Techmeme
March 14, 2020, 4:40 PM

Top News

Juli Clover / MacRumors:
Apple says it is closing all of its stores outside China until March 27 due to the spread of COVID-19 and plans to pay its hourly workers during the closures  —  Apple today announced that it is closing all of its retail locations outside of Greater China until March 27 due to the continuing spread …
Apple:
Peter Kafka / Vox:
Google confirms Verily is building a tool to expedite COVID-19 testing after Trump claims Google has 1,700 engineers working on the project  —  Dr. Debbie Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, speaks at a White House press conference on Friday, March 13, 2020.  SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Dieter Bohn / The Verge:
Despite Trump implying that a triage website for COVID-19 tests will be available nationwide soon, Verily says it will only launch in Bay Area within a few days  —  Instead, Verily is building a triage website just for the Bay Area  —  Google is not working with the US government in building …
Microsoft:
Bill Gates has stepped down from the Microsoft's Board of Directors, will continue to serve as Technology Advisor to CEO Satya Nadella  —  REDMOND, Wash. — March 13, 2020 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Co-Founder and Technology Advisor Bill Gates stepped down from the company's Board …
Patricia Hernandez / Polygon:
Niantic has temporarily updated various Pokémon Go mechanics to limit the need for extended travel during gameplay due to “the current global health situation”  —  Monster collecting will be slightly easier now  —  As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the world …
Adele Peters / Fast Company:
Uncensored Library, a Reporters Without Borders project in Minecraft, lets people anywhere read articles from censored journalists and get info on press freedom  —  In countries where censorship is standard practice—such as China, where articles and social media posts about COVID-19 …
David Gilbert / VICE:
Experts say AC19, an Iranian government app that claims to diagnose coronavirus, is being used to track users' real-time locations  —  On Tuesday, March 3, the smartphones of tens of millions of Iranian citizens beeped in unison.  —  “Dear compatriots, before going to the hospital or health center …
Tony Romm / Washington Post:
AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, more ISPs join FCC-orchestrated “Keep Americans Connected Pledge”, will open Wi-Fi hotspots, not terminate service for late fees, more  —  AT&T, Comcast and Verizon joined dozens of telecom providers in agreeing to aid Americans who are out of work …
Kirsten Korosec / TechCrunch:
Amazon has canceled re:MARS 2020, its annual AI event scheduled for June 16 to 19 in Las Vegas  —  Amazon has canceled re:MARS 2020, an annual AI event that focuses on machine learning, automation, robotics and space, over concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.  The event was scheduled to be held June 16 to 19, 2020 in Las Vegas.
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Kenneth Chenault will be leaving Facebook's board following disagreements with Zuckerberg over the company's governance and political policies  —  Board member disagreed with founder over governance and political policies  —  Kenneth Chenault will be leaving Facebook Inc.'s board …

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Sam Biddle / The Intercept:
Ben Schoon / 9to5Google: