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Gaming Review

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 09:09 PM PDT

Gaming Review


Switch Lites are coming back in stock–here’s where to grab them

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 01:52 PM PDT

There have been problems with Nintendo Switch Lite production due to COVID, but the system is slowly coming back into stock. If you want one, you’ll want to grab it now before it’s too late!

The three original colors of the Nintendo Switch Lite are slowly coming back in stock at select retailers, and it may not be the retailers you expect. But with the Switch Lite being the handheld that PS Vita fans would love, and with Animal Crossing: New Horizons being out, you might wanna grab one before they’re sold out again.

In the UK, each color of the Switch Lite is available at Very:

There are also a couple of bundles available, like the Nintendo Switch Lite Console with Luigi’s Mansion 3 for £239.99. The Nintendo Switch Lite is also available at Currys PC World for £199.99.

In the US, you can get the Switch Lite at GameStop. However, these are bundle deals, with the Switch Lite, a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a screen protector, and $20 in eShop credit.

Gamestop also has some original Switch bundles to look at too, but those won’t ship until later in the month. It all depends on if you want a Switch Lite now, or a normal Switch later.

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Destiny 2: Xur location and inventory, April 3-6

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:12 PM PDT

It’s time for Xur’s return to Destiny 2.

Xur is back in Destiny 2 and this week he’s on Io at Echo Mesa near Giant’s Scar.

He’s currently packing around an auto rifle, two sets of gauntlets and some leg armor.

Be sure to grab what you want before the reset hits on Tuesday, April 7.

Xur

Xur inventory for April 3-6

  • Contraverse Hold [Exotic Warlock Ggauntlets] – 23 Legendary Shards
  • Hard Light [Extoic Auto Rifle] – 29 Legendary Shards
  • Orpheus Rig [Exotoc Hunter Leg Armor] – 23 Legendary Shards
  • Stronghold [Extoitc Titan Gauntlets] – 23 Legendary Shards

The Exotic weapon this week is the auto rifle Hard Light, which was first introduced with Destiny 1. It’s exotic intristic is Volatile Lightm which makes it so when rounds are fire, they have no damage falloff, over over-penetrate targets, and ricochet off hard surfaces. Projectile damage will also increase after bounce. The magazine makes it so the weapon reloads faster when empty, and the weapon features the legendary trait, The Fundamentals. With this trait, holding changes the Hard Light’s damage type, cycling between Arc, Solar, and Void.

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Pokemon Go Spring Event 2020 kicks off next week with Pokemon wearing flower crowns

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 11:53 AM PDT

Pokemon Go players can enjoy the new Spring Event starting next week.

During the spring Pokemon Go festivities, Buneary will be wearing a flower crown, while egg and spring-centric Pokemon will appear more often in the wild.

Pokemon Eggs will also hatch with Pichu and Togepi also wearing flower crowns.

Niantic is continuing to provide ways to enjoy the game in an individual setting. Because of this, you’ll receive 1/2 Hatch Distance when Eggs are placed into Incubators until further notice, so be sure to turn on Adventure Sync.

The Spring event runs April 9-16, and you can expect the features outlined by Niantic below.

Features

  • The following Pokemon will be appearing more often in the wild: Exeggcute, Chansey, Mareep, Marill, and Torchic. If you’re lucky, you might encounter a Shiny Exeggcute.
  • Buneary wearing flower crowns and Pikachu wearing flower hats will also be appearing in the wild. If you’re lucky, you might encounter Shiny ones, too.
  • The following Pokemon will be hatching more often from 2 km Eggs: Pichu wearing a flower crown, Togepi wearing a flower crown, Happiny, Munchlax, Tyrogue, Chingling, and Riolu.
  • All Eggs received from Gifts during the event will be 2 km Eggs.
  • There will be event-exclusive Field Research tasks that reward encounters with Alolan Exeggutor, Azumarill, and—if you’re extremely lucky—Audino.
  • A Togepi-themed bag and hoodie will be available in the in-game shop.

Bonuses

  • 2× Hatch Candy
  • Lucky Eggs will last for one hour
  • And remember that as mentioned above, a 1/2 Hatch Distance bonus is ongoing until further notice—which means it will be applied during this event. Just make sure to place your Eggs into Incubators while the bonus is running.

 

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Valorant: check out a complete full match of Riot’s new shooter

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 10:17 AM PDT

Want to look at some sweet Valorant gameplay? You’re in luck.

The embargo just lifted on Valorant so you’ll likely see plenty of gameplay floating around.

We have some for you though courtesy of Arekkz. Along with some gameplay of a full match, you can also get a more complete rundown of the characters and abilities.

The various characters have been slowly announced by Riot Games over the past couple of weeks. If you missed the reveals, hit up our Valorant hub for a look at the characters.

Previously known by its codename, Project A, the 5v5 character-based tactical shooter will be free-to-play. It will feature a Battle Pass and paid-for cosmetics, but no loot boxes.

The closed beta kicks off next week, with launch expected in the summer.

 

 

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Skater XL hits multiple platforms this summer

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 09:31 AM PDT

Skater XL is coming to multiple platforms in July, Easy Day Studios has announced.

Skater XL will be released on PC, PlayStation 4, Switch, and Xbox One this summer.

In the game, you will be able to skate as Tom Asta, Tiago Lemos, Evan Smith, and Brandon Westgate, or create your own custom skater.

Alongside the release window, the developers also announced the downtown Los Angeles map. It includes the LA Convention Center, the Staples Center and blocks of plazas, buildings, car parks, and corridors. It also features skate spots based on iconic real locations from the West Coast.

The game gives you direct control of the feet and board at all times allowing you to create, combine, and style tricks. It even supports mods on PC, some of which feature additional maps, digital skate ezines, personal video parts, in-game brands, and contests.

Check out the latest trailer for Skater XL below.

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Borderlands 3: Mancubus Eldritch Statues locations

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 08:55 AM PDT

In the new lovecraftian Guns, Love and Tentacles Borderlands 3 DLC, the creepy proprietor of The Lodge, Mancubus Bloodtooth, steals the show. As you make your way through the main quest, and complete a couple of spooky side missions too, Mancubus gives you the task of silencing powerful Eldritch Statues across Xylourgos.

These Eldritch Statues have both bark and bite – you’ll need to keep your wits about you to take them down. Their beam attacks are very powerful, so try hiding around a corner and throwing grenades or using a weapon that fires projectiles so you can pop out and get damage in quickly.

You’ll find these terrible creations all throughout your journey – up until the last area of the whole DLC.

There are four to track down in total. Here’s where you can find them all!

Borderlands 3 – Mancubus Eldritch Statues Locations

Dustbound Archives Eldritch Statue

Over on the right-hand side of the Dustbound Archives, near the Forbidden Stacks, you’ll find the first Eldritch Statue: Jerik – the lord of paper cuts and lemon juice.

The Cankerwood Eldritch Statue

Next up, the Eldritch Statue in The Cankerwood is found on a side-path when you split up from Hammerlock before you go into the mushroom refinery. Head over to the right instead of inside the factory.

Negul Neshai Eldritch Statue

When you’re trying to open the gate to the old Dahl ship facility, there’s a hidden passage off to the left-hand side. Jump up there, walk along the path, and you’ll find the hidden Eldritch Statue.

Heart’s Desire Eldritch Statue

This one is probably the most difficult Eldritch Statue to reach. It’s up on the third level of Gythian’s Chancel towards the end of the Heart’s Desire area. What you need to do is ride the elevator up as if you were continuing through to the next part of the area, then jump back down to reach the statue.

Your reward for finding all of the Eldritch Statues – just like the Wedding Presents – is a decoration for your private quarters aboard the Sanctuary 3.

For more on Guns, Love and Tentacles, here’s how to beat the Empowered Scholar.

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Xbox One X bundles are now $100 off at the Microsoft Store

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 08:40 AM PDT

If you have the disposable income, now is one of the best times to buy a new console to pass the time. Microsoft agrees, and they have chopped $100 off the price of Xbox One X bundles at the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft has slashed the prices of their Xbox One X bundles, bringing them down to $299.99. These bundles include the Xbox One X console (which is the most powerful of the Xbox One family), the all necessary controller, and at least one game–in some cases, even more than one. It’s a really good deal if you’re looking to pick up the console while in quarantine. If you’re worried about your games becoming obsolete in a few months, don’t be, as the Xbox Series X is confirmed to be backward compatible with Xbox One games.

Which bundles can you grab from the Microsoft Store? Here is the list:

Currently, the only bundle sold out is the Gears 5 Limited Edition bundle, but you might want to act fast before stock is depleted on these other sets!

If you’re wondering what to do with the console when you’re done, why not pick up the Xbox Game Pass? You can grab 6 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for £32.99 at Amazon UK or for $44.99 at Amazon US. With all the games on offer, you’ll have plenty to play over the next few months!

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Borderlands 3: Guns, Love and Tentacles Wedding Presents locations

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 08:23 AM PDT

Scattered across Xylourgos are thoughtful Wedding Presents from the whole Sanctuary gang. Despite being carefully addressed to the happy couple, Wainwright and Hammerlock, wedding planner-in-chief Gaige promptly lost them as she crash-landed on the planet. Here’s how to see every wedding presents safe return in the Borderlands 3: Guns, Love and Tentacles DLC.

There are four Wedding Presents for you to hunt down across the DLC planet. You don’t always find them on your first run through an area, and a couple are quite easy to miss – others less so.

You find the find Present in Cursehaven, followed by Skittermaw Basin. Next you find a Present in The Cankerwood, before rounding things off on Negul Neshai.

Borderlands 3: Guns, Love and Tentacles Wedding Presents

Cursehaven Wedding Present

This Wedding Present is up on the roof of a building near Olmsetead Square. Jump up the rooftops to the right of it to climb up.

Skittermaw Basin Wedding Present

You come across this Wedding Present when you infiltrate the Umbergrist Village. It’s at the end of a ledge sticking out over the frozen lake.

To get up there, make your way up and around the cliffs underneath.

The Cankerwood Wedding Present

As you leave the Fermentation Station after creating the most potent brew, this Wedding Present is on a ledge overlooking where you rescue Claptrap.

Negul Neshai Wedding Present

Finally, as you make your way to the Ruins of Yogseer on Negul Neshai, look over the side of the bridge.

Jump down to find the Wedding present of a ledge – be careful not to fall off.

Your reward is a new decoration for your room on the Sanctuary 3!

For more on Guns, Love and Tentacles, here’s how to beat the Empowered Scholar. And here’s a look at some of the new legendary items in the DLC.

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Art of Rally, Bright Memory and other indie gems you can play this weekend

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 07:39 AM PDT

We’re back to our regular schedule this week after two weeks of special events. In case you missed it, we covered plenty of indie gems as part of the first EGX Rezzed Digital last week, and a few of the titles that participated in Steam’s Game Festival the week before.

Some of the games featured in this week’s episode were announced last week, but we’ve had our eyes on them since and we still wanted to tell you more about them today.

As always, the first section of the piece covers new trailers and generally focuses on new announcements, and the second part is dedicated to games you can play this weekend.

Hot indie games week of March 30

Bright Memory: Infinite

Bright Memory finally left Steam Early Access last week. To coincide with the news, developer FYQD released a new trailer for Bright Memory: Infinite, essentially the full-length game due out later this year.

Bright Memory is one of the most stylish, action-packed shooters on Steam. Made mostly by a single developer in China, it manages to combine the best of Titanfall and Devil May Cry. Yes, the two different genres of agile shooting and combo-based character action blend together shockingly well and make for a unique combat flow.

The fluid movement and satisfying shooting on their own would make this an easy recommendation, but it’s how Bright Memory also works action game abilities into the mix that really gives it identity. You’ll be juggling enemies, whipping them around, teleporting into a sword slash, throwing a grenade and dashing back out while you fire off your gun.

On its own, Bright Memory is a fairly short (two-to-three hours) experience. What’s there, however, is incredibly well-polished. The game even supports the latest graphics tech, including ray tracing and Nvidia’s updated DLSS 2.0. The price just went up to $10 after leaving Early Access, but owners of the base game get Infinite for free when it launches, so that’s great value.

You can try out Bright Memory yourself today, and wishlist Bright Memory: Infinite on Steam.

(The trailer above is for Infinite).

Airhead

Airhead is a metroidvania platformer with a clever gimmick. The protagonist is a headless body, who spends most of their time separated from the head. The game actually starts with the heart taken away, which I am sure will come into play later.

The main mechanic is keeping the head inflated through air tanks scattered around the levels. This is used for platforming, of course, and the head itself gains upgrades over the journey that allow you to solve Airhead’s various puzzles and access previously inaccessible areas.

The trailer even shows the player leaving the head afloat on a lake, presumably to keep breathing, while the body ventures underwater. Seeing a decapitated body separate from and reunite with its head multiple times over the course of the trailer was unusual, in a good way.

If 2.5D puzzle platformers are your thing, keep an eye on Airhead. It’s coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch next year.

Prodeus

Readers of this website probably know by now that I don’t need an excuse to write about a classics-inspired shooter. There are many good ones out there today, but Prodeus looks extra special.

Prodeus is a gory first-person arena shooter in the same vein as Doom and Quake. The game is trying to sort of bridge the gap between modern rendering techniques and the classic presentation as far as aesthetics and design sensibilities. The trailer demonstrates that pretty well, with a tonne of particle effects and enemy dismemberment that wouldn’t have been possible back in the day, all wrapped in a style inspired by the classics. I also appreciate how chunky the weapons sound, which really helps illustrate how well it’s punching above its weight.

One of developer Bounding Box’s big promises with Prodeus is a streamlined level creator, and an easy way for players to browse and download community-created content. It all looks very promising, and it’s coming to PC this year. There’s a Steam page where you can stay up to date with development.

Games you can play this weekend

Art of Rally

Art of Rally developer Funselektor Labs has been very quiet since the game was first announced about a year ago. Art of Rally is a minimalist, top-down driving game similar to the studio’s Absolute Drift. It takes what the developer learned from its debut game and pushes it to new levels with the equally difficult-to-capture rally races. Funselektor promises over 50 cars and 60 stages from five different countries.

The developer recently released the game’s first public demo, completely free on Game Jolt. The demo lets you explore a single track, though it’s a playable in different weather conditions and times of day, using two cars.

The included Finnish track features a mix of gravel and tarmac, and the cars you can choose from come from Group 2, and the infamous Group B. The demo is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, and it’s just 155MB.

If you like what you play, you can wishlist Art of Rally on Steam. The game launches later this year.

In Other Waters

In Other Waters is one of the most interesting games we’ve talked about in this feature. It’s a narrative-focused game where you play as an AI whose job is to help a xeno-biologist locate her missing partner on an alien planet.

This particular setup may not be interesting on its own, but it’s how In Other Waters translates it to mechanics that’s worth exploring. The interface is very practical with not a lot of visual flourish. It aims to interpret how an AI would perceive the world.

As the AI, you’re part of the protagonist’s diving suit, and you’ll be analysing the data she comes across and making discoveries on that alien planet alongside her. The overall visual style is minimalist, so most of the heavy lifting is done through narrative, which promise to be about more than studying alien marine life.

In Other Waters launches today on PC and Switch for $15, and you can play it on Steam.

Radical Relocation

Radical Relocation is a physics-based moving simulator, which is a concept I am sure you’ve heard before. Rather than make co-op the focus, Radical Relocation is instead a single-player game where you’re supposed to be devising the safest, most efficient way of moving your belongings between two points.

The game is more interested in the logistical end of that problem, which is where the puzzles inevitably lie. Watching the debut trailer, I somehow appreciate the pain of all those Death Stranding players whose delivery trips ended abruptly because they failed to balance their loads well. Perhaps this is what Kojima meant by a Strand Game.

The two are more similar than you may initially realise, though you’ll be relying on vehicles a lot more here compared to Death Stranding. Before Radical Relocation comes to Steam Early Access this spring, you can try it out today by grabbing this free demo on Game Jolt.

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Platinum Games plans to make a fifth announcement on its Platinum 4 website

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 07:31 AM PDT

Looks like we’re getting a fifth announcement from Platinum Games at some point.

Platinum Games has updated its Platinum 4 teaser site again with a fifth reveal set at some point in the future.

The developer is calling this a “bonus stage” after the fourth announcement on Wednesday, April 1 turned out to be an April Fools’ joke.

In actuality, this will be the fourth reveal, considering.

Previously, the Platinum 4 website announced  The Wonderful 101 remaster Kickstarter, revealed a new studio in Tokyo and announced Project GG, a superhero action game directed by Hideki Kamiya.

Who knows what the bonus stage announcement will be, but hopefully it isn’t a joke this time.

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GTA Online players will earn triple rewards in Time Trial and Arena War series this week

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 07:13 AM PDT

From now until next week, you will earn triple rewards in GTA Online in Time Trials and the Arena War series.

Hop in and start playing the Arena War series in GTA Online and you can earn triple across nine different variations in the Arena War series.

If you’re just starting out, you can take 50% off the Arena Workshop where you can store and upgrade what’s available from the in-game ArenaWar.tv website.

Once you’ve got an Arena Workshop set-up, you should pick yourself up an Arena Contender Vehicle. All three variants of the Arena Sasquatch are 60% off this week, or you can take advantage of discounts on the Invade & Persuade RC Tank, Ocelot Stromberg, RC Bandito, and the Grotti X80 Proto.

GTA Online

You can also earn triple rewards in Time Trial this week by getting the best par time. The trials are Sawmill and the RC Time Trial La Fuente Blanca.

If neither are your thing, you can earn double rewards in repo work this week. Head over to Simeon’s dealership in Pillbox Hill or browse the Missions list in the Jobs menu.

Until April 8, you have a chance to win the Pegassi Tempesta by giving the lucky wheel at the casino a spin. As usual, if you don’t win the car, you can earn new duds or GTA$.

Twitch Prime members who link their account with their Rockstar Games Social Club accounts will receive 75% off all styles of the Arena ZR380 and MTL Cerberus.

And don’t forget: a portion of all proceeds from GTA Online this month and in May will go toward relief for those affected by COVID-19.

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The bizarre comforts of Modern Warfare 2 Remastered

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 06:32 AM PDT

Modern Warfare 2’s campaign is a strange beast, which is a polite way of saying it’s perhaps one of the most insane things I’ve ever played.

It has the demented energy of a TikTok supercut of every ’80s and ’90s action movie, bouncing from one set piece to another like a pinball on a table designed by Michael Bay. If it were an aftershave, it would be called – non-ironically – ‘Patriot’, and the bottle would be shaped like a gun. It might even come with an actual gun. The gun would say patriot on it, too. Yes, the game takes many jabs at American foreign policy and the military industrial complex, but it also has a button that lets you admire the weapon you’re currently holding.

For most of its run time, the campaign is less like the tightly-crafted ‘men on a mission’ feel of the original, and more like a difficult second album. It feels like a medley of itself: missions start and end abruptly before zapping back and forward in time, little consideration is paid to explaining anything other than how to look down your sights, and your locales go from shooting up an airport, to the Washington Monument, to space. SPACE. Brief as it may be, that section has got ‘the drummer wrote this song’ vibe all over it.

It tries hard to live up to its illustrious predecessor, but ends up mistaking scale for importance. It has more naff speeches than a TedTalk about the power of LinkedIn. It went so big it forced the series down a dead end of endless set pieces. Where else was there to go?

Yet it’s oddly comforting, to me at least, in these strange and fraught times. Not for its content, really, enjoyable as it can be and often is. But instead for the things that sprouted up around Modern Warfare 2: the community around it when it first released, the excitement, the anticipation, throwing knives in people’s eyes after pulling them out of your own chest, the usual. Nostalgia, then, but of the right kind if that is even possible: a reminder of things that were, and things that will be again: sitting at a friend’s house playing multiplayer, laughing over Xbox Live, strange and vaguely incoherent in-person arguments about video games with your mates. The normal stuff we used to do in a world which, right now, is not normal at all.

Which is a pretty heavy thing to say about a video game which makes less sense than a Billy Madison quiz show answer, but still. Modern Warfare 2 is a game I look back on fondly. It reminds me of my first job in the games industry, arriving as I did at a magazine publisher the week after the review event for the game. (None of the writers who went there could explain any of it either.) It reminds me of feeling like I was now ‘in’ at a career I’d always wanted. It’s such a cultural leviathan that it probably reminds you of something you love, too. I’d be willing to wager that if you mentioned MW2 to people they wouldn’t just remember missions, they’d remember moments: the game-winning kill, the trash talk, the friends made and lost over MP, the fucking Akimbo 1887’s ruining everything.

It reminds me of the weird and bizarre and – at that time – all-important things we used to worry and care about. Remember the ‘whoops’ when host migration was announced via the Afghan MP level? HOST MIGRATION. The past IS a foreign country. Modern Warfare 2 may be the antithesis of empty nostalgia, which is the most pernicious drug in the world. Its flaws and failings are on show for all to see, in glorious remastered form. But unlike most rose-tinted specs, at least you can see them, and those flaws inform and elevate the actual good stuff around it, the stuff worth remembering.

As I write this piece, I find myself thinking of the many people I bonded with in those long-past days: the old housemates, the colleagues, the places and pieces of the past for which Modern Warfare 2 was a social vector, a cultural currency. I also think of the deputy editor who furiously chided me for using the Commando perk/tactical knife combo, who when told to lighten up reiterated that he was Very Fucking Serious About This, Mate. Wait until he hears about One Man Army.

I think of the lunchtime play sessions in the office, of the deranged screams of frustration from my housemates when the internet went down mid-game. The first time someone got the nuke. The heartbeat sensor, which a friend of mine said ruined his life in MP. Tantamount to cheating, apparently.

All those random players in lobbies who, every now and again, would supply moments of skill or cunning that you’d think about years later, despite not knowing their actual name. (Shout out in this regard to the journo at the COD Ghosts review event, who was known as Honey Badger after his gun of choice, and who was so good it was preposterous. I don’t know his real name. I don’t want to.) Modern Warfare 2 wasn’t just a game, it was also glue: it kept people together, no matter how far physically they were apart. Not bad for a game about destroying everything around you.

The point of all this rambling, I suppose, is that just as Modern Warfare 2 will be with us for a long time to come, via remasters, remakes, retrospectives, anniversaries, influence, production values, yadda yadda yadda, so all the normalcy around it hopefully return. Please excuse me for this, but for me MW2’s remaster is a £20 time machine, a window into parts of a world that – as I said – was, and that will be again. Take care.

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Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord review – clumsy inelegance will never hold back this ambitious pocket world

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 06:31 AM PDT


Some games are, in a cruel twist of developmental fate, born janky, while others, well, they choose jankiness. This later condition is true of the Mount & Blade games: as true for Bannerlord as it was for its predecessors. And, oh my, the apple does not fall far from the tree. I have to admit it’s been a couple of years since I checked in with Bannerlord, and for some reason I was expecting something more polished, and therefore diminished, compared to the original games. But it is not so. That jankiness is a factor of the ridiculous ambition and scope of the game, which tries to do so much that some of what it does can feel a little undercooked. But let no man say I do not love ambition. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is a bold and beautiful slab of purest video game, and it is difficult not to love it.

But what exactly is it, you cry? Ah, well, it’s an RPG, but not an RPG of the templates we are now generally familiar with. Mount & Blade is more mechanistic, more strategic. You create a character and then find yourself dumped into a world where AI factions are plentiful and their machinations enormous. It is not for the Bannerlord the tradition of CGI-linked storylines, and instead you are abroad in an open world, doing whatever you please. There are missions to follow, sure, but they are open-ended to an extreme. Bannerlord is about freeform adventure, and faction-driven AI collisions on a massive scale.

The heart of the game is a real-time map, in which the various factions hold settlements and fortifications, and about which units of soldiers, bandits, and merchants make their way. As a player, you can drive your gang of soldiers about this real-time strategy map (think the main map from the Total War games, only this is all happening in real-time) and visit locations, track enemy units, engage them and so on. When you visit a settlement you can engage with it via menus, allowing you to buy or sell goods, as well as recruit soldiers into your retinue, or you can actually walk about in the settlement and chat with the locals. To talk to a noble, or a merchant, or a eligible friend, you do so in person, in an often absurd or buggy 3D chat-o-scene. And there are so, so many NPCs in here. It’s almost like Taleworlds were trying to populate an actual world.

This later part does, perhaps because of the ludicrousness of that ambition, feel a little empty. You have to find and then pay attention to the characters who actually have something for you to do (you can shortcut to them, fortunately) and while I understand that being able to drive your horse around in every settlement on the map is a critical part of the Mount & Blade template, it does feel somewhat redundant. There is little to do in there that could not have been another menu. It’s nice, but clunky and basically fluffy compared to almost everything else in the game. Hell, they let you do a good part of the romancing and marrying in a menu in Bannerlord, so there’s really no reason for this bit to exist, other than it looks nice and, hey, there’s your immersion.

But there is also BATTLE. In this part of the game you are once again driving your horse about in person (or running about on foot, if you’re insane) and fighting in real time against the enemies you have encountered. The battle maps are generated based on the location on the strategy map that you’re having the fight – so you’ll see wooded river valleys, open plains, villages, and sprawling fortresses – as well as the enemy you encounter. Needless to say, initial skirmishes see you and a dozen haphazardly-armed men butchering a gang of bearded bandits dressed in rags, but things soon escalate, and before long you are butchering (or indeed being butchered by) much larger gangs of bearded bandits, sometimes with real weapons or armour. Then later: fighting gigantic pitched battles with cavalry, ranks of archers, and crazed knights dressed in plate armour. The scope here is terrifying. Breath-taking. Let me just go gather up some more superlatives, because it really is a thing.

Anyway, you play as the leader of your warband, and as such combat involves you blundering into combat with a mixture of both your own natural skill with the various weapons at your disposal (I like a long spear/lance to poke people from my horsetop), but also a function of the skill points you’ve spent on your surly battle-boss, as well as the garments he has usually looted from the dead of others on the field. It can be savagely dangerous, because you are personally fighting as well as using a bunch of hotkey commands to get your collected AI-friends do their best fighting on the field. This is a simulation, too, so thinking about things like taking the high ground actually matter. Most fights do end up on a massive melee brawl at the end, but initial moments of charges and volleys of missiles do, like in real historical battles, often decide how things are going to play out. Particularly if you yourself take an arrow to the knee.

This massive chaotic recipe spills out into the multiplayer games too, where huge teams of players and bots can slaughter each other in the courtyards of fine European castles pretty much indefinitely. It doesn’t look as impressive as, say, For Honor, but it’s a huge, hilarious, and chaotic mega-brawl nonetheless. The range of weapons and armour is History Nerd heaven, despite this being a made up history of vaguely-analogous to real world Eurasian factions.

Yes, the setting is a sort of non-fantasy, but fictional, Eurasian medieval times, in which bearded men stare fiercely at each other before chopping off heads with huge curved scimitars. (You can, at points, choose whether or not to duel enemy leaders, which will improve your reputation if you do it, however letting your mob rip them to pieces is almost always funnier.)

The factions are all constantly doing their own thing on the strategic map, and that often ends up crossing paths with your own plans. These AI buggers are fighting wars! And after enough play you end up seeing which faction is getting the upper hand across the continent. And if that’s not your faction, that can be daunting, and thrilling. This is all a simulation, too, so games of Bannerlord play out to their own internal dice-rolls, not to any pre-ordained plot. This alone is a reason to be in awe of what Bannerlord as accomplished.

And I feel obliged, at this point, to point out that due to some (possibly accidental debug) fluke of design, you can play as a tiny child.

That sort of represents Bannerlord, for me.

(Also, as a complete aside, I feel like the excellent Battle Brothers showed us a thing or two about how these real-time strategy maps can be improved, although that does not have Bannerlord’s fidelity or war-led scope.)

Those issues, though, what of them? Look, it has bugs and there are bits of the game which feel underdeveloped, and some of them will probably be like that forever, but hey, this is a massive thing, it’s still early access (after eight years of development!) but whether or not you can overlook these to glimpse the vistas of ambition beyond will largely determine whether you can get serious mileage out of Bannerlord. If you don’t mind jank in exchange for some real meat, then I think you might get on here. I mean, you know what sort of game heats your oven, don’t you?

What’s more is that Bannerlord, like its predecessors, will be broadly open to modding, with the core game functions being loaded as mods themselves. It’s going to be a toolkit for the visionary, and I am so very excited to see a big game setting forth into that terrain so deliberately in 2020.

So should I play it, Lord Rossignol? Well mate, maybe. Your mileage will vary. I think as a purely combat game Bannerlord doesn’t compare particularly well to Mordhau and others, but it is not really just a combat game. As an RPG it feels fairly unsteady to the point of being faintly comedic, but the scope of what you can do is so broad that it’s hard not to get lost in it almost immediately. It’s perhaps hard to see how the multiplayer will sustain itself when the competition is so fierce. But Bannerlord is much more than those titles: it is a single and multiplayer game of enormity, with sieges, vast pitched battles, endless conversations with angry men in beards and pointy hats, and entire kingdoms banging on each other’s shields. Not only that but it is a huge journey of a thing. You start out with a few men who are trying to stab a pitchfork in the eye of local bandits, and end up clad in shining armour, face to face with the gleaming horde of your arch-nemesis warlord. And you do it not by plunging through some clever-clogs’ fairly linear story, as we have come to expect from RPGs, but by pulling the levers of this janky pocket universe to create your own tale. There’s something vital about that.

Friends, let us conclude. Bannerlord is one of those games which is more than the sum of its parts. Any individual chunk of Mount & Blade 2 has a parallel in some other game which does it better. Many parts of it feel clumsy, the character creation and development is a bit crude, and way better sword and spear melee combat systems already exist. But what is here works well enough to carry the whole. And what a whole that is, and will be. I suspect Bannerlord, after nearly a decade of development, is just getting started.

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Here’s the final trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Remake, digital pre-load starts today

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 06:14 AM PDT

Square Enix has released the final trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Remake ahead of its release next week.

Alongside the final trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Remake comes the news that the game is now available for digital pre-load on PlayStation 4.

With just one week to go until release, pre-loading the game will make sure you’re ready to jump straight into the streets of Midgar when the game releases worldwide on April 10.

Square said it is making pre-load available early due to some folks “experiencing extra pressure” on internet bandwidth due to COVID-19.

If you are still on the fence about picking it up, the demo is still available on the PS Store. The demo allows you to experience the opening chapter from the game, and if you download it before May 11, you will receive a free PS4 theme when the game releases.

For even more FF& goodness,here’s seven things you need to know about the remake. If that isn’t enough for you, there’s also an interview with original FF7 director and remake producer Yoshinori Kitase and remake co-director Naoki Hamaguchi,

 

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Resident Evil Resistance April 17 update will add Jill as a playable Survivor

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:51 AM PDT

Resident Evil 3 Remake is out today, and Capcom has announced its star, Jill, will be added to the game’s multiplayer portion, Resident Evil Resistance, in two weeks.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Resident Evil 3 Remake was released today. Alongside the release is the multiplayer portion Resident Evil Resistance.

In the online asymmetrical 4v1 multiplayer game, a group of four Survivors must work together to escape experiments conducted by a Mastermind before time runs out.

Each of the six selectable Survivors relies on available weapons and their abilities to help each other try to escape their dire situation concocted by the Mastermind.

One player plays as the Mastermind and will set creatures upon the Survoirs, use bioweapons like the Tyrant and mutant G-Birkin, set traps, and manipulate the environment to try and confuse, and cause the demise of the Survivors.

Masterminds include Alex Wesker, Annette Birkin, and Ozwell E. Spencer.

Capcom announced today that Jill Valentine will be added as a playable Survivor in via a free update on April 17, and promises more information on future Resident Evil Resistance content will be shared soon.

If you are just picking RE3 up today, we have various walkthroughs available. Here’s one for the Carlos RCPD section, and if you need some help with codes, here’s all the safe and locker codes.

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Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord – How to recruit companions and increase your party size

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:05 AM PDT

As you progress through Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord’s story, you’ll be able to recruit soldiers, capture prisoners and expand your party side to become a formidable enemy.

Whether you want to build a foreboding army or hire the odd companion to do your dirty work, there are several ways to recruit folk into your posse. Having a few skilled individuals in the mix can turn the tide in many situations, and you should be wary that having a large yet fairly unskilled squad could be your downfall.

You’ll be able to find companions roaming the map and in towns and cities, though you may need to do them a favour before they’ll join your ranks. As the story continues, you’ll be able to expand your party size to take on even more followers, though it would be prudent to create a character with high leadership and charm if you want to do so.

If you’re just getting started with Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, check out our guides on which culture you should choose, how to capture prisoners and how to increase your smithing skill.

Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord – How to recruit companions and increase party size

Companions have a name, background and specific skill set in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, so they’re a worthwhile addition to your group. Any perks or bonuses they have will be applied to you and your troops, which is handy, letting you access dialogue or achieve things that wouldn’t otherwise be possible depending on your skills. Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is still in early access, so there aren’t many companions to choose from yet, but don’t let that dissuade you.

When deciding whether to recruit a companion, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. While their skills will now apply to you, they are expensive to hire and are subject to permadeath if they die, unlike yourself. However, you can send them on individual quests on your behalf, equip them with better armour and weapons and if your group is big enough, they can lead their own little party.

They also take up a slot in your clan, so if you want to recruit more foot soldiers or companions, you’ll need to increase your party size.

Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord – How to increase party size

Despite being in early access, you’ll be able to increase your party size to almost 200 people, which is pretty incredible. There are several skills you’ll need to increase to do this, however, so make sure you create a character with the right perks. Having a high Leadership and Steward would be prudent, which you can increase by leading an army, maintaining high morale and keeping your soldiers well fed. Investing in the Quartermaster skill tree in Steward is key here, so make sure you have enough food and you’ll blast through it in no time.

You’ll also need to increase your Clan tier and if you’re lucky enough to have your own Kingdom, you’ll need to gain more influence to expand it even further. To increase your Clan tier, you’ll need to improve your renown which you can do by completing quests, winning battles and being an all-round good guy across the land.

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Here’s why Xbox Series X doesn’t have an Optical Port

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 04:59 AM PDT

Microsoft has explained what ultimately lead to the decision not to add an Optical Port to Xbox Series X.

Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s first console to get rid of the Optical Port, which many relied on to get audio out of the console. The decision to not offer it as an option this time around is one Microsoft had to make for a number of reasons.

That’s according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who told IGN in an interview that it came down to price and space, but also player usage.

“I’m gonna use kind of weird terms, but the marginal cost of everything is important,” Spencer explained.

“So, if you look at a part on a console that’s maybe one or two dollars and you say, ‘Okay, how big of a deal is that inside of a console that’s a few hundred dollars?’ But then you say, ‘Okay, we’re gonna plan to sell, you know, 100 million of these consoles.'” “You take two bucks over 100 million now you’re $200 million over the life of the program.”

There’s also the space problem. Part of the reason why the Xbox Series X looks the way it does is because Microsoft had to make a lot of decisions when it comes to cooling and how to ultimately fit everything in a relatively small form factor.

“We had a conversation with the headset manufacturers – prior to all of this,” Spencer said. “We saw so much of the energy is going into so many of codecs on delivering [ audio ] – either through HDMI or USB, and we knew we had a plan there. So, there’s space considerations, no doubt,” said Spencer.

Finally, when Microsoft looked at the data of how many owners actually use the Optical Port, the decision was made to invest elsewhere.

“We also frankly know how many people use it today on the console. We kinda do the math of [having] to put a part in every console that X percent of people use, is there a better place for us to spend that money if we can support it in a different way?” he revealed.

As part of the same interview, Spencer said that he doesn’t expect the coronavirus pandemic to cause delays, so far at least. He also shared his feelings about where Xbox Series X stands following the PS5 reveal.

For more on Xbox Series X, including how its specs compare to PS5’s, hit those links.

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Project Tempo is Amazon’s game streaming platform, early version coming this year – report

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:15 AM PDT

Amazon is ready to make a big push into gaming.

According to a new report from The New York Times, Amazon is investing big into its games division in an effort to establish itself as a key player in the industry.

This is the company’s “most significant investment in original entertainment” since producing its own TV shows and movies. A big part of this is Amazon’s in-development cloud gaming service, dubbed Project Tempo. It’s been rumoured for a while that Amazon is working on its own game streaming platform, but this is the first time we’ve heard this codename.

Not much about that service is known, but sources told NYT that an early version of the service could arrive this year, but may be delayed to 2021. Cloud is only one part of Amazon’s plans for gaming, though.

The company has also its own development studios, with two games – the MMO New World and multiplayer shooter Crucible – both due for release in May. Amazon’s VP for game services and studios told the NY Times that it’s bringing “Amazon practices to making games.”

“The big picture is about trying to take the best of Amazon and bringing it to games,” said Mike Frazzini, Amazon’s VP for game services and studios.

Amazon is also working on interactive games it hopes would be a natural fit for Twitch, which it owns. “We love this idea that you have a player, a streamer and a viewer all sharing in this synchronous interactive environment of Twitch,” said Frazzini.

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Here’s Jett, Valorant’s agile, knife-throwing hero

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:19 AM PDT

We have a new trailer for Valorant’s newest hero: Jett.

Jett is another Valorant character getting her own trailer. Like Phoenix, Jett was also one of the game’s first heroes to be shown.

Jett’s most immediately noticeable trait is her speed and agility compared to the other characters. She’s able to perform quick dashes (Tailwind) to re-position and evade danger. Her Updraft ability is also movement-focused, allowing her to jet upwards.

Her main combat ability is Cloudburst, essentially a smoke grenade that clouds the are it hits in fog. Jett can even bend Cloudburst around corners.

Jett’s ultimate is Blade Storm, which equips her with throwing knives. She can throw them individually, or all of them in one go. Every kill with a knife restores all of them.

The Valorant closed beta kicks off next week. Head to the Valorant hub for a look at previously revealed characters.

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Call of Duty: Warzone players can jump into two multiplayer maps for free this weekend

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 01:41 AM PDT

There’s yet another promotion awaiting players this weekend in Call of Duty: Warzone.

Activision really wants everyone to play Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare this weekend. The games are not only getting double everything, beginning later today, the publisher is also offering Battle Pass owners ten whole tiers for free.

And if both of these aren’t enough, there’s one more event kicking off later today with the reset. Free-to-play Warzone players will be able to jump into traditional Modern Warfare multiplayer just for the weekend.

This sadly isn’t the full multiplayer package, only a limited playlist. It’s called Stocked Up, Locked Down, and it includes two maps: Shoot House (6v6) and the recently added Atlas Superstore (10v10). Both maps rotate between the different objective modes, as well as Team Deathmatch.

That playlist is obviously also available to owners of the full game of Modern Warfare. Because Warzone players already have access to custom loadout slots, playing this playlist should boost some of their lesser-used weapons, not to mention give a nice boost in unlocks thanks to the faster nature of these maps compared to Warzone.

The playlist goes live today at 10am PT, 1pm ET, 6pm UK, alongside the double everything event.

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Resident Evil 3 Remake guide, tips and walkthrough

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:59 AM PDT


Here we are again, back with Jill and Carlos as they blast their way through Raccoon City, leaving zombies and body parts all over the shop. Resident Evil 3 Remake is a more action-orientated take on the venerable horror franchise, which means there’s less tension and scares, and a whole lot more bullets, explosions and internal organs.

Our review of Resident Evil 3 Remake suggests it doesn’t reach the heights of last year’s Resident Evil 2 Remake, which was, frankly, one of the best games of this generation. That’s not a criticism of this latest release from Capcom though. It’s a publisher easily at the top of the game when it comes to remastering and showing love to its older games, adding whole new sections that weren’t in the originals, rejigging some of the modes and of course upping the graphical fidelity and remodelling characters with great attention to detail. Have you seen Carlos’ hair? My god, look at Carlos’ hair!

So here we have a complete walkthrough for Resident Evil 3 Remake, from start to finish. Not only does it lay out your path from beginning to end, but it also includes help with how to beat the tougher bosses including Nemesis, grab the best weapons and point you in the right direction for all upgrades and bonuses.

It’s not just about the walkthrough though. If you want to avoid story spoilers we’ve broken out some crucial info in the form of all safe and locker codes, and where to find all the red, blue and green jewels. We’re nice like that.

If you’re not sure if Resident Evil 3 Remake is for you, there’s still a playable demo available and the multiplayer spin-off mode, Resident Evil Resistance, has a live beta you can take part in.

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Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare giving Battle Pass owners ten free tiers, here’s how to get them

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:59 AM PDT

Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare players will have a nice gift waiting for them the next time they launch the game.

Infinity Ward has announced and released a neat gift for Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare players. Battle Pass owners for either get ten free Battle Pass tiers.

The free levels arrive as part of a bundle found in the game’s store, under the Just For You section. To claim it, make sure to log into the game before Sunday, April 5 at 11pm PT, 2am ET (April 6), 7am UK (April 6).

The good news is that those who do not currently own the Battle Pass, can get the gift if they manage to buy the pass before the times above on April 5. The bundle is not available to non-owners of the pass, however.

Even better, Infinity Ward accounted for the timing of this freebie as well. Because the game’s second season is nearly at an end, many have likely either finished the Battle Pass completely, or have less than ten levels remaining. In those cases, any remaining levels will transfer to the Season 3 Battle Pass when that becomes available – provided you also buy it.

Along with the double XP, weapon XP and double tier progression event kicking off later today, many players will wrap up the weekend with a tonne of Battle Pass levels cleared.

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Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough – the Vaccine Base puzzle, pale zombies, and the final boss

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:10 AM PDT

You’ve just used our last guide to get the Resident Evil 3 Remake magnum, right? Good.

In the next area, you need to drop down and head to the elevator opposite. When you access it, the electricity will fry and you need to get some fuses.

There’s another elevator in the main room and you need to call it and ride it up when it arrives. A new enemy will drop down, a pale zombie. You can slow these down by shooting them with conventional ammo, or kill them outright with a magnum shot to the head. See? Told you it was worth getting that gun.

Resident Evil 3 Remake fuses

Once you’ve rode it up, grab your first fuse from just ahead. Get the items from the boxes and climb down the ladder. In a crate on your right there’s some more ammo, then head towards the next fuse opposite.

A falling crate will block your path and you’ll be attacked by a pair of dogs. Kill them and head to the far side of the room. More debris will drop and you’ll need to head towards a zombie. Kill it to get past. Now squeeze through the gap.

Head up the stairs and across the elevator. Press the switch to call another elevator on the other side and climb the ladder on the other side.

The second fuse is down here, but zombies will appear ahead of you and a gamma behind. Kill the gamma with a grenade launcher and run to its corpse, then shoot the zombies from there. Grab the fuse and backtrack to the lift at the top of the stairs.

Head through the door there where you will deal with some zombies and a pale zombie, then take the door on your left. Follow this path for your final fuse, but watch out for the hunter. Now you can head back to that pale man corridor to get back to the safe room via the other door. Save and then drop down to pop the three fuses in.

You’ll be attacked again, but you can hold them off while you wait for the lift, then ride it up as soon as you can, to save ammo. Interact with the console at the top to trigger a new cutscene.

Follow the linear route that opens up and you’ll trigger a cutscene before the final section: the lab.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Override Key

Head straight ahead and into the door with the green keypad to use the safe room. Once you’re done, head out the door and up the stairs on your left.

Take the first left at the top and follow the corridor around until you see a zombie to kill and a box to open. Grab the shotgun shells from the box and head back around the corridor, killing the new zombie that appears.

Instead of going back down the stairs on your right, take a left. Go through the door on your left and get all the supplies from inside. There’s also a console you need to interact with to get an Override Key, which allows you to access red panel doors.

Now head back down the stairs and take a left. Use the Override Key on the door to your left. There are zombies inside so kill them to make the room safe. It’s also worth killing every pale zombie you see with the magnum in this section. Head up the stairs when it’s clear.

Go through the door at the top of the stairs and interact with the console to get the Culture Sample.

The other door in this room leads to some handgun ammo. When you’ve grabbed that, leave the room and head back down the stairs, shooting pale men in the head with your magnum as you go.

At the bottom of the stairs, head around the hanging machinery to the other side of the room from where you entered. Grab the green herb and shotgun shells, then head through the door.

Go down the stairs and run around to behind the base of the stairs. Kill the zombie. Now interact with the big red battery and push it into the wall. There’s also a first aid spray in a box opposite the battery. You can now use the console at the foot of the stairs to open the massive door into the birthing room.

Walk through the length of the room and take the elevator at the end. Follow the walkway along and kill the zombies that appear.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Vaccine Base puzzle

Head through the door, shoot the zombie, get what items you need, and grab the Liquid-filled Test Tube from the cooler. Now head back the way you came, but be ready for some creatures to escape their pods.

Once you’re done, head all the way back to the room where you got the Override Key, at the top of the stairs near the safe room.

You need to combine the Culture Sample with the Liquid-filled Test Tube to create a Vaccine Base and use it on the apparatus at the center of the room.

Now you need to mix the vaccine in a simple puzzle. The solution is middle, middle, left.

There’s a cutscene and now you’re on a linear path again. Get through the crawlspace and you’ll trigger another cutscene.

Grab whatever you can from the safe room that follows – as much as you can carry – and save there. Get down the walkway and you’ll have another cutscene before a boss fight with Nemesis.

Resident Evil 3 Remake final boss guide

The trick here is to save your explosive rounds and pistol ammo. Use just the shotgun when it’s attacking, dodging as needed. When it runs off, deal with the zombies and wait for Carlos to shout out a tank number. This is the tank Nemesis is sitting on or hiding behind.

Shoot the lit up squares on the correctly numbered tank and you’ll do big damage and electrocute Nemesis. It will fall and you can fire an explosive round into its exposed core. Keep this up and you’ll have it finished in no time.

Now you’re back on a linear run until your final encounter with Nemesis, which is easy if you know what you’re doing. You will only need your pistol.

First, interact with the massive rail gun twice, then fire it at Nemmy. Next, use your pistol to shoot the pustules that have grown around the creature. When they’re all gone, he’ll collapse and you will have time to push some of the red batteries in at the side of the arena. If you don’t get them all, just repeat until you do. Then you can use the rail gun again.

Repeat until Nemesis is a thick paste. Follow the linear route and you’re at the end of the game.

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Resident Evil 3 Remake – how to get the .44 AE Lightning Hawk magnum

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:08 AM PDT

If you followed part four of our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough, you’ve just switched to Jill from Carlos and you’re in the hospital. Here’s how to get the magnum.

If you’re short on supplies, use this time to pick around the hospital and unlock all the lockers that Carlos couldn’t access, since he doesn’t have a lockpick. You also need to make sure you get the magnum because it makes the upcoming section so much easier.

Before you head out, make sure you keep the grenade launcher on you, since it’s handy for the hunters.

There’s some mag ammo in some of the lockboxes so it’s worth cleaning them out – just check your map and grab what you missed.

Resident Evil 3 Remake – .44 AE Lightning Hawk magnum location

To get the .44 AE Lightning Hawk magnum, head up to 2F and go to the Nurses’ Station door. Take a left at the door and crawl under the rubble there. Carlos and his oily muscles could never fit through here, but Jill can.

Now jump out the window and grab the .44 AE Lightning Hawk from the courtyard.

When you have everything you need, head back to the blue light reception near the Lobby and use your lockpick on the door inside to head to the next area.

Follow the linear path before you and grab all the items along the way, then pull the lever on the elevator.

At the top, call the other elevator down and ride it up to the safe room. Make sure you grab the Hip Pouch and any other items you need. Save and rearrange your gear. Take the magnum and mag ammo with you.

Check out our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough for the lab and the end of the game.

We also have the jewel locations for early on in Resident Evil 3 Remake.

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Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough Jill Clock Tower Plaza and Carlos Hospital

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:06 AM PDT

You’ve fought your way through the RCPD with Carlos in part three of our Resident Evil 3 Remake guide, and now you’re back to Jill as she readies herself to fight Nemesis again.

Head through the room with the crank and pick the safe room ahead clean. Save and reorganize if you need to.

Leave the room and follow the corridor around. Kill or evade the zombies. Climb the stairs and use the shotgun to clear the way. Now climb the ladder ahead.

Now you’re back on the streets and by the waterfront. Make your way across the bridge and you’re in for a good old fashioned boss fight.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Clock Tower boss fight

The idea here is to use your mines in your grenade launcher to knock Nemesis down when he runs across the walls like an animal.

When he’s on the floor, use your shotgun and pistol as much as possible. When he climbs or runs, place a mine in his path and you’ll knock him down. Switch to explosive rounds and hit him while he’s down.

Keep doing this while dodging his attacks and it’ll be over before you know it. The edges of the arena are also filled with items you need.

Head through the gate to trigger another cutscene and then you’re back to Carlos again.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Carlos hospital

Jill has been infected and, as Carlos, it’s up to you to find a cure. Luckily you’re in the one hospital in the world that has a vaccine! Handy!

Take the time to save and check your equipment, then head out the door into the Lobby.

There’s some assault rifle ammo on the desk. Grab it and head through the door you can enter.

You’ll enter another reception room lit up by the blue light of a vending machine. Take the zombies out so you can safely pass. Head out into the corridor when you’re done.

Take a right, then take a left. Shoot the bobblehead on your left and head through the door into Lab Reception.

Grab the Tape Player from the desk and take note of the voice locked door ahead. Take a left there and grab the green herb before heading through the door. Take the zombies out in the Emergency Entrance Room. Grab the assault rifle ammo off the table and break the box for the item inside, then head through the south side door. Take a right and head up the stairs.

Head through the door at the top of the stairs and out onto the rooftop. Follow it around and back into the corridor.

Take a left and grab the map from the wall ahead. Now head into the Records Room next to you. Grab all the supplies from inside and save the game if you like. Now head out the door and into the Staff Room next door.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Hospital ID Card

Grab some assault rifle ammo from inside, note the locked door, then head back out into the corridor. Follow it around to the Nurses’ Station.

Deal with the zombies that break in, then head through the room near the safe. Check our Resident Evil 3 Remake safe code guide for the combination.

Grab what you need from the Sick Room and head back out into the corridor, taking a left.

Jump down through the open window into the courtyard and grab the Tactical Grip for your assault rifle. Then jump the wall and grab the Key from the ground. Once you have it, head inside and back up the stairs, out onto the roof and kill the zombie, then back through the other side of the corridor.

Head back to the locked door in the Staff Room. Use the key and head inside. You can discard the key when you’ve used it. Get the Hospital ID card.

When you exit the Staff Room a cutscene will play and you’ll be face to face with your first hunter. They hate grenades so chuck one at it and finish it off with your gun.

Exit the door and head to the Nurses’ Station. Use the Hospital ID Card on the door inside. This will take you to the Treatment Room via the Linen Room.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Audiocassette Tape

You’ll have to deal with some zombies in the Linen Room and some hunters in the Treatment Room. It’s also worth opening the hatch door in the Linen Room to create a shortcut. Once you’ve killed the enemies, grab the Audiocassette Tape from the Treatment Room and combine it with the Tape Player.

Use the shortcut you opened and jump down into the courtyard to quickly make your way back to the voice locked door.

When you go through the door near the stairs, watch out for a load of zombies crashing through the glass. When you kill them all, you might as well use the ID Card to go into the room with the “operating” sign above it. You can discard the ID Card once you’ve used it.

Grab the supplies from inside and head through to the Lab Reception and the voice locked door.

Here you’ll find Bard and a computer to interact with. In the room next to the computer you’ll find the Vaccine Sample. Grab it and head back to Jill. Watch out for the new hunters and zombies that pop up along the way.

The next section is essentially wave defense. You simply need to keep the zombies away from the door you barricaded, so go ham with your assault rifle and use the electric box to your advantage. Make sure to grab the detonator from the pillar.

About halfway through, the lights will go out. A hunter will appear from the door behind the reception desk, so use a grenade to take it out, then head inside that door

Grab the Hip Pouch and items from inside and press the switch on the wall. Keep holding the waves back, watching for parasite zombies and hunters, until a cutscene plays. When it does, run straight to the pillar and interact with it, using the detonator on the C4.

Once you’ve done that, you just need to survive for 30 seconds and you’re done. Use the reception desk to keep the zombies away from you and back up into the room with the switch as a last resort.

In the next part of our guide, we’ll tell you how to get the magnum in Resident Evil 3 Remake.

The post Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough Jill Clock Tower Plaza and Carlos Hospital appeared first on VG247.

Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough – Carlos and the return to RCPD

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:01 AM PDT

Here’s a walkthrough for the Carlos RCPD section of Resident Evil 3 Remake.

If you missed part 2 of our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough, check that link for the sewer section, the Nemesis flamethrower boss, and Gun Shop Kendo.

Now you’re playing as Carlos and you’re standing in the graveyard outside RCPD. Follow the path laid out and head towards the entrance where you’ll have a battle against a super zombie in a nice little nod to one of Resident Evil 3’s coolest secrets.

Make sure you grab the ID Card from his corpse. Head into RCPD and use the deposit box and typewriter if you like, then head under the shutter your pal opens and into Reception.

There’s a box in here you can use the ID Card to get some assault rifle ammo.

When you’re done there, head out into the dark West Corridor. Keep following it around and deal with any zombies in your way.

Head into the Operations Room. Carlos’s punch is handy for barging past attacking zombies that get close.

Grab the flashbang, head into the next room and pick up the assault rifle ammo. Now go through the room with the slide lock on the door. There’s a few zombies in here so take them out with your assault rifle.

Resident Evil 3 Remake RCPD West Office

If you head into the West Office from here, there’s a few things worth grabbing. If you want the safe code, check our dedicated Resident Evil 3 safe and locker codes guide and get yourself a Hip Pouch.

There’s also an ID Card case where you can get a Scope for your assault rifle. When you’re done, head down the corridor to the Dark Room safe room.

Grab what you need, rejig your equipment, save, then head up the stairs outside. Head up the next flight of stairs and grab the Key at the top. There’s also a locker ahead – the Third Floor Hallway locker – and the code is DCM.

From there, head down a floor and into the shower room. There’s another locker in here and the code is CAP.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Battery

Now head back down the stairs and use the key on the door opposite the West Office, but be careful of the licker that appears. There are a bunch of lockers you can open in here. Just use the keypad to type in 104, 106, and 109.

Whatever you do, make sure you grab the Battery and watch out for the zombie. Get what you can and then leave the room, heading back upstairs.

Combine the Battery with the Detonator in the shower room and then place it onto the C4.

Kill all the zombies that appear and then empty out the lockers at the end of the room and grab whatever you can. Head through the door into the corridor. Kill the licker and head into the STARS Office.

A cutscene will play and then you’re free to clear out the room of items. Once you’ve picked the room clean, head to the corridor again and you’ll trigger another cutscene.

Now you’re back to Jill in part four of our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough.

The post Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough – Carlos and the return to RCPD appeared first on VG247.

Resident Evil 3 Remake sewers walkthrough – Grenade Launcher and Nemesis flamethrower boss

Posted: 02 Apr 2020 11:58 PM PDT

Now you’re down in the sewers and you’ll be facing up against some new enemies. Here’s the walkthrough for the next section of Resident Evil 3 Remake.

Check part one of our Resident Evil 3 Remake guide at that link.

Run through the first room and pull the door shut behind you. Once you’ve called Carlos, head through the safe room on your left and clear it out of items. Put away what you don’t need and save it if you want.

Make sure you grab the sewers map from the whiteboard. Once you’re done there, follow the path down and past the door that needs the battery. Drop down into the water and slide down.

Run straight ahead toward the Office. A new enemy called a gamma will slide out of a grate. Use a grenade and shotgun blasts to take it down quickly, then head to the office.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Grenade Launcher

Grab the Grenade Launcher – it’s ideal for taking out the gammas. Put away what you don’t need, but keep your lockpick on you. Make sure you have at least two inventory slots free.

Go out into the sewers and head back, but take the path on your left. Use the grenade launcher on the gamma ahead.

Now head to the Lab, watching out for the other gamma that appears. Once it’s dead, head up the ladder into the lab. Grab the Battery Pack.

When you have everything you need, head back to where you slid down and climb the ladder. Kill the gammas that appear on the way. You can also check behind the dirty waterfall on the way for some ammo and other bits.

Use the Battery Pack on the door at the top. Kill the gamma that appears in the next room.

Unlock the rusty gate, grab the Battery Pack you placed, head back into the room with the dead gamma and use the Battery Pack on the new door there.

Grab the Hip Pouch for two more inventory slots and get whatever else you need from the room.

Now head back out and take the Battery Pack with you. Head across the walkway opposite the room. Go down the ladder and use the Battery Pack on the door there.

When you walk up the stairs, look behind you up high for a bobblehead to shoot.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Nemesis flamethrower boss

When you reach the top of the ladder the Nemesis will grab your head. He now has a flamethrower.

Run through the shutter ahead, dodging the zombies. There’s a safe room here where you can stock up and catch your breath. When you’re done, head up the stairs .

Ignore the zombies and keep heading up. Slip past or shoot them to stagger then if you have to.

Just keep running and heading up until you come to some planks, hold interact on them and climb across.

Keep following the linear path laid out ahead of you, jumping gaps and pressing on without stopping.

At the end you’ll climb a series of ladders and have one last opportunity to stock up and save ahead of a boss battle.

It’s a simple fight. Just stand behind cover and aim for his fuel tank. Shoot any generators he moves near and run away and reposition when he gets close.

The pistol will do for the fuel tank, but you can use the grenade launcher as well to stagger the Nemesis.

When you’re done, you’ll be back on the streets. Keep following the route until you climb onto a fire engine and over the other side.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Gun Shop Kendo

Once down, head into Gun Shop Kendo. Inside you’ll find the Semi Auto Barrel for the shotgun. Bear in mind it makes your shotgun take up two slots if you use it.

Grab whatever else you need and can carry, then head out the back to trigger a cutscene with the shop owner. Use the safe room nearby to rejig your inventory and save if you want to. Make sure you grab the Kendo Gate Key from nearby

Head back outside the shop and unlock the gate on your right with the key. You can safely discard the key after to free up a space in your inventory

Deal with the enemy ahead, take a left and go through the door at the end of the alleyway. There’s another parasite head in this building so be ready to deal with it.

If you have your lockpick on you, there’s a lockbox with some explosive rounds in it upstairs. Head outside once you’ve done that.

Once outside, old Nemmy will turn up again. He’ll chase you through another linear sequence with a rocket launcher. Just follow the path laid out and keep dodging when the laser pointer rests on you.

Eventually you’ll trigger another cutscene, after which you’ll climb some scaffold and up a ladder onto the rooftops where Carlos will call.

When you run towards Toy Uncle, Nemesis will shoot its mascot, causing it to fall like an Indiana Jones boulder. It will crush you if you don’t run back where you came from and stand in safety until it passes.

Once you’re past, run back to the underground where Carlos is waiting. After the cutscene, follow him down for, you guessed it, more cutscenes.

Click here for part three of our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough.

The post Resident Evil 3 Remake sewers walkthrough – Grenade Launcher and Nemesis flamethrower boss appeared first on VG247.

Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough – Raccoon City and the Kite Bros Railway puzzle

Posted: 02 Apr 2020 11:57 PM PDT

If you need a helping hand as you guide Jill Valentine through Raccoon City, find the Fire Hose, solve the Kite Brose Railway puzzle, and maybe get a Hip Pouch and Extended Mag, here’s a handy guide.

You start the game in your apartment in first-person. To trigger the next scene you need to head to the bathroom and interact with the sink.

When you awake from the nightmare, you can interact with the evidence wall to read some lore. When you’ve finished digging through the apartment, head back for the sink.

The game then switches to third-person and you need to head to the phone, triggering a cutscene. Run down the corridor to the next cutscene then head out the open window onto the fire escape.

Head down the fire escape and through the window into the floor below. Head towards the fire to trigger the next cutscene, then run toward the door with the exit sign once it’s played out.

You’ll be blown outside onto another fire escape here. Head down. Another cutscene will play and you’ll be chased through a fiery corridor. Just run away from the screen by pushing forward on the stick.

Head towards the liquor store and Brad Vickers will appear. Follow after him. Eventually another cutscene will play and loads of zombies will spill over a gate. Run away and get through the door of Bar Jack.

Another cutscene will play and you’ll be out in an alleyway with a corpse ahead of you. Interact with the corpse to access your first weapon: the pistol.

Once you pick it up, you’ll be facing down a zombie. You can use the gun to kill it, but it’s a waste of ammo since more zombies will appear from around the corner. Just turn around and run away.

A sign will fall in your path, but you can crawl under it. On the other side, take a left and go through the gate. Head through the door ahead and past the man who locks himself in the truck.

Grab some handgun ammo from the barrel and head through the yellow door. Ignore the dog and head opposite, crawling through the gap beneath the fallen fence.

Run through the parking garage and call the elevator. Zombies will appear and you need to kite them away and slip past them to get into the elevator. Don’t forget to use dodge (R1) to slip past more easily – time it just as a zombie lunges to execute a perfect dodge.

Another cutscene will play and you need to follow the prompts to run Nemesis off the ledge in your car. Follow Carlos to trigger the next cutscene.

Once you’re done there, head out of the subway and into the safe room above. There’s some green herbs here and you can also get two lots of gunpowder which you can combine together to create more handgun ammo.

There’s also a breakable box you can slash with your knife – this contains a red herb. Pick that up and combine it with one of your green herbs to make a more potent health curative.

You can also save the game at the typewriter and store any unneeded items. It’s best to just carry one curative with you at this point, so stash the green herb you have spare.

Head under the shutter and out onto the street. Get past the zombie and take a left down the alley. Grab the handgun ammo and deal with the two zombies ahead. Then go through the gate ahead.

Run to the end of the street, past the zombies shaking the fence, to trigger another cutscene.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Fire Hose location

Turns out you need a Fire Hose, so head back and the fence holding the zombies at bay will fall, allowing you to pass. Get past them and head down the stairs into the donut shop.

There’s a safe room in here with a fancy box. Examine it to get the Red Jewel and put that in the storage box. Here’s a guide to track down the rest of the jewels in Resident Evil 3 Remake.

Save the game if you like and head out the back door onto the streets. Head into Kite Bros Railway. Deal with the zombie, take a right and pick up the Fire Hose.

You can grab a hand grenade and some gunpowder from the room next door. Take note of this room because you’ll want to grab that Shotgun from the weapon rack later on.

On your way out, head into the control room and look under the desks for a bobblehead to shoot. Now head back onto the streets, take a left and head up the metal stairs.

Go through the door and through the next door, but be careful of zombies on the other side of the second one. There’s a safe in here and you can check out our guide on the safes and lockers to get it open.

There’s also some gunpowder nearby. Head out the door and onto the metal walkway. Follow it round.

You’ll be on a rooftop and you can get a red herb from a box nearby. Follow the rooftop round and you can get some gunpowder from near a zombie feasting on a corpse. Then head onto the scaffold, kick the ladder down, and climb down.

Use the Fire Hose on the hydrant near the fire opposite.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Bolt Cutters

Head into the repair shop, save if you like, reorganize your inventory, grab the Bolt Cutters and use them to head through the door with the chain. If you want, you can first head back to the shotgun and grab it. It’s easier to do now, before Nemesis turns up again.

Once you’ve done that, head through the door to trigger a cutscene. Head up the stairs and through the door. Down the stairs, take a right and grab some handgun ammo and a note, then head back in the other direction.

When you turn the next corner two dogs will run at you. Take aim at the electrical box with your pistol, wait for them to get near, then take the shot. Kill them while they’re stunned.

Now head past the zombies at the fence and through the red door with the electric symbol on it. Kill the zombies in the locker room and grab the items you need out of the lockers, then head upstairs.

There’s a safe room up here. Make sure you grab the Hip Pouch to increase your inventory space by two slots.

Rearrange your items and save.

Resident Evil 3 Remake breakers

Head down the stairs and grab the green herbs. Don’t mix them. There’s an enemy coming up that can infect you with a parasite, and a single green herb will cure you. If you mix them, you’re wasting your chances.

There’s a body down here with a lockbox that has a Lockpick in it. You need that to get through the next door.

In the next room you need to switch on four breakers. Here’s how to do it as fast as possible.

Use the shotgun to keep the creepy crawlers at bay and use a green herb whenever a parasite infects you.

Run down the corridor and take the first available left.

Run to the end and take a right. Turn immediately right again and turn the breaker ahead on.

Head back the way you came and you’ll see another breaker straight ahead. Go turn it on.

Turn around and take a right, heading back where you came from, but take a left at the end, instead of heading to the exit.

Head right to the end of the corridor and take a left. Take another left and reset the breaker there.

Head through the nearby gate and up the ladder. Grab the handgun ammo out the box and head down the next ladder to the final breaker. Now head to the exit.

Head back up the stairs to trigger a cutscene.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Extended Magazine (Pistol)

Head back into the locker room and use the lock pick on the locker you couldn’t get into before to grab yourself some handgun ammo. Now head outside.

On your way across the street, Nemesis will turn up. Either kite him and slip past or dodge by him.

Head through the alleyway where you killed the dogs earlier and spin around, shoot the breaker. You can either do this to slow him down and get away. Or, if you’re feeling confident, lob a grenade at Nemesis and use your shotgun to temporarily down him. He will drop a Supply Case which you can open to unlock an Extended Magazine for your handgun.

Around the corner, use the shotgun to stagger the zombies and run past, up the stairs.

You’ll get a call from Carlos. Thirsty, thirsty Carlos.

Head through the red door into the safe room and use the lockpicks on the locker to get a first aid spray. Save and rearrange your items and then head out the door.

Now you need to head to the same building where you grabbed the shotgun – the Subway Control Room. The quickest route is through the donut shop.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Kite Bros Railway train lines puzzle

Once you’re in the Control Room, you need to do the Kite Bros Railway train lines puzzle. The idea is to map out the lines so that the train gets to your destination without passing through closed lines. The solution is, from top to bottom: FA-02, RA-03, SA-02.

When you head out the room, there’s a new zombie type to deal with. As with most enemies in this game, the best tactic is to shoot it and slip past while it’s staggered.

Now head outside and back through the donut shop towards the underground, dodging zombies and the Nemesis as you go.

If you want to get another Hip Pouch before you leave this area, you need to get the Blue and Green Jewels. Check our guide on the Coloured Jewels to track them down and use them on the Kite Bros Memorial in the safe room near the underground station.

In the next section there’s a cutscene, then you’ll be running from Nemesis. Lead him up the stairs and shoot the electric box to stun him. Now run through the room ahead while he’s stunned and interact with the vent three times to get through.

Click here for part two of our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough.

The post Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough – Raccoon City and the Kite Bros Railway puzzle appeared first on VG247.

Resident Evil 3 Remake – red, green, and blue jewel locations

Posted: 02 Apr 2020 11:54 PM PDT

If you want to increase your inventory space with a Hip Pouch early on, here’s how to track down the Kite Bros Memorial jewels in Resident Evil 3 Remake.

The first gem you’ll come across is the Red Jewel, which is in a Fancy Box inside the safe room of the donut shop. Using this on the memorial near the underground train will get you a grenade.

The second jewel requires the Lockpick, which you need to use on the door to the toy shop Downtown. Grab the Fancy Box from inside, shoot the bobblehead while you’re here, and leave with the Green Jewel. Using this on the Kite Bros Memorial will get you the Tactical Stock (shotgun).

The final jewel is directly opposite the toy shop, inside the liquor store in a Fancy Box. You need the Bolt Cutters to open the door and grab the Blue Jewel. Using this on the memorial will get you a Hip Pouch, increasing your inventory space by two slots.

If you need the locations of the Lockpick and Bolt Cutters, consult our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough.

You can also leave this for your second playthrough, since you can use accumulated EXP to unlock the Bolt Cutters and Lockpick from the start of the game. This makes grabbing the jewels much easier, since you can do it before you’ve got Nemesis chasing you down.

You’ll also get a Trophy/Achievement for your efforts when you place all three jewels into the memorial statue.

We also have a guide to get the magnum in Resident Evil 3 Remake. And here’s a guide for all the locker and safe codes.

The post Resident Evil 3 Remake – red, green, and blue jewel locations appeared first on VG247.

Resident Evil 3 Remake safe and locker codes

Posted: 02 Apr 2020 11:52 PM PDT

So, you want to be the master of unlocking? Here’s all the safe and locker codes in Resident Evil 3 Remake.

The first safe you come across is in the drugstore owner’s apartment. Here’s how to get it cracked.

Resident Evil 3 Remake – Drugstore safe code

All the clues you need are in the journal next to the safe that says, “Nobody knows the code, not even my wife. It’s a secret between me and my beautiful Aqua Cure queen… And she’d never give it up for a thief.”

If you head to the drugstore itself, you will see a poster of the Aqua Queen and the phone number is marked out with the safe combination.

The drugstore owner’s safe code is left 9, right 1, left 8. The safe contains the Dot Sight for the handgun.

Resident Evil 3 Remake Hosipital safe code

The next safe is found in the Nurses’ Station on 2F of the Hospital. You must open it when playing as Carlos, as it will be empty if you attempt it with Jill. You can find the solution in the Operating Room on a clipboard in 1F. It’s just two numbers: left 9, right 3.

Resident Evil 3 Remake – West Office safe code

If you’ve played Resident Evil 2 Remake, you already have an advantage here in the Raccoon City Police Department. The safe code for the West Office is the same as it was in that game: left 9, right 15, left 7. Your reward is a Hip Pouch, increasing your inventory space.

Third Floor Hallway locker and Shower Room locker codes

Just like that safe, the lockers of the RCPD are the same as they were in Resident Evil 2 Remake. The Third Floor Hallway locker code is DCM, and the Shower Room locker code is CAP.

If you’re looking for a full on guide, check out our Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough. We also have a page for finding all three jewels, and how to get the magnum.

The post Resident Evil 3 Remake safe and locker codes appeared first on VG247.

How to of the Day

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 07:17 PM PDT

How to of the Day


How to Quarantine Yourself

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:00 PM PDT

The thought of going into quarantine may sound scary, but it's a simple precaution to protect yourself and others from contagious diseases. If you live in an area that's affected by an infectious disease outbreak, such as the recent COVID-19 epidemic, health officials may recommend that you practice social distancing, or limit your time in public in order to protect yourself. If you get sick or might have been exposed to the disease, you might need to go into quarantine or isolate yourself at home until the danger of spreading the infection to others has passed. Stay in touch with your doctor and reach out to friends and loved ones to help put your worries at ease and relieve stress while you're waiting for your quarantine period to end.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Protecting Yourself with Social Distancing

  1. Stay at least away from obviously sick people. Many contagious diseases spread when people spend time around infected people, even if they don't actually have physical contact. This can happen when an infected person coughs or sneezes and people around them breathe in droplets of saliva or mucus from their nose or mouth.[1] If you're around someone with symptoms of illness, like sneezing or coughing, avoid touching them and try to maintain a distance of at least at all times.
    Quarantine Yourself Step 1.jpg
    • According to the CDC, you may be at risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus if you're within of an infected person for a prolonged period of time (i.e., more than a few minutes), an infected person coughs on you, or you're currently caring for or sharing a home with someone who has COVID-19.[2]
  2. Wash your hands frequently when you're in public areas. Washing your hands is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect yourself and others from the spread of disease. If you are in a public space or another area where you know you might be exposed to an illness, wash your hands often with soap and running water. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, and make sure to wash your wrists, between your fingers, and the backs of your hands.[3]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 2.jpg
    • It's especially important to wash your hands after going to the bathroom, after touching high-contact surfaces (such as doorknobs, railings, and light switches), and before handling food or touching your face.
    • According to the CDC, warm and cold water are equally effective at washing away germs and viruses. What's most important is that you use soap and wash for at least 20 seconds. If your skin is sensitive, using cool water can help prevent dryness and irritation.[4]
    • If you don't have access to soap and water, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  3. Keep your hands away from your face as much as possible. Many viruses and germs enter the body through the mucus membranes in your eyes, nose, and mouth. To prevent this, avoid touching your face as much as possible, since your hands may have come into contact with a contaminated surface.[5]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 3.jpg
    • If you have to touch your face, wash your hands before and after with soap and warm water.
    • If possible, use a tissue if you need to wipe, rub, or scratch any part of your face. Throw the tissue away when you're done.
  4. Cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze. Even if you don't think you're sick, it's important to protect others in your community and set a good example by practicing proper hygiene when you cough and sneeze. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, then immediately throw the tissue away. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer when you're done.[6]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 4.jpg
    • If you don't have a tissue or don't have time to grab one, cough or sneeze into your bent elbow instead of your hand. This will help prevent you from spreading viruses or germs when you touch things with your hands.
  5. Avoid crowded areas if you're at high risk or if local health officials recommend it. In some cases, local health authorities may cancel large events or advise that people limit their time in public spaces in order to prevent the spread of disease.[7] You may also need to limit your exposure to crowds and public areas if you're particularly vulnerable to infection. If you're not sure whether it's a good idea to go out in public, ask your doctor for advice.
    Quarantine Yourself Step 5.jpg
    • For example, the CDC currently recommends that people who are at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 should stay home and avoid crowded areas as much as possible. This includes older adults (people aged 60 and over) and people with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes. Immunocompromised people, such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, people using chemotherapy, or people taking immunosuppressive medications, are also at risk.[8]
    • If your doctor or local public health officials advise that you stay home, stock up on necessary supplies such as any medications you are currently taking, groceries, and over-the-counter medical supplies such as tissues and cough medicine.
  6. Get recommendations on social distancing from reputable public health websites. If you live in an area that's affected by an infectious disease outbreak, such as the COVID-19 virus, visit your local public health website for updates and information. They will provide information about how to protect yourself and others from illness and will let you know whether social distancing is necessary.[9]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 6.jpg
    • For example, try a web search like "Public health advisory coronavirus Kane County Illinois."
    • You can also check sources such as the CDC or World Health Organization website for more general information.
    • Your local public health department may recommend social distancing for particularly vulnerable individuals, such as older adults or immunocompromised people. They may also enforce social distancing by canceling large community events or closing schools if there is evidence of a disease exposure risk.

[Edit]Practicing Self-Quarantine after Exposure to a Disease

  1. Self-quarantine if you've been exposed to an infected person. If you know that you have been in close proximity to someone infected with a dangerous illness, such as the COVID-19 coronavirus, it's a good idea to self-quarantine in order to protect yourself and others.[10] If you think you've been exposed to a contagious disease during an outbreak, contact your doctor or local public health department and ask if you need to quarantine yourself.
    Quarantine Yourself Step 7.jpg
    • You might get a notification about a potential exposure from your school, your employer, or your local public health department. Take any advisories like this seriously and don't hesitate to ask questions if you're not sure what to do.
  2. Call your doctor immediately if you suspect you're sick. If you think you've been exposed to a disease like COVID-19 and you start to experience suspicious symptoms, call your doctor's office and explain the situation.[11] They may ask you to come in for a medical evaluation and testing, and they can also give you advice about whether self-quarantine is necessary for you.
    Quarantine Yourself Step 8.jpg
    • For example, call your doctor right away if you experience symptoms such as a fever, coughing, or difficulty breathing, especially if you live in an area where COVID-19 is active.
    • Don't show up at your doctor's office without calling ahead if you suspect you have a condition such as coronavirus or the flu. They may need to take special precautions in order to protect themselves, you, and their other patients from illness.
    • Most clinics are currently offering phone or telehealth visits so that they can check your condition remotely and determine whether you need to come in for treatment and testing. If they think you need to be tested for the coronavirus, they can direct you to a site that has the necessary resources and facilities (such as drive-up testing or a negative pressure room).
  3. Stay home for 14 days or as long as your doctor recommends. The typical recommended time for self-quarantine is 2 weeks.[12] This will give you plenty of time to monitor your condition and determine whether you might pose a risk to others. If your doctor advises you to self-quarantine, ask them how long you need to stay home.
    Quarantine Yourself Step 9.jpg
    • If you develop symptoms or are officially diagnosed with a contagious illness such as COVID-19, you may need to stay home longer than 2 weeks.
  4. Avoid contact with other people or animals as much as possible. During your quarantine, it's very important to keep to yourself so that you don't risk making other people sick. Even if you don't have any symptoms, avoid having visitors and keep your distance from other people who live with you. Limit contact with your pets as much as you can, including petting, cuddling, feeding, and grooming them.[13]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 10.jpg
    • Designate one room, such as your bedroom, for your exclusive use. Other people in the home should stay out of the room unless it's absolutely necessary. If possible, avoid sharing a bathroom with other people in your home.
    • If you need to have supplies or food delivered to your home, ask the person making the delivery to leave the items outside your door.
    • If you have pets, ask a friend or someone else in your home to care for them until your quarantine period is over. If you have to interact with your pets, wash your hands before and after and wear a facemask.
  5. Wear a mask if you have to be around other people. Even if you don't have any obvious symptoms of illness, wear a facemask during your quarantine to reduce the risk of spreading a possible infection to others. Put on a mask if someone is visiting you, a family member has to enter your room, or you need to leave your home in order to get medical treatment.[14]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 11.jpg
    • If you're not able to find facemasks in stores due to shortages, you can improvise one by tying a scarf or handkerchief over your nose and mouth.[15]
    • Anyone who enters your room or needs to be in close contact with you during your quarantine should also wear a mask.
  6. Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Protect both yourself and others from the potential spread of disease during your quarantine by washing your hands regularly. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially after you cough, sneeze, or blow your nose; after you go to the bathroom; and before you prepare or eat food.[16]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 12.jpg
    • If you don't have access to soap and water, use a hand sanitizer that's at least 60% alcohol.
  7. Cover your mouth and nose whenever you cough or sneeze. If you have to cough or sneeze, prevent the spread of potentially contaminated fluids from your mouth and nose by covering your face with a tissue. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm.[17]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 13.jpg
    • Don't leave used tissues sitting around. Throw them away immediately in a lined garbage can, then wash your hands with soap and water.
  8. Disinfect objects and surfaces you come into contact with. Once a day, use a household cleaning product, such as a disinfectant wipe or general-purpose cleaner, to clean surfaces that you use regularly throughout the day. This includes things like doorknobs, counters, tabletops, light switches, and toilet seats.[18]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 14.jpg
    • Wash anything you put in your mouth, such as eating utensils or thermometers, with soap and hot water.
  9. Monitor your condition closely and get medical help if anything changes. While you're in quarantine, keep a close eye out for any signs that you may be getting sick or that your condition is worsening. If you notice new or worsening symptoms, call your doctor right away and ask for advice.[19]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 15.jpg
    • Provide details about what kinds of symptoms you're having, when they started, and what kinds of treatments you've been using, if any (such as over-the-counter medications).

[Edit]Self-Isolating if You're Sick

  1. Ask your doctor if you can return home or if you need to be hospitalized. If you have a confirmed diagnosis of a contagious illness such as COVID-19, your doctor will need to evaluate your specific case and make recommendations based on your condition. Discuss whether you can safely go home and, if so, whether you need to stay in isolation until you recover.[20]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 16.jpg
    • If your doctor thinks you are stable enough to go home, ask for detailed instructions on how to care for yourself during your isolation period. If a friend or family member will be caring for you, ask the doctor to share that information with them.
    • Your doctor will send any confirmed lab test results to your local public health department. From there, the public health department will make recommendations about how long you need to stay in isolation.
  2. Stay home unless you need to seek medical care. If you're sick, it's imperative that you stay home and rest as much as possible. This will help you recover faster and also protect others from catching your illness. Don't go to school or work, and avoid taking public transit to visit the doctor if possible.[21]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 17.jpg
    • Always call ahead if you need to visit the hospital or your doctor's office. Tell them about your diagnosis and describe any symptoms you're currently experiencing.
    • If you need supplies, have them delivered to your home if possible. Don't go out shopping while you're in isolation.
  3. Remain in your own room as much as possible if you share a home. If you can, keep to your own space inside the home and don't allow pets, visitors, or family members inside. If possible, use your own bathroom instead of sharing one with other people in the home.[22]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 18.jpg
    • Have someone else care for any pets if possible. This is especially important if you have a condition such as COVID-19, which may be transmitted between animals and humans.
    • To avoid having to enter other areas of the home, ask family members or other caretakers to leave prepared meals or other supplies outside your door.
    • Preferably, you should stay in a well-ventilated room with a window that you can open.[23]
  4. Wear a mask if you have to interact with other people. If you're too sick to care for yourself, put on a mask any time a caretaker has to be around you. You should also put on a mask if you have to leave your home (e.g., to visit your doctor's office).[24]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 19.jpg
    • Have your caretakers wear masks when they're around you, too.
    • If you're unable to get facemasks due to shortages in your area, cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or scarf instead.
  5. Practice proper hygiene to prevent spreading your illness. While you're in isolation, keep your environment clean and take precautions so that you don't give your infection to others in your home. You can help keep your loved ones safe by:[25]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 20.jpg
    • Washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water, especially after you cough, sneeze, blow your nose, or go to the bathroom.
    • Covering your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze.
    • Disposing of used tissues immediately in a lined trash can.
    • Not sharing personal items with others. This includes towels, medical supplies (such as thermometers and medicine cups), eating utensils and dishes, personal grooming products, and bed linens.
    • Disinfecting surfaces and objects you frequently come into contact with, such as doorknobs, countertops, and toilet seats.
  6. Call your doctor immediately if your symptoms change or get worse. While you're in isolation, you or your caretaker(s) will need to monitor your condition closely. If you develop new symptoms, start feeling worse, or don't see any signs of improvement after the expected period of recovery time, call your doctor right away. They can advise you about what to do next.[26]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 21.jpg
    • If you have a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. Let the dispatcher know about your diagnosis if possible so that the emergency medical personnel can take proper precautions.
  7. Work with your doctor to determine when you can leave isolation. The length of your self-isolation will depend on your specific situation and symptoms. Even if you feel much better, don't leave your home until your doctor says it's safe. This will help protect both you and other people in your community.[27]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 22.jpg
    • Your doctor may need to consult with your local public health department to determine the best timeline for your isolation.

[Edit]Coping with Self-Quarantine

  1. Remind yourself that difficult emotions are normal during self-quarantine. Dealing with a dangerous disease outbreak is scary and stressful, and having to quarantine yourself can make those feelings worse. It's normal to feel fearful, sad, frustrated, lonely, uncertain, or even angry about what's happening. If you experience any of these feelings, try to acknowledge them without judging yourself.[28]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 23.jpg
    • It's also okay if you don't feel any of these things. Everyone reacts to stressful situations differently.
  2. Reach out to your doctor if you have questions or concerns. If you're feeling fearful or uncertain about what's happening, your doctor may be able to put your mind at ease. Don't hesitate to call your doctor's office or reach out to someone in your local public health department if you have questions.[29]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 24.jpg
    • They may be able to direct you to other helpful resources online or in your community.
  3. Talk to your employer if you're worried about loss of income. Having to miss work because of self-quarantine, self-isolation, or enforced social distancing can put you under financial stress. If you're worried, reach out to your employer about your situation. Give them a clear explanation of why you need to miss work and provide a doctor's note if necessary.[30]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 25.jpg
    • Some employers may be willing to offer paid sick leave to employees who are in quarantine or isolation due to illness.
    • If you live in the U.S., reach out to your human resources department about whether you qualify for Family Medical Leave, which guarantees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for employees who are ill or need to care for a sick family member.
    • You can also reach out to your utility providers and explain your situation. They may be able to offer payment arrangements that can reduce your financial burden until you can return to work.
  4. Stay in touch with your friends and family. Being in quarantine or isolation can be extremely lonely. Being alone while you're ill or fearful of becoming ill can also increase your feelings of anxiety or frustration. Reach out to friends and loved ones by phone, email, social media, or video chat so that you don't feel so alone.[31]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 26.jpg
    • In addition to providing a sympathetic ear and helping your relieve loneliness and boredom, friends and loved ones can offer practical help. Don't be afraid to ask a friend or family member to drop off meals or supplies at your home, watch your pets while you're in quarantine, or help you with chores that you're unable to attend to.
  5. Practice stress-relieving activities to help you relax. To fight boredom, anxiety, and frustration, look for simple, enjoyable activities that you can do while you're stuck at home. Depending on how well you're feeling, this might include things like:[32]
    Quarantine Yourself Step 27.jpg
    • Watching movies or TV shows
    • Reading
    • Listening to relaxing music
    • Playing games
    • Meditating or doing light stretches or yoga
    • Working on hobbies or creative projects
    • Doing light housework

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

Websites with Helpful Information about COVID-19 and Social Distancing:

[Edit]References

[Edit]Quick Summary

  1. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  3. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
  4. https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-handwashing.html
  5. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
  6. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
  7. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/public/php/185/185_factsheet_social_distancing.pdf
  8. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html
  9. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/sites/default/files/public/php/185/185_factsheet_social_distancing.pdf
  10. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/
  11. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  12. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html
  13. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  14. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/health/self-quarantine-coronavirus.html
  16. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  17. https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/factsheet-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate.pdf?la=en
  18. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  19. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  20. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  21. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  22. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  23. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html
  24. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  25. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  26. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  27. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
  28. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/tips-social-distancing-quarantine-isolation-031620.pdf
  29. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/tips-social-distancing-quarantine-isolation-031620.pdf
  30. https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/tips-social-distancing-quarantine-isolation-031620.pdf
  31. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/quarantine-at-home-coping-tips
  32. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/quarantine-at-home-coping-tips

How to Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 09:00 AM PDT

Fiddle leaf figs are a relatively low maintenance plant that can add some natural, tropical vibes to your home. While you don't need to do a lot of pruning for this plant, you may want to trim away any severely damaged or unwanted leaves. You can also use pruning as a way to make your foliage denser in the long run.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Monitoring and Removing the Leaves

  1. Examine the leaves to determine what the plant needs to grow. Look over the plant to see if you notice any brown, yellow, or red spots on your leaves, as these are all signs that your fiddle leaf fig plant isn't as healthy as it could be. Try to check on your plant on a regular or weekly basis so you can take action efficiently.[1]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 1.jpg
    • Red markings on fiddle leaf fig leaves mean that the plant is drinking up too much water at a fast pace. Thankfully, these marks will slowly fade as the plant continues to grow.
    • If your leaves look yellow, it means that your plant is overwatered. Try cutting on back on the amount of water you give your plant each week and see if you notice a difference.
    • If you see any brown spots, it usually means that your plant is getting too much direct sunlight. Adjust the position of your plant and see if you notice a positive difference!
  2. Trim off any damaged leaves with shears. Cut off damaged leaves at the base of the connecting stem. Specifically, focus on any leaves that look brown or black throughout.[2]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 2.jpg
    • You can also remove leaves to alter the overall shape of your fig tree. For instance, you could cut off a few leaves at the base of the plant so the foliage resembles a tree.
  3. Don't remove more than 10 leaves from your plant at a time. Limit yourself to trimming a small handful of leaves from your plant. If you remove too many at once, you might shock or potentially damage your fig plant in the long run. Once the plant develops more leafy foliage, you can remove a few more leaves.[3]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 3.jpg
    • Wait until the fiddle leaf fig plant sprouts more leaves on top before you prune any more from the base of the plant.

[Edit]Encouraging the Plant to Branch

  1. Wait until your fig plant is tall. Starting from the base of the plant, use a measuring tape to check the exact height of your fiddle leaf fern. If your plant is less than tall, wait several weeks or months until the plant has grown more.[4]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 4.jpg
    • You don't want to prune the plant's branches until the fig tree is well-established.
  2. Choose an upper section of the tree to trim. Find a section along the top of your fig plant that's especially leafy or causing the entire tree to tilt to 1 side. Pick a small or large section, depending on how you want your tree to look in the long run.[5]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 5.jpg
    • For instance, if you're trimming the top of your tree, you could cut from the top of the tree.
    • You can cut off large branches to use for propagation purposes.
  3. Cut the branch with sharp, sanitized pruning shears. Place your shears on the section of branch that you'd like to cut, then apply a lot of pressure on the handle. Try to remove the branch in 1 go so your tree can look as smooth as possible.[6]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 6.jpg
    • Cut the wood at a 45-degree angle if you want to propagate the branch into a new tree.
    • In several weeks, you may notice new shoots beginning to grow from the cut, which will eventually make your tree look fuller.[7]
  4. Leave your plant in a place with lots of indirect sunlight. Position your plant by a north- or east-facing window, which will give the fiddle leaf fig a consistent amount of rays with burning or drying it out. If you notice any pale looking leaves or see any brown spots on your plant, then you might need to move your fiddle leaf fig to a new location.[8]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 7.jpg
    • South- and west-facing windows will provide your plant with too much direct light.
  5. Nourish your fig with about of water each week. Check the top layer of soil to make sure that it's moist.[9] Ideally, make sure that the top of soil are drenched, which will allow the plant to become strong and healthy.[10]
    Prune Fiddle Leaf Fig Step 8.jpg
    • To check the soil, insert your fingers into the plant's pot to see if any dirt sticks to your skin. If the soil looks dark and tends to stick, you likely don't need to water your plant.[11]
    • Leave any extra water in the drainage tray for about 15-30 minutes, then blot it away.[12]

[Edit]Things You'll Need

[Edit]Monitoring and Removing the Leaves

  • Pruning shears

[Edit]Encouraging the Plant to Branch

  • Pruning shears
  • Water

[Edit]References

How to Introduce Books to Toddlers

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 01:00 AM PDT

Books are an exciting and engaging way for toddlers to develop literacy skills and explore their own imaginations. While it may be daunting to take that first step with your young one, you may find it easier than you expect to start reading with your child on a regular basis. Set aside a little time each day to introduce books to your toddler—you may be pleasantly surprised at how much they learn and grow from the experience!

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Creating a Reading Routine

  1. Pick a few times each day to read with your child. Think about your daily schedule and consider when you and your toddler have the most free time. Depending on your plans for the day, you might want to set aside some before bed or nap time, when your child is more likely to be relaxed and willing to listen.[1] You could also read your child a story before dropping them off at daycare or preschool.[2]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 1.jpg
    • Above all, story time should be a time for you to bond and grow closer with your toddler.
  2. Dedicate about 5-10 minutes to reading so your toddler isn't bored. Cater to your child's attention span, which is very short. Don't be disappointed if you don't get through an entire story—instead, go page by page. If you can tell that your toddler is no longer interested in the book, you can set it aside for later.[3]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 2.jpg
    • Since toddlers get bored easily, it helps to have story time multiple times each day.
  3. Choose short, engaging books that are filled with pictures. Look for sturdy picture books designed with flaps and fun materials. Think about some things your toddler likes a lot, and pick out books that cater to their interests. The more interested your child is, the more invested they'll be in reading with you![4]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 3.jpg
    • Purchase a few board books, which can put up with a toddler's wear and tear.
    • Your child will be really interested in books with sliding pages or liftable flaps.
  4. Opt for books with fun textures and materials. Look for stories with flaps, sliding pages, soft materials, and other interactive features. Encourage your child to open the flaps and interact with the pages as much as possible. If the book has textured surfaces, invite your child to touch and explore the story.[5]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 4.jpg
    • Cloth books are a great option for this! If you're on-the-go, like in a grocery store, you can tie these books to the shopping cart for easy reading.[6]
    • Paper pages are more prone to ripping, and might not be a great option for your child.
  5. Invite your child to pick the book that you'll read together. Dedicate a basket or other container to your toddler's books. Keep the books at ground level, so your child can peruse through them. When story time comes around, ask the toddler to pick a book for you both to read.[7]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 5.jpg
    • Your child will feel more involved and engaged if they get to pick out the story.
  6. Encourage your child to be comfortable during story time. Don't force your toddler to sit through the entire story. If they'd prefer to run or prance around, let them go free! Continue reading the story as you usually do, and trust that your child is listening.[8]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 6.jpg
    • Some children learn and engage better when they're being active. It doesn't mean that they're not interested in reading or spending time with you, though.
  7. Bring books with you when you go out and about. Plan ahead before grocery trips and doctor's appointments, choosing books to read later on. When you're standing in the check-out line or waiting for the doctor to see you, pull out a book and start reading. You may also want to keep a few books stashed in the car, just in case.[9]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 7.jpg
    • This can help prevent your child from feeling bored.
  8. Reread your child's favorites if they request it. Don't discourage your children from reading the same books. Instead, use the repetition as an opportunity for the child to memorize certain portions of the book, which can make story time more engaging in the future.[10]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 8.jpg
    • If your toddler becomes familiar enough with a story, you can encourage them to read the book to you!
  9. Visit your local library on a regular basis. Find the children or toddler's section of the building, where there will likely be a lot of board games, puzzles, and other fun activities. Remind your toddler to use an "inside" voice whenever you're at the library, and supervise them to ensure that they don't rip or damage any books.[11]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 9.jpg
    • Since a library might be a little overwhelming to your child, take some time to show them a bookcase in your own home. Explain that a library has many bookcases, and many books to choose from.
    • Some libraries may host a story time for young children. If your library does this, consider registering with your toddler!

[Edit]Involving Your Toddler

  1. Show the cover illustration to your toddler. Once you and your child are situated, hold up the book so the toddler can look at the story. Ask them to describe what's on the cover, and see if they can predict what the story will discuss.[12]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 10.jpg
    • If you're reading with a younger child, like a 2-year old, they may only be able to give simple answers.
  2. Switch out the main character's name with your child's. Scan over the first few lines of the story to see who the main character is. To keep your child extra engaged, switch out the character's name or pronoun with your child's name. Continue replacing the name throughout the story, and encourage your child to play along![13]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 11.jpg
    • For instance, if the story says something like "A girl went to the park with her dog," you could switch it out with "Josie went to the park with her dog."
  3. Encourage your child to look at and discuss the pictures. As you go through the story, take some time to "read," or describe, the pictures to your child. If your child is feeling creative and independent, invite them to "describe" the pictures on each page.[14]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 12.jpg
    • For instance, you can point at a picture and say something like: "The dog is running through a mud puddle."
  4. Point to the words so your toddler can follow along. Hold the book wide open as you read so your child can see all the words and pictures. As you read, drag a finger along each sentence. Go slowly, so your toddler can begin understanding which words are which.[15]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 13.jpg
    • If your child is older, you can encourage them to point at the words as you read.
  5. Invite your child to turn the pages of the book. As you go through the story, let your toddler know when it's time to turn the page. If your child is unsure of what to do, show them how to flip the page before letting them try on their own.[16]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 14.jpg
    • Even if they're not reading aloud, turning the pages will give the toddler an active role in the story.
  6. Ask your child questions to keep them engaged. Think of simple, fun questions that connect to the words and pictures in the story. Listen to what your child says in response, and try to have a mini conversation with them. As you read, keep an ear open for any questions your child might have about the story.[17]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 15.jpg
    • Curiosity is a great quality for kids to have. Try to encourage your kids to ask questions!

[Edit]Making Books Fun

  1. Use funny voices to make the story more engaging. Think creatively as you go through the story, and come up with funny, over-the-top voices that will make your child laugh. Try different imitations, like a gruff, raspy voice or a high-pitched voice, to keep your toddler as interested as possible.[18]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 16.jpg
    • Funny voices can help make the story come alive to your toddler.
    • Try to make each character's voice distinct so your child can tell the difference.
  2. Make parallels between the toddler and the story. Look for connections in your child's life and the plot of the story. Mention any places or objects that your toddler can relate to, like a school, a house, or a toy. Use these connections to ask your child fun, engaging questions throughout the story.[19]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 17.jpg
    • For instance, if the story mentions a dog or cat, remind the child of any pets that they have.
    • You could say something like: "Look! Here's a school. Do you go to school?"
  3. Invite your child to narrate the book. If your child is old enough, see if they're comfortable enough to repeat or read the story on their own. Don't be discouraged if your toddler isn't interested in this—it might take awhile before they're interested in actively reading the book on their own.[20]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 18.jpg
    • Many toddlers tend to memorize books, which allows them to lead story time.
  4. Keep your toddler interested with rhymes and chants. Look for books that include a lot of easy rhyming words. Once you've read through a rhyme, encourage your toddler to follow along and repeat after you.[21]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 19.jpg
    • For instance, a sentence like "The fox was in the box" could be a fun speaking exercise for your child.
  5. Create new stories with your child to expand their imagination. Set the books aside and invite your toddler to explore their own interests. Use these interests to craft your own stories, and encourage your child to add in their own ideas.[22]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 20.jpg
    • For instance, if you and your child read a story about race cars, you could create your own nonsensical story about racing dinosaurs.
  6. Give your child crayons and paper so they can practice writing words. Encourage your toddler to write some of the words from their favorite story. Don't worry if they don't spell all the words right—just provide reassurance and praise as they have fun writing with crayons.[23]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 21.jpg
  7. Sing fun songs about the pictures in different books. Come up with a nonsensical tune or ditty that your child can sing along with. Make your song super simple and include basic pictures and words that you've discussed in the story so far. After creating a fun song, encourage your child to sing along with you![24]
    Introduce Books to Toddlers Step 22.jpg
    • Clapping is another great way to get toddlers engaged and involved. If you start singing a song, encourage your toddler to clap along.

[Edit]Tips

  • Always speak slowly when you're reading to your child. If you go too fast, the toddler won't understand or follow along with what you're saying.[25]

[Edit]References

  1. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  2. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  3. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  4. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-tips-parents-toddlers
  5. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  6. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  7. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  8. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  9. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  10. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  11. https://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/kids-day-out/going-to-the-library.aspx
  12. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  13. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  14. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  15. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  16. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  17. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  18. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  19. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  20. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  21. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/reading-tips-parents-toddlers
  22. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/304-how-to-introduce-toddlers-and-babies-to-books
  23. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  24. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html
  25. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/reading-toddler.html

How to Do Ombre Nails

Posted: 02 Apr 2020 05:00 PM PDT

Ombré nails (just like ombré hair) are a type of manicure in which a color gradient is created. A light color on the top of the nail gradually blends into a darker color toward the tip. Getting the perfect ombré effect can take time and practice, but there's a lot of room for originality to make your ombré effect unique.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Creating The Sponge Ombré

  1. Clean up your nails. Use a cotton ball lightly soaked in nail polish remover to remove any nail polish currently on your nails. Gently trim your nails with nail clippers until your nails are at your desired length.[1] Then use a nail file to smooth out rough edges and shape your nails.
    Do Ombre Nails Step 1 Version 3.jpg
    • You can also push back your cuticles using a rounded manicure stick.[2] This will help elongate your nail beds, so your nails look longer.
    • Alternatively, you can push back your cuticles using your thumbnail on your opposite hand.
  2. Apply a clear base coat. Paint on a thin, clear, base coat to all of your nails. A clear base coat protects your nails from getting stained by colored polishes and helps extend your manicure by decreasing the prevalence of chips in your nail polish.[3]

  3. Apply your base color coat. With ombré nails, your base color is usually a white polish or the lightest color you plan to use for the ombré effect. A white polish will help colors seem more vibrant, but using the lightest of your planned ombré polishes will give a softer, more subtle ombré effect.[4][5] Paint this background color on all of your nails.
    Do Ombre Nails Step 3 Version 3.jpg
    • For an opaque base, paint two coats of your base color. Allow the first coat to dry completely before adding the second coat.
    • To help your nails dry faster, it's better to paint two thin coats of polish rather than one, thick and heavy coat of polish.
  4. Paint your ombré colors onto a makeup sponge. Paint your ombré colors in straight, horizontal lines side-by-side across a small makeup sponge.[6] The area of the sponge you paint should relatively be the same width as your nail. Start by painting a line across the width of the sponge with the lightest color of nail polish. Then paint with the next darkest color underneath the first color. Finally, paint the darkest color of polish underneath the second line of polish. Be sure that all the colors are painted right next to each other with no exposed sponge between the colors.[7] Paint a couple coats of polish onto the sponge for each color so the polish is wet enough to stamp onto your nail.

    • Normally, two or three colors are used to create the ombré effect, but you can experiment with different colors and combinations to see what you like best.
    • It may help to dip the makeup sponge in water first before painting on the colors. Dip the makeup sponge into water. Wring out the sponge until approximately 80% of the water is removed.[8] Then paint on the nail polish colors.
    • Dipping the sponge in water will prevent the sponge from absorbing too much polish and having the polish dry up too quickly on the sponge.[9]
  5. Stamp the polish onto your nails. Stamp the polish onto your nail by pressing the sponge (with the polish side down) on top of you nail repeatedly, lifting the sponge away every couple of stamps to check and see if the ombré is dark enough and to your liking.[10]

  6. Roll the polish onto your nails. Roll the polish onto your nails by placing the side edge of the sponge next to the side of your nail. Slowly roll the sponge (with the polish side down) over your nail to the other side of your nail.[11] Do this repeatedly to darken the polish colors and increase the ombré effect.

    • This process will transfer some nail polish onto your skin surrounding your nails. To prevent this you can edge the skin around your nails with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or place tape on the skin surrounding your nails.[12][13] Otherwise; you can use nail polish remover to clean the sides of your nails later.
    • There is a lot of freedom with how you transfer the paint to your nail. You can adjust the placement of the sponge (stamping vertically on the length of your nail, tilting the sponge to specifically stamp on a certain color) to make your ombré effect unique and original.[14]
  7. Reload the sponge. When you have finished the ombré effect on one nail, reload the polish onto the sponge, so the ombré colors remain wet and vibrant. Paint the nail polish colors in the same fashion as before, lining the sponge with the lightest color and moving down to the darkest. Make sure all the polish colors are side-by-side touching each other.[15]

    • Keep in mind, if you try to ombré you nails with a sponge that isn't damp enough with polish, the dry sponge can actually pull off your base color coat and ruin your polish.[16]
    • If you stamp or roll your nails quickly, you most likely only need to add polish to the sponge for every other nail.[17]
  8. Apply a topcoat. Once you have given all of your nails adequate time to dry (about 10-15 minutes), add a top coat of clear polish to your nails. You might want to consider doing two coats of a top coat to smooth out your nails, since the sponging makes the surface of your nail a little stippled and bumpy.[18]

  9. Clean up the skin around your nails. Use a small paintbrush or Q-Tip dipped in nail polish remover to swipe along the edges and cuticles of your nails.[19]

    • The cotton on the Q-Tip will help rub off polish on the skin, whereas the paintbrush can be more exact in removing excess nail polish.

[Edit]Creating The Glitter Ombré

  1. Clean up your nails. Whenever you paint your nails, you want to have a nice, clean canvas. Remove any remaining nail polish currently on your nails with a cotton ball lightly soaked in nail polish remover. Cut your nails down to your desired length using nail clippers.[20] File down your nails even more if you want them shorter, and smooth out the sharp corners of your nail.
    • Consider pushing back your cuticles with a manicure stick to expose a bit more of your nail bed.[21] You can also use your thumbnail from your other hand to push back your cuticles if you don't have a manicure stick.
  2. Apply a clear base coat. Paint on a clear base coat to protect your nails from being stained by the color in colored nail polishes.[22] A clear base helps to extend your manicure by making chips in the polish less prevalent.
    • Allow your clear base coat to dry about 5-10 minutes before applying any more nail polish.
  3. Apply your base color coat. Paint all of your nails with your base color. Your base color can be whatever color you want; it's really up to you. To get a solid base, consider painting on two lighter coats of polish as opposed to one, thick and heavy coat.[23] Wait a few minutes in between coats (about 5-10 minutes), so the polish has a chance to dry completely.
    • Two light coats of polish will increase the opacity of the color without making the layers of polish gooey.
  4. Add your first coat of glitter. Unscrew the brush from the bottle, and wipe the sides of the brush on the inside neck of the bottle to remove most of the glitter polish. You want tiny glitter on the brush for your first coat of glitter.[24] Paint over your entire nail, making sure that the top portion of your nail near your cuticle is barely speckled with glitter. The bottom portion of your nail can have a bit more glitter since it will be layered with glitter anyhow.[25]
    • Allow this first layer of glitter to dry for at least five minutes.
  5. Paint your second coat of glitter. Wipe off the brush a little less this time, so there is a little more glitter on the brush. Paint the lower half of your nail, focusing on applying more glitter toward the end tip of your nail.[26] Allow your nails at least ten minutes to dry completely.
    Do Ombre Nails Step 11 Version 2.jpg
    • Obviously, you can make the bottom half of your nail as glittery as you would like. Just be sure the ombré glitter gradient transitions from thin to thick, smoothly.
    • You can always add another coat of glitter to the bottom 1/3 or 1/4 of your nail, but then you run the risk of having a very wet nail (full of layers of polish). A wet nail heavy with polish will take a long time to dry.
    • Experiment to see what you think looks best and works well regarding drying time.
  6. Add a clear topcoat. Paint on a clear topcoat to seal your nails and smooth out your nail surface.[27]
    Do Ombre Nails Step 11 Version 2.jpg
    • You may consider adding two thin coats of your top coat, only because the glitter can make the surface of your nail quite bumpy. You want all the glitter to be covered, so the glitter doesn't get caught on any clothing or scratches your skin.

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Tips

  • Paint your thumb nails last. By painting your thumbnails at the end, you can use them to clean up any mistakes around your cuticles on the opposite hand. Remove any excess nail polish on your thumbs with polish remover before painting them.
  • If you use petroleum jelly around your nails to keep the polish off your skin, be careful not to get any on your nail because the polish won't stick.

[Edit]References



[Edit]Quick Summary

  1. http://jezebel.com/5897838/how-to-master-the-art-of-ombre-nails
  2. http://jezebel.com/5897838/how-to-master-the-art-of-ombre-nails
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MZ6K6VlK4
  4. http://www.twistmepretty.com/2014/06/how-to-ombre-nail-art.html
  5. http://www.glamour.com/lipstick/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2012/05/gradient-nails-picture-tutoria
  6. http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/974511/how-to-create-an-ombre-nail-design
  7. http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/974511/how-to-create-an-ombre-nail-design
  8. http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/04/pretty-polish-idea/
  9. http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/04/pretty-polish-idea/
  10. http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/974511/how-to-create-an-ombre-nail-design
  11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hplf6IeWiZg
  12. http://www.twistmepretty.com/2014/06/how-to-ombre-nail-art.html
  13. http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/974511/how-to-create-an-ombre-nail-design
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hplf6IeWiZg
  15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hplf6IeWiZg
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hplf6IeWiZg
  17. http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/04/pretty-polish-idea/
  18. http://www.glamour.com/lipstick/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2012/05/gradient-nails-picture-tutoria
  19. http://www.glamour.com/lipstick/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/2012/05/gradient-nails-picture-tutoria
  20. http://jezebel.com/5897838/how-to-master-the-art-of-ombre-nails
  21. http://jezebel.com/5897838/how-to-master-the-art-of-ombre-nails
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MZ6K6VlK4
  23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MZ6K6VlK4
  24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0MZ6K6VlK4
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0InTLcmifY
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0InTLcmifY
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0InTLcmifY

Today Crunch News, News Updates, Tech News

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:37 PM PDT

Today Crunch News, News Updates, Tech News


Before suing NSO Group, Facebook allegedly sought their software to better spy on users

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 04:37 PM PDT

Facebook’s WhatsApp is in the midst of a lawsuit against Israeli mobile surveillance outfit NSO Group. But before complaining about the company’s methods, Facebook seems to have wanted to use them for its own purposes, according to testimony from NSO founder Shalev Hulio.

Last year brought news of an exploit that could be used to install one of NSO’s spyware packages, Pegasus, on devices using WhatsApp. The latter sued the former over it, saying that over a hundred human rights activists, journalists and others were targeted using the method.

Last year also saw Facebook finally shut down Onavo, the VPN app it purchased in 2013 and developed into a backdoor method of collecting all manner of data about its users — but not as much as they’d have liked, according to Hulio. In a document filed with the court yesterday he states that Facebook in 2017 asked NSO Group for help collecting data on iOS devices resistant to the usual tricks:

In October 2017, NSO was approached by two Facebook representatives who asked to purchase the right to use certain capabilities of Pegasus, the same NSO software discussed in Plaintiffs’ Complaint.

The Facebook representatives stated that Facebook was concerned that its method for gathering user data through Onavo Protect was less effective on Apple devices than on Android devices. The Facebook representatives also stated that Facebook wanted to use purported capabilities of Pegasus to monitor users on Apple devices and were willing to pay for the ability to monitor Onavo Protect users. Facebook proposed to pay NSO a monthly fee for each Onavo Protect user.

NSO declined, as it claims to only provide its software to governments for law enforcement purposes. But there is a certain irony to Facebook wanting to employ against its users the very software it would later decry being employed against its users. (WhatsApp maintains some independence from its parent company but these events come well after the purchase by and organizational integration into Facebook.)

A Facebook representative did not dispute that representatives from the company approached NSO Group at the time, but said the testimony was an attempt to “distract from the facts” and contained “inaccurate representations about both their spyware and a discussion with people who work at Facebook.” We can presumably expect a fuller rebuttal in the company’s own filings soon.

Facebook and WhatsApp are, quite correctly, concerned that effective, secret intrusion methods like those developed and sold by NSO Group are dangerous in the wrong hands — as demonstrated by the targeting of activists and journalists, and potentially even Jeff Bezos. But however reasonable Facebook’s concerns are, the company’s status as the world’s most notorious collector and peddler of private information makes its righteous stance hard to take seriously.

As tech layoffs surge, some support emerges for those without a job

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 04:04 PM PDT

The massive surge of COVID-19-related layoffs has put tech in a unique position. While the startup world is facing layoffs itself, it is also trying to help get people back to work.

Back at the end of 2019, the SoftBank-backed belt-tightening period led to a flurry of crowdsourced spreadsheets with employee names from companies like Oyo, WeWork, Zume and more. The spreadsheets popped up as a bet on the network effect, with the ultimate goal of hoping the sheets land in the hands of a recruiter looking to hire one of hundreds laid off. Now, as COVID-19 cripples the economy, layoffs have surged dramatically past that one period.

On one end, we've reported on numbers of tech companies cutting staff, from Oyo, to ZipRecruiter, to TripActions. But on the other, brighter end, we've also seen the rise of platforms to connect those laid off and pledges from employers to not fire any employees during this trying time.

In a world where people are laid off on Zoom, tech's efforts to give community, and a course of action, to those laid off is undeniably important.

The current climate of the pandemic, and the massive unemployment that has resulted, means that a spreadsheet with a long list of employee names and unverified contact information doesn't cut it.

Shannon Anderson, the director of talent at Madrona Venture Group in Seattle, saw her firm's portfolio companies struggling with layoffs and the changing economy. Two of the  portfolio companies, Textio and Rover, laid off staff, along with a number of other companies.

"We wanted to anticipate a reduction in force across the ecosystem," said Anderson. "It's a global problem."

So, to help boost the network of those laid off, Anderson reached out to a number of HR leaders, including Chris Brownridge, the founder of Silver Lining, a job platform for those who have been laid off. He started Silver Lining after he shut down his startup last summer and had to lay off his staff of 20.

"I felt the pain [of layoffs] from the employer side, and it is painful for the employer, especially when you care about [your workers]," he said back in January. "I don't want to keep seeing spreadsheets thrown around; I think that is not the right answer. We need a standardized way to deal with it, with a community behind it."

Silver Lining is a platform that lets candidates submit profiles for recruiters from top companies to review. Job seekers on the site range from architects, UX designers, engineers, community managers and more.

Then COVID-19 spread across the world, forcing people to stay home and spend less. The economy's downturn unevenly impacted companies around the world: where layoffs exist for the travel sector, usage surges exist for the remote work companies. But as a whole, the labor force is struggling, with 6.6 million Americans filing for unemployment just last week alone.

Madrona said it is donating a portion of its budget to help Silver Lining offer more services to those laid off. The firm declined to share the total amount of the donation.

Silver Lining will also now offer coaching, resume writing and emotional support to folks on the platform, Brownridge says. Thanks to donations from Madrona, Skytap, Bandwidth, Voodle, Female Founders Alliance and more, the site is free to use.

The uptick in layoffs has led Boston-based Drafted, a referral startup, to launch a product called the Layoff Network to help those who have been laid off. The startup previously was sending out a newsletter, Layoff List, of weekly list of layoffs with spreadsheets hyperlinked. During the SoftBank layoffs, Olivia Clark, the creator of the newsletter, noticed a surge in traffic — more than 1,000 recruiters subscribed.

Now she says traffic is "up 2,000%" and, in just two weeks, Drafted's engineering team has productized that newsletter into a job search network.

The Layoff Network connects with recruiters people who have been recommended by their colleagues and "endorsed" for their skills. If you're laid off, you can sign up and create a profile and ask a previous employer or colleague to recommend you. Clark says this is similar to LinkedIn's "endorse" feature to make sure the people are credible.

Once the person has been endorsed, they will be added to a talent feed. That is where recruiters can search for nominees, job titles, companies or locations. Unlike a spreadsheet, this is clearly easier to navigate and adds another layer of human touch.

Clark says that the platform will be free for individuals who have been laid off, and who are recruiting or hiring. Drafted has a paid enterprise level that is for organizations that are conducting mass layoffs and want to provide support for former employees.

 

The grassroots efforts are vast and diverse. Here’s a list that posts companies that are actively hiring. Here’s a list for Canadian tech workers, and one for Colorado’s tech scene. And here’s a live tracker of startups that have issued layoffs, started by the team over at Human Interest, a startup that has nothing to do with layoffs.

Megan Murphy, who created Chicago Superstars for those laid off from the Chicago tech scene, has not received donations or support yet. As the number of unemployed people increases, Murphy says she's noticing a lack of clarity on which companies are hiring, and which job postings are still active. If a company was hiring for a position in January, it might not be anymore (to help keep costs down).

"I can't waste time crafting cover letters and custom resumes for jobs that won't actually move forward," she said. "There are tons of crowdsourced tools trying to flag who's actually hiring still, while others are trying to flag who's instituted a hiring freeze or laid people off, and in the meantime, company career pages aren't up to date. We need one source of truth — and right now nobody's really set up to do that."

For now, Murphy says she’s getting creative in her own search, and asking for others to do the same. "Virtual communities and experiences are about to be more important than ever." She notes guerrilla Slack channels and Reddit as an example of organic communication.

As for how she's able to keep up with the demand of people needing help for their next job? Murphy, who is looking for a job herself after getting laid off, says she has fewer interviews from potential employers, so she's been able to help those reaching out.

The work done by these entrepreneurs scratches at the same hope that lies within the hundreds of lines of contact information within a crowdsourced layoff spreadsheet: a need for a community in a trying time. And these days, more than most, remind us of the power of having a group of people together in the first place.

Zelos is like a cross-game battle pass, rewarding you for completing challenges in games you already play

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:36 PM PDT

People seem to love the concept of the battle pass.

Largely popularized by Fortnite, battle passes reward players for playing well, and playing often. The better you do, the more XP you earn; the more XP you earn, the more stuff (new looks for your character, or victory dances to fire off at the end of a gunfight) you unlock. Willing to cough up a few bucks for an optional “premium” battle pass? That’ll open up a whole new set of rewards. The model has made its way into countless games over the last couple of years, from PUBG to Rocket League.

Zelos, an LA-based company out of Y Combinator’s Winter 2020 batch, is aiming to make that same concept work across multiple games. Tackle challenges in one game, earn rewards for another — or use your points to buy new games altogether.

Each day, Zelos offers up a handful of challenges across each of the games it supports, like dealing 10,000 damage in League of Legends or getting five kills with Wraith in Apex. Completing a challenge earns you “zips”; most challenges I’ve seen will earn the player somewhere between 15 and 150 zips, depending on how tough it is to pull off.

Once you’ve pooled up a pile of zips, they can be redeemed for all sorts of virtual goodies. The more something would cost otherwise, the more zips it’ll require. For example, 60,000 zips gets you a $5 Steam gift card — or 90,000 zips for $10 worth of Apex Coins. Once you get into the 50,000-200,000 zip range, you can redeem them for digital download codes for games like Rainbow Six Siege, Monster Hunter: World and Tabletop Simulator. Getting the good stuff can mean completing a lot of challenges, but remember: these are games people are playing anyway.

In addition to zips, each challenge earns the player a bit of EXP. EXP levels up your Zelos profile; with each level, you unlock a bundle of zips, additional challenges and items for your Zelos avatar.

Zelos is currently issuing challenges and tracking stats across seven games: Fortnite, Apex, League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, DOTA 2, Counter Strike: GO and Clash Royale. Stat tracking works a bit better in some games than it does in others, depending on how open a game’s developers are with the data. With League of Legends, for example, they’re able to ping Riot Games’ dedicated API for a rich backlog of match data; with Apex, on the other hand, they’re limited to pulling stats based on a handful of unlockable trackers players can flip on between matches.

Zelos co-founder Jeffrey Tong tells me they’re focused on ensuring they stay above board with the data they pull, making sure they comply with each provider’s ToS. That makes sense, of course: Getting on a developer’s bad side could mean losing access to the data firehouse, in turn squashing Zelos’ ability to support a game. The more popular games Zelos can support, the better the whole idea works.

So if they’re giving stuff away based on challenges in games they themselves aren’t selling… how will they make money? The same way the aforementioned games do: a premium battle pass. Tong tells me that they’re currently testing a subscription-based battle pass that’ll unlock new challenges, award more prizes and increase the rate at which points are earned.

This isn’t Tong’s first foray into the gaming space; he previously built and sold OverStats, an analytics system for tracking a player’s esports stats over time. Co-founder Derek Chiang, meanwhile, was previously a senior software engineer at the decentralized computing company Dfinity.

Tong tells me they raised $2.8 million in the days after YC demo day, eyeing expansion of the platform, supported games and their team. The Zelos team is currently three people, with plans to hire another “six or seven” in the coming weeks. They’re currently seeing more than 50,000 weekly active users, with 55% of their users playing two or more games on the platform.

ZmURL customizes Zoom link previews with images & event sites

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:18 PM PDT

Sick of sharing those generic Zoom video call invites that all look the same? Wish your Zoom link preview’s headline and image actually described your meeting? Want to protect your Zoom calls from trolls by making attendees RSVP to get your link? ZmURL.com has you covered.

Launching today, ZmURL is a free tool that lets you customize your Zoom video call invite URL with a title, explanation, and image that will show up when you share the link on Twitter, Facebook, or elsewhere. zmurl also lets you require that attendees RSVP by entering their email address so can decide who to approve and provide with the actual entry link. That could stop Zoombombers from harassing your call with offensive screenshared imagery, profanity, or worse.

“We built zmurl.com to make it easier for people to stay physically distant but socially close” co-founder Victor Pontis tells me. “We’re hoping to give event organizers the tools to preserve in-person communities while we are all under quarantine.”

Zoom wasn’t built for open public discussions. But with people trapped inside by coronavirus, its daily user count has spiked from 10 million to 200 million. That’s led to new use cases from cocktail parties to roundtable discussions to AA meetings to school classes.

That’s unfortunately spawned new problems like “Zoombombing”, a term I coined two weeks ago to describe malicious actors tracking down public Zoom calls and bombarding them with abuse. Since then, the FBI has issued a warning about Zoombombing, the New York Times has written multiple articles about the issue, and Zoom’s CEO Eric Yuan has apologized.

Yet Zoom has been slow to adapt it features as it struggles not to buckle under its sudden scale. While it’s turned on waiting rooms and host-only screensharing by default for usage in schools, most people are still vulnerable due to Zoom’s permissive settings and reused URLs that were designed for only trusted enterprise meetings. Only today did Zoom concede to shifting the balance further from convenience to safety, turning on waiting rooms by default and requiring passwords for entry by Meeting ID.

Meanwhile, social networks have become a sea of indistinguishable Zoom links that all show the same blue and white logo in the preview with no information on what the call is about. That makes it a lot tougher to promote calls, which many musicians, fitness instructors, and event producers are relying on to drive donations or payments while their work is disrupted by quarantines.

ZmURL’s founders during their only in-person meeting ever

Luckily, Pontis and his co-founder Danqing Liu are here to help with zmurl. The two software engineers fittingly met over Zoom a year ago and have only met once in person. Pontis, now in San Francisco, had started bike and scooter rental software companies Spring and Scooter Map. Liu, from Beijing but now holed up in New York, had spent five years at Google, Uber, and PlanGrid before selling his machine learning tool TinyMind.

The idea for ZmURL stemmed from Liu missing multiple Zoom events he’d wanted to attend. Then a friend of Pontis was laid off from their yoga instructor job, and they and their colleagues were scrambling to market and earn money from hosting their own classes over Zoom. The duo quickly built a beta with zero money raised and tested it with some yoga gurus who found it simplified promoting events and gathering RSVPs. “We’re all going through a tough time right now. We see zmurl as our opportunity to help” Pontis tells me.

To use the tool, you generate a generic meeting link from Zoom like zoom.us/ji/1231231232 and then punch it into ZmURL. You can upload an image or choose from stock photos and color gradients. Then you name you event, give it a description, and set the time and date. You’ll get a shorter URL like https://zmurl.com/smy5m or you can give it a custom one like zmurl.com/quidditch.

When you share that URL, it’ll show your image, headline, and description in the link preview on chat apps, social networks and more. Attendees who click will be shown a nicely rendered event page with the link to enter the Zoom call and the option to add it to their calendar. You can try it out here, zmurl.com/aloha, as the startup is hosting a happy hour today at 6pm Pacific.

Optionally, you can set your ZmURL calls to require an RSVP. In that case, people who click your link have to submit their email address. The host can then sift through the RSVPs and choose who to email back the link to join the call. If you see an RSVP from someone you don’t recognize, just ignore it to keep Zoombombers from slipping inside.

Surprisingly, there doesn’t seem to be any other tools for customizing Zoom call links. Zoom paid enterprise customers can only set up a image and logo-equipped landing page for their whole company’s Zoom account, not for specific calls. For now, ZmURL is completely free. But the co-founders are building out an option for hosting paid events that collect entry fees on the RSVP site while ZmURL takes a 5% cut.

Next, ZmURL wants to add the ability to link your Zoom account to its site so you can spawn call links without leaving. It’s also building out always-on call rooms, recurring events, organizer home pages for promoting all their calls, an option to add events to a public directory, email marketing tools, and integrations with other video call platforms like Hangouts, Skype, and FaceTime.

Pontis says the biggest challenge will be learning to translate more of the magic and business potential off offline events into the world of video calling. There’s also the risk that Zoom will try to intercede and force ZmURL to desist. But it shouldn’t, at least until Zoom builds all these features itself. Or it should just acquire ZmURL.

We’re dealing with an unprecedented behavior shift due to shelter-in-place orders that threaten to cripple the world economy and drive many of us crazy. Whether for fostering human connection or keeping event businesses afloat, Zoom has become a critical utility. It should accept all the help it can get.

Google research makes for an effortless robotic dog trot

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:08 PM PDT

As capable as robots are, the original animals after which they tend to be designed are always much, much better. That’s partly because it’s difficult to learn how to walk like a dog directly from a dog — but this research from Google’s AI labs make it considerably easier.

The goal of this research, a collaboration with UC Berkeley, was to find a way to efficiently and automatically transfer “agile behaviors” like a light-footed trot or spin from their source (a good dog) to a quadrupedal robot. This sort of thing has been done before, but as the researchers’ blog post points out, the established training process can often “require a great deal of expert insight, and often involves a lengthy reward tuning process for each desired skill.”

That doesn’t scale well, naturally, but that manual tuning is necessary to make sure the animal’s movements are approximated well by the robot. Even a very doglike robot isn’t actually a dog, and the way a dog moves may not be exactly the way the robot should, leading the latter to fall down, lock up or otherwise fail.

The Google AI project addresses this by adding a bit of controlled chaos to the normal order of things. Ordinarily, the dog’s motions would be captured and key points like feet and joints would be carefully tracked. These points would be approximated to the robot’s in a digital simulation, where a virtual version of the robot attempts to imitate the motions of the dog with its own, learning as it goes.

So far, so good, but the real problem comes when you try to use the results of that simulation to control an actual robot. The real world isn’t a 2D plane with idealized friction rules and all that. Unfortunately, that means that uncorrected simulation-based gaits tend to walk a robot right into the ground.

To prevent this, the researchers introduced an element of randomness to the physical parameters used in the simulation, making the virtual robot weigh more, or have weaker motors, or experience greater friction with the ground. This made the machine learning model describing how to walk have to account for all kinds of small variances and the complications they create down the line — and how to counteract them.

Learning to accommodate for that randomness made the learned walking method far more robust in the real world, leading to a passable imitation of the target dog walk, and even more complicated moves like turns and spins, without any manual intervention and only a little extra virtual training.

Naturally manual tweaking could still be added to the mix if desired, but as it stands this is a large improvement over what could previously be done totally automatically.

In another research project described in the same post, another set of researchers describe a robot teaching itself to walk on its own, but imbued with the intelligence to avoid walking outside its designated area and to pick itself up when it falls. With those basic skills baked in, the robot was able to amble around its training area continuously with no human intervention, learning quite respectable locomotion skills.

The paper on learning agile behaviors from animals can be read here, while the one on robots learning to walk on their own (a collaboration with Berkeley and the Georgia Institute of Technology) is here.

Want to survive the downturn? Better build a platform

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:37 PM PDT

When you look at the most successful companies in the world, they are almost never just one simple service. Instead, they offer a platform with a range of services and an ability to connect to it to allow external partners and developers to extend the base functionality that the company provides.

Aspiring to be a platform and actually succeeding at building one are not the same. While every startup probably sees themselves as becoming a platform play eventually, the fact is it’s hard to build one. But if you can succeed and your set of services become an integral part of a given business workflow, your company could become bigger and more successful than even the most optimistic founder ever imagined.

Look at the biggest tech companies in the world, from Microsoft to Oracle to Facebook to Google and Amazon. All of them offer a rich complex platform of services. All of them provide a way for third parties to plug in and take advantage of them in some way, even if it’s by using the company’s sheer popularity to advertise.

Michael A. Cusumano, David B. Yoffie and Annabelle Gawer, who wrote the book The Business of Platforms, wrote an article recently in MIT Sloan Review on The Future of Platforms, saying that simply becoming a platform doesn’t guarantee success for a startup.

“Because, like all companies, platforms must ultimately perform better than their competitors. In addition, to survive long-term, platforms must also be politically and socially viable, or they risk being crushed by government regulation or social opposition, as well as potentially massive debt obligations,” they wrote.

In other words, it’s not cheap or easy to build a successful platform, but the rewards are vast. As Cusumano, Yoffie and Gawer point out their studies have found, “…Platform companies achieved their sales with half the number of employees [of successful non-platform companies]. Moreover, platform companies were twice as profitable, were growing twice as fast, and were more than twice as valuable as their conventional counterparts.”

From an enterprise perspective, look at a company like Salesforce . The company learned long ago that it couldn’t possibly build every permutation of customer requirements with a relatively small team of engineers (especially early on), so it started to build hooks into the platform it had built to allow customers and consultants to customize it to meet the needs of individual organizations.

Eventually Salesforce built APIs, then it built a whole set of development tools, and built a marketplace to share these add-ons. Some startups like FinancialForce, Vlocity and Veeva have built whole companies on top of Salesforce.

Rory O’Driscoll, a partner at Scale Venture Partners, speaking at a venture capitalist panel at BoxWorks in 2014, said that many startups aspire to be platforms, but it’s harder than it looks. “You don't make a platform. Third-party developers only engage when you achieve a critical mass of users. You have to do something else and then become a platform. You don't come fully formed as a platform,” he said at the time.

If you’re thinking, how you could possibly start a company like that in the middle of a massive economic crisis, consider that Microsoft launched in 1975 in the middle of recession. Google and Salesforce both launched in the late 1990s, just ahead of the dot-com crash, and Facebook launched in 2004, four years before the massive downturn in 2008. All went on to become tremendously successful companies

That success often requires massive spending and sales and marketing burn, but when it works, the rewards are enormous. Just don’t expect that it’s an easy path to success.

Pandemic puts the brakes on micromobility

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:06 PM PDT

As of this writing, nearly a million people globally have been infected with the novel coronavirus and 50,322 have died. Healthcare systems are overwhelmed, consumers and profiteers are hoarding supplies and some service workers have launched strikes while many others have been let go. In the world of micromobility, we’ve seen Bird lay off hundreds of employees and Lime is reportedly gearing up for layoffs of its own.

Ride Report creates software that enables cities to better work with micromobility operators and has a bird’s-eye view on the industry. In a conversation with TechCrunch, CEO William Henderson outlined some of the trends that have emerged and what we can expect for micromobility operators amid the pandemic — and once it’s over.

“All of this came at a really hard time for micromobility,” he tells TechCrunch. “It couldn’t really have occurred at a worse time in some ways.”

That’s because there was already a lot of pressure on startups in the space to reach profitability on an accelerated timeline, Henderson says. While winter is notoriously known as a rough time, the environment in this pandemic is “micromobility winter on steroids.”

Over the last month, companies have paused operations in cities and started laying off people. Operators Bird and Lime, for example, paused operations across the board last month.

Zoom will enable waiting rooms by default to stop Zoombombing

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:05 PM PDT

Zoom is making some drastic changes to prevent rampant abuse as trolls attack publicly-shared video calls. Starting April 5th, it will require passwords to enter calls via Meeting ID, since these may be guessed or reused. Meanwhile, it will change virtual waiting rooms to be on by default so hosts have to manually admit attendees.

The changes could prevent “Zoombombing”, a term I coined two weeks ago to describe malicious actors entering Zoom calls and disrupting them by screensharing offensive imagery. New Zoombombing tactics have since emerged, like spamming the chat thread with terrible GIFs, using virtual backgrounds to spread hateful messages, or just screaming profanities and slurs. Anonymous forums have now become breeding grounds for organized trolling efforts to raid calls.

Just imagine the most frightened look on all these people’s faces. That’s what happened when Zoombombers attacked the call.

The FBI has issued a warning about the Zoombombing problem after children’s online classes, alcoholics anonymous meetings, and private business calls were invaded by trolls. Security researchers have revealed many ways that attackers can infiltrate a call.

The problems stem from Zoom being designed for trusted enterprise use cases rather than cocktail hours, yoga classes, roundtable discussions, and classes. But with Zoom struggling to scale its infrastructure as its daily user count has shot up from 10 million to 200 million over the past month due to coronavirus shelter-in-place orders, it’s found itself caught off guard.

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan apologized for the security failures this week and vowed changes. But at the time, the company merely said it would default to making screensharing host-only and keeping waiting rooms on for its K-12 education users. Clearly it determined that wasn’t sufficient, so now waiting rooms are on by default for everyone.

Zoom communicated the changes to users via an email sent this afternoon that explains “we've chosen to enable passwords on your meetings and turn on Waiting Rooms by default as additional security enhancements to protect your privacy.”

The company also explained that “For meetings scheduled moving forward, the meeting password can be found in the invitation. For instant meetings, the password will be displayed in the Zoom client. The password can also be found in the meeting join URL.” Some other precautions users can take include disabling file transfer, screensharing, or rejoining by removed attendees.

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 18: Zoom founder Eric Yuan reacts at the Nasdaq opening bell ceremony on April 18, 2019 in New York City. The video-conferencing software company announced it’s IPO priced at $36 per share, at an estimated value of $9.2 billion. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)

The shift could cause some hassle for users. Hosts will be distracted by having to approve attendees out of the waiting room while they’re trying to lead calls. Zoom recommends users resend invites with passwords attached for Meeting ID-based calls scheduled for after April 5th. Scrambling to find passwords could make people late to calls.

But that’s a reasonable price to pay to keep people from being scarred by Zoombombing attacks. The rash of trolling threatened to sour many people’s early experiences with the video chat platform just as it’s been having its breakout moment. A single call marred by disturbing pornography can leave a stronger impression than 100 peaceful ones with friends and colleagues. The old settings made sense when it was merely an enterprise product, but it needed to embrace its own change of identity as it becomes a fundamental utility for everyone.

Technologists will need to grow better at anticipating worst-case scenarios as their products go mainstream and are adapted to new use cases. Assuming everyone will have the best intentions ignores the reality of human nature. There’s always someone looking to generate a profit, score power, or cause chaos from even the smallest opportunity. Building development teams that include skeptics and realists, rather than just visionary idealists, could keep ensure products get safeguarded from abuse before rather than after a scandal occurs.

Stocks drop as unemployment spikes

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 01:14 PM PDT

Stocks fell in regular trading Friday, as all major American indices fell in the wake of a broadly negative jobs report. With more than 700,000 jobs lost in the March data, unemployment in the United States rose from 3.5% to 4.4%.

The markets have been bracing for widespread job losses due to the continued fallout from COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus that has prompted local, county and state officials throughout the U.S. and Europe to issue stay-at-home orders. Those directives have forced bars, restaurants, gyms and other non-essentials businesses to close.

While the market had expected a wave of job losses, stocks fell as those figures surpassed expectations. Selloffs were further spurred by this troubling recognition: Friday’s figures only account for unemployment-insurance claims individuals filed in the first two weeks of March, before most of the COVID-related layoffs began.

This was unlike Thursday, when negative data led to market gains.

Here are the day’s raw results:

  • Dow Jones Industrial Average: down 1.67%, or 357.99 points, to close at 21,055.45
  • S&P 500: fell 1.52%, or 38.34 points, to close at 2,488.56
  • Nasdaq composite: declined 1.53%, or 114.23 points, to close at 7,373.08

Shares of SaaS and cloud companies tracked by the Bessemer cloud index fell as well, while cryptocurrencies were roughly flat in the 24-hour period ending with the close of equity trading.

There were standouts, however. Shares of Tesla held onto some of their after-hours gains recorded yesterday, closing the day up 5.62% to close at $408.01 as the company continued to ride its positive report that it had delivered more vehicles than expected. Bill.com, a recent SaaS IPO, managed gains as well, closing the day up 2.71%. It was somewhat hard to find exceptions to the selloff; most companies lost ground in the face of worse-than-expected economic data.

Every sector saw downward pressure Friday, with the exception of energy and consumer products, which saw a bit of a lift. Oil futures had one of its best days on record, after Russian President Vladimir Putin said global cuts of around 10 million barrels a day are possible.

Airlines were also hit Friday after the U.S. Department of Transportation ordered the industry to provide refunds on any flights that companies had canceled. While airline stocks recovered, they all closed in negative territory. United Airlines fell 2.28% to close at $22.88, American Airlines declined 6.8% to $9.38 and Delta Airlines dropped 0.88% to $22.48.

The pandemic is already reshaping tech’s misinformation crisis

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 01:11 PM PDT

Since 2016, social media companies have faced an endless barrage of bad press and public criticism for failing to anticipate how their platforms could be used for dark purposes at the scale of populations — undermining democracies around the world, say, or sowing social division and even fueling genocide.

As COVID-19 plunges the world into chaos and social isolation, those same companies may face a respite from focused criticism, particularly with the industry leveraging its extraordinary resources to pitch in with COVID-19 relief efforts as the world looks to tech upstarts, adept at cutting through red tape and fast-forwarding scientific progress in normal times, while government bureaucracies lag. But the same old problems are rearing their ugly heads just the same, even if less of us are paying attention.

On YouTube, a new report from The Guardian and watchdog group Tech Transparency Project found that a batch of videos promoting fake coronavirus cures are making the company ad dollars. The videos, which promoted unscientific methods including “home remedies, meditative music, and potentially unsafe levels of over-the-counter supplements like vitamin C” as potential treatments for the virus, ran ads from unwitting advertisers including Liberty Mutual, Quibi, Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign and Facebook. In Facebook’s case, a banner ad for the company ran on a video suggesting music that promotes “cognitive positivity by using subtle yet powerful theta waves” could ward off the virus.

In the early days of the pandemic, YouTube prohibited ads on any videos related to the coronavirus. In mid-March, as the real scope of the event became clear, the company walked that policy back, allowing some channels to run ads. On Thursday, the company expanded that policy to allow ads for any videos that adhere to the company’s guidelines. One of the major tenets in those guidelines forbids the promotion of medical misinformation, including “promotion of dangerous remedies or cures.” Most of the videos in the new report were removed after being flagged by a journalist.

This example, and the many others like it, calls into question how to judge major tech platforms during these exceedingly strange times. Social media companies have been uncharacteristically transparent about the shifts the pandemic is creating within their own workflows. On a call in March, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg admitted that, with its army of 15,000 contract moderators sent home on paid leave, users can expect more “false positives” as the company shifts to rely more heavily on artificial intelligence to filter what belongs on the platform and what does not. The work of sorting through a platform’s most unsavory content — child pornography, extreme violence, hate speech and the like — is not particularly portable, given its potential psychological and legal ramifications.

YouTube similarly warned that it will “temporarily start relying more on technology” to fill in for human reviewers, warning that the automated processes will likely mean more video removals, “including some videos that may not violate policies.” Twitter noted the same new reliance on machine learning “to take a wide range of actions on potentially abusive and manipulative content,” though the company will offer an appeals process that loops in a human reviewer. Companies offered fewer warnings about what might fall through the cracks in the interim.

What will become of moderation once things return to normal, or, more likely, settle on a new normal? Will artificial intelligence have mastered the task, obviating the need for human reviewers once and for all? (Unlikely.) Will social media companies have a fresh appreciation for the value of human efforts and bring more of those jobs in-house, where they can perform their bleak work with more of the sunny perks afforded to their full-time counterparts? Like most things examined through the nightmarish haze of the pandemic, the outcomes are hazy at best.

If the approach to holding platforms to account was already piecemeal, an uneven mix of investigative reporting, anecdotal tweets and official corporate post-mortems, the truth will be even more difficult to get at now, even as the coronavirus pandemic provides countless new deadly opportunities for price-gougers and myriad bad actors to create chaos within chaos.

We’ve seen deadly consequences already in Iran, where hundreds died after drinking industrial alcohol — an idea they got “in messages forwarded and forwarded again” amplifying a tabloid story that suggested the act could protect them from the virus. Most consequences will likely go unnoticed beyond the lives they impact and unreported due to tightened newsroom resources and perhaps even more constricted attention spans.

Much has been written about the coronavirus and the fog of war, most of it rightly focused on scientific research pressing on as the virus threatens the globe and the devastating on-the-ground reality in hospitals and health facilities overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients while life-saving supplies dwindle. But the crisis of viral misinformation — and deliberately sown disinformation — is its own fog, now intermixing with an unprecedented global crisis that has entirely upended business and relentlessly dominated the news cycle. This as the world’s foremost power heads into a completely upended presidential election cycle — its first since four years ago, when an unexpected election outcome coupled with deep U.S.-centrism in tech circles revealed nefarious forces at play just under the surface of the social networks we hadn’t thought all that much about.

In the present, it will be difficult for outsiders to determine where new systems implemented during the pandemic have failed and what bad outcomes would have happened anyway. To sort those causes out, we’ll have to take a company’s word for it, a risky kind of credulity that already offered mixed results in normal times. Even as we rely on them now more than ever to forge and nurture connections, the virtual portals we immerse ourselves in daily remain black boxes, inscrutable as ever. And as with so many aspects of life in these norm-shattering times, the only thing to expect is change.

‘Artemis Fowl’ is skipping theaters for Disney+

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 01:10 PM PDT

With movie theaters largely closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney is pushing back its slate of upcoming films. And at least one movie won’t be making it into theaters at all, with “Artemis Fowl” heading straight to streaming instead.

The company announced today that the film will debut exclusively on Disney+, and that the release date will be revealed soon.

All of the Hollywood studios are scrambling to adapt to the theatrical closures. NBCUniversal broke the theatrical window by releasing “The Hunt,” “The Invisible Man” and “Emma” as streaming rentals while they were ostensibly still in theaters, and it will release “Trolls World Tour” digitally on April 10 — the same day as its official theatrical release.

Other studios followed suit. There were also reports that Paramount struck a deal to debut the Kumail Nanjiani/Issa Rae comedy “The Lovebirds” on Netflix instead of in theaters, but there’s been no announcement or release date yet.

Disney, meanwhile, already brought “Frozen 2” to Disney+ early, then took more aggressive steps for the Pixar film “Onward,” which went on-sale digitally just a few weeks after its release in theaters, and is launching on Disney+ today.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, “Artemis Fowl” tells the story of a young criminal mastermind of the same name, and it’s based on a series of young adult fantasy novels by Eoin Colfer. It was originally scheduled for release on August 9, 2019, before being delayed until May 29 of this year.

So why not delay it again, as Disney is doing with other films? It may simply be less of a sure bet in theaters than “Mulan,” “Black Widow” or even “Jungle Cruise.”

"Director Kenneth Branagh and his spectacular cast take viewers right into the vibrant, fantasy world of the beloved book, which fans have been waiting to see brought to life onscreen for years,” said Disney+ President of Content and Marketing Ricky Strauss in a statement. “It's great family entertainment that is the perfect addition to Disney+'s summer lineup."

Google rolls back SameSite cookie changes to keep essential online services from breaking

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:00 PM PDT

Google today announced that it will temporarily roll back the changes it recently made to how its Chrome browser handles cookies in order to ensure that sites that perform essential services like banking, online grocery, government services and healthcare won’t become inaccessible to Chrome users during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The new SameSite rules, which the company started rolling out to a growing number of Chrome users in recent months, are meant to make it harder for sites to access cookies from third-party sites and hence track a user’s online activity. These new rules are also meant to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks.

Under Google’s new guidance, developers must explicitly allow their cookies to be read by third-party sites, otherwise, the browser will prevent these third-party sites from accessing them.

Because this is a pretty major change, Google gave developers quite a bit of time to adapt their applications to it. Still, not every site is ready yet, so the Chrome team decided to halt the gradual rollout and stop enforcing these new rules for the time being.

“While most of the web ecosystem was prepared for this change, we want to ensure stability for websites providing essential services including banking, online groceries, government services and healthcare that facilitate our daily life during this time,” writes Google Chrome engineering director Justin Schuh. “As we roll back enforcement, organizations, users and sites should see no disruption.”

A Google spokesperson also told us that the team saw some breakage in sites “that would not normally be considered essential, but with COVID-19 having become more important, we made this decision in an effort to ensure stability during this time.”

The company says it plans to resume its SameSite enforcement over the summer, though the exact timing isn’t yet clear.

How Homage is tackling Southeast Asia’s growing eldercare need

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 11:36 AM PDT

The world's population is aging, but the needs of elderly people are still being underserved. A United Nations report found that older people make up more than one-fifth of the population in 17 countries, and by 2100, a majority of the world's population, or 61%, will be aged 60 and above.

One of the most urgent needs for families is caregiving, with demand outstripping the pool of qualified providers. This means many people in their thirties and forties are now part of the “sandwich generation,” juggling jobs and child care while looking after elderly relatives. This creates both an opportunity and challenge for tech startups and investors in almost every market around the world.

In Southeast Asia, Homage is addressing the issue with a platform that takes a curated approach to pairing caregivers and families, using a combination of in-person screening and its matching engine to make the process more efficient. Currently operating in Singapore and Malaysia, the startup announced earlier this year that it will use its Series B funding to expand into five new countries in the region.

Backed by investors, including HealthXCapital, Golden Gate Ventures and EV Ventures, Homage was co-founded in 2016 by chief executive officer Gillian Tee, who grew up in Singapore and was inspired by her family's own experiences looking for caregivers. Tee says she wanted to build a platform that would make the process of matching caregivers and clients easier, and be scalable into different markets.

“It's not the easiest space to be in, and I would say that you do need to want to be intentionally working in this space, rather than just falling into it. It goes hand in hand,” she told TechCrunch. “We found that there is a huge market opportunity, but why we're doing it goes way beyond that.”

How Homage addresses the talent pool shortage

GM and Honda are co-developing two new electric vehicles due to arrive in 2024

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 11:34 AM PDT

GM and Honda will jointly develop two new electric vehicles slated for 2024, the latest move by the two automakers to deepen their existing partnership.

Under the plan, the automakers will focus on their respective areas of expertise. Honda will design the exterior and interiors of the new electric vehicles; GM will contribute its new electric vehicle architecture and Ultium batteries. This new architecture, which GM unveiled last month to showcase its own EV plans, is capable of 19 different battery and drive-unit configurations. The architecture includes large-format pouch battery cells manufactured as part of a joint venture between LG Chem and GM.

The vehicles, which will have a Honda nameplate, will incorporate GM’s OnStar safety and security services. GM’s hands-free advanced driver assistance technology, known as Super Cruise, will also be available in the new vehicles.

The vehicles will be produced at GM plants in North America. Sales are expected to begin in the 2024 model year in Honda’s U.S. and Canadian markets.

The aim is to pull the strengths of both companies to unlock economies of scale around electric vehicles, according to Rick Schostek, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., who added that the two companies are already in discussions about further extending the partnership.

The companies have a long history of working together, including sharing vehicles as far back as the late 1990s when Isuzu was part of GM. The bulk of the joint projects have centered on hydrogen fuel cell tech, batteries and more recently, autonomous vehicles.

GM and Honda formed a strategic alliance in July 2013 to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology, a partnership that has produced some 1,200 patents. The automakers formed a joint venture in 2017 called Fuel Cell System Manufacturing LLC to produce hydrogen fuel cell systems. FCSM is installing the production equipment for their first high-volume fuel cell manufacturing facility in Brownstown, Michigan with production expected to begin this year, according to GM.

The companies announced in 2018 an agreement for Honda to use battery cells and modules from GM in electric vehicles built for the North American market.

GM acquired Cruise in 2016; Honda later committed $2.75 billion as part of an exclusive agreement with GM and its self-driving technology subsidiary Cruise to develop and produce a new kind of autonomous vehicle. Cruise Origin, an electric, self-driving and shared vehicle and the first product of that arrangement, was revealed January 21.

Insight closes $9.5B fund to help support portfolio companies through the pandemic

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 11:33 AM PDT

We’re now several weeks into what has become a very big dip for the global economy due to the coronavirus pandemic, but amidst that, we are seeing are some notable pockets of investment activity emerging that will help shape how the future startup landscape will look. Today, one of the biggest venture capital firms in the world announced the closing of a huge fund, money that it will use in large part to help its portfolio businesses weather the storm.

Insight, the firm that has backed the likes of Twitter and Shopify and invests across a range of consumer and enterprise startups (400 in all), today announced that it has closed a fund of $9.5 billion, money it will be using to support startups and “scale-ups” (larger and older startups that are still private) in the coming months. Investments will typically be between $10 million and $350 million, “although larger transactions are also possible,” the company said.

"First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the current climate and the hardships being felt across the globe," said Jeff Horing, Insight Partners' founder and MD, in a statement. "We are thankful and humbled by the support of our investors which enables us to continue to deliver world class resources during turbulent economic times. Fund XI gives us continued flexibility to provide the combination of capital and operating support that suits the different needs of every software company in a dynamic world."

This fund, numbered XI, brought in a number of returning backers alongside new investors, and it is record-sized for the company. It also appears to have been oversubscribed, since back in November when it was launched the fund was estimated to be worth just over $7 billion. All the more impressive, too, is that it closed just this week, at a time when many startups are starting to feel the pinch of a business downturn, and are either laying off staff or freezing hiring to curtail costs, leading investors to get a little shaky.

Insight’s fund is a signal of two themes. One is that there are, even now, some silver linings, where particular business areas are seeing huge surges of activity (videoconferencing to connect all the people now sheltering in place at home; those helping keep food delivery operational; entertainment streaming companies; and those focusing on medical research or telehealth are just five categories seeing a positive impact; there are more). This fund will help Insight invest in these opportunities to help these businesses grow to meet the demand.

The second theme is a little less upbeat but still important, and that is the fact that there are a number of very promising ideas out there that have already been backed by VC money, which will not survive the current economic crunch without some support. VC money will likely be used in a very targeted way to help in those situations, alongside more fiscal belt-tightening and other funding means (for example, loans that the U.S. government will be issuing via the CARES act to help small businesses get through lean times brought by the coronavirus pandemic).

Indeed, a spokesperson said Insight will be “hyper-focused on supporting its portfolio companies” with ongoing and near-future funding.

We’ve reached out to see if we can get more detail on how new investments, versus reinvesting in existing portfolio companies, will figure in future funding, and we’re also asking if there are specific categories that are of particular interest at the moment. We’ll update this post as we learn more.

"Since our first investment 25 years ago, the global software ecosystem has matured even as it continues to innovate, spurring Insight's own innovation in sourcing, and our data-driven partnership approach to working with ScaleUp companies as a minority or buyout investor," said Managing Director Deven Parekh. "We are grateful that through economic cycles and unprecedented circumstances, Insight Partners remains a sought-after institutional platform for supporting next generation software companies."

In a separate letter to investors, Horing and Parekh also noted the complicated climate of the moment — which includes not just the challenge of VCs raising funds right now amid a climate of LPs also feeling the crunch, but also the fact that not all startups will be able to rely on all their investors to support them through these challenging times. Tough decisions will need to be made at all levels.

Sleep apnea retrofit designed by doctors and engineers could help address ventilator shortage

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 10:29 AM PDT

The FDA has been working to adapt its policies and restrictions to respond to the growing need for unconventional solutions like shortages of medical equipment needed for treating COVID-19 patients. A group of doctors, engineers and medical researchers from UC Berkeley, UCSF and working hospitals has devised a creative solution to the ventilator shortage they’re hoping will meet FDA standards for emergency use authorization (EUA), working with readily available hardware and a stockpile of medical breathing equipment that’s resting mostly unused under our noses.

The group, which includes pulmonary care physicians, medical and engineering professors, and many more, is calling themselves the COVID-19 Ventilator Rapid Response Team, and together they’ve figured out a way to modify existing CPAP machines typically used to treat sleep apnea to act as the kinds of ventilators needed for intubation to keep severe COVID-19 patients breathing in the ICU.

Sleep apnea machines are not designed for continuous use with patients who can’t breathe on their own — they basically just ensure that a patient’s airway doesn’t become blocked during sleep, which maintains oxygen levels, and prevents unwanted wake-ups and snoring. The group behind this new CPAP modification has adapted the hardware using a tube that can be used for intubation, led by Dr. Ajay Dharia, a critical care physician focused on pulmonary issues in the ICUs at three Bay Area hospitals, as well as an engineering graduate from UC Berkeley.

Already, the FDA has issued guidance stating that healthcare facilities and professionals should consider use of breathing devices not designed for use as ventilators in case of urgent need, so the Ventilator Rapid Response Team already has some leeway in its approach. It’s still seeking an emergency authorization from the agency, however, because it would like to work with suppliers and manufacturers at scale to start producing large quantifies of the modifications required.

It’s also enlisting the help of any individuals or organizations looking to donate CPAP or sleep apnea machines that aren’t currently in use to assist with the supply of the base hardware needed to make the modified ventilators. Anyone interested in that can check out their website for more info.

Germany’s Xpension pension platform raises €25M in a Series C growth round

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 10:14 AM PDT

The German pension and insurance industry was a laggard in the world of online a few years ago, but in recent times it has quickly caught up. There's further evidence of this trend with the news that Xpension (trading as xbAV), an online platform for pensions and life insurance, has raised €25 million in its Series C financing round. This will take its total funding to date to more than €50 million.

The financing round was led by HPE Growth, a growth capital fund. Existing investors Cinco Capital, led by Lars Hinrichs (founder of XING and chairman of Xpension), and Armada Investment, led by Daniel S. Aegerter (founder of Tradex), also participated.

The new funding will be used to scale up Xpension's corporate pension and life insurance SaaS platform in Germany; expand the offering into private pensions and life insurance and corporate health insurance; and prepare a rollout into other European countries. The company has also launched a video platform for agents to speak to clients, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, Xpension has attracted to its platform more than 40 life insurers, 11,000 insurance agents and 3,000 SMEs.

Martin Bockelmann, CEO and founder, commented: "After several years of intensive R&D and broad-based user acquisition, this partnership with HPE Growth allows us to unleash the full potential of our platform in Germany and abroad."

Tim van Delden, partner at HPE Growth, said: "The move online of the €2.5 trillion global pension and life insurance industry is a huge topic. A SaaS platform like Xpension — which connects life insurers, agents and their corporate and private customers to buy and manage policies — will be a game-changer."

Speaking to TechCrunch, Hinrichs, the active chariman and largest private shareholder, said: "We target not just occupational pensions but the entire segment, which is worth €700 billion in premiums a year. German pensions are the leading pensions segment in Europe. And we are taking advantage of the recent changes in pension policy."

It would appear that Xpension is in a strong position to potentially open up to end consumers who don't have pensions, as have similar U.S. platforms, or even to leverage its position to build its own insurance company at some point.

Daily Crunch: Google publishes coronavirus mobility reports

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 09:59 AM PDT

Google uses its ad-tracking data to provide a glimpse at how the world is responding to coronavirus, the CDC changes its tune on face masks and Apple accidentally reveals that AirTags are coming. Here’s your Daily Crunch for April 3, 2020.

1. Google is now publishing coronavirus mobility reports, feeding off users' location history

Google is giving the world a clearer look of exactly how much it knows about people everywhere — using the coronavirus crisis as an opportunity to repackage its persistent tracking of where users go and what they do as a public good in the midst of a pandemic.

In a blog post, the tech giant announced the publication of what it's calling COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, an in-house analysis of the much more granular location data it maps and tracks to fuel its ad-targeting, product development and wider commercial strategy, now used to showcase aggregated changes in population movements around the world.

2. CDC is expected to tell Americans to wear cloth masks, save medical masks for health workers

On Thursday, the White House said that it will likely adjust previous guidelines that discouraged non-health workers from wearing face masks. The change would be issued as "guidance" from the CDC, but according to President Trump, it will not be mandatory.

3. Apple accidentally confirms the existence of an unreleased product, AirTags

In a video tutorial about resetting an iPhone to factory settings, at around the 1:43 mark, you can see an option for "Enable Offline Finding" is shown, and beneath that, the text references AirTags by name. AirTags are believed to be small tracking tiles with Bluetooth connectivity that can be used to find lost items — just like Tile.

4. In the wake of COVID-19, UK puts up £20M in grants to develop resilience tech for critical industries

The idea is to introduce new technologies and processes that will support existing businesses and organizations, not to use the funding to build new startups from scratch.

5. The pendulum will swing away from founder friendly venture raises

TechCrunch recently spoke with a half-dozen venture capitalists, asking after how their world has changed and how they are approaching dealmaking in the new reality. One common note was that startup valuations are declining. And past valuation adjustments, there's going to be more change. (Extra Crunch membership required.)

6. SpaceX's latest Starship prototype fails under pressure testing

That headline might sound familiar: SpaceX's first prototype, the Mk1, was also destroyed during pressure testing of its fuel tank, and the next full-scale prototype under development, SN1, was also destroyed during a pressure test in late February.

7. 27 TV show recommendations from TechCrunch while you're stuck at home

I didn’t manage to get my recommendations to Matt Burns in time (sorry Matt!), but I will say that Star Trek — whether it’s the original series or the latest spinoff, “Picard” — is the best comfort viewing, now more than ever.

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here.

Emergent BioSolutions gets $14.5M in federal funding to expedite COVID-19 plasma therapy development

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 09:54 AM PDT

Last week, we spoke to the head of Emergent BioSolutions’ Therapeutics Business Unit Dr. Laura Saward about her company’s work developing plasma-based potential treatments for COVID-19. Now, the company announced that it has received $14.5 million in funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to speed the development of one of its treatment candidates.

Emergent BioSolutions has been working to develop two different kinds of plasma-based treatments for use in treating patients who have already contracted the coronavirus and subsequently the COVID-19 respiratory disease that it leads to. The company is developing one treatment based on horse-derived plasma, which has benefits in terms of being able to be produced in large volumes, and human-derived plasma, which is less likely to trigger a negative immune response in patients.

In both cases, the strategy is based on the concept of using convalescent plasma as a way to develop “hyperimmune” treatment products that can boost the immune response of a target patient. It’s similar to other potential uses of convalescent plasma being investigated by researchers and health organizations, but unlike a direct transfusion approach, Emergent is looking to essentially stack the deck by creating a plasma-based solution that contains many different kinds of antibodies to fight off the virus, in set amounts to produce predictably effective results.

The pharmatech company had already been working to develop both these solutions, and was working to expedite their development, validation and testing by leveraging prior experience bringing similar treatments to market. Now, however, it’s getting an additional $14.5 million from BARDA, which is earmarked specifically for accelerating the development of the human-plasma based program. The plan is to develop it using donations from patients who have already recovered from COVID-19, and already the company has begun screening and collection efforts to get that donated blood.

Next, Emergent BioSolutions’ test candidate will be included in a clinical study with the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases, which the agency is preparing for the purposes of assessing potential treatments.

Bustle Digital Group lays off staff of The Outline as part of broader cuts

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 09:50 AM PDT

Bustle Digital Group, owner of a portfolio of digital media properties including Bustle itself, says it laid off two dozen staffers today. That includes eliminating the entire staff of The Outline, a culture site that it acquired a year ago.

In a statement, a BDG spokesperson said the company will continue to host The Outline’s archives, and that founder Josh Topolsky will be “exploring alternative paths forward” for its future.

“The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 has forced us to make some tough business decisions,” a BDG spokesperson said. “Most staff will be taking temporary tiered salary reductions and unfortunately, we have eliminated two dozen positions across the company."

Topolsky (former editor in chief of Engadget and founder of The Verge) founded The Outline in 2016. The site shifted its publication model over time, laying off its writers while maintaining an editorial team that continued to publish freelance content. It was then acquired by Bustle, and Topolsky went on to launch the tech news site Input under the BDG umbrella.

“[I] am tremendously proud of all the weird, funny, interesting, and brilliant stuff we put into the universe, and all the talented writers we were able to publish,” The Outline’s executive editor Leah Finnegan tweeted this morning. “[T]hank you for reading, and [I] hope you will remember what we did fondly.”

BDG, meanwhile, was founded by CEO Bryan Goldberg (pictured above) in 2013. In the past few years, it hasn’t just acquired The Outline, but also Elite Daily, Mic, Nylon and Gawker. In many cases, the deals came after layoffs or other turmoil.

We’re entering what’s likely to be a brutal few months (or longer) for the media industry, as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic pullback in advertising. The layoffs have already started, while BuzzFeed is trying to avoid them by cutting employee pay.

Business News, Updates

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:31 PM PDT

Business News, Updates


The Trump administration is reminding people they can sign up for Obamacare coverage if coronavirus cost them their jobs — even as it fights to eliminate the law

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:15 PM PDT

Donald Trump and Alex AzarAlex Brandon/AP Photo

  • The Trump administration reminded newly jobless Americans they can still opt to sign up for health insurance under Obamacare on Friday.
  • People who lose their jobs qualify to sign up for an Obamacare plan for up to 60 days.
  • Trump recently refused to reopen the federal exchanges for people to obtain health insurance, even as 10 million Americans filed for unemployment last month.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Trump administration wants to remind people who have lost their jobs in the coronavirus pandemic that they still have options to replace their employer-provided health insurance.

For example, they can still sign up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act — former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law that President Donald Trump has fiercely fought to strike down since he first took office three years ago.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: A big-money investor in juggernauts like Facebook and Netflix breaks down the '3rd wave' firms that are leading the next round of tech disruption

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AI IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS: Why carriers could lose out if they don't adopt AI fast — and where they can make the biggest gains

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:01 PM PDT

This is a preview of the AI in Telecommunications research report from Business Insider Intelligence. Purchase this report. 14-Day Risk Free Trial: Get full access to this and all Connectivity & Tech research reports. Mobile revenueIn the face of rising demand for data, increasingly saturated mobile markets, and stiff opposition from legacy players, tech entrants, and startups, global telecoms are locked in a battle for market share. These market pressures have led to vicious price wars for mobile services and, as a result, declining average revenue per user (ARPU).

Making matters worse, improvements in infrastructure and technology have made telecoms largely comparable in terms of coverage, connection speeds, and service pricing, meaning companies must transform their businesses if they hope to compete.

For many global telecoms, shoring up market share under today's pressures while also future-proofing operations means having to invest in AI. The telecom industry is expected to invest $36.7 billion annually in AI software, hardware, and services by 2025, according to Tractica.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Zoom will enable meeting passwords and virtual waiting rooms by default to help stop 'Zoombombing' incidents (ZM)

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 04:54 PM PDT

zoom meeting computerZoom

  • Zoom is improving the security settings on its app, after facing backlash from users.
  • Starting April 5, Zoom will require passwords if a user tries to enter a meeting using just the meeting ID instead of the meeting invite link.
  • It will also turn virtual waiting rooms on by default, so the meeting host will have to manually allow others to join the meeting.
  • These changes are meant to prevent trolls or hackers from entering Zoom calls to share indecent messages or harass users — incidents called "Zoombombing."
  • The new security enhancements come after Zoom CEO Eric Yuan apologized for the many privacy and security issues users found with the app and said the company will take steps to address it.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Zoom is taking steps to make its app more secure, after facing backlash from users about the privacy and security settings of its product. 

Starting April 5, Zoom will require passwords if a user tries to enter a meeting using just the meeting ID instead of the meeting invite link. It will also make virtual waiting rooms on by default, so the meeting host had to manually allow others to join the meeting.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: 9 items to avoid buying at Costco

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Extremist groups could use the coronavirus pandemic to launch more attacks

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 04:14 PM PDT

IsisAHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images

  • Extremist fighters could use the coronavirus pandemic to carry out more attacks, the Associated Press reported. 
  • As the world pulls most of its resources towards stopping the outbreak, the tools once set in place to fight extremists are likely to be cut or significantly reduced. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Extremist organizations like the Islamic State and al-Qaida could use the coronavirus outbreak as a chance to ramp up attacks across the globe, the Associated Press reported. 

While the group previously advised its fighters not to travel and carry out attacks in areas afflicted by the coronavirus outbreak, it appears the group and those like it are using the opportunity to plan and launch merciless attacks. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: 5 things about the NFL that football fans may not know

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Read the pitch deck that buzzy startup Devoted Health used to reach a $1.8 billion valuation before it signed up a single customer

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 04:05 PM PDT

Devoted Health wants to change the way the U.S. takes care of its senior citizens, and it has big plans in its first five years to do just that.

Todd ParkAlex Wong/Getty Images

The startup, which has been gathering lots of buzz in the last year, was founded to sell private health insurance plans to U.S. seniors, a market that is growing rapidly as Baby Boomers age.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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What to know about the coronavirus outbreak in 22 charts and maps

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:55 PM PDT

Coronavirus china wuhan doctorsSTR/AFP via Getty Images

As the world's coronavirus case total and death toll continue to climb, a growing collection of data and research is providing insights into the pandemic.

DataTicker - Covid 19 Global and US

These 22 charts and graphics lay out what you need to know as the outbreak continues to progress.

Here's where cases and deaths have been confirmed around the world so far.

 

 

 



This chart shows the rate at which the coronavirus case total has shot up worldwide.

 

 

The true number of infected people is probably still higher than the official total, since some mild and asymptomatic cases are likely not tested and counted.  



As the number of new reported cases in China has decreased, other countries have begun to experience surges.

 

 




See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Constant fear, missed milestones, and showers before hugs: The coronavirus is unleashing an agonizing 'new normal' on medical workers and their families

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:51 PM PDT

rezwanaRezwana Rahim

  • Medical workers are living in fear of catching COVID-19 and exposing their families to the virus.
  • People treating coronavirus patients are undressing in their garages, entering their homes via back doors, sanitizing every surface they touch, and hiding from children seeking hugs until after they shower.
  • The families of healthcare professionals are pleading with people to follow social-distancing guidelines. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When Rezwana Rahim's husband walks through the door, it usually prompts a joyous cacophony.

Laughing and yelling, "Yes! Daddy's home!" the pair's sons, 9-year-old Aidan and 2-year-old Zain, rush to hug their father, who is doing his residency at a Louisiana hospital.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Drugmakers are developing coronavirus vaccines in record time — but it will still be months before one is available

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Apple is offering store workers $100 toward work-from-home gear and a new stress-management tool as other retailers cut costs and layoff employees (AAPL)

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:45 PM PDT

Apple StoreGetty

  • Apple has begun offering a $100 reimbursement to store employees working from home and a new mental health benefit.
  • The benefits signal that Apple is continuing to invest in its retail workforce as its stores remain closed.
  • The offerings also come as other major retail chains are resorting to layoffs and furloughs as nonessential businesses across the US remain closed.
  • Apple Stores outside of China have been temporarily closed until further notice since the middle of March.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As Apple begins asking some retail employees to work from home while stores remain closed, the company is offering workers reimbursements for purchasing work-from-home equipment and a new digital resource for managing stress, according to three current employees. 

Taken together, the benefits signal that Apple is continuing to invest in its brick-and-mortar workforce as retail chains across the country are suffering and resorting to furloughs and layoffs to cut costs amidst the coronavirus pandemic. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Inside the US government's top-secret bioweapons lab

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SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly worried that people won't have the money to buy new iPhones this year, and it's an ominous sign of what's to come for people's finances

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold nearly $390 million worth of Delta and Southwest shares this week

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:40 PM PDT

warren buffettKevin Lamarque/Reuters

  • Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold nearly $390 million worth of shares in Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines this week, new SEC filings show.
  • The billionaire investor's company cut its stake in Delta by nearly one-fifth and its Southwest holdings by just over 4%.
  • Berkshire's stock portfolio took an estimated $5 billion hit on its airline holdings in the first quarter as the novel coronavirus hammered demand and led to travel restrictions.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sold nearly $390 million worth of shares in Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines this week, reducing its exposure to an industry being hammered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The famed investor's conglomerate slashed its roughly 11% stake in Delta by nearly one-fifth, from 71.9 million shares to 58.9 million, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing published on Friday.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: A big-money investor in juggernauts like Facebook and Netflix breaks down the '3rd wave' firms that are leading the next round of tech disruption

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Where's my stimulus check? Here's when your payment should arrive

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:37 PM PDT

where's my stimulus checkJuanmonino/E+/Getty

  • Americans will start receiving stimulus payments as early as April 9, according to an internal IRS memo reviewed by The Washington Post. 
  • Most people should receive their money by mid-April via direct deposit, the Treasury said.
  • If the IRS doesn't have your bank information, it will send a paper check to your last known address.
  • The checks will be sent out starting at the end of April up until early September.
  • Note that this schedule is subject to change. This post will be updated to reflect the latest information.
  • Read more personal finance coverage.

Most Americans receiving a stimulus check should expect to see the payment in their bank account by April 15 (that also happens to be the former tax deadline, for those keeping score at home).

While the IRS is attempting to get payments to people as soon as possible via direct deposit, it's still going to have to issue paper checks to millions of people who haven't provided bank details.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: How to find water when you're stuck in the desert

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The best gaming laptops

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:24 PM PDT

  • While the market is teeming with impressive gaming laptops, it's the Alienware m15 that really hits that sweet price-to-performance spot. This is the best gaming laptop, boasting a near-perfect balance of features, stunning design, and affordability.

The days of the best gaming laptops struggling to keep up with their beefy desktop counterparts are long behind us. Manufacturers are making gaming laptops better than ever, with exciting innovative features as well as internal components to rival those in the best gaming PCs. So, what we have before us is a portable gaming PC market teeming with excellent contenders for those seeking a highly immersive PC gaming experience while staying mobile.

Of course, as with most things, not all gaming laptops quite hit that sweet spot. It's the best gaming laptops that deliver smooth as butter gaming, manage to stay cool under pressure, and offer nifty gaming features — all while staying as thin and as light as possible so they aren't a burden to tow around in your backpack. If you want the best value for your money, you shouldn't go for anything less.

To help you on your quest to find your next gaming notebook, we're highlighting the best gaming laptops on the market — some of which we've tested personally and others have heavily researched — from the budget-friendly to the most robust desktop replacement.

Here are the best gaming laptops you can buy:

Updated on 04/03/20 by Michelle Rae Uy: Added an entirely new selection of picks as well as added new product categories. Completely revised for 2020.

The best gaming laptop overall

Dell

With so many impressive portables, choosing the best gaming laptop overall is no easy feat. That said, we choose the Alienware m15 for the excellent price-to-performance ratio it offers.

When it comes to gaming PCs, the most expensive or beefiest ones aren't necessarily going to be the most ideal options for every user, even if money is of no concern. There are other factors to consider as well: aesthetic, build quality, and display are just some of those. It's why we've picked the Alienware m15 as our best gaming laptop overall.

Alienware's "thinnest 15-inch laptop ever" offers that near-perfect balance of features you could ever want in a gaming laptop, starting with some pretty powerful hardware under the hood. With up to octa-core, 9th-generation Intel Core processors (CPUs) and Nvidia's best GTX and RTX graphics card (GPUs) for gaming, paired with up to 16GB of memory (RAM), it certainly touts internals that are ideal for more than just casual gaming.

Yet, Alienware doesn't stop there. It has also fitted the m15 with a stunning 1080p display that you can upgrade to an impeccable 4K screen, a keyboard that's comfortable to use with anti-ghosting and N-key rollover technology, and plenty of ports. If you have cash to spare, you can even opt to add Alienware's Cryo-Tech cooling v3.0 to keep the laptop extremely cool and prevent thermal throttling. And, did we mention this laptop is VR-ready?

All of that in a 15-inch gaming laptop that's less than an inch thick at its thickest point sounds almost impossible, but here it is. To round it all out, this laptop swaggers with a sturdy magnesium alloy construction and a smart, "2001: A Space Odyssey" inspired aesthetic.

Still, the best part of the Alienware m15 is its price tag. It isn't exactly the cheapest gaming laptop out there, but it does ring in at $1,349.99 for the base model. This is more than reasonable for a laptop of its caliber.

Pros: Powerful specs even in its base model, vast port selection, keyboard is a pleasure to use, gorgeous screen, classy gaming aesthetic, durable chassis, thin for a powerful gaming laptop, just right 15-inch size, affordable price

Cons: Might not be for the budget-minded, pay more for the 4K display and other extra features



The best affordable gaming laptop

Dell

The Dell G5 15 may not be the most powerful gaming laptop out there, but for one this affordable, it's sporting some impressive internals like 9th-generation Intel Core processors.

Many budget gaming laptops fall short of what you need to have a decent gaming experience, but once in a while, manufacturers do roll out some effective ones. Take the Dell G5 15, for example, which touts some of the most powerful hardware out there in the budget to mid-range arena. The laptop also includes some extra features that make its high-end Alienware cousins superb gaming machines.

The Dell G5 15 line starts off with a 9th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, a GPU from Nvidia's budget camp that's capable of handling 1080p gaming at medium to high settings. This is all for much less than many of the contenders on this list, which is also true for its higher-end configurations.

Beyond its internals, this 15-inch budget gaming machine comes with a sharp and vivid 1080p display with 300 nits of brightness, a wide selection of ports, a spill-resistant keyboard with numeric keypad, and a long battery life – for a gaming laptop, that is.

It's perhaps not the thinnest and lightest gaming laptop out there, but when you're working with a limited budget, some compromises have to be made. Still, for a base model that will set you back less than $1,000, you're actually getting the best value in the Dell G5 15.

Pros: Long battery life for a gaming laptop, beautiful 1080p display, wide port selection, understated premium design, affordable price tag, comfortable keyboard, decent cooling system

Cons: Speakers a little hollow, thick and heavy



The best mid-range gaming laptop

Microsoft

With a decent battery life, gorgeous display and three-zone RGB backlighting — as well as sheer power — the Acer Predator Triton 500 is a superb gaming laptop that won't break the bank. 

If you've got some cash to spare, the Acer Predator Triton 500 is an extremely capable mid-range model for PC gamers who want a lot of power without breaking the bank. This isn't your middle-of-the-road offering, though it does mean that you might have to put up with a couple of quirks – the construction is a bit flimsy, the fans are loud and the keyboard is a bit awkward to use.

However, a stunning 1080p IPS display, immersive and customizable RGB lighting, and a longer than usual battery life help make up for those shortcomings. The laptop also has a plethora of ports, as well as a custom-engineered cooling technology and the Waves NX 3D Sound feature, which allows it to turn any pair of headphones into a surround sound system.

Of course, you're also getting breathtaking performance here, thanks to its high-end internals like the 9th-generation Intel Core chips, Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs and up to 32GB of RAM. If you want a gaming laptop that gets you ray tracing and maxed out gaming at 1080p, and you're willing to put up with a few compromises in exchange for sheer power, then you've got a winner in the Acer Predator Triton 500.

Pros: Appropriate mid-range price, customizable RGB lighting, subtle gaming look, beautiful 1080p IPS display, long battery life for this amount of power, great port selection, decent thermals, ray tracing on hand

Cons: Flimsy construction, loud fans, keyboard has an awkward setup, mediocre speakers




See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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LIVE UPDATES: CDC recommends wearing non-medical masks in public, truckers terrified of coronavirus

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:24 PM PDT

nyse trader maskReuters / Lucas Jackson

We'll keep this page updated with the biggest coronavirus headlines of the day. Check back for updates. 

Here's the latest:

  • The CDC is recommending that people wear face coverings or cloth masks if they go out in public.
  • The Dow slid 361 points after the US economy lost far more jobs than expected in March.
  • America's largest trucking companies won't reveal how — or if — they'll get their drivers home if they get coronavirus, and truckers are terrified.
  • Hobby Lobby is closing all stores and furloughing 'nearly all' employees without pay after it defied stay-at-home orders by quietly reopening locations around the nation.
  • 'An act of modern piracy': A mask shipment from 3M bound for Germany was reportedly diverted to the US.
  • The government's official scorekeeper just poured cold water all over the Trump administration's predictions of a rapid economic recovery from the coronavirus.
  • Americans stranded abroad complain that other countries are evacuating their citizens way faster than the US government is.
  • USPS mail carriers say the service isn't doing enough to protect them from the coronavirus, and are mixing DIY sanitizer and buying gloves online to stay safe.
  • The US economy lost 701,000 jobs in March, even before the worst of the coronavirus shutdown.
  • The UK plans to issue coronavirus 'immunity passports' so some Britons can leave the lockdown early.
  • The 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship in NYC was meant to help relieve overburdened hospitals. So far it's just 2% full, and a hospital director called it a 'joke.'
 

The CDC is recommending that people wear face coverings or cloth masks if they go out in public.

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The CDC is recommending — but not requiring — that people cover their faces if they have to go out in public as the coronavirus spreads across the US.

There isn't much good evidence that masks help prevent infection from spreading in a population, except when you put them on the people who are already sick.

There are also risks associated with wearing a homemade mask: you might just be turning your scarf into a virus-catcher.

Read more



The Dow slid 361 points after the US economy lost far more jobs than expected in March.

Reuters / Lucas Jackson

US stocks fell Friday after the March jobs report disappointed by a wider margin than expected, ending a record 113-month streak of job growth.

The declines reversed gains from Thursday when investors shrugged off a second week of massive unemployment insurance claims.

The March jobs report doesn't include two key weeks in which 10 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance. That suggests the worst data is still to come.

Read more



America's largest trucking companies won't reveal how — or if — they'll get their drivers home if they get coronavirus, and truckers are terrified.

Samantha Lee/Business Insider

Truck drivers are becoming increasingly worried that they won't be able to get home if they get the coronavirus.

Business Insider contacted 11 of the largest public trucking companies in North America to ask how they will help drivers. Few supplied concrete polices.

There are nearly two million long-haul truck drivers in the US. They are more likely than the average population to be obese, have diabetes, and not have health insurance — making them more vulnerable to experience complications from the coronavirus.

Read more




See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Here are the celebrities and notable figures around the world who are believed to have died of the novel coronavirus

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:19 PM PDT

Playwright Terrence McNallyAl Pereira/Getty Images

  • The spread of the novel coronavirus has led to more than 52,000 deaths worldwide, including some celebrities and public figures.
  • American playwright Terrence McNally, actor Mark Blum, and Italian actress Lucia Bosè are believed to have died from illnesses related to the virus.
  • Here are all the celebrities and notable people believed to have died of illnesses related to the novel coronavirus.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Li Wenliang, a Chinese doctor who tried to warn medics of the novel coronavirus and contracted it while treating patients in Wuhan, China, died of the virus on February 7.

LI WENLIANG/GAN EN FUND via REUTERS

Source: BBC News



Tim Liszewski, an activist, died of health complications related to the coronavirus at 60 on March 28.

Joshua Boucher/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Source: The State



Patricia Bosworth, a Hollywood actress who wrote a biography about Marlon Brando, died of health complications related to the coronavirus at 86 on April 3.

Steve Azzara/Corbis via Getty Images

Source: The Wrap




See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Why are Apple Pay, Starbucks' app, and Samsung Pay so much more successful than other wallet providers?

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:01 PM PDT

mobile payments lumiscapeBI Intelligence

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

In the US, the in-store mobile wallet space is becoming increasingly crowded. Most customers have an option provided by their smartphone vendor, like Apple, Android, or Samsung Pay. But those are often supplemented by a myriad of options from other players, ranging from tech firms like PayPal, to banks and card issuers, to major retailers and restaurants.

With that proliferation of options, one would expect to see a surge in adoption. But that’s not the case — though Business Insider Intelligence projects that US in-store mobile payments volume will quintuple in the next five years, usage is consistently lagging below expectations, with estimates for 2019 falling far below what we expected just two years ago. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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New York City sent out a push alert to all phones asking licensed healthcare workers to volunteer in overburdened facilities

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 03:00 PM PDT

new york presbyterian hospitalAtilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

New York City residents got an emergency push alert asking for licensed healthcare workers to volunteer to work in overburdened facilities on Friday. 

The city has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US with more than 57,000 people infected and over 1,500 deaths. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The co-op board of an Upper West Side building turned away a doctor who came to NYC to treat coronavirus patients, and it highlights yet another challenge the healthcare professionals on the front lines of the pandemic are facing

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:55 PM PDT

NHS nursesChristopher Furlong/Getty Images

Dr. Richard Levitan is considered an expert when it comes to managing the human airway — a part of the body that's attacked by COVID-19. In the midst of the pandemic, he temporarily moved from New Hampshire to Manhattan to help save lives in the epicenter of the outbreak

However, as The New York Times' Jim Dwyer reported, he didn't exactly receive a warm welcome on all fronts. According to Dwyer, Dr. Levitan planned on staying in his brother's apartment on the Upper West Side, but the co-op board of the building told him he wasn't allowed. Residents of the building were afraid he would bring the virus in with him, Dwyer wrote.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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'It is everywhere already': Fox News hosts amp up the pressure on Trump to give up on coronavirus lockdowns and reopen the economy

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:47 PM PDT

Fox News host Tucker CarlsonScreenshot/Fox News

  • A slew of Fox News opinion hosts and anchors are pushing back on public health experts and urging President Donald Trump to abandon its social distancing policies and reopen the economy. 
  • Primetime host Tucker Carlson attacked "the public health establishment," which he argued "failed us badly" by recommending stay-home orders that are hurting the economy. 
  • Fox commentator Melissa Francis argued on Friday that the virus is "everywhere already" in New York and she's "losing faith" in social distancing policies as the economy shrinks. 
  • On "Fox and Friends," one of the president's favorite Fox New programs, co-host Brian Kilmeade called the economic damage from the virus "a self-inflicted wound."
  • The Fox News pundits are ignoring widespread consensus among public health experts and government officials that the only way to save thousands, if not millions, of American lives is to stay home. 
  • The US has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world: more than 260,000, or about one-quarter of global cases. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A slew of Fox News opinion hosts and anchors are pushing back on public health experts, including the White House coronavirus task force, and urging President Donald Trump to abandon its social distancing policies and reopen the economy. 

Primetime host Tucker Carlson argued on his Thursday night program that "one of the main lessons of this crisis is that the public health establishment failed us badly" by recommending stay-home orders and other social distancing policies that are hurting the economy. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The CDC is recommending that people wear face coverings or cloth masks if they go out in public

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:44 PM PDT

DIY face masks thailandChalinee Thirasupa/Reuters

  • The CDC is recommending — but not requiring — that people cover their faces if they have to go out in public as the coronavirus spreads across the US.
  • There isn't much good evidence that masks help prevent infection from spreading in a population, except when you put them on the people who are already sick.
  • There are also risks associated with wearing a homemade mask: You might just be turning your scarf into a virus-catcher. 
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you must go out, cover up, according to new recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to curb spread of the novel coronavirus. 

The recommendations to wear cloth or fabric face masks announced by President Donald Trump on Friday come as emerging evidence suggests people can transmit the coronavirus to others before they even know they've been infected. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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San Francisco police have begun ticketing people who are violating the shelter-in-place order to contain the coronavirus

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:43 PM PDT

san francisco police car shelter in place coronavirusJustin Sullivan/Getty Images

  • San Francisco police has begun ticketing some who are violating the regionwide shelter-in-place order directing people to stay in their homes to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease.
  • A business and at least one person have been issued a citation within the past 24 hours.
  • Since the city's shelter-in-place went into effect on March 17, law enforcement has relied upon resident compliance to enforce the order.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

After primarily relying on voluntary compliance and education to enforce a shelter-in-place order, San Francisco is now issuing citations to those violating the order's guidelines.

"The last time I was in front of you I predicted there would come a time where we have to cite," San Francisco police chief Bill Scott said at a Friday press conference, according to the San Francisco Examiner. "That time has come, and we have begun citing."

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The coronavirus could affect the accuracy of the 2020 census — and that could decide who gets a vaccine

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 02:41 PM PDT

Scientists across the world are racing to develop a coronavirus vaccine. 

But once a vaccine is developed and approved, who has access to it could depend on the results of the 2020 census. 

That's because US government agencies look at census data to figure out how to allocate resources. If the population of a community is undercounted, it might not get the volume of coronavirus vaccine it needs, said Rob Santos, chief methodologist at the Urban Institute.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Tata Motors downgraded by S&P Global Ratings ‘B’ from ‘B+’

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:26 PM PDT

Tata Motors downgraded by S&P Global Ratings 'B' from 'B+'
S&P is of the view the company has adequate liquidity, both at JLR and at the Indian operations, to face the challenging period.

Source: TFE

WiFi usage down marginally in weeks starting March 9, shows Opensignal data

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:26 PM PDT

WiFi usage down marginally in weeks starting March 9, shows Opensignal data
The decrease in WiFi usage can also be attributed to people staying at homes.

Source: TFE

Back from Tabligh events, for some, a long wait for home in quarantine

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Back from Tabligh events, for some, a long wait for home in quarantine


Source: TIE

Gujarat arrests seven for sharing hate messages

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Gujarat arrests seven for sharing hate messages


Source: TIE

Two asymptomatic Tablighis test positive for Coronavirus

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Two asymptomatic Tablighis test positive for Coronavirus


Source: TIE

As yeast becomes scarce and flour supply dwindles, half of Kolkata’s bread units shut down

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

As yeast becomes scarce and flour supply dwindles, half of Kolkata's bread units shut down


Source: TIE

West Bengal: Toll count revised to 3, Oppn accuses govt of ‘hiding truth’

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

West Bengal: Toll count revised to 3, Oppn accuses govt of 'hiding truth'


Source: TIE

West Bengal: As revenue dries up, govt curbs spending

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

West Bengal: As revenue dries up, govt curbs spending


Source: TIE

Horoscope Today, April 4, 2020: Aries, Pisces, Leo, Cancer, and other signs – check astrological prediction

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Horoscope Today, April 4, 2020: Aries, Pisces, Leo, Cancer, and other signs – check astrological prediction


Source: TIE

Yogi orders NSA against ‘unruly’ Tablighis: What they did is a criminal act

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Yogi orders NSA against 'unruly' Tablighis: What they did is a criminal act


Source: TIE

Delicious Breakfast Ideas during self-isolation | #21Days #21Ways to spend time

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Delicious Breakfast Ideas during self-isolation | #21Days #21Ways to spend time


Source: TIE

Bengal: CM revises COVID-19 numbers, says 38 active cases, 3 deaths

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Bengal: CM revises COVID-19 numbers, says 38 active cases, 3 deaths


Source: TIE

Uttar Pradesh: Tablighi links shoot up count to 174

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Uttar Pradesh: Tablighi links shoot up count to 174


Source: TIE

Kerala nurse who cared for elderly couple free of virus, ready for duty

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Kerala nurse who cared for elderly couple free of virus, ready for duty


Source: TIE

Bengal: Blood banks face supply shortage as pandemic hits donation camps

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Bengal: Blood banks face supply shortage as pandemic hits donation camps


Source: TIE

IIT, IIM class of 2020: Job offers in hand but up in the air alarm bells on campus

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

IIT, IIM class of 2020: Job offers in hand but up in the air alarm bells on campus


Source: TIE

BJP chief Nadda cautions party leaders: Don’t give corona a communal twist

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

BJP chief Nadda cautions party leaders: Don't give corona a communal twist


Source: TIE

Political row later, Centre climbs down on J&K order, reserves all jobs for UT domiciles

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:24 PM PDT

Political row later, Centre climbs down on J&K order, reserves all jobs for UT domiciles


Source: TIE

11 CISF men at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, have tested positive for Covid-19

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:20 PM PDT



Source: FPJ

Coronavirus in Mumbai: Jamaat link to Dharavi death

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:20 PM PDT



Source: FPJ

Yes Bank Crisis: Rana Kapoor’s temporary bail plea rejected by court

Posted: 03 Apr 2020 05:20 PM PDT



Source: FPJ

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