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Google Groups still exists and it’s getting a redesign

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Google Groups

The new Groups beta release includes most popular Groups features as well as:

  • Improved navigation—Group settings are consolidated into one section for easy access.
  • Streamlined group creation—A quick three-step wizard simplifies group creation.
  • Powerful search options—New filtering and search options help you find content quickly.
  • Simplified My groups page—When you’re signed in to Google Groups (groups.google.com), you’ll see all your groups on the same page.
  • Standardized messaging—Topics are now called conversations and match Gmail patterns.
  • Enhanced member management—The updated Members page provides quick access to group member subscriptions and permissions.

Interested users can sign up here to try out the beta, well before the new interface becomes mandatory for all users. That is especially important as they provide feedback on features that are “being considered for deprecation” like embedding groups in web pages or being able to view original message headers.

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Arlo will require two-step sign-ins for its smart home devices

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Of the three smart home security companies, only Ring’s two-factor requirement is active today. Nest’s is due to take effect sometime in the second quarter. Still, Arlo’s move is an important start. There’s a mounting concern that intruders can use security cameras and other connected devices to spy on and harass homeowners. Two-step logins won’t guarantee that your account stays secure, but they will raise the base level of security and prevent attackers from ‘casually’ hijacking some of your most important devices.

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Netflix will end ‘Lost in Space’ with a third season in 2021

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It’s also not the end for Estrin’s work with Netflix. On top of the renewal, he has signed a “multi-year” deal to create more Netflix exclusives. Estrin didn’t hint at what those shows might entail.

Lost in Space hasn’t been a critical darling for Netflix. With some exceptions, its average responses on Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes have characterized as a good-but-not-great production. With that said, there’s little doubt that it has been important to Netflix. The first season pulled in strong viewership, and Netflix’s advertising blitz for the second season made clear that it expected a repeat. Even if a third season isn’t a major success, the series will have achieved its goal of reeling in subscribers.

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Former Nintendo exec Reggie Fils-Aimé joins GameStop’s board

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The recently retired exec justified the move by contending that the industry needed a “healthy and vibrant” GameStop.

The new positions come as part of a larger shakeup of GameStop’s board. Four directors are retiring in June of this year, while two more will leave in June 2021. The median tenure for someone on the board will be just one year versus eight from before. Much of the old guard won’t be there, in other words. GameStop also wants the average tenure for an independent director to be less than 10 years, while the committee members will ideally rotate every five years.

Fils-Aimé certainly has experience with video game success at retail. While the Wii U floundered in the market, there’s little doubt that Fils-Aimé helped fuel excitement for other hardware, including the runaway success of the Wii. He arguably helped drive the success of many games during his Nintendo stint, too. He has a deep understanding of what makes game sales tick. This could theoretically influence GameStop’s strategy going forward, especially with the PS5 and Xbox Series X on the horizon.

However, it’s not certain that his influence will be enough. Whatever GameStop’s problems are with executing on its strategy, it’s facing the much larger challenge of an industry that’s moving away from physical game sales. As adept as Fils-Aimé was at Nintendo, he’s not about to get people buying discs and cartridges again — any success may come by changing GameStop’s core strategy rather than refining it.



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Quibi accused of patent infringement for its ‘Turnstyle’ video feature

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The tech in question allows Quibi to play different videos depending on whether the viewer is holding their phone horizontally or vertically, and it’s central to Quibi’s offering. Eko’s lawyers sent Quibi a letter demanding that it stop using the technology or license it. Eko also claims that some Quibi employees stole trade secrets — which they allegedly had access to in roles at Quibi and Snap — to develop the Turnstyle feature.

Quibi denies Eko’s allegations, and the company has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court seeking a declaratory judgment that it didn’t infringe on Eko’s patent or misappropriate trade secrets.

“Our Turnstyle technology was developed internally at Quibi by our talented engineers, and we have, in fact, received a patent for it,” Quibi said in a statement shared by WSJ. “These claims have absolutely no merit and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them in court.”

Quibi has 175 shows planned for its first year, and many of them involve big-name celebrities. But we don’t know for sure whether the Quibi model is going to work out. It will share content as short clips (10 minutes or less) and charge viewers $4.99 per month with ads, or $7.99 per month without ads. Of course, accusations related to Quibi’s signature feature could pose a major challenge.

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Apple says it’s safe to clean your iPhone with disinfectant wipes

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“Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces,” the company says. “Don’t use bleach. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don’t submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents. Don’t use on fabric or leather surfaces.”

Apple previously advised against using anything other than water to clean its products because some substances can wear down the oleophobic coating the company applies to keep its touchscreen devices looking their best. Health and safety take priority in this case. That said, there are a couple of things you can do to take care of both yourself and your device.

Your best bet is to use isopropyl alcohol. Apply a small amount to a soft microfiber cloth and then wipe down your device. If you don’t own a microfiber cloth, they’re not expensive to buy. In a pinch, an old but clean t-shirt will also do the trick. Avoid spraying anything directly on your phone’s display. You’ll also want to avoid paper towels as they can cause small abrasions. After you’ve cleaned your phone, wash your hands as well.

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Apple may expand mouse support with iPadOS 14

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For the most part, the expanded mouse support would bring the cursor features Mac users are familiar with to iOS. But the pointer may disappear automatically when mouse or trackpad activity stops, 9to5Mac reports. There may also be other Mac gestures, like tapping with two fingers to right-click.

Last month, rumors began circulating that Apple’s keyboard cover for the next-generation iPad may come with a trackpad. Those rumors suggest that iPadOS will be better at supporting mouse-style inputs. These new findings hint that both external mouse compatibility and a new trackpad-equipped iPad cover may be ready in the near future.

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Honda will discontinue its Clarity EV in 2020

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This isn’t totally surprising, as the Clarity EV had a pretty limited range. It only traveled about 89 miles on a charge. At the time of its debut, it seemed that Honda was betting on luxury over distance. But many other EVs offer both, and it looks like that bet didn’t work out.

It is a bit more surprising that Honda will keep the hydrogen fuel cell model. Even though that version has been around the longest — it arrived in California in 2016 — refueling infrastructure is still limited, so it’s still an early adopter car and requires that owners live close enough to fueling stations. The 2020 model will lease for $379 per month (for 36 months).

If you’re not ready for a hydrogen vehicle, the 2020 Clarity plug-in hybrid starts at $33,400 and has a combined range of 340 miles. When we reviewed the hybrid model, we found that it offered a comfortable interior and ride and was a viable contender in the hybrid space.

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Apple Watch may get a kids mode and sleep tracking

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Currently, a single iPhone can be paired to multiple Apple Watches, but only one can be used at a time. Plus, any Watch paired to the iPhone has to use the same Apple account. This is fine for a single person that has several Apple Watches, but it doesn’t work well for families — kids may not have an iPhone to pair their Apple Watch to, which is required for setting up and taking full advantage of the device. The new feature discovered by 9to5Mac will allow parents to set up a child’s Apple Watch, as well as set trusted contacts. Additionally, a new “Schooltime” setting will allow parents to limit the Apple Watches’ features during certain hours. For example, a parent could turn off texting apps while the child is in school.

Despite having been working on sleep tracking integration for years, Apple Watch users still don’t have a first-party way to measure their sleep health. That might finally change with watchOS 7, though. The same leaks obtained by 9to5Mac show the ability for users to set sleep goals on their iPhone, indicating that the Apple Watch would keep tracking sleeping patterns. Current Apple Watch models shouldn’t have a problem detecting when a user goes to bed, if they wake up during the night and when they wake up. But whether or not they can differentiate between REM and non-REM sleep remains to be seen.

These new features would hit Apple Series 6 and watchOS 7. It’s not clear whether or not they’ll need the new hardware presumably found in the next generation of the Apple Watch to function or if they’ll be available to current users. It would make sense if additional sensors were needed for detecting blood oxygen levels and certain aspects of sleep, but hopefully the parental controls simply come with a firmware update. We may have to wait a while to find out — new models of the Apple Watch usually aren’t announced until the late summer or early fall.

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‘Call of Duty: Warzone’ is a free battle royale game launching tomorrow

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At launch, the title will feature two gameplay modes — battle royale and plunder — and a single map called Verdansk that can support up to 150 players simultaneously. In plunder mode, the goal is to finish the match with the most money by searching the map for loot, taking down other players and completing in-game contracts.

In addition to five different vehicles you can use to travel across the map more quickly, Warzone will feature a mechanic called the Gulag. The first time you die in a match, you’ll find yourself in prison with other players who recently fell as well. You’ll then have to fight another player in a one-on-one challenge. If you win the showdown, you get to rejoin your teammates as they go about trying to win the match. Lose and you’ll have to wait and hope your buddies earn enough in-game cash to purchase a respawn for you.

The contracts mentioned above allow you and your teammates to complete specific objectives as a way to earn in-game money. You can use then use the funds at stations located across the map to buy things like killstreaks and an item that will revive you after you die. In the game’s plunder mode, you can also purchase a balloon that safely stores the cash you’re trying to obtain to win the match.

If you already own Modern Warfare, any battle pass items, weapons and skins you’ve earned will carry over to Warzone. Similarly, any progress you make in Warzone will carry over to Modern Warfare. It’s also a cross-platform title, so you can play with buddies on other systems. That said, if you’re interested in Warzone, you may want to check how much space you have on your console or PC as Activision says new players will need to download up 101GB of assets to start playing the game.

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