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Showing posts from May, 2019

Panasonic’s Lumix S1H can shoot 6K video with a full-frame sensor

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Panasonic’s Lumix mirrorless cameras are widely regarded as the best choice for anyone looking to create beautiful video within a mortal’s budget. The company is today pushing that reputation up into a higher price, quality, and resolution bracket with the announcement of $4,000 the Lumix S1H , a full-frame shooter capable of recording 6K video at 24fps. It’s a fresh iteration of the Lumix S1, which made its debut at Photokina last year and which I’ve recently tried and been delighted by. The upcoming Lumix S1H, scheduled to launch in the fall, comes with the claim of being the world’s first full-frame camera to do 6K/24p at a 3:2 aspect ratio or 5.9K/30p at 16:9. Aside from being cool in its own right, this bump in resolution capability... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18648057/panasonic-lumix-s1h-price-release-date-specs

DJI’s most advanced drone yet comes with its own van and film crew

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DJI is the leading name in drones , and we’ve liked their prosumer Phantom and Mavic lines quite a bit — but it looks like the company has also quietly built a professional cinematography drone that’s so high-end, it’s not even for sale. You’ll hire DJI to send out a fancy van with a dedicated team of professionals, presumably to fly the drone for you. As DroneDJ notes , the DJI Storm was quietly revealed in a YouTube video that seems to have flown under the radar (so to speak), and we’ve confirmed it exists on DJI’s Chinese site as well. It sure sounds like a beast: an eight-rotor aircraft that can carry up to an 18.5kg (40.8lb) payload. That’s enough to carry an sizeable filmmaker’s rig like an Arri Alexa LF camera, complete with lens,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18647934/dji-storm-studio-drone-cinematography-service-van-film-crew

US Justice Department is imminently preparing a Google antitrust investigation

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Google may soon face an antitrust investigation from the US Department of Justice pertaining to its search business and potentially other aspects of the company’s sprawling software and services empire, according to a late Friday evening report from The Wall Street Journal . The DOJ is said to have spent the past few weeks preparing for the probe. Following publication of the WSJ ’s story, The Washington Post , The New York Times , and Bloomberg are confirming an imminent antitrust probe as well. Citing anonymous sources, the WSJ says the Federal Trade Commission, which works alongside the DOJ to bring federal antitrust cases, will defer to the Justice Department in this case. Prior to this, the FTC brought a case against the company in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18648052/google-us-justice-department-doj-investigation-antitrust-search

This weekend, compare the TV and film versions of DC Comics’ Swamp Thing

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There are so many streaming options available these days, and so many conflicting recommendations, that it’s hard to see through all the crap you could be watching. Each Friday, The Verge ’s Cut the Crap column simplifies the choice by sorting through the overwhelming multitude of movies and TV shows on subscription services and recommending a single perfect thing to watch this weekend. What to watch Swamp Thing , Wes Craven’s 1982 movie about DC’s Swamp Thing, a comic book character created in 1971 by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson. The film stars Ray Wise as Alec Holland, a scientist whose covert, government-funded work on the untapped potential of plant life — as both a food source and a bioweapon — draws the attention of a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646287/swamp-thing-dc-universe-wes-craven-1982-movie-comparison-what-to-watch-streaming

BlackBerry Messenger dies today, but it’ll never truly be gone

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My favorite phone of all time is the BlackBerry Bold 9000. Unlike the iPhone 3G, which touted a revolutionary design when it was announced just a month later in 2008, the BlackBerry Bold wasn’t super flashy. But it had one thing the iPhone 3G didn’t: BlackBerry Messenger. It became a defining characteristic on BlackBerry devices and forever changed how business and casual conversations were held by phone users. Today, after years of dwindling usage and financial woes from BlackBerry developer RIM , BlackBerry Messenger is going away for good. BlackBerry Messenger (better known as BBM) was one of the first instant messaging (IM) platforms that arrived on mobile devices in 2005 . People could choose to use a BBM account tied to their unique... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646429/blackberry-messenger-ending-group-chats-read-receipts-rim-apple-android-imessage

Consumer study finds ‘personalization’ lowest on long list of retailer considerations

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Consumer behavior may not be what you think it is. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://mklnd.com/2uxGgu1

SMX Advanced is next week. Don’t miss out!

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This is your chance to learn actionable SEO and SEM tactics from a community of brilliant search marketers. Join us in Seattle June 3-5! Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://mklnd.com/2uxGgu1

Driving Formula E’s game-changing electric racecar

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Nearly five years after all-electric racing series Formula E made a thrilling debut , the book is about to close on its fifth season. Crucially, this was also the first season with Formula E’s game-changing second-generation electric racecar , which is faster, lasts longer, and could help propel the series into more legitimate motorsport territory. In April, I drove one on a racetrack. I actually drove the series’s first-generation car back in 2017 , but I’ve had the urge to try the new one ever since it was announced in 2018 . Not only does it look totally bonkers, but it’s a significant upgrade in just about every way. The old car had a max power output of 200kW or about 268 horsepower. The second-generation car (or “Gen2 car,” as... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646098/formula-e-gen2-drive-electric-racecar

Pixar’s Onward trailer imagines Chris Pratt and Tom Holland as elf brothers

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Chris Pratt (Star-Lord) and Tom Holland (Spider-Man) came out unscathed in Avengers: Endgame , and now they’re reuniting as elf brothers on a journey to discover if magic is still real in Pixar’s Onward . Onward stars Pratt as Barley Lightfoot and Holland as his younger, meeker brother Ian. They’re stuck in a suburban world where fantastical creatures roam. Dragons are kept as pets, trolls run the bridge toll booths, and garden gnomes have to take care of the lawns they’re standing on. The modern world has lost its magical pizzazz, and it’s up to Barley and Ian to find out if any still exists. Pratt and Holland are the two main characters in the film. Although they don’t carry the exact same energy as Spider-Man and Star-Lord on the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18647106/onward-trailer-pixar-tom-holland-chris-pratt-disney-avengers

A new Tinder test lets people pay to turn read receipts on for specific chats

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Tinder’s beginning two tests today that might entice more people to pay for the dating app. The tests build on top of the app’s paid subscriptions — Tinder Gold and Tinder Plus — by offering some subscribers the ability to pay to view read receipts on chats, as well as the opportunity to break the algorithm and push their profile to the top of people’s potential match stacks. These premium users can pay to turn read receipts on for individual chat threads, so they’ll be able to see if and when a match read their message. Only the person who upgraded the chat will be able to view the read receipts, but both people will have the option to turn read receipts off. Read receipts will be turned on by default, however, so be sure to turn them... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646092/tinder-read-receipts-super-boost-test-launch

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate gets VR support

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the latest flagship Nintendo Switch game to support virtual reality through the cardboard Labo headset . The game’s most recent update, which brings it up to version 3.1.0, adds VR support, though it’s naturally pretty limited. You can only play in single-player, and you’re limited to either fighting against AI opponents or simply taking in the view while computer-controlled characters duke it out. It’s not exactly the most exciting addition, especially given how poorly VR support for Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey turned out . Still, it’s a free update, and if you already own Labo VR, it’s probably worth checking out for the novelty factor. You can read the full patch notes right here . Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646422/super-smash-bros-ultimate-vr-labo-nintendo-switch

Dropbox ups the storage of its paid plans, gets smarter about cleaning up old files

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Dropbox is increasing the amount of storage you get with its paid tiers, and it’s adding a trio of new features to its service. Plus users will now get 2TB of storage compared to the 1TB they had previously, while subscribers to the Professional and Business plans will see their storage increase to 3TB and 5TB, up from 2TB and 3TB, respectively. Plus users will see a small price hike with the change: their rates will increase by $2 a month to $11.99. Pricing for Dropbox’s other plans is unchanged. The company announced three new features alongside the storage increases. The first, Smart Sync, has technically been available for a little while, but it’s being upgraded. The feature allows you to mark files and folders as “online-only,” so... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18647053/dropbox-storage-increase-price-plus-watermarking-smart-sync-rewind

The new Mac Pro is Apple’s chance to make a PC

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”Can’t innovate anymore, my ass,” proclaimed Apple exec Phil Schiller when he introduced the redesigned Mac Pro back in 2013. It was meant to be “the future of the pro desktop,” but it certainly wasn’t. Four years later, Apple was forced to admit that the Mac Pro was a mess after some of Apple’s most loyal customers claimed the company had lost touch with its pro users and truly lost its way. If Apple is ready to unveil its new Mac Pro on Monday at WWDC, there can’t be any bravado about “ courage ” or innovation, it should be a time to prove the company has listened to those who have felt underserved and rejected. Apple doesn’t need to wow us with another innovative design, it needs to get back to the basics. Apple now has a chance to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646982/wwdc-2019-apple-mac-pro-new-updates

China prepares to strike back at US as Huawei suffers another loss

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The trade tension between the United States and China looks set to intensify soon, as the latter country is taking steps to respond to the American ban on doing business with Huawei. Bloomberg reports that China has put preparations in place to restrict exports of rare earth minerals to the US, while also setting up its own “unreliable entities” blacklist for unfavorable foreign companies. At the same time, Japan’s SoftBank has announced it’ll be building its 5G network with equipment from Nokia and Ericsson, snubbing Huawei , which had been a 4G supplier for the large mobile carrier. The rare earths export restriction looks to be an act of saber rattling for now. The leadership in Beijing is signaling that it’s ready and willing to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18647021/china-us-trade-war-trump-huawei-rare-earths-embargo-softbank-5g-snub

Foursquare buys Placed from Snap to create location-measurement powerhouse

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The company said the move advances its goal “to become the world’s most trusted, independent location technology platform.” Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://mklnd.com/2uxGgu1

What will happen to influencer marketing if Instagram ‘Likes’ go away?

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Instagram recently tested eliminating “Like” counts on posts, a move that would likely empower influencer marketing agencies. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://mklnd.com/2uxGgu1

Target recalls own-brand Lightning cables over fire risk

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Target has issued a recall for 90,000 of its Heyday Lightning cables after it received over a dozen reports of the cables smoking, sparking, or igniting, MacRumors reports . According to a recall notice issued by the United State Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been two reports of people suffering finger burns from the cables, and they can also pose a shock hazard. The recall is bad news for Heyday, Target’s first-ever consumer electronics brand. Speaking to Forbes last year, Target’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer Mark Tritton said that the “disruptor” brand had been designed and developed internally at the retailer. The recall notice says that defective Lightning cables were sold as far back as... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/5/31/18647014/target-heyday-lightning-cables-recall-fire-shock-risk-own-brand

How white supremacists evade Facebook bans

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Yesterday Twitter, in response to years of complaints about letting white nationalists use the platform even though they had already been banned, said that it plans to conduct academic research on the subject . At HuffPost , Luke O’Brien took the occasion to note just how many white nationalists are using the platform : The white supremacist accused of murdering 51 people in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March was also on Twitter, where he spread Islamophobia, white supremacist propaganda and articles about terrorist attacks. He tweeted pictures of his weapons and posted links to a disturbing manifesto he wrote, apparently in anticipation of the deadly rampage. Only after he was charged in a mass murder did Twitter act. The shooter may... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/interface/2019/5/31/18646525/facebook-white-supremacist-ban-evasion-proud-boys-name-change

Tesla opens Chinese preorders for cheaper Model 3s made in China

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Tesla has started taking preorders of Model 3 cars produced at its new Gigafactory in Shanghai, China. Bloomberg reports that the cars, which are available to order exclusively in China, will have a base price of 328,000 yuan ($47,510), 13 percent cheaper than the model imported from the US for a price 377,000 yuan ($54,616). The Model 3s being produced in China are the Standard Plus versions of the vehicle with a range of 460km (286 miles). Tesla says that it expects to start making deliveries from the Shanghai factory in the next six to 10 months. Tesla started making Model 3 deliveries in China back in March . These locally produced cars will allow the company to avoid import duties, which are becoming more of a problem as the Trump... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/31/18646986/tesla-model-3-made-in-china-chinese-preorders-price-release-date-shanghai-gigafactory

Microsoft unveils pride Surface Type Cover and skin

What if Amazon took Sprint’s place as the US’s fourth wireless carrier?

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Reuters is reporting something rather intriguing and inexplicable on its face: Amazon is interested in buying the Boost Mobile MVNO network from T-Mobile and Sprint, reportedly so that Amazon can have access T-Mobile’s wireless network for a number of years and even purchase some of T-Mobile’s spectrum. Here are a few of the background facts that make this so intriguing: T-Mobile doesn’t own Boost , and won’t even if its merger with Sprint is approved, because Sprint agreed to sell Boost as a condition of the deal . Since Boost runs on Sprint’s network, any new owner of Boost would theoretically get access to Sprint’s wireless network, not T-Mobile’s. Bloomberg recently reported that the Department of Justice doesn’t want the number of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646309/amazon-reportedly-interested-boost-mobile-t-mobile-sprint-spectrum

Uber’s CEO thinks Eats is a secret weapon in the ride-hailing wars

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Uber is experimenting with increasing the cross-promotion of its Eats food delivery service and its ride-hailing offering inside the company’s app, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said Thursday. Khosrowshahi said he feels comfortable trying this after finding out that when customers use more than one of the company’s products, their engagement with Uber “more than doubles” overall. He also thinks it could help cement the company’s dominance in certain emerging markets. “Really what we’re looking to do is significantly increase the percentage of our MAPCs [monthly active platform consumers] that use both products,” said Khosrowshahi, on his first call with investors since Uber went public earlier this May . “Suffice it to say we are starting to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646470/uber-eats-ride-hailing-promotions-dara-khosrowshahi

Mark Zuckerberg’s head of security accused of sexual harassment by two former staffers

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbeg, like most ultra-rich members of society, has an extensive security detail that monitors him at all hours of the day, in addition to the litany of staff members responsible for cooking, cleaning, and managing Zuckerberg and his family’s personal affairs. Yet according to two former employees of Zuckerberg’s personal household and security staff, the chief executive’s personal head of security, a former Secret Service agent named Liam Booth who worked under President Barack Obama, committed sexual harassment and has made racist and other derogatory remarks about Zuckerberg’s wife, Priscilla Chan, and other staffers. The news was first reported this afternoon by Business Insider , and later confirmed by NBC News .... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646613/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-security-head-liam-booth-sexual-harassment-allegations

Parental control app developers band together to demand an API from Apple

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A large group of developers who make parental control apps have banded together to demand that Apple come up with a technical solution that will allow them to continue to work on the iPhone. They’ve gone so far to create a website and propose a specification for an API that would give their apps enough access to track and limit usage of apps. The move is necessary because Apple had begun blocking many of these apps recently because they took advantage of the Mobile Device Management (MDM) features on the iPhone. Apple has set a policy that those features should only be used by companies. There were two ways to interpret that move. The first is that it was part of a larger review of MDM usage following what Apple saw as Facebook’s abuse... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646601/parental-control-app-developers-band-together-to-demand-an-api-from-apple

North Face apologizes after openly gloating about gaming Wikipedia for free advertising

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In a marketing campaign idea that even the least savvy internet user could have told you was a terrible idea, the North Face decided to announce publicly earlier this week how it gamed Google Search results to promote its products by uploading photos of them to high-traffic Wikipedia entries . North Face even gloated about its success with a short, two-minute video detailing how shots of famous locales were swapped for similar-seeming photos featuring North Face product placement, inorganically juicing North Face visibility in Google results. The opening of the video showed a graphic of a Google Search bar filling up in real time with the words, “How can a brand be the first on google without paying anything for it?” Now, the brand is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646538/north-face-wikipedia-google-search-apology-free-advertising-policy-violation

British Columbia passes emissions law banning sale of gas-powered cars by 2040

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British Columbia yesterday passed an emissions law aimed at curbing the production and sale of fuel-burning cars in the Canadian province, marking North America’s most aggressive legislation to date, according to the CBC . The law mandates that 10 percent of all vehicles sold by 2025 be zero emission ones, while the sale of fuel-burning cars and trucks will be banned outright by 2040. Zero emission vehicles include battery electric, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel-cell models. The law, called the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act (ZEVA), is not without its critics. The CBC says opposition to the ZEVA mostly centers on the law’s potential ineffectiveness, with criticism aimed at the fact BC residents can simply purchase a vehicle in the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646486/british-columbia-zero-emissions-vehicles-act-ban-gas-powered-cars-climate-change

Netflix is raising prices for UK subscribers

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Netflix is raising the prices for its UK customers on its standard and premium streaming plans, as reported by The Guardian . The standard plan, which allows for streaming on two devices at the same time in HD, will be £8.99, up from £7.99. The premium plan, which allows for streaming on up to four devices in Ultra HD, will be priced at £11.99, up £2 from the previous £9.99. The basic standard definition plan will remain unchanged, at £5.99. The price hikes will be rolling out to existing UK customers in the next few weeks, while new customers will start paying the new subscription fees immediately. Netflix raised the cost for all of its streaming plans for US customers in January this year, citing price increases as a necessary part of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646224/netflix-uk-subscriber-price-increase-streaming

Nreal’s AR sunglasses cost $499 and should ship in ‘limited quantities’ this year

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Nreal’s augmented reality glasses — which impressed us at CES back in January — will cost a surprisingly low $499 and are supposed to start shipping this year. The Nreal Light glasses plug into a Snapdragon 855-powered smartphone over USB-C, and Nreal promises they’ll be available to consumers in “limited quantities” later this year, then ship in mass-market quantities next year. A $1,199 kit for developers will include the glasses, a controller, and a dedicated computing pack that can substitute for a phone. The Nreal Light glasses offer an experience that’s somewhere between a heads-up display and full-fledged, high-end mixed reality — while looking sort of like normal glasses. You can use them to watch video on virtual screens, but... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646160/nreal-light-ar-xr-qualcomm-snapdragon-sunglasses-consumer-price-shipping-release-5g

Google Chrome extensions will be required to minimize access to user data

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Google is putting a new pair of restrictions on Chrome extensions meant to make the browser add-ons more considerate of users’ privacy. The major change is that all extensions will now be required to use the “minimum set of permissions necessary” when asking for access to data. So if a task can be accomplished through multiple routes, the extension will be required to take the one that requires access to the least-sensitive amount of data. On top of that, Google will also begin requiring more extensions to post privacy policies in the Chrome Web Store. This requirement is already in place for extensions that require “personal and sensitive user data,” but now it’s being expanded to extensions that need access to any kind of personal... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646093/google-chrome-extensions-user-data-new-privacy-limits

You can get a good quality phone for less than $200 now

Stock Android software and good design doesn’t have to cost a lot Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645862/budget-phone-200-dollars-nokia-coolpad-review-test-features-price-specs

Neil Gaiman had one rule for the Good Omens adaptation: making Terry Pratchett happy

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In a wide-ranging interview, Gaiman talks Jon Hamm, Tori Amos, and writing two days after Pratchett’s funeral Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645935/neil-gaiman-interview-good-omens-amazon-adaptation-terry-pratchett-michael-sheen-david-tennant

Anti-abortion group funded a fertility app encouraging women to avoid hormonal birth control

Sprint’s 5G network is here, and it’s completely different from what Verizon and AT&T are doing

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Sprint is launching its 5G network in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City today, becoming the third major US operator to kick off the next era of mobile data. “This is probably going to be the largest initial 5G launch in terms of coverage and footprint,” Sprint CTO John Saw told reporters gathered in Dallas this morning. In this particular city, Sprint’s 5G launch footprint covers 575 square miles and approximately 1.6 million people. “This is just the beginning,” Saw said. Sprint is offering up a coverage map of where customers can expect 5G signal at launch, something that its competitors haven’t yet done. But for Sprint, 5G is about a lot more than coverage: it’s about dependability. Rivals Verizon and AT&T have concentrated... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645663/sprint-5g-network-now-available-atlanta-dallas-houston-kansas-city-verizon-at-t

Don’t expect a headphone jack or volume buttons on the Galaxy Note 10

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The unofficial start of summer means it’s time for rumors to begin swirling for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note device, which is typically announced around August. Still, the news might not be what you want to hear: the 10th anniversary Galaxy Note might be the one where Samsung finally kills the headphone jack for the phablet line. According to Android Police , Samsung may be preparing to release two sizes for the Galaxy Note 10 — a regular and a smaller device (by the Note’s standard, anyway) — that won’t include the 3.5 mm headphone jack or physical buttons for power, volume, and Bixby. Instead, the devices are rumored to have capacitive or touch-sensitive areas that are textured, perhaps similar to how the power button / fingerprint... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18646010/samsung-galaxy-note-10-rumors-no-headphone-jack-physical-buttons

Here’s what you’ll actually be doing in Death Stranding

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Since it was announced in 2016, we’ve seen plenty of Death Stranding through trailers, including yesterday’s lengthy new footage . However, over that time it hasn’t been clear what exactly you’ll be doing in the game. And while we still have plenty of questions, the game’s official website has been updated to provide a better idea of what the moment-to-moment experience will be like. First, here’s the basic premise for Hideo Kojima’s post- Metal Gear Solid world: In the near future, mysterious explosions have rocked the globe, setting off a series of supernatural events known as the Death Stranding. With otherworldly creatures plaguing the landscape, and mass extinction imminent, it’s up to Sam Porter Bridges to travel across the ravaged... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645963/death-stranding-ps4-gameplay-multiplayer-hideo-kojima

Qualtrics and Adobe add new integration for improved data and customer experiences

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New extension seeks to help digital marketers better understand consumer behavior to improve digital experiences. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://mklnd.com/2uxGgu1

5G has arrived in the UK, and it’s fast

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EE turned on the UK’s first 5G network today, across London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, and Manchester. 5G connectivity is now available in limited parts of these cities, more than a month before rival Vodafone plans to launch its own 5G service . I took to the streets of London today to test out 5G, armed with a OnePlus 7 Pro 5G handset. I’m impressed with the early results. While 5G coverage has been extremely limited with Verizon’s 5G network in the US , it’s a whole different story in London. EE has focused its initial coverage on popular tourist destinations across London, including areas like St Paul’s, Covent Garden, Soho, The Strand, Tower Bridge, and London Bridge. I visited a number of different locations today and... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645665/5g-ee-uk-london-hands-on-test-impressions-speed

Experts are furious over the FCC’s rosy picture of broadband access

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To hear the Federal Communications Commission tell it, this is a golden age for broadband access in the United States. According to a newly released report from the agency on the digital divide, the gap between rural and urban internet access has “narrowed substantially, and more Americans than ever before have access to high-speed broadband.” Between the end of 2016 and the end of 2017, the number of Americans without broadband access fell from about 26 million to about 21 million, the report found. But experts, and even some commissioners at the FCC, say the report is flawed. The data underlying it, they argue, doesn’t truly capture what broadband looks like in rural America — leaving lawmakers and government officials with a warped... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18644726/fcc-broadband-report-high-speed-rural-statistics-reactions

How to block ad tracking on your iPhone

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A recent article in The Washington Post by Geoffrey Fowler described the author’s shock when he discovered just how many of his iPhone apps were collecting and uploading information about his usage while he slept. As we all know by now, data is a huge commodity these days. If you use a phone, laptop, or any type of computing device (unless you’re a security expert or a high-end hacker with access to sophisticated blocking tools), you’re paying for your apps by contributing marketing and other info to the companies that supply them. As Fowler’s article demonstrates, iPhone users are not immune to this, no matter how much Apple assures its customers that it’s looking out for their privacy. But there are some simple ways to minimize the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18644778/iphone-ad-tracking-block-how-to-data-apps-upload

Google Lens will show reviews if you point it at a restaurant’s menu starting this week

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Google is launching a pair of interrelated features that are designed to make it easier to pick what to eat at restaurants. The first was originally announced by the company back at Google I/O , and it allows you to point your phone’s camera at a restaurant’s menu to see user reviews and photographs of the dishes. The feature is available through Google Lens, a piece of software that’s available as an app and is also built into the camera on Google Pixel devices. Google has confirmed that the feature is launching by the end of this week with support for menus in English, and it will expand to more languages in the future. In order to provide user reviews through Google Lens, you’ll need reviews of individual meals to start. Google is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18643988/google-maps-popular-dishes-lens-menus-launch-android-ios-reviews-photos

The first trailer for Netflix’s Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is astonishing

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The first trailer has arrived for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance , Netflix’s upcoming prequel to the 1982 Jim Henson / Frank Oz movie The Dark Crystal . It makes the 10-hour series look astonishingly faithful to the original film. The visuals have been updated for a digital age — now, instead of slogging through swamps and across fields full of strange puppet creatures, the characters are navigating immense, brightly colored imaginary spaces — but the film’s primary species, the diminutive elf-like Gelflings and the corrupted, bird-like Skeksis, look practically unchanged since 1982. The series, based on J.M. Lee’s recent Dark Crystal companion novels Shadows of the Dark Crystal and Song of the Dark Crystal , appears to take place in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645760/trailer-netflix-dark-crystal-age-of-resistance-jim-henson-frank-oz-movie-mark-hamill-andy-samberg

Salesforce says it won’t work with retailers that sell semi-automatic weapons

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Tech giant Salesforce has entered the debate over gun control in the US with a policy that forbids customers who use its software from selling certain firearms. The ban applies to semi-automatic weapons, 3D-printed guns, and a range of accessories, including large-capacity magazines and devices that make semi-automatic guns fully automatic. The policy was made official on April 11th this year, according to company documents , but was highlighted in a recent story by The Washington Post . The Post notes that it’s not clear how many companies the policy affects, but says at least one retailer, Camping World, has been told to either stop selling guns or stop using Salesforce software. A spokesperson for Salesforce confirmed the change to The... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645722/salesforce-ban-retail-customers-selling-semi-automatic-guns-rifles

Leap Motion, the gesture startup reportedly almost acquired by Apple, sells to UK haptics company

Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform app dream is dead and buried

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Microsoft had a dream with Windows 8 that involved universal Windows apps that would span across phones, tablets, PCs, and even Xbox consoles. The plan was that app developers could write a single app for all of these devices, and it would magically span across them all. This dream really started to fall apart after Windows Phone failed, but it’s well and truly over now. Microsoft has spent years pushing developers to create special apps for the company’s Universal Windows Platform (UWP), and today, it’s putting the final nail in the UWP coffin. Microsoft is finally allowing game developers to bring full native Win32 games to the Microsoft Store , meaning the many games that developers publish on popular stores like Steam don’t have to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645609/microsofts-universal-windows-app-dead-microsoft-store-windows-store