Technology

On May 19th, New York University student John DiLillo attended Grad Alley, the school’s annual block party to celebrate commencement. For two hours, he and a few friends went to places like “Pictionary Island” and peered into the (surprisingly hollow) rubbery inside of a dolphin. He got stuck underground. He ran into exactly six people, including “a mysterious panda avatar who flew several virtual yards away from us and claimed to be a moderator trying to make sure we were having fun.” Eventually, he logged off with a headache. DiLillo, like countless students across the country, would not be spending graduation the way he envisioned. The pandemic has made that kind of mass gathering, filled with students, teachers, and parents, not just irresponsible, but potentially deadly. To soften the...

Well, I was going to write about the historic crewed launch and SpaceX, Tesla’s overachieving older sibling, but then the launch got scrubbed. Instead, let’s discuss money. Tesla cut prices on several vehicles earlier this week: the Model S and X now cost $74,990 and $79,990 — respectively — for their base model, a $5,000 drop. The Performance versions of both cars, which are more expensive, have also dropped by $5,000. The Model 3’s cheapest model, the Standard Range Plus Model 3, is now $37,990, a $2,000 decrease. All Model 3s are also now $2,000 cheaper. (The pricing is slightly different for the Model 3s in China, however.) The Model Y, introduced this year, remains unchanged. So did Tesla’s closing stock price the day after the announcement. Remember when Tesla CEO Elon Musk decided t...

When it comes to loved ones like a parent or significant other, it can often be hard to think of a good unique gift idea. So with the help of The Verge’s staff of experts, we’ve put together a list of things we think would make great Father’s Day gifts or might give you some inspiration for your own unique gift idea. These are things that have either served the staff well or things they wish they had. Compiled below is a list of eight items, from the ideal pour-over coffee kettle (the Hario V60 gooseneck) to the inexpensive and stylish Tissot Everytime Swissmatic watch, that would make great gifts for any parent at a reasonable price point. Hario V60 Gooseneck kettle There are many cheaper vessels for hot water, but Hario’s V60 Gooseneck kettle heats quickly, and rarely needs to be cleaned...

As lockdown measures are eased around the world, it’s more important than ever to observe proper health protocol in public. That means wearing a mask (if you can), washing your hands regularly, and social distancing. This last step can be the trickiest, but Google has released a handy augmented reality tool that makes things a little easier. If you’ve got an Android device, just open up the Chrome browser and go to goo.gle/sodar to launch the tool, named SODAR. There’s no app required, though it won’t work on iOS or older Android devices. Your phone will use augmented reality to map the space around you, superimposing a two-meter radius circle on the view from your camera. In our tests of SODAR using a Samsung Galaxy S20, we would describe its accuracy as “close enough” and “yeah, sure.” I...

With its ride-hailing business at rock bottom as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber is introducing a new feature aimed at riders who need to take longer rides with multiple destinations. Using the new “Hourly” function, riders can set the amount of time the trip should take, thereby locking in a flat, hourly rate for the duration of the ride. Uber has allowed for multiple destinations in one trip since 2017, but the addition of an hourly rate for these longer, multistop rides is a new approach. Uber seems to be angling for the type of rider who may have once taken public transportation to run multiple errands but now might be avoiding it due to the pandemic. In a statement, Uber’s director of rider operations Niraj Patel also framed it as “an additional earnings opportunity for driver...

I. Oh boy, there’s an executive order! About social media! And also the entire internet! And the president signed it, reports Chris Megerian at the Los Angeles Times: The order directs Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to request new regulations from the Federal Communications Commission to determine whether a social media company is acting “in good faith” to moderate content. In theory, that could open the door to users suing social media platforms if they feel their posts are restricted inappropriately. But it could also make the companies more likely to take down false or misleading content rather that just add a disclaimer — the opposite of what Trump wants. “That’s the irony of all this,” said Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford University law professor who studies technology and democracy. “T...

You can now buy a refurbished iPhone XR from the Apple Store, MacRumors reports. It’s a cheaper way of getting the bestselling phone of last year, and Apple’s refurbishing process means that it should perform almost identically to a brand new model. A 64GB refurbished iPhone XR will set you back $499, a $100 saving over its current $599 asking price, while a refurbished XR with 128GB of storage costs $539, $110 less than the $649 Apple now charges for the phone new. Although the refurbished phone is available in a more limited selection of colors, there’s a wider selection of storage options. The 256GB iPhone XR, which Apple discontinued last year, can be bought refurbished for $629. All refurbished phones come in a new box, complete with accessories Those prices aren’t quite as cheap as w...

Twitter has placed a public interest notice on a tweet from President Trump for breaking the platform’s rules about the “glorification of violence.” However, Twitter has not chosen to remove the tweet from its platform entirely, because it believes it to be in the public interest. Twitter announced the notice in a tweet thread from its official comms account. The notice means that the tweet is hidden from Trump’s timeline, but is accessible if you visit the tweet directly after clicking a “view” button. The reach of the tweet will also be limited as part of the process. Although users can still retweet it with a comment, they cannot reply to it, retweet it directly, or like it. Twitter also says that its notice means that the tweet won’t be algorithmically recommended on its platform. Trum...

Google will soon let G Suite customers with Google Voice licenses make Google Voice calls right from their Gmail inbox. The new feature seems like a handy way to make a Google Voice call without needing to jump to a second tab to do so. If the feature is rolled out to you, you’ll be able to access Google Voice from the toolbar on the right side of your inbox, which is where you might currently see icons for Google Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. Here’s a GIF from Google showing what the interface looks like. Google says the feature will begin rolling out on June 3rd, though you’ll only be able use it from Chrome or Firefox on a computer. Earlier this month, Google announced that you’d be able to access its Meet videoconferencing service from your Gmail inbox (though the Meet icon is on your lef...

During a group call, FaceTime automatically enlarges the window of whoever’s speaking. This means when you have four or more people on a call, the windows will resize, float, and bounce around during a group call. It can be distracting and confusing. If you’d rather keep all of your FaceTime windows static and the same size during a call, there is quick way to do that in the latest iOS and iPadOS versions, as well as the latest version of macOS. On iPhone These instructions are for an iPhone, but the process for the iPad should be similar. First, make sure your FaceTime app is up to date by checking to see if you’re running iOS 13.5 or iPadOS 13.5: Open settings. Go to “General.” Tap “Software Update.” If an update is available, you’ll see it here. If not, your device will tell you it’s up...

DoorDash on Thursday launched a new initiative called Storefront to help restaurants create websites and directly manage online pickup and delivery orders. As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced restaurants to pause their sit-down service, many have become increasingly reliant on delivery platforms like DoorDash, as well as competitors Grubhub, Postmates, and Uber Eats. These partnerships, of course, saddle restaurants with all kinds of commissions and fees, but they’re still necessities for many that lack their own delivery infrastructure or a website to facilitate online orders. DoorDash’s goal is to help businesses create their own online stores instead; 40 percent of DoorDash’s partners don’t have any online ordering system, by the company’s estimate. With DoorDash Storefront, the company...