More than 500 Amazon employees have signed an internal letter to Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy calling for the company to acknowledge the plight of the Palestinian people. The move comes after Israeli airstrikes devastated Palestinians in Gaza, leaving 248 people dead. Hamas and Israel have since agreed to a ceasefire.
“We ask Amazon leadership to acknowledge the continued assault upon Palestinians’ basic human rights under an illegal occupation… without using language that implies a power symmetry or situational equivalency, which minimizes and misrepresents the disruption, destruction, and death that has disproportionately been inflicted upon the Palestinians in recent days and over several decades,” employees wrote. “Amazon employs Palestinians in Tel Aviv and Haifa offices and around the world. Ignoring the suffering faced by Palestinians and their families at home erases our Palestinian coworkers.”
Employees want the company to terminate business contracts with organizations that are complicit in human rights violations, like the Israeli Defense Forces. In April, Amazon and Google signed a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with the Israeli government.
The note echoes similar petitions from workers at Apple and Google. On May 18th, Jewish employees at Google penned a letter to Sundar Pichai calling for the company to “reject any definition of antisemitism that holds that criticism of Israel or Zionism is antisemitic.” Two days later, The Verge published a note from Muslim employees at Apple.
Muslim tech workers say executives have been slow to voice support for Palestinians, or condemn the violence in Gaza. Many feel their CEOs are choosing to ignore Israeli human rights abuses because the situation is fraught. The result, according to multiple sources, is that Muslims in tech feel undervalued and ignored.
Read the entire letter from Amazon employees below:
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge.
Hundreds of Amazon tech workers are pressuring Amazon to quit polluting — especially in communities near its warehouses. More than 600 workers signed a petition asking Amazon to bring its pollution down to zero by 2030. They also called on the company to prioritize deploying zero-emissions technologies near the communities hit hardest by Amazon’s pollution.
The petition was started after Amazon rejected a shareholder resolution asking the company to report how much pollution it emits in communities of color. Amazon says the proposal was similar to a resolution that was voted down by shareholders last year. Amazon’s annual shareholder meeting is scheduled for May 26th.
Amazon’s warehouses have mushroomed around working-class communitiespredominately made up ofhouseholds of color, activists say. Those warehouses are magnets for pollution from diesel trucks, trains, and planes that are constantly moving goods to and from the warehouses for thee-commerce giant.
“Amazon shows up without informing the community about their encroachment. They show up with warehouses and delivery trucks that worsen our roads, our air.” Paola Dela Cruz-Perez, a youth organizer for the nonprofit East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice said during a shareholder briefing held today. “Amazon has been expanding their operations in Southeast L.A. neighborhoods like my own by exactly understanding how environmental racism works, and choosing to profit from this oppression.”
The workers organizing the petition are part of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice. “As employees, we are alarmed that Amazon’s pollution is disproportionately concentrated in communities of color,” they said in a statement. “We want to be proud of where we work. A company that lives up to its statements about racial equity and closes the racial equity gaps in its operations is a critical part of that.”
It’s not the first time Amazon employees have pushed the company to create better environmental policies. In 2019, more than 7,500 workers backed a shareholder proposal asking Jeff Bezos to create a comprehensive climate change plan for the organization. While the proposal was ultimately shot down, it marked the first time tech workers had used their stock to push for real change.
Amazon workers have led a wave of employee activism in the tech industry, specifically related to Big Tech’s impact on the environment. In 2019, thousands of workers at Google, Microsoft, Twitter, and Facebook walked out of work to protest a lack of action on climate change.
Shortly before the walkout was scheduled to take place, Jeff Bezos announced he would be rolling out a fleet of electric delivery vans by 2024. The news did not change employees’ plans to protest, as they wanted to see stronger action.
In 2020, Amazon fired Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, two key organizers with the Amazon Employees for Climate Justice. The company said the employees had violated a company policy which banned workers from speaking out about the business. The National Labor Relations Board has determined the firings were retaliatory and illegal.
Jeff Bezos has faced a lot of heat for flaunting Amazon’s environmental credentials and promoting his own climate action fund while his business continues to pollute neighborhoods. “He has an opportunity to do so much with the funds that he has provided out there, although I would still consider it chump change compared to the wealth that he has accumulated off the backs of our people,” Gabriela Mendez, a community organizer with the nonprofit Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), told The Verge last year.
Amazon has pledged to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2040, meaning that it won’t release more planet-heating carbon dioxide than it can capture or offset. But that commitment still leaves room for Amazon to keep producing some pollution, as long as it invests in carbon removal technologies, forest restoration, or other measures to cancel out its effects on the climate. The pledge also doesn’t address other harmful pollutants from tailpipes. Amazon workers are asking the company to completely eliminate emissions instead.
Amazon does have other initiatives that could cut down CO2 and other pollution. By 2030, the company wants to roll out 100,000 electric delivery vehicles. Amazon also plans to run its operations on 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.
“We’re committed to building a sustainable business for our customers and the planet, and using our size and scale for good. This includes investing heavily to build an environmentally-sustainable business and support the communities where we operate,” a spokesperson for Amazon said in an email to The Verge.
Amazon shareholders will vote on a resolution on May 26th aimed at tackling the company’s plastic pollution. The proposal asks the company to report how much of its plastic packaging ends up in the environment, and comes after Amazon disputed estimates from the nonprofit group Oceana that 22 million pounds of its plastic waste polluted freshwater and marine ecosystems.
HMD’s Nokia G10 is coming to the US with a big battery, a low $149 price, and a surprisingly good security support schedule. Phone Arena reports that the G10 — available for preorder now at Amazon — will go on sale directly through Nokia’s website later this week. The G10 was first announced in Europe last month alongside five other midrange devices.
Low-cost Android phones aren’t typically known for great software support. It’s common for manufacturers to offer only two years of security updates on an infrequent schedule and typically just one (or no) OS platform updates. HMD is breaking with that norm by offering two years of OS platform updates — Android 12 and 13 in this case — and three years of security updates, a policy that should see the G10 through a few years of use.
The Nokia G10 is offered in the “dusk” color pictured here as well as a dark blue “night” flavor.Image: HMD
The Nokia G10’s other specs include a 6.5-inch 720p display, huge 5,050mAh battery, MediaTek G25 chipset with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a 13-megapixel rear camera accompanied by 2-megapixel macro and depth sensors. It’s expected to go on sale Thursday, May 27th at Nokia.com.
Either Newegg’s gone mad with shuffle power or someone’s crossed its wires with Amazon’s, because today’s Newegg Shuffle only has one GPU, but does have kettles, fruit dehydrators and Uber Eats gift cards.
For the unaware, the Newegg Shuffle is a daily raffle event where users can sign up for a chance to buy otherwise sold-out items from Newegg. This was supposedly started so that people could get their hands on hard-to-find components, but it seems like that’s changing.
Today’s selection of 77 items is a pretty sharp departure from the usual dozen or so RTX 3000 series GPUs that we’ve gotten used to seeing in these shuffles. Yes, there are also monitors, RAM and coolers to be found here, but the sheer amount of strange picks has us wondering what Newegg is going for today. Does the Newegg Shuffle still really exist to give people an opportunity to buy rare components, or is there some other goal now?
If you click on today’s offerings, even the strangest ones (we’re looking at you, Rosewill digital infrared halogen convection oven) are still technically listed as otherwise sold out. But we doubt that even scalpers are chomping at the bit for these.
There’s still some utility to be found in today’s Shuffle, of course, although you’ll have to dig for it. Today’s Ryzen CPU offering, the Ryzen 7 5800X, will come in at $379 if you apply the SHUFFLE25MAY54 promo code, although sites like Amazon aren’t too much more expensive and don’t require you to enter a raffle. The Asus ROG Strix RTX 3070 is also up for grabs today at $859. Ouch.
It’s possible that today’s Newegg Shuffle is working as a stress test for the system, so the site can verify how much Shuffle traffic is coming from prospective graphics cards buyers. Alternately, maybe the warehouse has a few old Rosewill appliances that Newegg wants to get rid of, even if their non-shuffle listings say “sold out.”
Either way, you have 3 hours left to sign up for a chance to buy these “hot” items.
Netflix might be the world’s largest subscription streaming service with more than 180 million paid subscribers worldwide, but it seems it’s not resting on its laurels. Growing evidence – collected by TheVerge – suggests that Netflix itself wants to become the Netflix of games.
The rumours started last Friday when The Informationreported that Netflix was looking to expand beyond film and TV content. The article revealed that the streaming giant was on the hunt for a top executive to oversee a major push into gaming.
Then, on Monday, Axios followed up by quoting an anonymous source who tipped the upcoming service to be “a smaller Apple Arcade” bundle, featuring a mix of Netflix-developed games and indie titles. The source claimed ‘Netflix Arcade’ could launch as soon as 2022.
Other outlets have since suggested that Netflix had already approached several high-flying games industry veterans with a view to offering subscribers both streamed and downloadable games.
If the rumours are true, ‘Netflix Arcade’ will be the company’s second significant foray into button-bashing. Back in 2019, Netflix teamed up with Finnish studio Next Games to create a puzzle role-player based on the hit 80s-themed horror series, Stranger Things.
Netflix is yet to comment, but in the past, in a statement issued to GameSpot, it has hinted that interactive experiences are very much on its radar:
“Members… enjoy engaging more directly with stories they love – through interactive shows like Bandersnatch and You v. Wild, or games based on Stranger Things, La Casa de Papel and To All the Boys. So we’re excited to do more with interactive entertainment.”
In the past 20 years we’ve seen many a video game franchises, from Tomb Raider to Resident Evil, adapted for the big screen. Netflix is currently showing four series of Castlevania, a TV show based on the hit 90s platformer, while Paramount+ is expected to launch its Xbox-inspired Halo TV series in February 2022.
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Compared to competitors like YouTube TV and Hulu, Sling TV has never had the flashiest app, and the overall user experience leaves something to be desired. It’s been easy enough to overlook these faults since Sling TV undercuts those rivals on price, but today the company announced a completely redesigned app that focuses on more polish and personalized recommendations.
The new Sling TV app is rolling out first to “select customers” using Amazon’s Fire TV devices, and other platforms will be added as the year stretches on. (It’ll arrive on Roku sometime this summer, for example.) The Dish-owned company describes this as the “most comprehensive update in Sling TV’s history.” And based on screenshots and the GIF above, it does look like a significant makeover.
“After a year of talking to customers and working with our design and advanced engineering teams, we’re happy to roll out the new Sling TV app to deliver the best in live sports, news and entertainment, at the same unbeatable low price point,” Michael Schwimmer, group president of Sling TV, said in a press release.
The redesign comes with a lot of changes, including a left-side navigation column and a new homescreen that focuses on content recommendations. The channel guide has been “reimagined” to make favoriting channels and filtering easier, though it will still feel familiar to customers who want that traditional cable-like grid.
A dedicated DVR section provides easy access to your cloud recordings.Image: Sling TV
Sling TV’s cloud DVR now gets its own tab, which should make it easier to sort through your recordings. By default, the service comes with 50 hours of DVR space, but you can expand this to 200 hours for an extra $5 per month.
“If a streaming app is done right, it should be practically invisible, allowing the user to get to the most relevant content quickly and easily — the new Sling TV experience does just that,” said Jon Lin, Sling TV’s VP of product.
If you’re a Nintendo Switch owner, you’re probably already familiar with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It remains one of the most ambitious and charming Zelda titles to date. But like most first-party Nintendo games, it’s one that rarely receives a sizeable discount. Right now, though, you can purchase a physical edition of the beloved title at GameStop for $40, with free shipping. The popular retailer is also offering a host of other first- and third-party games at a discount as part of its ongoing Memorial Day sale, including standouts such as Persona V Strikers, Splatoon 2, and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. Now, if only Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate wouldmake the cut.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
$40
$60
34% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Four years after launch, TheLegend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild remains a masterpiece. The first-party title offers all of the hallmarks of a traditional Zelda title, including challenging combat and puzzles, but within a gorgeous, open-ended design.
$40
at GameStop
If you’re more of an Xbox gamer looking for something to let you play games while on the go, Microsoft just updated its Cloud Gaming app on the Surface Duo to let you use one of the screens as a virtual controller. Conveniently, Amazon has both the 128GB and 256GB versions of the Surface Duo on sale for $619 and $656, respectively, once you clip the 25 percent coupon. These models are locked to AT&T, however, so you’ll need to have an AT&T SIM card and service to use them when outside of a Wi-Fi network.
If gaming isn’t your thing, but you’re still in the market for a professional monitor, the Dell 27-inch U2719DX is worth consideration. Currently on sale at Best Buy for $250 — an all-time low — the QHD 1440p peripheral offers color-accurate visuals and a thin profile, one that looks as sturdy as it is ergonomic. It tops out at 60Hz and lacks the USB-C connectivity found on pricier displays such as the like-minded U2719DC. But given it’s currently more than $100 off, the lack of futureproofing is a bit more understandable.
Dell 27-inch U2719DX monitor
$250
$350
29% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Dell’s 27-inch U2719DX Monitor is built for simplicity. It sports a sturdy, swivel-reliant design and 60Hz refresh rate, along with a three-warranty, accurate colors, and a healthy port selection that, sadly, doesn’t include USB-C.
$250
at Best Buy
If you have no intention of making the jump to iPad Pro with the M1 processor, picking up a keyboard is a great way to make the most of the last-gen iPad Pro. Luckily, Amazon is offering the biggest discount we’ve seen in recent months on Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio Case for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The protective fabric-lined case magnetically attaches to the back of either the 2018 or 2020 iPad Pro, provides two viewing angles, and is a joy to type on, though, we still wouldn’t recommend it as your primary writing device. For a limited time, you can pick it up for more than $100 off the initial list price at Amazon.
Smart device and audio specialist Oppo is today launching two new additions – the Enco Air true wireless earbuds and an Oppo 46mm wi-fi smartwatch.
The Chinese brand has expanded its wireless headphone offering to include the Oppo Enco Air earbuds, which promise to combine “lightning-fast Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity with an ergonomic and lightweight design” – a design that’s clearly aimed squarely at the best AirPods alternative market but with a clever translucent-lidded case (so you’ll always know they’re actually in there).
(Image credit: Oppo)
The Oppo Enco Air earbuds come with a Vocal Enhancement mode as standard. Under the bonnet there’s a 12mm dynamic driver with dedicated bass duct in tow, thus promising deep bass and clear highs, plus a dynamic, real-time algorithm to adjust signal – which should allow those voices to stand out from the instrumental.
In terms of stamina, Oppo says the earbuds feature a battery with fast charging that allows up to four hours play from the buds on just a single, 10-minute charge – that is efficient – and 24 hours of total battery life.
Aside from the audio tech, the Enco Air earbuds have also been thoughtfully designed for comfort. The company says that the design (weighing in at only 4g per earpiece) has been user-tested on over 400 different ear shapes to ensure a perfect fit for all customers. This, combined with an IPX4 splash-resistance rating, makes them an interesting budget proposition on paper.
(Image credit: Oppo)
The Oppo 46mm Smart Watch, powered with Wear OS by Google, features a 1.9 inch AMOLED display plus the full suite of Google apps and services – including Google Pay and Google Maps. The AI watch-face design can synchronise to match any outfit thanks to the HeyTap Health app and, with a wide range of wrist strap colours available, it’s never been easier to switch styles. Regarding the frame, Oppo says the 46mm WiFi Watch has been sculpted in a 6,000 series aluminium alloy and is available in a Black finish.
Through Google FitTM1, the wearable enables access to reams of tracked exercises in addition to its key, wrist-based five-minute workouts with voice coaching. With a summer out of lockdown on the horizon, Oppo promises its 46mm WiFi Watch will take the sting out of training and help keep you fit on-the-move. For those out from morning until night, the Watch VOOC Flash Charging allows users to build up 16 hours of power from just one, 15-minute fast charge too.
Ready for prices? The Oppo Enco Air true wireless headphones are available now in a choice of white, black or light blue, for £69 (around $98 or AU$126, although those prices are unconfirmed) and the Oppo 46mm Smart Watch is also available from Oppo’s e-store or Amazon, for £279 (around $395 or AU$510).
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Anker’s GaN (gallium nitride) chargers are some of the best around, offering tiny sizes but powerful charging capabilities. Now, the company is introducing its second-generation GaN-based chargers: the Anker Nano II lineup.
The new Nano II chargers use what Anker calls its “GaN II” technology, the company’s second-generation version of the gallium nitride-based components, which Anker says offer a 20 percent increase in working efficiency,” which translates to less heat and even smaller chargers than before.
Image: Anker
Gallium nitride is an increasingly popular replacement for silicon components in electrical devices, thanks to a wider band gap than silicon. That means it can sustain higher voltages at higher temperatures with faster electrical current than the traditional material. Those properties make it perfect for things like ultra-small chargers.
The original Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1 helped usher in the first wave of GaN chargers when it was first released in 2019, packing enough power to charge a small laptop in a brick the size of Apple’s now-defunct (but laughably underpowered) 5W iPhone bricks. Since then, we’ve seen ultra-small GaN chargers offer even more powerful wattage specs: it’s easy and affordable to get a 65W brick that can power a decent-sized computer that fits in your pocket now.
The new Nano II chargers will come in three models: a 30W model for $29.99, a 45W charger for $35.99, and a 65W for $39.99. All three chargers feature a single USB-C port (with the larger 45W and 65W models also featuring flip-down plugs) and come with Anker’s PowerIQ 3.0 technology for managing charging wattages.
The 30W is the smallest of the bunch, measuring in at 1.24 x 1.20 x 1.49 inches — making it marginally smaller than the original 30W PowerPort Atom PD 1, which is 1.6 x 1.4 x 1.5 inches.
The three chargers are available to preorder from both Amazon and Anker’s website, and they will ship in June.
Radxa have announced that it has updated its Raspberry Pi alternative, Rock Pi 4 line of single-board computers with the Rockchip OP1 processor, onboard eMMC storage, and a pre-installed version of Twister OS to create the new Rock Pi 4 Plus family of products. Via CNX-Software.
Camera connector for camera (possibly the Raspberry Pi official camera)
Gigabit Ethernet with PoE support (Model B and additional HAT required)
Dual-band 802.11ac WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 (Model B)
2 x USB 3.0 ports
2 x USB 2.0 port
40 Pin GPIO
Real Time Clock
USB C PD
There are two models of the Rock Pi 4 Plus at launch, the Model A and Model B, that can both be configured with either 2GB of LPDDR4 memory and 16GB of onboard eMMC storage or 4GB of LPDDR4 memory and 32GB of onboard eMMC storage.
We noticed on the Aliexpress listing that the primary difference between the Model A and Model B is that the latter offers wireless connectivity out of the box and POE support via a HAT.
The inclusion of the community created Twister OS is an interesting addition. Twister OS has been with us for around a year and has seen some success as an alternative to Raspberry Pi OS. It is a solid operating system that comes with plenty of extras.
Radxa did say these new models will be 11% faster than their predecessors thanks to the OP1. It’s not clear how that would be the case, however, because OP1 appears to be a brand name for the RK-3399 SoC used in the original models. Radxa may have upgraded the Rock Pi 4 Plus to the RK-3399Pro, which adds a 2.4 TOPS NPU to the base SoC, but that doesn’t mesh with the company’s claim that the “OP1 brings faster performance on both CPU and GPU” to the new models.
Radxa said all of the original Rock Pi 4 accessories will be compatible with the Rock Pi 4 Plus. The new models are supposed to be available via AliExpress, Allnet, and Amazon, but at time of writing the storefronts only offer the Rock Pi 4 Plus Model B.
The latest iPad Air gets more than just a makeover – it’s a brilliant all-rounder and all the tablet most people could ever need
For
Great picture and sound
Attractive design
Excellent user experience
Against
Imperfect front-facing camera
Touch ID button is awkward
Not the cheapest tablet around
It’s not every day an Apple product gets what you could call a major revamp. On many occasions in the past, there has been a slight change here and a minor tweak there, leaving the tech world slightly underwhelmed. However, by Apple’s standards, it has positively gone to town on the iPad Air (2020).
Not only does the fourth generation iPad Air boast a brand new design, complete with a new Touch ID sensor and speaker layout, there’s also a bigger screen, more powerful processor and improved main camera. Everything is set up for the iPad Air (2020) to make quite the splash, but where does it rank when it comes to the best iPads you can buy?
Pricing
The fourth-generation iPad Air slots between the entry-level iPad and the flagship iPad Pro (2021). It’s available with either 64GB or 256GB of storage and prices start at £579 ($599, AU$899) for the entry-level 64GB Wi-Fi-only model and £729 ($749, AU$1129) for the Wi-Fi/Cellular model.
That makes the latest generation iPad Air around £100 ($100, AU$120) more expensive than the previous model. If Apple had just touched up the design and kept the status quo, you’d probably consider that a big jump in price. But the new model is a clear improvement on iPad Airs of old.
Build
(Image credit: Apple)
Nowhere are the changes more obvious and apparent than with the new iPad Air’s exterior. It has been redesigned to mirror the iPhone 12, and if you like the look and feel of that smartphone, you’re going to love the iPad Air 4.
Apple iPad Air (2020) tech specs
(Image credit: Apple)
Screen size 10.9in
Resolution 2360×1640 pixels
Storage 64GB/256GB
Finishes x5
Battery life 10 hours
Cameras 12MP rear / 7MP front
Dimensions (hwd) 24.8 x 17.9 x 0.6cm
Weight 458g
Those flat sides and crisp edges give the tablet a more purposeful appearance from the off. It makes for quite the contrast switching from the smooth, curved edges of the previous version, but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, and those flat sides make it easier to grip when you’re watching in portrait or landscape.
It’s similar in look and feel to its big brother, the iPad Air Pro, although the Air is the first iPad to be made available in a range of optional colours. There are Rose Gold, Green and Sky Blue variants to choose from, in addition to the more traditional Silver and Space Grey. We find the Green finish of our review sample particularly easy on the eye.
Run your eyes around those flat edges and you’ll also spot a couple of new additions. The first is the presence of speaker grilles on the top and bottom of the tablet. Instead of offering speakers along just the bottom, the iPad Air 4 now offers landscape stereo speakers. That’s right, no longer does audio sound lopsided.
The iPad Air is now fitted with a USB-C port instead of Lightning, which makes one wonder why Apple is persisting with Lightning on the iPhone. Perhaps we’ll see the socket on the iPhone 13 when it makes an appearance later in the year?
The iPad Air’s volume buttons remain in the same location, as does the power button, although it’s slightly larger and longer, likely because it now handles Touch ID duties. We find that this takes some time to get used to and is at times a little more awkward to operate than the dedicated face-mounted Touch ID button of before. We can’t help but think a fingerprint sensor built under the screen, which is already used by smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 range, might work better.
Features
(Image credit: Apple)
The big news on the screen front is that the new iPad Air is bigger than ever. At 10.9in, it’s marginally larger than the previous model (10.5in), but you only notice the difference when viewing the two tablets together. The effect is emphasised by the slimmer bezels at the top and bottom, which have been achieved by ditching the fingerprint scanner/home button. It all makes for a streamlined viewing experience.
Resolution is 2360 x 1640 (vs 2224 x 1668 on the iPad Air 3) with a pixel density of 264ppi and a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
It’s still a wide colour display with True Tone, so the iPad Air can adjust the balance of its screen based on ambient lighting conditions. The only thing it doesn’t have compared to its more expensive Pro sibling is a 120Hz refresh rate, which would be nice, but not vital.
The new iPad Air (2020) has the brains to match its beauty too. It is powered by Apple’s A14 Bionic chip, the same silicone that drives the entire iPhone 12 line.
In terms of CPU performance, Apple claims the iPad Air 2020 is 40 per cent faster than the previous generation A12 Bionic chip, while its GPU performance is supposedly up 30 per cent, too, for faster graphics processing.
Although it can’t match the specs of the iPad Pro 2021, both in terms of processing power and storage, Apple still claims the Air is more than powerful enough to be able to edit 4K video on and it’s fully compatible with the Apple Pencil 2, which will come in handy for creative types.
So how do Apple’s claimed performance percentage increases translate into real life? The iPad reacts extremely well to multiple apps being open and even the rigours of gaming. In fact, the iPad Air arguably turns the iPad Pro into even more of a niche product. For most people, the iPad Air 2020 will be a powerful enough tool.
Apps such as Netflix and Amazon Music boot up without hesitation, and even if you have more than a handful of apps running in the background, the iPad Air won’t struggle to cope. Navigating between apps via a series of simple swipes is quick and hassle-free, and once again, Apple’s intuitive iOS operating system delivers a smooth and class-leading user experience.
As far as cameras are concerned, the iPad Air 2020 sports a 12MP snapper on the rear (up from 8MP on the previous version) while it sticks with the old 7MP FaceTime HD camera on the front. The Air can record in 4K resolution at 24, 25, 30 or 60fps and capture slow-mo video in 1080p at 120fps or 240fps.
Apple has stripped down the accessories included in the box for the iPhone, but you still get a 20W charger to go alongside the USB-C charging cable. With a full battery, the iPad Air 2020 should be good for up to 10 hours of battery life under average use. As an occasional web browser and viewing device for the odd episode of The Crown, you should be more than covered.
Sound
(Image credit: Apple)
One of the more exciting changes to the iPad Air’s design from an AV perspective relates to its speakers. On the previous iPad Air, they were positioned on one side, on the edge beneath the Touch ID sensor. Here, the speakers have been repositioned to fire out from either end of the tablet, so you can be treated to proper stereo audio with both sides of your iPad contributing equally.
Not having the audio offset to one side makes a big difference. It’s a better fit for watching programmes in landscape mode, especially while bingeing episodes of your favourite series on Netflix. The most obvious improvement is a wider spread of sound, which helps give it a more cinematic and immersive feel. It’s not exactly surround sound, but it is better than it was previously.
The sound coming out of the speakers is more solid and defined too. There’s extra weight to dialogue and although the vibrations through the iPad’s chassis can be pretty disturbing at higher volumes, it never seems to muddy the clarity of what you’re hearing. Stick to normal volume levels and you’ll be just fine.
You still need to be a little careful about hand placement if you’re holding the iPad in landscape mode, although it is much improved on the older model.
Switch to playing tracks through a pair of wireless headphones and Apple’s trademark musicality is there to enjoy. The iPad makes quick work of Radiohead’s 15 Steps and its attempts to trip the tablet over, displays an excellent sense of rhythm and there’s a real snap to the claps that help keep the track on course. There’s plenty of precision to the percussion including a solid, weighty kick drum.
Screen
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple’s tablets have a reputation for delivering excellent images when watching video and the iPad Air 2020 doesn’t let the side down. It’s punchy and bright, but also throws in a great level of subtlety when the scene demands. Compared with the previous model, the latest iPad Air appears a bit sharper, slightly better detailed and capable of great subtlety in dark scenes.
Playing the second episode of Jupiter’s Legacy on Netflix, as everyone lines up at the funeral of their fallen comrades, the detail and definition in each character’s suit really captures the eye. Blacks are deep and rich, but there’s subtlety around creases and where light casts a shadow on certain areas. There’s a great general sense of depth to the scene too.
The iPad peers into the nooks and crannies and paints different gradations of black and grey with great care and attention. It also picks out subtle differences in the intensity of the white shirts worn by some of the characters. Skin tones also appear natural. As Sheldon, Walter, Grace and Brandon sit down for dinner, the bulbs in the chandelier bulbs emit a welcoming, warm glow and there’s a great sense of depth.
Verdict
If you want the ultimate iPad experience, Apple would probably point you in the direction of its Pro range. But the iPad Air 4 (2020) is all the iPad most people will ever need. It’s such a solid and capable all-rounder, that very few will feel the need to spend the extra for the iPad Pro.
The design is superb, the user experience is tough to beat and both sound and picture quality are on point. It’s an excellent tablet, and even with a slight price increase, we still feel it’s worth every penny.
SCORES
Picture 5
Sound 5
Features 5
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Last week, Apple announced that lossless audio was coming to Apple Music, but it was also revealed that not all Apple devices would be compatible. We now know that the HomePod and HomePod Mini will in fact support these higher-quality music streams. We just don’t know when.
All Apple has revealed on its new lossless audio support page is that “Support for lossless is coming in a future software update”.
The page also reiterates that the new Apple TV 4K 2021 doesn’t currently support the Hi-Res Lossless format, although the use of the word “currently” could suggest it might change in the future.
Apple’s page also runs down how to listen on other devices, and repeats what we told you last week, that Apple’s AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max don’t support lossless. That’s no great surprise for the true wireless earbuds, but more of a blow for the AirPods Max, as some had assumed their wired connection would enable lossless.
Apple’s iPhones and iPads support Apple Music’s two lower tiers of lossless, namely CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) and Apple Music Lossless (24-bit/48kHz). If you want to listen to Apple Music tracks above 24-bit/48kHz on your iPhone/iPad, you’ll need to connect an external DAC and use a wired pair of headphones. Check out our guide for how to listen to hi-res audio on an iPhone.
There’s better news for Apple fans looking to enjoy the Spatial Audio feature also coming to Apple Music next month. It’s much more widely supported on Apple devices including AirPods headphones and HomePod speakers.
MORE:
Check our full guide: Apple Music lossless: which devices will (and won’t) play lossless and Spatial Audio
The new music streaming state of play: With Apple and Amazon offering lossless streaming for no extra charge, what now for their rivals?
Try 30 Apple Music tips, tricks and features
Need new music? 10 Apple Music playlists to listen to right now
Today we are looking at three peripherals from TecWare – the EXO Elite gaming mouse, Q5 gaming headset and the Phantom mechanical keyboard. Let’s see if three is the magic number, or if three is a crowd, by diving into the specs and features for each of these products. Are they worth your hard earned cash? Let’s find out!
Watch via our Vimeo channel (below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
Q5 Gaming Headset
Specifications:
Type : Stereo Headset
Connector : USB 2.0 (Virtual 7.1)
Weight Without Cable : 320 g
Controller : Inline
Software : EQ, Effect, 7.1, Mic, LED
Speaker Diameter : 40 mm
Impedance : 32 Ω
Frequency Response : 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity : 98 dB ± 4 dB @ 1khz
Max. Power 100 mW
Volume Control : Via Inline Controller
MICROPHONE SPECIFICATIONS
Direction : Omnidirectional
Impedance : 2.2 kΩ
Frequency Response : 100 Hz – 10,000 Hz
Sensitivity : -40±4 dBV
Microphone Mute : Via Inline Controller
Detachable Microphone : Yes
Flexible Microphone: Yes
Windscreen: Yes
You can purchase the Q5 Gaming Headset for £54.99 from Amazon HERE!
You can purchase the EXO Elite Gaming Mouse for £54.99 from Amazon HERE!
Pros
Solid build quality.
Lightweight.
Spare glide pads provided.
Low LOD.
Good value for money.
Cons
Not overly unique.
Braided cable is quite stiff.
Phantom Mechanical Keyboard
Specifications:
Dimensions: 361.5 x 133.5 x 40.1 mm
Weight: 0.95kg
Rated Voltage: 5.0V / 300mA
Switch Lifespan: 50 million keystrokes
Cable Length: 1.8m Braided USB cable
Frame: Black Plastic Body / Gunmetal Alloy Backplate
Switch Type: Mechanical Outemu Brown Switches
Circuit Board: FR-4 Fibreglass PCB
SMD LEDs
USB
Double-shot ABS Keycaps
You can purchase the Phantom Mechanical Keyboard for £59.99 from Amazon HERE!
Pros
Good build quality.
Nice detailing.
Strong RGB.
Great value for money.
Cons
ABS Keycaps attract grease and get shiny quickly.
Individual software apps is slightly inconvenient.
Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.
KitGuru says: Considering the price of each individual item, I think you are getting your money’s worth here. We’re not absolutely blown away by any of the products, but TecWare has three solid peripherals on its hands.
Shopping for a laptop can be stressful — doubly stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Kids of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs. And as the choices for best laptop and best Chromebook evolve, so do students’ needs. So I spoke to some experts on the subject: students themselves.
My recommendations here are meant to accommodate a variety of preferences and price ranges. But they’re a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive list: every student is different. Before making a decision, you’ll want to make sure you read reviews and try out devices yourself if you can. I’ll do my best to keep this article up to date with items that are in stock.
Best laptop for students
Google’s Pixelbook Go has solid battery life and a rippled base that’s easy to grip, making it a good choice for kids.Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Best laptop for elementary school
For younger students, a touchscreen device is easier to use than a keyboard and touchpad, says Michelle Glogovac. Glogovac’s five-year-old son uses an iPad for Webex meetings with his kindergarten class. He’s gotten the hang of it; Glogovac says he’s already learned how to mute and unmute himself, “a skill that many adults aren’t familiar with.”
That said, it may be worth investing in a keyboard case if you go the tablet route. Glogovac has to type her son’s meeting codes and passwords for him, which can be cumbersome on the iPad’s flat screen.
As kids get older, their best laptop choice will vary depending on their needs. As a parent, it’s important that you and your child are in sync about how they intend to use it and the size of the programs they want.
Kristin Wallace purchased a budget HP laptop for her daughter, Bella, but didn’t realize how quickly the nine-year-old would fill up 32GB of storage. “It is really slow and has no space for games. I need a computer with more storage space,” said Bella, who uses the laptop to Zoom with friends and take virtual guitar lessons and math enrichment classes. Wallace plans to buy Bella a better device in the next few weeks.
Audio quality is an important consideration for kids’ laptops. Lisa Mitchell, an elementary library media specialist, says her students use their devices to watch YouTube videos in addition to their online classes. Battery life is also a plus, even for distance learners who may not be far from a wall outlet. Bella likes to use her laptop all around the house and doesn’t want to bring the cord with her.
Durability is also worth paying for, according to Mitchell. If you’re using a tablet, get a protective case. “If a reasonably-priced insurance or replacement policy is available, it’s usually worth the extra expense.”
Check out:
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition ($199): a colorful, fast tablet with kid-friendly content
Lenovo Chromebook Duet ($279): a tiny 10-inch Chromebook with a detachable keyboard
Apple 10.2-inch iPad ($329): a great budget tablet that supports the Apple Pencil
Microsoft Surface Go 2 ($399): a solid Windows tablet with a built-in kickstand
Google Pixelbook Go ($649): a sturdy touchscreen Chromebook
Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet is just $289, but it can run plenty of tabs and apps with no problem.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Best laptop for middle school
The middle school students I spoke to don’t use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing. Don’t be too concerned about power — prioritize a machine that’s comfortable and easy for your child to use.
“We just got the most basic Chromebook and it is totally perfect,” says Gabrielle Hartley, an attorney and mother of three children who take a mix of in-person and online classes. “The most basic Chromebook serves all the needs of the basic middle schooler.”
Chromebooks, like this one from Acer, are a good choice for students who use Google Classroom.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Hartley’s son Max, who is in eighth grade, agrees. “I would really like a gaming PC or gaming laptop that can plug into a monitor and run video games with 120fps, but I really don’t need that,” Max says. “Most eighth graders aren’t going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power.”
Max mostly uses his laptop for Google Classroom applications, including Gmail, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. They’re very easy to use on his device, which he describes as “a run-of-the-mill Samsung Chromebook.” That said, if your child is starting middle school this year, it could be worth checking with their teachers to see what operating system is most compatible with their workflow. Caspian Fischer Odén, a ninth grader from Sweden, told me he has trouble with his Chromebook because his school has blocked downloading apps from the Google Play Store.
Even kids with more demanding hobbies think a budget device can get the job done. Sam Hickman, an eighth grader from the UK who uses his laptop for photo and video editing, says, “For most middle schoolers, any processor developed within the last two years will be able to handle any tasks they can throw at it.”
So, what is worth paying for? A comfortable keyboard, several students told me. Many middle school kids aren’t used to typing for long periods of time. You should also look for a device that’s compact and easy for them to carry around, particularly if they’re preparing for in-person school. Shoot for an 11- to 13-inch model — certainly nothing larger than 15 inches.
Check out:
HP Chromebook x360 ($279): an affordable Chromebook with great battery life
Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook ($350): a small but sturdy laptop made for students
Lenovo 300e ($378): a durable 2-in-1 with a stylus
Acer Aspire 5 ($466): a portable option for kids who need a 15-inch screen
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go ($549): an attractive, light Windows laptop
The Surface Laptop 4 is a capable, no-nonsense laptop — just what many high schoolers want.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Best laptop for high school
High schoolers’ laptop needs can vary based on their interests, but most don’t need powerful machines with lots of bells and whistles — especially if they come with glitches or serious downsides that could interfere with schoolwork. Miles Riehle, a student at Laguna Beach High School, has a high-end Surface Pro 7 but finds it overwhelming. “There is so much other stuff that I don’t use very often,” he said. “Something simpler might be a little more straightforward.”
The best operating system may depend on what your child is used to. Aryan Nambiar, a student at Barrington High School in Illinois, has an iMac at home and enjoys using an iPad for his schoolwork. Riehle says he would prefer a Chromebook because he has an Android phone and often uses Google services.
But almost every student I spoke to agreed that the most important feature of a high school laptop is portability. Kids attending in-person classes may be carrying their device around for much of the day with a stack of other books. Look for a 13- or 14-inch screen, or a lighter 15- to 17-inch model.
Students also recommend something sturdy. “Most high schoolers I’ve seen will throw their laptop in their bag without too much care,” says Moses Buckwalter, a student at Penn Manor High School. Backpacks can be jostled in the hallway as well. Distance learners can still run into trouble at home. “Anything can happen,” says Aadit Agrawal, a high school student from India. “My own brother scratched my laptop with his nails.”
Battery life is another key feature. “It can be a real struggle to find a place to charge while in class,” says Cas Heemskerk, a sophomore from the Netherlands. Unlike college students, many high schoolers don’t have frequent breaks to juice up their devices, so try to find something that can last a full day.
Many students recommend a touchscreen with stylus support. Nambiar uses the feature for his biology class, where he does a lot of visual modeling. “The touchscreen is always a bonus for drawing diagrams, whereas if you’re using a laptop it’d be a whole process to submit a diagram you drew,” Nambiar says. Riehle uses a Surface Pen to fill out school forms and annotate PDFs. Agrawal finds it useful to take notes on the same screen as his online lessons.
Depending on the broadband situation in your area, you may also want a laptop with multiple connectivity options. Agrawal’s online classes are sometimes interrupted by powercuts, so he recommends an LTE model. Matej Plavevski, a junior at Yahya Kemal College in North Macedonia, recommends looking for an Ethernet port in case slower connections disrupt meetings. That’s hard to find on smaller laptops, but there’s a slew of affordable dongles and docks to consider.
Check out:
Acer Chromebook Spin 513 ($349): a convertible Chromebook with all-day battery
Apple iPad Air ($599): a powerful tablet with a great screen
Acer Chromebook Spin 713 ($629): a fantastic Chromebook that’s not too pricey
Dell XPS 13 ($931): a solid clamshell Windows laptop
Surface Laptop 4 ($999): an excellent, light laptop that’s comfortable to use
For college students seeking an affordable laptop, HP’s Envy x360 performs just as well as some expensive competitors.Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge
Best laptop for college
College kids are justified in spending a bit more money than other age groups. Some (especially in STEM courses) can expect to do some fairly demanding work. Assad Abid, an electrical engineering undergrad from Pakistan, needs to run simulation software for his assignments. Aakash Chandra, a student at New Horizon College of Engineering in India, does a lot of coding, in addition to creative work in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, and gaming. Students also noted that it’s worthwhile to pay for a laptop that will last for a few years after graduation. That means you won’t have to worry about finding and financing your next device until you’re (hopefully) settled into a job.
But among high-end, capable devices there’s still a wide range of options. Students stressed that a college laptop should be light. Expect to bring it between classes, meals, meetings, the library, and other locations on campus. “It’s a boon that I can carry my laptop as well as some notebooks without feeling like I’m carrying too much for six hours a day,” says Haseeb Waseem, a senior at Villanova University.
The Dell XPS 13 has a variety of configurations. Students with light workloads may prefer the base model, while gamers and creatives can add a GPU.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Another universally-lauded feature: battery life. Waseem, who uses an HP Spectre, says the all-day juice gives him “the flexibility to study in a bunch of different locations, and even outside.”
Speakers and webcams are often overlooked, even in top-end devices. But students say it’s worth looking for good ones if you’re starting college this year. Zoom will be a large part of university life this semester: many kids will be attending virtual classes, while others will still be meeting with clubs, study groups, and professors as well as hanging out with friends online. Waseem isn’t satisfied with his laptop’s audio and picture quality, which he says has made it difficult to pay attention in class and to engage with other students.
Many students will need to invest more in areas tailored to their interests and schoolwork needs. Chandra’s dream laptop would include a stylus and touchscreen for his creative work as well as a high-end GPU. Waseem, who uses his laptop for a hodgepodge of activities, including streaming, coding, social media, video chatting, and Microsoft Office work, would prefer to prioritize a large screen to keep track of his multitasking.
Check out:
Acer Swift 3 ($613): a super light laptop that performs well
HP Envy x360 13 ($689): a fast and stylish 2-in-1
Dell XPS 13 ($930): a solid clamshell Windows laptop
Surface Laptop 4 ($999): an excellent, light laptop that’s comfortable to use
HP Spectre x360 14 ($1,269): a premium convertible with standout battery life
This morning, The Verge published a story about how Citizen — an app that appears to encourage vigilante justice — encouraged its users to hunt down the wrong personand presumably bring them to justice, in the mistaken assumption that person had started the 1,158-acre Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles last week. The company offered a $30,000 bounty.
Now, we’re learning the same company is apparently planning to offer its own private security forces to users, according to a new report from Motherboard.
In fact, one Citizen-branded patrol car has already been spotted in the wild:
Motherboard’s report goes further than that, though, digging through internal documents and speaking to former employees who describe a “privatized secondary emergency response network” that would respond to an app user’s request. So far, Citizen appears to have been contracting that work out, both to well-known private security provider Securitas and — in the picture above — Los Angeles Professional Security.
Citizen confirmed to Motherboard that it was at least internally testing a “personal rapid response service,” suggesting it might be as simple as an escort service users would summon if they’re afraid to walk home late at night.
But the app’s history — originally launched as Vigilante in 2016 — not to mention the idea that this company is apparently willing to encourage its users to hunt down suspects for money, suggest that this move could be… a little problematic?
Social networks and apps like Nextdoor and Amazon’s Ring Neighbors have already been roundly criticized for preying on people’s fears, encouraging them to report on suspicious activity in their neighborhood, normalizing surveillance, and unfairly targeting their neighbors based on racial bias. Combine that with a company that might encourage users to take justice into their own hands, and that seems not great.
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