Technology

Lululemon, the company behind trendy fitness apparel, is getting into the hardware business with Mirror. The fitness lifestyle company announced on Monday it would spend $500 million to acquire the startup, which sells a $1,495 reflective display so subscribers can exercise while simultaneously streaming workouts and watching themselves. The apparel company’s CEO Calvin McDonald tells The New York Times the purchase is about “strengthening our community and our loyalty and our relationship with our guests and memberships.” He also noted that Mirror comes with its own revenue model, which he and the team are “excited about.” Mirror sells a $1,495 reflective display for streaming workouts The Times says Mirror expects to bring in over $100 million in revenue this year and to break even or be...

Sony’s noise-canceling WF-1000XM3 earbuds have been considered some of the best-sounding true wireless earbuds on the market since their release. But the 1000XM3s lack any kind of official sweat or water resistance, which means they’re not really cut out for running or other fitness use. With the new $199.99 WF-SP800N earbuds — there’s got to be a better way of naming these things — Sony retains the noise cancellation, adds proper IP55 certification for dust and water resistance, and even extends the battery life to a fantastic nine hours of continuous listening (with ANC enabled). And they are $30 less than the 1000XM3’s launch price, though it’s not hard to find those at a discounted price now. Verge Score 7.5 out of 10 Good Stuff Secure, comfortable fit Adequate noise cancellation Bass ...

Universal Studios Japan is delaying the opening of Super Nintendo World, the new Mario-themed expansion of its Osaka amusement park, NHK reports. Universal said the delay was due to concerns about the coronavirus. A new opening date has yet to be announced. The video game-themed area was originally set to open in July ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics. However, the international sporting event was pushed back to 2021 as a result of the pandemic. Super Nintendo World will be based on Mario and other Nintendo properties Universal fears that Super Nintendo World is likely to be so popular it could be a health hazard, allowing the coronavirus to spread, according to NHK. Universal Studios Japan reopened on June 8th but at limited capacity and with strict health and safety guidelines, including...

Reddit will ban r/The_Donald, r/ChapoTrapHouse, and about 2,000 other communities today after updating its content policy to more explicitly ban hate speech. The policy update comes three weeks after Black Lives Matter protests led several popular Reddit forums to go dark temporarily in protest of what they called the company’s lax policies around hosting and promoting racist content. It marks a major reversal for a company whose commitment to free expression has historically been so strong that it once allowed users to distribute stolen nude photos freely on the site. “I have to admit that I’ve struggled with balancing my values as an American, and around free speech and free expression, with my values and the company’s values around common human decency,” Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said in...

Twitch has temporarily banned President Donald Trump, in the latest surprise and high-profile suspension from the streaming service. Trump’s account was banned for “hateful conduct” that was aired on stream, and Twitch says the offending content has now been removed. One of the streams in question was a rebroadcast of Trump’s infamous kickoff rally, where he said that Mexico was sending rapists to the United States. Twitch also flagged racist comments at Trump’s recent rally in Tulsa. “Like anyone else, politicians on Twitch must adhere to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. We do not make exceptions for political or newsworthy content, and will take action on content reported to us that violates our rules,” a Twitch spokesperson told The Verge. The statement was originally issu...

Microsoft is releasing its own Windows File Recovery tool, designed to retrieve files you’ve mistakenly deleted. Windows File Recovery is a command line app that will recover a variety of files and documents from local hard drives, USB drives, and even SD cards from cameras. Recovery of files on cloud storage or network file shares is not supported, though. Like any file recovery tool, you’ll need to use it as soon as possible on deleted files to ensure they haven’t been overwritten. You’ll be able to use Microsoft’s new tool to recover MP3 files, MP4 videos, PDF documents, JPEG images, and typical Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. Microsoft’s Windows File Recovery app. Microsoft’s file recovery tool has a default mode that’s designed primarily for NTFS file systems. It will recover f...

Earlier this month, the Russian authorities lifted their ban on the Telegram messaging app, citing the company’s willingness to help with its counterterrorism efforts. However, despite the official ban being in effect for over two years, Telegram has reportedly remained accessible in the country for much of that time. In a new feature, The Washington Post has written how Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov, “humiliated and outmaneuvered Russia’s state telecommunications regulator,” in preventing the app from being successfully banned. Unsurprisingly, it’s well worth a read in full. Telegram initially gained the attention of the Russian authorities because it had reportedly become one of the apps of choice for the country’s opposition groups. The authorities wanted access to the encrypted messag...

Smart locks typically come in two general styles: ones that replace your existing deadbolt and require obvious electronics or interfaces mounted on the inside or outside of the door, or ones that just bolt on top of your existing deadbolt, allowing you to keep most of your original hardware, including your keys. Both designs typically allow you to control the lock with your phone or through automations, but neither is particularly discreet. The Level Lock is a new smart lock that bucks those trends: once it’s installed, it’s completely invisible and hides all of its electronics and mechanics inside your existing deadbolt lock. It still allows you to open and close the lock remotely with your phone or your voice through Apple’s HomeKit platform (more on this later) or manually with the same...

On June 22nd, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation suspending the entry of guest workers to the United States, supposedly in response to unprecedented unemployment levels. Specifically, the proclamation ordered immigration officials to deny entry stamps to a range of guest worker visas, including H-1Bs. The result is that, for tens of thousands of valid visa holders, entry to the United States is no longer guaranteed. In theory, the proclamation makes exceptions for medical workers and scientists involved in coronavirus research. But the unusual enforcement mechanism and immediate impact of the proclamation have meant that most of those distinctions have been lost in the chaos, as foreign-born workers and their employers adjust to the new status quo. The Verge spoke to four p...

As I put together this latest list of what’s new on streaming this week, I realized a theme running through the selections: bad-ass women. There’s a documentary about crime-solving writer Michelle McNamara, a series based on a manga comic about a warrior nun (yes, really!), and of course the Schuyler sisters, Angelica and Eliza, from Hamilton. [embedded content] I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO, June 28th) This six-part documentary series follows the remarkable story of the late writer Michelle McNamara and her investigation into The Golden State Killer, who terrorized California for years in the mid- 1970s and 1980s. Vulture calls it “a tough, ultimately inspirational work about how life kicks the shit out of you and you just have to get through it somehow, coping with sadness and regret and...

As I put together this latest list of what’s new on streaming this week, I realized a theme running through the selections: bad-ass women. There’s a documentary about crime-solving writer Michelle McNamara, a series based on a manga comic about a warrior nun (yes, really!), and of course the Schuyler sisters, Angelica and Eliza, from Hamilton. [embedded content] I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (HBO, June 28th) This six-part documentary series follows the remarkable story of the late writer Michelle McNamara and her investigation into The Golden State Killer, who terrorized California for years in the mid- 1970s and 1980s. Vulture calls it “a tough, ultimately inspirational work about how life kicks the shit out of you and you just have to get through it somehow, coping with sadness and regret and...

Starbucks will join the growing list of corporate entities pausing advertising on social media platforms, the company said in a blog post Sunday. The coffee giant says that it stands “against hate speech” and believes “both business leaders and policy makers need to come together to affect real change.” “We will pause advertising on all social media platforms while we continue discussions internally, with our media partners and with civil rights organizations in the effort to stop the spread of hate speech,” the blog post, titled “Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Online Communities” states. A Starbucks spokesperson told The Verge Sunday that the company’s social media advertising pause will not include YouTube, and while Starbucks will continue to post to social media, it won’t do paid pro...