Blog

Tesla competitor Polestar 2 will start at $59,900 in the US

[ad_1]

At $59,900 the Polestar 2 isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s close enough to the Model 3’s $40,000 price tag to make it a solid competitor. While it’s arguably better looking than the Model 3, it has similar specs. Its 78 kWh battery delivers a range of roughly 275 miles, and it packs 408 horsepower.

Polestar 2 infotainment system

Polestar

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Polestar began production of the EV in China last month. It’s manufacturing the car on the same production lines that its parent company Volvo is assembling the Volvo XC40. The first Polestar 2 vehicles produced will be sold in Europe, with sales in China and North America after that.

For an additional $4,000, customers can get a leather interior and for an extra $1,200, they can upgrade to 20-inch alloy wheels. The Polestar 2 is the first production vehicle to come with Google’s Android platform for its infotainment system, so you can expect Google Assistant voice commands, Google Maps, EV charging support and apps via the Google Play Store.

[ad_2]

Source link

Apple’s next-generation AirPods might arrive in early 2021

[ad_1]

You might not want to hold your breath for an update to Apple’s AirPods in 2020. Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims (via AppleInsider) that Apple is likely to mass-produce third-generation AirPods in the first half of 2021, and follow suit with the second-generation AirPods Pro in the fourth quarter of 2021 or first quarter of 2022. They wouldn’t have radical redesigns, but they would shift to sleeker system-in-package internals instead of the usual circuit boards.

The forecasting is also notable for what it wouldn’t include. Kuo rejects claims by Jon Prosser and Digitimes that Apple has new AirPods in the pipeline for later in 2020, suggesting that supply chain insiders are confusing an upcoming Beats launch with new Apple-branded earbuds. These rumors would have Apple either releasing a fitness-minded “AirPods X” that echoes the behind-the-neck design of BeatsX or an “AirPods Pro Lite” that cuts features from the familiar design to lower the price, such as active noise cancelling.



[ad_2]

Source link

Facebook stops advertisers from targeting users into ‘pseudoscience’

[ad_1]

Mark Zuckerberg has said that fighting coronavirus misinformation is one of his “top priorities,” yet Facebook’s ad policies have been slow to catch up. Now, the company will no longer allow advertisers to target users based on their interest in “pseudoscience,” according to The Markup. 

The publication discovered the category after seeing an ad for an “anti-EMF beanie,” apparently meant to “protect” against radiation from smartphones. Facebook later told The Markup it removed the category from its ad platform.

[ad_2]

Source link

Amazon allegedly used sellers’ data to make competing products

[ad_1]

Amazon’s policies forbid it from using sellers’ data to undermine their own products, but the practical reality might be very different. Wall Street Journal sources say Amazon employees have been using proprietary seller data to help design and price in-house products, including decisions to enter certain categories. To develop a car trunk organizer, as an example, the internet retailer reportedly studied a third-party’s sales, marketing spending and Amazon’s share of sales.

This also includes executives, according to the sources. While Amazon officially has measures to prevent its product higher-ups from accessing individual sellers’ data, those rules apparently haven’t been consistently enforced. Execs would use workarounds, such as having analysts create reports or obtaining supposedly aggregated data that was really collected from one seller.

[ad_2]

Source link

Ventilator companies are opening up critical repair documents to the public

[ad_1]

“I want to thank ventilator manufacturers such as GE for providing access to service documents,” Nathan Proctor, head of the right to repair campaign at the PIRG, said in a statement. “When technicians can’t access service manuals, it puts unnecessary barriers to fixing life-saving equipment.”

While the need for medical equipment technical manuals is pressing given the pandemic, it fits into a larger conversation. For years, right to repair proponents have argued that tech companies have prevented owners and independent technicians from completing basic fixes. Companies like Apple argue the repairs are too complex or not safe, though that’s debatable. Europe is already pushing for broader right to repair legislation, and the current demand for medical device service could make the battle more prominent in the US, too.

“We hope this also serves as an example about why restricting repair is harmful,” Proctor said. “It’s time we removed these repair restrictions for all the equipment in hospitals. We hope that manufacturers continue to expand their cooperation with independent technicians and hospital in-house biomeds to provide what they need to fix equipment.”

[ad_2]

Source link

Eurosport follows ESPN in airing an esports racing championship

[ad_1]

A pan-European TV network is joining ESPN in broadcasting virtual races while motorsport is shut down due to COVID-19. Eurosport has signed a deal to broadcast Torque Esports’ The Race All-Star Series on cable, satellite, IPTV and streaming (both live and on-demand). As the name implies, the rFactor 2-based championship pits conventional and virtual pro racers against each other online, including in a Legends Trophy event with famous drivers like Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve.

The final round of the first series takes place on April 26th at 6PM CET (12PM Eastern), but the second series is already set to begin on May 1st.

[ad_2]

Source link

Instacart is hiring another 250,000 grocery shoppers

[ad_1]

Instacart promises it’s doing more to support its workforce. To log into the app, workers will have to take a daily wellness check. If they confirm symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough or difficulty breathing, they’ll be logged off for the day and told to contact their physician. Independent contractors (known as “full-service” shoppers) and part-time employees (in-store shoppers, shift leads and site managers) who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or forced to quarantine will still receive up to 14 days of financial assistance.

Chances are these measures won’t appease workers who went on strike a few weeks ago. Instacart tried to avoid the demonstration by making a few concessions, but shoppers said those didn’t go far enough. They pointed out that there’s still no sick pay for workers who stay home due to health conditions that put them at a high risk and that the company failed to address demands for hazard pay.

Shoppers also criticized Instacart for not providing hand sanitizer fast enough. Just a few days ago, many shoppers said they still hadn’t received the promised safety gear.

In its announcement today, Instacart promised in-store shoppers, shift leads and site managers will continue to receive bonuses ranging from $25 to $200 — but that appears to leave out full-service shoppers. Instacart is also making it possible to request “health and safety” kits with masks and hand sanitizer from the Instacart Shopper app.

Instacart will continue offering a contactless delivery option. The company has also expanded its Costco pharmacy deliveries nationwide. It’s working on a “first available shopper” option to expedite deliveries, and it now lets customers order up to two weeks ahead, instead of one.

Of course, Instacart isn’t alone in its struggle to provide worker protections and meet a growing demand for grocery delivery. Nearly all online grocery delivery services are facing unprecedented stress and having their vulnerabilities exposed.

[ad_2]

Source link

Google’s latest Android 11 preview helps devs fix app-breaking bugs

[ad_1]

Of all the enhancements Google is introducing today, there’s one called ADB Incremental that could have a substantial effect on the Android ecosystem. According to the company’s Dave Burke, the tool makes installing large app packages from a computer to an Android device as much as 10 times faster. In effect, this will streamline developing games for Android. Burke notes ADB Incremental is one of several tools Google plans to add to Android to make developing games for the operating system easier. The catch is that most current devices won’t support ADB Incremental; the feature requires a file system change at the device level. However, Burke says all new devices that launch with Android 11 will support ADB Incremental out of the box.  

Last but not least, Google is making improvements to how WiFi debugging works in Android. With 11, developers won’t need a cable to set up WiFi debugging. The operating system will also remember connections over time and take advantage of the latest WiFi technologies.  

As always, you’ll want to avoid installing this latest developer preview on your main phone, particularly if you don’t have experience flashing Android devices. As mentioned at the top, there’s also not much exciting about DP3 unless you’re a developer. That said, if you already have the DP2 installed on one of your devices, you’ll be able to install DP3 with a simple over-the-air update.

[ad_2]

Source link

‘Pokémon Journeys’ will be a Netflix exclusive in the US

[ad_1]

The Pokémon anime has been running since the late ‘90s, but Ash Ketchum still isn’t a Pokémon Master, and still hasn’t caught ‘em all. The 23rd season of the iconic anime will come out in the US on June 12th, but unlike previous seasons, this one will be a Netflix Original. This isn’t the case for other countries, though. The show will be on Sony’s POP channel in the UK, and it already started its run on TV Tokyo in Japan. This could be a good acquisition for Netflix, though. As more tenured media corporations launch their own streaming services like HBO Max and Disney+, the company will likely need more content to stay competitive.

Pokémon Journeys will see Ash travel to previous locales, as well as the new Galar region from Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield on Nintendo Switch. The first 12 episodes will be available at launch, and 12 new episodes will be added every three months. The show’s production was placed on hold a few days ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. Only 22 episodes have been aired thus far in Japan, so it’s unclear if this could affect future Netflix releases.

[ad_2]

Source link

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ comes to Xbox Game Pass on May 7th

[ad_1]

Xbox Game Pass is one of the best bargains in gaming. $14 a month gets you all the perks of Xbox Live Gold, plus a selection of about 100 on-demand games. The deal is getting even sweeter now that Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming to the subscription service. On May 7th, Rockstar’s hit action adventure title will join the Xbox Game Pass library on Xbox One, and the timing couldn’t be much better. Cabin fever is likely becoming a problem with those practicing social distancing, so an immersive game with a huge, open world could help quell some claustrophobia. The only downside is that it’s replacing Grand Theft Auto V, another extremely popular game from Rockstar.

Red Dead Redemption 2 had the most successful opening weekend, not just in gaming, but in entertainment in general, and was met with nearly universal acclaim. Rockstar has shipped nearly 30 million copies of the cowboy simulator, which puts it in the top 20 best-selling games of all time. If Xbox gamers haven’t checked it out yet, now may be the time to do so. Those who don’t have an Xbox One can also check out the PC version of the game, though it won’t be part of Xbox Game Pass.

[ad_2]

Source link