Amazon says Donald Trump sidestepped contract rules to block $10 billion Pentagon bid
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
In court documents released today, Amazon has formally outlined why it’s challenging the government’s decision to award a $10 billion Pentagon contract to rival Microsoft. The filings make clear that Amazon’s case will focus largely on one person: President Donald Trump.
Over the past year, the Pentagon has been accepting bids for its massive Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract. The winning company has been set to receive $10 billion to modernize the Defense Department’s digital infrastructure, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been seen as a front-runner. But last month, the award instead went to Microsoft, leading Amazon to ask a court to step in.
Trump’s influence has been seen in the…
The Nintendo Switch Lite is 10% off at Woot for Amazon Prime members again (while supplies last) – CNET
That’s the lowest price anywhere right now, and it won’t last long.
Amazon’s Echo Flex is a smart speaker for very specific needs
The least expensive Echo speaker will only work for a select few
These Plastic Bunnies Got a DNA Upgrade. Next up, the World?
Scientists infused a 3D-printed rabbit with genetic material, the first step toward a potential “DNA of things” where biology makes gadgets smarter.
Google adds robocall screening and more to the Pixel 4 in first ‘feature drop’
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verg
Google plans to start regularly releasing “feature drops” for its Pixel phones, bringing a number of new features to its phones all at once. The first starts rolling out today with a number of updates, including robocall screening and new portrait mode features. There’s also a memory management update that might be a big deal for Pixel 3 owners who have long complained about how the phone handles multitasking.
Perhaps the standout update is an automatic robocall screening feature that’s exclusive to Pixel 4 owners. Google’s phones already have a feature that lets you manually screen calls using its voice assistant, but the feature is now being updated to automatically decline detected robocalls. It looks like the feature will also start…
The US, like China, has about one surveillance camera for every four people, says report
Surveillance is booming globally. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales/The Verge
One billion surveillance cameras will be deployed globally by 2021, according to data compiled by IHS Markit and first reported by The Wall Street Journal. China’s installed base is expected to rise to over 560 million cameras by 2021, representing the largest share of surveillance devices installed globally, with the US rising to around 85 million cameras. When taking populations into account, however, China will continue to have nearly the same ratio of cameras to citizens as the US.
In 2018, China had 350 million cameras installed for an estimated one camera for every 4.1 people. That compared to one for every 4.6 people in the US where 70 million cameras were installed. Taiwan was third in terms of penetration with one camera for…
This 3-pack of smart Wi-Fi water sensors alerts you of leaks for $23.45 – CNET
Price drop! Normally $50, this must-have Govee kit notifies you three different ways if it detects any unexpected water.
Proton-hydrogen collision model could impact fusion research
A new study uses new techniques to calculate the cross sections of atoms which have been excited to higher energy levels. Researchers analyzed the behavior over a wide range of impact energies.
Golden Globe Nominations: Netflix Cleans Up As Famous Faces Rule
The Golden Globe nominations are always odd, but this year they may be even odder than usual, particularly on the TV side. But it must be said: The Globes love a star, and now they love Netflix.
(Image credit: François Duhamel/Netflix)
