News
Microsoft, Facebook, Google issue joint statement on COVID-19 pandemic
Fighting misinformation together
It’s inevitable that any major event will trigger a flood of misinformation online. Such is also the case with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Various fake news about the disease are being shared online, hampering any efforts to successfully curb it.
As such, major tech companies have issued a joint statement to combat this misinformation. These tech companies include Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and Reddit. According to the statement, they are doing everything they can to help people stay informed about the outbreak.
Part of these efforts include combating fraud and misinformation. This is crucial especially at times when various groups online are sharing bogus solutions and cures against the disease. Tech companies are also elevating authoritative contents on their respective platforms. These authoritative content are, of course, official posts from government healthcare agencies and the World Health Organization itself.
A joint industry statement on COVID-19 from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter and YouTube: pic.twitter.com/uKEXvjMuBi
— Microsoft (@Microsoft) March 17, 2020
SEE ALSO:
How to disinfect your tech from the coronavirus
Here’s how Facebook is trying to fight coronavirus
8 apps to use when working from home
As general rules, the CDC or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed these to help with preventing the spread of COVID-19:
- Stay home when sick
- Cover coughs and sneezes
- Frequently wash hands with soap and water
- Clean frequently touched surfaces
vivo has officially launched the X500 Series in Shanghai, China, on September 21, 2026. The new lineup includes the vivo X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max.
The new imaging flagships introduce vivo’s BlueImage Dynamic Imaging Technology Stack. The system focuses on improving photography, video recording, and live imaging through advancements in sensors, chips, and algorithms.
vivo aims to deliver professional-grade imaging capabilities while making cinematic video creation more accessible to everyday users.
The vivo X500 Series also introduces several imaging upgrades, including 4K 240fps cinematic slow-motion video, 8K Native Live, and improved stabilization. The company designed the lineup to deliver a more consistent experience across photography, video, and live content.
BlueImage Dynamic Imaging Technology Stack
The BlueImage Dynamic Imaging Technology Stack serves as the foundation for the X500 Series’ imaging capabilities. vivo developed the system around five key standards: high dynamic range, professional image quality, cinematic color, professional stabilization, and dynamic consistency.
The X500 Pro Max debuts the vivo × Sony LYTIA L910 sensor. It delivers a claimed 17 EV ultra-high dynamic range for video, allowing users to capture more detail in challenging lighting conditions.
The X500 Pro Max also features a ZEISS TrueDynamic Main Camera with 3-degree gimbal-grade optical image stabilization (OIS). Both its main and telephoto cameras achieve CIPA 7.0 Professional Stabilization.
vivo also partnered with MediaTek to develop professional Log video hardware for the Dimensity 9600 Pro. The chipset supports high-spec video creation through dedicated imaging processing capabilities.
vivo X500 Pro Series brings cinematic video to smartphones
The vivo X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max feature a ZEISS TrueDynamic Main Camera with a 1/1.28-inch sensor and ZEISS T* Coating.
The X500 Pro Max uses a 200-megapixel ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera, similar to the one on the vivo X300 Ultra. It supports CIPA 7.0 Professional Stabilization, multi-zone laser focus, and up to 30x Long Range Motion Snapshot.
The phone also supports Anyplace Telephoto Tracking and the 400mm equivalent vivo ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra.
Meanwhile, the X500 Pro features a ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera with CIPA 7.0 Professional Stabilization.
Both Pro models support 4K 240fps Cinematic Slow-Mo Video. They also offer 17 EV TrueDynamic Log Video with 10-bit 4:2:2 encoding and ACES support.
vivo partnered with DaVinci to support official color transformation, allowing users to color-grade smartphone Log footage in the same color space as professional cinema camera footage.
The X500 Pro Series also supports 4K 120fps 10-bit Log direct output and 4K 120fps autofocus tracking video. The latter helps maintain focus even when foreground objects temporarily obscure the subject.
For portrait videos, the lineup introduces 4K Cinematic Portrait Video with unified portrait beautification and HDR production standards.
vivo also added six cinematic video color styles: Golden, Platinum, Sunny Day, Paris Afterglow, Noir, and Amber. Each style uses a dedicated color pipeline that optimizes the appearance of people and scenery.
The Pro Series also supports 8K Native Live direct output, keeping the cover frame and video stream consistent in color and perspective.
Users can access four cinematic camera movement options through Cinema mode: Auto Framing Video, Vortex Shot, Super Slow-Mo, and Dual View.
vivo X500 offers upgraded imaging in a standard model
The standard vivo X500 also brings several imaging features from the Pro lineup.
Its main camera uses the vivo × Sony LYTIA 828 sensor, the same sensor found in the vivo X300 Pro. The 1/1.28-inch sensor works with ZEISS Gimbal-Grade OIS to deliver stable video footage.
For telephoto, the X500 uses the vivo × Sony LYTIA 610 sensor, which it shares with the X500 Pro. The 64-megapixel telephoto camera supports 4K 120fps high-spec slow-motion video and CIPA 5.5 Professional Stabilization.
The standard model also supports 4K 120fps slow motion, cinematic color styles, 4K 60fps Cinematic Portrait Video across all focal lengths, 4K 120fps 10-bit Log, and 4K 120fps HLG video.
The entire X500 Series supports 8K Native Live, which vivo says delivers more detailed Live Photos.
The standard model also supports the 200mm equivalent vivo ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2. The accessory weighs 153 grams and measures 96mm in length. It supports 14 shooting modes, including portrait, landscape, and stage photography.
vivo X500 Series features Dimensity 9600-series chips
The vivo X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max run on the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro, which uses a second-generation 2nm process.
The X500 Pro Max features a 6.85-inch BOE Q11 2K ZEISS Master Color Display and an 8,000mAh BlueVolt Battery.
The X500 Pro, meanwhile, features a 6.36-inch ZEISS Master Color Display and a 6,510mAh BlueVolt Battery.
Both models run OriginOS 7, which introduces Origin Workbench and Seamless Interaction. vivo also says the phones passed its Lab’s 72-month anti-aging model test.
The X500 Pro Series comes in four colors: Sunny White, Starry Gray, Moonlit Black, and Sunset Orange.
The standard vivo X500 uses the MediaTek Dimensity 9600M chip. It features a 6.59-inch ZEISS Master Color Display and a 7,500mAh BlueVolt Battery.
The phone supports 90W FlashCharge and 40W Wireless FlashCharge. It also runs OriginOS 7, with Origin Workbench supporting up to five apps running in the foreground.
The vivo X500 comes in Starry Gray, Sunny White, Dawn Pink, and Dusk Black.
vivo X500 Series price and availability
vivo has announced the following China pricing for the X500 Series. Sales officially begin on September 24, 2026.
Configuration and pricing are as follows:
vivo X500
- 12GB + 256GB = CNY 5,499
- 12GB + 512GB = CNY 5,999
- 12GB + 1TB = CNY 6,999
X500 Pro
- 12GB + 256GB CNY 6,499
- 12GB + 512GB CNY 7,499
- 12GB + 1TB CNY 8,499
X500 Pro Max
- 12GB + 256GB = CNY 6,999
- 12GB + 512GB = CNY 7,999
- 16GB + 512GB = CNY 8,499
- 16GB + 1TB = CNY 8,999
vivo also announced a special X500 Pro Max Creator Edition with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. It retails for CNY 12,999.
The company will also offer photography accessories for the X500 Series, including the ZEISS Telephoto Extender G2 for CNY 999 and the ZEISS Telephoto Extender G2 Ultra for CNY 1,999.
The X500 Pro Max Creator Kit costs CNY 699. A bundle featuring the X500 Pro Max, G2 Ultra telephoto extender, and Creator Kit is priced at CNY 2,499.
These prices are for the Chinese market. vivo has yet to announce international pricing or availability for the X500 Series.
Lifestyle
Nike’s Alphafly 4 is built for the part of the marathon ~that actually hurts~
Made to protect your stride when fatigue sets in.
Every marathoner knows the exact moment the race truly begins.
It’s not at the starting line amidst the early morning excitement, but around the 32-kilometer mark, when your legs begin to feel heavy and your form starts to fall apart.
Nike designed its latest marathon racer specifically for that critical window. The Alphafly 4 shifts the focus away from chasing sheer top-end speed, targeting instead the physical breakdown that happens late in a long run.
By studying how fatigue alters a runner’s mechanics over time, Nike rebuilt its flagship distance shoe to help athletes maintain their stride when energy starts to dip.
Holding the line when fatigue sets in
On the road, the shoe operates as a complete, unified system designed to protect your stride.
A redesigned Atomknit upper wraps the foot with breathable support, using targeted midfoot cables and an integrated heel unit to keep your fit secure without adding unnecessary weight or friction over long distances.
Underfoot, the new ZoomX LT foam layer works alongside Nike’s contoured carbon-fiber Flyplate. The lighter foam returns maximum energy with every footfall, while the plate smooths out your rolling motion.
Together with dual forefoot Air Zoom units and a durable Fast Shot outsole, the setup keeps your cadence consistent and your legs feeling fresh well into the back half of the race.
As Emily Farina from the Nike Sport Research Lab notes, their goal was to help runners stay confident, balanced, and capable from the start line all the way to the finish.
Built on the miles that came before
That focus on real-world endurance stems directly from athlete testing.
Nike developed the shoe using feedback from its Project Dreamweaver initiative and extensive trials with women distance runners, prioritizing stability and comfort alongside high performance.
The lineage carries significant weight. The Alphafly family has grounded some of distance running’s greatest moments, from historic sub-two-hour efforts to major course records.
With the Alphafly 4, that legacy translates directly into everyday marathon training, helping athletes hold their target pace just a little bit longer. Marathoners won’t have to wait long to feel the difference on race day.
The Nike Alphafly 4 drops in an early, limited release on September 17 at nike.com, followed by a wider global release on October 29 online and at select retail stores.
Entertainment
SEGA, Netflix announce Crazy Taxi film adaptation
1st in planned slate of film adaptations, including Sonic and STRANGER THAN HEAVEN
SEGA and Netflix have announced a new Crazy Taxi film adaptation. This will usher in a new collaboration era with the parties also developing adaptations for Sonic and STRANGER THAN HEAVEN.
Such a slate of future adaptations reflects the range of SEGA’s library as it draws on Netflix’s experience bringing beloved game worlds to new audiences.
The first project features Crazy Taxi, which will be written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand. The beloved writing duo was behind the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun.
Also on board to help helm the production are the same visionaries behind the Sonic franchise: Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, and Toru Nakahara.
Crazy Taxi has been an arcade hit since 1999, putting players behind the wheel of a fearless cabbie racing the clock through chaotic city streets.
There’s flying off ramps, dodging traffic, and chasing tips with punk-rock energy that has become the series’ signature.
The latest title in the franchise, Crazy Taxi: World Tour, is set for a 2027 release. You can watch its trailer below:
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