The Morning After: Gmail went down and BlackBerry came back
And Zoom calls are coming to smart displays.
For some reason, BlackBerry refuses to go quietly into the night, still trading on the goodwill of smartphone early adopters from a decade ago. The last thing we heard was that TCL had halted production of BlackBerry-badged Android phones.
But no, the story doesn’t end there, he says, unable to comprehend the affection someone must still hold for BlackBerry.
On Wednesday, security tech startup OnwardMobility announced it’ll release a new 5G BlackBerry smartphone, with a physical keyboard, which could arrive in the West as soon as early 2021. Like the TCL episode, it sounds like a similar branding exercise, but if you want the keyboard, this could be your only choice.
— Mat
Google services ran into some trouble overnight
Everything from Gmail to YouTube tossed up error messages.
Starting around midnight ET, many people reported issues connecting to the G Suite services, but especially Gmail. Twitter and DownDetector immediately spiked with reports, and eventually Google’s status page revealed they are investigating the problem. The most recent update said all users should have their issues resolved soon, so things may be back to normal by the time you wake up and start reading this.
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Zoom calls are coming to Amazon, Google and Facebook smart displays
The Zoom domination continues.
In 2020, Zoom has taken over as an essential part of work, home and social life. Pretty soon, it’s moving beyond laptops, phones and tablets as it gets support on smart displays from Amazon, Google and Facebook. Facebook’s Portal devices are getting some other key work-from-home tweaks, too, but, right now, it’s all about Zoom.
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Recent damage to the Arecibo telescope could keep it offline for months
Crews are still assessing the damage.
During a NASA meeting earlier this week, Lindley Johnson, director of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, said the massive radio telescope could be sidelined for months. Johnson revealed that a broken cable did not snap, as previously reported, but came out of a socket in a nearby support tower, causing a nearly 100-foot-long gash, which has disabled the dish.
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Facebook removes hundreds of QAnon groups
The company isn’t banning the conspiracy theory outright, but is trying to limit its spread.
After weeks of pressure, Facebook says it has removed hundreds of groups and pages and blocked thousands of ads tied to the far-right conspiracy theory. The move is the social network’s biggest effort to take on the movement, which the FBI warned could pose a domestic terror threat.
Facebook isn’t banning QAnon or its supporters entirely but is cracking down on those that “discuss potential violence,” and it is taking steps to make other QAnon accounts and content less visible. Further, Facebook will block QAnon accounts from running ads, selling products or using other monetization features.
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But wait, there’s more...
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Researchers grew a mini human heart to study fetal heart development
Lucid claims to have created the fastest charging EV to date
What’s the tech industry's place in a racial justice movement?
MIT researchers show how 'Dr. Spot' could help diagnose COVID-19
Engadget Deals: Apple's 256GB iPad Air is $100 off right now
Watch how 'The Handmaid's Tale' VFX artists defaced the Lincoln memorial
Netflix's ‘The Irishman’ will get a Criterion Blu-ray release in November
Bluetooth update could turn wearables into COVID-19 trackers
