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Coronavirus: How COVID-19 is changing the way we live

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The novel coronavirus, formally known as COVID-19, quickly spread throughout the world and has changed our daily lives and the way we interact. As cities shut down and people engage in social distancing, our tech has become essential to connect with others at a time of isolation. The impact will be long-lasting: Several nations have begun work on a vaccine, but it will take months before one can be distributed widely. Here’s the latest news about how the coronavirus is transforming the way we live.

Elon Musk stands looking to his right.

Elon Musk issues stark ultimatum to Tesla workers

Tesla chief Elon Musk has told his workers to return to the office or leave the company, according to a memo sent to staff this week.
The interior of a Tesla factory.

Tesla’s Shanghai workers reportedly sleeping at factory

Apple products are seen in the store.

MacBook production delays could cause trouble for Apple

A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

Get the COVID-19 booster shot, Apple reportedly tells staff

check out the stunning design of apples newest retail store apple  singapore 2

Apple Store looks set to retain mask mandate for now

oneplus 8 review camera

The best webcam apps for Android and iOS

The best videoconferencing apps for 2022

The Coway Airmega purifier.

Should you continue to buy air purifiers to protect you from the coronavirus?

blood biomarker pain indiana university injection

Apple Maps now shows you COVID-19 vaccination locations

Working remote

Zoom Escaper gives you the perfect excuse to flee tiresome calls

cell radio tower

The wildest 5G conspiracy theories explained — and debunked

contact tracing apps failed covid 19 pandemic

Contact-tracing apps were the biggest tech failure of the COVID-19 pandemic

Recycled face masks

The best way to dispose of used face masks? Turn them into roads

Shredding old face masks and turning them into construction materials could save them from being thrown into landfills.
The Apple Watch SE is worn on a wrist with apps showing on the display.

Apple Watch could be used to detect coronavirus infections

A study by researchers at New York's Mount Sinai hospital shows how Apple Watches could spot a coronavirus infection before a diagnosis.
Razer Project Hazel

The best COVID tech of CES 2021: Smart masks and sanitizers

From smart face masks to temperature-checking doorbells, there was plenty of tech introduced at CES 2021 designed to combat COVID-19. Here was the best.
this vending machine gives out covid tests not candy bars test

This vending machine gives out COVID tests, not candy bars

From a distance it looks like a regular candy bar dispenser, but get up close and you’ll quickly see that this is a vending machine with a difference.
microsoft surface laptop go review wordpad

Shortage of laptops and PC components won’t be cleared until 2022

This year saw a huge boom in computer sales, and hardware manufacturers are not expected to clear the backlog until 2022.
line plans hybrid future after successful online devday event developer day 2020 ipad screen

How Line’s successful online-only DevDay paves the way for a hybrid event future

Virtual events have become common in 2020, but will they go away in the near future? Messaging app Line shares why hybrid events are the way forward.
App store icon showing three notifications.

Apple has revealed the best apps of 2020. Here’s what they reveal about us

Apple unveiled its picks for the best apps of 2020, a collection of games, tools, and utilities that have shone throughout this year.
line cto euivin park devday2020 interview app opening screen

Speed, demand, and responsibility: How messaging app Line dealt with 2020

The offline world moved quickly online during 2020, and the CTO of messaging app Line spoke to Digital Trends about what how the global pandemic affected it.
amazon employee wearing mask

Amazon to hand full-time frontline workers a $300 holiday bonus

As it heads into what could be one of the busiest online shopping periods on record, Amazon is handing a $300 holiday bonus to its full-time frontline workers.
Respokeare N95 Respirator Mask

This breakthrough mask promises even more protection than the N95

If you're looking for masks for your family, the Respokare NIOSH N95 respirator mask outperforms the more common N95 masks.
google maps new features aim to ease holiday season stress covid layer

Google Maps’ latest features aim to ease holiday season stress

Google is adding new pandemic-related data to Maps aimed at getting you safely through the busy holiday season and beyond.
Cambridge Biotech Moderna Leads in Race For Coronavirus Vaccine

Coronavirus vaccine researchers are being targeted by cyberattacks

Pharmaceutical companies and vaccine researchers working on a coronavirus vaccine have been the target of hacking attacks, a new report from Microsoft says.
google search can now teach you how to pronounce tricky words speaker phone

We could soon be coughing into our phones to see if we have COVID-19

Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed an algorithm that can tell if you have COVID-19 simply by analyzing the sound of your cough.
Samsung World First Cinema LED Display Super S Theater

How about privately renting an AMC theater for just $99?

With the pandemic battering the movie industry, theater giant AMC is trying to claw back lost revenue by opening some of its cinemas for private rental.
space station astronaut dons mask in prep for return to earth chris cassidy nasa face

Space station astronaut dons mask in prep for return to Earth

After six months on the ISS, a NASA astronaut has masked up in readiness for his return trip to a planet that is still very much grappling with the pandemic.
trump vs biden

The next presidential debate on Zoom? It may yet happen

President Donald Trump's positive COVID-19 test has prompted one of his campaign advisers suggesting the next presidential debate could take place virtually.
amazon employee wearing mask

Amazon reveals how many of its workers have caught COVID-19

In a bid to be more transparent about its handling of the pandemic, Amazon has posted data showing infections rates among its front-line workers.
sniffer dogs detecting covid 19 in people is a thing dog training

Sniffer dogs could detect COVID-19 days before symptoms occur

Sniffer dogs trained to detect COVID-19 on infected individuals -- even before they develop symptoms -- are being deployed at international airports.
man checking phone with mask on

Google Maps will now show coronavirus outbreaks in your area

The tool shows how many new confirmed coronavirus cases there have been in an area in the last seven days.
mwc 2020 cancelled due to the coronavirus poster for 6131977432001

Mobile World Congress 2021 postponed to late June due to COVID-19

GSMA has announced it's postponing the Mobile World Congress 2021, which was originally set to take place in March, to late June.
Bill Gates

Bill Gates doesn’t expect a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropic billionaire Bill Gates said he doesn't anticipate a coronavirus vaccine to be ready by next month.
medical employee holding mask stylized image

Fauci says things might not go back to normal until the end of 2021

Dr. Anthony Fauci believes that even with the development of a vaccine, it may take more than a year before the world returns to where it was prior to COVID-19.