It’s very funny to remember this statement after the fabrication of a fake 5G race and Google Fiber announcing this week that it’s launching 5-gig and 8-gig plans.
As always, here’s what The Verge believes: internet access ought to be a public utility whose providers compete aggressively based on speed and capacity. Dumb pipes are the smartest pipes.
Listen: everyone else in the Verge newsroom is going to talk to you today about serious news. I want you to check out. Give in to temptation. Abandon email and business. Give yourself to... the blue ball machine.
[YTMND]
I had no idea video game cosmetics had become a billion-dollar industry, but it makes sense. I don’t want to talk about how much I’ve spent on Dota 2 outfits.
The company is rebranding Office as “365.” Sure, there’s precedent for the brand, but there’s also external precedent. Lots of companies have used “365,” including Whole Foods, which uses the number as its official product brand for stuff like organic beans and kale. It’s a sad day for a legendary brand, in my opinion.
I’ve dropped my phone on my face in bed enough times for this joke gadget to seem downright practical. Put it on Kickstarter — I dare you.
Hello, night Verge. The admins are asleep, so I’m going to post one of my favorite streams.
I spend a lot of time watching Twitch, and I’m constantly amazed by the creativity of variety streamers. Today I’m calling attention to Reapz: an Aussie who has one of the most creative technical setups I’ve seen. With a virtual soundstage and desk, he’s created the closest thing I’ve seen to a late night host on Twitch.
[Twitch]
Nearly five years ago, Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, killing thousands and causing the worst blackout in US history. Reuters reports that the island is without power once again after Hurricane Fiona struck early Sunday.
In 2017, US officials told The Verge that the island couldn’t repair its way out of disaster and would need to rebuild. But just days before Fiona hit, the GAO reported that only $1 billion has been spent on long-term rebuilding projects out of a $32 billion fund.
Even though Biden also said that COVID-19 is still a problem, expect this 60 Minutes soundbite to become the center of a heated political argument about whether the pandemic is really over. As Verge health reporter Nicole Wetsman explained last year, the “end” of the pandemic won’t come from one person declaring it so — even if that person is a world leader.
After hunting for a data plan in Australia this week, I’m excited by Apple’s move to drop the physical SIM tray from the iPhone — it could put pressure on global eSIM adoption. But eSIMs are still pretty clunky since you need to scan a QR code or download a carrier app to activate them. Data is the most important thing on any phone, so shouldn’t it be the easiest thing to shop for? I hope someday clicking “Add Cellular Plan” on the iPhone brings you to a centralized menu of carrier plans that are rated by speed and price.
