn ’ t HDR won ’ t play back on an iPhone or iPad yet .
When you press the three-dot settings icon at the upper-right hand corner , and change “ Quality ” to 2160p , some videos display it , but I ’ ve now seen others show the message “ Upper limit : 1080p ” when you try to change the resolution .
Google now says 4K will come to supported iPhones and iPads “ soon , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it does .
Either way , it sounds like the best-of-the-best still won ’ t be available on a big 4K TV screen , where you ’ d more easily notice the difference .
On my iPhone 11 Pro , I can ’ t always tell .
Perhaps Apple is saving that for a future model ?
It has been over three years since the company last updated the Apple TV , and there ’ s at least one rumor going around that new models are on the way .
Correction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally told us that supported iPhone and iPad models now offer YouTube in 4K , but it ’ s now clarifying that the feature is coming soon .

“A big frustration with the Apple TV 4K is about to be history,” my colleague Chris Welch wrote, when we learned that Apple’s premiere set-top box would finally be able play 4K YouTube videos at their native resolution instead of being stuck at 1080p. These days, even a $40 dongle can do better than that.
But though Apple’s latest software updates did bring YouTube 4K to the Apple TV 4K, the frustrations aren’t necessarily over. It turns out you’re limited to watching 4K at 30fps, instead of a smooth 60 frames per second, and without the depth of color and contrast that High Dynamic Range (HDR) provides. That’s what 9to5Mac noticed yesterday, and we’ve confirmed with Google that — for now — Apple TV only supports 4K at 30fps with SDR content.
iPhones and iPads don’t necessarily have this limitation
Google also appears to be working out uneven 4K support on the latest iPhones, even with iOS 14 installed. While I was able to fire up one of my 4K HDR go-tos on an iPhone 11 Pro, we heard from readers that 4K content which isn’t HDR won’t play back on an iPhone or iPad yet. When you press the three-dot settings icon at the upper-right hand corner, and change “Quality” to 2160p, some videos display it, but I’ve now seen others show the message “Upper limit: 1080p” when you try to change the resolution.
Google now says 4K will come to supported iPhones and iPads “soon,” and will work with standard 4K content when it does.
Either way, it sounds like the best-of-the-best still won’t be available on a big 4K TV screen, where you’d more easily notice the difference. On my iPhone 11 Pro, I can’t always tell.
Perhaps Apple is saving that for a future model? It has been over three years since the company last updated the Apple TV, and there’s at least one rumor going around that new models are on the way.


theverge--2020-10-05--Driving the 2021 Volkswagen ID 4, VW’s first all-electric SUV

When I first got to see Volkswagen ’ s new ID 4 electric SUV at an eerily empty launch event in Brooklyn last month , the company ’ s executives warned me not to make the obvious comparisons to other electric vehicles , namely Tesla .
That was because Volkswagen ’ s real targets are popular gas-powered compact SUVs , like the Ford Escape , Honda CR-V , and Toyota RAV4 .
VW has its eyes on a higher prize .
A couple weeks later , as I climbed into the front seat of the ID 4 for a brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objective was to see how this car stacked up against those other popular players .
Compact SUVs are one of the most popular segments in the American car market , and as a compact SUV owner myself ( 2010 Subaru Outback , what what ? )
, I felt uniquely qualified to tease out the ID 4 ’ s quirks .
I only had about 45 minutes with the car , but I was able to drive through a number of different traffic conditions , from bumper-to-bumper traffic in upper Manhattan , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic on the West Side Highway .
We also skittered across a variety of potholes , sinkholes , and other pockmarks that are the hallmark of NYC ’ s streets .
The kind of conditions that show you what a car is made of Which is to say I wasn ’ t cannonballing down a misty mountain road or through some perfectly empty cityscape like in a car commercial .
This was real city driving , crawling through crowded corridors , squeezing through narrow gaps between trucks and city buses , cheek by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conditions that show you what a car is made of .
In that respect , the ID 4 held its own .
The steering was responsive , the shocks mostly soaked up all the bumps in the road , and the acceleration was pleasantly torque-y like you would expect from a rear-wheel-drive electric motor .
But the ID 4 wasn ’ t showy or demanding about any of it .
The good thing about this car is that it ’ s nondescript but not boring .
It looks like a typical VW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received no second glances from passersby and was able to blend into my environment , which typically isn ’ t the case with a new EV .
( I ’ m looking at you , Polestar 2 . )
Still , there are a lot of impressive design touches that make the ID 4 stand out from the rest .
The LED headlights flow backward , giving the impression of forward motion .
The illuminated VW logo sits in the middle of the grille-less front end .
And the ID 4 ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with VW citing a drag coefficient of 0.28 .
While driving , you would expect a low-grade motor whir common with EVs , and you ’ d be right .
After all , there was no noisy combustion under the hood to radiate throughout the vehicle ’ s interior .
As you accelerate , the motor definitely emits a higher-pitch sound , but not distractingly so .
I can ’ t speak to what the car sounds like from the outside , but EV makers are adding fake noises in order to comply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t revealed what the ID 4 ’ s exterior sound will be yet , but Porsche , a VW subsidiary , offers an interior $ 500 “ Electric Sport Sound ” in the configurator for its electric Taycan sports car .
there are a lot of impressive design touches that make the ID 4 stand out from the rest Thanks to a narrow A-pillar and a stubby front end , I felt like I could see everything I was supposed to from the driver ’ s seat .
So many SUVs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , creating dangerous front blind spots for drivers that could be fatal , especially for children .
Compact SUVs don ’ t typically have this problem , but it felt like VW made the necessary design choices to ensure maximum visibility .
Inside , the ID 4 was roomy and bright .
VW ’ s branded lighting system , ID Light , gave off a festive vibe , like I was rolling in my own personal dance club on wheels .
Blue light emanated from below the windshield , beneath the center console @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doors .
I wish I had more time to play around with the color settings , but I was able to change the background on the 10-inch infotainment screen from orange , to green , to yellow and blue .
It was a welcome splash of color for a car interior .
What else about the screen ?
It was angled slightly toward the driver , so it felt accessible without being distracting .
The interface was pleasant and easy to navigate .
And the placement of the home button on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and easy to access .
The voice assistant , which is activated by saying “ Hello , ID , ” left a lot to be desired .
In its press materials , VW claims that the ID 4 ’ s functionality is “ almost completely controlled by touch or voice control.
” But I found myself having to repeat myself a lot , and I was constantly getting tripped up by the long lag time between the wake words and actually saying what you want the assistant to do .
VW says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be much improved when the ID 4 starts shipping to customers in early 2021 .
Again , it was only a brief test , but the ID 4 ’ s advanced driver assist system appeared to be highly capable , with adaptive cruise control , lane-keep assistance , blind spot detection , and all the bells and whistles typically found in most new cars .
The voice assistant left a lot to be desired I can ’ t speak to the car ’ s range or charging time , as I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make determinations about either .
VW says the ID 4 has an EPA-estimated range of 250 miles , which should be perfectly adequate for city or suburban driving .
The automaker also thinks that ’ s a conservative estimate , meaning it could end up being closer to 300 miles after the government has had a chance to test it .
Stay tuned for that .
One of the big selling points for the ID 4 is three years of free charging with VW ’ s Electrify America charging network .
Like Tesla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes to EV charging infrastructure , which will go a long way in luring shoppers away from the warm embrace of combustion engine familiarity .
Electrify America has approximately 470 charging stations in the US , with over 2,000 DC fast chargers — though the company expects to install or have under development approximately 800 stations with about 3,500 DC fast chargers by December 2021 .
A fast , reliable network of charging stations will go a long way in selling the ID 4 to customers .
The $ 40,000 price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s $ 7,500 EV tax credit ) will help , too .
But it ’ s still going to be tough for VW to siphon buyers away from low-priced alternatives like the Honda CR-V ( which starts at $ 25,150 ) or Toyota RAV4 ( $ 26,050 ) , especially as the Japanese giants roll out more fuel-conscious , hybrid models of their popular crossovers .
The ID 4 is a strong contender , with its effortless appearance and top-notch specs , but if price is any indicator , it ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s battery-powered crossover to cross over into the mainstream .

When I first got to see Volkswagen’s new ID 4 electric SUV at an eerily empty launch event in Brooklyn last month, the company’s executives warned me not to make the obvious comparisons to other electric vehicles, namely Tesla. That was because Volkswagen’s real targets are popular gas-powered compact SUVs, like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4. VW has its eyes on a higher prize.
A couple weeks later, as I climbed into the front seat of the ID 4 for a brief test drive across Manhattan, my main objective was to see how this car stacked up against those other popular players. Compact SUVs are one of the most popular segments in the American car market, and as a compact SUV owner myself (2010 Subaru Outback, what what?), I felt uniquely qualified to tease out the ID 4’s quirks.
I only had about 45 minutes with the car, but I was able to drive through a number of different traffic conditions, from bumper-to-bumper traffic in upper Manhattan, to bumper-to-bumper traffic in midtown, to bumper-to-bumper traffic on the West Side Highway. We also skittered across a variety of potholes, sinkholes, and other pockmarks that are the hallmark of NYC’s streets.
The kind of conditions that show you what a car is made of
Which is to say I wasn’t cannonballing down a misty mountain road or through some perfectly empty cityscape like in a car commercial. This was real city driving, crawling through crowded corridors, squeezing through narrow gaps between trucks and city buses, cheek by jowl with other drivers. The kind of conditions that show you what a car is made of.
In that respect, the ID 4 held its own. The steering was responsive, the shocks mostly soaked up all the bumps in the road, and the acceleration was pleasantly torque-y like you would expect from a rear-wheel-drive electric motor. But the ID 4 wasn’t showy or demanding about any of it. The good thing about this car is that it’s nondescript but not boring. It looks like a typical VW with a few futuristic flourishes. I received no second glances from passersby and was able to blend into my environment, which typically isn’t the case with a new EV. (I’m looking at you, Polestar 2.)
Still, there are a lot of impressive design touches that make the ID 4 stand out from the rest. The LED headlights flow backward, giving the impression of forward motion. The illuminated VW logo sits in the middle of the grille-less front end. And the ID 4’s shape moves through the air crisply, with VW citing a drag coefficient of 0.28.
While driving, you would expect a low-grade motor whir common with EVs, and you’d be right. After all, there was no noisy combustion under the hood to radiate throughout the vehicle’s interior. As you accelerate, the motor definitely emits a higher-pitch sound, but not distractingly so. I can’t speak to what the car sounds like from the outside, but EV makers are adding fake noises in order to comply with new pedestrian safety regulations. VW hasn’t revealed what the ID 4’s exterior sound will be yet, but Porsche, a VW subsidiary, offers an interior $500 “Electric Sport Sound” in the configurator for its electric Taycan sports car.
there are a lot of impressive design touches that make the ID 4 stand out from the rest
Thanks to a narrow A-pillar and a stubby front end, I felt like I could see everything I was supposed to from the driver’s seat. So many SUVs on the market today have gargantuan front-ends, creating dangerous front blind spots for drivers that could be fatal, especially for children. Compact SUVs don’t typically have this problem, but it felt like VW made the necessary design choices to ensure maximum visibility.
Inside, the ID 4 was roomy and bright. VW’s branded lighting system, ID Light, gave off a festive vibe, like I was rolling in my own personal dance club on wheels. Blue light emanated from below the windshield, beneath the center console, and from behind the controls on the doors. I wish I had more time to play around with the color settings, but I was able to change the background on the 10-inch infotainment screen from orange, to green, to yellow and blue. It was a welcome splash of color for a car interior.
What else about the screen? It was angled slightly toward the driver, so it felt accessible without being distracting. The interface was pleasant and easy to navigate. And the placement of the home button on the left-hand side of the screen felt intuitive and easy to access.
The voice assistant, which is activated by saying “Hello, ID,” left a lot to be desired. In its press materials, VW claims that the ID 4’s functionality is “almost completely controlled by touch or voice control.” But I found myself having to repeat myself a lot, and I was constantly getting tripped up by the long lag time between the wake words and actually saying what you want the assistant to do. VW says the voice assistant is still in beta and will be much improved when the ID 4 starts shipping to customers in early 2021.
Again, it was only a brief test, but the ID 4’s advanced driver assist system appeared to be highly capable, with adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, blind spot detection, and all the bells and whistles typically found in most new cars.
The voice assistant left a lot to be desired
I can’t speak to the car’s range or charging time, as I didn’t have it long enough to make determinations about either. VW says the ID 4 has an EPA-estimated range of 250 miles, which should be perfectly adequate for city or suburban driving. The automaker also thinks that’s a conservative estimate, meaning it could end up being closer to 300 miles after the government has had a chance to test it. Stay tuned for that.
One of the big selling points for the ID 4 is three years of free charging with VW’s Electrify America charging network. Like Tesla, VW has skin in the game when it comes to EV charging infrastructure, which will go a long way in luring shoppers away from the warm embrace of combustion engine familiarity. Electrify America has approximately 470 charging stations in the US, with over 2,000 DC fast chargers — though the company expects to install or have under development approximately 800 stations with about 3,500 DC fast chargers by December 2021.
A fast, reliable network of charging stations will go a long way in selling the ID 4 to customers. The $40,000 price tag (before the federal government’s $7,500 EV tax credit) will help, too. But it’s still going to be tough for VW to siphon buyers away from low-priced alternatives like the Honda CR-V (which starts at $25,150) or Toyota RAV4 ($26,050), especially as the Japanese giants roll out more fuel-conscious, hybrid models of their popular crossovers.


theverge--2020-10-05--Nvidia says its AI can fix some of the biggest problems in video calls

Nvidia has announced a new videoconferencing platform for developers named Nvidia Maxine that it claims can fix some of the most common problems in video calls .
Maxine will process calls in the cloud using Nvidia ’ s GPUs and boost call quality in a number of ways with the help of artificial intelligence .
Using AI , Maxine can realign callers ’ faces and gazes so that they ’ re always looking directly at their camera , reduce the bandwidth requirement for calls by up to 90 percent by only transmitting “ key facial points , ” and upscale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available in Maxine include face re-lighting , real-time translation and transcription , and animated avatars .
Nvidia ’ s face alignment feature will make sure you ’ re always looking at the camera Not all of these features are new of course .
Video compression and real-time transcription are common enough , and Microsoft and Apple have introduced gaze-alignment in the Surface Pro X and FaceTime to ensure people keep eye contact during video calls ( though Nvidia ’ s face-alignment features looks like a much more extreme version of this ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clout in cloud computing and its impressive AI R & D work will help it rise above its competitors .
The real test , though , will be to see if any established videoconferencing companies actually adopt Nvidia ’ s technology .
Maxine is not a consumer platform but a toolkit for third-party firms to improve their own software .
So far Nvidia has not announced any partners who will be using Maxine in the future , though claims it ’ s “ in discussions ” with many of them .
As indicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloud vendors are offering Maxine as part of their Nvidia GPU cloud services .
In a conference call with reporters , Nvidia ’ s general manager for media and entertainment Richard Kerris , described Maxine as a “ really exciting and very timely announcement , ” and highlighted its AI-powered video compression as a particularly useful feature .
“ We ’ ve all experienced times where bandwidth has been a limitation in our conferencing we ’ re doing on a daily basis these days , ” said Kerris .
“ If we apply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the difference scenes on both ends and only transmit what needs to transmit , and thereby reducing that bandwidth significantly.
” Nvidia says its compression feature uses an AI method known as generative adversarial networks or GANs to partially reconstruct callers ’ faces in the cloud .
This is the same technique used in many deepfakes .
“ Instead of streaming the entire screen of pixels , the AI software analyzes the key facial points of each person on a call and then intelligently re-animates the face in the video on the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blog post .
“ This makes it possible to stream video with far less data flowing back and forth across the internet.
” As ever with these early announcements , we ’ ll need to see more of this tech in action and wait for any partnership deals Nvidia makes before we know how much of an effect this will have on everyday video calls .
But Nvidia ’ s announcement shows how the future of videoconferencing will be more artificial than ever before , with AI used to straighten your gaze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the name of saving bandwidth .

Nvidia has announced a new videoconferencing platform for developers named Nvidia Maxine that it claims can fix some of the most common problems in video calls.
Maxine will process calls in the cloud using Nvidia’s GPUs and boost call quality in a number of ways with the help of artificial intelligence. Using AI, Maxine can realign callers’ faces and gazes so that they’re always looking directly at their camera, reduce the bandwidth requirement for video “down to one-tenth of the requirements of the H.264 streaming video compression standard” by only transmitting “key facial points,” and upscale the resolution of videos. Other features available in Maxine include face re-lighting, real-time translation and transcription, and animated avatars.
Nvidia’s face alignment feature will make sure you’re always looking at the camera
Not all of these features are new of course. Video compression and real-time transcription are common enough, and Microsoft and Apple have introduced gaze-alignment in the Surface Pro X and FaceTime to ensure people keep eye contact during video calls (though Nvidia’s face-alignment features looks like a much more extreme version of this).
But Nvidia is no doubt hoping its clout in cloud computing and its impressive AI R&D work will help it rise above its competitors. The real test, though, will be to see if any established videoconferencing companies actually adopt Nvidia’s technology. Maxine is not a consumer platform but a toolkit for third-party firms to improve their own software. So far, though, Nvidia has only announced one partnership — with communications firm Avaya, which will be using select features of Maxine. As indicated in the image below, all major cloud vendors are offering Maxine as part of their Nvidia GPU cloud services.
In a conference call with reporters, Nvidia’s general manager for media and entertainment Richard Kerris, described Maxine as a “really exciting and very timely announcement,” and highlighted its AI-powered video compression as a particularly useful feature.
“We’ve all experienced times where bandwidth has been a limitation in our conferencing we’re doing on a daily basis these days,” said Kerris. “If we apply AI to this problem we can reconstruct the difference scenes on both ends and only transmit what needs to transmit, and thereby reducing that bandwidth significantly.”
Nvidia says its compression feature uses an AI method known as generative adversarial networks or GANs to partially reconstruct callers’ faces in the cloud. This is the same technique used in many deepfakes. “Instead of streaming the entire screen of pixels, the AI software analyzes the key facial points of each person on a call and then intelligently re-animates the face in the video on the other side,” said the company in a blog post. “This makes it possible to stream video with far less data flowing back and forth across the internet.”
As ever with these early announcements, we’ll need to see more of this tech in action and wait for any partnership deals Nvidia makes before we know how much of an effect this will have on everyday video calls. But Nvidia’s announcement shows how the future of videoconferencing will be more artificial than ever before, with AI used to straighten your gaze and even reconstruct your face, all in the name of saving bandwidth.


theverge--2020-10-05--Facebook will test shopping from Reels later this year

Instagram only widely launched its TikTok competitor Reels in August , and it ’ s already looking to monetize the format .
The company announced today that it ’ ll start testing shopping within Reels later this year and will also start making shoppable IGTV videos global starting today .
Eventually , these IGTV videos will also be available through Instagram Shop , a dedicated page for shopping within the app .
Viewers can just tap through an IGTV video and purchase the items they ’ re interested in through Instagram checkout or the seller ’ s website .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make shopping at thing on Reels , although the rollout timeline seems fast .
Still , Facebook has prioritized commerce over the past few years , which could lead to it taking a bigger role in online transactions .
The company would normally take a cut from these purchases , but it ’ s holding off on charging these fees through the end of 2020 .
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in 2019 that he expected commerce and payments to be the future of the company , and given the quick rollout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be making good on that promise .

Instagram only widely launched its TikTok competitor Reels in August, and it’s already looking to monetize the format. The company announced today that it’ll start testing shopping within Reels later this year and will also start making shoppable IGTV videos global starting today. Eventually, these IGTV videos will also be available through Instagram Shop , a dedicated page for shopping within the app. Viewers can just tap through an IGTV video and purchase the items they’re interested in through Instagram checkout or the seller’s website.
It’s unsurprising to see Instagram try to make shopping at thing on Reels, although the rollout timeline seems fast. Still, Facebook has prioritized commerce over the past few years, which could lead to it taking a bigger role in online transactions. The company would normally take a cut from these purchases, but it’s holding off on charging these fees through the end of 2020. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in 2019 that he expected commerce and payments to be the future of the company, and given the quick rollout of back-to-back shopping updates, he seems to be making good on that promise.