Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Thursday.
- Amazon confirmed its first US warehouse case of COVID-19. An Amazon warehouse worker in Queens tested positive for the new coronavirus.
- Apple launched a new MacBook Air with a better keyboard and faster performance. Apple's new MacBook Pro features the company's new Magic Keyboard, which replaces the flatter butterfly mechanism keyboard that it's outfitted its laptops with over the last several years.
- Mark Zuckerberg denied a report that Facebook is considering sharing smartphone location data with the US government to help track the coronavirus. Zuckerberg disputed a Washington Post report that the government is in talks with the tech industry about leveraging smartphone location data to combat the disease, raising privacy concerns.
- UK venture capital investors are drafting plans to pitch the government for up to £300 million ($350 million) in funding to keep early-stage startups afloat during any economic slowdown induced by the coronavirus pandemic. According to a draft of the plan, seen by Business Insider, investors and angels fear that hundreds of early-stage UK startups will become distressed as they see a sales slowdown and burn through cash reserves.
- Amazon's sellers are worried that its surprise 'essentials-only' stocking policy over the coronavirus could put them out of business. Sellers said Amazon's attitude toward them is often cavalier, with the company surprising them with changes in policy that affect their businesses.
- Sony's long-anticipated PlayStation 5 was unveiled on Wednesday in a jargon-filled deep-dive video that didn't talk much about the console's design or available games. Instead, PlayStation 5 lead architect Mark Cerny spent much of the hour spelling out highly-technical details about how the console functions on a technical level.
- Uber has been accused of making it impossible for drivers to claim sick pay during coronavirus quarantine. Uber says drivers must offer proof that they are ill but, in the UK, the government advice is to self-isolate and not go to the hospital or doctor's.
- Google is delaying employee performance reviews and promotions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Google will instead promote twice as many people in November and backdate raises to August 1.
- The coronavirus breakout has forced tech investors and startups to ditch the all-important pitch meeting. Investors and founders are learning a new etiquette in conducting pitches via video.
- Amazon has reinstated Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' after quietly banning the book last week. Amazon had sent emails to sellers that had been stocking the manifesto, saying it could not offer the book for sale, but the book is once again available through the ecommerce giant directly.
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