The coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has changed the world in a matter of weeks. The virus itself is spreading rapidly, and forcing millions of people to essentially shelter in place as social distancing becomes the norm.
Things are tough right now. But amid the chaos, here are a few bright spots as people adapt to their new circumstances.
- Movie theaters may be shut down, but our current moment is perfect for the revival of drive-in movies.
- Big-name movies are coming to streaming early, including Frozen 2, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, and Pixar’s Onward.
- People (myself included) have reconnected with friends across the country and the world by hosting virtual “happy hours” over Google Hangouts or Zoom.
- There’s a hilarious new dating show on Instagram called Love Is Quarantine.
- Musicians have begun to livestream their concerts for free.
- As fewer people commute and airlines drastically cut flights, at least carbon emissions are falling.
- While there won’t be any new games, the NFL and NBA announced that you can stream old ones for free.
- Gyms may be closed, but plenty of instructors are now livestreaming fitness classes. Plus, there’s never been a better time to invest in a home gym.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and please do your best to practice social distancing as we all try to reduce the spread of the virus.
Apple’s new iPad Pro is a true 2-in-1
By Luke Larsen, Computing Editor
Apple launched a new iPad Pro and MacBook Air this week. The timing is important. These two devices represent two diverging visions of the future of computing.
The flashier approach is the iPad Pro, a 2-in-1, an ultra-mobile device. It now comes with a proper keyboard, trackpad, cursor support, and unique magnetic hinge, making for a device that looks uncannily like … a laptop. That is, some kind of futuristic version of one. The MacBook Air is the more conservative approach. Its update is still meaningful — it features a price cut to $999, increased storage, more powerful processors, and an improved keyboard.
A few years ago, the new MacBook Air would have been the perfect laptop for a college student or first-time Mac buyer. With this new iPad Pro, Apple has positioned it for that very same potential buyer. Apple has resisted merging these two lines for years, meaning it has two products fighting over the same audience. That makes for a confusing choice for the average person, who may be unsure about the strengths and weaknesses of each platform.
As Apple continues to move along the iPad and Mac in two separate streams, it’s leaving the future of computing up to us.
What we’re reading
- Everyone has to stay inside, so we all live in Zoom now, the New York Times writes.
- A group of adventurers went on a 25-day rafting trip, and returned to find that the world had changed completely.
- BuzzFeed spoke to parents about what’s working and what’s not when your kids are stuck at home.
What we’re listening to: Reply All takes a wild journey through memory and late ‘90s alt-rock
There are few things more frustrating than vaguely remembering a song. Perhaps you can recall a snippet of a melody, but no lyrics you could plug into a Google search. Your memory is a vault, locked even to you. Tyler Gillett could remember much more than that: Lodged in his memory was an entire song from the late ‘90s alt-rock boom, with rapped verses, a soaring U2-esque chorus, even a guitar solo. Despite his detailed recollection, however, Gillett couldn’t find anyone else on the entire internet who remembered the song too.
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