Новости за 05.01.2021

Image: Warner Bros.

Wonder Woman 1984 and Hamilton were two of 2020’s biggest films — at least where streaming was concerned. Recent third-party data suggests both releases drove crowds of subscribers to their streaming platforms (HBO Max and Disney Plus, respectively). More than any other movies that debuted online this year, Wonder Woman 1984 and Hamilton drove the most initial signups, according to new data from research firm Antenna. Data from research firm Screen Engine found similar results. Читать дальше...

Microsoft Teams

While Zoom remains popular for its ease of use and features such as the ability to pop in different backgrounds, it’s not the only video meeting app out there that lets you do those things. For example, Microsoft’s Teams office communications app also allows you to tweak your meeting background. Here, we’ll show you how to change your background for a Teams videoconference.

Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Amazon announced it purchased 11 used Boeing 767-300 jets from Delta and WestJet, a first for the e-commerce giant. The company has been steadily building up its air cargo capacity over the years through leasing agreements, but this is the first time Amazon has ever owned its own aircraft.

By sitting above rather than inside the ear, the earbuds let you hear what’s going on in your environment. | Image: Bose

Bose’s latest true wireless earbuds, the Sport Open Earbuds, are designed to keep you aware of your surroundings while you listen. While most other earbuds sit inside the ear canal, blocking out at least some ambient noise, the Sport Open Earbuds instead sit outside it. Bose has officially announced the earbuds a little over a month after their existence was leaked via a Federal Communications Commission filing. Читать дальше...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On Monday, roughly 230 Google employees announced they were forming a union with the Communication Workers of America (CWA). It’s open to employees and contractors at Alphabet, Google’s parent company. As a minority union, it doesn’t need to go through a formal legal process in order to exist. It just needs to announce itself. That part is done. World, meet the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU).

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge

The Xbox Series X feels like a huge PC-like upgrade for your Xbox games, but a fraction of buyers have been experiencing an unusual downgrade as well — the new Xbox Series X gamepad doesn’t seem to stay connected to the console in some games and some situations, according to a 40-page thread in Microsoft’s help forum.

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is closing down its Minecraft Earth mobile game in June, due to the ongoing pandemic. The ambitious game had aimed to rival Pokémon Go and cover the world in virtual blocks for players to meet and play together.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

When Facebook lifted its ban on political ads in Georgia, local News Feeds became dramatically more partisan and less informative, according to research published on Tuesday by The Markup.

Photo by Thomas Krych/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Health care providers in the United States should stick to the two-dose schedule for both authorized COVID-19 vaccines, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement this week. Some experts have suggested that delaying the second dose could stretch limited quantities of the vaccines further.

If you recently purchased a Nintendo Switch or received one as a gift during the holidays, and you want to start building out your game library, Hades is on sale for $20 at Best Buy today.

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

Just over a year ago, I spent some time in Austin meeting with Google contractors. They had been hired through Accenture to moderate some of the most disturbing content on YouTube: videos that contain violent extremism, including murders and acts of terrorism. Several told me they had either been diagnosed with or were suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The people I talked with made about $37,000 a year, and several had immigrated to the United States from the Middle East.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

As part of its January Pixel updates, Google might have fixed an issue that meant Pixel 5 system sounds could be a lot louder than you might have wanted.

Apple has been shutting down loads of retail stores as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to peak — on December 20th, it temporarily closed every single location in California, Mexico, Brazil, and over a dozen in London. Now, as England and Scotland go into a pair of new national lockdowns, Apple is closing all of its remaining stores in the UK.

Industrial sensor giant Teledyne will acquire FLIR, an Oregon-based company that makes thermal-imaging and night vision technology, the companies announced Monday. The deal is worth $8 billion in a mix of cash and stock.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter and Square, isn’t happy about the new proposed cryptocurrency regulation. He emphasized how the regulation would hurt Square, a financial services company, in a letter posted to the company website.

Image: Games Done Quick

Games Done Quick (GDC), the charity event series that raises money while expert players blast their way through classic games, kicked off its first 2021 iteration yesterday on Twitch, and the event is running all week for anyone interested in tuning in to this year’s speedrunning spotlights.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Fortnite developer Epic Games is moving its Cary, North Carolina headquarters across town to a large shopping mall, the company announced. It’s planning to convert the 87-acre Cary Towne Center into its new home base by 2024.