Techmeme
August 18, 2020, 8:00 PM

Top News

Adi Robertson / The Verge:
Oculus will soon require all of its VR headset users to sign up with a Facebook account, removing support for new separate Oculus accounts in October  —  Support for separate Oculus accounts will end in 2023  —  Oculus will soon require all of its virtual reality headset users to sign up with a Facebook account.
Dieter Bohn / The Verge:
Samsung Note20 Ultra review: has fast performance, multiday battery life, big display is great for streaming games, but camera bump is huge, and it's expensive  —  A refinement of the formula  —  Samsung has settled into a new routine for its Galaxy Note line of smartphones …
Michael Simon / PCWorld:
Samsung promises three generations of Android updates for many Galaxy S, Note, foldable, and A series devices, rivaling Google's three-year promise for Pixel  —  When Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 20 earlier this month, the biggest surprise wasn't the faster screen, smoother S Pen, or more powerful processor.
Jon Porter / The Verge:
Google Maps says it's rolling out more detailed maps with improved street designs for SF, NYC, and London, and with more accurate natural features worldwide  —  Making natural features easier to see and streets easier to navigate  —  Google Maps is being redesigned to make it easier …
Steven T. Dennis / Bloomberg:
Senate Intelligence Committee concludes Putin ordered the 2016 hacking of Democratic Party accounts and the release of emails to harm Hillary Clinton's campaign  —  - Manafort described as a ‘grave counterintelligence threat’  — Report details plan to hurt Clinton, finds no Trump collusion
Apple:
Apple renames Beats 1, its streaming radio station, Apple Music 1, and launches two new radio stations: Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country  —  Apple Music 1 and two new stations, Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country, feature exclusive original shows from the world's top music hosts and artists
Financial Times:
Joanna Nelius / Gizmodo:
Nvidia's cloud gaming service GeForce Now is now available in beta on Chromebooks, but lacks the ability to automatically adjust for poor network conditions  —  Nvidia's cloud gaming service, GeForce Now, officially hit beta on ChromeOS today and it's helping to make the gaming PC obsolete faster than you'd expect.
Sebastian Herrera / Wall Street Journal:
Amazon says it is expanding physical offices and adding 3,500 corporate employees in six major cities, including 2,000 jobs in New York City  —  The e-commerce giant says it is adding 3,500 employees in six major cities, including 2,000 jobs in New York City
Kate Conger / New York Times:
Sources: Uber and Lyft are considering a franchise-like model in California where they would license their brands to operators of vehicle fleets  —  Under pressure to classify their freelance drivers as full-time employees, the ride-hailing companies are discussing another option.
Sam Byford / The Verge:
Apple says “the problem Epic has created for itself is one that can easily be remedied” if they revert to comply with the guidelines they agreed to  —  “The problem Epic has created for itself is one that can easily be remedied.”  —  Apple has responded to Epic Games' latest salvo …
The Information:
Sam Shead / CNBC:
Pandemic-battered travel companies like GetYourGuide, Trivago, and HomeToGo say they have been feuding with Google for weeks over outstanding ad payments  —  - Google has been locked in a debate for weeks with the likes of GetYourGuide, Trivago and HomeToGo over outstanding ad payments.
Matthew Smith / TIME:
After saying it was committed to justice in Myanmar, Facebook is fighting The Gambia's suit in US court seeking info from FB for Rohingya genocide case at ICJ  —  Just when it seemed like Facebook's controversies might have peaked, the company now appears to be obstructing a genocide investigation, and it's using U.S. law to do it.

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Featured Podcasts

Channels with Peter Kafka:
Who is Josh D'Amaro and Why is He Disney's New CEO?
Media and tech aren't just intersecting - they're fully intertwined. To understand how those worlds work, Peter Kafka talks to industry leaders, upstarts and observers.
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The Social Radars:
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Invest Like the Best:
Ben Horowitz - Backing America's Future
The leading destination to learn about business and investing. We do this by showcasing exceptional talent and ideas.
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Big Technology Podcast:
The Moltbook Uprising, NVIDIA's OpenAI Pullback, Apple's Conundrum
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
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Lenny's Podcast:
A child psychologist's guide to working with difficult adults | Dr. Becky Kennedy
Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover actionable advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.
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Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
Special Edition: Key findings from the Microsoft AI Diffusion Report
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks with leaders in government, business, and culture to explore the most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society.
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More News

James Vincent / The Verge:

Earlier Picks

Jon Porter / The Verge: