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Last Day to Enter Video Contest! Show Us Your Kid’s Newfound Independence!

I realize that sounds kinda nuts — why are we asking PARENTS to show us their KIDS being independent? Who, after all, is better at making videos? Mom or little Ava (who’s 5)? But legally we can’t ask anyone under 13 to do anything. So go document your children doing something new on their own, […]




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The Life-Changing Power of Daydreaming for Kids

“When I was 17, I was in a serious accident and had to be home for months. Looking out at our boring backyard, I daydreamed a plan for my life. It became a blueprint.” So writes Holly Korbey in a lovely piece at Let Grow. There are different kinds of daydreaming, of course, and some don’t […]




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Far Cooler and More Memorable Than Most Mother’s Day Cards: A Questionnaire for Kids & Moms to Fill Out

What expression does — did — your mom use all the time? What skill did you learn from her?  What does (or did) she encourage you to do? These are great questions for any mom and child, whether the kid is 5 or 50. And if you click here, you can print out a very […]




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Is the COVID Quarantine Making Kids Less Anxious (and Maybe Even More Helpful)?

At least for some kids, yes, being flung from the stress of a super-structured, super-supervised existence is having a calming, life-expanding effect. I discuss this amazing phenom in this Big Think article, including six short essays by kids themselves, and also in this interview with Bored Panda,  the  pop culture site, where I note that […]




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Stop Throwing Away Those Little Silica Gel Packets! You and the Kids Can Use Them a Ton of Clever Ways

Parents, kids: Fear not the silica gel pack. Sure it says DO NOT EAT and THROW AWAY. But you should only follow one of those rules.    Instead, save the packs and use them a whole lot of ways: Place them on the car dashboard by the windshield to keep it from fogging up.   […]




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It’s Not Too Late — Free Printable Mother’s Day Cards / Cool Activities

These “cards” are really an excuse for kids to interview their moms and shower them with the ultimate gifts: attention to mom’s quirky uniqueness, gratitude, and offers of help! Here you go — click here! (Mother’s Day is SUNDAY!)




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Massive Layoffs When Trucks Become Autonomous

1.8 million people in the United States drive heavy trucks for a living and are at risk of losing their jobs when trucks become autonomous. That number is from the BLS category heavy and tractor-trailer trucking with 1.8 million employees. A separate category Delivery Truck Drivers and Driver/Sales Workers has 1.3 million workers. The heavy duty truckers are more at risk than the local delivery drivers because it is easier to automate long haul driving on interstates than to automate driving on more complex (cross traffic, pedestrians, parked cars, etc) local roads. Plus, delivery drivers have to run up to houses and businesses to make most deliveries. Building robots to do that work will take longer. Railroad operation is easier...




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Illumina Says $100 Genome Within 3 To 10 Years

Already we've hit the $1000 genome and faster and cheaper DNA sequencing is on the way. DNA sequencing is going through a speed-up and cost-cutting rate that is similar to that which computer processors have been going through for decades. While the doubling rate of computer power has slowed quite a bit the rate of decrease in DNA sequencing costs has kept up the pace and, in fact, the rate of decline in DNA sequencing costs suddenly accelerated at the end of 2007 has been going down pretty sharply ever since. The cost decline seemed to halt during 2014 only to plunge in 2015. So why should you care? Really cheap massive amounts of DNA sequencing of cancerous cells will...




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St. George's Day 2020

Date: April 23, 2020

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by British guest artist Robin Davey, commemorates St. George’s Day. On the annual celebration of the patron saint, England celebrates St. George and his representation of values like bravery, integrity, and leadership.

According to legend, St. George single-handedly slew a dragon to rescue a city under siege. For centuries, he captured the English imagination; in fact, King Henry V’s veneration for St. George was even immortalized in William Shakespeare’s eponymous play about the monarch.  

St. George was declared England’s patron saint in 1348, and in 1415 St. George’s Day was inaugurated as a national feast day in his honor. Today, the special day lives on as a testament to England’s culture and unique traditions through activities like morris dancing (a rural folk custom) and medieval jousting.

Happy St. George’s Day!

 


 

Guest Artist Q&A with Robin Davey

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by British guest artist Robin Davey. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

 

Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally? 

A: As a Briton living abroad, it was nice to make something connected to my home country.

 

Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?

A: My mum, who checks the Doodle daily, will be thrilled :)

 

Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A: I wanted to reframe the story of George and the dragon as one of friends, not adversaries.

 

Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: That peaceful cooperation with our neighbours is preferable to conflict.




 

Location: United Kingdom

Tags: national day, National Holiday, history, George, dragon, toast, England




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Coding (2017)

Date: April 27, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2017 Doodle game celebrating 50 years of Kids Coding!


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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King's Day 2020 (Netherlands)

Date: April 27, 2020

Today’s Doodle commemorates what is widely revered as the Netherlands’ most popular holiday, King’s Day. Known as Koningsdag in Dutch, today honors the birthday of the first Dutch king in 123 years, His Royal Highness Willem-Alexander.

Depicted in the Doodle artwork, the red, white, and blue tricolor Dutch flag was affirmed in its current form by a royal decree in 1937. With orange as the official color of the day, the flag is often seen with a small orange stripe, or a wimpel, hovering on the top for King’s Day.

Fijne Koningsdag! (Happy King’s Day!)

Location: Netherlands

Tags: national day, National Holiday, independence, history, Netherlands, King's Day




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Cricket (2017)

Date: April 28, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2017 Doodle game celebrating Cricket!

 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Fischinger (2017)

Date: April 29, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2017 Doodle game celebrating Oskar Fischinger!
 

 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

 

 

 

Location: Global

Tags:




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Israel Independence Day 2020

Date: April 29, 2020

On the fifth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, Israeli communities worldwide celebrate their Independence Day, known locally as Yom Ha’atzmaut. Today’s Doodle pays tribute to this annual holiday in recognition of the day in 1948 when the State of Israel declared its independence. 

Depicted in the Doodle artwork, the flag of Israel features two blue stripes running horizontally over the white background with the Star of David at its center. Officially adopted in 1948, the same year as independence, the flag will be waved proudly wherever Israeli’s call home. 

Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel!​

Location: Israel

Tags: national day, National Holiday, independence, history, Israel




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Rockmore (2016)

Date: April 30, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2016 Doodle game celebrating Clara Rockmore!
 

 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Garden Gnomes (2018)

Date: May 1, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2018 Doodle game celebrating Garden Gnomes!
 


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Labour Day 2020 (Multiple)

Date: May 1, 2020

Also known as May Day or International Workers’ Day, Labour Day is celebrated on May 1st in many countries around the world. Today’s Doodle celebrates the day by illustrating a handful of the many professions across the labor force.

Recognized around the world, Labour Day originated from the 19th-century labour movement. First declared a holiday by trade unions in 1889, Labour Day commemorates worker’s rights and their fight for weekends, better working conditions, and shorter working days. 

Here’s to everyone contributing to the livelihoods of those around them each and every day. 

Happy Labour Day!

Location: Global

Tags:





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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Scoville (2016)

Date: May 4, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2016 Doodle game celebrating Wilbur Scoville!
 


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Lotería (2019)

Date: May 5, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2019 Doodle game celebrating Lotería!
 


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Halloween (2016)

Date: May 6, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2016 Doodle game celebrating Halloween!
 


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: Hip Hop (2017)

Date: May 7, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2017 Doodle game celebrating the birth of Hip Hop!
 


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:




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Stay and Play at Home with Popular Past Google Doodles: PAC-MAN (2010)

Date: May 8, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we’re launching a throwback Doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!

Stay and play at home with today’s featured throwback: 

Our 2010 Doodle game celebrating PAC-MAN!
 


 



Help stop the spread of COVID-19 by following these steps.  
 



Learn more here about the latest ways we’re responding, and how our products can help people stay connected during this time.

Location: Global

Tags:





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Mother's Day 2020 (May 10)

Date: May 10, 2020

All that glitters is not gold, but sometimes it comes in handy.

Whether they're near or far, make Mom a little piece of art from your heart in today’s interactive, digital card-maker Doodle.

Learn more about the inspiration that led to the creation of this Doodle on our official Google Blog.

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

 


Cut out some time to send a mom some love today! Search for ”GoogleDoodles” in Gboard, GIF Keyboard by Tenor, or the GIF search in your favorite social apps.

 



Below, the Doodlers behind today’s Doodle share their own MOM-umental creations:
 

Anthony Irwin, UX Designer

 

Collin Irwin, Engineer

 

Grace Chen, Marketing

 

Perla Campos, Marketing

 

Tom Tabanao, Engineer

 


 

More behind-the-scenes of the making of today’s Doodle:
 

It begins! Special thanks to the Takara and McGupta Families for materials.

 

Early Bead Tests

 

Angle Reference for the Doodle G

 

Turtle In-Progress

 

Glitter Star Animation Frames

 


 

 

❤️ MOTHER’S DAY 2020 TEAM ❤️

Lead Artist | Alyssa Winans

Engineering | Brian Murray, Collin Irwin, Tom Tabanao, Jacob Howcroft, Nicole Patten, Yumi Kim

Producer | Gregory Capuano, Colin Duffy

UX Design | Anthony Irwin, Diana Tran

Sound Design | Jacob Howcroft

Marketing | Perla Campos, Grace Chen

Business Affairs Lead & Partnerships | Madeline Belliveau

Doodle Team Lead | Jessica Yu, Brian Kaas

 

Location: Global

Tags: Interactive, National Holiday, greeting card, turtles, macaroni, buttons, sequins, hearts, dragonflies, giraffes, seashells, stars, glitter




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CEACAM1 and molecular signaling pathways to expand the liver transplant donor pool

Organ shortage continues to limit the lives of patients who require liver transplantation. While extending criteria for liver organs provides a needed resource, tissue damage from prolonged ischemic injury can result in early allograft dysfunction and consequent rejection. In this issue of the JCI, Nakamura et al. used a mouse transplantation model with prolonged ex vivo cold storage to explore liver graft protection. The authors found that liver grafts with absent carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) exhibited increased ischemia-reperfusion injury inflammation and decreased function in wild-type recipients. The authors went on to correlate CEACAM1 levels with postreperfusion damage in human liver transplant recipients. Notably, this study identified a potential biomarker for liver transplant donor graft quality.




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A tumor-intrinsic PD-L1/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway drives resistance to anti–PD-1 immunotherapy

An in-depth understanding of immune escape mechanisms in cancer is likely to lead to innovative advances in immunotherapeutic strategies. However, much remains unknown regarding these mechanisms and how they impact immunotherapy resistance. Using several preclinical tumor models as well as clinical specimens, we identified a mechanism whereby CD8+ T cell activation in response to programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) blockade induced a programmed death ligand 1/NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain–containing protein 3 (PD-L1/NLRP3) inflammasome signaling cascade that ultimately led to the recruitment of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) into tumor tissues, thereby dampening the resulting antitumor immune response. The genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of NLRP3 suppressed PMN-MDSC tumor infiltration and significantly augmented the efficacy of anti–PD-1 antibody immunotherapy. This pathway therefore represents a tumor-intrinsic mechanism of adaptive resistance to anti–PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy and is a promising target for future translational research.




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Cytotoxic CD4+ T lymphocytes may induce endothelial cell apoptosis in systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune fibrotic disease whose pathogenesis is poorly understood and lacks effective therapies. We undertook quantitative analyses of T cell infiltrates in the skin of 35 untreated patients with early diffuse SSc and here show that CD4+ cytotoxic T cells and CD8+ T cells contribute prominently to these infiltrates. We also observed an accumulation of apoptotic cells in SSc tissues, suggesting that recurring cell death may contribute to tissue damage and remodeling in this fibrotic disease. HLA-DR–expressing endothelial cells were frequent targets of apoptosis in SSc, consistent with the prominent vasculopathy seen in patients with this disease. A circulating effector population of cytotoxic CD4+ T cells, which exhibited signatures of enhanced metabolic activity, was clonally expanded in patients with systemic sclerosis. These data suggest that cytotoxic T cells may induce the apoptotic death of endothelial and other cells in systemic sclerosis. Cell loss driven by immune cells may be followed by overly exuberant tissue repair processes that lead to fibrosis and tissue dysfunction.








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Weekday Escape - Retro Edition N°30

Welcome, this week it's retro time again! Vitamin Hana wants you to escape from an unusual place - from an oceanarium. Then you get locked in Yomino Kagura's prettily decorated room, and then it's time for No1game 's short adventure... Tagged as: blog, browser, escape, escapemen, free, fuwayura, japanese, no1game, pointandclick, puzzle, rating-g, vitaminhana, weekday-escape, yominokagura





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Weekday Escape N°252

Hi, it's time for a break, it's escaping time! Selfdefiant wants you to escape a desert temple which is, very conveniently, placed next to a stream so no worries of dehydration in case you stay here longer than expected. TomoLaSiDo... Tagged as:




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Weekday Escape N°253

Hello - the new WE is here! Wishing you beautiful spring and happy playing during this quarantine time! Amajeto is definitely back and has changed remarkably, the latest game is bigger and feels more like their older escapes. Very nice.... Tagged as: blog, browser, escape, free, gotmail, japanese, nicolet, pointandclick, puzzle, rating-g, selfdefiant, spiceapp, tomolasido, weekday-escape




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Weekday Escape - Retro Edition N°31

Hi, it's time to have some fun from the past! This Weekday Escape is retro! Vitamin Hana wants you to escape a room - no surprise - but also to redecorate it. Yomino Kagura isn't so demanding, their escape is... Tagged as: blog, browser, esc-forest, escape, escapemen, free, japanese, no1game, pointandclick, puzzle, rating-g, vitaminhana, weekday-escape, yominokagura






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Sale! 3 days only

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer or winter, depending on where you live. I’m hard at work on new books for you, and wanted to quickly let you know about a Kindle Countdown Deal on Amazon US and UK! (Amazon only does these deals in the US and UK–sadly it is out of my control. […]




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Holiday romance deal!

You can grab four steamy and sweet MM holiday romances in one box set for a major discount! This new collection is only $6.99 or you can borrow it in KU. I’m also very excited that these novellas are available in print for the first time! ???? Buy the ebook box set exclusively at Amazon […]




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New holiday romance!

“Looking for a fun and sweet holiday romance with dual POV, some heat, a humorous caper, and a wonderful HEA ending? Look no further!” ~ Gay Book Reviews Fa-la-la-la-la! My new holiday romance is now available to buy or borrow in KU! You’ve got fake boyfriends, bisexual exploration, found family, a single dad in desperate need […]




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An X-Ray View of Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro

iFixit hasn't yet done a full teardown of the new Magic Keyboard designed for the new iPad Pro models, but the repair site today partnered with x-ray company Creative Electron to create Magic Keyboard x-rays that give us a view of just what's inside.


The Magic Keyboard uses scissor switch keys instead of butterfly keys, which have now been effectively eliminated from Apple's product lineup. The scissor switch mechanism is clearly visible in the x-ray view, and iFixit calls it the simplest mechanism in the accessory, but the biggest improvement compared to the Smart Keyboard.

Below the keyboard, there are metal plates that iFixit believes are for reinforcing the keyboard's body against bending, and the trackpad is a new design that's different from MacBook trackpads.

There appear to be multiple buttons under the trackpad to capture presses, while the MacBook Trackpads have no buttons and simulate presses with haptic feedback.


There are at least two spring loaded hinge designs at the folding point, featuring both a small coil and a larger coil, plus there are two cables for connecting the Smart Connector to the keyboard for power and data transfer.

Lots and lots of magnets are visible in the x-ray, with the magnets used to hold the Magic Keyboard on the ‌iPad Pro‌. There's a whole ring of tiny magnets around the camera cutout, which iFixit said was a "lot of little polarized bits" to line up, space out, and configure with the ‌iPad Pro‌ components.

According to iFixit, there's more going on in the Magic Keyboard than there is in many laptops, which could explain its price point. Apple charges $299 for the 11-inch Magic Keyboard and $349 for the 12.9-inch version.


This article, "An X-Ray View of Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Day One Journaling App Update Adds iPad Trackpad Support, New Day View, and More

Popular journaling app Day One today updated to version 4.13, adding support for trackpad navigation on iPad, a new Day View interface, and other improvements.


This release comes after the launch of iOS and iPadOS 13.4, which added support for trackpads and mice on ‌‌iPad‌‌.

After updating, Day One users on ‌iPad‌ can use various trackpad actions to interact with the app, including two-finger swipe down to dismiss, and two-finger horizontal swipe to open and close the journal drawer.


The new Day View offers quicker access to daily entries by tapping on or clicking dates in the calendar or the timeline.

Also in this update, Daily Reminders now include additional information like the number of photos taken and locations visited on a given day, and the Settings pages now provide links to Day One feature documents.

Elsewhere, several bugs have been fixed, including one that caused video thumbnails not to display in the media timeline, and one that prevented photos in the activity feed from showing location or calendar events.

Day One is a free download for iPhone and ‌iPad‌ from the App Store with in-app purchases for premium features. [Direct Link]
Tag: Day One

This article, "Day One Journaling App Update Adds iPad Trackpad Support, New Day View, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Stores in Germany to Begin Reopening May 11 With Enhanced Health and Safety Measures

Apple today announced that it will begin reopening its retail stores in Germany on May 11, nearly two months after they were closed due to the global health crisis.


In a statement shared with German website Macerkopf, Apple said the stores will initially be focusing on Genius Bar service and support. Enhanced health and safety measures will be implemented, such as body temperature checks prior to entry, limits on how many customers can be in the store at once, social distancing, and reduced hours of operation.

Apple operates 15 retail stores in Germany and will be posting specific hours of operation for each location on its website.

Apple closed all of its retail stores outside of the Greater China region in mid-March. The company has since started to reopen some locations, including in South Korea, Austria, and Australia. All locations in the United States remain closed.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores

This article, "Apple Stores in Germany to Begin Reopening May 11 With Enhanced Health and Safety Measures" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Plan to Introduce New AirPods Later This Year Reportedly Delayed

Apple's plan to release an updated version of AirPods later this year has been delayed due to the global health crisis, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.


This lines up with a recent report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said that mass production of third-generation AirPods will begin in the first half of 2021, followed by mass production of second-generation AirPods Pro between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of 2022. Kuo also expects Apple's rumored high-end over-ear headphones to enter mass production at some point in mid-2020.

Kuo did acknowledge rumors of new AirPods coming in the second half of 2020, but he said they are "more likely to be the new Beats model." Last month, leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple was planning to release so-called "AirPods X" around September or October with a BeatsX-like design for sports and running.

Apple's second-generation AirPods launched in March 2019, while the AirPods Pro were released at the end of October.

Related Roundup: AirPods 2
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)

This article, "Apple's Plan to Introduce New AirPods Later This Year Reportedly Delayed" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over 'Flexgate' Issue With MacBook Pro Displays

A nationwide class action lawsuit filed against Apple in Northern California court this week accuses the company of knowingly concealing a defect with a display-related flex cable on recent 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models.


As discovered by repair website iFixit last year, some MacBook Pro models released in 2016 and 2017 have experienced issues with uneven backlighting caused by a delicate flex cable that can wear out and break after repeated opening and closing of the display. Impacted notebooks can exhibit uneven lighting at the bottom of the screen, which has been described as a "stage light" effect, and the backlighting system can eventually fail entirely.

Since the issue often takes time to manifest, the affected ‌MacBook Pro‌ units can be outside of Apple's one-year warranty period when they start exhibiting symptoms, resulting in an out-of-warranty repair fee of up to $850.

"Imagine spending more than $2,500 on a laptop only for it to fail shortly after the manufacturer's warranty expires," said PARRIS Law Firm attorney R. Rex Parris. "What's even more appalling is Apple requiring customers to spend an additional $600 to $850 to replace the screen."

Apple seemingly fixed the issue by extending the length of the flex cable by 2mm in the 2018 MacBook Pro. It also launched a free repair program in May 2019, but the program only applies to 13-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2016.

iFixit found the 2018 MacBook Pro flex cable on the left to be 2mm longer

The class action lawsuit seeks restitution for all costs attributable to replacing or replacing the affected MacBook Pro units, and calls for Apple to expand its repair program to cover the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The proposed class is defined as all persons within the United States who purchased a 2016 or newer MacBook Pro.

Related Guide: "Flexgate" Display Issues Affecting 2016 MacBook Pro and Later
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Caution)

This article, "Apple Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over 'Flexgate' Issue With MacBook Pro Displays" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an Apple-Themed Plush Pillow From Throwboy

For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Throwboy to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Throwboy's plushes modeled after classic Apple products and icons.


Throwboy makes a whole range of different plush pillow options priced at $30 to $40, with each one designed to look like an Apple product of some kind, including classic Macs, the iPod, the iPhone, and more. Each pillow features detailed embroidery and careful construction to highlight each component and to accurately represent Apple's designs.

The 1998 pillow, for example, is modeled after Apple's original iMac with its bright Bondi Blue design, while the 2001 pillow modeled after the original iPod comes complete with a screen and click wheel embroidery.


The 2007 pillow looks like the original ‌iPhone‌ with black bezels and a silver backing, and the Icon Pillow looks like Apple's classic happy Finder icon.


There's even a rainbow-colored Spinning Wheel Pillow that's designed to look like the dreaded spinning pinwheel that the cursor morphs into when an application is busy.


All of Throwboy's plushes are soft, squishy, huggable, and the perfect accent piece for an Apple fan. Each pillow is the ideal size to be used as a comfortable throw pillow for a couch or a chair. Photos of the pillows in action can be seen on Throwboy's Instagram account.


We have 10 of Throwboy's pillows to give away to MacRumors readers, and each winner will be able to pick their favorite pillow: ‌iMac‌, iPod, classic ‌iPhone‌, Finder Icon, or Spinning Wheel.

To enter to win our ‌giveaway‌, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the ‌giveaway‌ restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

Throwboy Giveaway
The contest will run from today (May 8) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on May 15. The winners will be chosen randomly on May 15 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
This article, "MacRumors Giveaway: Win an Apple-Themed Plush Pillow From Throwboy" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's Over-Ear Headphones May Be Called 'AirPods Studio' and Cost $349

Apple's rumored high-end over-ear headphones may be called "AirPods Studio" and retail for $349, according to Jon Prosser of YouTube channel Front Page Tech.


In keeping with the successful ‌AirPods‌ brand, the rumored "Studio" over-ear headphones would significantly diversify Apple's ‌AirPods‌ lineup, which last added the in-ear AirPods Pro in October 2019. The supposed price of $349 would place "‌AirPods‌ Studio" as a direct competitor to high-end noise-canceling over-ear headphones from Bose and Sony.


Prosser has previously accurately leaked the April 15 launch date of the new iPhone SE and, most recently, the May 4 launch date of the refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple's over-hear headphones to enter mass production in mid-2020, which may suggest a fall 2020 launch.
Related Roundup: AirPods 2
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral)

This article, "Apple's Over-Ear Headphones May Be Called 'AirPods Studio' and Cost $349" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Obituary: Rick May, voice of Peppy Hare from 'Star Fox 64'

Rick May, best known to furries and non-furries alike as the voice of Peppy Hare in the English version of the game Star Fox 64 passed away April 13, 2020 due to COVID-19. May was born September 21, 1940 (with the full name of Richard J. May), meaning he would have turned 80 later this year. May had also recently suffered a stroke in February, making him even more vulnerable to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

May will forever be known as the man who originally uttered the memetic line "Do a barrel roll! (Z or R twice.)" in Star Fox 64, explaining to players how to perform what is technically an aileron roll in order to deflect enemy attacks. May also played the villain of Star Fox 64, Andross. Outside of furry video games, May is probably best known for voicing the Soldier of Team Fortress 2; furries might also recognize his voice behind the villainous Dr. M from the third Sly Cooper game. In addition to voice work for video games, May has had a long history of working both on and for the stage as both a director and actor, beginning with USO shows while stationed in Japan. His part in a Renton, Washington production of Cotton Patch Gospel featured a combination of his voice and stage work, as he used different voices to portray 21 characters in what was reportedly his favorite stage role.

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