The Verge: All Posts by Kait Sanchezhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52801/VER_Logomark_32x32..png2021-11-01T09:32:00-04:00https://www.theverge.com/authors/kait-sanchez/rss2021-11-01T09:32:00-04:002021-11-01T09:32:00-04:00The simple solutions to better games
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oe_NCWgNPs72B1Rkgi65wnC5YQY=/0x392:1080x1112/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70073931/VRG_ILLO_4853_10_Year_accessibility.0.jpg" />
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<p>Game accessibility has come a long way, but there’s still more to do</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/22733077/video-game-accessibility-improvements-simple-solutions">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/22733077/video-game-accessibility-improvements-simple-solutionsKait Sanchez2021-10-01T17:30:02-04:002021-10-01T17:30:02-04:00Xbox is making it easier to find accessible games in its stores
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<img alt="The Xbox X in a circle logo against a dark background with green lines." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fal-LSEQOdyuUEyYmSuDS7yTH0k=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69937114/acastro_190530_1777_xbox_0002.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="IhhMIN">Xbox is making it easier to find accessibility information for games, according to an announcement from the company at its <a href="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/10/01/xbox-announces-accessibility-updates/">Accessibility Showcase</a>. Games in the Microsoft store will have accessibility feature tags, so players with disabilities can make sure games have the features they need before buying or downloading them. The tags are appearing in the store for members of the <a href="https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/account-profile/manage-account/xbox-accessibility-insider-league">Xbox Accessibility Insiders League</a> (XAIL) starting today and will eventually roll out to all Xbox users. </p>
<p id="XakC5T">The tags address an issue commonly expressed by players with disabilities: they often have to do their own research to figure out which games they can play. Listing certain features in the store consolidates information that can be frustrating to track down,...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/1/22702660/xbox-games-accessibility-feature-tags">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/1/22702660/xbox-games-accessibility-feature-tagsKait Sanchez2021-09-24T14:39:25-04:002021-09-24T14:39:25-04:00Twitter lets you add Topics to Spaces, but they’re limited to start
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<img alt="The Twitter bird logo in white against a dark background with outlined logos around it and red circles rippling out from it." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lkK2zaLlNDFBaxjB48Rce8JG-dU=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69904559/acastro_180827_1777_0001.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="2oTvpo">Twitter is bringing Topics to Spaces so that hosts can tag their Spaces with up to three relevant Topics, <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterSpaces/status/1441438483717836802">according to the Spaces Twitter account</a>. It’s a small addition to start: there are only 10 Topics to choose from, limited to English, for some people on the Android app. Twitter says it will expand to iOS and add more Topics and languages soon.</p>
<p id="btNsuS">The initial 10 Topics — Business & Finance, Music, Sports, Technology, Gaming, World News, Entertainment, Arts & Culture, Home & Family, and Careers — align with the ones that <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/6/20948547/twitter-topics-launch-sports-gaming-entertainment-test">currently exist across Twitter</a>, which people can choose to follow to get related content on their timelines. Adding Topics to Spaces brings it even closer to how <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/21/22586845/clubhouse-open-beta-invite-access-android-ios">Clubhouse</a> works, with different topics to explore and...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/24/22691761/twitter-adds-spaces-topics-limited-android">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/24/22691761/twitter-adds-spaces-topics-limited-androidKait Sanchez2021-09-21T10:00:00-04:002021-09-21T10:00:00-04:00Tumblr’s subscription feature is now open to everyone in the US
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<img alt="Two Tumblr app screenshots of a blog titled “game over, gamer”. The first shows an introductory post with a list of games and examples of content like reviews and playthroughs. The second shows a Post Plus subscription page that says “subscribe for $1.99/ month, cancel anytime”." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YFGq_cdi1HtmsxRGQspBa89cFxM=/150x0:1770x1080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69887944/Gaming_01.0.png" />
<figcaption><em>Post Plus for gamer content.</em> | Image: Tumblr</figcaption>
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<p id="saqKwH">Tumblr is expanding the beta for its <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/21/22586765/tumblr-subscription-blogs-post-plus">Post Plus subscription feature</a> to all users in the US today. Post Plus, similar to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22651138/twitter-super-follow-launch-subscription-ios">Twitter’s Super Follows</a>, allows creators to designate some of their posts as only for paying subscribers. Tumblr is planning a full launch of the feature later in the fall. </p>
<p id="QtwdNP">Tumblr has made some changes since the limited beta that started in July. Post Plus creators can now directly block people who subscribe to them. Creators previously had to contact Tumblr support if they wanted to block a subscriber, which raised concerns among users. </p>
<p id="z1xmhr">There’s now an option to set a subscription price to $1.99 a month, in addition to the existing $3.99, $5.99, or $9.99 options. Creators can go back and paywall existing content,...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/21/22684089/tumblr-post-plus-subscription-monetization-beta">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/21/22684089/tumblr-post-plus-subscription-monetization-betaKait Sanchez2021-09-13T13:55:58-04:002021-09-13T13:55:58-04:00A doctor’s quest for more organ emoji
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<img alt="Emoji for the anatomical heart on the left and the lungs on the right, on a white background." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KIwye7bLxS6jjsbBrRvxY3nmbNU=/54x0:881x551/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69852736/ios_anatomical_heart_lungs_new_emoji_2020.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption><em>The anatomical heart and lungs emoji, as seen on iOS.</em> | Image: Apple/<a class="ql-link" href="https://blog.emojipedia.org/first-look-new-emojis-coming-to-ios-in-2020/" target="_blank">Emojipedia</a></figcaption>
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<p id="UtMekI">The medical world needs more emoji, according to Shuhan He, an emergency medicine physician who <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/04/metro/this-mass-general-doctor-helped-get-two-new-medical-emojis-approved/">helped propose</a><strong> </strong>the anatomical heart and lungs emoji. Now,<strong> </strong>He and others have laid out the case for an even larger variety of health-related emoji, which they argue could improve communication between doctors and patients. </p>
<p id="atsvvA">In recent years, emoji related to medicine and health — like stethoscopes, hearing aids, bones, and microbes — have made their way into the Unicode Standard. In <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2783847">commentary published</a> last week in <em>JAMA</em>, He and his co-authors hope Unicode will approve more emoji that could be used in medical contexts, including emoji for more organs, like the stomach, liver, and intestines, and equipment like an IV bag, CT scan, and pill pack....</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/13/22665002/doctors-medical-emoji-organs-health">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/13/22665002/doctors-medical-emoji-organs-healthKait Sanchez2021-09-01T15:12:48-04:002021-09-01T15:12:48-04:00Apple reportedly wants a Watch with more health tracking and could ship one next year
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<img alt="An Apple Watch with a red wristband sitting on a table, showing the blood oxygen app. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7Z__tueWCUapiDH9cJIZsAxj8gk=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69804936/vpavic_200930_4216_0239.0.jpg" />
<figcaption><em>Apple Watch Series 6</em> | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="xqG5yh">Apple apparently<strong> </strong>has a growing wishlist of health features for future versions of the Apple Watch, some feasible and some far-fetched. According to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-plans-blood-pressure-measure-wrist-thermometer-in-watch-11630501201">a <em>Wall Street Journal</em> report</a>, Apple’s plans include various types of monitoring, including blood pressure, temperature, sleep, and blood sugar. The details come just after reports that the release of the next Apple Watch is <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/31/22650516/apple-watch-series-7-delayed-manufacturing-production-issues">likely to be delayed</a> because of manufacturing issues. </p>
<p id="upEVw8">Some of the planned features outlined by the <em>WSJ</em> involve adding new sensors to the Watch. Apple wants to develop a sensor that can act as a proxy for a blood pressure cuff without squeezing the wrist. Blood pressure measurement has been in Apple’s plans for years; the company <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/7/17438526/apple-blood-pressure-monitor-patent-apple-watch">filed a patent application</a> in 2016 for a...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22652120/apple-watch-blood-pressure-temperature-sleep-diabetes">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22652120/apple-watch-blood-pressure-temperature-sleep-diabetesKait Sanchez2021-09-01T14:00:00-04:002021-09-01T14:00:00-04:00Twitter launches Super Follows on iOS
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<img alt="Twitter’s blue bird silhouette logo is seen on a black background." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J92uI4iFnzll2RNp38yjJQGFanI=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69804524/acastro_180827_1777_0002.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="T6VoHA">Twitter is starting to roll out Super Follows, its new feature that lets users charge for subscriber-only content. Creators can set their tweets to go out to Super Followers only, and the tweets will appear in the timelines of just those subscribers. The feature, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/25/22301375/twitter-super-follows-communities-paid-followers">announced in February</a>, is currently only available on Twitter’s iOS app and is limited to a test group of people in the US who <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/22/22545167/twitter-opens-super-follows-ticketed-spaces-new-feature-test-application-ios-android">applied to try it out</a>.</p>
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<cite>Image: Twitter</cite>
<figcaption><em>An example of a creator making a tweet for Super Followers. </em></figcaption>
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<p id="CZcbYS">iOS users in the US and Canada can Super Follow accounts that are in the initial test group. Super Followers are identified to creators by a badge that appears under their name when they reply to tweets. Twitter plans to roll out...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22651138/twitter-super-follow-launch-subscription-ios">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/1/22651138/twitter-super-follow-launch-subscription-iosKait Sanchez2021-08-27T15:57:09-04:002021-08-27T15:57:09-04:00TikTok, Reddit, and Facebook are struggling with ivermectin misinformation
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<img alt="An assortment of boxes and blister packs of ivermectin." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/y0QoalsRfAt7z-3oDu9GxwDoUvg=/0x34:5333x3589/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69785427/1232982770.0.jpg" />
<figcaption><em>Ivermectin tablets.</em> | Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="E4ieLf">TikTok, Reddit, and Facebook are dealing with waves of content about ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug that has picked up traction among anti-vaxxers as a COVID-19 treatment. Sales of ivermectin meant for animals, as well as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/26/health/ivermectin-covid-19-warning-injuries/index.html">calls to poison control centers</a>, have increased enough that the FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/why-you-should-not-use-ivermectin-treat-or-prevent-covid-19">issued a consumer update</a> explaining why people shouldn’t take it to treat or prevent COVID-19. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it. <a href="https://t.co/TWb75xYEY4">https://t.co/TWb75xYEY4</a></p>— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/US_FDA/status/1429050070243192839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="ML7E7P">On TikTok, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/tiktok-covid-cures-ivermectin-horse-deworming-medication-1216268/"><em>Rolling Stone</em></a> found videos, some of which had more than a million views, promoting ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment under tags like #ivermectin4covid and #ivermectinworks. TikTok has since removed the videos for...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/27/22644579/tiktok-reddit-facebook-ivermectin-covid-19-misinformation">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/27/22644579/tiktok-reddit-facebook-ivermectin-covid-19-misinformationKait Sanchez2021-08-24T16:02:06-04:002021-08-24T16:02:06-04:00EA is opening the patents for some of its accessibility tech
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<img alt="Screenshot of Apex Legends, showing a dessert landscape and a hand holding a knife, with text in the upper right corner that says “you pinged shield battery.”" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pirQy0r_WzxfAEQ88WgRFV6sKss=/96x0:1607x1007/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69767263/Shield_Battery_Ping.0.png" />
<figcaption><em>A player uses the Ping System in </em>Apex Legends<em> to alert their team of the presence of a “Shield Battery”.</em> | Image: Electronic Arts</figcaption>
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<p id="SbuZYk">Electronic Arts is pledging to open the patents for some of its accessibility-related tech, including the much-celebrated <em>Apex Legends</em> ping system, the company announced today. EA says it won’t file infringement lawsuits against people or companies for using tech that falls under patents listed in the pledge. </p>
<p id="GYcajp">The ping system in <em>Apex Legends</em>, which allows people to play the team-based game without hearing or speaking, has been praised both as an impressive <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/6/18213537/apex-legend-voice-chat-solo-play-xbox-ps4-pc">alternative to voice chat</a> and as a great <a href="https://www.cbr.com/apex-legends-ping-system-is-still-its-best-feature-and-its-most-accessible/">accessibility feature</a> for players with a variety of disabilities. A patent that covers the system (<a href="https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=11097189">US 11,097,189</a>) was issued the same day as EA’s announcement of the pledge. </p>
<p id="iesF0h">Along with the ping system patent, EA is opening patents for the tech...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/24/22638535/ea-accessibility-patent-pledge-apex-legends-ping-system">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/24/22638535/ea-accessibility-patent-pledge-apex-legends-ping-systemKait Sanchez2021-08-19T18:58:46-04:002021-08-19T18:58:46-04:00Spawn Together campaign surpasses $1 million fundraising goal for AbleGamers charity
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<img alt="Steven Spohn wearing a suit, sitting in his wheelchair in front of a backdrop with “The Game Awards” on it. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1nfbmnWT3OKRc2lgOvifV9mQDc8=/0x0:4500x3000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69750562/888461160.0.jpg" />
<figcaption><em>Steven Spohn at The Game Awards in 2017.</em> | Image: Greg Doherty/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="5Du9pe">Steven Spohn passed a goal this week that he’s been chasing for nearly a year. He raised over a million dollars for <a href="https://ablegamers.org">AbleGamers</a>, a charity that seeks to improve accessibility in games and connects disabled people with peer support and adaptive tech for gaming. Spohn has been its COO for 15 years. </p>
<p id="0MyYKf">The charity’s mission, he says, is about giving people with disabilities access to “that sense of independence and that feeling of exploration or excitement or relaxation, whatever it is you’re going for, to help you mentally get through the tough times.” </p>
<p id="eVNYH9">Spohn has multiple progressive illnesses that impact his functioning. He started the fundraising campaign, Spawn Together, in September of last year to celebrate his 40th birthday. He says he...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/19/22630693/spawn-together-campaign-1-million-ablegamers-charity">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/19/22630693/spawn-together-campaign-1-million-ablegamers-charityKait Sanchez