The Future of Tech, News and making sense of it all!

Saturday, March 14, 2020

TPS Consulting Daily


TECHNOLOGY AND MORE!

Comcast Is Offering 60 Days of Free Internet for Low-Income Families Right Now

AT&T Comcast 60 Days13KLifehacker / 10h
Low-income families can potentially get two months of free internet from Comcast in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The internet is being offered through its Internet Essentials program, an existing Comcast program that offers the same internet for $9.95 a month to those families.

Delta slashes capacity, parks up to 300 jets amid ‘unprecedented’ coronavirus impact

4KThe Points Guy / 10h
The Atlanta-based carrier will cut system capacity by 40% over the “next few months,” suspend all flying to continental Europe for at least 30 days, and park up to 300 aircraft in an effort to mitigate the travel slowdown, Bastian told employees in a memo Friday.
Delta Air Lines is taking drastic steps in self-preservation as it faces what CEO Ed Bastian calls an “unprecedented” impact from the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Satellites Show Italy's Air Pollution Dissipating as Covid-19 Outbreak Worsens

16KGizmodo / 9h
With Italy severely restricting travel and whole sectors of the economy essentially shutting down and using less power, it would seem to follow that nitrogen dioxide emissions would drop.
In an effort to staunch the number of cases, the Italian government severely restricted travel this week in northern Italy—the pandemic epicenter for the country—before extending restrictions to the entire country.


'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' is available on digital a few days early

Frozen 2 Disney Three200+Engadget / 51min
It looks like Frozen 2 isn't the only Disney property getting an early launch due to the current conditions of everything. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is now available on most digital stores ( Vudu , iTunes , Google Play , update : Amazon too !) right now, several days before its March 17th launch date for $20 in 1080p or $25 in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision HDR where available. It's not availabl

Disney+ will start streaming 'Frozen 2' on Sunday, three months early

Frozen 2 Disney Three2KEngadget / 2h
In a move that feels in parts altruistic and business savvy, Disney has bumped up the Disney+ streaming release date for Frozen 2 to this weekend. Many families are unexpectedly home and certainly feeling the stress of everything going on due to coronavirus, and could probably use a break to watch the much-loved movie. It's also a high-profile exclusive for Disney's streaming service , which has
Also in
Engadget
Android Central +1 sources

Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft’s board to focus on philanthropy

Bill Gates Microsoft24SlashGear / 2h
In an announcement on Friday, Microsoft revealed that company co-founder Bill Gates has decided to step down from his role on its Board of Directors in order to focus on his philanthropic efforts at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
This isn’t the first time Gates has distanced himself from the company in order to focus on his philanthropy work; he first ended his day-to-day role at Microsoft back in 2008 to better focus on the Foundation.
Also in
TechRadar
The Verge +1 sources

Bill Gates Steps Down from Microsoft's Board

Bill Gates Microsoft200+Wired / 3h
Eight years later, Gates left his full-time post at Microsoft to spend most of his time with the foundation.
Gates explained the move in a brief LinkedIn post , where he also said he was leaving the board of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate led by his long-time friend Warren Buffett.

Netflix pauses production on 'Stranger Things,' other shows due to coronavirus

300+Engadget / 3h
TV and media giants, including streaming services, are feeling the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic. According to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline , Netflix has put a pause on all scripted TV and film production for two weeks in the US and Canada to comply with government restrictions in the face of COVID-19. The affected shows include viewer favorite Stranger Things , which had to s

What Is a Quarantine?

100+Wired / 3h
“I have grave doubts about that,” says Lawrence Gostin, director of Georgetown’s World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. Yes, new cases have gone down in China, but they’ve also gone down in South Korea , which didn't lock down whole cities.
Although they were initially skeptical of the approach, officials from the World Health Organization last month said the mass quarantine likely slowed the spread of the virus to other countries, and that other nations should consider adopting such an approach.

Don't Build a Game in Dreams Just Yet

23Gizmodo / 4h
Creators who took a chance on Dreams, the new PlayStation platform which provides the tools for the time-consuming labor of constructing a video game, have long been asking when they’ll be able to take their work off of Dreams and, say, sell it.
One day before Dreams’s Feb. 14 public launch, Gizmodo asked Media Molecule whether users would own their work and be able to take it off the platform without a watermark.

Don't Use Tor Right Now If You're Working From Home

Tor Avast JavaScript100+Gizmodo / 4h
According to the Tor development team , a bug is accidentally allowing Javascript to run on webpages even when users have specifically disabled it or have the browser’s strictest settings turned on (via ZDNet ).
Disabling and blocking Javascript is one of Tor’s key features, but the malfunction undermines its safety and makes the browser potentially dangerous for users who rely on its anonymity since companies, government entities, and even hackers can use Javascript to find IP addresses.

Downsize Responsibly With the Utalent 5-In-1 Hand Blender

Gizmodo / 4h
I’m particularly drawn to products that serve multiple functions, which is why I love this Utalet five-in-one immersion hand blender , which features an immersion blender, food processor, electric whisk, and milk frother.
I don’t think you should immediately throw away your blender, food processor, electric whisk, and milk frother and buy this one.

Android malware allows attackers to hijack social media accounts

65TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 4h
Researchers at Kaspesky have discovered two new Android malware modifications that, when combined, can steal cookies collected by user's browsers and social media apps to allow an attacker to discreetly gain control over a victim's accounts.
Once in possession of a user's ID, attackers can trick websites into thinking that they are that person and take control of their account.

Vudu digital movie platform adds useful new Lists feature

SlashGear / 4h
A quick test of the new feature reveals that users can also add free content to lists, meaning shows that stream on the service with advertisements rather than ones made available for purchase or renting.
Users can create a large number of lists, add as many shows or movies to them as they want, and delete them at any time.

All ISPs Should Lift Data Caps Due to Coronavirus

33How-To Geek / 4h
AT&T, Comcast, and T-Mobile have already lifted data caps, which are already indefensible at the best of times. No internet service provider should rake in extra profits from harsh data caps at a time when people have to work, study, and entertain themselves at home. Read This Article on How-To Geek ›

American Airlines Grounding Fleets, Cutting Flights, and Extending Sick Time

30View from the Wing / 4h
American Airlines Grounding Fleets, Cutting Flights, and Extending Sick Time
And they’re promising that actual quarantined employees won’t be fired for taking sick time.

Comcast suspends data caps, makes Xfinity WiFi free for 60 days

AT&T Comcast 60 Days3KEngadget / 4h
Internet Essentials Free to New Customers: As announced yesterday, it's even easier for low-income families who live in a Comcast service area to sign-up for Internet Essentials, the nation's largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program.
New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month.

Comcast and T-Mobile upgrade everyone to unlimited data for next 60 days

AT&T Comcast 60 Days500+Ars Technica / 4h
"With so many people working and educating from home, we want our customers to access the Internet without thinking about data plans," Comcast's announcement said.
Comcast announced late Friday that it is suspending enforcement of its data cap and overage fees for 60 days during the coronavirus pandemic.

Microsoft Build goes online-only

Microsoft Build 202036TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 5h
Microsoft's Build developer conference is the latest event in the tech industry to be affected by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak .
While the software giant was originally planning to hold its annual developer conference in Seattle this May, the company has now decided to make it a “digital event”

Shared bikes, e-scooters, cars are still OK to use during coronavirus outbreak

72Mashable / 5h
You should certainly wash your hands after riding a bike or scooter, but also consider wiping down the vehicle at frequent touch points (like the handles).
As for those fleets of bicycles and e-scooters available for rent through apps like Lime, Lyft, and Uber's Jump, it's all about keeping the vehicles and your hands clean.

Minecraft ‘loophole’ library of banned journalism

300+BBC News - Technology / 5h
He said the authors were chosen to represent the countries where press was censored, so that people from those communities would be able to access their work.
Christian Mihr, executive director of Reporters Without Borders Germany, told the BBC that Minecraft was good for the project as he believes it is not seen as a threat by governments which censor their media.

Bill Gates Stepping Down From Microsoft’s Board

Bill Gates Microsoft3KNYT > Technology / 5h
Mr. Gates, who founded the company with Paul Allen four decades ago, will also step down from the board of Berkshire Hathaway.
“I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve — Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway — to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change,” Mr. Gates wrote in a LinkedIn post .
Also in
Mashable
Ars Technica

AMC Theatres will start capping capacity to protect moviegoers

SlashGear / 5h
According to a new report, AMC Theatres will start capping the number of people who can attend screenings so that they can have multiple empty spaces between them.
AMC is the first big movie theater company in the US to make a change based on the current outbreak.

Red Magic 5G gaming smartphone has 144hz display, internal cooling fan

56Ars Technica / 5h
There are a couple niche brands out there that make "gaming" Android phones, but Nubia's Red Magic series is probably the gamer-i-est gaming phone thanks to the inclusion of an internal cooling fan.
The fan exhausts via a vent on the right side of the phone, above the power and volume button, and it pulls in air from another chunky vent on the left.

Jalopnik Man Builds Incredible Custom 'Super Bronco' By Welding A Ford F-250 To A Ford Excursion | Jezebel What The Hel...

20Gizmodo / 5h
Jalopnik Man Builds Incredible Custom 'Super Bronco' By Welding A Ford F-250 To A Ford Excursion | Jezebel What The Hell Am I Supposed to Do With This Shit? | The Root Ja'Net DuBois' Birth Father May Have Been Jazz Legend Cab Calloway, Family Claims | The A.V. Club Congrats to Pete Buttigieg, who has achieved his dream of becoming famous | Read more...

The Five Best Juicers, According to Our Readers

Gizmodo / 5h
You also get more bang for your buck with a masticating/cold press juicer like this because you’re able to extract more juice out of your fresh fruits and veggies.
The Kuvings Whole Slow Juicer is wonderful for making cold pressed juices.

Facebook will shut down its MSQRD selfie app

Facebook AR MSQRD 2016100+Engadget / 5h
Since then, the MSQRD team has been focused on building out Facebook's AR platform, Spark AR , which allows users to create effects for Instagram.
But now that Facebook's most popular AR effects live within Instagram and other camera-focused apps, MSQRD — which hasn't been updated since 2016 — feels more like an afterthought than the novelty it once was.

ZTE is being investigated over possible bribery

ZTE US Bribery NBC News100+TechCrunch / 5h
ZTE’s struggles with the U.S. government generally haven’t been as high-profile as fellow Chinese mobile giant Huawei, but the company has still had its share of issues in recent years.
The company did, however issue a pretty generic statement to NBC, noting:

Bill Gates leaves Microsoft’s board

Bill Gates Microsoft500+TechCrunch / 5h
Though he will remain technology advisor to CEO Satya Nadella, this move reduces his involvement with the company to the lowest level it has ever been.
Bill Gates has stepped down from the board of Microsoft to spend more time on his philanthropic endeavors, the company announced Friday afternoon .
Also in
The Next Web
Gizmodo +9 sources

Working from home essentials: deals on laptops, monitors, headsets and more

32TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 6h
Making the transition from the office to your home can be difficult, especially if you lack the tools to do your job efficiently. Luckily, Dell is currently holding its semi-annual sale, which includes fantastic deals on essentials to get you working from home in no time. For a limited time, you can save on a selection of laptops, monitors, headsets, and computer accessories. Dell's top working f

Glisten uses computer vision to break down product photos to their most important parts

200+TechCrunch / 6h
When it comes to fashion and other relatively complex products, they do the same sort of thing: Look at the image and generate a list of features with corresponding confidence levels.
That’s not hard to do for one image, but a clothing retailer might have thousands of products, each with a dozen pictures, and new ones coming in weekly.

A Powerful New Telescope Is About to Get Screwed by Elon Musk’s Starlink Constellation, Research Suggests

62Gizmodo / 6h
New research from the Rubin Observatory Project Science Team (PST) shows that a megaconstellation consisting of 42,000 satellites will wreak havoc on the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), which is slated to begin late next year and end in 2032.
Rubin Observatory in Chile, anxious operators have run tests to see how well the system might work when low Earth orbit is cluttered with satellite megaconstellations, similar to the one being built by SpaceX.

How The Government May Provide Aid To US Airlines

88One Mile at a Time / 6h
Apparently the White House is considering letting airlines keep the passenger facility charge.
Presumably airlines wouldn’t get to keep both the federal excise tax and passenger facility charge.

Sponsors could be key to solving tech’s lack of gender diversity

76TechCrunch / 6h
Companies can, however, improve their gender-diversity efforts and accelerate the number of women not only entering, but advancing and succeeding in, the tech industry by implementing sponsorship programs.
For women who want a career in tech, a sponsor can help eliminate bureaucratic red tape and other hurdles by putting the focus on an employee’s skills and accomplishments, recommending her for coveted assignments and identifying and helping female employees secure opportunities to expedite advancement within a company.

Here’s what to consider if you’re thinking about booking future travel now

The Points Guy / 6h
Let’s talk about whether now is the right time to book a trip for the future and what safeguards you can put in place to make sure your vacation goes off without a hitch — or can easily be canceled, if need be, with the least financial loss.
Many airlines have shifted to temporary policies that allow you to book new flights now through a certain date, and can cancel for a full refund later, often with the ability to make changes within the next year.

Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft's board of directors

Bill Gates Microsoft3KEngadget / 6h
Gates posted a statement on LinkedIn that said "I have made the decision to step down from both of the public boards on which I serve – Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway – to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities including global health and development, education, and my increasing engagement in tackling climate change.
Amid the spreading outbreak of COVID-19, Engadget reader Bill Gates has apparently decided "to dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health, development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change." He's stepping down from the board of directors at the company he co-founded in 1975 as well as his position on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, but will still be a "technology advisor" to current CEO Satya Nadella and other executives.

TechCrunch is postponing Early Stage SF and Sessions: Mobility

80TechCrunch / 6h
If any of our other events are affected by the coronavirus or other developments, we’ll update you right away.
Based on guidance from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other officials, TechCrunch has decided to postpone TC Early Stage in San Francisco and TC Sessions: Mobility in San Jose.

Chelsea Manning is out of jail after almost a year

Chelsea Manning Jail94Ars Technica / 6h
The judge was holding Manning in contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury about matters related to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
In 2019, federal prosecutors called her to testify before a grand jury as the government built its case against Assange.

Global Officials Call for Free Access to Covid-19 Research

500+Wired / 6h
In an open letter, the advisers, including White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director Kelvin Droegemeier, asked the publishers to make data available through PubMed Central , a free archive of medical and life science research, or through other sources such as the World Health Organization's Covid database .
Government science advisers from the US and 11 other countries Friday called on scientific publishers to make all research related to the coronavirus and Covid-19 more freely available.

Coronavirus reveals everything that's wrong with our mental health care system

400+Mashable / 6h
Coronavirus anxiety is showing up at Crisis Text Line , where users of the free mental health support service are mentioning words like scared, terrified, overwhelmed, panicking, and paranoid to describe their feelings.
The nonprofit has since posted an 11-page document that outlines coronavirus information and resources, including where to get mental health help if you've been quarantined and how to access care without insurance or regular doctor.

NewView Capital’s Ravi Viswanathan on how mature companies can survive this market

64TechCrunch / 6h
Viswanathan most recently founded NewView Capital a couple of years ago — a firm that launched with $1.35 billion from investors, largely to acquire the stakes of 31 companies that had been funded by New Enterprise Associates.
It’s how he knew which companies to take with him to NewView, which, by the way, largely shares the same investors as NEA.

YouTuber Builds the World's Most Powerful Handheld Laser Pointer and It Can Instantly Melt Glass

200+Gizmodo / 7h
The last time we checked in on Drake Anthony, who’s best known ‘round YouTube parts as Styropyro , he was demonstrating his latest toy: a professional (and extremely sketchy) laser tattoo remover he found on eBay that maxed out at around 30 million watts.
The diodes are designed to be used individually in devices like laser-based projectors for large movie theaters, so, pushing safety aside for a few hours, Drake turned an old microwave radar gun into a handheld housing that allows all 20 of the blue laser diodes to be fired simultaneously with over 100-watts of power.

A letter to our readers about coronavirus from The Points Guy founder and CEO Brian Kelly

29The Points Guy / 7h
In this uncertain and unprecedented time, TPG is committed to another goal: keeping you informed on all the latest travel news as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic and making sure you have all the tools you need at your fingertips — whether you decide to travel or to cancel or change existing plans.
We support the world’s governments, health officials and all of the hundreds of thousands of employees at airlines, hotel companies, cruise lines and more who are working around the clock to help all of us change our reservations and even cancel trips.

Verizon waiving some fees for next 60 days, but probably not yours

Verizon CoronavirusSlashGear / 7h
Verizon’s exact wording for this “waive late fees” situation is as follows: “Verizon announced today, for the next 60 days, it will waive late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus.
Verizon Residential Customers are the sort of people who have internet connected to Verizon’s services in their home.

Self-driving cars are now helping people affected by COVID-19

52Mashable / 7h
Neolix is a Chinese delivery service that has sent out its fleet of self driving cars to deliver goods and medical supplies. Read more... More about Health , Mashable Video , Self Driving Cars , Coronavirus , and Covid 19

FitnessAI races past $1M ARR heading into YC Demo Day

100+TechCrunch / 7h
So from a data set to an algorithm to a mobile app to a guided weight-lifting experience, FitnessAI has gotten a lot done in the last year or so.
That huge set of workout data points helped Mor construct FitnessAI’s core weight-lifting algorithm.

Social distancing could be our best weapon against coronavirus

20Mashable / 7h
With a vaccine still at least a year away, social distancing could be the most effective way to combat the spread. Read more... More about Health , Mashable Video , Prevention , Coronavirus , and Covid 19

Flawed WordPress popup plugin allows attackers to inject malicious code

CVSS 8.337TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Vulnerabilities have been discovered in a popular WordPress plugin called Popup Builder which could allow unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code into popups in order to steal information and even potentially take full control over targeted sites.
One of the vulnerabilities Gall discovered in the Popup Builder plugin allows an unauthenticated attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code into any published popup and the code would then be executed whenever it is loaded.

Apple probably doesn’t know how to fix your broken Mac Pro

Mac CleanMyMac X Apple38TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
That’s according to a report at Apple Insider , which reveals that many of Apple’s employees are still not trained to deal with Mac Pro problems more than three months after its initial release.
“An employee rushes out the door to carry it in for us as we entertain looks from all the employees, none of which had seen a 2019 Mac Pro lugged in by a customer before,” the report says, adding that the first Genius Bar employee they met tried to use a standard power cable to boot up the machine as the store didn’t have Mac Pro power cables in stock.

The good SaaS times will end and challenges are coming

76TechCrunch / 7h
If you’re winning business from customers moving between SaaS tools — like someone swapping out Jira (a SaaS project management tool) in favor of Asana (another SaaS project management tool), just make sure you are the clear “recession-choice” provider, otherwise the flow might go the other way and not only will new sales drop, churn will increase.
The new breed of SaaS debt providers should be able to keep providing credit through a recession, as they understand the real asset of recurring revenue.

Study finds the keto flu is very real: Diet symptoms detailed

SlashGear / 7h
The new study analyzed a few dozen forums for reports from keto dieters and found that most people can experience these symptoms in the first few weeks.
A new study has found that the ‘keto flu,’ the series of symptoms people say they experience in the early stages of the diet, is real.

Work From Home Sufficiently Caffeinated With This $69 Pour-Over Coffee Brewer

Gizmodo / 7h
Eventually, all this working from home is going to get to our heads, and we’ll be lying in bed with an empty bag of chips—crumbs on our faces—wondering to ourselves how we all got to this point. Lethargic and desperate, we’ll think to ourselves, I need that good good coffee right now . Enter the $69 Motif Elements pour-over style coffee brewer . Discounted 54% from its usual $150 selling price (o

Zoom is a work-from-home privacy disaster waiting to happen

Zoom Home TechCrunch500+Mashable / 7h
We reached out to Zoom in an effort to determine whether meeting participants are notified if and when hosts enable attendee attention tracking, but received no immediate response.
"Hosts can see an indicator in the participant panel of a meeting or webinar if an attendee does not have Zoom Desktop Client or Mobile App in focus for more than 30 seconds," explains the company .

Marriott Introduces Flexible Cancelation Policy

32One Mile at a Time / 7h
Following the lead of most other global hotel brands , Marriott has today announced a more flexible booking policy, as well as some positive news for Bonvoy members.
On top of that, for reservations made between March 13 and April 30, 2020, Marriott will allow reservations to be canceled for free up until 24 hours before arrival, even if it’s a pre-paid rate.

Banned for life: JetBlue cracks down on man who traveled with coronavirus

54The Points Guy / 7h
Consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, we ask all customers who are not feeling well, who believe they may have coronavirus, or who are awaiting test results to avoid travel until they are cleared by a medical professional….(The) event put our crewmembers, customers, and federal and local officials in an unsettling situation that could have easily been avoided, and as such, this customer will not be permitted to fly on JetBlue in the future.”
The passenger boarded a flight from New York-JFK to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) on Wednesday March 11, 2020.

Noise Cancelling ep 2: E3 cancelled, new iPads and what's up with Sony headphones?

25TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 7h
Well, all manner of things were discussed: the never-ending saga of the Samsung Galaxy S20 review , Sherri revealed her love for Ori and the Will of the Wisps while Rami reviewed the HTC Vive Cosmos, and the pair both shared their feelings on Apple’s new headphones and Windows 10…
If you somehow missed it last week, well, here's a recap: Noise Cancelling is your weekly listen into the world of tech, giving you the info you need to pretend you know what you're talking about with friends and giving an entertaining (well, we think so) alternative look at all the news, reviews and features that we write about here each week.

twixnmix: The Supremes at EMI Records in London, 1967.

Music, Arts & Literature / 7h
twixnmix : The Supremes at EMI Records in London, 1967.

Major ISPs Agree Not to Cancel Internet Service Over The Next 60 days

FCC US AT&T Americans400+Gizmodo / 7h
This decision comes just 24 hours after FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and several U.S. senators issued separate statements to the FCC and major ISPs to lift data caps, waive overage fees, stop throttling, and work with schools, universities, hospitals and other groups and individuals to provide internet access without prohibitive economic barriers.
AT&T was the first major ISP to announce it would waive overage fees for its customers.

'Quarantine with Me' is the perfect coronavirus ballad

300+Mashable / 7h
You might not have known you wanted a coronavirus-related jam, but David Sikabwe has delivered one to us nonetheless. And damn if it isn't good. His ballad "Quarantine with Me" — which has already racked up its fair share of likes on Twitter — is catchy, almost strangely beautiful, and full of good information about the coronavirus. There's also some very funny lines, including, "You and me in be

How Long Does the Coronavirus Live on Different Surfaces?

500+Lifehacker / 7h
Library books are generally okay, Wootton said, while you should be careful with surfaces that are handled by a lot of different people.
Water fountains , gym equipment , shopping carts , door handles , and daycare toys all have the potential to be harboring a lot of bugs, while items such as books and comforters, which aren’t usually shared that much, don’t pose as much of a risk.

AMC & Regal movie theaters will now only sell 50% of tickets to help social distancing practices

1KMashable / 8h
AMC and Regal, two of the nation's largest movie theater chains, are immediately implementing social distancing measures to help prevent spreading the coronavirus. Both theaters will be cutting down theater capacity by half, selling only 50 percent of seats for any given screening in order to keep guests from having to sit too close to each other. BREAKING: AMC Theaters commits to “Social Distan

The Week the Sports World Went Dark

100+Wired / 8h
The sports world has gone dark. In an unprecedented sweep, this week almost every professional league decided to suspend or cancel its future games in response to growing concerns over the spread of Covid-19. The chain reaction was set off Wednesday night when the National Basketball Association announced it was “indefinitely” suspending its season after Utah Jazz all-star Rudy Gobert tested posi

Qatar Airways CEO Was A Coronavirus Denier

View from the Wing / 8h
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker gave an interview where he was skeptical about the seriousness of the novel coronavirus, and annoyed at the inconvenience to aviation.
WATCH: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker doubts the existence of #coronavirus that has already reached 126 countries and territories, infecting more than 132,000 people worldwide.

A Global Pandemic Won’t Stop the Desperate Desire to Go Viral

31Gizmodo / 8h
Hall monitor’s note: Good job Facebook?
For any given topic, there will not only be porn of it ( which we now have for covid-19 ), but also a YouTube conspiracy, a TikTok banger, an Instagram meme, a reddit forum, a Snapchat filter, an emoji, and a parody Twitter account.

Dick Tracy Is an Exercise of Style Over Substance, With Lots of Batman Sprinkled on Top

300+Gizmodo / 8h
Oh sure, there’s a story in there and at times it’s entertaining as hell, but what stands out three decades after its release is how Beatty was able to springboard off the success of Tim Burton’s Batman to make a movie filled with things you rarely get to see on film.
But in 2020, the 1990 film Dick Tracy feels like it came from a director who walked into a room and said, “ Let me make Tim Burton’s Batman , but even crazier,” and was seemingly only interested in using colors that are underrepresented on screen.

Coronavirus crisis raises questions about the survival of already-struggling airlines

22The Points Guy / 8h
On Friday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian called the impact “unprecedented” in a memo to employees where he said the carrier would cut global capacity by 40% in response to the dramatic slowdown in air travel.
While U.S. carriers remain largely well capitalized — and executives who spoke at a J.P. Morgan conference on Tuesday all emphasized their continued credit access — airlines in other regions, from Asia to Europe and Latin America could be at risk.

World Of Hyatt Delays Peak Pricing, Adds Flexibility

69One Mile at a Time / 8h
In addition to a more flexible booking policy, positive developments have also been announced for World of Hyatt members.
In light of the evolving coronavirus situation, Hyatt has announced a more flexible booking policy, as well as some positive developments for World of Hyatt members.

Amazon Music opens up Alexa and streaming stats to artists

93Engadget / 8h
Spotify and Apple Music have offered artist apps since 2017 and 2018 , respectively.
As of April 2019 , Amazon Music had 32 million subscribers across its music services, putting it behind both Spotify and Apple Music.

What's Social Distancing? Flattening the Curve? Your Covid-19 Questions, Answered.

1KWired / 8h
According to early research published in the New England Journal of Medicine that looked at more than 1,000 Wuhan residents who contracted the coronavirus, it’s not just older adults that are susceptible to severe illness; people with chronic health conditions are also at a higher risk.
Coronavirus patients with diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, experienced a higher rate of infection than the general public, and nearly 15 percent of patients with serious coexisting disorders faced severe complications or death.

New MacBook Air tipped for reveal by end of March

MacBook Air Next WeekSlashGear / 8h
A rumor surfaced today that the next big update for Apple’s collection of hardware devices will be a MacBook Air. This next-generation device is tipped to be revealed soon – as early as next week.
The newest era of MacBook Air could include improvements on a scale not seen since its last major update in October of 2018.

In Honor of Mulan, Otterbox Adds a Symmetry Case to Their Princess Collection

Gizmodo / 8h
In honor of Mulan, the live-action film (in theaters starting March 27th), Otterbox has added a super-durable case to their “Power Of Princess” Disney collection.
But back to the case—Otterbox is known for it’s reliability and durability, and they didn’t slack on any of that when making the Mulan case.

Bleach Kills the Coronavirus, Too

2KLifehacker / 8h
(If you don’t need a whole gallon of disinfectant, try 4 teaspoons per quart.) Throw on some gloves, spray or wipe the solution on any non-porous surface in your home, and let it air dry.
As long as you wipe everything down with your usual surface cleaner first to make sure there’s no lingering bread crumbs or coffee grounds getting in the way, a bleach solution will work flawlessly.

ESA and Roscosmos delay ExoMars rover mission to 2022

ExoMars Mars Europe 2022SlashGear / 8h
The European Space Agency has announced that its ExoMars mission has been postponed until 2022.
The decision was made based on recommendations from a team tasked with determining what all still needs to be done in order to get launch authorization.

Italian cave makes sense of the change in Earth’s ice age rhythm

100+Ars Technica / 8h
That shortened timing makes the end of both glacial periods (that is, the start of warming) line up with a peak in the tilt cycle, but only one of them lines up with a peak in the 23,000 year-long precession cycle.
The longest available ice core climate records don’t quite get back a million years, so anything past that is generally relying on seafloor sediment cores.

ISP policies like shutoffs, late fees, and data overages are getting canceled due to coronavirus

AT&T Comcast Internet500+Mashable / 8h
Interestingly, Pai also wants ISPs to "relax" their data cap policies, per the announcement, even though that wasn't part of the pledge itself.
It's hard to find the silver linings during a pandemic, but the coronavirus outbreak has forced big internet providers like AT&T and Comcast to suspend some anti-consumer policies.

US wireless carriers pledge to suspend cancellations amid outbreak

FCC US Americans ISP1KEngadget / 8h
One day after Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called on the FCC to take aggressive action in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the federal agency has announced the Keep Americans Connected Pledge .
While it's not part of the pledge, the FCC says Chairman Pai pushed the companies he spoke to over the phone to relax their data caps, as well as waive long-distance calling and overage fees.

LEGO has designed a miniature version of the iconic Fiat 500 — Future Blink

100+Mashable / 8h
The Fiat is made from 960 pieces and is a part of LEGO’s “Creator Expert” series. Read more... More about Cars , Mashable Video , Legos , Future Blink , and Tech

Coronavirus hotel change and cancellation policies: What to know

25The Points Guy / 8h
That’s in addition to a previous policy where the hotel chain allowed travelers with reservations to Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan with stays between Jan. 23, 2020, and March 9, 2020, and Italy and South Korea between Feb. 28, 2020, and March 9, 2020, to cancel without penalty.
Hilton also said that any new and existing reservations — even nonrefundable or advanced purchase rates — that are booked between March 12 and April 30, 2020, for any future arrival date, can be changed or canceled at no charge up to 24 hours before arrival.

This portable standing desk is designed for professionals on the go — Future Blink

84Mashable / 8h
Short for “Mobile Office for Travelers,” MOFT Z was designed to help increase productivity. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Work , Portable , Standing Desk , and Future Blink

Making a minimum wage from Spotify is much harder than you think

80Mashable / 8h
Based on a full time, 40-hour work week and Spotify’s awarded $0.00437 per stream, you'd need 3,450,892 streams needed to carve out a minimum wage. Read more... More about Tech , Spotify , Mashable Video , Music Industry , and Minimum Wage

'Kidding' showrunner talks about working with Jim Carrey — The Bob Ross Challenge

32Mashable / 8h
Dave Holstein, creator of Showtime's Kidding , talks about his inspiration for writing his breakout show and what it's like to work with Jim Carrey. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Jim Carrey , Weeds , Kidding Showtime , and Bob Ross Challenge

Ben Schwartz pranks the Mashable office

20Mashable / 9h
Ben Schwartz had a blast getting interviewed for "Sonic The Hedgehog." Here are some of his funniest moments. Read more... More about Mashable Video , Jim Carrey , Ben Schwartz , Sonic The Hedgehog , and Space Force

It’s Not You: Scientists Confirm Days Are Actually Getting Longer

1KFuturism / 9h
In addition to having shorter days, years in the Cretaceous period were also longer by a full week, based on measurements of the shells, which grew at different rates based on the season.
Back in the Cretaceous Period, which began about 145 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago, it only took about 23.5 hours for the Earth to complete a full rotation, according to Live Science .

Delta cuts 40% flight capacity for coronavirus

Delta Europe 300 40%SlashGear / 9h
Delta will be parking up to 300 aircraft due to the newly reduced capacity needed in the weeks ahead as a direct result of this global pandemic .
Today Delta CEO Ed Bastian sent an internal letter with a list of actions that’ll be taken to “protect the financial position of the company”.

Delta Air Lines cuts capacity by 40%

Delta Europe 300 40%200+TechCrunch / 9h
As Delta CEO Ed Bastian noted in a letter to the company’s staff today , the company is now seeing more cancellations than new bookings over the next month.
And as a result of this, Delta now expects a capacity reduction of 40% in the next few months, “the largest capacity reduction in Delta’s history, including 2001.”

Make a 'Dirty Quarantini' With Whatever Brine You Have in Your Fridge

500+Lifehacker / 9h
Brine-y martinis are very personal, and the amount of brine or pickling liquid you add will hinge on how salty that liquid is (and how much you like salt).
I, for my part, will most likely be trying a variety of dirty martinis, with brines from whatever pickles and fermented things I have hanging out in my fridge.

What to Do if You Have Tickets to a Canceled Event

200+Lifehacker / 9h
For example, StubHub sent an email with a super chill offer : “If you buy tickets on StubHub to an event that is canceled, you have the option to receive a coupon worth 120% of your original order to go to the live event of your choosing within the next 12 months.
Live Nation said via Twitter that ticketholders for canceled events would receive an email with details.

Instagram uses its power to put coronavirus tips atop feed

200+TechCrunch / 9h
Snapchat is also highlighting health information shared by its Discover partners, including NBC’s Stay Tuned, Sky News, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN and NowThis.
Meanwhile, on Snapchat, the company prohibits partners from sharing misinformation, relying on its closed platform to prevent the false news hoaxes that have plagued open platforms like Facebook.

The best cards for each business credit card category

The Points Guy / 9h
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express : Best for non-bonus spending
The Business Platinum® Card from American Express : Best for booking airfare and prepaid hotel stays through Amex Travel

Fake Meat Taste Test: Can Trader Joe's Beat Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger?

100+Gizmodo / 9h
But because Impossible Burger doesn’t come pre-formed, it’s better suited for use as a replacement in meaty dishes like tacos or lasagnas than the Trader Joe’s faux meat.
Trader Joe’s chose a more traditional plant-based protein solution by using pea protein and a heavy dose of beets, which give its patties a noticeably pinker color and a slightly different flavor than Beyond and Impossible.

The best deals we found this week: Mario games, iPad mini and more

74Engadget / 9h
Also, you can still get $50 off an iPad mini 5 at Amazon and Best Buy. Here are the best deals from this past week that you can still get today.
These sale prices are available at Nintendo's eShop, Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers, but since the sale is nearing its end, some retailers may be sold out of certain games.

An Apple Store employee on leave has tested positive for COVID-19 in Santa Monica

500+TechCrunch / 9h
All our stores around the world have increased deep cleaning protocols and we have actively reduced customer density in all stores worldwide by cancelling Today at Apple sessions and creating extra space for Genius Bar appointments.
Apple says that it has also instituted additional deep-cleaning protocols and taken measures to reduce density by cancelling Today at Apple sessions and spacing out Genius Bar appointments.

Alaska cruise season could be postponed as Canada bans big ships

500+The Points Guy / 9h
Canada is joining the growing list of countries banning cruise ships from visiting its ports — a move that could mean the postponement of the Alaska cruise season for most lines.
What this means for Alaska cruising, on a practical level, is that the ships operated by Princess Cruises, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and most other big players in the region cannot cruise there unless their itineraries include at least one stop in Canada .

An improved MacBook Air could debut as early as next week

MacBook Air Next Week100+Engadget / 9h
A MacRumors source with a largely positive track record has claimed that a refreshed MacBook Air will launch sometime the week of March 16th.
And there's little doubt that the memory and storage options are dated -- could Apple finally boost the Air's base storage beyond 128GB this year?

Latest Science on Covid-19: First U.S. Transmission, China's Elusive Patient Zero, and More

69Gizmodo / 9h
According to the report, the case involved a woman in her 60s who had recently traveled back from Wuhan, China to the state; she then transmitted the virus to her husband.
However, a news report out Friday from the Chinese media outlet South China Morning Post suggests that the true start of the outbreak may have been at least a month earlier.

So you’re stuck working from home… How to handle quarantine

34SlashGear / 9h
Even that’s overkill, I think, though, especially if you’re just starting working from home – or if it’s only going to be temporary.
For me, it’s about getting into the habit of putting my work things away when I’m “clocking out” so that it doesn’t feel like I’m living at my office.

Play 'Pokemon Go' at home during coronavirus pandemic

24Mashable / 9h
Changes that are being made focus on individual-focused features, citing player safety as a top priority. Read more... More about Gaming , Health , Mashable Video , Pokemon Go , and Coronavirus

TikTok and other popular iOS apps are spying on your iPhone clipboard

Apple iPhone 12 3D200+Mashable / 9h
The two developers found that Apple provides apps with the ability to read data stored in the system’s clipboard, officially called Pasteboard on iOS devices.
App developers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry recently published their research uncovering a major vulnerability with the cut-copy-paste feature on Apple iOS devices.

Delta Eliminating Europe Flights, Parking 300 Aircraft, and Asking For Government Subsidies

100+View from the Wing / 9h
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian says that they’re receiving more cancellations than new bookings, and that “the demand fall-off is unlike anything we’ve seen” as a result they are “moving quickly to preserve cash and protect” the airline.
Delta Eliminating Europe Flights, Parking 300 Aircraft, and Asking For Government Subsidies

n8n, a ‘fair code’ workflow automation platform, raises seed from Sequoia as VC firm steps up in Europe

100+TechCrunch / 9h
n8n , a Berlin-based company that has built a “fair code” workflow automation platform to let developers quickly integrate any of the apps that they use to work together automatically — from standard third-party APIs to internal tools created by developers themselves — has picked up a seed round of $1.5 million to continue building out its service, and specifically to introduce its first commercial elements after announcing its existence last October and meeting an unexpected surge of interest .
When concerns about the novel coronavirus — and subsequent changes in activity — are not bringing productivity to a halt (and perhaps especially in times of needing to be as efficient as possible), one of the bigger IT trends has been a push to streamline how people work by creating better integrations between the different apps that they use.

How to buy back your startup from a tech giant like WeWork

90TechCrunch / 9h
We actually didn’t own any equity in Conductor, so no matter what we did as a company, it wasn’t tied to our compensation.
When SEO and marketing company Conductor sold to WeWork in March 2018 , it was a bit of a last-ditch effort.

Instagram cracks down on coronavirus AR effects

Instagram Coronavirus AR100+Engadget / 9h
The company has removed augmented reality effects that claim to "diagnose" or "treat" coronavirus, and will begin hiding other coronavirus-themed augmented reality effects from search results.
"We've removed previously-published effects and are rejecting all new effects, which claim to predict, diagnose, treat, or cure coronavirus," Facebook wrote in an update to its AR creators.

College Students Who Need to Move Out Now Can Get 30 Days of U-Haul Storage For Free

1KLifehacker / 9h
U-Haul is offering 30-days of free storage to any college students who have been forced to suddenly leave their dorms due to the pandemic.
To take advantage of the deal, students will need to visit their local U-Haul storage facility and present their student ID.

Samsung Is Offering Free In-Store Device Disinfection for Its Customers

200+Lifehacker / 9h
Some companies have even started offering UV-C cleaning services in response to COVID-19's spread, and Samsung owners can get their devices safely doused in the disinfecting rays for free at participating Samsung stores.
Here’s where Samsung is offering free device cleaning:

Resumption of work at Foxconn's Chinese factories beats expectations

Foxconn China Beats24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Foxconn's founder Terry Gou has said that resumption of production at its Chinese factories has “exceeded expectations” after they were shut due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Although Foxconn's factories have resumed production, Gou warned that weak consumer demand as a result of the coronavirus could be a problem going forward, especially in the US, saying:

Review: Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab with Google Assistant

SlashGear / 9h
The device packs Google Assistant, as its name suggests, and it can function as a smart display — one that includes a nifty built-in hinged kickstand that enables users to literally hang the tablet from a nail or hook.
These features make the Yoga Smart Tab a more effective smart display than an ordinary tablet, which is likely to have small, tinny speakers and a low-resolution front camera with poor image quality.

Grubhub Suspends All Charges to Independent Restaurants as Pandemic Continues

100+Gizmodo / 9h
Delivery service Grubhub has announced a temporary initiative to offset some of the impacts on independent restaurants struggling as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
“My office and I have already begun conversations with other third-party food delivery providers such as DoorDash, Postmates and Uber to ask them to reduce their fees and implement other relief measures as restaurants cope with an unprecedented loss in business,” Gjonaj said.

Three things central bankers can learn from Bitcoin

99New on MIT Technology Review / 9h
Ali said he expects not all central banks that choose to issue digital currency will use the same system, but many will likely pursue a “hybrid” between blockchain-based cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and more traditional, centralized systems.
Bitcoin, with its mix of transparency, cryptography, and economic incentives, has something to teach central bankers about data security, according to Robleh Ali , a research scientist at the MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency Initiative.

The XPS 13 laptop gets $200 price cut at Dell's Semi-Annual sale

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
Our favorite laptop bargain is the XPS 13 that's on sale for $1,037.49 when you apply the coupon code EXTRA17 at checkout.
As we mentioned above, to receive the 17% discount, you must apply the coupon code EXTRA17 at checkout.

Apple HomePod sales continue with free Apple Music subscription included

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 9h
If you're just starting out, or you're already working with Apple-enabled devices, this Apple HomePod deal is a rare opportunity to grab a high-performance smart speaker at a fantastic price.
Shop all smart speaker deals at Best Buy

Everything Sucks, So Here's Some Cute Positive Junk to Brighten Your Day

500+How-To Geek / 9h
It’s been a stressful week, huh? Let’s just step away from the world for a minute to indulge in some cute videos. Here’s enough heartwarming content to keep you going through the coming weeks and months. Read This Article on Review Geek ›

Arlo Pro deals offer major price cuts on cheap smart home security cameras

32TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
With the latest offers from Walmart in the US, and Amazon and John Lewis in the UK, offering fantastic savings on Arlo Pro bundle packs, you can save up to $190 / £147 this weekend.
If you're looking to cover a medium-sized area outside or inside, you'll find two-camera Arlo Pro 2 home security systems for just $259 / £365 right now .

Scientists draw inspiration from shark skin for novel new smart material

90Ars Technica / 10h
Now a team of scientists from the University of Southern California have developed an acoustic metamaterial that can switch between different uses by applying carefully tailored magnetic fields, according to a new paper in the journal Research.
The shark skin denticles can flex at angles more than 40 degrees from its body—but only in the direction of reversing flow (i.e., from tail to nose).

Carnival Conveniently Owns Up to Data Breach While Nobody's Taking Cruises

500+Gizmodo / 10h
Per Carnival, its cruise companies were hit sometime between April and July of last year, when “an unsanctioned third party gained unauthorized access to some employee email accounts that contained personal information regarding our employees, crew, and guests.”
Travel might be the last thing on our minds right now (for most of us, at least )—so naturally, this is the perfect time for a popular travel line to announce some of its passenger’s most personal details might’ve been caught in a massive data breach.

Discovery in Mexico Sheds New Light on Ancient Ballgame

77Gizmodo / 10h
New research published in Science Advances describes the discovery of two Mesoamerican ballcourts and associated ceramic figurines at the Etlatongo site in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Dated to 3,400 years ago, these are now the earliest ballcourts known in the Mesoamerican highlands, predating the previous oldest courts in this mountainous region by nearly 800 years.

Keep the Kids Busy With Two Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablets for $50 Off

20Gizmodo / 10h
Best Tech Deals Best Tech Deals The best tech deals from around the web, updated daily. Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition 2-Pack | $150 | Amazon Need to keep the kids out of your hair? The Amazon Fire 7 is a great way to do it, and the kids’ edition comes with a fun protective case to make sure they don’t break the thing. Amazon is currently taking $50 off the price tag if you buy two in one go . Availa

How to Help the Service Workers in Your Life Right Now

300+Lifehacker / 10h
If you’re among the lucky who can work from home (or you’re getting paid time off), and you can still afford that cleaning person or the dog walker, keep paying them.
As more and more communities shut down non-essential services, and as people begin self-quarantining in higher numbers, a lot of workers are going to be forced to stay home without pay.

fullfrontispiece: First Things First “First things first, I am...

Music, Arts & Literature / 10h
fullfrontispiece : First Things First “First things first, I am not a prospector"

Stuck at home? Stream these 7 movies to cope with travel wanderlust

The Points Guy / 10h
If there’s one movie that can make you feel like you’ve traveled the world (or, at least India, Italy and Indonesia) without ever leaving the couch, it’s “Eat, Pray, Love.”
If musicals are more your thing but you still want to soak in all of the magic of Greece, make sure “Mama Mia” is waiting in your queue.

After the Coronavirus, Some Patients Face Ongoing Lung Damage

7KFuturism / 10h
While most patients who caught COVID-19 ended up making a full recovery, some are dealing with long-term effects of the coronavirus. In an analysis of 12 patients who recovered from the SARS-CoV- 2 coronavirus , doctors at the Hong Kong Hospital Authority (HKHA) found that several of them now have reduced lung capacity, according to Business Insider . “They gasp if they walk a bit more quickly,”

Finally, Some Good News: Warm Weather Shown to Slow Coronavirus Spread

13KFuturism / 10h
“ High temperature and high relative humidity significantly reduce the transmission of COVID-19, respectively, even after controlling for population density and GDP per capita of cities.
Then — using a great deal of sophisticated statistical analysis and modeling, trend growth curves, weather stations, and contact tracing among patients who have had COVID-19 — they came to this conclusion :

OnePlus 8 Pro may have just leaked because Robert Downey Jr was holding it

OnePlus 8 April 15th28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 10h
Assuming this latest leaked photo is real, it shows what we’re guessing to be a OnePlus 8 Pro given the potential depth sensors located left of the rear camera strip, which supports previous leaks and rumors.
The OnePlus 8 Pro has seen several leaks in the lead up to its likely launch in mid-April, but this one takes the cake: a photo popped up allegedly revealing the phone in the hands of actor Robert Downey, Jr.

After deregulatory blitz, FCC scrambles to prevent ISP abuse during pandemic

Broadband FCC Americans500+Ars Technica / 10h
Under pressure from the Federal Communications Commission, Internet service providers today pledged to waive late fees and keep customers connected when they miss payments due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I don't want any American consumers experiencing hardships because of the pandemic to lose connectivity," Pai said, while urging all broadband and phone service providers to sign the pledge.

Bitcoin's recent price drop proves it's not a 'safe haven' investment

Bitcoin Yesterday Markets100+Mashable / 10h
While gold is often itself too volatile to be considered a risk-off asset, it's been a good haven in times of crisis; for example, its price held up fairly well during the subprime mortgage financial crisis of 2007-2009.
A risk-off asset is something that doesn't typically yield massive returns, but will likely hold up well in times of crisis, and this includes low-yield government bonds, cash, and, to a degree, gold.

Handle.com helps independent construction workers get paid on time

100+TechCrunch / 10h
The startup uses a mix of software and a financing line to help construction workers get paid on time, a weakness in the current industry, per co-founder Hogan.
To help the Bob’s Plumbings and Nicky Roofings of the world get paid on time, Handle.com has raised $4.5 million in known venture capital funding and $20 million in debt financing.

Grab an Xbox One X bundle for $250 at B&H

100+Engadget / 10h
B&H is selling an Xbox One X bundle that includes NBA 2K19 for a modest $250 -- that's significantly below most deal prices, and half of what Microsoft was charging when the console was new.
While the game is clearly outdated, this price is low enough that it might not matter if you're just looking for the 4K-capable system.

Delta Grounds 300 Planes, Cuts 40% Of Flights, Asks Government For Help

4KOne Mile at a Time / 10h
More materially, expect Delta to ground planes, cancel flights, and even ask the government for aid.
Delta is deferring new aircraft deliveries to preserve cash

World of Hyatt expands free cancellations, suspends award chart changes until next year

The Points Guy / 10h
The adjustments include more lenient change and cancellation policies, the postponement of award chart changes (including peak and off-peak pricing) at most properties and a temporary suspension of points expiration.
Existing nonrefundable reservations made directly with Hyatt on or before March 8, 2020 for travel through June 30, 2020 may still opt to receive 10,000 World of Hyatt points compensation if the stay is canceled, however no refund will be offered

Ice Lake GPU underperforming? Put it in powersave mode. Wait, what?

48Ars Technica / 10h
Jerez goes on to note that pointlessly boosting the CPU into turbo frequencies when there's no additional data for it to process doesn't just hurt power efficiency.
The new patchset, which attempts to better target frequency scaling to real-world bottlenecks, is Jerez's second attempt to address the problem, and he's looking for additional testing to confirm his own results.

The US’ Health Depends on How It Cares for Health Care Workers

500+Wired / 10h
Experts in preparedness and infection prevention are worrying about maintaining a delicate balance: trying to keep healthcare workers safe, without depriving hospitals of so many workers that they cannot care for the patients who are coming their way.
The collision of two problems—the slow roll-out of tests for the virus and low supplies of face masks and other protective gear—have left hospital officials unable to say for sure how many nurses, physicians and other employees might already have been exposed via contact with patients.

Online code collaboration tool Glitch votes to unionize

200+TechCrunch / 10h
Employees of online software collaboration tool Glitch today announced their intentions to unionize.
Glitch will join the CWA Local 1101, as part of the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) initiative, which was launched back in January.

Qatar Airways CEO Makes Controversial Coronavirus Comments

100+One Mile at a Time / 10h
He essentially claimed that there is no scientific evidence to support that coronavirus can be transmitted during the incubation period, and therefore any restrictions on aviation are just a “fear factor.”
You know, you don’t block aviation, you know, just because there is something in the air but it’s really not a scientific fact.

Nintendo prevails in lawsuit over Switch console and JoyCon design

100+Engadget / 10h
After two and a half years of back-and-forth, a patent battle around the Nintendo Switch's design has ended in a win for the Japanese gaming company.
In 2017, Gamevice filed suit against Nintendo, claiming that the Switch was too similar to its gaming tablet and that Nintendo's JoyCons were a ripoff of its snap-on tablet and smartphone controllers.

Marriott adjusts cancellation policy, pauses Bonvoy point expiration over coronavirus outbreak

100The Points Guy / 10h
Additionally, all new reservations made between March 13 and April 30, 2020, can be changed or canceled for free within 24 hours of the guest’s scheduled arrival date.
Marriott Bonvoy has joined Hilton and other hotel companies in offering increased flexibility to those considering canceling travel plans due to the worldwide outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Daily Crunch: FDA approves speedier coronavirus test

60TechCrunch / 10h
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency approval for use of a new test that can increase the rate of testing patients by up to 10 times compared to methods in use currently, Bloomberg reports .
A just-approved test could speed up the rate of coronavirus testing, the stock market had a historically bad day yesterday and Russian trolls shift to outsourcing.

Apple Is Moving WWDC Online for 2020

Apple WWDC 2020 June100+Gizmodo / 10h
With Google having already shifted Google I/O to an online format because of covid-19, Apple has now pledged to do the same for WWDC 2020. While Apple has yet to commit to a specific date for WWDC (Apple only mentioned a general time frame of June thus far), in order to prevent the spread of covid-19 Apple says WWDC will “take on an entirely new online format packed with content for consumers,

This is how the CDC is trying to forecast coronavirus’s spread

300+New on MIT Technology Review / 10h
There are 20 years of robust data on flu seasons in the US, providing ample fodder for the algorithms to base their predictions.
For the machine-learning based nowcast, much of the data sources will be the same, but the prediction model will be different.

How to Improve Your Ankle Mobility for Squats

Lifehacker / 10h
With good ankle mobility, you’ll have an easy time squatting deep enough , and keeping your feet stable throughout.
Weightlifting shoes , also called squat shoes, will bring your heels a bit above the floor, so that you don’t need to bend your ankles quite as much to get to the same body positions.

Why are U-2 jet pilots wearing Garmin satellite navigation smartwatches?

300+Ars Technica / 10h
While the watches can't get information from these other systems, ACC does acknowledge that they are "capable of receiving multiple navigation signals including GPS and GLONASS." We're not exactly sure what the other nav signals might be, but the D2 Charlie isn't just a backup navigation device for U-2 pilots.
Indeed, U-2 pilots from the 99 th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base in Northern California have been flying with Garmin's D2 Charlie smartwatches since late 2017, when the squadron acquired 100 of the watches, according to Garmin spokesperson Jessica Koss.

NASA boosts existing astronaut health protection measures in light of coronavirus

89TechCrunch / 10h
NASA is supplementing its standard protocols and processes for ensuring the health of the astronauts meant to take part in the initial commercial crew spaceflight program with added measures designed to protect them against the possibility of contracting COVID-19, Business Insider reports. It’s standard practice for the U.S. space agency to institute practices designed to reduce the chances any c

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference 2020 will be online-only due to coronavirus

Apple WWDC 2020 June100+Mashable / 11h
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Apple has officially confirmed that this year's annual Worldwide Developers Conference will be an online-only experience.
"The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions, offering a great learning experience for our entire developer community, all around the world.

United updates its schedule change policy for the third time in light of coronavirus outbreak

The Points Guy / 11h
On Saturday, March 7, a new policy went into effect that stated your flight departure or arrival time would need to change by 25 or more hours in order to qualify for a refund.
Currently, United states that over 90% of customers with schedule changes are automatically rebooked on flights that leave within two hours of the originally ticketed departure time.

Apple’s WWDC is happening this year after all—but it has a new format

57Ars Technica / 11h
The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions, offering a great learning experience for our entire developer community, all around the world.
After weeks of speculation that Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) would be canceled this year because of social distancing efforts in the United States meant to stop the spread of COVID-19, Apple announced today that WWDC 2020 will proceed.

Facebook commits $20M to UNF, WHO and CDC to tackle COVID-19

200+TechCrunch / 11h
Facebook said on Friday that it is committing to match $20 million in donations, a fraction of its quarterly profit, to support global relief efforts for COVID-19 coronavirus.
Mark Zuckerberg, the social juggernaut’s chief executive, said Facebook was committing $10 million for the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and an additional $10 million for the CDC Foundation, which will launch its Facebook Fundraiser in the coming weeks.

Now Is a Good Time to Cancel Your Airbnb Stay

100+Gizmodo / 11h
Announced in newsroom post today, Airbnb has changed its policy: from having cancellation fees, to...
Any stays booked before today in mainland China, Italy, South Korea, and the entire United States with check-ins up to April 1 will have these fees waived, because realistically no one could have predicted we would be in the midst of a global pandemic that would crash the stock market.

Grubhub waives fees for independent restaurants impacted by COVID-19

300+Engadget / 11h
According to CNBC , those restaurants sometimes pay commission fees as high as 30 percent on orders delivered by third-party companies like Grubhub.
"Banding together during hard times, putting people over profit, and supporting our local businesses is a model we should all follow, and I thank Grubhub for leading the way," said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

How to fight loneliness during coronavirus social distancing

400+Mashable / 11h
Kate Shurety, executive director of the Campaign to End Loneliness , said that during this time many people will miss their family and friends, as well as taking part in their hobbies.
Shurety, whose Campaign to End Loneliness aims to create connections between people of all ages, recommended creating WhatsApp groups with neighbours, family, and friends.

YouTube rolls out Explore tab to expand your video recommendations

YouTube Trending Explore77Engadget / 11h
It took a couple of years, but YouTube is finally ready to replace the familiar Trending tab with a more comprehensive (and hopefully more useful) section. The company is rolling out a new Explore tab on Android and iOS that not only shows what videos are hot on YouTube at this moment, but might make it easier to discover new clips. You can tap buttons at the top to browse categories like fashion

Here's 20% off Eco-Friendly Floor Lamps to Brighten Your Day

20Gizmodo / 11h
Sunllipe Eco-Friendly Floor Lamp (9W) | $32 | Amazon | Promo code 21720OFF Sunllipe Eco-Friendly Floor Lamp (9W + 4W) | $37 | Amazon | Promo code 21920OFF This could be us, but you don’t have an eco-friendly floor lamp and my 2020 resolution is to be more environmentally conscious. *Sigh* on the bright side, Sunllipe has two deals on LED floor lamps that are to die for. $32 for a single 9W bulb (

Sennheiser Momentum true wireless earbuds crashing in price across US and UK

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
Sennheiser Momentum deals are offering some fantastic prices on cheap true wireless earbuds this weekend, thanks to the launch of their follow up model this week. While the second version won't be available until April, the originals are available for a reduced price right now as retailers look to shift their stock. You can find the Sennheiser Momentum true wireless earbuds on sale for just $199

CDC: In Worst-Case Scenario, Coronavirus Could Kill 1.7M Americans

3KFuturism / 11h
After a meeting of experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other top health officials, the government presented four models for the possible trajectory of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
In the absolute worst-case scenario, if many people ignore recommendations and the government response remains inadequate , COVID-19 could kill between 200,000 and 1.7 million Americans before this is all over, according to The New York Times .

Get Free Wings for Life With Every Order at ButcherBox

Lifehacker / 11h
Best Home Deals Best Home Deals The best home, kitchen, smart home, and automotive deals from around the web, updated daily. 3lbs of Wings Free With Every Order | Butcher Box Those chicken shortages that send everyone into a tizzy during Super Bowl season? Yeah, you won’t have to worry about that with ButcherBox, which is offering 3 pounds of organic chicken wings in each regular shipment of meat

Animal Crossing: New Horizons trailer prepares us for a much-needed island getaway

Animal Crossing NHSlashGear / 11h
There are a lot of people out there who are looking forward to the unique brand of chill Animal Crossing offers, and today, Nintendo debuted a new trailer for the game that shows us some of the set pieces we’ll be able to construct on our islands.
If you feel a certain need to de-stress and you’ve got a Nintendo Switch handy, then good news: Animal Crossing: New Horizons is only a week away.

Apple’s WWDC 2020 goes online-only amid coronavirus crisis

Apple WWDC 2020 JuneSlashGear / 11h
“The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions, offering a great learning experience for our entire developer community, all around the world,” said Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller.
“Apple also announced it will commit $1 million to local San Jose organizations to offset associated revenue loss as a result of WWDC 2020’s new online format.”

My Hero Academia Turned a Tired Comic Book Trope Into Something Fascinating

100+Gizmodo / 11h
Because the world of My Hero Academia is one in which the vast majority of people are born with powers, the series puts a fair amount of energy into fleshing out the kinds of societal dynamics and ideas that most other genre stories don’t exactly have to think about.
In “Win Those Kids’ Hearts” and “Relief for License Trainees,” a number of My Hero Academia ’s heroes-in-training are forced to spend time with a group of children from a local primary school in order to improve everyone’s ability to connect with people and function better as a cohesive team.

NBC News will host four short-form shows on Quibi

31Engadget / 11h
NBC News' strategy is to have two shows every weekday that air when viewers are most likely to tune into news recaps.
NBC News' programs will be joined by about 170 additional shows planned for Quibi's first year of service.

How to Help Elderly Relatives and Friends During the Coronavirus Outbreak

500+Lifehacker / 11h
On the other hand, if you don’t check in on your loved ones, they run the risk of developing social isolation—which is a serious issue, particularly in the elderly.
Since you can be infected with the coronavirus and not know it (perhaps your symptoms have not yet developed; perhaps you don’t realize that cough is more than your allergies acting up), you might inadvertently spread the disease to elderly loved ones during a casual visit.

Hyatt Offering New Flexibility On Non-Refundable Bookings, Postponing Most Award Price Changes

100+View from the Wing / 11h
Hyatt Offering New Flexibility On Non-Refundable Bookings, Postponing Most Award Price Changes
Hyatt was first out of the gate with an offer of points for customers having to cancel non-refundable bookings .

Samsung will sanitize your phone for free using UV light in certain stores

28TechRadar - All the latest technology ne... / 11h
If you’re willing to walk to one of its Samsung Experience and Service Centers, the company will clean your phone for free and sanitize it using UV-C light.
Samsung is offering an in-store sanitizing service to help limit the reach of the coronavirus.

Canon confirms that its 8K EOS R5 camera is not 'a fantasy'

Canon the EOS R5200+Engadget / 11h
I had no reason to doubt that Canon's upcoming EOS R5 camera would feature 8K video and up to 20 fps shooting speeds, but apparently some folks were skeptical.
Canon confirmed that the EOS R5 would shoot 8K video at 30 fps using the full (not cropped) sensor, beating any other mirrorless camera in terms of resolution and depth of field.

How To Prep Your Xbox One Or PS4 For A Massive Download

300+Lifehacker / 11h
Once you’re good on all that, you’ll then need to format the external device to store PS4 games.
You just need to make sure your cable is rated for 1 gbps download speeds—the max for most modern internet plans and gaming consoles.

Apple WWDC 2020 is now online-only: here's what you need to know

Apple WWDC 2020 June24TechRadar - All the latest technology ne.../ 11h
At the event, we are expecting Apple to unveil iOS 14 , watchOS 7 , macOS 10.16 , an update to iPadOS and more of its latest software, and it's also possible we'll see the iPhone SE 2 and new iPad Pro 2020 there as well, if not before.
In fact, perhaps the online event will now be tailored more to the majority of viewers, who are sitting behind a computer or TV rather than in front of the Apple stage.

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference goes online-only due to coronavirus

Apple WWDC 2020 June100+Engadget / 11h
(The situation in China does appear to be improving, though; all 42 Apple Stores the company closed there in January have now re-opened.) More recent reports, however, suggest that Apple has had to postpone an iPhone launch event entirely because of slow production and concerns over gathering hundreds of journalists and partners in one place to show off the new device.
"The current health situation has required that we create a new WWDC 2020 format that delivers a full program with an online keynote and sessions, offering a great learning experience for our entire developer community, all around the world," said Phil Schiller, Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing in a post on the company's website.

NASA sticks a colossal ice block in NYC in new video

NASA 13 Two Gateway500+Mashable / 12h
Warmer ocean waters are melting away the ice shelf at a "tremendous rate," and in the coming decades the glacier may pass the point of no return — meaning unstoppable amounts of Thwaites' ice on the Antarctic continent will pour into the sea.
In Greenland — home to an ice sheet two and a half times the size of Texas — a warming atmosphere is driving much of this melt.

Iron Man seals it: OnePlus 8 Pro details leak before release date

OnePlus 8 April 15thSlashGear / 12h
Today we’re taking a peek at the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro before their full release, likely in a few weeks.
Sam Jones published an image on his Instagram that included Robert Downey Jr. and himself speaking on-set for a photo / video shoot.

danismm: Cadillac, 1931

Music, Arts & Literature / 12h
danismm : Cadillac, 1931

Marriott Is Last To The Party, Finally Offers Coronavirus Travel Waiver

32View from the Wing / 12h
Marriott is out with a policy giving flexibility to existing reservations, offering additional flexibility on new bookings, and extending expiring points, suite upgrades, and free night certificates.
Then Hilton and IHG offered full flexibility on non-cancellable bookings through April 30.


Backblaze