Crowdfunding is taking a serious hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Kickstarter internal memo from CEO Aziz Hasan obtained by The Verge indicates that new projects have dropped by 35 percent year-over-year with “no clear sign of rebound.” The steep drop has led to the company discussing “potential layoffs” with the Kickstarter employee union…

More details of Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Go sequel appear to have emerged, and they could be good news — if you’re not expecting a revolution. Windows Central sources claim that the tablet will share the familiar form factor, but pack a larger 10.5-inch screen (versus 10 for the original) and a corresponding bump to a…

Michael Murtaugh/Wirecutter一度は発売中止となった、アップル純正のワイヤレス充電マットAirPower。その開発プロジェクトが再始動しているとの噂は先日もお伝えしましたが、新たに小型も含めた2バージョンが準備中との予測が報じられています。アップルはAirPower発売中止の理由を「我々の高い要求水準を満たすことはできない」と述べるに留まり、具体的な原因には触れていません。が、有名リーカーSonny Dicson氏が大きな問題の1つを熱管理の難しさと語ったことに続き、テック系YouTuberのJon Prosser氏が「Apple Watchが過熱の原因となっている」と詳細を伝えていました。そこで新生AirPowerはiPhone Xと同じA11チップを搭載し、インテリジェントな管理で熱問題の解決を目指しているというわけです。そして今回のウワサの発信源は、次期フラッグシップiPhone 12(仮)シリーズらしき画像を公開したTwitterユーザーのFudge（@choco_bit）氏です。 So looks like C68 and C26 are both Airpower mats in testing. C68 from @jon_prosser is the bigger one, and C26 is smaller single device one (thanks @lwq1992 for confirming)— Fudge (@choco_bit) April 19, 2020 同氏の新たなツイートによると、C68（上記Prosser氏がリークした新AirPowerの社内コード名）の他に「C26」なるテスト中の未発表製品があり、そちらもAirPowerのように見えるとのこと。さらにC68の方が大きく、C26はより小さい単一デバイスである–すなわちAirPowerが3台同時充電に対して、C26は1台だけ充電できるものだと示唆しています。アップルが小型ワイヤレス充電マットを準備中との予測は、有名アナリストMing-Chi Kuo氏も述べていたことです。同氏はそれをアップルが2020年前半に発売を予定している製品の1つと位置づけつつも、新型コロナウイルスの影響により今年後半に遅延もあり得ると幅を持たせています。上記のようにApple Watchの特殊な充電方式のため、現行のワイヤレス充電機器にはiPhoneとApple Watchを同じマットで充電できるものが存在しません。もしも「一度に1デバイス」のみとしても、両デバイスを同じ感覚でポンと置くだけで充電できるとすれば、広範なニーズが潜在的にありそうです。 関連キーワード: airpower, apple, AppleRumor, WirelessCharging

If you’re about to hop from your current Samsung phone to a Galaxy S20, don’t expect your keyboard info to come along for the ride. Samsung has stopped syncing keyboard data through its Cloud service as of April 13th, according to a notice seen by SamMobile. Your word predictions, saved words and language details (among…

Instacart’s plans to give shoppers masks and sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic are proceeding slower than many employees would like, and that’s partly on purpose. In response to workers’ concerns, the company told Wired in a statement that it had capped orders for the safety gear (which goes through the company store) to “thousands” per…

Internet giants are about to face more government oversight in Australia. The country has ordered its Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to create a mandatory code of conduct that would ask Facebook, Google and others to pay news outlets when they use its content. The code would also dictate data sharing, news ranking and revenue…

New York is adjusting to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic even for some of its most time-honored traditions. Governor Andrew Cuomo has implemented an Executive Order that not only lets state residents get their marriage licenses remotely, but allows clerks to perform wedding ceremonies through video conferences. Yes, you can get hitched without having…

Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have put out their first joint product since leaving Facebook, and it’s not a social network. The two have launched Rt.live, a site that helps track attempts to fight the spread of COVID-19 in each state. As Krieger told TechCrunch, the project takes advantage of Systrom’s open source…

Amazon is facing scrutiny for firing employees and otherwise striking back at vocal critics of its workplace practices. The National Labor Relations Board is looking into claims Amazon is retaliating against employees who organize or participate in protests, including firing them or asking illegal questions. The board has declined to take action against Amazon so…

Formula E is delivering more than realistic race simulations to fill the gap in broadcasts left by the temporary shutdown of conventional sports. The Envision Virgin Racing team has teamed up with Jelle’s Marble Runs, the YouTube channel of Marbleympics fame, to start a “Marbula E” series. Each race pits marbles (named after real teams)…