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‘World of Warcraft’ keeps players indoors with a 100 percent XP bonus

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If the world of Azeroth has been the place you’ve turned to find some time away from all the news about the coronavirus pandemic, Blizzard has something that should make your stay more productive. From now until April 20th, your World of Warcraft character will receive a bonus called “Winds of Wisdom,” which will increase the amount of experience they gain by 100 percent. The buff is available to Battle for Azeroth, Legion and Starter Edition players — alas, no love for those of us grinding it out in World of Warcraft Classic.

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New York orders Craigslist to remove ads for fake COVID-19 treatments

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On top of this, James has sent letters to GoDaddy and five other internet registrars asking them to halt the registration of domain names for virus-related scams, and to delist those names that are already in use. While this wasn’t an order, the Attorney General warned that these sites are likely to be violating “multiple laws” in addition to terms of service.

We’ve asked Craigslist and GoDaddy for comment.

It won’t be surprising if the companies step up their actions in response, if they haven’t already. Even if they aren’t compelled in terms of public interest, the threats of legal action and negative public perception might tip the balance. Whatever the motivations, the crackdown could prove vital if it saves people from wasting money and exposing themselves to the virus.

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NTSB criticizes Tesla Autopilot design in Model 3 crash report

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The report says one of the contributing factors to the crash was that Tesla’s Autopilot software wasn’t designed to handle the type of road conditions it encountered the night of the collision. The five-mile stretch of highway where the Delray Beach crash occurred has approximately 34 intersections and private driveways where cars can join traffic. The agency says Tesla’s analysis found Autopilot didn’t treat the truck as a “threat” as it moved into the path of the Model 3 because it was designed to navigate highways with limited access where crossing traffic isn’t an issue. Had the Model 3 driver not been able to turn on Autopilot in that specific instance or had the system made sure they paid attention to the road, the accident may have been avoided.

“Contributing to the crash was the operational design of Tesla’s partial automation system, which permitted disengagement by the driver, and the company’s failure to limit the use of the system to the conditions for which it was designed,” the report says.

The agency also had some choice words for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It once again criticized the regulator for not developing a way to ensure automakers include the right safety features in their Level 2 autonomous vehicles. The NHTSA can issue recalls for unsafe vehicle tech, something the NTSB can’t do.

The NTSB was similarly critical of Tesla last month when it announced the initial findings of the crash that killed Apple developer Walter Huang. At the time, it said it had contacted automakers as far back as 2017 about making autonomous driving systems harder to misuse. “Sadly, one manufacturer has ignored us, and that manufacturer is Tesla,” said NTSB chair Robert Sumwalt. “We ask that recommendation recipients respond to us within 90 days. That’s all we ask. But it’s been 881 days since these recommendations were sent to Tesla and we’ve heard nothing. We’re still waiting.”

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GameStop closes California stores despite earlier defiance

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We’ve asked GameStop for comment.

The retailer had maintained that it was an “essential business” as it improved the quality of life for people working from home. It reportedly went so far as to instruct stores on how to respond if police attempted to enforce closures. The company has effectively been setting up a confrontation with the law, not to mention employees who may refuse to put their health at risk just to sell consoles and games.

It’s not certain just why GameStop would insist on remaining open when companies selling more vital products have remained open. However, it’s well-known that GameStop is already in deep financial trouble. Mandatory closures could exacerbate those problems and leave the store chain with poorer chances of recovery.

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Google won’t hold a virtual I/O this year

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When Google announced its first change of plans earlier this month, the company said it would “explore other ways to evolve Google I/O to best connect with our developer community.” At the time, it seemed like the company would host online presentations and workshops, much like Apple announced it would do at WWDC later this year. However, in response to California’s recent shelter in place order amid the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, the company now won’t hold the event at all.

“Right now, the most important thing all of us can do is focus our attention on helping people with the new challenges we all face. We’ll’ll continue to do everything we can to help our communities stay safe, informed, and connected,” the company said on Twitter. For the time being, Google plans to share details about upcoming Android updates in blog and community forum posts.

We’ve reached out to Apple and Microsoft to find out if they still plan to hold digital-only events of their respective developer conferences. We’ll update this article when we hear back from them.



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WhatsApp and WHO create a chatbot to share reliable coronavirus info

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WhatsApp

Yesterday, WhatsApp unveiled a coronavirus fact-checking hub in partnership with the WHO, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme. That’s intended to share the latest news and advice related to COVID-19. The chatbot will go one step further and let users ask questions directly. WhatsApp also donated $1 million to support fact-checking organizations.

According to The Guardian, the UK’s NHS may also be developing a WhatsApp chatbot to share reliable coronavirus information. NHS already helps people in the UK find reliable health info via Google, and it has partnered with Amazon on an Alexa-based chatbot, so it could be well-positioned to add a WhatsApp bot.

While WhatsApp started as a messaging service, it has grown into a social network, and it’s now used by over two billion people worldwide. It also poses a unique challenge in the fight against misinformation. Unlike other social networks and search engines, its messages are encrypted and untraced. As The Guardian points out, that makes it especially difficult for WhatsApp to crack down on false claims.

Last year, WhatsApp reduced its message forwarding limit to just five people or groups in an attempt to curb misinformation, and in 2018, it banned over 400,000 accounts during Brazil’s election by cracking down on “automated and bulk messaging activity.” WhatsApp has also made it easier to prevent contacts from dragging you into annoying group chats. Chatbots from reliable sources like the WHO could be another way to combat misinformation.

WhatsApp will likely play an important role in the coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, it is a positive one.



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‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ hits 30 million players in 10 days

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The growth has slowed a bit since launch — Warzone had three million players after 24 hours and 15 million within three days — but the latest number is nothing to sniff at. Apex Legends, which arrived 13 months earlier, drew in 50 million players in its first four weeks, and Warzone seems to be on a similar trajectory.

While Apex Legends topped 70 million players by the end of last year, both titles have some way to go to match battle royale kingpin Fortnite, which boasts hundreds of millions of gamers. With so many of us staying at home right now and looking for things to do, though, Warzone might entice lapsed Call of Duty fans to check it out and keep that 30 million figure ticking upwards.



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The best deals we found this week: ‘The Sims 4,’ Fire TV Sticks and more

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Fire TV Stick

holiday gift guide 2019

Amazon continues to run a good sale on its Fire TV Sticks for Prime members. Use the code 4KFIRETV to get a Fire TV Stick 4K for $25, which is 50 percent off its normal price. The regular Fire TV Stick is down to $23, which is the lowest price we’ve seen it hit outside of Cyber Week and Amazon Prime Day.

Square Enix Switch sale

final fantasy vii

There’s still time to load up your Nintendo Switch with Final Fantasy games, as all of the main games are still on sale at the Nintendo eShop. Many games are 40 to 50 percent off, and ahead of the remake coming soon, Final Fantasy VII now costs $8. While there are a number of good deals in this sale, we also particularly like Collection of Mana for $20 because you’re getting three games for half the normal price.

Google Pixel 3a

Google Pixel 3a XL

One of the best affordable smartphones is even cheaper than normal right now: Amazon has the Google Pixel 3a for $300 and the 3a XL for $380. The Pixel 3a normally starts at $400, and while this isn’t the lowest starting price we’ve seen ($280), it’s close enough that it’s still a great deal. Keep in mind, though, that a Google Pixel 4a may be right around the corner — it may be best to wait if you want the newest possible Pixel device.

Moog and Korg synth apps

synths

Stay-at-home musicians can get a few extra tools with Moog and Korg apps that are still free. Moog’s Minimoog Model D iOS synth app remains free to download, and Korg’s Android and iOS Kaossilator apps are also free for a limited time (both of the latter are normally $20, making this a great deal). Today is the final day Android users can grab Korg’s app, and iOS users have until March 31.

Affinity apps free trial

Affinity Photo

Serif continues to offer a 90-day free trial for anyone who wants to try out Affinity software. You can download Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher and try them out without any necessary purchase at the end of the trial. But Serif sweetened the deal for those who do want to buy: until April 20, you can get 50 percent off the computer and mobile versions of all Affinity programs — yes, that includes the iPad version of Affinity Photo, which is now $10.

New deal additions

Master & Dynamic WFH sale

Audio company Master & Dynamic hopes to make the transition to work-from-home life easier for some with its work-from-home sale that slashes up to 50 percent off some of its popular headphones, earbuds and speakers. Use the code WFH50 to save on select items, including the MW07 wireless earbuds (Engadget’s Billy Steele reviewed the updated model, the MW07 Plus). Most of the sale items are older models, but considering Master & Dynamic devices can be quite expensive to begin with, it’s worth grabbing all the discounts you can get. The sale ends Sunday, March 22.

Disco Elysium

The award-winning detective game Disco Elysium is back down to its lowest price ever — $30 — on Steam. The game has dropped to this price before, but this is a good time to buy it if you’re looking for a new PC game to dive into during your free time. Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM also recently added a “Hardcore True Detective” mode that you’ll want to try, but only once you get used to the base game.

Apple Watch Series 5

While the Apple Watch Series 5 doesn’t see huge discounts, Amazon has a 40mm model for $360 now. That’s $40 off it’s normal price of $400, and only $5 more expensive than the lowest price we’ve seen it. With the next version of the Apple Watch likely six months away, now’s a good time to buy the Series 5 while it’s slightly more affordable than normal.

Apple Mac mini

After Apple modestly updated the Mac mini earlier this week, B&H Photo has discounted the 2018 Mac mini. A model with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage is now $880, which is $20 less than its previous lowest price. While less powerful Mac mini models are also on sale, this deal has the right specs at the right price.

SanDisk Ultra microSDXC card with adapter

If your Nintendo Switch or your smartphone needs some extra storage, consider Newegg’s deal on a 256GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC card with adapter. Use the code EMCDEGR28 to take an extra $5 off to get this bundle for only $31. This deal ends tonight, so it’s one to grab sooner rather than later.

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Sony says the ‘overwhelming majority’ of PS4 titles will work on PS5

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The company says it expects “backwards compatible titles will run at a boosted frequency on PS5 so that they can benefit from higher or more stable frame rates and potentially higher resolutions. We’re currently evaluating games on a title-by-title basis to spot any issues that need adjustment from the original software developers.”

It has tested hundreds of games to date and plans to do so with thousands more before the PS5 launches. While it didn’t offer more details on which PS4 games will work at the outset, it said it will offer more details on backwards compatibility and the PS5 in general in the coming months.

When it at long last revealed the PlayStation 5’s specs this week, Sony said it looked into the top PS4 100 games based on playtime and said it was “expecting almost all of them to be playable at launch on PS5.” That led to some confusion about exactly how many PS4 games will work on the new console from the jump, but at least it has finally cleared up the situation to a certain extent.

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Windows 10 UI updates have been spotted in a Microsoft promo video

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The video depicts a File Explorer window that looks noticeably different than the one Windows 10 users are accustomed to, and there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it peak at a new calendar interface. Additionally, the tiles that pop up in the start menu have a more unified, monochromatic look that seems to jive with the user’s chosen color scheme. It’s not clear if these changes will actually be released or if they’re just internal mock-ups at Microsoft.

Windows’ front-end has clearly gone through major changes, from the austere gray of Windows 95 and 98, to the iconic blue and green color scheme of XP, and more recently, the translucent themes that started with the dreaded Windows Vista. The disappointing thing is that real-life operating systems have never looked as cool as the UIs in movies from the ’80s and ’90s.



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