The Verge

iOS 26.4 is here, and it comes with a bunch of small but notable updates. That includes a new Playlist Playground launching in beta in Apple Music, which uses AI to generate a song playlist - complete with a title, description, and tracklist - based on a text prompt. Apple Music is also adding a [...]

Deals on the Lego Game Boy are virtually nonexistent, save for the $10 discount thatCostco and Sam's Cluboffered their members when the set launched late last year. The deal is back - this time, at Kohl's - and no membership is required to get $10 off. You can purchase the Lego Game Boy and have [...]

When Apple released the latest Apple Watch SE, it surprised us, outshining Apple's more expensive models while improving on the basics. Now that it's on sale, it's even easier to recommend. The LTE-enabled model has dropped back to its all-time low of $249 ($50 off) at Amazon for the first time since December, while the [...]

The AI-powered shopping rivalry is heating up as Google and OpenAI launch new features to help you buy things while interacting with their chatbots. Now, Google is teaming up with Gap Inc to allow its Gemini AI assistant to purchase clothes on your behalf from any of its stores, which include Gap, Old Navy, Banana [...]

It takes a week to switch phones. First, there's the technical process of moving eSIMs across devices, which takes either a few minutes (if you're switching from one Android phone to another) or two days, a half-dozen calls to Verizon, a verification text message sent to your mom, and approximately 11,000 restarts of your phone [...]

When The Verge's Allison Johnson went hands-on with the company's Titan 2 Elite phone at MWC 2026, Unihertz didn't divulge pricing info. But the compact Android phone with a BlackBerry-inspired keyboard is now available for preorder through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign and starts at $489, with a discount for early backers bringing it down to [...]

Fans thought they were done with the original Life is Strange duo of Max and Chloe. Following the first game and its 2017 prequel, players said their tearful goodbyes to these beloved characters - or so they thought. Following Max Caulfield's abrupt return in 2024's Double Exposure, this week sees the unlikely return of Chloe [...]

Google announced a new version of its Android Automotive open-source operating system for software-defined vehicles. Whereas previously Android Automotive operated exclusively in the car's infotainment system, Google is now expanding its "open infrastructure" to the non-safety parts of the car's internal computer system. As cars have swiftly become "computers on wheels," there is still a [...]

Apple will soon allow businesses to buy advertisements in its Maps app. In an announcement on Tuesday, Apple says ads may appear at the top of your search results in Maps, as well as in a new "Suggested Places" list. They will arrive in-app in the US and Canada this summer. The company describes its [...]

Right now, Pokopia has everyone busy building houses and beautifying the world, but next month, we'll be making our pocket monster friends fight for sport in Pokemon Champions. Today, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company announced that Pokemon Champions is set to make its debut on the Nintendo Switch family of consoles on April 8th before [...]

Two juries are currently deliberating a series of cases that could either usher in a legal reckoning for Meta, or maintain the status quo in an uphill battle to impose changes or penalties on tech platforms in court. Yesterday, a New Mexico jury heard closing arguments in a trial where Meta is accused of facilitating [...]

Layoffs have hit Fortnite developer Epic Games again. Today CEO Tim Sweeney announced that the company is cutting more than 1,000 jobs, citing a downturn in engagement for Fortnite dating back to last year. "This layoff, together with over $500 million of identified cost savings in contracting, marketing, and closing some open roles puts us [...]

Last year, Congress dropped widely supported military right-to-repair provisions from the annual defense policy bill - and now we may know who was pushing them to do it. Recently released lobbying reports reveal that companies like John Deere, Garmin, Philips, and many others have collectively spent millions of dollars on lobbying efforts related to the [...]

Akai MPC is one of the most storied names in music history. But over the last decade, it's strayed pretty far from its roots as a humble sampler. The modern MPCs run virtual synthesizers, have complex arrangement tools, and sport large touchscreens. They have more in common with your computer running a DAW than they [...]

For All Mankind starts streaming again this week, with its fifth season set to premiere on March 27th. But Apple is also taking this moment to clarify the show's future - it's been renewed for a sixth season, which will also be its last. For All Mankind premiered in 2019 as part of Apple TV's [...]

Anthropic has updated Claude to perform tasks in its Code and Cowork AI tools autonomously by using your computer for you. The new feature can be used to automatically open files, use web browsers and apps, and run dev tools "with no setup required," even when you're away from your computer, according to Anthropic's announcement. [...]

Ayaneo is suspending preorders for its $1,999 Next 2 gaming handheld due to the skyrocketing price of digital storage. In a post on Monday, Ayaneo says the overall cost to build its Windows handheld now nearly doubles the price it originally set, making it "unsustainable" to continue selling. "Even before the launch of NEXT 2, [...]

With all of the focus on RGB LED technology, it seemed like more affordable mini-LED TVs had been shooed to the side. But with the Hisense U7SG, we're getting our first great midrange general-use TV of 2026. It gets bright, comes in a wide range of sizes, supports every HDR mode you'll ever need, has [...]

Zoox is stretching out its legs. The Amazon-owned robotaxi today announced that it's gearing up to expand its service in San Francisco and Las Vegas, while also eyeing two additional cities - Austin and Miami - for future service. Zoox, which is one of the few companies to use a purpose-built autonomous vehicle without traditional [...]

This week, my top pick for a retrofit smart lock launched the first Aliro-compatible keypad. The Nuki Keypad 2 NFC ($179) brings tap-to-unlock via Apple's Home Key and Samsung's Digital Home Key to the Nuki smart lock, allowing you to tap your phone or smartwatch to unlock your door, just like you tap to pay. [...]

Nintendo will produce fewer Switch 2 units than it previously projected in response to weakening demand for the console in the US, Bloomberg reports. Four million units of Nintendo's flagship device are expected to be made this quarter instead of the six million it had originally planned, according to unnamed sources cited by the publication, [...]

In December, the Federal Communications Commission banned all future drones made in foreign countries from being imported into the United States, unless or until their maker gets an exemption. Now, the FCC has done the exact same for consumer networking gear, citing "an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to [...]

If you're trying to figure out how to keep your kids occupied this spring break, the Fitbit Ace LTE is an easy way to get them outdoors and off their phones. The kid-friendly smartwatch encourages movement with trackable games, and it's back to an all-time low price of $99.95 ($80 off) at Amazon ahead of [...]

The prediction market platform Kalshi says it's rolling out new guardrails to "preemptively block" political candidates and athletes from trading in their own markets, as reported earlier by Axios. In addition to blocking political candidates from trading on their own campaigns, Kalshi says its system will also prevent professional and college sports athletes, referees, and [...]

Ever watch a TV ad and wonder, "How did this get approved?" Today, Google has not one but two new ad spots for its six-month-old Pixel 10 phones, and... let's just say they may not come across as intended. First, there's "With 100x Zoom," an ad that appears to suggest that if a vacation rental [...]

Color isn't essential in an e-reader, but let's be honest, it's a nice perk that can bring digital books, magazines, comics, cookbooks, and other publications to life. The catch is that color ebook readers tend to be substantially pricier, which makes today's deals stand out. Right now, the Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) and Kobo Libra Colour [...]

Apple will soon bring advertisements to its Maps app on mobile and the web, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The ads, which Apple could reportedly announce this month before rolling them out in the summer, could allow businesses to pay for the highest spot in search results on Apple Maps. That means [...]

Donut Lab is on a mission to prove to the world its solid-state battery is real, one independent test at a time. We've seen speed charging tests, extreme heat tests, and not-a-supercapacitor tests. Today's test is to see how the battery holds up under damage. The results: While it could barely sustain a charge, it [...]

Apple has set a date for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), scheduling the keynote and Platforms State of the Union for June 8th through June 12th at Apple Park. As usual, we will be tuned in to find out what's new in the 2027-branded editions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. After last [...]

The early 2020s were kind of a dark time if you were a fan of Rock Band. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners didn't get an improved, more feature-packed guitar controller until early 2024 when PDP launched the Riffmaster. While it launched for $129.99 and later rose to $149.99, you can now grab it [...]

Andy Weir has done pretty well when it comes to adaptations. His first novel, The Martian, was turned into a movie in 2015, and the Ridley Scott-directed picture earned more than $600 million at the box office. And Project Hail Mary just had a huge opening weekend that puts it on track to be one [...]

Despite the fact that Apple released a new AirTag in January, the first-gen AirTag is still a top-notch tracker if you're embedded in Apple's ecosystem. And right now, it's on sale for $59.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, which marks a new low price. If you're an iPhone owner, the original AirTag [...]

In-wheel motors have been around since the very beginning of electric motoring. Ferdinand Porsche developed one way back in 1900, and the US sent them to the moon in our Lunar Roving Vehicles in the early '70s. But, outside of e-bikes, they've never really gone mainstream. It looked like Lordstown Motors would be their time [...]

Govee has announced a new set of outdoor string lights that allows for more color customization than competitors' products, as well as the company's existing color-changing set. Similar to its Outdoor UpDown Wall Light introduced in July 2025, Govee's new Outdoor Chromatic String Lights don't limit you to just one color per bulb. You can [...]

Samsung is bringing AirDrop support to the Quick Share feature on Galaxy devices, starting with the S26 series. The new AirDrop feature will begin rolling out in Korea starting today, according to Samsung, with US devices seeing the option sometime later this week. It will arrive in more regions and on more Galaxy devices "at [...]

First came the AI beauty pageant. Then the AI music contests. Now, there is an award for AI Personality of the Year - perhaps the inevitable next step for the AI influencer economy as it fights for legitimacy amid an onslaught of AI slop and grifters and transforms from quirky novelty into a serious and [...]

Last week's recommendation, Sotomayor's Wabi Sabi, has a very particular vibe that you don't find in a lot of records. One of the few things it called to mind was 2022's Topical Dancer from Charlotte Adigery and Bolis Pupul, which I ended up revisiting this week a lot. The two records don't seem particularly alike [...]

Reviews of Crimson Desert have been mixed, but the bigger issue for the game has been the discovery of what appeared to be AI-generated assets in the final release. Now the developer has acknowledged that AI art was indeed used during the game's creation, but says that it was intended to be replaced before release. [...]

Amazon's Prime Day sale may arrive earlier than usual this year, but there's a deal event happening much sooner: Amazon's annual Big Spring Sale, which is happening March 25th through the 31st. While it won't be as big as Prime Day or Black Friday, it does offer you a chance to save money at a [...]

Elon Musk announced plans to build a Terafab plant in Austin, Texas, that will be jointly run by Tesla and SpaceX. The goal is to eventually build chips at scale for robotics, artificial intelligence, and space-based data centers for Musk's various companies. Musk has expressed concern, as have other executives, about the chip industry's ability [...]

The vocoder was never supposed to be a revolution in music. It wasn't supposed to be anything in music, really. Its development began a century ago, when an engineer at Bell Labs was looking for a simpler way to send phone calls across copper telephone lines. The engineer, Homer Dudley, built some pretty neat technology [...]

Sonos is no stranger to the occasional sale. The iconic audio company routinely runs sales around Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and the Super Bowl, though it's rare to see substantial discounts on its portable speakers outside of tentpole shopping events. Fortunately, if you have no interest in the Sonos Move 2 or forthcoming Sonos [...]

AI was everywhere at the GDC Festival of Gaming this year. Vendors at the event pitched generative AI tools for things like making AI-driven NPCs and even entire games from a chat box. On the show floor, I spent 10 minutes playing a demo of a pixel-art fantasy world generated by Tencent's AI tools. In [...]

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about online age verification and your privacy, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Virtual private networks, or VPNs, weren't always [...]

Lux Optics co-founder Sebastiaan de With made headlines when he joined Apple in late January. The company was behind Halide, one of the most popular photography apps for the iPhone, which gained a cult following for its robust pro-level controls. Apple was apparently a big enough fan that it tried to acquire the developer last [...]

Less than a week ago, Apple announced the forthcoming AirPods Max 2, a pair of over-ear headphones that leverage the company's H2 chip for AI-powered live translation, conversation awareness, and a host of newer features. However, if you're okay with a pair of earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 offer access to all the same features [...]

REI's latest sale is in full swing. The outdoor retailer's exclusive shopping event runs through Monday, March 23rd, bringing with it a batch of discounts on Garmin watches, tents, portable stoves, and a slew of Verge-approved goodies. As expected, most deals are available only to REI members; however, you can still join the co-op for [...]

Like many people, director Valerie Veatch was intrigued when OpenAI first released its Sora text-to-video generative AI model to the public in 2024. Though she didn't fully understand the technology, she was curious about what it could do, and she saw that other artists were building online communities to share their new AI creations. The [...]

The funny shape of eggs is the curious lifeblood of Oeuf, the new physics platformer by prolific developer Increpare Games. In a gaming landscape saturated with complex systems dropped into simple games, that grapples with metaphor within straightforward narratives, and that is desperate to bring cinematic sensibilities into gaming, Oeuf only asks that you briefly [...]