The Verge

In 2015, Microsoft decided that you shouldn't be in control of updating your PC anymore. At first, it seemed like a good idea to keep malware at bay - but soon, users discovered their computers were automatically shutting down and erasing work in the middle of the day. Then, Microsoft abused its power to install [...]

It's taken almost five years, but Microsoft is finally bringing back the ability to move the Windows taskbar to the top or sides of your screen. The movable taskbar is part of some much bigger changes coming to Windows 11 this year in response to growing criticism of the operating system's performance, reliability, and user [...]

Microsoft has faced a breakdown of trust in Windows 11 and a backlash over AI additions to its operating system in recent months. After promising to rebuild trust in Windows earlier this year, Microsoft's Windows chief, Pavan Davuluri, is now revealing the company's plan to fix Windows 11 - and there are a lot of [...]

The Trump administration on Friday unveiled its new legislative blueprint for AI regulation, and the seven-point plan includes a clear message: The federal government should avoid many AI regulations beyond a set of child safety rules, and it should bar states from messing with the "national strategy to achieve global AI dominance." The plan advises [...]

E Ink displays have expanded beyond e-readers. They're now used in digital photo frames, smartphones, and even the price tags found on grocery store shelves. VidaBay's Classic Plus NFC E-Ink Fridge Magnet - which looks like a Polaroid photo - features the same low power color E Ink screens used in those electronic price tags, [...]

Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We've reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump phone's whereabouts. Once again, we're waiting for a response. It's been more than a month since two Trump Mobile executives showed me what they claimed was the T1 Phone, and in the [...]

Given how often most of us rely on our smartphones, it's a good idea to keep a power bank on hand in the event your phone dies while you're out and about. If you don't own one already, Anker's MagGo Power Bank (10K) is down to $71.99 (nearly $20 off) at Amazon in the lead-up [...]

Buying a video doorbell is worth it for several reasons. They're convenient if you get a lot of deliveries or visitors, as they let you glance at a phone alert to decide whether it's necessary to drop everything and go to the door. They can provide peace of mind, too, particularly if you're heading out [...]

XP-Pen has launched a new 27-inch display drawing tablet that competes with the visual performance of Wacom's beloved Cintiq Pro series, but for a fraction of the cost. The Artist Pro 27 is available starting today for $1,899.99, providing a 4K resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate and extreme color accuracy, according to XP-Pen's [...]

Dieter Rams already showed the world that something as mundane as an alarm clock can be beautiful. Balmuda, a Japanese company best known for its steam-infused toasters, has released a travel-friendly alarm clock simply called The Clock. Its minimalist dial is reminiscent of Braun's iconic alarm clocks but goes one step further by replacing traditional [...]

Since roughly the turn of the millennium, Google Search has been the bedrock of the web. People loved Google's trustworthy "10 blue links" search experience and its unspoken promise: The website you click is the website you get. Now, Google is beginning to replace news headlines in its search results with ones that are AI-generated. [...]

This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here. Wellness crazes come and go, but protein is forever. At least that's how it feels as the algorithm [...]

Over 10 years after shelving the Fire Phone, Amazon is reportedly planning to launch another smartphone, this time focused on Alexa. According to Reuters, the phone, which is code-named "Transformer," will center around Amazon's AI assistant, but Alexa won't "necessarily be the primary operating system of the phone." "Transformer" is currently in development in Amazon's [...]

There's a big, and increasing, disconnect in culture right now when it comes to artificial intelligence. Companies of all shapes and sizes are hunting for places to deploy AI and can't stop talking about how this new technology will change everything. But when you ask people about AI, the consistent response is: no thanks. Study [...]

Many organizations have called employees back to offices following covid-related lockdowns, but the Iran war and ensuing energy crisis may quickly see workers returning to work from home. The International Energy Agency (IEA) - an energy watchdog established to help safeguard global power supplies following the 1970s oil crisis - is pushing for governments, businesses, [...]

Valve has just released SteamOS 3.8.0 in preview, and it's a doozy. Not only is it the first release to support the upcoming Steam Machine living room gaming PC, it comes with long-awaited features for Valve's handhelds and more support for other companies' handhelds than we've seen to date - including Microsoft and Asus' Xbox [...]

OpenAI is working on a desktop "superapp" that merges its ChatGPT app, the Codex AI coding app, and its AI-powered Atlas browser into one app, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company is making the change as part of an effort to simplify its various product efforts, according to a memo cited by the WSJ [...]

Sony's WF-1000XM6 are the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds you can buy, but they've been hard to recommend over the last-gen model because of the price. While the older version is often on sale for $248, the update costs $329 - and has never before been marked down. That's why this deal is worth paying attention [...]

I admit, this is an innovation I did not see coming: Silicon Valley has invented the philosophical zombie from the classic thought experiment "lol how crazy would it be if there were a philosophical zombie." Until recently, the philosophical zombie was a concept closely associated with Australian philosopher David Chalmers, who defines it as "someone [...]

The MCON is the closest to a Swiss army knife that a controller can be. No, it doesn't contain a can opener, but it makes up for it with a surprising array of features. Once you attach your MagSafe- or Pixelsnap-ready phone to the top plate, pressing a button along its top edge satisfyingly pops [...]

Over a decade after Apple first partnered with Hermes for a special Apple Watch collaboration, the French luxury goods maker has released a new collection of leather-wrapped charging accessories for Apple's mobile devices. The most expensive option is a multi-device wireless charger in a case made from the brand's signature gold-colored calfskin leather that will [...]

For almost two hours last week, Meta employees had unauthorized access to company and user data thanks to an AI agent that gave an employee inaccurate technical advice, as previously reported by The Information. Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton said in a statement to The Verge that "no user data was mishandled" during the incident. A [...]

Microsoft's Xbox console strategy needs work, but its Bluetooth-ready controller that shipped alongside the Xbox Series X and Series S is fantastic. We think it's one of the best Xbox controllers out there, thanks to its comfortable design, multiplatform compatibility (it works great on the Steam Deck and PC, too), and its textured grips and [...]

These past few weeks have been particularly brutal for the EV industry - and anyone who believes that electric vehicles are the future. Thanks to slowing demand and policy whiplashes, automakers are on an EV murder spree, killing a host of promising new models. The EV graveyard grows bigger by the minute. And unfortunately, as [...]

Prediction markets are working to ingratiate themselves with mainstream news and culture: The Golden Globes broadcast in January was plastered with Polymarket odds, the AP is licensing election data to Kalshi, and a partnership between Polymarket and Substack means more prediction market data in newsletters. Some prediction market exchanges are now attempting to strike deals [...]

Google has revealed the "advanced flow" that will be required to install certain Android apps once the company introduces mandatory developer verification later this year. The company had initially announced that it would no longer be possible to install apps from unverified developers, and the process announced today is its concession to critics who accused [...]

Meta is reversing its plans to shut down its VR metaverse - sort of. On Monday, the company announced that it would be shutting down the VR version of its 3D social platform Horizon Worlds on June 15th in favor of a new focus on the mobile version of the app. But in a Wednesday [...]

Epic Games and Disney are making a big announcement as part of their continually deepening relationship. In June, Epic announced that Fortnite creators would "soon" be able to make custom Star Wars-themed games and experiences, and starting Thursday that feature is finally launching. While creators can start making experiences now, they'll be able to publish [...]

Companies like Bushman already sell omnidirectional camera lights for 360-degree shoots, but they start at over $300, which is more than half the price of popular 360-degree cameras from companies like DJI and Insta360. Harlowe, a company known for lighting accessories that cater to influencers and amateurs, has released a $95 alternative called the Omni [...]

This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. Streaming is getting expensive: This week, Amazon Prime Video became the latest streaming service to increase prices. In addition to the annual $139 fee for Prime, consumers now have to [...]

In 2021, the virtual world was the future of the internet. The pandemic had sequestered everyone indoors, heightening the appeal of digital communities. Facebook rebranded to Meta - a sign of the tech giant's investment in and commitment to the metaverse as the future of the internet. Despite losing billions in VR, Meta released an [...]

I've never been comfortable logging into streaming services on a hotel or Airbnb TV. My alternative for watching our favorite shows on a big screen is traveling with a 10-foot HDMI cable and a USB-C-to-HDMI adapter for directly connecting our mobile devices to an unfamiliar TV. Belkin's wireless HDMI adapter will let me leave that [...]

Waymo says its autonomous vehicles have now traveled over 170 million miles while continuing to avoid serious crashes and injuries at a rate much better than human drivers. The company updated its online safety hub to reflect the new driving figures. As of December 2025, Waymo's fleet has driven the equivalent of "200 lifetimes of [...]

Tesla's Full Self-Driving system is facing an expanded investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over its safety during poor road visibility conditions, as previously reported by Reuters. Tesla vehicles with Full Self-Driving (FSD) have a "degradation detection" system that's supposed to alert drivers to take over when the vehicle's cameras can't see the [...]

Can a basic calculator with an old-school segmented LCD screen be beautiful? Casio's response to that question is its new S100X featuring a traditional Japanese hand-painted finish using sap from the lacquer tree, giving the calculator a glossy black finish with warm red highlights around the edges. It somehow looks even more luxurious than if [...]

Today on Decoder, let's talk about the big Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. This deal could reshape all of media and entertainment if and when it closes. That's still an if, which we'll come back to - right now Paramount head David Ellison is very much acting like he's over the finish line after outbidding Netflix, [...]

Soon, some of TikTok's biggest personalities are going to be launching new streaming series on Tubi. Today, Tubi and TikTok announced that they are working together to launch a new Creatorverse Incubator that will help content creators produce long form original series for the Fox-owned streaming service. Once selected for the program, a group of [...]

CEO Carl Pei says Nothing won't release a flagship phone this year. So instead we have the 4A Pro, a $499 phone that looks and feels higher-end than last year's flagship Phone 3, helped in large part by a new metal design. Compare the Phone 4A Pro to its immediate rivals, the Pixel 10A and [...]

Adobe is launching customizable AI image generators that can mimic specific artistic styles and character designs. The Firefly Custom Models are available in public beta starting today, allowing creators and brands to train a model on their own assets to ensure generated images follow a consistent aesthetic for characters, illustrations, and photography. The tool aims [...]

Would you share your medical records with a personal trainer? How about a virtual one? Google, which this week announced it is giving Fitbit's AI health coach the ability to read your medical records, is hoping the answer is yes, following rivals like Amazon, OpenAI, and Microsoft in betting that users are willing to trade [...]

Uber and Rivian are joining forces to deploy 50,000 fully autonomous robotaxis over the next several decades, the companies announced Thursday. As part of the deal, Uber will invest $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031, contingent on Rivian meeting certain autonomy milestones, starting with an initial $300 million at signing. (The deal is still subject [...]

A bipartisan duo is pushing back on President Donald Trump's attempts to end a program that lets hundreds of thousands of foreign students work in the US for a year after graduation. Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-CA) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced a bill that would codify Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows international students to [...]

FBI director Kash Patel admitted that the agency is buying location data that can be used to track people's movements. Unlike information obtained from cellphone providers, this data can be accessed without a warrant - and used to track anyone. "We do purchase commercially available information that's consistent with the Constitution and the laws under [...]

Amazon is going on the defensive after a report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that the e-commerce giant plans to slash shipments with the United States Postal Service, which said this week that it's running out of money. In a lengthy statement published on Wednesday, Amazon says it didn't want to reduce shipments with [...]

Internet platforms' liability shield Section 230 faced another round of attack at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday, this time with two distinct undercurrents complicating the conversation. One was an unprecedented wave of ongoing legal challenges to the law's scope, and the second was a heightened bipartisan concern over government censorship. "Section 230 is [...]

Hoto makes electric screwdrivers for different budgets. If you don't want to spend much, you can get its most basic model, which we've recommended many times. That one comes with 25 bits, and has three levels of torque for $29.99 (usually $59.99). But if you want more power and versatility, its PixelDrive model might be [...]

It's 2026, and that means Apple sells MacBooks equipped with not just its capable M-series processors but A-series chips that were previously exclusive to the iPhone. With the MacBook Neo starting at $599, the company now offers a wider range of options with more sizes and price points than ever before, all of which run [...]

Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for Verge subscribers about the politics of technology and the technology of politics - now landing in your inbox on Wednesdays! If someone has forwarded this email to you, and you're not a Verge subscriber yet, you should sign up right here, and not just because it would [...]

Robinhood is now beta testing a Twitter-like social media platform it calls Robinhood Social. The trading-focused platform was announced last September at the company's HOOD Summit, but it's rolling out to 1,000 people who attended the event and will expand to "an additional 10,000 customers over the coming weeks," according to Robinhood. On Robinhood Social, [...]