Magic Leap, Which Has Raised Over $2B, Lays off 1,000 Employees and Drops Consumer Business

Magic Leap, the augmented-reality startup that raised more than $2 billion from high-profile investors including Alphabet and Alibaba Group, is cutting about half of its workforce as part of a major restructuring. From a report: About 1,000 employees will be affected, the people added. The company is planning to wind down its consumer business and will instead focus on its enterprise…

April’s birthstone is the diamond

Happy birthday April babies! Your birthstone, the diamond, is the rich cousin of graphite. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/april-birthstone-diamond…

iFixit MacBook Air Teardown Finds More Repairable Than Predecessor

iFixit tore apart the updated MacBook Air and found that Apple made a few changes making for a more repairable notebook than the last generation. All in all, the new 2020 MacBook Air got a 4/10 repairability score from iFixit, which is one point higher than the previous-gen model which scored 3/10. 9to5Mac reports: iFixit highlights in its full teardown that…

Apple Releases iOS 13.4, iPadOS 13.4, macOS 10.15.4, tvOS 13.4, and watchOS 6.2

Apple today officially released versions 13.4 of iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS to the public, alongside macOS 10.15.4 and watchOS 6.2. While many of their improvements are minor, there are a few standout features across the updates. From a report: One of the most noteworthy additions is a dramatic expansion of iPadOS 13’s prior trackpad and mouse support, which was limited solely…

Submit your #SocialDistanceSelfie

How’re you doing out there? We want to see you and hear from you! Post your selfie at EarthSky Facebook, or at EarthSky Community Photos, or in the comments section of this post. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/photos-social-distance-selfies-earthsky…

Magic Leap Wants Workers To Use Its Headsets While They’re Stuck At Home

Mixed reality startup Magic Leap is trying to tempt potential buyers with a package for people stuck working from home. The Verge reports: The “Collaboration Package” is a 45-day trial of four Magic Leap headsets, plus access to Spatial, a virtual collaboration program. It costs $5,000, with the option to extend the license or send the headsets back afterward. Spatial creates…

Apple Announces a New iPad Pro and Signals the End is Coming For Laptops

Despite COVID-19 forcing Apple to close down all retail stores outside of China indefinitely, the company just announced a new 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (starting at $799 and $949, respectively). From a report: Last refreshed in 2018, the new iPad Pros come with a faster A12Z Bionic chip equipped with an 8-core CPU and GPU, a new ultra-wide camera and…

Moon and Antares before sunup March 15

Let the moon show you Antares, the red supergiant star, on the morning of March 15, 2020. If your sky is fairly dark, see if you can make out the graceful shape of Antares’ constellation – Scorpius the Scorpion – in the moon’s glare. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-antares-before-sunrise-march-15…

Augmented-Reality Startup Magic Leap Reportedly Considering Selling Itself

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: Magic Leap, a mysterious maker of augmented reality glasses, is reportedly considering strategic options that include selling itself. The startup is working with an advisor to explore options such as forming a partnership or selling a stake in the company ahead of a potential listing, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing unidentified sources. Founded in…

What is the gegenschein?

The sun’s counterglow – or gegenschein – is kind of a stargazers’ legend. What is it, and how can you see it? Erwin Matys and Karoline Mrazek of Project Nightflight explain. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/definition-what-is-the-gegenschein…