Bing Maps make the revived ‘Flight Simulator’ eerily realistic

PLUS: A phonecall from hell, cracking a dangerous math problem, and the best cheap laptops. View this email in your browser  12.16.19   CATFISHING The War Vet, the Dating Site, and the Phone Call From Hell BY VINCE BEISER Jared Johns found out too late that swapping messages with the pretty girl from a dating site would mean serious trouble. If only he had known who she really was.   3X+1 Mathematician Terence Tao Cracks a 'Dangerous' Problem BY KEVIN HARTNETT Tao has made huge progress on the Collatz conjecture, a simple-seeming puzzle that has bedeviled hapless mathematicians for decades.   BUDGET BOOK Need a Cheap Laptop? These Are Our Favorites BY SCOTT GILBERTSON You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good notebook.   FROM 30,000 FEET Bing Maps Make the Revived 'Flight Simulator' Eerily Realistic BY ERIC ADAMS The 3D mapping, along with data and technical guidance from avionics manufacturers, make Microsoft's long-loved flying program more than just a game. GET WIRED   Get 1 year of WIRED access for less than $1 a month.   Tech news and analysis you won't find anywhere else.   Subscribe now   PROTECTION Chrome Will Automatically Scan Your Passwords Against Data Breaches BY RON AMADEO, ARS TECHNICA Google's Password Checkup feature will be fully integrated into the desktop and mobile versions of Chrome 79.   WHILE YOU WERE OFFLINE Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year Is 'They' BY GRAEME MCMILLAN It marks an important moment of recognition for a lot of people.   GOING VIRAL This Year's Flu Season Is Off to a Weird (and Early) Start BY BETH MOLE, ARS TECHNICA According to the CDC's latest influenza update, both the timing and the strain are highly unusual.    PHOTO GALLERY The Neveda Town Where Storm Area 51 Sort Of Happened BY MICHAEL HARDY Ryan Koopmans and Alice Wexell spent three days photographing the town of Rachel, infamous for its proximity to the infamous Air Force test facility.   THE MONITOR 'Fortnite' Debuted a Scene From 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER The clip appeared in-game on Saturday. Watch it here.      This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions