Places and Things

For the first time in years, Apple has a sub-$1,000 MacBook. Technically, anyway. The new and improved MacBook Air starts at $999, a drop from its old $1,099 base price. Notably, Apple also doubled the entry-level storage from 128GB to 256 gigabytes. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-31-apple-macbook-air-review-2020.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=960%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2F3e7kqo41oCV9k213NqlmUQ--%7EB%2Fdz0xNjAwO2g9MTA2NzthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1800%252C1200%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252Fbcd286c0-72a7-11ea-b9fe-8343e4004093%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Dd2d6af8e183764d1ed5a45a5baa72d72ef1b87f7&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=664436404a37ed0c6a5565acc7cb24090875bb2d

The Treasury Department and IRS today announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. from https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2020/03/30/irs-gives-stimulus-check-timeline-payment-details/ http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. from https://www.departures.com/lifestyle/home-design/travel-journals-planning-future-trips https://cdn-image.departures.com/sites/default/files/styles/responsive_900x600/public/1585150602/header-mark-%26-graham-world-travel-journal-TRAVELJOURNAL0320.jpg?itok=55TaapAn

Samsung Display will stop producing liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in China and South Korea at the end of the year in order to concentrate on the new generation of "quantum dot" (QD) screens, Reuters reports. Any LCD orders made before the end of the year will still be fulfilled. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-31-samsung-display-stop-producing-lcd-screens-2020.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2FF9KyVJ8hYxKdlq42Bb89fg--%7EB%2Fdz0xNjAwO2g9MTA2NTthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D4160%252C2768%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1065%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2020-03%252F1c349de0-7336-11ea-9fcd-5430aca64901%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3De95fc17be3343364d32e8c3b86ca2c596ab64d01&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=c33d2ec932a502a461

The US Navy Hospital Ship Comfort docked in New York City, the epicenter of the US coronavirus outbreak, on Monday. The ship is expected to be operational soon. from https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/us/usns-comfort-hospital-ship-new-york-coronavirus/index.html https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/200330064232-nyc-hospital-coronavirus-marquez-pkg-exlarge-169.jpg

Following on from news that Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Book 3 is looking to move up from the eight-generation Intel chips in the Surface Book 2 to the tenth-generation chipset, the latest online benchmarks suggest that the Windows 10 powered laptop could be reaching for a much higher target. from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2020/03/29/microsoft-surface-laptop-3-leak-benchmark-tigerlake-icelake-ryzen-specifcaitions-launch-date/ https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/1021729908/960x0.jpg?fit=scale

Voice and video calls have more than tripled on Comcast’s network over the past month since people across the US started working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/30/21200040/comcast-video-chats-voip-traffic-spikes-coronavirus-work-from-home https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66576779/acastro_180525_1777_comcast_0002.0.jpg

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Melissa Tipton, author of Living Reiki and the new Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Reiki. Reiki has the power to initiate deep healing and help us enjoy vibrant physical wellbeing. from https://www.llewellyn.com/blog/2020/03/3-ways-to-boost-your-health-today-with-reiki/ http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

US government officials are using cellphone location data from the mobile ad industry —not data from the carriers themselves— to track Americans’ movements during the coronavirus outbreak, the Wall Street Journal reports. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/29/21198158/us-government-mobile-ad-location-data-coronavirus https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66570819/acastro_190204_1777_privacy_0001.0.jpg

A new COVID-19 test from the medical device company Abbott can return positive results in five minutes — and it can be run in a doctor’s office. The test was approved for emergency use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration last night. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/28/21197944/coronavirus-test-fast-doctors-office-abbott-fda https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66569043/IDNOW_INACTION3_macro_300dpi_1200x628.0.jpg

As a growing list of states order “nonessential” businesses closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, Amazon is giving warehouse and delivery workers letters to carry saying that they are engaged in essential work. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/27/21197454/amazon-coronavirus-covid-19-warehouse-delivery-essential-letter https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66567337/acastro_200319_1777_amazonCorona_0001.0.jpg

Slack is working on integrating Microsoft Teams calling features into its chat app. The integration would allow users of both rival services to call each other, bridging an important gap between the communications apps. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/27/21197091/slack-microsoft-teams-integration-calling-features https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66565281/acastro_190412_1777_slack_0002.0.jpg

It looks like Tesla's Autopilot feature will soon be able to recognize traffic lights. A video shared on Twitter, shows a Tesla cruising through several green lights and slowing to a stop when it detects a red light. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-27-tesla-autopilot-stopping-red-light.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2F.3SzAXpEFt7aj6whNfMchw--%7EB%2Fdz0xNjAwO2g9MTAwMTthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D7936%252C4967%252C0%252C323%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1001%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2020-03%252Fb770a860-7036-11ea-9fee-cc34c491efe7%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D3c387025fcc275b889b7fbfb2472147a5e8df27e&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=c8a324f05454b4ad085ff62ca1d9ee56acb803ec

As millions of us adapt to new lives in relative isolation, we're being forced to find increasingly creative ways to keep ourselves entertained. Luckily, social distancing doesn't mean we have to be lonely. And hanging out with friends doesn't have to be limited to phone calls and FaceTime. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-27-staying-social-when-you-re-isolated-social-distancing-coronavirus.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dimse/5845cadfecd996e0372f/adab02b66371092b03b495866998f548e081d214/cmVzaXplPTIwMDAlMkMyMDAwJTJDc2hyaW5rJmltYWdlX3VyaT1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnMueWltZy5jb20lMkZvcyUyRmNyZWF0ci11cGxvYWRlZC1pbWFnZXMlMkYyMDIwLTAzJTJGZGI3NmU3ZTAtNmY5My0xMWVhLTk4ZmQtYjVmMDQwMTcxZmNhJmNsaWVudD1hMWFjYWMzZTFiMzI5MDkxN2Q5MiZzaWduYXR1cmU9MTlkMWNiZTY5NTMwOTAwMzg2ZDFhYmY4MmZhNjgxYjg0NjM2OTM2OQ==

Google is increasing the maximum number of people who can participate in a Duo call from eight to twelve, the company’s senior director of product management announced on Twitter. “We recognize group calling is particularly critical right now,” Sanaz Ahari Lemelson wrote. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/27/21196780/google-duo-group-video-call-limit-increase-coronavirus-covid-19 https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66563718/google_duo_logo_icon.0.png

Amazon Alexa users in the US can now use the voice assistant as a first step towards diagnosing cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Amazon has announced. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/27/21196735/amazon-alexa-covid-19-coronavirus-diagnosis-advice-symptoms-risk-factors-travel https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66563407/acastro_180510_1777_alexa_0003.0.jpg

The Interface is a daily column and newsletter about the intersection of social media and democracy. Subscribe here. As of Thursday, the United States now has 81,578 cases of COVID-19 — more than than any other country in the world. The disaster is unfolding. from https://www.theverge.com/interface/2020/3/27/21195547/amazon-shipping-delays-covid-19-coronavirus-workers https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66563227/ngarun_181114_1777_amazon_0002.0.jpg

After several months without a proper Direct, Nintendo at long last debuted a presentation without any prior warning. For some reason, it decided to call it a "Nintendo Direct Mini," which is especially strange given the glut of news it delivered. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-26-watch-nintendo-direct-mini-here.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2F1tn3jIu2FnQn_sY5bKNIbA--%7EB%2Fdz0xNjAwO2g9MTAzNTthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C1035%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1035%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252Fc14306b0-6f7a-11ea-bfd6-76ccbfd1e6aa%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Daf1b295c199fb25aa7f878735541adbb3694bdea&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=abf13200fcd3b5d745bc9ec8a5c67511b6b0e3f7

There's an Apple promo video on YouTube right called "iPad Pro -- Your next computer is not a computer" that's sitting pretty with more than 22 million views as I write this. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-26-apple-ipad-pro-12-9-review-2020-lidar-trackpad.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?resize=980%2C640&quality=100&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252F789ebf00-6f14-11ea-967f-fad5695783ca%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Db7f159d0ad038055fe94f8b9debf686405f977d3&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=078378a404c7726f381f7060f2852d31c889fd65

It’s been two years since Nine Inch Nails released its last album, Bad Witch, but today, the band dropped a surprise pair of records as part of its Ghosts collection. Ghosts V - VI are a product of the times: the uncertain world we’re now living in as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/26/21195266/nine-inch-nails-new-albums-just-ghosts-v-vi-free-download https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66558259/Ghosts_portrait_MAR25_FIN1_web.0.jpg

Given there's no Google Assistant on Huawei's latest devices, including the P40 series, the company has revealed its very own voice assistant called Celia. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-26-huawei-voice-assistant-celia.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2FqoowuoBTrsVNp88TdyqpWg--%7EB%2Fdz0xNTg5O2g9ODk0O2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252F695419f0-6f69-11ea-bdfa-1a3ce878444a%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D3f58e505ee9cae1c9e8b4376c1f8676c4487abf6&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=f45218499dbe3a5db18a7fc83fc1a4b011d18d7b

Bobbi Johnson, a worker at an Amazon warehouse south of Detroit, first saw the rumors on Facebook over the weekend. Kelly McIntosh-Butler, another worker at the facility, heard about them on Monday from her daughter, who works at another Amazon warehouse nearby. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/26/21194739/amazon-warehouse-workers-coronavirus-covid-19-outraged-informed https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66557430/acastro_200319_1777_amazonCorona_0001.0.jpg

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO website. Apple on Friday released a COVID-19 website and app that provides a screening tool and other information about the coronavirus outbreak. from https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-creates-coronavirus-screening-app-website-in-partnership-with-cdc-and-white-house/ https://cnet1.cbsistatic.com/img/HceIF78Nor38xXs6-G0mFPAsj1E=/1092x0/2020/03/27/547053da-1da4-4cb3-84e8-b39e3254ca61/apple-new-covid-19-app-macbook-pro-iphone-11-pro-03272020.jpg

YouTube has announced that it will reduce streaming quality for users around the world, according to Bloomberg. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/24/21192384/youtube-video-quality-reduced-hd-broadband-europe-streaming https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66546655/acastro_180403_1777_youtube_0002.0.jpg

Apple has released iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4, which add full mouse and trackpad support to iPads, iCloud Drive folder sharing, new nine new Memoji stickers, and more. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/24/21182552/ios-ipados-13-4-released-keyboard-mouse-support-icloud-drive-folder-sharing https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66547607/acastro_190530_1777_wwdc_2019_0003.0.0.jpg

USP has announced a new partnership with Wingcopter, a German aircraft manufacturer, to develop new types of delivery drones. The two companies will work together to certify Wingcopter's existing aircraft for use in commercial delivery flights in the US. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-24-ups-wingcopter-partnership.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2FqetmfTW2MVWtYpO15MyRzA--%7EB%2Fdz0xNjAwO2g9MTAwMDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fresize%3D2000%252C2000%252Cshrink%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252F66ed1610-6dea-11ea-bff6-d778812583a6%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D844c0dcee11fbd7cb2f1e6282c8620eafafba930&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=f2828ed8a853ee62b815892356028bce97302ed7

If you've been meaning to check out Star Trek: Picard or The Good Fight, but already perhaps have one streaming subscription too many, you can check out CBS All Access for free until April 23rd in the US. from https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-24-cbs-all-access-free-month-star-trek-picard.html https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fuu%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2F4.Lttn.ZQGsuAtnr1B5VQA--%7EB%2Fdz0xNjAwO2g9MTA2NzthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1200%252C800%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252F3bb85750-6e05-11ea-bff3-2f9e3bb8c5d9%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D71219971eb93a178eebe1a29f52de51a01bfc4c9&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=4a6ca8c819bf11bd2251cd938eab5285c6671bee

In the span of just a few days our society has become completely unmoored, panic-stricken, and obsessed with fear. We check and recheck social media and news feeds that inundate and overwhelm us with information about COVID-19 (much of which is neither helpful nor accurate). from https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/whats-scarier-than-the-coronavirus/ https://static.scientificamerican.com/blogs/cache/file/4110D279-B902-4CB0-92A0253E832FF599_source.jpg?w=590&h=800&E35B4544-AECB-4507-9BC1C13548A072C7

Netflix just gave anime fans a date to mark on their calendar -- at least, if they don't mind a shift away from traditional animation. Netflix has posted a final trailer for Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 that narrows its release to April 23rd. The clip casts the series as a reunion tour of sorts. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/22/ghost-in-the-shell-sac-2045-netflix-april-23/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C1067%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252F6a68b320-6c88-11ea-afb7-db4f653c464f%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D1742b6e8ab0f1fac211fc50fcb9524225db5c9c7&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=780164b3b072f400ee2898bb8daa08b617b0db11

Hospitals in numerous countries are struggling to provide basic supplies to healthcare workers, and tech companies are pitching in to address the shortfall. Tim Cook has revealed that Apple is donating "millions" of masks to healthcare professionals in Europe and the US. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/21/apple-donates-masks-to-healthcare/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D2548%252C1698%252C0%252C522%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2020-03%252Fc54cb0f0-6bbd-11ea-bff7-067de21b61b1%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Da1c8a785cbca053e15aee5b99df0ec10d9d7d1ae&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=bc3a3f6cbfc01558f4fe8a1af9e8d068b8e28972

Early Galaxy S20 Ultra owners have complained about camera issues like a pokey autofocus on the 108MP main sensor, but it looks like relief is in sight. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/21/samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-camera-fix-in-us/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C1067%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252F789472c0-6bc7-11ea-b77b-ab858fc3c2c8%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D2621c3f75f3d41051d3bdf5f332434839aea4984&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=2340a97913f96001bc96472f9e9aeff92cefa537

Rosario Dawson will be joining season 2 of The Mandalorian for Disney Plus, where she’ll reportedly be playing fan-favorite character Ashoka Tano, according to a report from SlashFilm. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/20/21188465/rosario-dawson-ahsoka-tano-the-mandalorian-season-2-live-action https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66533795/Screen_Shot_2020_03_20_at_1.41.02_PM.0.png

A new report published by Yelp shows the changing interests of US consumers during the novel coronavirus pandemic. It paints a rather bleak portrait of local economies being driven by fear and restlessness, and a society in withdrawal. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/20/21187916/gun-interest-fitness-trend-us-coronavirus-yelp-trend https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66530372/vrg_illo_3871_armslist_0001.0.jpg

Police departments across the country are issuing warnings about scammers trying to trick people into reserving a COVID-19 vaccine over the phone. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/19/21186098/phone-scam-cdc-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-reservation-police https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66524909/1213286297.jpg.0.jpg

Uber took stock of the effect the coronavirus outbreak has had on its business in a call with investors on March 19th, and the early numbers are pretty grim. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/19/21186865/uber-rides-decline-coronavirus-seattle-sf-la-nyc https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66525995/acastro_180927_1777_uber_0002.0.jpg

Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures, and that’s precisely how we as a society end up with something like How Much Toilet Paper?!, a new website that calculates the dwindling amount of our most prized bathroom supply. from https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2020/3/19/21186029/toilet-paper-calculator-coronavirus-self-isolation-how-long-it-lasts https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66526304/1206987848.jpg.0.jpg

The US-Canada border has closed to non-essential traffic, President Trump announced Wednesday morning, bringing ongoing coronavirus containment efforts to a new level. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/18/21185034/us-canada-border-closed-coronavirus-non-essential-traffic https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66518078/1207531342.jpg.0.jpg

Slack is unveiling a big redesign to its communications app that starts rolling out today to make things a lot simpler to use. If you’re a Slack user, you’re probably used to some of the quirky ways the chat app works and how parts of the user interface are hard to discover and customize. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/18/21184865/slack-redesign-update-sidebar-changes-available-now-download https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66517684/slacknewdesign.0.jpg

Microsoft’s chat and communications tool, Microsoft Teams, went down across Europe this morning for more than two hours. The outage started just as thousands of workers started to sign into the service and attempt to work remotely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/16/21181300/microsoft-teams-down-outage-europe-remote-working-coronavirus https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66505488/microsoftteamsstock.0.0.jpg

Following Apple's decision to close all of its retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27th, the company is taking further action in the face of the spreading coronavirus -- it's allowing Apple Card customers to skip March payments without interest. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/16/apple-card-skip-march-payment-interest-coronavirus/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C1067%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2019-08%252F4665f640-c4db-11e9-b777-356c7b5adf92%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D9300dbd5b468157b49e6961a1a22b2c86ff2f5c9&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=c2c44ba6af481d5f90bd9efd7575cf4ae774039d

Microsoft is revealing today that 1 billion active machines are now running Windows 10. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/16/21116762/microsoft-windows-10-active-devices-billion-7-support https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66506001/mswindows2_2040.0.0.jpg

Someone with health insurance from their employer could pay $1,300 or more out of pocket for treatment if they’re hospitalized with a severe case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to one analysis. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/17/21183271/insured-cost-coronavirus-treatment-pneumonia-testing https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66515347/1207190389.jpg.0.jpg

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has been much deadlier in older people — but more anecdotes are popping up of young, healthy people getting critically ill and even dying of the disease. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/17/21184291/coronavirus-covid-19-young-people-sick-vulnerable-affected-severe-cases https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66515536/1207531059.jpg.0.jpg

CONCORD, NH — The state of New Hampshire is taking unprecedented action to attempt to stop any potential spread of the new coronavirus by prohibiting all public gatherings of more than 50 people and banning restaurants and bars from serving customers inside their establishments. from https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/coronavirus-leads-nh-ban-eating-inside-restaurants-bars https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/546351/20200316/042745/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-1619828074___16162655462.jpg?width=705

Saturday night, Google laid out everything it’s doing in response to the coronavirus outbreak in its own words — after days of confusion over exactly how the search giant is collaborating with the White House in the face of a growing public health crisis. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/15/21180370/google-testing-website-coronavirus-trump-covid-19-confusion https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66503490/1212392002.jpg.0.jpg

Travelers entering the US from Europe waited for hours in long lines Saturday as new coronavirus screenings led to bottlenecks at major airports, the Washington Post reports. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/15/21180331/coronavirus-screening-airports-dfw-ohare https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66503049/ohare.0.jpeg

Just as promised, Microsoft has delivered a built of Windows 10 to members of its Insiders beta program that includes Windows Subsystem for Linux 2. from https://www.engadget.com/2019/06/13/windows-10-linux-subsystem/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?resize=2000%2C2000%2Cshrink&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-uploaded-images%2F2019-06%2Fe493f5a0-8d9b-11e9-b779-5c97faf39ad4&client=a1acac3e1b3290917d92&signature=eda7ed09eaa707924f3de59120f5fdb11910a4e1

You won't have to be a tester to try Windows 10's new, built-in Linux kernel in the near future. Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 will be widely available when Windows 10 version 2004 arrives. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/14/windows-10-linux-kernel-available-soon/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D1600%252C788%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C788%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-uploaded-images%252F2020-03%252Fca144f60-6610-11ea-afd9-08b1892859fa%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D227a3f48274bdbb45f61144a1bfd33a69b269815&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=5dfa8dc923882f78d1665463ce7b0f1a6e91fb84

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma says he is donating 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million protective face masks to the United States, Reuters reports. The Chinese billionaire already has pledged 2 million protective masks to European countries. from https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/14/21179624/alibaba-co-founder-jack-ma-coronavirus-test-kits-masks-us https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66501046/1192058124.jpg.0.jpg

When the Museum of the Bible opened in Washington, DC in 2017, it funded a research project that examined pieces of what was thought to be Dead Sea Scroll fragments. In 2018, the museum announced that all five sections under review were most likely forged. from https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/14/recommended-reading-dead-sea-scroll-fragments-forgery/ https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?thumbnail=640%2C&quality=80&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D5152%252C3435%252C0%252C0%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1067%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2020-03%252Fa7d9d1e0-6584-11ea-bfb5-c16a0831bc53%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3Dd55b2e81d8fdc2bb31b3d27bed937e4da1e544e3&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=4887b35cd8b7635a48a527c27d6e0a7d5b17dfa2