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Broadcom lawsuit blames your Netflix habit for a drop in chip sales

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Netflix has declined to comment. Broadcom said it alerted Netflix to the alleged violations in September, but that the internet service had turned down attempts to negotiate a patent license.

The lawsuit might not go Broadcom’s way. The chip producer sued a string of TV makers in 2017 for supposed patent violations, but Vizio and Sigma Designs both prevailed in 2018 after the US International Trade Commission found that they weren’t violating the patents. Broadcom will have to show that Netflix is a different beast — not to mention fend off concerns that it’s trying to compensate for lost business by profiting from a competitor.

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FCC gives T-Mobile extra spectrum to cope with demand during coronavirus

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Eight companies agreed to make some of their spectrum available, the FCC said, including Comcast and Dish. Help also came from the FCC’s spectrum inventory.

Officials haven’t mentioned other carriers receiving additional capacity, although it won’t be surprising if others follow suit. The US is facing an unprecedented situation where many people have been told to work from home to reduce the risk of infection, and in some cases can’t work at all. That could put a much heavier strain on data networks across the country, limiting service at the very moment it’s needed the most.

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NASA warns Moon base plans might slip by a year

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Loverro stressed that NASA wasn’t ditching the Gateway. Rather, he saw the administration pursuing a slower spending increase that would help attract foreign partners.

The statements (along with delays in Boeing’s Space Launch System) suggest that NASA’s schedule for the Artemis program might be too aggressive. Critics have argued that the White House’s timetable, including a Moon landing by 2024 and a lunar base by 2028, is an arbitrary target set more for political gain than advancing space exploration. NASA originally planned the landing for 2028, but Wall Street Journal sources claim the Trump administration chose the 2024 timing to dovetail with the end of a theoretical second presidential term. If delays like this prove to be enough a problem, NASA may not have much choice but to rethink its timing.

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Airbnb expands cancellation policy to cover stays affected by coronavirus

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The company added that it was aware this could hurt hosts who depend on Airbnb for income, but believed it had to “find a balance” between those hosts and supporting the “well-being” of guests.

To some degree, Airbnb didn’t have much choice. With many countries discouraging travel or in some cases issuing temporary bans (such as the US’ 30-day bans on Europe and the UK), there was pressure on Airbnb to be more accommodating. Why make people pay for cancellations when they’re either unable to fly or unwilling to put themselves at risk? If Airbnb didn’t widen its cancellation policy, it risked a backlash that could hurt its long-term success.

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Google says nationwide coronavirus website is in development

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The internet giant said it was “fully aligned” with the government and helping to fight the spread of COVID-19, although it didn’t explain the gap between its plans for a nationwide site and what Trump said.

It’s not shocking that Google would have multiple projects in the works. Verily may be a sibling brand, but it has its own goals. And Google knows that it’s frequently the first destination for people seeking health info — it’s almost obligated to provide knowledge and curb misinformation. The more effort it puts into addressing the coronavirus outbreak, the more it helps both the public and its bottom line.



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After Math: How COVID-19 is already clobbering 2020

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Welp, we had a good run, America. While every other developed nation on the planet scrambles to defend itself against the deadly spread of COVID-19, the US had to be dragged into fielding a response. This year everything is cancelled. Schools have be…

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‘Minecraft’ library helps you dodge news media censorship

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You can also see details for the current state of press freedom in 180 countries.

The library is a technical achievement in its own right. It resembles a giant neo-classical museum, complete with country-specific wings and huge book collections. You can’t tear the library apart, but you can add more if you have the time and inclination.

Reporters Without Borders believes the Uncensored Library should be relatively resilient. Anyone can download the necessary map, and Minecraft‘s nature makes it easy to host another server if an oppressive country tries to take one down. We wouldn’t count on this lasting forever, mind you. Countries that already have draconian censorship measures aren’t likely to think twice about banning Minecraft outright — this may be just a temporary reprieve.

Still, that’s not entirely the point. This is also a commentary on censorship, and a way to engage people who otherwise wouldn’t think much about such a difficult subject. If it encourages some Minecraft players to advocate for press freedom or pursue investigative reporting as a career, it will have accomplished its mission.

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‘Dreams’ creators can apply to sell their work beyond the PS4

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You aren’t guaranteed to get in. The beta is only open to Early Access members “in good standing” with a body of work, and Media Molecule will want to know what you’re planning, when you hope to finish it and whether or not you’re willing to provide feedback.

This could still be a big deal even under those current limitations. If it leads to a widely available program, you may have an incentive to use Dreams even if gaming is the last thing on your mind. While you probably won’t base a whole business around console software like this, it could provide a new avenue for art that was previously too difficult (or just time-consuming) to make from scratch.

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Google details what you need to play Stadia games in 4K on the web

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However, you might notice what’s not present: any mention of Mac support. Much like YouTube in Safari, Apple’s resistance to VP9 over patent issues (it prefers royalty-free formats like AV1) makes official 4K support unlikely. Take heart, though. As 9to5Google observed, the unofficial Stadia+ extension for Chrome can force 4K on Macs if you’re determined to play in full quality on your iMac.

There are still some limits regardless of what platform you use to play. HDR and 5.1-channel audio are still “coming soon,” so you’ll have to be content with a relatively flat audiovisual experience for a little while. And don’t forget, titles like Doom Eternal won’t play in native 4K. While you’ll get the best Stadia experience possible, the performance won’t outshine a local copy of a game on a well-equipped PC.

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Facebook is hosting a virtual GDC for Oculus VR titles

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Facebook says you can expect to hear the earliest details on new experiences coming to popular titles like Pistol Whip and Beat Saber. You’ll also hear more about The Room VR: A Dark Matter, Lies Beneath and other titles that will be available on the Quest in the coming weeks. On the last day of the event, Facebook is also giving you access to three workshop videos featuring new and upcoming VR developer tools, as well as insider tips and techniques, for the Oculus platform.

It’s not entirely clear if the event will feature videos you can stream. The company wants you to keep an eye on the Oculus blog, though, so it might be a series of posts instead. Facebook also has something planned for Facebook Gaming on March 24th, but it didn’t elaborate on what it’s about — we’ll just have to wait for the company to reveal more details.

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