In the works right now are three things that may result in a better post-pandemic world. One is video conferencing, which has been on a slow ramp to overnight success since the mid-1960s when it was supposed to become the standard way we communicated. Another is robotics, which is getting a ton of attention right now, ranging from automated delivery to automated manufacturing. The third is 3D printing.
How to Stay Safe on the Internet, Part 3: Drive the Black Hatters Mad
Like conventional criminals, criminal hackers choose easy, lucrative targets. One group in the crosshairs is made up of companies that have data on millions of users, such as private sector entities with a Web presence. Why go after one user at a time when data is collected in one place? Criminal hackers also like to hunt small organizations that have modest capital but weak information security.
Cracked or broken mobile device screens can be costly to fix, but a few inexpensive DIY strategies can eliminate a repair shop visit and salvage your tablet or phone.
EndeavourOS 2020: Possibly the Best Arch Linux Option
EndeavourOS is a rolling release Arch Linux-based distribution with some handy new features that improve the user experience. This latest version comes with graphical install options and preconfigured desktop environments. Jack Germain has a review on LinuxInsider.
Bottom Line: iPhone SE Packs Great Value for the Money
Apple's new iPhone SE delivers incredible value and performance, has a surprisingly good camera, and handles videos well. Reviewers were impressed by the phone's A13 chipset. However, criticisms include insufficient battery life, absence of night mode, and lack of 5G support.
The United Kingdom's plans to launch a smartphone application to track potential COVID-19 infections won't include Apple and Google. The NHS reportedly found that its own tech, which runs in the background on Apple's iPhone, works "sufficiently well."
HP's COVID-19 Response: There Should Be an Award for This
[Rob Enderle Op-Ed] Some of the corporate responses to COVID-19 make me incredibly happy I don't work for a large company anymore. There are exceptions though, and HP stands out.
With measures to stem the spread of COVID-19 putting a chokehold on their filming capabilities, advertising agencies are enhancing old content with new tech, including deepfakes.
Calculate how much time you could save if you had a PIM (product information management) tool to do the work for you. Start building your business case today - it’s quick and easy.
2020 Online Shopping Habits and Retailer Strategies
Episerver surveyed over 4,000 global online shoppers to learn about their ecommerce expectations and habits. Download Reimagining Commerce to get an exclusive look at successful retail strategies in 2020.
If your contact center agents are working from home, download this Remote Agent Checklist to ensure they can provide exceptional customer experience, no matter where they're based.
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Tech companies around the world are facing the same difficulties in maintaining their businesses as everywhere else. Over the weekend, crowdfunding site Kickstarter has discussed layoffs as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages both projects and backers. The company has confirmed plans to cut a large portion of its workforce after the union representing Kickstarter employees said it had ratified a layoff agreement on May 1st. Layoffs could affect up to 45 percent of Kickstarter staff.
Last week, Lyft laid off nearly 1,000 of its employees, and rumors suggest Uber may have to address its headcount, again, soon. GoPro and Magic Leap have also adjusted their staffing levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's a time of mixed fortunes. We're in the middle of earnings season, and tech companies like Microsoft, Facebook and Apple have had mixed fortunes. The latter has suffered from reduced hardware sales -- that happens when your stores are closed -- while Microsoft saw 'minimal' impact on its business and Facebook has seen a jump in its audience figures as people stay indoors and connect to their screens.
-Mat
Tesla has applied for a license to become a UK energy provider
The company may bring its PowerPack battery technology to Britain.
Tesla has reportedly applied for a license to become an energy provider in the UK. That means it might bring its PowerPack battery technology to Britain, much as it did with its 100-megawatt installation in South Australia. It may also be a way for the company to introduce a platform called Autobidder, which allows renewable power suppliers to trade energy.
The company hasn't confirmed any plans for large-scale PowerPacks in the UK, but the country generates 40 percent of its energy from renewables, including wind and solar, which means the system would make sense, smoothing out gaps in renewable energy production.
Tesla could also deploy its new platform, Autobidder, which uses machine-learning tech and cloud platforms to optimize power distribution. It's a dry topic but could make power production more efficient. Continue reading.
Google is working on 4K/HDR streaming to Android TV for Stadia
And a built-in messenger
Stadia, Google's game streaming service has already rolled out 4K streaming on the web and 5.1 surround sound for players using a browser? So what's next? Something pretty interesting, according to code dug up by 9to5Google. As there's only a handful of Android phones with a 4K-ready display, these settings are likely in preparation for Stadia's Android TV app. The company may be preparing to add the option of 4K and HDR-quality streaming on Android-powered TVs, as well as built-in messaging to match other modern gaming services. Continue reading.
Juul may exit France, Spain and other European markets
It reportedly has nothing to do with COVID-19.
Juul is preparing to leave five European countries within the year. Unlike all the shutdowns and layoffs reported over the past months, BuzzFeed's source says the decision didn't have anything to do with the coronavirus pandemic.
The e-cigarette maker is reportedly planning to pull out of Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Spain in July, followed by France at the end of the year. Juul enjoys relatively high sales in Spain and France compared to the rest of the continent, but not high enough to justify the costs and the trouble of dealing with regulators. The European Union has stringent requirements when it comes to e-cigarette products, as the publication notes, requiring companies to stick to a nicotine limit of 20 milligrams per milliliter of fluid. Meanwhile, in the US, a single Juul pod can contain up to 59 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter. Continue reading.
'Half-Life: Alyx' added nearly 1 million VR users to Steam
It's a start.
Half-Life: Alyx appears to have given VR gaming a serious boost. Road to VR has used historical data and direct Valve data to calculate that Steam users added nearly 950,000 VR headsets in April — a huge spike over March. The data also provides some insight into what headsets people were using: Valve's own Index headset did see more adoption, but not by nearly as much. Most gamers are using either Oculus or HTC headsets. Continue reading.
Google's original Home smart speaker is on sale for $30
You're getting a better speaker than the Google Nest Mini for similar money.
Best Buy (and Google) are selling the original Google Home speaker for just $30, or less than a third of its official $100 price. At $30, it's a better value than just about anything else in Google's lineup, including the newer, less powerful Nest Mini — and rival speakers like Amazon's Echo. Continue reading.
How relevant that is to your current situation may vary, but it's equal parts intriguing and comedic. Between that, the Westworld season finale and Netflix's new flick The Half of It, your weekend viewing plans should be pretty much set.
-- Richard
The Engadget Podcast: Reviewing the Pixel Buds and Amazon's 'Upload'
And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
Engadget senior news editor (and resident audio expert) Billy Steele joined Cherlynn and Devindra to explain why he called Google's new Pixel buds "a revelation compared to the previous model. Then, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss Amazon's new show Upload, with snippets from a talk with creator Greg Daniels.
Diplo hosted live Major Lazer set in Fortnite's Party Royale mode
This is the new normal.
This week Fortnite added a new mode, Party Royale, and the first event to take advantage of it was a live DJ set on Friday night featuring Diplo that was hosted by the actor Jordan Fisher. The producer played Major Lazer tracks for about 20 minutes with his image beamed above the arena -- if you missed it live, it's still viewable on Twitch, and there will be an in-game replay Saturday morning at 10 AM ET.
The event wasn't as thoroughly transformational as last weekend's Travis Scott Astronomical experience. Still, iit appears Epic plans to push more performances this way over the coming weeks and months while the coronavirus pandemic prevents artists from going on their usual tours. Continue reading.
The Apple Watch Series 5 is $100 off at Best Buy
The lowest price we've seen for Apple's newest watch.
The Series 5 may be a good choice for those who have yet to jump on an Apple Watch, thanks to the company finally integrating an always-on screen, among other new features. Best Buy is currently selling the GPS-only versions of the gadget for $100 off, bringing the 40mm model down to $300 and the 44mm version to $330. Walmart has a more limited deal, with only the 40mm model in Space Gray on sale. Continue reading.
Automatic to shut down and end support for its car diagnostics dongle
Its services will go offline after May 28th.
Automatic introduced its first-generation device, Automatic Link, in 2013. The $100 dongle could track trips and fuel automatically, but the diagnostics were a bit limited. A couple years later, Automatic unveiled a second-generation adapter and launched an app store. Last year it announced it would turn off app support for some older devices, angering a number of existing customers. Now it's shutting down, saying "the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business." Continue reading.
Virgin Galactic's spaceship flies from its new home base for the first time
Spaceport America lives up to its name.
The company has flown SpaceShipTwo from Spaceport America for the first time. It was just a glide test from 50,000 feet up, but the flight let the spaceport fulfill its intended purpose and gave pilots familiarity with the New Mexico airspace. Continue reading.