What Does It Mean to Be Furloughed?
Image: ShutterstockMost of us know what it means to be laid off: You’ve been let go from your job, often in a way that is presented as due to no fault of your own, and you are free to both apply for unemployment benefits and pursue new employment possibilities. But what happens when you are…
What’s New on Netflix the Week of April 6, 2020
Image: NetflixA new week means we get to say hello to some new content on Netflix, and say goodbye to some older options.This week Neftlix is dropping a handful of original shows and movies including Brews Brothers, a new series comedy about two brothers that have to work together to keep their brewery in business and…
Google Maps now highlights restaurants with delivery options
Google Maps is still useful for grabbing a bite to eat even in the midst of widespread COVID-19 lockdowns, it seems. Google has rolled out updates to its Android and iOS apps that highlight restaurants with delivery (and, for some reason, takeout) options -- you just need to tap a button at the main screen…
How to Keep Your Zoom Chats Private and Secure
With so many people stuck inside, Zoom has become the default video chat platform for millions. Its simple, accessible interface makes keeping in touch with family, friends, and coworkers a cinch. At the same time, many have found Zoom’s default privacy and security features lacking, exposing users to trolls and unwanted oversight. If you're using…
Coronavirus Has Created a Sex Boom—but Maybe Not a Baby Boom
The clubs are shut. The pubs are shut. Tinder dates are canceled. One-night stands are practically illegal. But, despite these obvious hurdles, coronavirus has still created a sex industry sales boom. Wired UKThis story originally appeared on WIRED UK.Lelo, a Swedish luxury sex toy brand, says it has seen sales increase by 40 percent. Ann…
The Morning After: Is there a new iPhone SE around the corner?
Soon like... today?'iPhone SE 2020' rumored to launch soonThe iPhone SE provided strong performance in a small package in 2016, and now, 9to5Mac cites sources claiming Apple will use the name again on a phone that could launch very soon. Of course, that would be an extraordinary debut under any circumstance, and especially now as…
The fight to save the UK’s only permanent video game museum
The safety of staff and visitors is, of course, NVM's top priority. Turning off the lights has meant shutting off the museum's primary source of revenue, though: admission fees.In response, NVM has furloughed roughly two thirds of its 18 employees. That means most staff have stopped working and accepted a pay packet, funded by the…
Nextdoor allows businesses to reach out about pandemic relief efforts
Facebook isn't the only site that added ways for people to help out their community during the pandemic. Nextdoor is doing the same thing, with several new updates that'll let you and fellow community members lend a hand to local businesses that might be in need.Starting today, local merchants can update their Business Profile pages…
Why You Shouldn’t Take Money From Your Retirement Account, Even Now
Photo: ShutterstockThe coronavirus relief package that was signed into law last week included relaxed rules for taking money out of your retirement account. But while the option now exists for those who need the financial lifeline, there are several considerations to keep in mind before you start moving money around.First, let’s look at the changes.…
It’s Time to Stop Using Your Travel Rewards Credit Card
Image: ShutterstockUntil very recently, I put the majority of my spending on credit cards that offered me travel rewards. I favored an airline card for personal spending and a business travel card for freelance spending. Since I (used to) travel relatively often, I was very interested in earning and burning my travel rewards as quickly…
T-Mobile completes Sprint merger
Like they have from the start, the combined companies maintain that this will help advance 5G in the US. The expanded T-Mobile claims it will have speeds up to 15 times faster in the next six years, 14 times more capacity, and 5G coverage reaching 99 percent of the US population (90 percent of it…
The Cargo Industry’s Quest to Curb Carbon-Belching Ships
Stefan eefting is, as he puts it, “a long-lasting guy” in the shipping industry. He started as an apprentice engineer in a German shipyard in 1984, and now he's a senior vice president at MAN Energy Solutions, a firm whose engines power every second vessel on the deep seas. Over the course of Eefting's career,…
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How to Get Health Insurance During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Photo: ShutterstockRecent world events may have led you to believe that this would be a bad time to not have health insurance right now. And while we can’t judge your individual need for insurance, we can probably say that in general, you should think about getting coverage.But if you don’t have coverage through work—or you…
France orders Google to pay news companies for showing article extracts
After the law came into effect last year, Google said that it would simply remove snippets altogether unless publishers granted it the right to do so. However, the ruling body (called l’Autorité de la Concurrence) said that the “the vast majority of press publishers have granted Google licenses to use and display their protected content...…
Facebook will provide free Portal devices to UK hospitals and care homes
Facebook’s support for the fight against COVID-19 now includes a simple but important addition: keeping people in touch. It’s partnering with the UK’s National Health Service to offer up to 2,050 free Portal video calling devices to the country’s hospitals, care homes, hospices and other medical settings. The hardware will help patients contact friends and…
Here’s what Twitter’s weird ‘data-sharing’ notification really means
Twitter Prior to this update, Twitter allowed users to opt out of data sharing that enabled Twitter to tell advertisers how users interacted with ads for mobile apps, and share some “non-public” information like device identifiers. Now, most Twitter users have no choice whether or not that data is shared with Twitter’s advertisers. Those in…