This pixel tracking demo shows how easy it is to make a creepy surveillance tool
This pixel tracking demo shows how easy it is to make a creepy surveillance tool9Supertracker is designed to prove a point about email tracking’s pervasivenessBy Nick Statt@nickstatt Jul 19, 2019, 1:56pm EDTShare this storySHAREIllustration by Alex Castro / The VergeThe Superhuman controversy from earlier this month, in which a former Silicon Valley exec blew the lid off a series of controversial email surveillance tools offered by the up-and-coming startup, has prompted a bit of soul searching among those in the tech industry. But in twisted fashion, the public blasting of a company like Superhuman has been the tech equivalent of opening Pandora’s Box, unearthing all sorts of free and easily available tools that have done this for years and can be employed by anyone with just the tiniest shred of tech savvy.For instance, an open source, Python-based web tool called Supertracker has popped up on Github, courtesy of Delian Asparouhov, an investor with the venture capital firm Founder’s Fund. It lets anyone create their own tracking pixel, coyly disguised as either a transparent image, an image of the pokémon pikachu, or a not-so-subtle magnifying glass.Creating it is as easy as inputting a user name, picking a tracking pixel image, and hitting the enter key. From there, you can save the image, paste it in the body of any email, and send it off. Whoever opens it will have the when and even the where transmitted back to you. Of course, you can do similar styles of tracking with any number of available Superhuman competitors and browser extensions. But Asparouhov’s tool has the added benefit of walking you through the process step by step and laying out just how simple it is to siphon away this kind of sensitive info with a few simple lines of code. (He also outlines some good defenses against this type of surveillance.)Delian Asparouhov@zebulgarI'll get some heat for this but... this weekend I put together a quick site called Supertrackerhttp://supertracker.delian.io It lets anyone make their own pixel just like Superhuman had, and lets you track in-depth where it is opened.Came away from the conversation last week...3684:50 AM - Jul 8, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy74 people are talking about thisThere are a number of considerations worth mentioning here. Asparouhov has created this tool as a demonstration, but it appears to have some serious limitations and privacy issues you have to take into account. For one, there’s no proper login system, so choosing a username just keeps track of your individual tracking pixel.That means anyone can guess your username and have access to the pixel’s location and open history. And anytime someone else loads that location history page, they’re also recording their own data. None of this data appears deletable, either. So take caution: anything you type in the username field could reveal your approximate location to someone who guesses what you typed, even if you have no intention of ever using the pixel in an actual email. Asparouhov’s demonstration site also potentially has logs of all that information.In short, it’s a demonstration of how easy it is to gather this kind of tracking information, not something anybody should actually use. When reached for comment, Asparouhov told The Verge that because Supertrakcer was a “weekend project,” he didn’t “build a login system so anyone can see any username.”The tool can also be a bit finicky because there’s no way to prevent it from recording time and location whenever you reload the tracking history page, which can make it appear like you’ve been opening your own pixel repeatedly. Asparouhov says a lot of existing browser plugins get around this by pasting the tracking pixel as an image into your email message automatically, so fully baked tracking software you can already access for free is even more powerful it seems.“WE SHOULD ASK FOR MORE DEFENSIVE OPTIONS, NOT EXPECT THAT THERE WON’T BE ANY OFFENSE.”Asparouhov did say on Twitter he created Supertracker as a way to both educate the public as to how easy it is to create this type of tool, and therefore how widespread it likely is. The goal is to apply pressure on the only entities that can stop it — the large email providers like Google and Microsoft that could create more proactive defensive measures to protect users.“Marketers and salespeople regularly violate our privacy by inserting tracking pixels and we should demand our email client fight against that,” he wrote on Twitter shortly after releasing the tool on July 7th. “We should ask for more defensive options, not expect that there won’t be any offense.”Asparouhov’s approach may not all that appreciated by the pro-privacy crowd who decried Superhuman and the seemingly widespread practice of tracking pixel use in the marketing and ad tech industries. On that side of the debate are staunch privacy advocates who see email tracking tools like Superhuman’s, which previously let you track when someone opened an email and where in the world they were located, as gross and unethical violations of privacy.This type of tracking was typically being performed without the consent of the recipient, and without their knowledge, either. It may be commonplace in industries where this data is aggregated across hundreds or thousands of users — email newsletter creators or e-commerce companies, for instance. But Superhuman sold it as part of a souped up email package to individual users for the price of $30 a month. There was no way of telling if you received an email from a Superhuman user, and if that user then knew sensitive information about you, like what city you were located in and what time of day you were at your computer.RELATEDHow to stop your emails from being trackedMike Davidson, the former vice president of design at Twitter who publicized Superhuman’s practices to the world in a viral blog post, is in that camp, writing, “Superhuman teaches its user to surveil by default,” and pushing the company publicity until it disabled read receipts by default and removed its location tracking feature entirely. (Davidson thinks the company isn’t doing enough, because it’s still allowing its users to surveil anyone they like via email through non-consensual read receipts.)On the other side are people like Asparouhov, who essentially believes only defensive measures can combat aggressive, even unethical product design. If it’s not illegal, someone will use it. So Asparouhov’s approach of handing the tech to anyone to use is designed to be alarming, hopefully so much so that it results in productive changes from email providers.Companies like Google already allow you to disable image loading by default, so you can avoid those tracking pixels from ever gleaning information in the first place. The company also does some behind-the-scenes server tricks to prevent exposing your IP address to third parties, so location tracking doesn’t work in some, but not all, cases.Notably, Supertracker appears capable of loading images and recording location even when using Gmail and when having image loading turned off by default, and Asparouhov says this is likely because Google doesn’t have this technology built into its mobile apps. (On desktop, Gmail’s web client does appear to block the tracker from functioning properly.)It’s not clear how widely used Supertracker is right now, or if it will ever rise to the level of notoriety as Davidson’s blog post exposing Superhuman’s unsavory offerings. But it does make a strong case that this type of technology has not only been around for a long time, but it’s also relatively easy to throw together with some standard coding chops and the right amount of reckless abandon with regard to user privacy and product development ethics.PLENTY OF COMPANIES SEEM MORE THAN WILLING TO OFFER TRACKING TECHNOLOGYIf anything, Asparouhov is exposing with a free, open source product the type of mindset that is likely bubbling under the surface of all too many startups in the marketing, advertising, and sales industries. There are countless companies that appear eager to offer these type of tracking and data-collection features to stay competitive and because they’re implemented in clandestine enough fashion as to go under the radar of most everyday internet users.With Superhuman, the company’s CEO Rahul Vohra admitted that he didn’t properly consider how a product he designed to please email superusers and give them features they asked for could possibly have ripple effects on the greater public. You can find that argument repeated ad nauseam, from high-level executives and CEOs at Facebook and YouTube and any number of other companies now reckoning with how technology can be misused and contorted to ends these entrepreneurs never considered or were too blinded by growth and profits to acknowledge.But just as Asparouhov’s approach highlights the ease with which technology can overstep ethical boundaries, it’s Davidson’s willingness to call out even the hot and shiny new startup on the block that helps the public wake up to the privacy-violating practices occurring all around us. Both approaches could ultimately end up being necessary in pushing companies to better protect us, and pushing users to finally realize the way tech’s adverse side effects may be harming them in subtle but insidious ways.
Sahil Vyas
Huawei says its Hongmeng OS isn’t an Android replacement after all
Huawei says its Hongmeng OS isn’t an Android replacement after all26It’s still unclear what Huawei would do without GoogleBy Sam Byford@345triangle Jul 19, 2019, 3:18am EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto by Vlad Savov / The VergeAfter a torrid few months, Huawei is now downplaying the idea that its homegrown Hongmeng operating system could serve as a drop-in replacement for Google’s Android on its smartphones. SVP Catherine Chen told reporters in Brussels yesterday that Hongmeng is not designed for smartphones and that Huawei plans to continue using Android, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reports.This follows similar comments last week from chairman Liang Hua, who said in comments reported by TechNode that “[Huawei hasn’t] decided yet if the Hongmeng OS can be developed as a smartphone operating system in the future.” Liang says the system was designed as a low-latency solution for IoT devices, while Chen describes it as being “for industrial use.”That’s a shift from Huawei’s previous messaging, which has suggested that the company was prepared to make a switch. “Huawei is in the process of potentially launching a replacement,” communications VP Andrew Williamson told Reuters in June, adding that it’d be ready “in months” in the event of an Android blacklisting. “It’s not something Huawei wants. We’re very happy being part of the Android family, but Hongmeng is being tested, mostly in China.” Consumer division CEO Richard Yu also said earlier this year that Huawei would be ready to use its alternatives.The point may be moot, of course, if the US’ recent easing of trade restrictions on Huawei turn out to affect the company’s ability to deal with Google. But whatever the outcome there, it’s less clear than ever how ready Huawei would be to go it alone.
Delivery apps like DoorDash are using your tips to pay workers’ wages
Delivery apps like DoorDash are using your tips to pay workers’ wagesExtending the predatory practice of tipped wages into the app economyBy James Vincent Jul 22, 2019, 6:11am EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto: DoorDashWhen you order food through an app and tip the worker who delivers it, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the money you give goes directly to that person. But in reality, some delivery apps use your tip to make up the worker’s base pay — essentially stealing the money you’re trying to give someone to maximize their profits.This isn’t a new practice by any means, but a recent report from The New York Timeshighlights how DoorDash, the most popular food delivery app in the US, enforces it.Here’s Times reporter Andy Newman:DoorDash offers a guaranteed minimum for each job. For my first order, the guarantee was $6.85 and the customer, a woman in Boerum Hill who answered the door in a colorful bathrobe, tipped $3 via the app. But I still received only $6.85.Here’s how it works: If the woman in the bathrobe had tipped zero, DoorDash would have paid me the whole $6.85. Because she tipped $3, DoorDash kicked in only $3.85. She was saving DoorDash $3, not tipping me.It’s worth noting that this is not some novel form of exploitation. DoorDash’s policy is the equivalent of a “tipped wage,” a common practice in America where employers pay workers less than the minimum wage and rely on tips to make up the payments they owe. Apps like DoorDash are essentially just extending established bad labor practices into the world of tech. (And this is before we get into the wider debate as to why tips, in general, suck.)But just because something is common doesn’t make it fair. Stories earlier this year from NBC News and the Los Angeles Times highlighted how Instacart and Amazon Flex also use tips to make up pay. One consumer advocate described these practices as “completely deceptive.”Following outcry, Instacart scrapped the policy and promised to retroactively compensate workers. But DoorDash and Amazon Flex didn’t budge. They still use tips to make up base pay on some of their deliveries. Even more annoyingly, it can be difficult for workers to know when this is even happening because of a lack of transparency in how they’re paid.The battle for fair treatment of delivery workers is bigger than just tips, of course. It’s about guaranteed wages and whether or not companies will recognize these individuals as full-time employees, with all the rights and responsibilities that this entails. In the meantime, if you want to make sure your delivery worker gets your tip, here’s a simple hack: use cash.
How to see your mail before it arrives
How to see your mail before it arrives17Set up the USPS’s Informed Delivery service to know what’s coming in the mailbox each dayBy Barbara Krasnoff Jul 15, 2019, 11:44am EDTShare this storySHAREThe United States Postal Service has introduced a new service that you may — or may not — find useful. Informed Delivery lets you preview the front exterior of incoming mail on your computer or phone; you can also track packages and leave delivery instructions for those packages.This isn’t something that the USPS has developed just for its customers. According to an FAQ on the post office’s site, the USPS is already creating digital images of the front of your letter-sized mail; however, it is now making those images available to customers before the mail is actually delivered.Once you’ve signed up for the service, and your address has been verified, you will receive an email from the USPS with up to ten grayscale images of the front of any letters that are on their way. If you’ve got more than ten pieces of mail coming, you can see them all using the online dashboard. You’ll also get a list of packages, along with their tracking numbers.How useful is this service? Quite frankly, not very. If you’re anxious for a particular piece of mail or a package to show up, the service can let you know the day it’s arriving. It also might be handy if you have a post box and would like to be informed when you have mail there. On the other hand, if you see that you’ve gotten a mysterious letter from the IRS, you can spend the rest of the day worrying about what it says.However, if you would like to try out Informed Delivery, here’s how to do it.Go to informeddelivery.usps.com and click on the button “Sign Up For Free.”You’ll be asked to fill in your address to find out whether you can use the service. There are two criteria: your ZIP code area must be eligible, and your individual mailbox must be uniquely coded (this may not be the case for some apartment buildings, according to the USPS).If you are eligible, you will then be invited to create an account with a username and password.Now that you’ve created the account, the USPS wants to make sure you really live at that address. At first, you’ll get two options: to verify your address via your mobile phone, or to have the post office send paper mail with a code that you can then enter to complete the verification process.I opted to verify via my phone. Unfortunately, my phone number was not recognized by the USPS, and I was instead given a third option: to visit a local post office and verify my address in person. If that’s the way you want to go, click on “Visit a Post Office.”You will then be presented with a list of eligible post offices where you can verify for Informed Delivery. If you want to visit one that isn’t near your home, you can type in a different address to find out where the nearest is. (Note: Not all post offices are equipped for verification.)When you know where you want to go, click on “Continue to In-Person Verification”The next screen will have a barcode on it that you can show to the person at the post office; you’ll also be sent an email with that barcode. The barcode will be useful for 30 days.
Google’s Stadia Controller won’t work with Bluetooth headsets at launch
Google’s Stadia Controller won’t work with Bluetooth headsets at launch12You’ll need to use wired headphonesBy Cameron Faulkner@camfaulkner Jul 18, 2019, 5:49pm EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeGoogle’s Stadia controller won’t be able to wirelessly stream game audio to your Bluetooth headphones or gaming headsets when it launches in November, according to Stadia Product Director Andrey Doronichev. In a Reddit AMA earlier today, Doronichev suggests people plug in a set of wired headphones into the controller’s 3.5mm jack if they want to listen to game audio in privacy.There will be a work-around for Stadia users come launch time — that is, so long as you have a Pixel-series phone or plan to play Stadia games on the Chrome browser. Pointed out by 9to5Google, Doronichev says that you’ll be able to use your Bluetooth headphones to play Stadia by pairing them to your PC or Pixel phone, which will be one of the only mobile device line that will support Stadia at launch. (Doronichev didn’t specify what Pixel phones would work on Stadia, so perhaps it will come to both the Pixel 3 line and earlier Pixel devices.)This solution will work because it circumvents the controller, which requires a Wi-Fi connection to sync up with whatever screen you’re accessing Stadia on. At launch, this will impact Stadia Founder’s Edition buyers who were hoping to stream audio to Bluetooth headphones while gaming on the TV throught the bundled Chromecast Ultra. For everyone else, it seems like the workaround will be the solution if you want to wireless audio.It’s disappointing, I get it. I wanted this feature so badly in the Nintendo Switch that I bought a $60 Bluetooth audio adapter. But, this feature is slated to arrive for the controller at some point. As detailed in the controller’s product page, the Stadia gamepad will ship with its Bluetooth support switched off. Some fine print further down the page says that it may be enabled in the future. So, Google may switch it on once things smooth out a bit following the initial launch period.Until then, you’ll have to bust out your old wired headphones.
Elon Musk promises new Hyperloop tunnel after speed record broken
Elon Musk promises new Hyperloop tunnel after speed record brokenTUM Hyperloop broke the old speed record of 284 mphBy Jon Porter@JonPorty Jul 22, 2019, 4:54am EDTShare this storySHAREThe record was achieved by TUM Hyperloop’s fourth-generation pod. Image: Photo: A. Heddergott / TUM HyperloopTUM Hyperloop has set a new speed record of 463 km/h (288 mph) at the fourth SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition. The win was announced by Hyperloop’s official Twitter account. After confirming the speed record, Elon Musk announced that next year’s competition will take place in a 10 km vacuum tunnel with a curve rather than the current 1 mile (1.6 km) straight above-ground tube at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.Although the win was another step forward for the theoretical transportation technology, TUM only beat the previous record by 4 mph, far short of the technology’s theoretical 760 mph max speed. The previous record was set by the same team (then known as WARR Hyperloop), in last year’s competition.Elon Musk✔@elonmuskNext year’s @Hyperloop competition will be in a 10km vacuum tunnel with a curve11.1K8:56 AM - Jul 22, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy1,072 people are talking about thisTUM had originally hoped to hit a much higher speed of 373 mph, or roughly half the speed of sound, with a pod that doubled the power output of last year’s prototype. However, Teslerati reports that the pod was forced to come to an emergency stop after it suffered visible damage. At just 1.7 meters long and weighing 70 kg, the prototype is still a fraction of the size of what the eventual passenger-ready Hyperloop pods will be.Musk’s newly proposed tunnel will be a big change for future competitions. At 10 km long it would be over five times longer than all three of the current Hyperloop test tracks, and the inclusion of a curve would bring it far closer to what Hyperloop tracks will have to be like in the real world. The new tunnel would likely introduce additional challenges for the team’s competing in the competition.However, for now, it seems the new track is firmly in the theoretical stages of planning, and it’s unclear where it will end up being located. On stage at this year’s competition, TechCrunch reports that Elon Musk and Boring Company President Steve Davis discussed only a minor extension of the current test track by around 200 meters. Confusingly, they also discussed having the Boring Company build another longer tunnel, according to TechCrunch, but suggested that this one would be straight rather than curved, and would be built within the next three years rather than by 2020.
How to get Google apps on an Amazon Fire tablet
How to get Google apps on an Amazon Fire tablet12Install Gmail, Google Maps, and more, but do so at your own riskBy Cameron Faulkner@camfaulkner Jul 8, 2019, 4:59pm EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeThe best thing about the Amazon Fire 7 tablet is its $49 price. The worst thing is that its Android-based Fire OS 6 software lacks most of what makes Android, well, Android. It (like Amazon’s other Fire tablets) lacks any of the standard Google apps, like Google Maps, Google Photos, or Google Drive. What’s worse is that the built-in Amazon Appstore is a stand-in for Google’s Play Store, and most of the apps you know and love aren’t available.However, there is hope if you don’t mind tinkering a bit. Amazon allows the installation of apps from outside sources on all of its Fire tablets, which means you can install the Google Play Store. Once you enable this feature, you’ll be able to sideload Android packages (APKs) — in other words, manually force apps onto your device that otherwise wouldn’t be supported.In this how-to, we’re going to show you how to sideload the Google Play Store and the requisite apps that are required in order to get it running on an Amazon tablet. It’s not the most straightforward process, but it’s worth the effort.RELATEDA $50 tablet can handle the basics, but not much moreLuckily, this doesn’t require rooting your Amazon Fire tablet, so there’s no immediate risk of voiding your warranty. However, Amazon doesn’t offer troubleshooting support for issues that you may encounter. So proceed with caution and know that certain APKs may not work as intended. And if you’re considering sideloading APKs that usually cost money, show your support by buying them via the Google Play Store on your browser.Before you install APKs, you’ll need to allow app installations from outside sources.HOW TO ENABLE SIDELOADINGThe first step is to enable installations from unknown sources (essentially, any source that isn’t Amazon).Click on the “Settings” app in the app drawer (find it by swiping up on the home screen)Tap “Security & Privacy,” which should be about halfway down the pageToggle on “Apps from Unknown Sources”HOW TO INSTALL GOOGLE PLAY SERVICESNext comes the fun part: manually downloading and installing Google Play Services. It’s fairly simple to do, but it requires just a bit of background knowledge before you get started.First, you’ll need to find out the software version of your Amazon Fire tablet so you can download the correct APK. The latest Amazon Fire 7 tablet runs Fire OS 6, which is based on the Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. (Yep, it’s confusing!) Fire OS 5 is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop, which is a little easier to remember.To find your tablet’s OS version:Open the “Settings” appScroll down to “Device Options” near the bottom of the screenSelect “System Updates” to see the system versionWith that information, you can now download and install the four APKs necessary to get the Google Play Store working correctly: Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework, Google Play Services, and Google Play Store.You don’t need to worry about matching the Google Play Services and Google Play Store APKs with your Android version number. The latest APKs listed work for devices that have at least Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and this includes all Fire tablets.First, open the Fire tablet’s Silk Browser app (which is where you want to be doing your downloading). You’re going to be getting the APKs from APKmirror.com. (I trust this site and have used it to load APKs onto an Amazon Fire 7 as well as personal devices in the past without issue. But again, proceed at your own risk.)You’ll need to make sure that you’re downloading the right APK file. To do this, when you go to the download page for each app (see below), try to match your tablet’s Android version (remember: Fire OS 6 = Android 7.1 Nougat and Fire OS 5 = Android 5.1 Lollipop) with the number listed at the end of the APK file in the listing.Download then install Google Account Manager, Google Services Framework, Google Play Services, Google Play Store in the order listed. Per TechJunkie, installing them out of order will result in the Google Play Store not working, and I can confirm this.Amazon’s preinstalled Docs app is also a file manager. Who’d have thought?HOW TO ACCESS LOCALLY STORED FILES ON THE FIRE TABLETIf you navigate away from the APKs you’ve downloaded and need to find them again, Amazon’s preinstalled “Docs” app on the Fire tablet is also, strangely, a file manager. To access your downloaded files, open the app, click the menu button near the top left of the display, then tap “Download” under “Local Storage.” Just keep in mind that the APK file names will be long and difficult to understand, but if you downloaded them in the order listed above, the time stamp on the file should help you figure out which file to install first, second, third, then fourth.If you installed these APKs correctly, you’ll be able to launch the Google Play Store app and sign into your Google account. From there, you can download any app or game that’s available.
How to save battery life on your Android phone
How to save battery life on your Android phoneKeep your phone powering onBy Barbara Krasnoff Jul 19, 2019, 1:14pm EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeUpdate July 19, 2019, 3:24PM ET: This article has been updated to correct errors in the section about how to disable Doze Mode.My first Android phone was the original Motorola Droid, which I purchased and loved using despite its abysmal anti-woman marketing campaign. And one of the things I loved about it was that it had an interchangeable battery. I always kept an extra charged battery on hand, and simply swapped them out when needed. It was a lot more convenient and lightweight than dragging around a heavy battery pack, and kept the phone going strong over the course of the busiest workday.But as phone designs changed over the years, swappable batteries were abandoned by phone manufacturers to keep their phones sleeker and to accommodate wrap-around screens. Batteries are getting stronger, but phones are also getting more use. So despite advances in power technology, your phone may still run out of power before the end of the day — especially if your device is a year or two old.If you’re experiencing that problem, you’ve got a few options. You can buy a new phone (unless you still like your current phone, or if your budget is limited). You might also be able to have the battery replaced, depending on which phone you have. (If you have an iPhone, it tends to be easier.)Or you can follow these tips to help you monitor and extend the usage of your battery.UNDERSTAND HOW DOZE MODE WORKSIntroduced in Android 6.0, Doze Mode makes sure that the apps in your phone aren’t using battery power when you’re not using your phone. There’s nothing you have to do — Doze Mode automatically kicks in when your phone has been unplugged and motionless for a certain length of time. At that point, certain apps are denied access to the network, and their processing jobs (such as checking for updates or for news) are halted, except for periodic moments when they are allowed to access the network for updates and syncs.In other words, when your phone isn’t being used, many of your apps get to take a nap until you need them again.Now, you may not want all your apps to experience Doze Mode. If you have an app that is constantly updating for your job, you may want it to continue working even when you’re not using the phone. Here’s how you do that:Go to your phone’s settings and select “Apps & Notifications.”Scroll down and select “Advanced” > “Special app access” > “Battery optimization.”You’ll see a list of all the apps that are not optimized for Doze mode. Tape on the “Not optimized” button on top and choose “All apps.”Most (but not all) of your apps will be labeled “Optimizing battery use.” You can go down this list of apps and choose any app that you want to exempt from Doze Mode. When you see one that you want to exempt, tap on the name of the app and then select “Don’t optimize.” GRID VIEW1 of 4ENABLE ADAPTIVE BATTERY AND ADAPTIVE BRIGHTNESSTwo battery-saving features, Adaptive Battery and Adaptive Brightness, use AI to learn how you use your apps and screen, and adjust them to suit your habits. The idea is that your apps and display will only pull power from the battery when they are needed. You should have both turned on by default, but it never hurts to check and make sure.TO TURN ON ADAPTIVE BATTERY:Go to your phone’s settings and select “Battery.”Find and tap on “Adaptive Battery.” Enable it if it isn’t enabled already.Something worth noting: While you can turn Adaptive Battery off (by following the same process), your phone will continue to remember what it’s learned so far — and there’s no way to reset the tool and start again. So if you’re experiencing issues with an app (if notifications are slow, for example) and suspect it may be Adaptive Battery causing them (because it has “learned” something that is causing the issue), the only way to start from scratch is to do a complete reset of your phone.TO TURN ON ADAPTIVE DISPLAY:Go to your phone’s settings and select “Display.”Find and tap on “Adaptive Display.” Enable it if it isn’t enabled already.Unlike Adaptive Battery, you can reset Adaptive Display so that your phone will restart the learning process. It’s a slightly complicated series of steps; you can get full instructions here.USE AN APPThere are several apps in the Play Store that promise to help you save battery power — and many of them are indeed effective. Two of the most well-known are AccuBattery and Greenify.AccuBattery measures your battery’s use over time, and lets you look for any degradation. It can let you know when your battery is full, or let you set the battery to charge to slightly less than 100-percent (since many believe that charging a battery to 100-percent will speed up the battery’s degradation process). It will also estimate how much time you have left, depending on how you plan to use the phone.Greenify, meanwhile, lets you force apps to hibernate (whether they want to or not), saving you from unwanted battery drain. GRID VIEW1 of 2AccuBattery TURN UNNECESSARY APPS OFF — OR UNINSTALL THEMSpeaking of hibernating, it doesn’t hurt to do a periodic check of all the apps you have and either get rid of or restrict any that are unnecessarily using battery power.The first step is the easiest: Go through your app drawer and see if there are any apps that you don’t recognize (because they’ve been sitting in there so long), or that you’ve gotten tired of. Why let them use resources? Uninstall them.It’s also a good idea to find out which apps are using the most power. (Note: these instructions are for a Pixel phone; it’s possible that your phone may work slightly differently.)Go to “Settings” > “Battery” and tap on the “More” symbol and on “Battery usage.”You can also tap on the “More” symbol again to select “Show full device usage,” which will tell you where most of your battery power is being used.If you see any apps that you feel are using too much power, you can stop them from operating in the background.From either the “Battery usage” or “Show full device usage” list, tap on the app you’re interested in.Look for “Background restriction.” If you find it (it won’t be there for all apps), tap on it.You will get a warning that the app may not work properly if it can’t work in the background. Tap on “Restrict” to go ahead and stop it from operating in the background. GRID VIEW1 of 2USE BATTERY SAVERBattery Saver’s purpose is to keep your phone going when power levels are getting low. It stops apps from working in the background, halts location services when your screen is off, stops Assistant from listening for “Hey, Google,” and otherwise tries to make your battery last as long as possible.You can determine at what point Battery Saver will kick in automatically. (As always, these steps could vary depending on which phone you use.)Go to “Settings” > “Battery” > “Battery Saver.”Make sure “Turn on automatically” is active.Determine at what percentage you want it to activate (15% is a good place to start). GRID VIEW1 of 3If you want to enable Battery Saver manually, you can do it here as well, but there is an easier and faster way. There should be a Battery Saver icon in your Quick Settings drop-down menu on the home screen. If you don’t see it immediately, look for the “edit” pencil and tap on it. You’ll see all of the icons that you can put in your Quick Settings menu; just tap and press to move the Battery Saver icon up.IF THINGS GET DESPERATESometimes, despite all your precautions and even with Battery Saver turned on, you can find yourself with an almost-depleted battery and no immediate access to a power source. In that case, you want to keep your device powered as long as possible so that you can at least make or receive phone calls or texts. There are a number of steps that can help, although some may interfere with normal usage.Make sure all your apps are closed.Enable Do Not Disturb mode to stop notifications.Set your screen timeout for 30 seconds, so that the screen won’t stay on if you’re not actively using it.Lower your screen brightness as much as you can.Turn off Bluetooth, location tracking, and Wi-Fi (unless you are actively using it). You can also use Airplane mode, unless you’re expecting a phone call or text.Turn off your notification light if your phone has one.Turn off all your app sounds and vibration.If your phone has an OLED screen, using dark mode can help save power. Some phones, such as those using Samsung’s One UI, have a system-wide dark mode, so it’s a good idea to check to see if it’s available. For the rest of us, the next version of Android should have a system-wide dark mode as well.
YouTube Music & Premium tidbits: Student pricing, Play Music plan, $7.99 grandfathering
YouTube Music & Premium tidbits: Student pricing, Play Music plan, $7.99 grandfatheringAbner Li- May. 17th 2018 4:20 pm PT@technacityAPPS & UPDATESThe revamped YouTube Music and new YouTube Premium were announced last night, but many questions linger ahead of the rolling launch next Tuesday. From questions about the family plan to Play Music membership, Google has provided us with several answers.Family plans & student pricingAt the moment, Red subscribers can pay $14.99/month so that six members in a household can access ad-free content, background playback, and offline downloads.Last night, the company did not detail how family plans will work with the new Premium offering. It’s unclear whether the new price will just be an additional $2 or if there will be a family option for just Music Premium. Additionally, it’s not known whether current users will be grandfathered into existing pricing like with single user accounts.Google tells us that details about family pricing are coming, while there will also be a new student pricing option for the new YouTube. The latter is likely intended to compete with the likes of similar university-friendly plans available on Spotify and Apple Music.What version of YouTube do Play Music subscribers get?Current subscribers to Play Music in the US, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, and Mexico that already have access to Red will receive the full YouTube Premium service.Meanwhile, Play Music members in other countries that do not have YouTube Red will gain access to Music Premium when the rebranded services launch in the upcoming 14 nations.$7.99 GrandfatherThose who pay $7.99 today — as a result of being grandfathered in from a past service — will get to retain that pricing going forward and get access to YouTube Premium.
Google Fi’s deal on the Pixel 3 is better than the Prime Day price
Google Fi’s deal on the Pixel 3 is better than the Prime Day price9Plus a handful of good Prime Day 2019 deals remainBy Cameron Faulkner@camfaulkner Jul 18, 2019, 10:33am EDTShare this storySHAREPhoto by James Bareham / The VergeThis story is part of a group of stories calledOnly the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Good Deals stamp of approval, so if you're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and more, this is the place to be. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.Today only, Google Fi is taking $300 off of any Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL phone with 64GB of storage, bringing them down to $499 and $599, respectively. Both prices beat the recent Amazon Prime Day deal, when the Pixel 3 sold for $539 and the Pixel 3 XL for $639.To be eligible for this deal, you’ll need to be a new or current Google Fi subscriber. The fine print states that all you need to do is activate your phone on the Fi service within 30 days of receiving your shipping confirmation e-mail. Since you’re not required to keep the Fi service going after activation, you can snag the deal, then hop back to a different carrier if you choose to do so. The Pixel 3 works on all major US carriers.RELATEDGoogle Pixel 3 and 3 XL review: the best camera gets a better phoneGoogle Fi ran a promotion a few months ago that had the Pixel 3 down to $399. This isn’t quite as good, but it’s worth checking out if you missed getting one during Prime Day.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeDolby’s Dimension wireless noise-canceling headphones are currently $399 at Amazon. These are usually $599, so while it’s a sizable discount, the sale price is still more expensive than some other well-received models, like Sony’s 1000X M3. According to our review, the Dimension isn’t particularly travel-friendly, but rather meant to be worn around the house. It can easily switch between multiple devices, and offers a cinematic audio experience.Believe it or not, a few Amazon Prime Day 2019 deals are still happening. These aren’t the best of the best, as most of those sales came to an end Tuesday night, but there are a few left to check out.Save $200 on the Samsung Galaxy S10E (unlocked, 128GB storage) at $549.99 (Amazon, B&H Photo)Save $200 on the Samsung Galaxy S10 (unlocked, 128GB storage) at $699.99 (Amazon, B&H Photo)Save $200 on the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (unlocked, 128GB storage) at $799.99 (Amazon, B&H Photo)Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS, 40mm) is $349 at Best Buy (usually $399)Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS, 44mm) is $379 at Best Buy (usually $429)Photo by James Bareham / The VergeiPad Pro 10.5 (previous generation, Wi-Fi & LTE, 64GB storage) is $579 at Amazon (usually $779). This tablet is the same size as the new iPad Air, but has 4GB RAM versus the Air’s 3GB, a 120Hz refresh rate ProMotion display, and four speakers instead of the Air’s two. If you want LTE service on a capable iPad, this deal is worth checking out.Google Nest Hub (formerly the Home Hub) is currently $59 instead of its usual $129 price at eBay. This is the lowest price that we’ve seen for this smart display, and it’s a better choice over Amazon’s Echo Show if you use Google Photos, or want to watch YouTube TV.Prime members can get a year-long membership to Audible for $119, a $30 saving. Amazon will also toss in an Echo Dot (third-generation) for an extra $1 at checkout.The Asus ROG Strix 15.6-inch gaming laptop (120Hz refresh rate display, 9th Gen Intel Core i5, GTX 1660 Ti, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is $899.99 at Walmart (usually $1,299). Laptops featuring the GTX 1660 Ti usually run $1,000 and up.
How to protect humans in a fully automated society
How to protect humans in a fully automated society26What happens when every job is replaced by a machine?By Russell Brandom Feb 1, 2019, 10:00am ESTShare this storySHAREPart of The Real-World AI IssuePeople have been worried about machines taking jobs for a very long time. As early as 1930, John Maynard Keynes was warning about the new scourge of technological unemployment, which he termed as “unemployment due to our discovery of means of economizing the use of labor outrunning the pace at which we can find new uses for labor.” In short, automating ourselves out of a paycheck.The fear has only grown more powerful in the software age. In one recent story, a few automation upgrades ended up making 20 workers redundant at a small 3D-modeling company. A recent McKinsey study estimated that as many as half of current jobs could be automated, and predicted 400 million jobs worldwide will be automated into nothingness by 2030.RELATEDWhen AI needs a human assistantSet against the backdrop of continuous AI improvements, the picture seems simple enough: machines get a little more capable every day, and every extra bit of intelligence brings a few more jobs within reach of automation. But the reality is more complex, operating at a far larger scale. In most cases, we’re not automating individual jobs but entire industries, as we meet more of our needs through massively scalable software.It’s a huge shift in the way society works, and it doesn’t have to be a bad one. We just have to look at the big picture.The Verge on YouTubeExclusive first looks at new tech, reviews, and shows like Better Worlds.SUBSCRIBE!THE REAL-WORLD AI ISSUEUNDERSTANDING AI3 The state of AI in 2019An AI reading list — from practical primers to sci-fi short storiesGoogle’s head of translation on fighting bias in language and why AI loves religious textsAPPLICATIONS OF AIGOOD DEALSSamsung’s unlocked Galaxy S10 phones are still $200 off this weekendThe 2018 MacBook Air is $799 at Micro Center, its cheapest price yet
Asus’ ROG Phone II is the most spec-heavy gaming phone yet
Asus’ ROG Phone II is the most spec-heavy gaming phone yet1120Hz OLED, 855 Plus, 6,000mAhBy Sam Byford@345triangle Jul 22, 2019, 4:07am EDTShare this storySHAREThe ROG Phone I. Photo by Vlad Savov / The VergeAsus’s first ROG gaming phone was one of the most maximalist takes on the concept to date, so it’s only appropriate that the company follow up with a new model to stay on the bleeding edge. The ROG Phone II sounds like a spec bump more than a design revolution — Asus hasn’t provided official press images of the device yet, which is why there’s a picture of the original model above — but as spec bumps go, it’s a pretty hefty one.First off, the display has received a major upgrade. It’s a 6.59-inch 1080p OLED panel with an integrated fingerprint sensor, support for 10-bit HDR, and a Razer Phone 2-matchingrefresh rate of 120Hz. The touch sampling rate is twice that, at 240Hz, and Asus claims its touch latency of 49ms is the lowest of any phone. You can choose whether to run stock Android or Asus’ ROG UI as part of the phone’s setup process.Behind the screen there’s a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, which is Qualcomm’s new gaming-focused SoC that provides 15 percent faster GPU performance and higher peak clock speeds on the CPU. Asus says its cooling system, including a vapor chamber and vents, will prevent throttling of the 855 Plus’ peak speeds. The ROG Phone II also has 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, a 48-megapixel camera, and a 6,000mAh battery that the company says should be good for more than 7 hours of PUBG with the screen set to 60Hz.The original ROG Phone’s most eye-catching feature was its suite of gaming accessories, and Asus is updating the range for the new device. There are tweaked versions of the dual-screen TwinView dock and the clip-on AeroActive Cooler fan alongside a new gamepad attachment called the Kunai that looks extremely Nintendo Switch-inspired, with two split controllers that can be attached to the side of the phone or slid into a separate joypad-shaped grip.Asus isn’t announcing a price for the ROG Phone II yet, but tells The Verge to expect it to come in at a similar level to the original, which started at $899. Chinese release details will be revealed tomorrow in partnership with Tencent, while the global model will launch in the first week of September. The Chinese variant will have a glossy back panel as opposed to the worldwide model’s matte black finish.