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Google has discontinued the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

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A Google spokesperson confirmed the changes with Android Police, saying its online store has sold out its entire inventory of Pixel 3 devices. The only phones you can find now are the 5.7-inch Pixel 4 for $799 and the $899 Pixel 4 XL.

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL were key phones for Google, introducing its new camera technology like Night Sight, Top Shot and Photobooth. Despite a few flaws, it produced the best smartphone photos around when it launched in 2017. While these devices have effectively been put out to pasture, users should still get Android updates for the foreseeable future.

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Lucid Motors pushes back the unveiling of its long-awaited electric sedan

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Lucid Air was introduced way back in 2016 and was supposed to be in production in 2018. Financial issues kept the company from adhering to its original timeline, but it managed to secure enough funds since then to continue building a factory in Casa Grande, Arizona. While the company has unsurprisingly chosen not to hold an event outside the New York show, it’s unclear when the debut will take place: Rawlinson told the publication that it will happen when larger world events allow. At the moment, New York Auto Show’s home, Manhattan’s Javits Center, is being converted into a temporary hospital.

The executive has also assured SVBJ that the production itself hasn’t been delayed and that it’s hiring new talents to grow the company. He said in a statement:

“Leading up to the rise of COVID-19, Lucid had grown to over 1,000 employees and we are maintaining this aggressive growth trajectory even now. We have worked with the HR team to maintain interview schedules for new-hire candidates while switching them to phone calls, and we are also moving forward on talent acquisition strategies…

Our supply chain remains totally committed and in a state of readiness for start of production for the Lucid Air. For the most part, tooling and machinery for the Lucid factory in Arizona was well underway before the current crisis.”

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UCSF app wants to use your biometric data to track the spread of coronavirus

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To participate and download the app, you’ll have to sign up for the project through UCSF’s Eureka Research platform using your phone number. Upon installing the app, it will ask you to complete a 10-to-15 minute initial survey about your health and daily habits. After that, you’ll get follow-up questions via push notifications and text messages every week over the next six months.

The app will give you the option to provide it with your near-constant location information — the good news is that it’s opt in, so just make sure not to activate it if you’re concerned about privacy. Also, you’ll soon be able share (if you want to) health data such as blood pressure, weight, exercise and sleep from Fitbit and other similar devices with the app.

Take note that if you consent to sharing your information, it will be included in a de-identified platform-wide data warehouse that is publicly available through a Data Use Agreement. And as previous studies (PDF) and health agencies warn (PDF), there remains a possibility that anonymized data can be still linked back to its source.

The spread of COVID-19 has been varied across regions, the physicians and scientists behind the project explained. We still don’t have a full understanding of the factors that determine how the disease affects individuals and populations. The team is hoping that the project can provide researchers with the data they need to be able to figure out how the virus is spreading and to predict and reduce the number of infections.

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I went to a sneaker launch in VR because of the coronavirus

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Asics, the Japanese footwear company, would have liked to put on a show to demonstrate its new sneakers to the world. But, with things as they are, opted to embrace technology to show off its new gear. So, rather than coaxing people over to its Japan HQ for a show, it recreated its presentation in VR and shipped Oculus Quest headsets to journalists.

The headset was already set up, with the Asics Virtual Innovation Lab demonstration already installed on the system. That meant all I had to do was charge it, slam a pair of Duracells into the controllers, and mark out a safe zone on the floor. Then, I could just launch the app and watch the presentation as many times as I liked between then and now.

I found myself inside a white, cavernous room that resembled an alien spaceship, with swooshy white walls and arched doorways. Sadly, I was rooted to the spot, unable to walk around the space and examine the glass case full of sneakers in the distance. In front of me, a 2D video screen hovered over a round dais, giving me a run-down of the company’s history.

Next, the hologram showed me the three new sneakers Asics was showing off: Metaracer, Metasprint and Metarise. The first is Asics’ new long-distance running shoe, with a carbon plate in the sole to improve stability and a foam midsole to improve responsiveness. Metarise, meanwhile, is a volleyball shoe with a fancy sole that promises jumps up to 3cm higher.

Finally, there’s a Metasprint, a spineless sprint shoe that uses a carbon fiber honeycomb sole for improved traction and more power.

Asics wanted me to understand the power each of the new shoes had, and so cooked up a demonstration in VR. For the Metaracer, you had to pump your arms as stars flew past you at speed, for the Metarise, you had to jump in time with a holographic volleyball spiker. For the Metasprint, you had to crouch — as if to run — and watch the floor turn into a honeycomb. To, ya’know, represent the honeycomb sole on the Metasprint.

Because the experience was a static video and then a “holographic” presentation in front of you, I felt a little sad. I’d have loved to wander around the 360-degree environment and explore more, but I was firmly rooted to the spot. That’s understandable, as Asics probably lacked the time, money and energy to develop a limited, media-only demo any further.

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NBA reportedly plans ‘players-only’ 2K tournament that will air on ESPN

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The NBA already has an official esports league with various teams represented, but with the live basketball season on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s reportedly about to put real NBA players on the sticks. Yahoo Sports reporter Chris Haynes cites league sources indicating that a 16-player NBA 2K tournament lasting 10 days will begin on Friday, with ESPN set to broadcast it.

With sports pretty much shut down around the world, networks are desperate for live content and athletes have nothing to do. So far, NASCAR has made the most noticeable shift to esports with races that it airs on Fox, and now the NBA is apparently ready to follow. Fox also aired a Madden tournament this past weekend, and can likely shift scheduled events around to do even more.

Ever since the NBA season was put on hold and the NBA 2K League postponed its activities, teams like the Suns have been livestreaming some games already. But bringing in league stars could put an even bigger spotlight on videogame basketball as a spectator sport. According to Haynes, Demarcus Cousins, who missed almost all of the last two seasons due to injuries, is scheduled to participate, but there’s no word on who else may be in, even with a league full of known gamers who occasionally hop on live stream. Players Like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been on the 2K cover in recent years, but now we might find out who can actually play at a high level.



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AT&T will give users an extra 15GB of mobile hotspot data

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At the same time, AT&T will provide more contact-free delivery options that include curbside pickup (if there’s an AT&T store still open near you) and doorstep delivery with virtual setup if you need help.

This measure is a logical extension of AT&T’s existing efforts, such as lifting caps for landline broadband. While it might not last as long as some might like or offer enough data to completely replace a landline, it’s an acknowledgment that internet access will likely be under significant strain as the coronavirus pandemic continues and more people stay at home.

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Apple Music’s Come Together space puts its upbeat playlists in one place

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For instance, the Isolation Icebreakers playlist embedded below features songs from R&B artists like Daniel Caesar and Snoh Aalegra. The Home-School-Strumentals mix, meanwhile, will appeal to lo-fi fans with tunes from Kaytranada, J-Dilla, Nujabes and more. Some of the other artists who make appearances across the space include the Jonas Brothers, Drake and Kanye West, so there should be something for every musical taste. And with clever titles like Social Distancing Social Club, some you may end up checking out most based on their names alone.

Apple says all the new playlists are available to listen to in the US starting today, and will be available in other countries by the end of the week. As with the Get Up! Mix, Apple plans to update the playlists over time to add new material to keep them fresh. Besides the new playlists, the company has, for the most part, tried to keep things business as usual at Apple Music. The platform’s Beats 1 station continues to broadcast, even if the hosts are doing so from home.

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Steam limits game auto-updates to manage peak demand

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Like Microsoft, Sony and others, Valve is grappling with a surge in game service use now that the pandemic has many people staying at home. This move might irk you if there are games that you play at sparse but regular intervals (say, once-a-week strategy game sessions), but it could be helpful if it keeps downloads speedy and prevents other Steam services from buckling at peak periods.

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Niantic is doing more to help ‘Pokémon Go’ gamers play at home

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The Niantic team is also rethinking how it handles live events like Pokémon Go Fest, although it doesn’t have more info to share at this stage.

As with earlier tweaks, Niantic doesn’t have much choice. It’s hard to play a location-based game when you’re discouraged or even banned from leaving your home. This just shows how much the company has to change if it’s going to keep its player base active until it’s safe to socialize once more.

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Facebook makes it easier to see how much it knows about you

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On Facebook, Download Your Information will also show you some of the inferences Facebook makes about you. For instance, it might show you that it’s recommending football-related content because you shared an article about football with a friend. And on Instagram, you’ll be able to see categories assigned to some accounts — like sports or fashion — that are used to suggest content in the Explore tab.

You probably won’t do much with this data, but it could be interesting to see how Facebook and Instagram are keeping tabs on you and why they’re recommending certain content. Last year, Facebook also increased transparency about ads, sharing details about why you were matched with specific advertising. While it may seem like this is a noble step for Facebook, it’s driven, at least in part, by regulation like the General Data Protection Regulation in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act. As we’ve said before, Facebook only cares about privacy because it has to.

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