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Tesla slashes EV prices by up to $5,000 in North America and China

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Tesla has quietly reduced its electric vehicles’ prices by thousands of dollars in North America and will also do the same in China, according to Reuters and Electrek. As the publications note, the automaker has cut prices across its lineup following an industry-wide decline in sales and demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Tesla has given its more expensive models, the Model S and the Model X, the biggest price cut, slashing $5,000 off their old purchase price.

The Model S Long Range Plus EV is now listed for $74,990 from $79,990, while the Performance version now costs $94,990. Meanwhile, the Long Range Plus version of Model X is now listed for $79,990, which is also $5,000 less than before. The Model 3 got a more modest $2,000 discount, bringing its purchase price down to $37,990 from $39,990. Tesla’s Model Y prices, however, remain unchanged.

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Apple updates Schoolwork app to help teachers manage classrooms from afar

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The Schoolwork app shows teachers how far students are in their assignments.

Apple

Teachers can also now tap into individual assignments and view each student’s progress and how much time they are spending on the work, compared with the rest of the class. While these changes would be helpful even in the normal classroom setting, it could provide teachers valuable insight as students are working remotely. If one student is taking significantly longer to finish an assignment, or finishing much more quickly than the rest of the class, that could let the teacher know they need extra help, for example. Teachers will also now have the ability to message or FaceTime students via the Schoolwork app in case they need more one-on-one attention. 

Apple first released its Schoolwork app in 2018, alongside a new iPad geared toward schools. But with so many schools now adapting to remote work, the latest changes could help accelerate adoption of the company’s teaching tools. The company has also launched a new “learning from home” section of its website, with resources to help educators create remote-friendly lessons.

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Google adds 1440p streaming resolution for Stadia on Chrome

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Google has rolled out a 1440p streaming resolution for Stadia on Chrome so players with high-res monitors can display sub-4K images better than 1080p. They’ll still have to meet all the requirements needed to play in 4K to enjoy the new feature, though, including a Stadia Pro subscription, a network speed of at least 35Mbps, a 4K TV with Chromecast Ultra or a Windows PC/Chromebook with VP9 hardware decoding and a 4K monitor.

The tech giant has announced the new resolution in a post on the Stadia Community Blog, along with the service’s latest and upcoming games. Jotun: Valhalla Edition, an action-exploration game based on Norse mythology, and Sundered: Eldritch Edition, a hand-drawn platformer, are now available for purchase on the Stadia store for $15 and $20, respectively.

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YouTube Kids is now on Apple TV

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YouTube’s dedicated app for kids is now out for download from the App Store on Apple TV, so long as it’s available in your region. It works on both the 4K and the HD versions of the device, and you can use the Siri Remote to fire it up by saying “Hey Siri, open YouTube Kids.” While you can let your kids use the app without signing in, you’ll have to log in to import your current parental control settings, though you can always change them through the app on a phone or a tablet.

YouTube Kids launched as an app for mobile devices in 2015 to provide children a curated selection of age-appropriate content. Since then, YouTube has rolled out the app to various smart TVs and eventually launched a desktop version. The platform has been dealing with child-exploitative videos masquerading as child-friendly content on its website for years. While the YouTube Kids app has had its own share of issues — back in 2018, it suggested conspiracy theory videos when you search for certain keywords — it could keep children away from the most egregious videos on the platform.

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LG’s first 48-inch 4K OLED TV is starting to roll out

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While many events and releases have been pushed back, LG has stuck to its release plans for the 2020 lineup of 4K TVs. Today the company announced the newest addition to its OLED lineup is starting to roll out. We’d already heard the sticker price on this 48-incher will be $1,499, and now LG has confirmed it will go on sale in the US in late June.

The 48CX model is the first time LG has sold an OLED in this size, and it comes with features that could make it perfect to rely on as a super-sized gaming monitor. With its small size and high resolution, LG claims its pixel density compares to a 96-inch 8K display.

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South Korean cafe uses robotic baristas to comply with social distancing

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With its COVID-19 outbreak seemingly contained, South Korea may offer the rest of the world a glimpse of what society could look like after the pandemic ends — and it may include robotic baristas. According to Reuters, a cafe in Daejeon, South Korea, is now using robots to prepare drinks and deliver them to customers. Proponents say the robots could encourage “distancing in daily life.”

The barista system consists of a robotic arm that prepares 60 different beverages and wheeled bots that deliver the drinks to customers. The system can communicate with other devices, contains self-driving tech to determine the best route around people and tables and communicates with customers via voice controls.

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MacOS Catalina update wrings more life from your MacBook’s battery

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Apple is trying to squeeze more long-term usefulness out of your MacBook’s battery, much like it has with iPhones for a while. It just released a macOS Catalina 10.15.5 update (via 9to5Mac) whose centerpiece battery health management feature aims to extend the lifespan of the power pack. When enabled, the addition gradually reduces the peak capacity of your battery to a level “optimized for your usage” to reduce wear. The battery’s condition will be available in Energy Saver, too. You can turn the feature off if you need every last milliamp-hour, but this should be helpful if you’re more interested in avoiding a battery replacement for as long as possible.

This is an equally important upgrade if you’re a creative relying on a Pro Display XDR. You now have tools to “fine-tune” the calibration through tweaking the white point and luminance. Given that image accuracy is all-important in a screen like this, this improvement could be a tremendous relief.

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Twitter fact checks Trump’s false tweets about election fraud

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Trump tweets fact check.

Twitter

Twitter has appended a link urging users to “get the facts” about mail-in ballots. Clicking through, Twitter further notes that fact checkers say there is no evidence to support these claims and that voting by mail is already used in a number of states. The company also links to stories from CNN, the Washington Post and other outlets debunking these claims.

The labels mark the first time the company has fact-checked the president, a move Facebook and other companies have largely resisted until now. The fact check also comes after Twitter came under fire for declining to remove a series of tweets from Trump promoting a debunked conspiracy theory about the death of a former staffer of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough.

Twitter's fact-check of Trump's claims fo election fraud.

Twitter

In a statement to Engadget, a Twitter spokesperson said the tweets were labeled due to “potentially misleading information,” but declined to say if the company planned to label more of the president’s tweets. Twitter has previously added a “manipulated media” label to a deceptively-edited video Trump retweeted.

“The Tweets contain potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots. This decision is in line with the approach we shared earlier this month,” a Twitter spokesperson said. 

Update 5/26 8pm ET: In a series of follow-up tweets, Trump responded to Twitter’s fact-checking saying the company was “stifling” free speech.



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Google’s work from home strategy includes a $1,000 allowance

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Google is joining other companies is planning for a return to the office as COVID-19 cases decline, but its strategy may be more elaborate than most. Company chief Sundar Pichai has outlined a roadmap that will still have most employees working from home for the rest of 2020. As a resultthe company is providing a $1,000 allowance to staff to help them buy computers, office furniture and other equipment needed for remote work. While that might not cover everything, it should ease the burden for workers who don’t have everything they need.

Provided all goes well, the return will start on July 6th with necessary employees showing up on a “rotating basis” with about 10 percent capacity. A worker may only come in once every two weeks, Pichai said. Those rotations will increase to 30 percent by September if things go smoothly. There will be “rigorous” safety measures including social distancing and cleanliness, and only those who absolutely need to come into the office will be asked to show up. Office appearances will be voluntary for everyone else throughout 2020.

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