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Showing posts from March, 2020

This app lets musicians remotely jam out on loops in real time

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Image: Endlesss Collaborative music-making app Endlesss is now available for iOS . The app’s been in beta for quite a long time , so newcomers will find that there’s already a community using Endlesss and sharing and discussing projects on the software’s dedicated Discord server . Even though Endlesss is a music-making app, it’s not really meant for making complete songs. It’s a collaborative “virtual musical hangout with a live chat room” that lets multiple users build and change loops of music in real time. Just select a project and start tapping out drum patterns and melodies to change up someone’s loop. You can make stuff just for yourself, but the social aspect is encouraged. Open loops where anyone can remix layers on the fly sounds like a recipe... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21201913/endlesss-app-music-remotely-jam-out-loops-real-time

The Outer Worlds is now coming to Nintendo Switch in June

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The Outer Worlds’ Switch port will launch on June 5th, bringing the popular space RPG to Nintendo’s hybrid console. The Outer Worlds ’ physical release will include a day one patch that could be up to 6GB in size, according to a blog post published by Obsidian Entertainment today. The day one patch will include additional high-resolution textures and other fixes to ensure the Switch port will be stable. Last February, the The Outer Worlds’ Nintendo Switch release date was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic; it was originally supposed to come out on March 6th . The game’s publisher also confirmed that the game would come out on a cartridge, following complaints that the game’s physical release would only contain a download code. T... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21201123/the-outer-worlds-new-release-date-nintendo-switch

Popular livestreaming software Streamlabs OBS is launching on Mac today

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Streaming is bigger than ever now that staying inside is a requirement; you’ve probably noticed friends start posting links to their newly created Twitch and YouTube channels, and maybe thought to yourself hm, looks fun . If you’re a Mac user and you happen to be interested in livestreaming, I have some good news for you: Streamlabs OBS is launching today (in beta) on macOS. Streamlabs OBS is the beautifully-designed, closed-source brother of OBS — which stands for Open Broadcaster Software — that was acquired by Logitech for a cool $89 million last September. The free-to-use software is basically a portal to streaming on any service that allows it; it has beautiful overlays and themes that you can use to beautify and customize your... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21201043/streamlabs-obs-mac-streaming-twitch-mixer-facebook-youtube

Tim Cook personally lobbied US tariff chief as China tariffs loomed

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Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images As the tech industry braced for another round of China tariffs last summer, Tim Cook was making the case directly to the agency involved. On July 8th, the Apple CEO spoke directly with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer as part of a broader effort to make the US’s china tariffs less damaging to Apple, according to emails obtained by The Verge through a Freedom of Information Act request. “Tim and POTUS had a discussion today about this as well which I can fill you in on,” an Apple staffer wrote on July 5th, after sending the specific tariff lines that affected parts of the Mac Pro. “Tim was hoping to speak to the Ambassador sometime this weekend if at all possible to follow up.” “Whatever can be done on the front end would be... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200068/tim-cook-white-house-tariff-trump-lighthizer-lobby-apple-china

How to send private messages and make calls in Slack

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Illustration by Alex Castro / Th Slack is a popular workplace instant-messaging tool. But that doesn’t mean it only has to be for work. You can use Slack for whatever you’d like — keeping up with friends, sharing recipes, organizing activities, and so on. Although Slack is largely intended for group collaboration, it also has tools if you just want to chat one-on-one with people. There are a couple of different ways you can do that: If you’ve recently sent a personal message to someone, you’ll find their name in the sidebar to the left under “Direct messages.” Type your message in the box at the bottom and press enter / return to send. If the name is not in the sidebar, click the + next to “Direct messages.” Type in the name of the person you want to send a message to.... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21196905/slack-call-private-message-how-to-tools-steps

Master & Dynamic truly wireless headphones and Peak Design backpacks are discounted today

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Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Some days yield more deals than others, and today is one of those days. Starting things off are the Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus truly wireless headphones , which are seeing their first big discount at Best Buy. Normally $300, they’re $240 . In my review, I enjoyed their noise cancellation effect and fantastic sound performance, and they have a unique look. I considered the high price as one of their biggest weaknesses, especially since the AirPods Pro accomplish similar results for $50 less. But now that price is less of a factor (yet, these are still fairly pricey), they might be worth checking out. Peak Design’s 20-liter Everyday Backpack might not be the most useful thing to buy during a pandemic, given that most of us are... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2020/3/31/21201004/master-dynamic-mw07-plus-headphones-peak-design-backpack-games-sale

Persona 5 Royal is the definitive version of an already brilliant RPG

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Jumping back into a 100-hour game is a hard sell. Atlus released Persona 5 — a JRPG about teenage vigilantes with supernatural powers living in Japan — in 2017. Now, it’s created an enhanced version: Persona 5 Royal, a version that addresses the original’s problems, with new characters and gameplay tweaks. It is a natural progression, an elegant and noticeably improved version of an already great game, that also serves as a reminder of the simpler time during which it was created. The core of Persona 5 Royal remains the same: a high school kid arrives in a new city after a run-in with the law. His efforts to lie low and live a normal life are disrupted as he, and several of his fellow students, discover that they have the power to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199604/persona-5-royal-review-ps4-atlus-rpg

Streaming comes to fill a sports-sized hole in the world

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Al Bello/Getty Images The cost of sports coming to a standstill around the world because of the novel coronavirus is somewhere in the billions of dollars. The leagues have lost revenue, and the cable networks have lost hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising revenue from not having games to carry. And sports fans have lost a sense of normalcy; for the first time in memory, there aren’t any major games airing for people to watch. But fans are still able to recreate a sense of normalcy by watching old games. And so streaming platforms, typically defined by general entertainment like movies and television, are having their big sports moment. “Normalcy is escapist,” ESPN host Mina Kimes told NPR . “That sounds crazy and contradictory, but I think it’s true... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21197024/streaming-nba-leaguepass-nf-game-coronavirus-mlb-nhl-sports-espn

Self-isolation has stressed networks, and no one knows if the FCC can step in

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Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images As the social distancing efforts push everything from school to socializing into video chat, networks have seen huge surges in traffic — and new anxieties over how digital networks will stand up under the strain. So far, both carriers and the Federal Communications Commission insist that the country’s networks are capable of bearing the strain, particularly given the voluntary throttling instituted by many of the most bandwidth-heavy services . But recent deregulatory efforts have left the FCC with ambiguous authority over those networks, making it uncertain whether the commission will be able to intervene if federal action is needed. In a call with reporters Monday, senior FCC officials were optimistic about how the nation’s networks... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200992/fcc-coronavirus-net-neutrality-networks-att-comcast-carriers

Genetic analysis of the coronavirus gives scientists clues about how it’s spreading 

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Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images As the coronavirus spreads around the globe, it has mutated in tiny, subtle ways. Those mutations aren’t cause for concern , and so far, don’t appear to be making the virus any more or less dangerous. But scientists can use those slight changes to track the virus from person to person, and location to location. “If we identify a new outbreak cluster in one state, and there’s a question of whether it’s related to a previous cluster or not, the small mutational changes can help you figure out if they’re connected,” says Patrick Boyle, a synthetic biologist at Ginkgo Bioworks. The coronavirus is made up of around 29,000 building blocks of genetic material called nucleotides. Like other biotechnology companies and labs, Ginkgo has the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199782/coronavirus-samples-genetic-analysis-covid-spread-biotech-pandemic

Architects and engineers are 3D printing medical gear during pandemic

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Part of a 3D printed face shield sits on a 3D Printer | Jenny Sabin, Jenny Sabin Studio “We’re doing everything we can, and every single visor counts” Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200883/3d-printing-ppe-medical-gear-pandemic-universities-architects-engineers

Roku OS 9.3 adds faster performance, Spanish voice support, and more

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Image: Roku Roku is today announcing the latest software update that’s coming soon to Roku streaming devices and Roku TVs. Roku OS 9.3 will expand the company’s voice command system to include Spanish language support. Spanish-speaking users can now use their voice to launch streaming apps, search for something to watch, or control media playback. In Canada, the UK, and Ireland, Roku Voice is also being improved to understand more natural speech and “new ways to find entertainment such as searching by a selection of popular movie quotes.” Image: Roku Additionally, Roku says its voice-initiated search results are getting more visual. “Roku voice search results will now be presented in a more visual, easy to browse display with... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200918/roku-os-9-3-update-spanish-voice-faster-performance

Grammarly now integrates directly with Microsoft Word’s Mac app

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Image: Grammarly Grammarly, a service designed to give you advice on improving your writing, is getting an add-in for Microsoft Word’s Mac app, as well as for Microsoft Word online. Previously Mac users had to use a native Grammarly app or online Grammarly Editor, or else rely on the service’s browser extension. The service already has an add-on for Microsoft Word on Windows . The announcement means Grammarly will be able to offer writing suggestions without you having to leave the Word document you’re writing on a Mac or in a browser. Suggestions will appear to the right of the page, and you can click them to have them automatically apply to your writing. As well as helping with spelling and grammar, Grammarly is also designed to help you make your... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200923/grammarly-microsoft-word-mac-online-grammar-suggestions-writing

The Fitbit Charge 4 is a much more powerful fitness tracker disguised in its old body

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The first Fitbit after the company was acquired by Google last fall looks... well, like every other Fitbit that came before it. And it’s apparently intentional, as the company wants to expand on one of its most popular fitness trackers that’s long due for an update. The Fitbit Charge 4 is pretty much exactly as the leaks ahead of its official announcement teased : it’s essentially the look and feel of the Charge 3 with built-in GPS, Spotify control, and other high-end features typically found on Fitbit’s smartwatches like Fitbit Pay, app notifications, smart wake, and an SpO2 sensor . The $149 tracker has a battery life of up to seven days, or up to five hours with continuous GPS use. Up to seven days of battery life, or five hours with... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199567/fitbit-charge-4-tracker-gps-nfc-spotify-sp02-announcement-price

Google ends sales of the Pixel 3

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Photo by James Bareham / The Verge Google has officially stopped selling its Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones, as spotted by Android Police . The product page for the phones now simply redirects to the Google Store’s homepage, with Google confirming that it has sold through its inventory (although the phone do remain available, for now, at third-party retailers like Best Buy or Walmart.) The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were announced and released in October 2018 , with the phones praised at the time for their larger displays, excellent cameras, and clean design. The phone’s camera in particular still holds up against many of the best smartphones on sale today, although the Pixel 3 and 3 XL suffered from the same issues most of Google’s Pixel phone do — slow sales and a lack of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200925/google-pixel-3-xl-discontinued-store-sales-phone-camera

Microsoft’s Skype struggles have created a Zoom moment

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Skype is missing out to Zoom and others during the coronavirus pandemic Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200844/microsoft-skype-zoom-houseparty-coronavirus-pandemic-usage-growth-competition

How to make your own yeast for baking

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Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post As more people bake their blues away while stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, yeast is reportedly becoming harder to find on grocery store shelves. There’s no shame in turning to carbohydrates for comfort in times like these. But what’s one to do when a key ingredient for satisfying that craving is becoming as elusive as a roll of toilet paper? Though baker’s yeast may be dwindling in stores, more and more recipes for making it at home are popping up on Twitter. If baking is your way of taking this moment to learn something new or become more self-sufficient, coming up with your own yeast could be the next survival skill to hone. Baker’s yeast is actually just a fungus that, like me, loves eating sugar. So whether or not it’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199708/yeast-diy-baking-covid-19-shortage-make-it-yourself-bread

Spotify is bringing its kids app to the US, Canada, and France

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Spotify Spotify’s expanding the rollout of its kids app, just as more kids are at home with nothing to do. The company announced that it’s bringing Spotify Kids to the US, Canada, and France today. The ad-free iOS / Android app is only available to Spotify Premium Family subscribers and features content appropriate for kids ages three and older. Spotify first launched the app in Ireland in October, and since then, it’s made multiple product adjustments, although the app is still considered to be in beta. In the five months since launching, Spotify says the app now has more than 8,000 songs in its catalog, an increase of 30 percent, and 50 percent of that content is localized. The app also features 60 hours of audiobooks and stories, as well as... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200272/spotify-kids-playlist-rollout-app-launch-beta

Samsung Display is getting out of the LCD business

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Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Samsung Display will stop producing LCD panels by the end of the year. The display maker currently runs two LCD production lines in South Korea and two in China, according to Reuters . Samsung tells The Verge that the decision will accelerate the company’s move towards quantum dot displays, while ZDNet reports that its future quantum dot TVs will use OLED rather than LCD panels. The decision comes as LCD panel prices are said to be falling worldwide. Last year, Nikkei reported that Chinese competitors are ramping up production of LCD screens, even as demand for TVs weakens globally. Samsung Display isn’t the only manufacturer to have closed down LCD production lines. LG Display announced it would be ending LCD production in South Korea... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200859/samsung-display-ending-lcd-panel-production-quantum-dot-oled-south-korea-china-factories

Intel has its laptop work cut out this year

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Photo by Avery White / The Verge Even if you would never see yourself buying a gaming laptop, you should take the time to read Monica Chin’s review of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. There are a lot — I mean a LOT — of remarkable things about this laptop. First and foremost, it is running on the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS chip, which runs at 35W with 8 cores at 3.0 GHz that can boost up to 4.4 GHz. In context, what that actually means is that it outclasses anything Intel has put into a laptop to date. I’ve been anticipating this release ever since Nilay Patel interviewed AMD CEO Lisa Su earlier this year. She talked big game then, and by all accounts her company has delivered. What’s most remarkable about this laptop is that by gaming laptop standards it is absolutely thin and... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200719/intel-vs-amd-vs-arm-laptops-2020

Muto review: a near-perfect electric city bike

A near-perfect city bike with innovative ‘Click & Roll’ accessory system Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199370/muto-review-electric-bike-price-features

The US government should disclose how it’s using location data to fight the coronavirus

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Last week, we talked about the case for the government using location data gleaned from our smartphones to manage the response to the COVID-19 pandemic . Taiwan, Israel, and England have all been using location data in various ways to understand the spread of the disease and, in some cases, enforce orders requiring citizens to isolate themselves. Any such project comes with the risk that temporary infringements on our privacy will become permanent. I expected the debate about location data might unfold over the next few weeks as the coronavirus reaches more communities and its death toll surges. Instead, though, the United States government just went ahead and started analyzing our smartphone location data. The data is reportedly being... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199654/location-data-coronavirus-us-response-covid-19-apple-google

Huawei says US trade ban is a ‘big difficulty’ to selling phones

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Huawei’s revenue grew by 19.1 percent last year to around $121 billion, but the company says those numbers would be far higher if the United States had not cracked down on its ability to do business. Due to a trade ban initially ordered last May , Huawei is unable to acquire US parts and software or sell its products in the US. That has cut the company out of an important market and hurt its ability to compete outside of China. “The consumer business has been the major business for our growth,” said Vincent Pang, president of Huawei’s western Europe business, in a call with reporters to discuss the company’s 2019 financial results. He called 2019 a “big challenge” for the company. “That gave us a quite a big difficulty.” While Huawei... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21200183/huawei-2019-earnings-financial-results-us-trade-ban

Sony delays almost its entire movie lineup into next year

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Sony is the latest movie studio to announce major changes to its release slate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Variety . Tentpole movies like Uncharted , Ghostbusters: Afterlife , and Peter Rabbit 2 are all seeing big delays, leaving Kevin Hart’s Fatherhood as the only major title on Sony’s 2020 schedule — and that was itself brought forward to October from January. The upcoming third Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movie appears to be unaffected; the Far from Home sequel’s release date was already set as July 16, 2021. Sony’s planned July 2020 movies, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Jared Leto’s Morbius , have both been moved into next March. Greyhound – TBD (from 6/12/2020) Fatherhood – 10/23/2020 (from 1/15/2021) Peter... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21200663/sony-movies-coronavirus-release-date-delays

Amazon warehouse workers walk out in rising tide of COVID-19 protests

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Workers at Amazon’s Staten Island, New York, fulfillment center walked out today to protest the company’s response to COVID-19 infections among its warehouse employees. Amazon has confirmed one case of coronavirus at the New York facility, but workers say there have been at least 10 and that the company has failed to notify workers or properly clean the warehouse. Now, they are calling for Amazon to shut down the facility for two weeks for deep cleaning. “The goal is to get that building shut down, and they will shut it down, because no packages, nothing gets out the building without associates,” says Derrick Palmer, who has worked at the facility, JFK8, for four and a half years. “This is a pandemic. People are literally losing their... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199942/amazon-warehouse-coronavirus-covid-new-york-protest-walkout

Virgin Orbit plans to mass-produce new medical breathing device to help fight coronavirus pandemic

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Richard Branson’s aerospace company Virgin Orbit, which is primarily focused on developing rockets to launch small satellites into space, is shifting gears during the coronavirus pandemic and has created a new medical device to help health care workers treat patients with COVID-19. The company is hoping to mass-produce the new device after receiving the necessary approvals from the FDA. The device that Virgin Orbit has created is one that can help people get much-needed oxygen when they’re short of breath. The machine automatically pumps what are known as ambulatory bags, which emergency responders squeeze manually to pump air into a patient’s lungs. The idea is that these machines will pump the bags on their own for patients who need... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199940/virgin-orbit-rocket-launch-satellites-breathing-medical-device-coronavirus-pandemic

Good Job! lets you chaotically smash through your office complex from home

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Good Job! was one of the multiple titles Nintendo surprise-dropped in its Nintendo Direct Mini presentation last week , and it arguably couldn’t have come out at a better time. It’s a lighthearted and chaotic puzzle game set at an office complex that’s a perfect, bite-sized replacement for anyone missing their day-to-day work life. The brightly animated world appears to be based on road or safety signs, and puts players in the role of a featureless caution sign person who we’re told is the “clumsy” child of the company CEO. You start off — literally — at the bottom, working your way up through the company by completing puzzles in the charming, isometric office environments. Each level assigns players a simple office task to perform, like... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199997/good-job-nintendo-switch-puzzle-office-isometric-chaos-work-review

Microsoft’s new Edge vertical tabs look ideal for 16:9 screens

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Microsoft unveiled its new Microsoft 365 subscription plans today and some new Edge browser features. The biggest new addition is vertical tabs for Edge, which will allow users to stack tabs at the side of the browser instead of the traditional long list of tabs at the top. While it might look a little peculiar at first, it will be ideal for 16:9 monitors and laptops. Websites typically look stretched out on these types of displays, with a lot of wasted vertical space. If you’re using a 3:2 display, then the regular tabs will likely be more efficient. You’ll be able to click to switch between tabs like you normally do or group tabs together and move them into the vertical list. Most vertical tab features in browsers like... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199819/microsoft-edge-vertical-tabs-feature-chromium

Free Zoom backgrounds you can use to disguise your messy remote work rooms

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Now that people are finding themselves working remotely or setting up virtual parties to chat with friends and family while maintaining social distance, Zoom is quickly becoming the go-to source for those gatherings. But when you spend days quarantining at home, cleaning up for a Zoom call might be the last thing on your mind. Verge reviews editor Barbara Krasnoff has already told you how you can make use of Zoom’s custom background tool to hide messy backdrops or running children and pets. But if you need some resources on what backgrounds to use as your virtual teleconferencing room, here are a few places to browse, plus some of The Verge staff’s favorites. Canva Canva is a design resource service, and it’s offered several free... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199628/zoom-backgrounds-free-virtual-conference-calls-video-remote-work

Everything you need to know about the USNS Comfort, the giant hospital ship in NYC

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Photo by Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images At 10AM ET on March 30th, the US Navy’s gigantic floating hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, arrived in New York City where it has been sent to help relieve the pressure on the city’s hospitals that are overwhelmed with coronavirus patients. The Comfort’s 1,000 beds and 12 operating rooms will largely be used for non-coronavirus patients, freeing up much-needed space at the city’s overtaxed hospitals. The ship is typically used to support military campaigns and humanitarian crises abroad, along with earthquake and hurricane relief. Most recently, it was deployed to Latin America, helping countries with inadequate health care systems. It was last stationed in New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attacks where it helped treat hundreds of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199664/usns-comfort-hospital-ship-nyc-coronavirus-size-beds-history-navy

Stack Overflow is getting a dark mode, its most upvoted feature request ever

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Image: Stack Overflow Stack Overflow, the popular question and answer site for developers and software engineers, announced a new dark mode today. The company says the mode has been the site’s most upvoted feature request ever . It looks like, well, a dark mode. Here’s a screenshot, provided by Stack Overflow: Image: Stack Overflow You can turn on dark mode by clicking on your profile, “Edit profile and settings,” and “preferences,” the company tells The Verge . Making dark mode took almost a year, but work accelerated on it earlier this year after an engineer had an idea to launch an “ultra dark mode” as a joke at an internal hackathon, the company says . Work on the ultra dark mode contributed to the actual dark mode that’s here today. The... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21197458/stack-overflow-dark-mode-ultra-beta-settings

Riot’s shooter Valorant goes into beta on April 7th

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Fans will get an opportunity to play Riot’s Overwatch -meets- Counter-Strike game Valorant very soon: today, the developer announced that a closed beta will be launching on April 7th. It’s not clear just how big the beta will be or how long it will last, but Riot says that prospective players will need to link their Riot and Twitch accounts to be eligible. “When closed beta activates in your region, watch specific Valorant streams highlighted on Twitch for the opportunity to be entitled for closed beta access,” the developer explains. (Check out the official site for full details.) “We have to focus on the regions where we feel most ready.” The beta won’t be entirely global, at least not at launch. Instead, it will be available to players... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199452/valorant-multiplayer-shooter-riot-closed-beta-date

Amazon FBA challenges highlight broader vulnerability in e-commerce ecosystem

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As sellers try to react quickly to ever-changing circumstances due to coronavirus, logistics and channel strategies may change forever. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://ift.tt/2uxGgu1

Will Facebook’s massive usage increases (eventually) turn into revenue?

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The pandemic is helping the company repair its public image. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://ift.tt/2uxGgu1

This fingerprint-verified smart lock can be foiled by a magnet

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LockPickingLawyer (YouTube) Tapplock, a company that makes fingerprint-verified locks, has had a rough time with its locks’ security. The company’s flagship lock, which has been available since 2019, is apparently easy to pop open with a magnet. YouTuber LockPickingLawyer published a video last week showing how he could use a powerful magnet to turn the motor inside the Tapplock One Plus, causing it to open. The entire process takes less than 30 seconds. The Tapplock One Plus costs $99 and features a fingerprint sensor. It also has built-in Bluetooth, so people can unlock it using an app. In response to the video, Tapplock commented: “Wow! Shout out to LPL for finding this exploit. Working on a fix with magnetic shielding, will be back.” This is a commendable... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199640/tapplock-one-smart-lock-fingerprint-hack

Microsoft aims to win back consumers with new Microsoft 365 subscriptions

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Microsoft is unveiling its new Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions today, which are designed to replace and enhance existing Office 365 consumer plans. Much like the Office 365 Personal and Home subscriptions that exist today, Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans will be available on April 21st, priced at $6.99 per month for Personal (one person) and $9.99 a month for a Family (up to six people) subscription. Both options will include access to Office, and new features will gradually roll out in the months ahead. Microsoft 365 plans add two new features that will roll out in preview in the coming months: a new Microsoft Family Safety app and new features in Microsoft Teams for consumers. The new Microsoft Family Safety app... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199376/microsoft-365-subscriptions-office-family-safety-app-teams-features-price

Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger from the Fast and Furious is now a Lego kit

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Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic cars in the Fast and Furious franchise, and soon, it’ll be available as a Lego set. The model is a part of Lego’s Technic line, which means that it won’t just look cool; it will also include some moving parts. The car comes decked out with a replica V8 engine and a bottle of NOS (nitrous oxide) in the back — which is important if your goal is to try to race a model train to really set up the mood of the first film. Adding Dominic Toretto’s car (which, in case you’ve forgotten, is the one that he was scared to drive until he really needed to at the end of the first Fast and Furious movie) to the Lego family might seem odd. The Fast and Furious franchise isn’t exactly... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199584/fast-and-furious-lego-dominic-toretto-dodge-charger-vin-diesel

Defense Distributed’s 3D-printed gun files are back online

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Photo by Kelly West / AFP / Getty Images 3D-printed firearms company Defcad has released a trove of gun-making blueprints, only to approved US residents. According to The Wall Street Journal , Defcad is selling access for a $50 annual fee, which director Cody Wilson describes as a “Netflix for guns” model. The company has temporarily released blueprints before. Under the Obama administration, the plan ran afoul of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) rules that prevent exporting weapons abroad. The Trump administration offered significantly more leeway, but its approval has been tied up in legal battles. Now, Wilson tells the Journal that he’s vetting everyone who wants to access the files, using geolocation and other technical measures to ensure they’re located in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199519/defense-distributed-defcad-3d-printed-gun-library-launch-vetting

Resident Evil 3 remake is fun while it lasts

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The follow-up to Resident Evil 2 is a lot less substantial Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199382/resident-evil-3-remake-review-ps4-xbox-pc-2-capcom

Amazon’s Echo Show 8 is buy one, get one free at Best Buy

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Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge At Best Buy, Amazon’s Echo Show 8 comes in a two-pack for $130, the usual cost for just one of these smart displays. To take advantage of this deal, head to this page and simply add two of them to your cart, and feel free to mix up the colors. The Echo Show 8 earned the distinction of being t he best smart display for most people in our buying guide. Up against the Google Nest Hub lineup, the Echo Show 8 offers the most features, even if it misses out on a few exclusive ones that you can only find in Google’s smart display. It offers good sound, a sharp display, and while it supports video chatting with its built-in camera, you can easily turn off the camera with the privacy shutter. Target is hosting a buy two, get one... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2020/3/30/21199496/amazon-echo-show-8-smart-display-deal-video-games-target-best-buy-sale

OnePlus 8 to be announced on April 14th

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Image: @OnLeaks and iGeeksBlog The OnePlus 8 will be announced on April 14th during an online live stream, the company announced today. OnePlus says the lineup will consist of a “full series of 5G devices,” and there will be a handset with a 120Hz display in the lineup, up from the 90Hz displays found on some of its phones last year. Two main devices are expected to be launched at the event, the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, although recent reports have claimed that they may be joined by a cheaper third device called the “OnePlus Z.” Beyond the official details provided by OnePlus about its new devices, there have been a number of leaks and rumors about what the company plans to introduce in its eighth generation of phones. Reports have claimed that the devices will finally... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199489/oneplus-8-pro-launch-date-online-live-stream-wireless-charging-5g

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review: AMD has rewritten the rules

Asus and AMD have put Intel on notice Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21197761/asus-rog-zephyrus-g14-review-gaming-laptop-specs-features-price

Acer’s upcoming laptops will include AMD Ryzen 4000 mobile processors

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Acer has announced that it will release a new version of its Aspire 5 laptop this year, powered by AMD’s Ryzen 5 4500U mobile chip. The company has also revealed the release date for its Ryzen-powered Swift 3 . With both lines, Acer aims to provide fairly slim products at an affordable price; reviewers often note that the devices look and feel more expensive than they are. The U-Series, which both laptops incorporate, is designed for ultraportable devices. Acer The upcoming Acer Swift 3 The 14-inch Swift 3 includes the 15W Ryzen 7 4700U, with eight cores, eight threads, and 2.0 GHz base speeds that can boost up to 4.1 GHz. It’s comprised of an aluminum chassis and a magnesium-aluminum lid; the company... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21198734/acer-swift-3-aspire-5-amd-ryzen-4000-mobile-processors

London health workers to receive free e-bike loaners to avoid public transport

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Gocycle’s e-bikes are being offered as part of the plan. | Image: Gocycle Key National Health Service (NHS) workers in London are being offered a three-month e-bike loan to help them commute to work while social distancing. There are currently 20 Gocycle GS loaner e-bikes available, with more brands like Raleigh soon to join. The e-bikes and Abus locks and helmets are being distributed as part of a plan being organized by London-based e-bike retailer Fully Charged. Interested NHS workers can register their interest on this Fully Charged page , which also calls on other bike manufacturers and sponsors to pledge their support. Not only will free e-bikes reduce commuting costs for essential workers, but it will also help them avoid having to travel in close proximity to others on public transit. Transport for... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199401/london-health-workers-ebike-free-loan-public-transport-coronavirus

Facebook invests $100M in journalism as COVID-19 makes it more vital than ever

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Illustration by James Bareham / The Verge Facebook has pledged to invest $100 million in the news industry at a time when the ongoing coronavirus pandemic means that accurate reporting is more important than ever. $25 million will be provided in grant funding for local news through the Facebook Journalism Project , while the remaining $75 million will come in the form of “additional marketing spend” to worldwide news organizations. Publishers are expected to be hit hard by the economic fallout of the novel coronavirus outbreak. The advertising revenue that many publishers rely on is being squeezed, as companies slash marketing budgets amidst financial uncertainty. Research firm eMarketer has lowered its growth projections for worldwide media ad spend by 3 percent, S... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21199358/facebook-investment-journalism-grants-100-million-dollars-advertising-spend

Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook hits shelves April 6th

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Dieter Bohn/The Verge Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Chromebook finally has an official release date. You’ll be able to buy it at Samsung and Best Buy next Monday, April 6th, starting at $999. The device comes in Mercury Gray, or the bolder Fiesta Red that looks bright orange in some settings. It’s the first Chromebook to sport a 13.3-inch 4K OLED display. It also has a more powerful processor than most Chromebooks, an Intel 10th-generation chip. It includes 8GB of RAM (LPDDR3) and a 256GB SSD as well. When we first saw the device back in January , Samsung indicated that there’d be additional configurations available, featuring up to 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD. The company seems to have killed those models, however; the base model is now the only variant available. V... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21197611/samsung-galaxy-chromebook-google-release-date-april

HQ Trivia is back less than two months after the app was shut down

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HQ Trivia is being resurrected just a little over one month after co-founder Rus Yusupov announced that the app was shutting down . A push notification went out to HQ Trivia players letting them know a new game will go live tonight at 9PM ET. The notification was followed by a tweet by co-founder Rus Yusupov confirming the return . A source close to the company confirmed to The Verge the app is officially back, meaning this isn’t just a one-off event. Episodes will begin to air more regularly in the future, but the schedule is currently up in the air as things are figured out., The company has been acquired by a private investor who has asked not to be named, the source also confirmed. First launched in 2017, HQ Trivia briefly became one... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/29/21199070/hq-trivia-game-app-shut-down-return-acquired-gaming

Instacart made in-house hand sanitizer for shoppers who are about to walk off the job

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Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images On the eve of a planned work stoppage by its shoppers, Instacart said today it would distribute independently-developed hand sanitizer to its shoppers. Instacart shoppers are planning to refuse new orders Monday because they say the grocery delivery company has not done enough to protect them during the coronavirus outbreak. The strike is still on, the workers said in a statement today , calling Instacart’s response a “sick joke.” One of the shoppers’ demands was for Instacart to provide protective gear such as hand sanitizer, but organizers also want the company to add a $5-per-order hazard payment and expand its sick leave policy. “Given the broad supply chain shortages for supplies like hand sanitizer, Instacart worked with a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/29/21198986/instacart-hand-sanitizer-shoppers-strike-coronavirus