#w/ xiaolang

[koushirouizumi]

{T.R.C} ~ Ch. 229 ~ S A K U R A & S Y A O R A N + T S U B A S A L I & T s u b a s a - h i m e

"In which we CAN ALL E X I S T

T O G E T H E R"

{Cap's by Me} (Please ASK to Use)

[mp-zhiwei]

Summer Gala 2021

Stoic as always that is until @mp-xiaolang finds his way back to his side. Zhi may have his worries in the back of his mind but he knows how much his boyfriend thrives outside of their shared apartment. He wants Xiao happy and there definitely wasn't wrong with dressing up for the occasion but if anyone run into this instructor at the gala he's more than likely going to be wearing his hard stare.

[mp-dionshun]

♝ holding hands

Shun knows that when Xiaolang takes his hand as they are going out for lunch, it was a normal kind gesture. Its a natural reaction to want to take hold of someone that needs help, but they both must have forgot for a second that Shun didn’t have gloves on..

The second their bare hands meet all Shun feels is stress. So much stress it felt suffocating. It felt heavy enough to bring him down to his knees but the young Greek demigod did his best to keep from actually doing so. There were more flashes, strobe light effect of memories flipping through his mind so fast he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to catch it all. The sudden pull into the older’s thoughts came so fast that he didn't even know that the grip he had on Xiaolang’s hand was tight enough to alert him that something was wrong, yet within that same second Shun is the first to let go, unknowingly his expression saying it all. 

“X-Xiao-ge..” he starts off slowly biting his lip because part of him really doesn't want to know. He shouldn't be asking these questions, yet his mind was still trying to sort everything he just saw for himself. Shun’s eyes continued to shift from side to side for a couple seconds then comes to a stop. “Gege.. why are you..back..?” he asks carefully. If this man was really the clever man he says he is, surely he could pick up on the fact that he knows something he definitely shouldn’t know. 

[mp-yuta]

🌌 : laughing uncontrollably

Yuta knows that he’s sounding like a complete idiot laughing at comics he’s looking through on his phone as he sits outside of Taste of Ink, but some mangas he still likes to read when he can have some great comedy in their stories. He loves them for their topics really, whether that be a slice of life, something more romantic, or just plain funny. 

When he pulls his eyes away from his phone to look out down the street he wasn’t surprised to see someone walking down towards his way and give him a funny look. Not that he really cared much about it at all anyways, he just gives the stranger his usual smile. “Sup! Wanna read something funny?”

[mp-santino]

👣 : dancing

Lately on his days off Tino has been spending time at Honeypot now that some of his closest friends aren’t around the island. He misses them but being able to help his boyfriend around the restaurant was good for both of them. It gave them time to be around each other, plus it was a little different from the environment that was at the bar. 

It was early in the morning just before it was time to open Tino was keeping himself busy cleaning off all the tables and the seats before they got anyone in. During this time he always liked to make sure the music was on to help pass the time which also meant some random karaoke for the songs he knew with some little dances. Even with some unknown audience to catch him through the windows. 

[mp-chanmi]

[ yell ] for your muse to calm mine down

Slowly Dezzi’s face was going from stunned and melting into confusion as she tried to keep up with this guy. First off the dude had some major breath control. This guy started off so slow only to start to lose himself in his own mind, speaking starting to speed up.

“...standoffishnoonecangetareadonhimanditsincrediblyfrustatingnototknowhwathe'sthinkingandijustwanttolikehimbutathtesametimei'mterrifiedandwhatifhedoesn'tfeelthesamewayand-" 

“WHOA. Okay. You know, this is what I get for trying to be nice. Why don’t you stop being a little punk and grow a pair to make a move. Better to figure out what you two feel about each other now before it either goes to hell later or you miss your chance. SO, you can either drown yourself in booze here, or you can get some vitamin D tonight.” 

[yoakkemae]

musical  instruments  that  my  muses  know  how  to  play: 

melinda:  piano.  learnt  as  a  child  ,  kept  the  habit  as  an  adult.  the  house  she  had  with  andrew  had  a  piano  ,  but  she  left  it  and  music  behind  after  bahrain.  

alex:  none.  alex  didn’t  have  the  patience  for  an  instrument  and  preferred  more  physical  sports.

shōto:  none.  endeavour  wouldn’t  let  him  waste  time  with  a  musical  instrument  when  he  could  be  training  to  be  a  hero.

xiaolang:  piano.  he  can  read  a  music  sheet  and  play  accompaniment  but  he’s  not  the  best.  he  sucks  at  playing  the  recorder  ,  but  he  learns  it  in  school. 

spencer:  he  never  actually  learnt  it  ,  but  he  started  playing  around  with  a  keyboard  after  meeting  sammy.  he  can  play  melodies  ,  but  he’s  not  good  even  if  his  notes  are  accurate.

kanda:  violin  ,  not  learnt  in  this  life.  he  rarely  plays  it  just  because  of  that.  

dick:  guitar  and  ukulele  !!  he  learnt  guitar  at  the  circus  and  wasn’t  good  at  it  at  first  ,  but  he  kept  practising  and  got  a  lot  better  at  it.  ukulele  ,  he  learnt  when  he  was  an  adult.

rose:  none.  never  was  anything  she  was  interested  in.  she  did  do  cambodian  ballet  when  she  was  younger  until  her  mother  /  sisters  were  killed.

ben:  violin  and  piano.  just  a  part  of  princely  lessons.  

yaling:  none.  also  not  really  interested  in  it  and  preferred  to  do  sports.

kaito:  piano.  he  got  bored  one  night  and  taught  himself  to  play  the  piano  because  he’s  one  of  those  assholes.

shinichi:  violin.  i  feel  like  i  don’t  need  to  share  the  reason  why  (  sherlock  holmes  fanboy  ).

ran:  basic  guitar.  has  two  lessons  under  her  belt.  she’s  not  that  fond  of  it  ,  but  she  does  think  it’s  cool.

martha:  none.  leo  was  the  artistic  one  of  the  three  ,  and  martha  was  always  more  into  the  hard  sciences.

ahn:  a  little  bit  of  guitar.  he  knows  how  to  play  a  few  songs  ,  but  that’s  it.

jayoon:  technically  none  but  she  could  spend  a  few  hours  and  learn  how  to  play  any  instrument  perfectly  ,  cold.

nobleman:  same  as  the  above.

kakashi:  guitar.  had  to  learn  it  for  an  undercover  assignment.  hasn’t  used  it  since.  

sasuke:  none.  not  with  vengeance  on  the  brain.

naruto:  none.  no  money  and  no  time.

satoshi:  none.  not  with  training  on  the  brain.

tsubasa:  none.  his  parents  were  too  busy  trying  to  prepare  him  for  the  future.

[ccsthemovie2]

Character: Syaoran Li?

THANK YOU, THIS GOT SOOOO LONG SO ITS UNDER A CUT. clear card post anime cutoff spoilers alluded to, but not said.

Why I like them: 

absolute nervous wreck of a kid who INSISTS he is the caretaker for EVERYBODY ELSE. but you look at him walking around running from ppl he has crushes on like uhm are u sure about that. hes got a heart of gold! also, clear card wise, its endearing to me that he tries so so so hard to do the right thing that he horseshoes into doing the worst possible thing. says a lot about him being 13 and messy and scared, and a lot about the way moving away from all his friends affects him :’’)

Why I don’t: 

i dont like when the story tries to position him as sakura’s protector/‘knight’, the person who’s gonna make it all okay for her even if she doesnt know about it/without her permission........ liiii bby has anyone ever explained the moral of utena to you in a child friendly way. you gotta see yourself as EQUAL to the one you love. and i think he mostly does, or...does when he’s at his best? i dont mind him slipping into this, i guess, so much as i mind the story telling me its a good impulse for him to act on.

Favorite episode (scene if movie): 

if we can all pretend the bit of “youre just magically confused” biphobia doesnt exist for a moment, the entire scene concept of AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN DESCENDING TO REJECT YOU ON BEHALF OF YOUR CRUSH, ALSO THE LAST TIME U SPOKE HE PUNCHED YOU is incredibly funny. ALSO, all the early eps where he helps sakura calm down and think even tho he barely knows her. ALSO ALSO, him helping her with changing light and dark at the end of the original anime... NOW THATS WHAT I CALL TEAMWORK 👏

Favorite season/movie: 

i loveeeee his arc in clear card......... love to ignore the storys handling of it and project my own thoughts and feelings on the events. also early early li is the BEST.

Favorite line: 

THE THINGS THAT I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU MIGHT UNSETTLE YOU. NO....MORE THAN THAT.........YOU MIGHT EVEN GET ANGRY......

Favorite outfit: 

THE YUKATA SAKURA SEWED FOR HIM OBVIOUSLYYYYY .... LOVE IS STORED.......IN THE HANDMADE GIFTS!!!

OTP: 

ok sakusyao is like, a little bit overhyped probably. but it got that way for a REASON. it was a hard sell on me as a kid but now im like okay i get it. clear card helps a lot, i love a good “i messed up SOOO BAD but we still want to work to make things right” story

Brotp: 

him and meiling!!! and the awkward but loving familyship building between him and kero and yue.......... and of course, my EVIL brotp: whatever happened over sixth grade to get him and eriol into cahoots like that. you can really like, see the moments over sakura card arc anime of it all clicking into place for eriol that he’s a GREAT person to sink his claws into, the perfect mix of gullible and loving and desperate, and most importantly, from a long line of people who think clow is super cool. and once he moves back to hong kong, away from his friends and gf, “its free real estate” i guess

Head Canon: 

i think he and sakura should grow past the bears and make something else together at the end of clear card........maybe those pillows with the fringed edges you make by tying together or something ;w; or even new stuffed animals!

also this is more of an observation but i think what he needs to realize is that the reason he insists on ppl needing to feel calm and supported to act in a crisis is bc HE needs it, bc HE gets panicky and nervous and cant make calm choices when there’s a problem. and theres people all around him who WOULD be that for him, and who already ARE, even, he just needs to like....accept that :’’)

Unpopular opinion: 

"xiaolang” lmao. when i did a recent groupwatch with friends thats what their subs had or something so i just was in that space for a bit and it stuck

A wish: 

i actually would have loved to see him and sakura break up over certain clear card events and then get back together at the end?

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: 

dramatic self sacrifice for the sake of drama lolll

5 words to best describe them: 

run rly fast from feelings

My nickname for them: 

son boy allowed

[plasticlxxve]

LULUZINHAAAA

SPELL A MUSE’S NAME IN MY ASK BOX AND I’LL TELL YOU

A: Who are their exes? Do they still keep in touch? 

A lulu nunca namorou ela é NENEM! 

B: Who is the last person they shared a bed with?

ELA É NENEMMMM !!

 C: If they had to pick one sport to play/watch which would it be? 

Apesar de ter passado anos na academia aprendendo a lutar (que até que ela gosta), a Lulu não é muito fã de esportes. Mas ela gosta muito de e-sports, e jogo favorito dela é pubg (que ela pode jogar e assistir pelo celular, já que não tem pc).

D: What time does their day usual start? 

09:45, acorda e vai CORRENDO tomar o café da manhã.

E: Are they the happiest they’ve ever been? 

No momento, não kkk acho que ninguém da academia tá né... MAS ENFIM. 

  F: Have they ever had a one night stand?

NÃO DE NOVO

 G: What was their first job? 

Não é um trabalho mas quando era criancinha, antes de ir pra TGA, ela ajudava no restaurante dos pais.

 H: Who texts/calls them the most?

Xiaolang!!! 

 I: In general, are they organized or messy? 

Totalmente messy

J: What is their most irrational fear? 

Lulu tem medo de escuro, mas como duvide quarto com as jiejies ela se gruda nelas e não conta pra ninguém a verdade por trás do grude.

 K: What’s their Youtube suggestions look like?

Muito kpop e música chinesa!

 L: How often do they post on their social media accounts? 

O tempo inteiro se pudesse, mas ultimamente só algumas vezes ao dia.

 M: When’s the last time they talked to their mom?

.. Gatilho....... Os pais da Lulu morreram rip.

 N: Are they clumsy and/or prone to accidents? 

Mesmo sendo toda agitada e doidinha ela é muito cuidadosa pra fazer tudo direitinho, então, não.

 O: How much have they changed in the past five years? 

Ela aprendeu muuuito melhor a controlar o poder dela, descobriu capacidades novas e está quaaase superando o medinho de usar seu poder, no começo ela se recusava totalmente a usar.

P: What are their thoughts on going vegan? Could they do it? 

Lulu nunca considerou a possibilidade mas provavelmente conseguiria se tivesse vontade.

Q: Do they have a good luck charm they often have with them? 

Não.

 R: When’s the last time they had a birthday party? 

Ano passado?¿osfkgodjfgo

 S: How do they tell someone they’re sorry? 

A Lulu é bem direta então ela falaria na lata mesmo sem enrolação

 T: How quick are they to cry?

MAIOR CHORONA NO PLANETA, dá um mole pra ver se ela não chora.

 U: Would they rather be single or in a relationship? 

Solteira.

 V: They’ve been arrested, who is their one phone call to? 

Ayeon, ela que lute.

 W: Would they be starstruck if they met a celebrity? 

TOTALMENTE a lulu é total fangirl

 X: What’s a song that is always stuck in their head? 

I don’t care by hua chenyu

 Y: What movie could they watch over and over again? 

Nezha

 Z: What time does their end usually end?

Suas atividades na academia acabam 17h mas ela costuma dormir tarde, depois de 2h, normalmente... 

[lalonderose]

im kin w jade!! n (mountain god) roxy :)!! (im also kin w xiaolang frm cardcaptor sakura)

blessed 3 x

send me your kintypes!

[mp-zhiwei]

Safety First | Xiaolang & Zhiwei

@mp-xiaolang

[mp-dionshun]

“ is there anything sadder than the scrawniest little piece of uneaten chicken at a dinner party? “

Shun stops where he was as he was walking down an aisle of the dining room hearing the random comment but he can’t help but smile. It wasn't necessarily his job to stop and check are dining customers but he was too interested in a potential conversation this could be. 

“Um..I wouldn't think that it was sad..?” he says softly turning his body to the man. “I would think that someone must have been enjoying the food. Perhaps that’s a little more optimistic..” 

[mp-yuta]

“ what are you waiting for? ”

Yuta pouts when he's asked that question. He hadn’t minded at all to sit back and listen to Xiaolang’s story, giving him an update on what’s going on between him and his roommate Zhiwei. However, the topic seems to turn around on him asking about his own dating life and all. 

“Tsk, you haven’t been talking to my baby brother have you?” he asks as he purses his lips. “I don't know what I’m waiting for, I just know that I will catch it when I find it. For now, I’m just trying to enjoy my first year here you know?” 

[pawprintcooper]

This is The Download, a weekday recap of the top technology headlines.

UK watchdog gives Facebook preliminary $664,000 fine for enabling Cambridge Analytica breach

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office announced a preliminary $664,000 fine for Facebook after finding that the company failed to protect user data and wasn’t transparent about how the user data was gotten by others. The fine, which was the largest amount allowed, comes after revelations that as many as 87 million Facebook users had their data improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, a digital consultancy firm with ties to the Trump campaign.

“We are at a crossroads. Trust and confidence in the integrity of our democratic processes risk being disrupted because the average voter has little idea of what is going on behind the scenes. People cannot have control over their own data if they don’t know or understand how it is being used.”

Elizabeth Denham; UK Information Commissioner, in a statement

Facebook will address the proposed penalty before the watchdog makes a final ruling.

“As we have said before, we should have done more to investigate claims about Cambridge Analytica and take action in 2015. We have been working closely with the ICO in their investigation of Cambridge Analytica, just as we have with authorities in the US and other countries. We’re reviewing the report and will respond to the ICO soon.”

Erin Egan; Facebook chief privacy officer, in a statement

Uber human resources head Liane Hornsey resigns after racial discrimination allegations probe

Uber Chief People Officer Liane Hornsey has resigned after a third-party firm investigated allegations that she routinely dismissed internal racial discrimination complaints.

Hornsey joined the company a month before former engineer Susan Fowler penned a blog post on the rampant sexual harassment and sexism she endured at Uber.

Uber Chief Legal Officer Tony West ordered a probe into the way she handles discrimination reports after a group of whistleblowers threatened to go public with their complaints if the company doesn’t take action. The group, which told Reuters that they’re Uber employees of color, also accused Hornsey of using discriminatory language against the company’s global head of diversity and inclusion Bernard Coleman. They claimed that she threatened former executive Bozoma Saint John, who joined the company from Apple Music also with the intention of fixing its internal cultural issues.

In an email sent to her team, Hornsey said her resignation might come “a little out of the blue” for some people, but she’s apparently “been thinking about [it] for a while.”

“By now you’ll have seen the news that I’ve decided to leave Uber. I know this comes a little out of the blue for some of you, but I have been thinking about this for a while. I couldn’t leave without first thanking each and every one of you for your incredible professionalism and dedication to our work. You’ve had an enormously positive impact on the direction of the company.

“I am so proud of all that we have accomplished, but mostly our shared ethic of doing what’s right for our employees. I leave knowing that the company is in great hands and that together our team has lived up to our cultural norm of doing the right thing. In the interim, I am handing over the reins to Pranesh who is simply amazing and who will be a wonderful leader to you all.”

Liane Hornsey, former Uber chief people officer

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi also sent a company-wise email about her resignation, calling her “incredibly talented, creative, and hard-working.”

https://twitter.com/ceodonovan/status/1016890364685312000

Uber didn’t disclose the probe’s results, and West told the whistleblowers that it has no intentions to.

“Serious allegations alone, even when they turn out to be unsubstantiated, can damage a person’s career and reputation, implicating important due process, privacy and moral concerns. [W]e should keep in mind that the simple fact that we may not observe disciplinary action doesn’t mean serious measures haven’t been imposed, if and where appropriate.”

Tony West; Uber chief legal officer, in an email to the whistleblowers, according to Bloomberg

Court filing: former Apple employee Xiaolang Zhang has been charged by FBI with alleged theft of trade secrets related to company’s autonomous car efforts

Apple Park in Cupertino, Calif. (Image: Apple)

Xiaolang Zhang, an Apple engineer that worked on Apple’s autonomous car project form December 2015 through May 2018, allegedly stole trade secrets for a Chinese car startup backed by Alibaba according to charges filed by the FBI.

Zhang has been charged in federal court with stealing trade secrets, and faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and was arrested trying to leave the country over the weekend.

“Apple takes confidentiality and the protection of our intellectual property very seriously. We’re working with authorities on this matter and will do everything possible to make sure this individual and any other individuals involved are held accountable for their actions.”

An Apple spokesperson, in a statement to The Verge

Zhang designed and tested circuit boards as part of the compute team of Apple’s autonomous car project, according to the federal complaint that was filed this week in California’s Northern District. In it, the company says that Zhang returned from a month-long paternity leave at the end of April and informed his supervisor at Apple that he was resigning so he could spend time with his ailing mother in China. Zhang also shared in that meeting that he planned to work for Chinese electric car startup Xiaopeng Motors.

Once Zhang told his supervisor about his intentions and after “feeling that he had been evasive” according to the filing, a member of Apple’s New Product Security Division joined the meeting and had Zhang turn in his two work phones and his laptop. After the meeting, Apple reviewed Zhang’s past network activity and performed a forensic analysis on his work devices and “activities on the Apple campus,” including swipe badge access and closed circuit TV footage.

The company’s security team found that Zhang’s network activity “increased exponentially compared to the prior two years of his employment” in the days before his attempted resignation, with the bulk of the activity being “bulk searches and targeted downloaded copious pages of information” from confidential databases he had access to. According to the complaint, the CCTV footage that Apple reviewed showed that Zhang left the company’s autonomous vehicle lab on April 28 (during his leave period) carrying a “computer keyboard, some cables, and a large box.”

Apple security teams confronted Zhang with this information in a follow-up meeting on May 1, and the company says he admitted to taking data and removing items, including circuit boards and a Linux server, from the autonomous vehicle lab. He told Apple that he was pursuing a job at Xiaopeng and that he airdropped data to his wife’s laptop. After consenting to a search of that laptop, Apple found approximately 40GB of data, 60 percent of which its forensic teams said was “highly problematic.”

According to the complaint, Zhang was “voluntarily terminated from Apple” on May 5. Afterwards, Zhang claimed to work for Xiaopeng although it’s unclear if he did.

Apple alerted the FBI of its findings in May, and the agency obtained a search warrant for Zhang’s home. The FBI searched his home on June 27, according to the filing, and he admitted to the same things he told Apple when the FBI interviewed him that same day.

On July 7, the FBI learned that Zhang bought a round trip ticket from San Jose, California to Beijing. Federal agents arrested Zhang after passing through a security checkpoint at San Jose International Airport.

Magic Leap signs AT&T as sole US wireless vendor, receives undisclosed investment; AT&T CEO John Donovan gains observer rights

Magic Leap, the startup responsible for the Magic Leap One augmented reality platform, has selected AT&T as its exclusive wireless distributor for US consumers ahead of the device’s initial release this year. AT&T is also investing an undisclosed amount in Magic Leap, with AT&T CEO John Donovan gaining observer rights on Magic Leap’s board.

Donovan hinted that the partnership will leverage AT&T’s upcoming 5G network.

“AT&T is excited to pair our pioneering technologies, unmatched network, content platform, and vast customer ecosystem with Magic Leap’s efforts to build the next generation of computing. We’re designing and offering the future of entertainment and connectivity, and this exclusive arrangement – in combination with our 5G leadership position – will open up new opportunities and experiences.

John Donovan, AT&T CEO

AT&T’s deal is a vote of confidence in Magic Leap’s provider, with the telecom company leveraging “Magic Leap’s focus on transformational technology and products” with its own network and stores “to usher in a new kind of contextually aware, intelligent, human-computer interactivity.”

“We’ve joined with AT&T because we believe in a combined vision of expanding high-speed networks, edge computing, and deep integration with creative content. Coupling the strength of the evolving AT&T network with Magic Leap’s spatial computing platform can transform computing experiences for people.”

Rony Abovitz, Magic Leap CEO

DOJ settles with 3D printable gun inventor Cody Wilson, five years after take down order

Cody Wilson, the gunmaker and free speech advocate at the center of a multi-year legal battle over the ability to distribute computer models of gun parts and replicate them in 3D printers, has won his battle against government authorities that sought to prevent the practice. Wilson now intends to expand his operations and provide printable gun blueprints to all who desire them.

In the settlement, the US government agrees to exempt “the technical data that is the subject of the Action” from legal restriction. The modified rules should appear soon in the Federal Register. This means that a 3D model that can be used to print the components of a working firearm is legal to own and legal to distribute – you just can’t sell it.

Wilson’s original vision is DEFCAD, a repository of gun models on the web.

“I currently have no national legal barriers to continue or expand DEFCAD. The legal victory is the formal beginning to the era of downloadable guns. Guns are as downloadable as music. There will be streaming services for semi-automatics.”

Cody Wilson, DEFCAD creator

Sonos rolling out AirPlay 2 support to newest speakers

Any app on your iOS device can now be streamed directly to Sonos’ Beam, One, Playbase, and the second generation Play:5 speakers with AirPlay 2.

Siri is also on board with extensive voice control support. You can ask what room or devices you want songs to play on, along with asking Siri to play songs on Apple Music.

Loon & Wing graduate into full companies under Alphabet corporate umbrella

Google parent company Alphabet’s internet-delivering balloon service Loon and drone delivery project Wing have graduated from the X moonshot incubator to become fully fledged subsidiaries of Alphabet.

According to Alphabet, Loon will maintain its mission of working with carriers worldwide to deliver internet to underserved areas. Wing will also continue building out its network of delivery drones along with its air-traffic control system.

Alastair Westgarth will serve as Loon’s CEO while James Ryan Burgess will fill the same role at Wing.

According to Alphabet, the next steps for each company are best done outside the X Lab’s “prototyping-focused environment” and in the real world. Meanwhile, the X Lab now has more resources to focus on new moonshots along with existing ones like Google Glass and its numerous robotics projects.

Opera testing built-in crypto wallet in Android browser, available in private beta

Opera is testing Opera Crypto, a browser-based cryptocurrency wallet for smartphones in a private beta for the Opera browser for Android.

“Having a Crypto Wallet in the browser brings the cash experience to the world of online payments. Paying with the Crypto Wallet is like sending digital cash straight from your phone, and we’ve just made it easier.”

Charles Hamel; Opera Crypto product lead, in a press release

The feature supports tokens along with popular crypto-collectibles like CryptoKitties.

According to Opera, the problem with most cryptocurrency wallets is that they aren’t very user-friendly. Most require users to install browser extensions or generate lengthy, complicated passphrases. To compare, Opera Crypto doesn’t need an extension or a separate app, and it secures the wallet’s contents with Android’s system lock.

“This opens up new possibilities for merchants and content creators alike.”

Charles Hamel

Sending and receiving cryptocurrency can be done by tapping a QR code-generating button. Because of an integration with digital currency exchange Coinbase, users can pay for goods in supported online stores (like the Opera Crypto Store) directly from Crypto Wallet.

“Having a Crypto Wallet in the browser brings the cash experience to the world of online payments. Paying with the Crypto Wallet is like sending digital cash straight from your phone, and we’ve just made it easier. This opens up new possibilities for merchants and content creators alike.”

Charles Hamel

There’s also a shortcut to a showcase of decentralized apps leveraging the Ethereum network, like racing game Crypto Racing League and cryptocurrency-branded merchandise market CryptoGoods.

Pony.ai raises $102 million to deploy self-driving cars in Beijing

Autonomous car startup Pony.ai has raised $102 million from lead investors ClearVue Partners and Fidelity International’s investment arm Eight Roads, putting it closer to a billion-dollar valuation. It also secured a permit from the Chinese government to test autonomous vehicles in Beijing, becoming one of the first companies to have that distinction.

Other new investors participating in Pony.ai’s latest funding round include Green Pine Capital Partners, China Merchants Capital, Redpoint Ventures China, and Delong Capital, along with existing investors Sequoia Capital China, Morningside Ventures, DCM Ventures, and Hongtai Capital. The company has raised $214 million to date.

According to CEO James Peng, Pony.ai will use the cash to support existing and new partnerships, grow its team, and “accelerate expansion into low and medium volume [vehicle] deployment.”

“We are very honored to welcome our new investors to the team and to continue partnering closely with our existing investors. I truly believe the next major challenge for autonomous cars will be small- and medium-scale deployment – this is an absolutely critical step to validating the system’s overall stability and reliability. We are grateful for the new and continued support in helping us to achieve this future.”

James Peng, Pony.ai CEO

In other news…

VR content studio Penrose Studios has closed a $10 million Series A funding round led by TransLink Capital. Marc Benioff, Will.i.am, Korea Telecom, and Co-Made also participated in the round with returning investment from Sway Ventures, 8VC, and Suffolk Equity.

India’s Telecommunications Commission has approved new net neutrality-like protections that bans ISPs from performing actions involving “blocking, degrading, slowing down, or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content.”

Activision Blizzard has inked a deal with Disney to broadcast the Overwatch League playoffs on ESPN and Disney XD, marking the first time live e-sports will air on ESPN in primetime as well as ever on ABC.

Epic Games has unveiled a Summer Skirmish series for Fortnite that will hand out $8 million in prizes across eight weeks of competition, starting with a $250,000 Duos bout this weekend.

Martin Tripp, a former Tesla employee that was fired and then sued by the electric vehicle maker, has filed a formal whistleblower tip to the US’ Securities and Exchange Commission alleging that the company misled investors and put its customers at risk.

The Download: UK fines Facebook over Cambridge Analytica scandal This is The Download, a weekday recap of the top technology headlines. UK watchdog gives Facebook preliminary $664,000 fine for enabling Cambridge Analytica breach…

[mp-zhiwei]

Hallow’s Eve Ball w/ @mp-xiaolang

“I want to bring a man back to the Cloud Recesses... Bring him back and hide him there...”

Zhiwei wasn't exactly well versed in entertainment. He grew up without it, dedicating most of his time to his martial arts. So when Xiaolang has an idea for their Halloween costumes for the Hallow's Eve ball, he's not inclined to say no. If anything, he finds his boyfriend so beautiful in his costume. He was looking forward to enjoying the night with him.

[mp-zhiwei]

Spilled Wine | Xiaolang & Zhiwei

@mp-xiaolang