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Mythili Sampathkumar

Mythili Sampathkumar

Mythili is a freelance journalist based in New York. When not reporting about politics, foreign policy, entertainment, and climate change, she is reading during a subway delay and attempting to be artistic.

five favorite kickstarter projects of the week

Kickstarter loses 40% of its staff after a wave of layoffs and buyouts

Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter laid off 25 employees and with 30 more employees accepting voluntary buyouts, the company has reduced its staff by nearly 40%.
how to sync your Outlook calendar with an iPhone

Microsoft wants to make Outlook for Web a lot more like Gmail

Microsoft re-designed Outlook for the web with features like predictive text and scheduled send in order to compete with the nearly universally used Gmail. 
uber eats redesigned app lets you track your order with cute graphics

Lawmakers don’t like Uber’s potential Grubhub acquisition plans

Ride-sharing giant Uber is coming under attack for its attempt to add to its food delivery capabilities by buying GrubHub. Could it lead to a monopoly?
A laptop with a Netflix menu page on the screen.

European Netflix customers are still seeing lower-quality video, slow speed

Netflix is still reducing video bitrates for the streaming giant's European users two months after reducing bandwidth at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Twitter is letting some employees work from home forever

Social media giant Twitter announced Tuesday it will allow some of its employees to continue working remotely — even after the coronavirus pandemic has ended.
How to change your Spotify username

How to use Spotify’s new Group Sessions feature

Spotify is testing out a Group Sessions feature, which allows premium users in the same vicinity share DJ duties for shared playlists.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is back with an interactive special on Netflix

Almost two years after Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and its quirky characters ended their run on Netflix, the cast is back with an interactive special on Tuesday.
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You can now buy the Impossible Burger at Kroger’s

Impossible Foods will now sell its plant-based burger in nearly 3,000 grocery stores, thanks to the addition of 1,700 Kroger's locations all over the U.S. 
WhatsApp messaging app

How to use WhatsApp’s new coronavirus fact-checking chatbot

WhatsApp's new chatbot can fact-check false claims about the coronavirus in an instant. It uses the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network.
Coronavirus Testing Labs

Johns Hopkins opens coronavirus testing data to the public

Johns Hopkins University has made public its data on coronavirus testing, including testing sites, how many test have been done, and state-by-state comparisons.
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Spotify says the pandemic has changed how we listen to music and podcasts

Music streaming service Spotify said it has seen changes in users' listening choices since lockdowns to prevent the spread of the coronavirus went into effect.
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How to run in a virtual race

Runners have been participating in virtual races to exercise and compete during the coronavirus lockdown. Here's how you can stay fit while still staying safe.
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YouTube partners with Tribeca, Cannes, Sundance for free film festival

YouTube is partnering with Tribeca, Cannes, Sundance and several others to offer a free film festival on its platform from May 29 to June 7, 2020. 
health worker with face shield

CDC adds six new coronavirus symptoms to watch out for

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has added six new symptoms to its list for COVID-19, including chills, sore throat, and sudden loss of smell.
The NFL's Daniel Sorensen tries to tackle Darren Waller

How to watch the NFL Draft 2020

Tune into the first virtual NFL draft on Thursday, April 23, as coronavirus has shut down all other major live sporting events.
The SXSW logo

Piracy, lost deals, and apps: The risks film festivals face while going digital

Film festivals face a tough decision of whether to cancel altogether or stream films during the COVID-19 lockdown, both of which would result in lost revenue.
Facebook has an interactive map tracking people who say they are exhibiting coronavirus symptoms across the U.S.

Facebook map shows you where people are reporting coronavirus symptoms

Facebook posted an interactive map which tracks how many people say they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, by U.S. county
Oscar Isaac in Duke Leto Atreides lookign to his left in Dune

Denis Villeneuve explains why Dune had to be adapted into two movies

Director Denis Villeneuve said his adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune will allow the rich, intricate world of the 1965 sci-fi book to unfold across two films.
Coronavirus

What is contact tracing and can it help in the fight against coronavirus?

Contact tracing helps in preventing the spread of a virus and Google and Apple are teaming up to make it easier for us to interact again.
Lana Condor and Noah Centineo

Netflix stars to host Instagram Live series about coping with coronavirus

Netflix announced it will be starting a new Instagram live series to talk about mental health during the coronavirus lockdown.
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Cyberbullying increases amid coronavirus pandemic. Here’s what parents can do

As students become physically isolated because of COVID-19, experts say cyberbullying has become a growing problem. There are ways for parents to help, however.
Intel logo

Intel pledges $50 million for coronavirus response efforts

Intel has pledged $50 million for pandemic relief efforts, with initiatives to improve patient care, make online learning easier, and fund scientific research.
Dennis Quaid

Startup partnering with Dennis Quaid wants to make podcasts like a ‘movie for your ears’

Movie star Dennis Quaid is branching out by partnering with Audio Up, a new podcast company which aims to take the world of podcast from black and white into technicolor.
YouTube Photo

YouTube pulls down conspiracy theory videos linking 5G to coronavirus

YouTube is doing its part by limiting content on conspiracy theories and 5G technology. The move comes after a spree of attacks on 5G cell towers in the U.K. 
Chromebook Student

Google Chromebook quirk forces a decision: Parental controls or schoolwork?

Login issues between Chromebooks and Google Classroom are forcing parents in lockdown to choose between parental controls and their kids' online schoolwork.
The TCL Roku 6-Series (R625) TV.

Roku is offering 30-day free trial of premium video

Roku is giving new users 30 days of free access to premium channels, but it comes with a slight catch.
Instagram on an iPhone

Instagram shuts down major meme account over coronavirus scam

An Instagram account with close to 14 million followers was taken down by the social media company for perpetuating misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
online learning

The mass migration to online learning is leaving disabled students behind

As universities and schools try to quickly transition learning from the classroom to online, disabled students are disproportionately affected.
man checking phone with mask on

Tech firms donate 10 million face masks stockpiled after California wildfires

Apple and Facebook will donate more than 9.7 million masks to medical workers to combat the coronavirus. The firms stockpiled the maks after the 2019 wildfires.
Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet

The best free resources to keep students engaged while stuck at home

As teachers, parents, and students of all ages adjust to the world of distance learning at home, educational tech outlets are responding with free offerings.
restaurant

Yelp adds GoFundMe button to boost local restaurants and bars hurt by closures

Yelp has partnered up with GoFundMe to raise money for local, independent businesses and restaurants that have been forced to close during the coronavirus.
Coronavirus exposes digital disparities between students as learning goes online

Coronavirus exposes digital disparities between students as learning goes online

With universities across the country closing campuses and moving everything online, the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic has complicated learning for many.
Max von Sydow

Max von Sydow, star of Seventh Seal, Star Wars, and Game of Thrones, dies at 90

Max von Sydow, who starred in The Exorcist and Game of Thrones, and even made a late-in-life appearance in a Star Wars film, has passed away at the age of 90.
honeywell quantum computers computing

Honeywell is making a leap from thermostats to quantum computers

Making the leap from home thermostats to building a quantum computer may not seem logical, but that is exactly what Honeywell has been doing the past decade.