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Photo by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images NASA last week quietly delayed its plan to award two high-profile crewed lunar lander contracts, moving the finish line back two months for a crucial program under the Trump administration’s hasty timeline to get astronauts on the moon in 2024. With short funding from Congress and a new administration focused on more pressing national issues, the move was expected. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a team of aerospace giants led by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and Leidos-owned Dynetics won a combined $967 million in seed funding from NASA last year to develop rivaling concepts for a human lunar landing system. It’s the space agency’s first effort to spend money on astronaut moon landers since the Apollo program in the 1970s. Last Wednesday, NASA told the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3tbxbUb

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge All but two US states — Montana and Wyoming— now have police or fire departments participating in Amazon’s Ring network, which lets law enforcement ask users for footage from their Ring security cameras to assist with investigations, the Financial Times reported , Figures from Ring show more than 1,189 departments joined the program in 2020 for a total of 2,014. That’s up sharply from 703 departments in 2019 and just 40 in 2018. The FT reports that local law enforcement departments on the platform asked for Ring videos for a total of more than 22,335 incidents in 2020. The disclosure data from Ring also shows that law enforcement made some 1,900 requests — such as subpoenas, search warrants, and court orders— for footage or data from Ring... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3j2gC8k

Screenshot: Lego The quest to get one of the most popular toymakers in the world to make a little space for bicycles Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2YsWJxS

The Ace offers a large screen and massive battery, but it falls short in some key areas Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3tc897b

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge On November 10th , a Facebook employee sent out an unusual email to an unknown outside party, hoping to arrange a conversation about how the platform moderated against anti-Semitism. “We are looking at the question of how we should interpret attacks on ‘Zionists,’” reads the letter, whose recipient was redacted, “to determine whether the term is a proxy for attacking Jewish or Israeli people.” That strange but seemingly innocuous email has set off a firestorm in certain corners of the left. Since Tuesday, activists have been circulating a petition calling on the platform to halt any potential changes to the way Facebook moderates the word “Zionist.” Both sides agree the term is often used as part of racist rhetoric that is accurately... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3tfvtkq

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Valve’s latest Steam Game Festival begins Wednesday, giving access to playable demos of more than 500 upcoming games from indie developers, along with livestreamed chats and panel discussions. The first iteration of the festival took place alongside The Game Awards in December 2019, and was followed by similar events last fall and spring that provided indie developers a chance to show off their titles after the 2020 Game Developers Conference was canceled. A trailer video from Steam titled Play What’s Next teases a few of the games that look to be available for demo during the event, which include Genesis Noir from Feral Cat Den; The Riftbreaker from Exor Studios; Narita Boy from Studio Koba; Almighty: Kill Your Gods from Runwild... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3csTqyL

Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images The first two months of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign have been chaotic: local health departments and hospitals are struggling put the limited shots they have available in arms, and people eligible for those shots are often frustrated by buggy sign-up websites. Older adults, in particular, are having trouble with online tools. In New York City, one of the main pain points is that everything is fractured. Multiple different groups — including the city, the state, and various hospital groups — are distributing the vaccine across dozens of sites. That leaves New Yorkers juggling multiple registration websites as they search for open slots After experiencing the frustration of jumping from site to site to site firsthand, software... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/36tQlL5

With all of its recent licensed characters, which includes everyone from Sarah Connor to The Mandalorian , the virtual battlefield of Fortnite is starting to resemble a playground full of action figures. When you think about it like that, a collaboration with G.I. Joe makes a lot of sense. With that in mind, Epic and Hasbro announced that iconic character Snake Eyes will be available as part of the Fortnite universe starting today — both in-game and as a physical toy. The new version of the character is called Snake Eyes: Zero Point edition, an allusion to a key part of Fortnite lore ( one which took on more significance this season ). The in-game version will be available starting on January 30th for 1,800 V-bucks, while a 6-inch-tall... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39CEZXr

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) is in turmoil following the announcement of an international alliance on Monday. The alliance, Alpha Global, was billed as a worker-led initiative, but union members in the US say they didn’t know about it until The Verge published an exclusive . That piece included a press release quote from AWU executive council member Parul Koul, which she says she didn’t write. The news was an unwelcome surprise to union members who expect the Alphabet Workers Union to run democratically. Now, multiple sources tell The Verge that some AWU organizers are considering pushing the group to disaffiliate from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), a national union representing workers in telecommunications and media.... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2YtU5b9

Photo by Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Coachella Health officials have ordered the Coachella music festival scheduled for April to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s the third time the pandemic has forced the annual outdoor festival that draws hundreds of thousands of fans to the California desert to be postponed or canceled. “The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival currently scheduled for April 2021 are hereby canceled,” Riverside County Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in an order issued Friday . Kaiser’s order also canceled the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, also scheduled for April. Due to the pandemic, Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser today (Jan. 29) signed a public health order canceling Coachella... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3pAY15J

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge It’s no secret that the US is struggling to distribute coronavirus vaccines; some states haven’t received enough doses, and finding an appointment on sign-up websites has been a chaotic experience. A new report in MIT Technology Review looks at why, almost a year into the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seemed totally unprepared for actually getting shots into people’s arms. According to Technology Review , the agency knew it needed a robust, one-stop shop that could be used by patients, clinics, employers, and government officials. But instead, the CDC spent $44 million on something called the Vaccine Administration Management System —-VAMS— built by consulting firm Deloitte (via no-bid contracts) which was so... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2Yvo3M0

It has been a wild week for the stock market, with amateur traders from Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets subreddit battling traditional investors. The past several days have been full of massive swings in stocks like GameStop and AMC and app-fueled drama that’s sparked a larger debate over the nature of Wall Street as a whole. But if you were hoping to kick back this weekend, relax, and enjoy a classic business movie about shark-like investors and over-confident Wall Street executives, you’re probably out of luck. Nearly every major finance film isn’t available to stream right now in the US (at least, not at the time of publication of this article), thanks to the capricious nature of the streaming marketplace, the increasingly fragmented... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3cpkbUN

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp has started posting Status messages to users about its “commitment to your privacy.” The in-app messages were appearing for members of The Verge staff in the US and UK on Saturday, and some users reported the Status messages — WhatsApp’s version of Snapchat Stories or Twitter Fleets—have been appearing in India for a while now. “There’s been a lot of misinformation and confusion around our recent update and we want to help everyone understand the facts behind how WhatsApp protects people’s privacy and security,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said in an email to The Verge . “Going forward, we’re going to provide updates to people in the Status tab so people hear from WhatsApp directly. Our first update... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/36sKVjv

According to analysts, Chromebooks had an incredible 2020, with the last quarter being the strongest ever for Google’s laptops ( via 9to5Google ). According to research firms Gartner and Canalys, over 30 million of the devices shipped last year, with somewhere between 11 and 11.7 million shipping in Q4 alone. Canalys says that’s a staggering 287 percent more than were shipped in Q4 2019. The firms disagree on how much growth this is when compared to 2019, but both estimate that it’s a lot: Gartner estimates that Chromebooks are up 80 percent, while Canalys says it’s 109 percent. For comparison, PC sales were up by 11 percent this year , which is the biggest growth the category had seen in a decade. This isn’t to give the impression that... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2YrAU1x

A lightweight laptop that doesn’t cut too many corners Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39xapyb

Image: Apple Apple has notified subscribers of its Apple TV Plus streaming service that they’ll continue to get refund credits on their accounts until June, following a second extension of its free trial program earlier this month, 9 to 5 Mac reported . Apple extended the free year-long trials of Apple TV Plus to customers until July 2021. The trials were included with the purchase of any Apple device (an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV) and were initially set to last until November 1st, 2020. This was the second extension ; an earlier extension had pushed back the free trial end date to February, allowing users who started a free trial between November 2019 and June 2020 to get up to five months of additional access for free. But before Apple issued... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3t4a2CW

A pharmacy tech holds a dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine during a clinical trial in December. | Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images Experts have been looking forward to seeing results from Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine trials for months. The vaccine is a logistical dream compared to the other two authorized in the US. It’s much easier to store, and it requires only one shot instead of the two required by its competitors. The only outstanding question was how well it actually worked. On Friday, they got their answer — it works pretty well. In a 43,783 person trial that spanned the globe, the vaccine was 66 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. Now, 66 percent might seem like a let down compared to the 90-plus percent efficacy from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna . But that’s a matter of perspective. Before results of those vaccine trials... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r51mdJ

The Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pros and the new iPad Air is $100 off. Scroll down to find the deal | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge January 2021 has been full of important news, but it’s been a bit lousy when it comes to deals. Still, we’ve done our part in scouring all of the major retailers for discounts on products we care about (and we think you care about, too). There aren’t many brand-new deals to be found in this week’s dispatch, but go ahead and take a look if you haven’t been following them closely. If you feel caught up on deals, here’s a reminder that you can hang out here to have a quiet moment from all of the ongoing GameStop and AMC stock drama. Then again, if this is the first time you’re hearing about all of that and want to hear more, check out my colleague Liz Lopatto’s Big Picture video that’s all about it . Photo by Chris Welch /... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3cqXIH4

Photo by NASA/Robert Markowitz via Getty Images NASA will make another attempt next month to test-fire its massive Space Launch System rocket after its first try was cut short, the agency said Friday night. The rocket’s 212-foot-tall core stage will try to fire its four engines for eight minutes at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The attempt is the last milestone “Green Run” test before the behemoth rocket gets shipped to Florida for its debut launch toward the moon. All four of the rocket’s Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 engines ignited together for the first time earlier this month. But what was intended to be an eight minute test only lasted a little over a minute — a much shorter runtime than what engineers needed to proceed to Florida. The SLS core has been in development... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/36so2wO

Image: Nvidia Nvidia’s GeForce Now game streaming service has launched for the Chrome web browser and M1 Macs in beta (via XDA-Developers ), bringing resource intensive games to laptops and other devices that might not have been powerful to run them on their own. We just tested out the Chrome browser version on a Mac and a Windows 10 PC, and it seems to be running smoothly. GeForce Now already had applications for Windows 10 and Android devices, but expanded to an even wider audience with a beta launch for Chromebooks in August of 2020, and followed it up by beating Stadia to iOS devices with a web app workaround that lets you stream games through the Safari web browser there. GeForce Now running in Chrome on MacOS. Now,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2MhmbUz

Robinhood only wants users to have a limited number of GameStop shares, and that number keeps getting smaller and smaller. Yesterday, the company halted users’ ability to buy stocks that were associated with r/WallStreetBets, including GameStop, AMC, and Nokia, but the company promised that users would be able to buy limited quantities on Friday . Today, it released a shifting support document that details just how limited things are — and to slightly paraphrase Lando, the deal’s getting worse all the time. When trading opened earlier today, users were limited to owning five shares of GameStop in aggregate, meaning they could only own up to five — if they already had three GameStop stocks, they could only buy two more — but even that... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2YrfcLf

The Asus ROG Flow X13 was one of the most-hyped announcements of CES 2021 , with good reason — how often do you see a 13-inch convertible gaming laptop, especially one that looks so cool? — but there was a catch. On Asus’ store, the ROG Flow X13 was only listed in a $3,000 bundle with an XG Mobile eGPU. (This was also the only preorder link given to media at the time of the Flow X13’s announcement.) That’s a chunk of change, and it led most Flow X13 reviewers ( myself included ) to express reservations about the steep price. But a new clarification from Asus may change the game. On the latest episode of the ROG Pulse Podcast , Asus marketing manager Sascha Krohn indicated that the company does, in the future, plan to sell the ROG Flow X13... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3coedDC

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook content moderators in Ireland met with Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar today to demand work-from-home rights. They say the company forced them back into the office, even as COVID-19 cases spiked. “We should be working from home just like employees,” said Ibrahim Halawa, a former political prisoner and law student who works as a Facebook content moderator. “We should have the same mental health care they get, the same benefits—but we don’t. Facebook can’t exist without us, and it should stop treating us as second-class citizens.” Since December 30th, Ireland has been in a level five lockdown , meaning household visits are banned and nonessential retail businesses are closed. The country currently has 192,645 confirmed... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3clSpZk

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge For many, gaps in communication have only worsened Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2Yrb9yt

Courtesy of Marvel Studios Certain names have popped up again and again over the first few episodes of WandaVision , but there’s one organization we haven’t discussed yet: A.I.M. Before diving into this week’s theories, however, let’s take a second to acknowledge just where the show is within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s timeline. Marvel Studios previously confirmed that WandaVision took place just after Avengers: Endgame , but thanks to a sad revelation about Monica Rambeau’s mom, Maria Rambeau , that plays at the beginning of the fourth episode, we know it’s about three weeks since the blip. (Remember, the “blip” is how they referred to Thanos’ great snappening, referencing events that took place in Avengers: Infinity War .) Three weeks is a relatively fresh... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3j0D9Cp

LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX Netflix is launching a global test today on Android devices that will allow subscribers to set a timer for their viewing period. The new feature lets people choose between four timer settings: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or end of whatever people are watching. After the selected time limit comes to an end, the Netflix app will stop. This should, in theory, help conserve battery life on Android devices while also ensuring that episodes don’t continue to auto-play. (Fall asleep to Bridgerton without worrying about where you left off!) Although the test is limited to select users globally with Android devices right now, Netflix will explore bringing it to other devices, including TV sets and desktops, depending on how widely the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/36qnyqR

Image: Wonderland / Twitter Zack Snyder’s Justice League — known to fans as the mythical “Snyder Cut” — hits HBO Max on March 18th , and Warner Bros. is celebrating the at-home blockbuster relaunch in a unique way: with customized, themed $130 Snyder Cut meal boxes. Described as “a first-of-its-kind, immersive, at-home dining experience” for customers in the US and the UK, Warner Bros. is teaming up with Wonderland Restaurants (a self-described “creative & innovation studio for the food and beverage industry”) to create the kits. Wonderland Restaurants is also currently working on Park Row , an upcoming high-end DC Comics-themed restaurant in London that was announced in early 2020 . The meal kits are designed to resemble the film’s MacGuffin -y Mother Boxes and cost... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/36omoMs

Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have cautioned that the first batch of vaccines created against the virus might not be the last. Like all viruses, this one would mutate , and eventually, those mutations could make the virus different enough that a different vaccine would be needed to combat it. Only two months into the vaccination campaign, researchers are preparing for that inevitability. There’s early evidence from South Africa that both the Novavax and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine candidates are not as effective against a variant form of the virus first identified in the country, called B.1.351. The shots still offer some defense and still protect against hospitalization and death. Preliminary research... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3otqJUT

GameStop photo The Verge had extensive coverage this week of how the subreddit r/WallStreetBets sent GameStop’s stock skyrocketing, and the chaos that ensued thereafter . For this week’s episode of The Vergecast , The Verge ’s Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Elizabeth Lopatto attempt to chronicle that chaos into a timeline of events, while also explaining the interweaving machinations of stock trading, short selling, and internet culture. Listen here or on your preferred podcast player to hear the full discussion. Verge s tories featured in this episode: A year into coronavirus, we’re still counting the dead Slow certification process keeps some pharmacists from giving COVID-19 vaccines Go read this report about the tech systems behind the US’s vaccine... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r37J1f

GameStop photo The Verge had extensive coverage this week of how the subreddit r/WallStreetBets sent GameStop’s stock skyrocketing, and the chaos that ensued thereafter . For this week’s episode of The Vergecast , The Verge ’s Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Elizabeth Lopatto attempt to chronicle that chaos into a timeline of events, while also explaining the interweaving machinations of stock trading, short selling, and internet culture. Listen here or on your preferred podcast player to hear the full discussion. Verge s tories featured in this episode: A year into coronavirus, we’re still counting the dead Slow certification process keeps some pharmacists from giving COVID-19 vaccines Go read this report about the tech systems behind the US’s vaccine... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r37J1f

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (aka “The Snyder Cut”) will hit HBO Max on March 18th, the director announced on Twitter today . The original theatrical release of Justice League debuted in November 2017 and, ahead of its release, endured a difficult production. Most notably, director Joss Whedon stepped in to finish the film during post-production after Snyder stepped away from the project for personal reasons . After Justice League was released, fans criticized Whedon’s contributions to the film, which included a lighter tone. Fans started an internet campaign for Warner Bros. to “Release the Snyder Cut” in the years since. Reborn #SnyderCut Streaming 3.18.21 #UsUnited pic.twitter.com/q5pVjCwYur — Zack Snyder (@ZackSnyder) January 29,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3czswFR

Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images A single shot of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine can prevent 85 percent of severe cases of the disease, the company announced today . Overall, it is 66 percent effective against both moderate and severe cases of disease. “We’re 85 perfect effective at preventing severe disease, which we define as disease that makes you feel particularly sick at home, or may go to the hospital, or worse,” Mathai Mammen, global head of research and development at Johnson and Johnson, told CNN . The company plans to file for emergency authorization next week. The efficacy is lower than that of the two COVID-19 vaccines already authorized for use in the United States, which prevent about 95 percent of symptomatic cases of COVID-19. Those vaccines... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3iWn2Gf

For almost a decade and a half, the Yakuza franchise was all but exclusive to Sony’s PlayStation consoles. Other than a Japan-only Wii U remaster of the first two games, every single mainline entry or spinoff was released solely on the PlayStation 2, PSP, PS3, or PS4. Then Microsoft came along. Along with Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy , Yakuza has slowly become a flagship Japanese series for Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service. It all started under a year ago with the addition of Yakuza 0 , and as of this week you can play almost every mainline Yakuza game on Game Pass. Couple this with the fact that the next-gen version of Yakuza: Like A Dragon is still exclusive to Xbox Series consoles, with a PS5 version not set to arrive until March,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2MAvTkG

Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge Samsung’s new line of smartphones the S21 line — the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra are now available for purchase at various retailers. Below, we tell you where you can order them and what deals you can get from each retailer. As a reminder, their prices range from $999.99 to upward of $1,379.99. If you want to check out our thoughts before you buy, we reviewed the Galaxy S21 and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. If you want more information on the Galaxy S21 Plus, The Verge ’s Chaim Gartenberg did a hands-on earlier this month for all three phones . Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy S21 You can order the Samsung Galaxy S21 directly through Samsung’s website , starting at $799.99. If you have a phone to trade-in , you can get up to $700 in... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/36mPvzT

Robinhood has started restricting trading in cryptocurrencies this morning, just as the price of joke cryptocurrency Dogecoin has soared more than 300 percent in 24 hours. CNBC reports that Robinhood users started noticing instant deposits for cryptocurrencies were no longer working on Friday morning, and the company has confirmed it has put restrictions in place. “Due to extraordinary market conditions, we’ve temporarily turned off Instant buying power for crypto,” says a Robinhood spokesperson in a statement to CNBC. “Customers can still use settled funds to buy crypto. We’ll keep monitoring market conditions and communicating with our customers.” Image: Coindesk Dogecoin price on Friday morning. Dogecoin c... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2M8Bor8

Image: Tesla Tesla CEO Elon Musk says production for the company’s upcoming Roadster isn’t due to begin until “next year,” roughly two years after the car was initially set to enter production. Tesla announced its $200,000 Roadster back in 2017 , when Musk said the car would start being built in 2020. In a tweet, Musk suggested that work on the car’s “Tri-motor drive system & advanced battery work” were to blame for the delay. Musk says that Tesla hopes to finish engineering this year, and to have a “release candidate design drivable in late summer.” Finishing engineering this year, production starts next year. Aiming to have release candidate design drivable late summer. Tri-motor drive system & advanced battery work were important precursors. —... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r8sxVf

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook is planning to offer newsletter tools for independent journalists and writers, The New York Times reports . These are thought to include features for helping writers build a following using the social network, curate their email lists, and manage their paid subscriptions. Although work on the project is in its early stages, executives reportedly hope the features could launch as soon as this summer. The news comes as interest in newsletters is booming. Newsletter service Substack boasted over 250,000 paying subscribers across its service as of September last year , and just this week Twitter acquired newsletter rival Revue . A number of high-profile journalists have left traditional publications to start up independent newsletters,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3tabALF

Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The latest version of Signal for both iOS (5.3.1) and Android (5.3.7) brings a number of new additions to the increasingly popular encrypted messaging app. These include mainstream features like chat wallpapers, animated stickers, and an “About” section in your profile. The iOS app now handles data more efficiently, too, bringing it closer to feature parity with the Android app. Messaging apps like Signal and Telegram have seen a surge in growth in recent weeks. Signal was helped by a recommendation from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, while both benefited from the backlash to Facebook’s confusing new privacy policy for WhatsApp. The new features were first announced on January 11th , and Android Police reported on them rolling out in the beta... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3t8uuCQ

Xiaomi has announced “Mi Air Charge Technology,” a wireless charging system that the company claims is able to charge devices “within a radius of several meters.” Multiple devices can be charged at 5W at the same time, according to Xiaomi, and physical obstacles apparently don’t reduce charging efficiency. Xiaomi says the technology will also work with smartwatches and fitness bracelets. Another goal is to make “living rooms truly wireless,” with speakers, lamps, and smart home devices all being powered by the same remote system. A Xiaomi representative confirms to The Verge , however, that no commercial products will include the technology this year, and declined to provide a timeframe for release. Here’s how Mi Air Charge Technology... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r51hqi

Jon Stewart has just joined Twitter, and is now the proud owner of a verified account . And, of course, his first tweet was about the redditors on r/WallStreetBets and their stonks . While it may be the first time he’s made an appearance on Twitter, Stewart is already fitting right in — with a profile picture that’s not actually of him, but a dog. This is bullshit. The Redditors aren't cheating, they're joining a party Wall Street insiders have been enjoying for years. Don't shut them down...maybe sue them for copyright infringement instead!! We've learned nothing from 2008. Love StewBeef — Jon Stewart (@jon_actual) January 28, 2021 Fellow late-night commentator Stephen Colbert jumped in to welcome him to the platform, giving Stewart a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2KWSW8P

Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images No, Robinhood tells The Verge , it didn’t sell off full shares of GameStop, AMC, and other buzzy stocks without permission from its traders. That contradicts the stories of twelve people who spoke with The Verge, saying that the app unexpectedly sold off their holdings in some of these companies. Quite a number of Robinhood users expressed their surprise on social media today that the app was selling off their stakes, and we tracked down a dozen of them. These traders didn’t believe they had prompted the sales, and they said they weren’t aware of anything on their account that would have automatically triggered them. “I didn’t have any triggers to sell the stock whether it went up or down. I certainly wouldn’t have put it at $197 when... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3iXzG7L

Students head to class at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. | E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced that it will discontinue its use of remote-proctoring software Proctorio after its summer 2021 term. The decision follows almost a year of outcry over the service, both on UIUC’s campus and around the US, citing concerns with privacy, discrimination, and accessibility. Proctorio is one of the most prominent software platforms that colleges and universities use to watch for cheating on remote tests. It uses what its website describes as “machine learning and advanced facial detection technologies” to record students through their webcams while they work on their exams and monitor the position of their heads. The software flags “suspicious signs” to professors, who can review its... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3clIW4g

Google is actively removing negative reviews of the Robinhood app from the Google Play Store, the company confirmed to The Verge. After some disgruntled Robinhood users organized campaigns to give the app a one-star review on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store — and succeeded in review-bombing it all the way down to a one-star rating — the company has now deleted enough reviews to bring it back up to nearly four stars. Robinhood came under intense scrutiny on Thursday, after the stock trading app announced it would block purchases of GameStop, AMC, and other stocks made popular by the r/WallStreetBets subreddit, and some users have already replaced their deleted one-star reviews with new ones to make their anger heard. Here’s a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39rIsb2

In Steve Gaynor’s attic, there is a box that does not belong to him. He bought his Portland home from a family who put the house up for sale after the death of its elderly owner. Months later, Gaynor and his wife discovered a cardboard box full of letters and other artifacts from a stranger’s life. “There was this backstory about this person who had been part of this family that was all contained inside this one cardboard box,” Gaynor said. It’s an anecdote almost too good to be believed: a co-founder of Fullbright, a studio known for pioneering “walking sim” games, living out his very own Gone Home -style adventure. Gaynor wondered not just about the box’s owner, but the possibilities of these found items: “How can we express that... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39oLr44

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Facebook’s Oversight Board has issued its first round of rulings, upholding one removal and overturning four decisions involving hate speech, nudity, and misinformation. Together, the rulings take an expansive view of what users can post under the current policies, based on concerns about vague rules and protecting freedom of expression online. The Oversight Board — composed of experts outside Facebook — accepted its first set of cases in December. While the original slate included six incidents, a user in one case proactively deleted their post , rendering the decision moot. Facebook has pledged to follow its rulings within seven days and respond to recommendations for new policies within 30 days. In a response to the rulings , Facebook... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2YkCuSY

The Razer Viper 8K weighs two grams more (71g) than the original Viper (69g). | Image: Razer Razer’s Viper 8K is a refresh of the 2019 true ambidextrous Viper . For the most part, it’s identical and is now available at the same $79 asking price , but it has some key upgrades for competitive gamers who are hoping that tech might help them get the edge over their opponents. First off, Razer now includes the Focus Plus 20,000DPI sensor used in many of its other 2020 mice, along with the latest generation of optical switches that have a more tactile click feel, according to the company (although it didn’t stand out as noticeable to me when I tested the mouse). The biggest news is that, according to Razer, the newly revised Viper can achieve the fastest polling rate of any mouse currently available: up to 8,000Hz — far higher than the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3cecO2C

Xinhua/Joel Lerner via Getty Images General Motors, an automotive company that sells hundreds of thousands of giant gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs every year, says it will be carbon neutral by 2040. The company says it will achieve this goal by “removing emissions from all our products, including every vehicle we produce, and all of our global operations in the next twenty years.” And when removing those emissions aren’t possible, GM says it will purchase carbon credits to offset the pollution for which it is responsible. Notably, though, GM wouldn’t commit to ending its sale of gas-powered vehicles within its targeted time frame. The announcement comes a day after President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders aimed at combating climate change. The new... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3a9IinT

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you are in the market for a new pair of wireless earbuds and want something with an unconventional design, Master & Dynamic’s MW07 Go true wireless earbuds are $120 at Best Buy today . That’s $80 off their usual price of $200. At first glance, the MW07 Go look like they might be uncomfortable inside your ears, but don’t let the looks fool you. The Verge ’s Cameron Faulkner reviewed these earbuds in 2019 and noted they are much more comfortable than their appearance suggests. These buds also have great sound, last up to 10 hours on a single charge, and include a USB-C charging case. Amazon is currently selling Samsung’s 980 Pro NVMe M.2 SSD with 500GB for $112 today . Normally $150, this is the lowest price we have seen this internal... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39r176X

Microsoft released its annual sustainability report today, and Minecraft developer Mojang decided to turn it into something interactive. Called simply “ Sustainable City ,” the new Minecraft map is available as a free download in the Minecraft marketplace, and it’s also been added to the game’s educational offshoot. The map features six included lessons, which Mojang says are “designed to give students a sense of stewardship for the planet.” The lessons cover topics like sustainable food production, water outflow and treatment, and responsible forestry. One lesson tasks players with exploring a home built entirely from sustainable materials; another has them venture to a landfill to learn what happens to non-recyclable materials. The... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39mXRt7

Robinhood has added new limits to its app to restrict users from buying or trading any of the popular Reddit r/WallStreetBets stocks , including GameStop ($GME), AMC ($AMC), BlackBerry ($BB), Bed Bath & Beyond ($BBBY), Nokia ($NOK), and more. Users will still be allowed to close out existing positions but won’t be able to buy more of the stocks. The company is citing “recent volatility” in the market as the reasoning behind the change. We continuously monitor the markets and make changes where necessary. In light of recent volatility, we are restricting transactions for certain securities to position closing only, including $AMC, $BB, $BBBY, $EXPR, $GME, $KOSS, $NAKD and $NOK. We also raised margin requirements for certain securities. The... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39mXmPL

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge An online casino Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/39suh5m

There are plenty of great 2D action games about exploring dark, mysterious worlds. Think Hollow Knight , Dead Cells , or anything inspired by Castlevania . Aside from similar themes, these games have something else in common: they’re almost always incredibly hard. Olija goes in a different direction. It still takes place in a world full of terrors to fight and secrets to uncover, and it features fast-paced action with lots of interesting weapons. But it’s also much more approachable. I wouldn’t call it easy, but it’s satisfying without being frustrating. You get the same haunting vibe without all of the stress. In Olija, you play as a man named Faraday whose ship crashes in an incredibly cursed part of the world called Terraphage. He has... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3abCgTJ