[ad_1]
This week Disney+ will finally bring another highly-anticipated debut to bear as it starts streaming Hamilton, captured on stage starring the original cast. Meanwhile Netflix has a slew of programming lined up including the first season of its Baby-S…
[ad_2]
Source link
Blog
Uber is reportedly trying to buy Postmates
[ad_1]
It’s no secret as to why Uber might want to buy Postmates. This would expand its food deliveries and help offset tanking demand for its core ridesharing business. It would also counter Just Eat’s acquisition of GrubHub. We’d add that the two companies are political allies — both are trying to thwart California’s gig worker law and keep their couriers as contractors rather than full employees.
For Postmates, a deal might be crucial. The company hasn’t fared as well against its heavyweight rivals, and Uber could either rejuvenate the brand or fold it into Uber Eats. While it wouldn’t be the independent success Postmates might have hoped for, it would be better than falling behind the better-financed competition.
[ad_2]
Source link
Safari in macOS Big Sur will stream Netflix in 4K HDR
[ad_1]
MacOS Big Sur may be a worthwhile upgrade if you love to marathon TV shows. As 9to5Mac reports, users have discovered that Safari in Big Sur will play Netflix videos in 4K with HDR, whether you’re using Dolby Vision or HDR10. You won’t have to switch to another browser just to see more than a plain 1080p image. The upgrade comes thanks to long-expected support for HEVC in Apple’s web browser.
You’ll have to be picky about your choice of Mac if you want the full effect, either with the Big Sur beta or the finished release this fall. HDR is currently only supported with 2018 or later MacBook Pro models, 2018 or later Mac mini systems, the iMac Pro or the Mac Pro. You’ll need an HDR-capable monitor for the Mac mini and Mac Pro, too.
[ad_2]
Source link
Lululemon buys interactive home gym startup Mirror for $500 million
[ad_1]
Lululemon is best-known for gym clothes, but the gym isn’t an option in areas hard-hit by the pandemic — so it’s finding a way to foster workouts at home. The company has bought home fitness startup Mirror for $500 million to “accelerate the growth of personalized in-home fitness.” While Lululemon didn’t say how the technology would evolve, it said Mirror would operate as a standalone company with Brynn Putnam remaining as CEO.
Sales of Mirror’s connected exercise display could keep demand for apparel going regardless of how long gyms remain closed. As TechCrunch observes, though, this also gives Lululemon a convenient opportunity to compete against Peloton, Tonal and others making smart home fitness equipment. Don’t be surprised if Mirror steps up development of its signature product and makes it more widely available.
[ad_2]
Source link
Facebook envisions using holographics for super-slim VR glasses
[ad_1]
Facebook and Oculus have been trying to make slimmer and more comfortable VR headsets for a while, but their latest experiment get close to the ideal: displays that are as easy to wear as a pair of sunglasses. Facebook’s Reality Labs has developed a proof-of-concept device that uses holographics with flat films for the optics, leading to displays that are less than 0.35 inches thick — much smaller than the usual LCD or OLED shining through glass. This is helped in part by polarization-based optical folding that moves the light forward and back multiple times, shrinking it well below its original volume.
It should deliver a visual upgrade, too. Although the prototype outputs in monochrome, Facebook is promising a wider color range and more vivid imagery when the technology is ready. The company also hopes to improve the resolution to the “limit of human vision” and eliminate visible pixels. The field of view should be comparable to existing headsets.
[ad_2]
Source link
Next year’s Geneva Motor Show is canceled too
[ad_1]
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2021 Geneva Motor Show, originally scheduled for March 4th through 14th, 2021, has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns. The decision was made after a majority of exhibitors said they probably wouldn’t participate in a 2021 show, according to a statement from the event’s organizers. The 2020 Geneva Motor Show was also canceled after the Swiss government banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people.
The Geneva International Motor Show is one of the largest car shows in the world, usually attracting 600,000 people and 10,000 journalists, according to the statement. The show’s cancellation dealt a huge blow both to the show itself and to the city of Geneva. GIMS is estimated to have an economic impact of more than 200 million Swiss francs per year, according to the statement.
[ad_2]
Source link
Weber’s connected pellet grills are $200 off for July 4th
[ad_1]
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. If you buy something through one of the links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission.
A backyard barbecue with the family may be as good as it gets for summer celebrations during a pandemic — thankfully, the tech for it is more affordable than before. Weber is selling its connected SmokeFire pellet grills for $200 off, dropping the EX4 to $799 and the larger EX6 for $999. Both deals last until July 13th. Those aren’t trivial prices, but they could be worth the outlay if you can’t imagine cooking inside in warm weather.
[ad_2]
Source link
Amazon hopes a small bonus will please staff working through COVID-19
[ad_1]
Amazon is paying its logistics workers a one-time $500 bonus as a “thank you” for working on the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a company blog post. The bonus comes after Amazon’s response to the pandemic prompted criticism from employees, along with a lawsuit from workers in Staten Island and a two-day strike at a warehouse in Germany.
The bonus will be issued to “All front-line employees and partners who were with the company throughout the month of June,” according to the blog post. Most full-time employees, including Whole Foods Market employees and Delivery Service Partner drivers, will receive a bonus of $500. The bonus varies in amount depending on an employee’s position, with some bonuses totalling as high as $3,000. The move will cost the company $500 million overall.
[ad_2]
Source link
YouTube bans Richard Spencer and David Duke over hate speech
[ad_1]
In all, the company says it banned six accounts today. Some of the other channels YouTube banned today include American Renaissance, as well as its associated AmRen Podcasts channel. Spencer’s National Policy Institute channel was likewise banned. Spencer said on Twitter he would appeal the suspension. “… this seems to be part of a systemic, coordinated effort,” he alleged in the same tweet.
Last June, YouTube updated its hate speech policy to ban more types of videos from its platform. “Today, we’re taking another step in our hate speech policy by specifically prohibiting videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status,” the company said at the time.
The bans come on the day that Reddit shut down several controversial communities, including the The_Donald subreddit, for consistently breaking its rules. Earlier today, Twitch also temporarily suspended Donald Trump’s account for airing two separate streams that violated its hateful conduct policy.
[ad_2]
Source link
‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ matches expand to 200 players for a limited time
[ad_1]
Modern Warfare players will have some other goodies to check out. There’s a fresh multiplayer map, Cheshire Park, and the return of an old Call of Duty game mode, Team Defender. The latter’s a spin on Capture the Flag, in which flag carriers earn points while they hold onto the objective. You’ll find more bundles in the store as well, including new operator Roze.
The update will arrive just a couple of weeks after Season Four started. It’ll go live tonight at 11 PM PT (2 AM ET).
You’ll need plenty of free storage space to install it, however: it’ll measure between 22-36 GB, depending on whether you have Modern Warfare installed or just Warzone, with a secondary download of about 3.5 GB for console players. After you update, the total install size for Modern Warfare will be slightly larger, and that of Warzone will be a bit smaller.
[ad_2]
Source link