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Whether you're in an office or at home, there's a decent chance you've been wasting time on Facebook.com. After going years without a major redesign, the company is rolling out a rebuilt page with a new look, so Nick Summers talked to engineers about the timing and what's new. If you haven't deleted your account already, then it's worth getting familiar with the new site now, before it pops up in one of your browser tabs.
-- Richard
Tesla delays the Semi to 2021
That wasn't all.
Tesla
There was good news in Tesla's earnings call Wednesday -- the company turned a profit again in its most recent quarter. The bad news is that its Semi hauler is delayed again. Originally unveiled in 2017 with a planned launch in 2019, it's now on the release schedule for 2021.
Microsoft Office for iPad tests multi-window support in Word, Powerpoint
Time to get to work.
Microsoft
If you plan to use an iPad to get work done, then multitasking across documents and apps is likely a major concern. iPadOS 13 upgraded Split View multitasking to support more than one window of the same app, and now Microsoft is beta testing the feature for use in Word and Powerpoint. Those in the Office Insider program can try it out now, but there's no word yet on when the feature will be available for everyone. Continue reading.
Apple makes it easier to skip Face ID if you're wearing a mask
Unfortunately the feature is only in beta.
Apple
The new reality of a life with face masks is here, and Apple is adjusting Face ID on iPhones to reflect that. In beta software launched yesterday, Apple lets users swipe up to enter a passcode and skip the delay that usually occurs using Face ID. Some users are saying that if the phone detects a mask, it will automatically jump to the passcode screen. Continue reading.
The layoffs account for 17 percent of its workforce.
Lyft is laying off 982 employees, 17 percent of its workforce, CNBC reports. It is also furloughing another 288 workers. Layoffs are becoming increasingly common due to COVID-19, and ridesharing has been particularly hard-hit. With more people staying home, services have seen demand drop precipitously. To buffer the effects, the company plans to reduce the base salary for remaining employees for a 12-week period, with executives taking a 30 percent pay cut. Vice presidents will see a 20 percent cut, and Lyft will reduce pay by 10 percent for all other exempt employees. Continue reading.
'Assassin's Creed: Valhalla' is set in the Viking Age
Engadget watched digital paint dry to save you time.
Ubisoft / Bosslogic
In arguably the most mesmerizing PR stunt in gaming so far this year, Ubisoft revealed its new Assassin's Creed title through a live-streamed Photoshop project. In Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, you'll play an assassin at some point during the Viking Age, which took place between 793 and 1066 CE. Axes, furs, castles and ships at the ready -- Ubisoft will premiere the first trailer for the game today at 11AM ET. Continue reading.
Going to the movies was a thing we used to do -- and may do again in the future. However, if you're going to an AMC theater anywhere in the world, you won't find any Universal films. The theater chain declared war once NBCUniversal execs told The Wall Street Journalthat they plan on continuing a premium VOD release strategy even after the coronavirus pandemic subsides and theaters reopen.
It's one of the trickiest components to get for your PC.
Shopping for a new PC monitor? Do you need it to be 4K compatible? Does it work with HDR? How much are you willing to spend? Steve Dent lays out what you need to know (there are more questions...) and offers several recommendations, from sub-$200 up to $4,000 options for the pros and the one-percenters. Oh, and you can't always trust the listed specs. Continue reading.
Ford pushes back its self-driving taxis to 2022
COVID-19 has put autonomous driving on hold.
Ford
Ford revealed during its quarterly earnings that plans for a commercial service based on autonomous vehicles have been delayed. This is apparently due to the effects of the coronavirus, shaking up where self-driving cars will exist in a world hit by a pandemic. Ford COO Jim Farley warned that it could influence society for "many years to come," with people seeking out more ways to avoid unnecessary human contact. Continue reading.
Pentagon officially releases 'UFO' footage
They're still unidentified.
US Navy
The Department of Defense has officially released three video clips showing "unidentified aerial phenomena" (aka UFOs) darting around the skies above US military bases. The footage had previously been released in 2007 by a private company. The department decided to release the clips "in order to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real, or whether or not there is more to the videos."
In the clips, you can hear the pilots who captured the footage express surprise at how quickly the objects are moving. These reports resulted in the Pentagon running an official UFO identification program for five years until 2012, when funding ran out. Continue reading.
Apple will pay $18 million to settle broken-FaceTime suit
Each class action member is only getting $3, though.
Apple
Apple has agreed to pay $18 million to settle a case accusing the company of intentionally breaking FaceTime on iOS 6. The class action lawsuit, filed in 2017, argued that the tech giant disabled the video-calling application on the iPhone 4 and 4S as a cost-saving measure.
Due to a patent dispute involving the peer-to-peer method with VirnetX, Apple had to rely more on third-party servers, costing it millions of dollars. Apple eventually released new peer-to-peer tech with iOS 7, and the plaintiffs claimed that the company broke the app on purpose, forcing users to upgrade their platforms.
None of the plaintiffs will have a massive payout -- each class action member is only getting $3 per affected device. Don't spend it all at once. Continue reading.
