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Samsung reportedly scales back MWC presence over coronavirus fears
Companies like LG and NVIDIA aren't the only ones having second thoughts about Mobile World Congress in light of the current coronavirus outbreak. CNET sources say Samsung is scaling back its plans to attend the wireless extravaganza, with many executives cancelling their trips. The company is still "considering" its options and might change its approach again, the sources said, but it might not have nearly as much beyond its usual booth.
NVIDIA will skip MWC 2020 due to concerns about coronavirus
As the reported number of coronavirus infections in China grew beyond 34,000, NVIDIA announced that it will not send employees to the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain this year. According to the company, "Given public health risks around the coronavirus, ensuring the safety of our colleagues, partners and customers is our highest concern...We've been looking forward to sharing our work in AI, 5G and vRAN with the industry. We regret not attending, but believe this is the right decision." The list of organizations passing on MWC under the current circumstances now includes NIVIDIA along with Ericsson and LG. While Spain only confirmed its first case of the virus a week ago, some are deciding that without a vaccine and more information about the virus, which has killed more than 720 people, they'd rather stay home. MWC 2020 between February 24th and 27th, and the GSMA said in a statement that "It is of great importance to the GSMA to continue to convene the industry at this critical time where connectivity is on the cusp of a new industrial revolution. Advocating across the industry through government and ministers, policymakers, operators and industry leaders has never been more critical." 'The GSMA continues to monitor and assess the potential impact of the Coronavirus on MWC Barcelona 2020 as the health and safety of our exhibitors, attendees and staff are of paramount importance."
Switch version of 'The Outer Worlds' delayed due to coronavirus outbreak
Just a few days ago we learned the release date for a Switch port of The Outer Worlds, but now it's delayed. The game was scheduled for release on Nintendo's system March 6th, however the coronavirus outbreak in China has impacted Virtuous, the developer working on the port who has previously delivered versions of Dark Souls Remastered and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age for Switch. On LinkedIn, Virtuous CEO Gilles Langourieux writes that although all members of the team are safe and accounted for, reduced local transportation has made it difficult for them to go to work. Its studios in Chengdu and Xian have extended their holidays until next week as a result. According to publisher Private Division, there isn't a new release date yet, but in a tweet they revealed that when the game comes out they will release a physical version on cartridge as well.
Coronavirus outbreak is affecting Nintendo Switch supply in Japan
The coronavirus outbreak is continuing to have a tangible impact on tech. Nintendo has warned that the virus will result in "inevitable" production and shipment delays for the Switch in Japan, including Joy-Con controllers and Ring Fit Adventure. Accordingly, it postponed Japanese reservations for the Animal Crossing Switch (above) from February 8th to an unspecified date. Pre-orders for the game itself weren't affected.
Dyson patents a wearable air purifier that doubles as headphones
If you use public transportation, you know just how gross the air can be. Commuters are constantly coughing and sneezing, which releases thousands of germs into the air. Taking a flight can be even worse, thanks to the recycled air. And that's not to mention pollution-filled cities like Wuhan in China, or even Los Angeles. Wearing a face mask can help prevent you from breathing in those germs and pollutants, but they're not very effective, and they're not exactly socially acceptable. Air purifiers that hang around your neck are subtler, but they're even less beneficial. Dyson's patent for a new type of purifier describes a product that merges an air purification system with a set of headphones for an effective but somewhat subtle solution to staying healthy in germ- or pollution-filled settings.
Twitter bans financial site Zero Hedge over false coronavirus claims
It's not just Facebook and Google fighting false coronavirus information. Twitter has permanently banned financial site and conspiracy promoter Zero Hedge after it shared a story that not only made unsubstantiated claims that a Wuhan-based scientist created the new coronavirus as a weapon, but doxxed the researcher by publishing a name, photo, email and phone number. As BuzzFeed News discovered, Zero Hedge had suggested that readers "probably pay [the scientist] a visit" -- a thinly-veiled threat of violence.
Apple is closing all mainland China stores due to coronavirus outbreak
The coronavirus outbreak is having a tangible impact on the tech world, and Apple is serving as a textbook example of its effect. The company is closing all its retail stores and corporate offices in mainland China through February 9th out of an "abundance of caution" and in consultation from experts. Apple had initially closed three stores, but this shuts down a full 42 locations across the country.
Facebook and Google are fighting coronavirus misinformation
Google and Facebook are attempting to stay ahead of coronavirus misinformation and to provide users with helpful, accurate resources. Today, Facebook announced plans to flag and remove false information, and Google has created an SOS Alert for coronavirus searches.
Tesla offers free charging to China's EV owners due to coronavirus outbreak
In the midst of China's coronavirus outbreak, Tesla is giving its EV customers in the country free supercharging until the situation is resolved. As reported by Electrek, the company notified its customers of the decision via alerts on its vehicles' screens, referring to the outbreak as an "extraordinary period." It hopes that the move could help those forced to move against their will get around without necessarily having to rely on public transport, which could increase the risk of transmission. Authorities in Wuhan -- the epicenter of the outbreak -- have already confirmed several thousand cases of the respiratory disease.
Scientists model a Coronavirus' infectious bits for the first time
A collaboration of scientists from University of Washington (UW), the Pasteur Institute and the University of Utrecht have harnessed a state-of-the-art microscope and supercomputer to model a coronavirus' infection mechanism for the first time.
