“Fired for being right”: Trump admin whistleblower testifies to Congress by Jon Brodkin on 2020-05-14 19:12 (#53FNJ) Democrats praise whistleblower while Republicans complain about hearing.
Nintendo’s first rumored Mario game for 2020 has come true: Paper Mario in July by Sam Machkovech on 2020-05-14 18:57 (#53FNK) The Origami King: New battle system, open-world sections, paper-airplane warfare.
Could lab-evolved algae help save some corals from bleaching? by Scott K. Johnson on 2020-05-14 18:40 (#53FNM) Idea shows some potential, but it’s no substitute for halting global warming.
Failure to delete hate speech could cost Facebook, Google billions in France by Kate Cox on 2020-05-14 18:24 (#53FNN) Businesses in France will get only one hour to delete child porn or terrorism.
Grab a recommended Anker battery pack on sale for $25 by Ars Staff on 2020-05-14 18:12 (#53FJG) Dealmaster also has deals on Final Fantasy VII Remake, AirPods Pro, and more.
How Epic got such amazing Unreal Engine 5 results on next-gen consoles by Kyle Orland on 2020-05-14 17:56 (#53FJH) Lighting, streaming, and scalability combine for a jaw-dropping console showcase.
The COVID-19 misinformation crisis is just beginning, but there is hope by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-05-14 17:43 (#53FJJ) Scientists “map” how distrust in health expertise spreads through social networks.
Huawei’s Google app loophole: Just keep re-releasing old devices by Ron Amadeo on 2020-05-14 16:58 (#53FFE) If new phones can't ship with Google apps, how about small upgrades to 2019 phones?
These are the oldest Homo sapiens fossils ever found in Europe by Kiona N. Smith on 2020-05-14 16:50 (#53FFF) But what does that mean for our complicated history with the Neanderthals?
Coronavirus and cats: Do you need to social-distance from Fluffy? by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-05-14 15:56 (#53FBS) Cats can infect other cats with coronavirus, but is there cause for concern?
Space Launch System rocket now targeted for a late 2021 launch by Eric Berger on 2020-05-14 15:29 (#53FBT) A critical Green Run test firing may occur around Thanksgiving of this year.
War Stories: Alan Wake’s transformation emerged from a two-month “sauna” by Sam Machkovech on 2020-05-14 15:13 (#53F87) Come for the detailed history, stay for the Control DLC tease.
The best wireless mice you can buy by Jeff Dunn on 2020-05-14 11:30 (#53EZD) We spent months researching and testing wireless mice for work and play.
You can now buy Amazon’s Eero Wi-Fi directly from Apple by Jim Salter on 2020-05-14 10:45 (#53EX0) Apple loyalists have new Wi-Fi options available in their favorite store.
Researchers say those recovered from SARS-CoV-2 can be a societal shield by John Timmer on 2020-05-14 10:30 (#53EX1) The idea is to find those who have developed immunity and put them in essential jobs.
Online voting has worked so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe by WIRED on 2020-05-14 10:22 (#53EX2) Proponents of mobile and internet voting point to its uneventful track record.
Whistleblower warns of “darkest winter” if Trump admin ignores science by Jon Brodkin on 2020-05-13 22:40 (#53ECR) Blind rush to reopen will worsen COVID-19 spread, Bright tells Congress.
Meet the new “Astrovan” for Crew Dragon—a Tesla Model X by Eric Berger on 2020-05-13 22:12 (#53EAJ) As Bob Dylan sang, the times they are a-changin’.
The 2022 Golf GTI will have a much smarter brain for more driving fun by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-05-13 22:00 (#53EAK) Don't worry, purists; you can still get a manual six-speed transmission.
Reports of mass graves as Latin America becomes new pandemic epicenter by Beth Mole on 2020-05-13 21:35 (#53EAM) Though official figures are spotty, mortality data paints a grim picture.
Google Pixel’s camera lead quits after the failure of the Pixel 4 by Ron Amadeo on 2020-05-13 20:12 (#53E4Z) Internal strife at Google causes two major Pixel executives to quit.
Report: Apple’s over-ear headphones have no left- or right-ear assignments by Samuel Axon on 2020-05-13 19:52 (#53E50) Sources apparently shared several new details about the headphones with 9to5Mac.
Looks like Nvidia is cooking up a new DGX deep-learning system by Jim Salter on 2020-05-13 19:41 (#53E51) Judging by the heatsinks, that system could preheat Huang's oven by itself.
Facebook settles moderator suit for $52M as hate speech on site increases by Kate Cox on 2020-05-13 19:36 (#53E52) Good news: the robots are catching more. Bad news: there's more to catch.
Medieval arrows caused injuries similar to gunshot wounds, study finds by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-05-13 18:19 (#53E1T) Arrows may have been deliberately “fletched” to spin clockwise as they hit their victims.
Unreal Engine is now royalty-free until a game makes a whopping $1 million by Sam Machkovech on 2020-05-13 17:55 (#53DYX) New royalty-free period, which is retroactive, has grown by a factor of 20 in 9 years.
Verizon’s nationwide 5G will only be a “small” upgrade over 4G at first by Jon Brodkin on 2020-05-13 16:25 (#53DV3) Verizon promises “dramatic improvements” eventually, but it’s not clear when.
Alameda County starts to back down in fight over Tesla Fremont factory by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-05-13 16:08 (#53DQT) County says Tesla can begin some, but not all, operations this week.
Some Xbox Series X games won’t hit 60fps “performance target” by Kyle Orland on 2020-05-13 15:25 (#53DQV) Dropping to 30fps, as in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, is a “creative decision.”
Neil Gaiman confirms celeb cast, July launch for Sandman audio drama [Updated] by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-05-13 15:17 (#508T5) It's directed by Dirk Maggs, who also directed audio dramas for Good Omens, Anansi Boys.
Newly redesigned Dell XPS 15 inspired by popular XPS 13 by Samuel Axon on 2020-05-13 14:00 (#53DG1) The company also introduced a new 17-inch model, the XPS 17.
38% rise in bleach poisoning predates Trump’s suggestion, data shows by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-05-13 13:45 (#53DG2) The National Poison Data System saw the growth of poisonings start weeks earlier.
Uber’s attempt to buy Grubhub comes under fire by Financial Times on 2020-05-13 13:36 (#53DG3) Lawmakers and city officials do not see benefits of meal delivery consolidation.
Amazon’s new Fire HD 8 tablets: Higher prices, higher specs, out today by Jim Salter on 2020-05-13 13:00 (#53DCY) This year’s Fire HD 8 models offer USB-C charging, a faster CPU, and more RAM.
Netflix’s first interactive sitcom: Good for laughs, deserves a better app by Sam Machkovech on 2020-05-13 11:00 (#53D8T) After the darkness of Bandersnatch, we get a wackier, more ambitious take.
COVID-19 resurges in reopened countries; Wuhan sees first cluster in a month by Beth Mole on 2020-05-12 21:22 (#53CNJ) China ordered all Wuhan residents get tested for COVID-19—that’s ~11 million people.
We talk esports vs. a pro racing simulator with Jaguar’s Mitch Evans by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-05-12 20:47 (#53CK2) Which is harder, a million-dollar sim or a game like iRacing? The answer might surprise.
Democrats try to ban Internet shutoffs until pandemic is over by Jon Brodkin on 2020-05-12 20:10 (#53CGH) Democrats also pitch $50 monthly discounts with low-income broadband fund.
“More likely than not” a COVID-19 vaccine is possible, Fauci tells Senate by Kate Cox on 2020-05-12 20:04 (#53CGJ) What happens in the fall all depends on how much we prepare for it now.
Google Play Music dies this year, YT Music library imports begin today by Ron Amadeo on 2020-05-12 18:15 (#53CAP) Google Play Music users finally get a transition path to YouTube Music.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 will be remastered for a second time in Sept 2020 by Sam Machkovech on 2020-05-12 18:00 (#53CAQ) Teased by Hawk himself as a text message to fans before YouTube reveal.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are down to their lowest price yet on Amazon by Ars Staff on 2020-05-12 17:54 (#53CAR) Dealmaster also has deals on Anker batteries, Thunderbolt 3 docks, and more.
Hamilton is coming to Disney+ a year early—just in time for Fourth of July by Jennifer Ouellette on 2020-05-12 17:48 (#53CAS) Disney paid $75 million for rights, originally planned fall 2021 theatrical release.
Bitcoin’s “halving” is bad for miners, good for everyone else by Timothy B. Lee on 2020-05-12 17:13 (#53C7Q) A lower rate of bitcoin creation means the network consumes less energy.
Thunderspy: What it is, why it’s not scary, and what to do about it by Dan Goodin on 2020-05-12 16:34 (#53C7R) Evil maids can use the Thunderbolt port to access your computer; many restrictions apply.
Large chunks of a Chinese rocket missed New York City by about 15 minutes by Eric Berger on 2020-05-12 15:52 (#53C4D) China's Long March 5B rocket launched without a second stage.
Apple battles Ableton Live with new Logic Pro X 10.5 features by Samuel Axon on 2020-05-12 15:21 (#53C4E) Live Loops, Step Sequencer, and new Sampler tools headline the update.
Apache 101: 0-WordPress in 15 minutes by Jim Salter on 2020-05-12 15:12 (#53C12) Apache gets an undeserved bad rep from outdated guides—learn to set it up right.
Mustang Mach-E OTA updates will start six months after launch, Ford says by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2020-05-12 14:23 (#53C13) Most will run in the background and can enable new features as well as bug fixes.
2020 13-inch MacBook Pro review: The standard macOS workhorse by Samuel Axon on 2020-05-12 13:10 (#53BTC) A new keyboard and faster performance make this slightly thicker laptop a winner.