Don’t like downloading entire iOS apps just so that you can use them once or twice? You might not have to in the future. The 9to5Mac team is continuing its string of claimed iOS 14 leaks with word that Apple’s new software could let you run small parts of apps to accomplish tasks when the full app isn’t installed. The “Clips” framework (not to be confused with Apple’s Clips video tool) would react to certain actions, such as scanning a QR code, by bringing up a card with just enough of an app’s native interface to play a video, book a restaurant or otherwise get things done. In theory, this should be more elegant than pointing you to the App Store or a website.
If this sounds familiar, it should. Google has had features like Instant Apps and Slices for a while, although those have so far been focused more on areas like app test drives and context-sensitive shortcuts. It’s not certain just how widely available Clips would be (the rumored iOS 14 build only references QR codes), but it wouldn’t be surprising if they were used in search results or Siri.
Today, Google is rolling out a new keyboard that will let blind and low-vision users type in braille without any additional hardware and in any app. The TalkBack braille keyboard is integrated directly into Android, so it should work whether you’re posting on social media, responding to a text or writing an email.
Google says the keyboard will be familiar to anyone who has typed using braille before. Once TalkBack is turned on in the Accessibility section, you’ll swipe up with three fingers to open the keyboard. It has a standard six-key layout, and each key represents one of six braille dots. To type an “A” for instance you’d press dot one, and to type “B”, dots one and two together. To start, the braille keyboard is only available in English on Android devices running version 5.0 or later.
The company sees the new service as a way to help its hosts earn money, as well as to give the public something to do while they’re stuck inside. Last week, Airbnb said it’s setting aside $250 million to help hosts affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Airbnb is also partnering with several charities — including two based in Spain and Italy, where the pandemic has hit especially hard — to provide free programming to older people. One of the organizations it plans to work with is the National Council on Aging (NCOA).
Is the premise of online experiences just a little bit goofy? Definitely, but once all this is said and done, it might inspire you to visit a place that hadn’t been on your bucket list. When it comes to hosts, while not every one of them will be able to take their experiences online, those that are able will likely appreciate the opportunity to make up for at least some lost income.
In recent years, Bon Appetit has become a YouTube sensation with over 5.6 million subscribers, thanks in part to entertaining and personality-driven shows like It’s Alive or Gourmet Makes. But beyond YouTube laughs, Bon Appetit offers highly approachable recipes that are flavorful at the same time. The website has two sub-brands; “Healthy-ish” focuses on somewhat healthier takes on food and life, while “Basically” is geared especially towards novices. Of note is a recently published guide that was specifically curated for the current crisis. In it are recipes that use five ingredients or less, for foods that freeze really well, leftover-friendly foods, comfort foods, as well as recipes focused on shelf-stable items such as beans, canned tomatoes and tinned fish.
This is the only recommendation on this list that requires payment — $1.25 a week or $40 a year — but I personally think it’s worth it. The site and accompanying app (for iOS and Android) is well-organized and intuitive to use, with bright and colorful photos along with an ever-changing list of curated recipe recommendations and suggestions. I especially like the search function, where you can not only enter in the ingredients you have on hand, but also what sort of meal you want to make (Is it for breakfast? A snack? Or dinner?) along with whatever dietary restrictions you might have. It, too, has a series of recipes that are perfect for these self-quarantine times, such as ones for pantry pasta, long-cooking stews and, yes, stress baking.
If you self-identify as a nerd and you’re also into cooking, you probably already know about Serious Eats. The site rose to prominence several years ago under the helm of J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, who often takes a decidedly scientific approach to cooking. Lopez-Alt has since transitioned to a consulting role at Serious Eats (he has his own vlog, which is well worth following as well), but the site remains strong under new leadership. I actually found the Serious Eats guide to coronavirus cooking to be one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen so far. It offers tips on basics like food prep and storage, as well as a slew of how-tos and step-by-step instructions for everything from breaking down a chicken to kneading your own bread.
The Kitchn is a daily food magazine that’s been around since the mid-2000s, and it frequently serves up not just recipes but also fun features like a celebrity recipe showdown (check out this recent one that compares the pot roast recipes between Alton Brown, Ina Garten, Taste of Home and the Pioneer Woman). Of course, The Kitchn also publishes plenty of tips and tricks to help readers be a better cook. Lately, it’s focused some of its content on the pandemic, such as this list of comforting recipes plus this helpful list of good pantry items to stock up on.
“Hello, I’m Chef John, from Food Wishes dot com” is the familiar refrain that you’ll hear at the beginning of every Food Wishes video, and it never fails to warm my heart. His tone is so welcoming and cheerful that it cheers me up every time I hear it. A YouTube favorite (he has over 3.4 million subscribers), he’s also a favorite among a few Engadget staffers, and for good reason. Not only is he goofy and charming, his recipes are also almost always geared toward the novice chef, with very clear and concise instructions. He also encourages viewers to experiment, use their senses, play around with food, and to think of cooking as art as much as science. A few of his more recent recipes are designed to make use of pantry staples too, making them particularly useful during this time.
“Binging with Babish” is a popular YouTube channel (over 6.6 million subscribers) which is primarily focused on recreating foods from TV shows and movies. Some famous examples include the Krabby Patty from Spongebob Squarepants and ratatouille from, well, Ratatouille. But host Andrew Rea can cook “normal” foods too, and the popularity of his channel led him to host a spin-off series called “Basics with Babish” that’s geared toward the beginner. Most recently, he also started a “Pantry Basics” series that’s meant to help you figure out what to cook with pantry staples like beans and lentils.
Maagchi has been referred to by the New York Times as the Julia Child of Korean cooking, and the description couldn’t be more apt. Not only does she have a friendly and bubbly personality, she does a wonderful job of demystifying Korean cooking and making it approachable to beginners and advanced cooks alike. From Korean classics like kimchi jjigae and bibimbap to sweet treats like Korean doughnuts, she makes it all seem within reach. Quite a lot of her recipes are already well-suited for a lockdown situation, as ingredients like kimchi and dried anchovies are pretty long-lasting, but a couple of her more recent videos have addressed the quarantine directly as well.
For a site that is entirely dedicated to vegetarian cuisine, I highly recommend 101 Cookbooks by Heidi Swanson, which has been an online favorite for decades. I’m a huge fan of her simple, straightforward recipes that are able to turn a carnivore like me into a lover of plant-based meals (a personal favorite is this cauliflower soup). Unsurprisingly, she’s been inundated with requests for pantry recipes lately, and she has obliged with this list of freezer-friendly soups. She also added this recipe for Turkish Coffee Chocolate Brownies because who doesn’t want a sweet treat during times like these?
You don’t need to be on the paleo diet to fall in love with Nom Nom Paleo, a mini-empire that consists of a food blog, two award-winning cookbooks, and a podcast, among other things. The New York Times has referred to Michelle Tam, the creator of the site, as the Martha Stewart of Paleo, because of how accessible she makes it seem. After perusing her site and trying her recipes, you will no longer think of the paleo diet as restrictive; instead you might find yourself eating more than ever. Tam has also tailored some of her recipes to fit Whole30 or keto diets as well. Recently, she posted this handy guide on stocking your paleo pantry, which includes lists of vegetables with a long shelf life and online sources for sustainable meat.
If you’re not strictly vegetarian or paleo, but you still want a healthy diet, then check out the Clean and Delicious food blog by Dani Spies. A wellness and weight loss coach, Spies believes in a balanced diet and “clean eating,” but without foregoing the foods you love. For example, there’s a recipe for lemon bars on her site, but it’s made with whole wheat flour and doesn’t have dairy or refined sugar. All of the recipes on her site reflect this philosophy; they are either gluten-free, paleo, vegan or vegetarian and they are also often low-carb, keto, dairy-free or nut-free. Plus, she has lists of healthy freezer and fridge staples, which are perfect for stocking up when you’re on lockdown. I also like her Instagram and YouTube channel, where, in addition to recipes, she shares tips on managing your anxiety during this difficult time.
There are simply way too many food sites on the internet to list them all, but here are a few more that were recommended by staff that you might find useful.
BBC Good Food
For those living on the other side of the pond, you might prefer recipes with proper measurements. Both Senior Editor Nick Summers and Copy Editor Lucy Cripps recommended BBC Good Food as a UK staple. Cripps’ favorite lockdown recipe so far is this bean chili because you can make the sauce to freeze.
Minimalist Baker
Cripps also likes the Minimalist Baker, which has recipes that use 10 ingredients or less and only takes about 30 minutes or so to make. Contributing Writer Igor Bonifacic is a big fan as well, mostly due to the site’s wealth of vegetarian recipes, like this curried cauliflower lentil soup.
Love Food Hate Waste
Now that we’re all trying to waste as little food as possible, a site like Love Food Hate Waste could prove really useful. Contributing Writer Rachel England said that you can just type in an ingredient or whatever it is you have leftover, and it’ll give you plenty of related recipes that you could use said leftovers in.
Budget Bytes
Budget Bytes is another great resource for those watching their wallets, as each recipe gives you a breakdown of estimated costs for each ingredient. It also recently published this informative list of long-lasting produce to stock up on during the quarantine. Commerce Editor Valentina Palladino said that the site is also really good for beginners.
Richard Bertinet’s White Bread Masterclass
Everyone’s baking bread these days, or so it seems, and Richard Bertinet’s video on white bread comes highly recommended for its sheer simplicity. It proves that all you need to make bread is bread flour, yeast and salt. Senior Editor Dan Cooper says the video is also a sure-fire way of calming him down when stressed.
Coral reefs are shrinking. That’s bad news for wildlife. Millions of species call coral reefs their homes, and coral itself is a cluster of tiny aquatic animals. And it’s bad news for humans, too — scientists’ analyses of organisms in and around coral have contributed to breakthroughs in a variety of medical treatments. NASA has taken some of its technology originally meant to photograph stars and adapted it for studying the ocean — but it needs the public’s help in sorting through the data. The agency created a game in which players analyze 3D images to spot and categorize coral reefs, and those actions train NASA’s supercomputer to eventually do the same. The game, NeMO-Net, uses photos from NASA’s imaging equipment, which it has deployed on drones and aircraft. These “fluid-lensing” cameras compensate for the optical distortions created by the ripples and waves of water over coral reefs, creating a clearer image. Players learn about different kinds of coral and then point out where they see the reefs in the 3D renderings. As more people play, the more the supercomputer’s neural network learns. Eventually, it should be able to sort through the photos itself, with no need for human assistance. As threatened ecosystems, it’s important that scientists gain a more thorough understanding of coral reefs. By creating a map of the reefs, scientists will hopefully be able to find a way to preserve them, despite the damage done by rising ocean temperatures, pollution and other detriments. Kids and adults alike can help out by playing NeMO-Net, which is currently available on iOS and Mac, and will be coming to Android in the future.
Are you obsessed with true crime? Can’t get enough gritty period dramas? A fan of all things anime? Whatever you’re into, there are plenty of ways to watch your favorite content, from folding phones to smart TVs. We know a lot of you like to use Amazon’s diminutive Fire TV Stick (which now comes with an Alexa remote and IMDB’s Freedive movie service), and we’re curious to find out why.
If you own the Fire TV Stick, why did you pick it over a Roku or Chromecast? How well does the Alexa voice remote work for you? Are you controlling any smart home gadgets with it? Is there anything you find annoying? Tell us all the ins and outs of this slim streaming device on our Fire TV product page! We haven’t reviewed this product ourselves, so your input is invaluable in helping other readers make their buying decisions. Remember — excellent reviews get included in upcoming user review roundup articles, so don’t leave out any details!
The app highlights the critical need for additional testing capacity throughout the US, but particularly so in California, which has screened fewer people per capita than states like New York and Washington. According to CNBC, Stanford can currently test approximately 2,500 people per day after researchers at the university developed their own COVID-19 test in March.
“If we have a first responder who has symptoms, it’s really important for them to get screened and potentially test it because they’re going to be very patient-facing and very community-facing. That’s what their jobs are,” Dr. Bob Harrington, chairman of the Stanford Department of Medicine, said in an interview with CNBC.
The app is currently only available in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties — Verily’s screening service was initially only available in those areas as well. However, Stanford wants to expand its availability to additional counties. Similarly, it wants to open it up to other frontline workers, such as grocery store clerks and public service employees.
Stanford’s app follows Apple’s own COVID-19 app, which the iPhone maker released last month. While it won’t direct you to testing facilities, it does screen for the disease’s symptoms. It also includes up to date advice from the CDC and other resources.
Facebook is apparently hoping to go back to its roots as a service that connects college students with each other. App researcher Jane Manchun Wong has unearthed an experimental feature called “Campus,” which can be exclusively accessed by college students, when she took apart the social network’s application. You’ll need a .edu email address to access Campus, and once you’re in, you can fill out a profile with your graduation year, major, minor and dorm if you want to find your friends on it.
As you probably know, the social network started as a platform to connect Harvard students before expanding to welcome students from other universities and educational institutions. Today, Facebook has 3 billion monthly active users around the world. It’s no longer the same service Mark Zuckerberg and his fellow Harvard students built years ago, but Campus feels like a throwback to those days.
Earlier this year Microsoft shared its plans to integrate a full Linux kernel in Windows 10 — now it’s introducing Linux file access into the File Explorer. Users have been able to access Linux files since Windows 1903, but the new feature in build 19603 means you’ll be able to get them more easily. Open up File Explorer and you’ll see Tux, Linux’s penguin mascot, in the left-hand navigation pane. This icon will show you a view of all your distros, and selecting those will place you in the Linux root file system for that distro.
Elsewhere in the new build — which is available to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring — there are user clean-up recommendations in storage settings, which makes it easier to free up disk space by selecting and deleting unused files, and the introduction of Microsoft News Bar. This new customizable news app sits neatly to the side of the screen and updates throughout the day (and it can be minimized with a click if it proves too distracting).
That’s a lot of people waiting for ‘The Mandalorian’ season two.
Engadget
Disney’s streaming service has only been around for five months and despite a lack of hit original content, it’s already amassed an impressive number of paying subscribers. On Wednesday afternoon, the company announced it’s up to 50 million, 21 million more than the last numbers it reported, two months ago. That’s also well ahead of the pace it pitched to investors, which projected between 60 to 90 million customers in 2024.
How’d it get there so fast? The relatively low price helps, along with bundle deals in the US and the addition of eight million subscribers in India, where it’s offered along with the existing Hotstar service. Continue reading.
Foxconn’s contentious Wisconsin plant will be used to make ventilators
The Taiwanese company has partnered with healthcare company Medtronic.
Foxconn’s dubious Wisconsin factory — the subject of billions of dollars of tax subsidy scrutiny — will produce ventilators to aid in COVID-19 treatment in the US. The company, best known for assembling Apple’s iPhones at factories in China, has entered into a partnership with healthcare firm Medtronic for the project, which will see ventilators produced “as soon as possible,” according to a statement provided to Reuters.
The factory was first announced back in 2017 and has been the focus of controversy ever since. While its arrival promised new job opportunities for the state and was initially earmarked for use as an LCD factory, plans have repeatedly changed. Those ample job opportunities never materialized. Meanwhile, the plant has picked up more than $4.5 billion in government incentives. Continue reading.
Huawei made a credit card
Anything Apple can do…
Huawei boss, Richard Yu, unveiled the Huawei Card during the company’s Chinese P40 launch event yesterday, and to the shock of none, it borrows a lot of the Apple Card’s best features. Yes, it’s both a physical and virtual card, and there are some benefits to signing up. After spending a certain amount of money, users can get lounge access at train stations and airports.
There’s no first-year annual fee, and the company will waive the second-year fee for those who spend a certain amount through Huawei Pay. Continue reading.
