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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Trump administration is apparently considering a ban on Chinese social media apps, including the popular video app TikTok. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned the possibility on July 7th , saying it was “something we’re looking at” in a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham — and on July 31st, President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he planned to personally ban the app using his own authority, instead of potentially forcing its Chinese owner to divest it . The comments could easily have been bluster. But Pompeo also compared TikTok to Huawei and ZTE, two companies that have suffered very real consequences after drawing US government ire. With tension rising between the US and China, Trump trying to ban TikTok... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/9/21315983/trump-pompeo-ban-tiktok-bytedance-chinese-social-media-national-security-censorship-methods

Photo by Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images In-flight Wi-Fi provider Gogo is laying off 143 people , or about 14 percent of its workforce, as people continue to avoid air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company previously furloughed 600 workers and cut executive pay in April, and said Thursday that it will “continue certain furloughs and maintain the salary reductions that were previously implemented.” The cuts will come “predominantly from the Company’s Commercial Aviation business,” according to a press release issued Thursday. Gogo applied for CARES Act funding , but it’s unclear if it ever received any assistance. “Based on our current expectations of the scope and timing of a recovery in the industry and our Commercial Aviation business, reducing our workforce has... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21350251/gogo-layoffs-furloughs-airlines-covid-19-pandemic

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge On July 29th, the long-awaited Big Tech antitrust hearing from the House Judiciary’s antitrust subcommittee was held. For several hours, four of the biggest figures in tech — Apple’s Tim Cook, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, and Google’s Sundar Pichai — were grilled by lawmakers. This week on The Vergecast , The Verge ’s Nilay Patel, Makena Kelly, Adi Robertson, and Casey Newson dedicated an entire episode to the important moments from the six-hour hearing, the notable emails and internal documents made available from the investigation, and how effective the panel was in laying out a case for regulating big tech companies in the US. The day after the hearing, all of those companies released their quarterly earnings . The V... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21349407/big-tech-antitrust-hearing-analysis-vergecast

SoftBank has been rumored to be exploring a sale of ARM — the British chip designer that powers nearly every major mobile processor from companies like Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, and Huawei — and now, it might have found a buyer. Nvidia is reportedly in “advanced talks” to buy ARM in a deal worth over $32 billion, according to Bloomberg . Nvidia is said to be the only company that’s involved in concrete discussions with SoftBank for the purchase at this time, and a deal could arrive “in the next few weeks,” although nothing is finalized yet. If the deal does go through, it would be one of the largest deals ever in the computer chip business and would likely draw intense regulatory scrutiny. SoftBank bought ARM in 2016 for $31 billion,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2020/7/31/21349332/nvidia-talks-buy-arm-processor-mobile-deal-32-billion-softbank-purchase-rumor

Battletoads will make its way back to the Xbox One and PC. Rare is announcing today that Battletoads will be available on August 20th on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and as part of Xbox Game Pass. The original game, developed by Rare and released in 1991, was a cult classic, and Microsoft confirmed its return at E3 last year. Much like the original, there will be beat ‘em up, platforming, and even racing stages. The all-new Battletoads has been developed by Dlala Studios in partnership with Rare, and it pays homage to the original with the ‘90s cartoonish style. Rare is promising additional gameplay deep dives ahead of the launch, and the launch trailer teases a large amount of gameplay. Battletoads will launch on August 20th on Steam,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21349466/battletoads-xbox-one-pc-release-date-august-20th-xbox-game-pass

Photo by Graeme Jennings-Pool/Getty Images Massive tech companies may have been the focus of this week’s antitrust hearing, but one of the most arresting speeches came from a much smaller outfit. Partway through the hearing, Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) played testimony from a third-party textbook seller on Amazon, who believed the company had started blocking their store as it grew more successful. At the time of the testimony, they hadn’t been able to sell a book for ten months, and despite hundreds of messages to Amazon, they couldn’t get an answer as to why. “I’m concerned this is a pattern of behavior,” McBath told Bezos . “What do you have to say to the small businesses that are talking to Congress because you simply aren’t listening to them?” “I’m concerned this is a pattern of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/21349440/amazon-marketplace-third-party-sellers-antitrust-hearing-jeff-bezos

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Nintendo Switch, like everything else that can lighten the mood during this incredibly tough time, is in short supply. And as soon as retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart gets it in stock, it quickly sells out. It can be disheartening to miss out on the opportunity to buy a Switch — but fear not! The purpose of this article is to help you do just that without paying more than it would usually cost at retail. We’re keeping a lookout across the web to find where, when, and how you can buy a Nintendo Switch (the one you can dock to your TV or remove for portable use) or a Switch Lite (the portable-only version of the console) as well as any bundles that seem like good deals. Keep in mind that stock — even Switch consoles that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/21257643/nintendo-switch-lite-how-to-buy-in-stock

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Samsung is hosting a few discounted bundles at Amazon and Best Buy, one of which includes its Galaxy Z Flip foldable phone and a Galaxy Watch Active 2 44mm smartwatch for $1,380. That’s the normal price for the phone, but the savings come in the form of getting the watch, which costs around $249 right now, for free. Given that there have been very few deals on the unlocked version of the Z Flip, this is a decent value if you were thinking of investing now. This bundle is also active for the Galaxy S20 , and likewise, there’s no price drop below its normal $1,000 price. If you watch our deals coverage regularly, you probably already know that it’s been sold for as low as $800 unlocked. But if you’re in need of a phone right now, at least... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2020/7/31/21349383/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-s20-watch-active-2-smartwatch-bundle-deal-amazon-best-buy

This weekend, two NASA astronauts are slated to return home to Earth inside SpaceX’s new passenger capsule, the Crew Dragon. It’ll be the first time that the Crew Dragon carries passengers back to the planet’s surface, ultimately proving if the vehicle can safely transport people to space and back. Veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be aboard the spacecraft. The duo made history at the end of May when they launched to the International Space Station inside the Crew Dragon, marking the first time a privately made vehicle carried people to orbit. The launch heralded the return of human spaceflight in the US. The last time people flew to orbit from the United States was in 2011, with the last flight of the Space Shuttle.... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21347974/nasa-spacex-crew-dragon-astronauts-return-landing-splashdown

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Twitter has suspended the account of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke for “repeated violations of the Twitter Rules on hateful conduct ,” a spokesperson confirmed to The Verge on Friday. “This enforcement action is in line with our recently-updated guidance on harmful links.” Duke joined Twitter in September 2009, an archived version of his page shows , and his account had more than 53,000 followers. YouTube suspended several white supremacists’ channels last month, including Duke’s, for violating its hate speech policies. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which describes Duke as a neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier, says Duke “built an international reputation as the American face of white nationalism and pseudo-academic... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21349323/twitter-suspends-david-duke-white-supremacist-hate-speech

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It didn’t surprise James Gilmore to hear that the NBA was turning to smart rings to help manage the risk of COVID-19 inside its “bubble” at Disney World, where the league hopes to finish the rest of the season. “The NBA, and the NBA Players Association, has been at the forefront of embracing wearable technology for individual players,” says Gilmore, an assistant professor who studies the use of wearable technology in daily life at Clemson University. All players inside the bubble have the option of wearing an Oura ring, normally marketed as a sleep and activity tracker. Health data collected by the ring, the league says, will be used to flag changes that could indicate someone has symptoms of COVID-19, even if they don’t feel sick. The... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21345583/nba-smart-oura-ring-health-plan-wearable-covid-prediction-nfl

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Publishers can also start testing the Funding Choices integration with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework for GDPR. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. Via Marketing Land - Internet Marketing News, Strategies & Tips https://ift.tt/2uxGgu1

Everything you’ll need and want when you start school Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/21228353/graduation-gift-ideas-grads-college-dorm-high-school-tech-gadgets

You’ll be able to use security options like a fingerprint to enter credit card details. | Image: Google Google is updating its Chrome browser to let you automatically enter saved passwords and credit card details into forms more easily and securely, the company has announced . The browser will now use biometric authentication like a fingerprint to autofill credit card details without having to ask for your three-digit CVC each time, and a new dialog box will let you pick from a list of saved account credentials to sign into a website without having to tap into individual form fields. As well as offering convenience, both features are designed to make transactions more secure on the web. Biometric security makes it harder for someone to make an online purchase if they have access to your device. You’ll still need to enter your CVC the first... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21349250/chrome-autofill-passwords-credit-card-details-biometric-security

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Programming note: It’s time for our summer vacation! The stretch between January and today is the longest uninterrupted period we have ever written The Interface, and so we’re taking a break to recharge. We return August 17th. On any other day, the memo that Kevin Mayer published Wednesday might have been the talk of the tech world. TikTok’s new CEO, who was thrust into a crisis over the future of the Chinese-owned app from the moment he took the job, has quickly emerged as the company’s top diplomat. In his blog post, he came bearing economic gifts for the country that is currently blocking his app from federal and military devices, and threatening to ban it completely — as India recently did. Mayer promised to expand a fund for... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/interface/2020/7/31/21348172/tiktok-algorithms-transparency-accountability-review-lawmakers-michael-beckerman-interview

An Irish retailer has revealed that Halo Infinite ’s multiplayer mode will be free-to-play and support up to 120fps. Smyths Toys Superstores briefly posted details ( Google Cache ) about Halo Infinite multiplayer on a promotional page this week before quickly removing them once the internet discovered the references. “The legendary Halo series returns with the most expansive Master Chief campaign yet and a groundbreaking free-to-play multiplayer experience,” read the listing. “Enjoy up to 120 FPS and greatly reduced load times creating seamless gameplay with Xbox Series X.” The listing on Smyths Toys Superstores. Klobrille, an Xbox leaker that accurately revealed previous Halo Infinite details, backed up the claims that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21349236/halo-infinite-multiplayer-free-to-play-120fps-rumors

Image: Otterbox There are plenty of things I could tell you about Otterbox’s new stand for the third-generation Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker. I could tell you about its “durable materials” or how it’s designed to “securely” hold on to your Echo device. The Amazon listing even claims its “precision-fit, non-slip base” is “engineered for optimal audio output.” But you and I both know that none of that really matters, because what’s really important here is that this base adds little tiny Emmy-nominated Baby Yoda* ears to the sides of your Echo Dot. If you want to pretend that you’re actually speaking to The Mandalorian character every time you ask Alexa to set a timer, then this is (probably) the easiest way to do it. Image: Otterbox ... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2020/7/31/21349229/baby-yoda-the-child-mandalorian-otterbox-amazon-echo-dot-stand

Oppo has announced the Reno 4 Pro for international release. It’s a mid-range phone that isn’t a million miles away from sister company OnePlus’ new Nord in specs, design, and pricing. The Reno 4 Pro has a matte back panel with a gradient design and a glossy finish on the quad camera bump. It feels very thin and light by today’s standards, at 7.7mm thick and 161g. The camera bump bears the legend “INNOVATIVE QUADCAM” in capital letters, which is a pretty amusing thing to write on a camera bump, but otherwise this is an attractive device. The phone looks good from the front, too, with a 6.5-inch 90Hz 1080p AMOLED screen with the slightest of curves on the edges. Unlike other curved screens, this panel doesn’t stretch right... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21349224/oppo-reno-4-pro-india-specs-price-release-date

Google is launching a new tool that allows businesses to identify themselves as Black-owned through the company’s Maps and Search listings. The new feature is part of the company’s pledge announced last month to support the Black community with “initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions.” When searching for a business through Google.com or Google Maps, you’ll now be able to see a new badge to represent Black-owned businesses — it’s a black heart over an orange three-striped background, like the one you can see in these images. They need to claim their business on Google and verify they own it by mail, phone or email before they can apply for the badge; it’s not clear how or whether Google can actually tell if... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/31/21348990/google-black-owned-businesses-maps-search

Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge Twitter provided an update about the unprecedented July 15th attack that allowed hackers to tweet from some of the most high-profile accounts on the service, in a blog post and a series of tweets published Thursday evening. Twitter now says that a few employees were targeted in a phone spear phishing attack. While Twitter doesn’t quite say, that presumably means hackers called up Twitter employees while posing as colleagues or members of Twitter’s own security team, and got them to reveal the credentials they use to access internal systems. Twitter had previously said its own tools were compromised in the attack, but up until this point, the company hadn’t specified how that had happened. “This attack relied on a significant and... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21348974/twitter-spear-phishing-attack-bitcoin-scam

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge From a pure entertainment perspective, I am genuinely sorry that the House’s antitrust hearing targeting the big four tech companies — Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google — took place Wednesday instead of next week. Because literally a day after a meeting attempting to determine if Big Tech was too big, three of the four companies in the hearing got bigger . (Google’s parent company, Alphabet, had a decline in revenue of about 2 percent, mostly due to a decline in search ads — but this was still better than analysts predicted .) None of these companies wanted their earnings numbers read aloud to them before questioning began The hearing was about how tech companies have consolidated their power . The coronavirus seems to be making that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21348652/pandemic-earnings-antitrust-google-facebook-apple-amazon

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft’s new Edge browser is randomly crashing when users type into the address bar tonight. The issues appear to be affecting Edge users who have selected Google as the default search engine. Microsoft says it’s aware of the problems and the company’s Edge team is investigating. Microsoft recommends turning off Search Suggestions in edge://settings/search. The Verge has tested this workaround and it solves the problem if you have Google set as your default search engine. Are you seeing Edge crash when trying to type into the address bar? The team is looking into it! In the meantime, as a workaround, please turn off Search Suggestions here: edge://settings/search. We'll follow up once we have more! — Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) J... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21348923/microsoft-edge-crash-address-bar-google-search-browser-issues

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Twitch is partnering with Cxmmunity, a nonprofit organization aimed at increasing minority youth participation in esports and gaming, to create an esports league for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the company announced Thursday. Students at HBCUs will receive scholarship and educational support through its Twitch Student program, and Twitch will help the schools expand esports programs. Cxmmunity co-founder Chris Peay says, as a graduate of an HBCU, he knows firsthand about the gaming industry’s lack of representation. “Growing up we’re often taught you get good grades so that you can get into a good college, graduate from that college, and find a good job,” Peay said in a statement. “Very seldom do we talk about... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21347966/twitch-hbcu-esports-league-representation

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The $99.99 model has breathable ear pads, the SpeedFlex braided cable and includes the USB sound card. | Razer Razer is launching two models of the BlackShark V2 wired gaming headset today, following up on the original model that was released all the way back in 2012. Of these two models, the $99.99 BlackShark V2 (pictured above) has more features, while the $59.99 BlackShark V2 X is a little stripped down by comparison. Importantly, both feature an excellent tactile knob for adjusting the volume on the left ear cup, cross-compatibility with PC and consoles via their 3.5mm cable, as well as generous sizing options (in case you have a larger-than-usual head). They also both have a mute button to make it easy to cut off comms with your team. What drives up the cost in the more expensive version mostly comes down to the included USB sound card that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21345836/razer-blackshark-v2-x-budget-friendly-wired-gaming-headsets

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge For the past week, Nintendo fans have resembled digital archaeologists. Following a massive leak of source code and other internal documents — appropriately dubbed the gigaleak — previously unknown details from the company’s biggest games have steadily trickled out. Those poring over the code have uncovered a new Animal Crossing villager , early prototypes for games like Pokémon Diamond , cut characters from Star Fox , a very weird Yoshi , and strange titles like a hockey RPG . Perhaps the biggest discovery has been a Luigi character model from Super Mario 64 . From a historical and preservationist perspective, the leak is an incredible find. It’s a rare look into the process and discarded ideas of one of the most influential — and secretive —... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21347074/nintendo-gigaleak-controversy-history-preservation-archives

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Image: Razer Razer’s Blade 15 gaming laptop is $500 off at Amazon, dropping the price to a very reasonable $1,100 . This machine is its previous-generation model, which affects the overall design and internal components only in a few minor ways that might not matter to you if you’re just looking for a well-crafted, feature-packed Windows 10 machine. First off, it has Intel’s 9th Gen Core i7-9750H, but it likely won’t show its age since it’s a six-core processor that’s fairly new. More pressing is that the keyboard is Razer’s older design that wedged the up arrow between the forward slash and right Shift keys. I find that arrangement to be annoying, but not necessarily a deal-breaker. Also not so great is the small 256GB NVMe M.2 SSD that comes... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2020/7/30/21347902/razer-blade-15-gaming-laptop-amazon-deal-bose-sale

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The ultimate autocomplete Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/21346343/gpt-3-explainer-openai-examples-errors-agi-potential

Image: TikTok On August 7th at 8:30PM ET, TikTok will play host to a live virtual concert from The Weeknd, where he’ll perform a series of tracks from his latest album, After Hours , the social network announced today . Rather than appearing in person like a typical TikTok video or its previous live-streamed music events , The Weeknd will be represented by a digital avatar in what TikTok is calling its “first-ever in-app cross reality experience.” It says viewers will be able to interact with the singer as he performs. The event is just the latest example of big-name musicians performing virtually. Fortnite ’s recent events, such as Travis Scott earlier this year or Marshmello’s concert from 2019 are two of the highest-profile examples, each drawing in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21347803/tiktok-the-weeknd-virtual-concert-date-time-wave-cross-reality

A spectacular comeback for a Microsoft icon Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/21347809/microsoft-flight-simulator-2020-preview-interview-hands-on

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Photo by Joel Kowsky / NASA NASA’s latest Mars rover — a six-wheeled SUV-sized robot named Perseverance — successfully launched from Florida this morning, embarking on a nearly seven-month journey to the Red Planet. Once it reaches Mars, it will attempt a harrowing landing to the surface and start exploring the planet’s terrain, hoping to solve the biggest lingering mysteries about Mars’ past. NASA still needs to acquire signal from the rover to make sure that it is powered up and able to communicate with Earth. But the rover is successfully flying free after separating from the Atlas V rocket that launched it into space this morning. The primary focus of Perseverance’s mission is to find out if Mars ever hosted life some 3.8 billion years ago . The rover is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21346844/nasa-mars-2020-rover-perseverance-launch-atlas-v-success-travel-time