Welcome to the Tech Mem Ride Home for Friday, April 3rd, 2020.

I'm Brian McCullough today.

Tech companies are, in fact, stepping up to track COVID-19.

We have a name finally for the new low-end

iPhone. Tesla stock soars, but the SpaceX Starship doesn't. Watch some free

HBO this weekend and of course the weekend long read suggestions.

Here's what you missed today in the world of tech.

Whole bunch of stories bubbled up this morning about people in tech actively

using data to track COVID related things. Google for example is using aggregated anonymized location data from 131 countries to show which places are complying with social distancing and which aren't, quoting the verge.

The reports use data from people who have opted in to storing their location history. the place and where possible work from home.

As global communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increasing

emphasis on public health strategies like social distancing measures to slow the rate of

transmission, the company said in a blog post.

In Google Maps we use aggregated anonymized data showing how busy certain types of places

are, helping identify when a local business tends to be the most crowded.

We have heard from public health officials that this same type of aggregated

anonymized data could be helpful as they make critical decisions to combat COVID-19."

Anyone can view the reports, which as I said cover 131 countries to start,

quote, in many locations users can search for more regional data examining reports for individual states, provinces, and counties.

A sample report viewed by The Verge for California where a shelter-in-place order has been in effect since March 19th showed

steep declines to retail and recreation locations and transit stations with a

moderate uptick in time spent at home. Data covers the past 48 to 72 hours,

...