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by Quentyn Kennemer on (#6SD6S)
The Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL have never been cheaper than they are today. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge Google's Black Friday sale has kicked off with sizable discounts on Pixel phones, wearables, earbuds, tablets, smart home gear, and more.You'll notice the base 128GB Pixel 9 is down to $649 ($150 off) at Google and Best Buy, for example. But some colors of the flagship Tensor G4 smartphone are actually even cheaper in Amazon's Black Friday sale right now, with its porcelain and peony pink models going for $548.98 there. That's beating the all-time low by a significant margin of about $49.The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL - which have larger screens, bigger batteries, more cameras, and more RAM compared to the Pixel 9 - are also $150 off at Google, starting at $849 and $949 for their base 128GB configuration. Again, you'd probably... Continue reading...
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The Verge - All Posts
| Link | https://www.theverge.com/ |
| Feed | http://www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml |
| Updated | 2024-11-21 19:01 |
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by Umar Shakir on (#6SD6T)
Image: The Verge Steam is building support for season passes into its platform and setting up rules to help protect buyers from buying ones with unclear promises. Steam published new guidelines urging developers to think about whether there's a customer benefit" for purchasing season passes, as reported by SteamDB creator Pavel Djundik.Season passes have really picked up in popularity and are used mainly in free-to-play or other multiplayer video games that promise digital updates like special costumes and weapons for a fee.As part of Steam's new rules for season passes, developers must share a list of items with descriptions customers can expect to receive with the pass. If a DLC drop gets delayed, Steam will let developers reschedule it up to 3... Continue reading...
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by Chris Welch on (#6SD6V)
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Yesterday Android Headlines reported that Google had canceled its development of the Pixel Tablet 3 - even before announcing a second-gen model. Well, today Android Authority is saying that it's in fact the second-generation Pixel Tablet that has been canned, meaning that the device released last year will apparently be a one-off and that Google is bailing on the tablet category for the second time in a little over five years. At best, we're in for a long pause until the next one.If true, the news would suggest that sales of the Pixel Tablet have been so poor that Google has decided further investment in a follow-up just isn't worth it. As recently as last week, there were rumors of new features and a keyboard accessory for the... Continue reading...
by Andrew Webster on (#6SD6W)
Image: Ubisoft A few months after it first launched, Star Wars Outlaws is getting some major updates. First up is the game's first batch of downloadable content, which adds a new storyline involving Lando Calrissian and what appears to be a very dangerous game of Sabacc. The new expansion is called Wild Card and will be followed by a second DLC update next spring called A Pirate's Fortune.Perhaps more significant, today, Outlaws is also getting a major update to address some of the game's technical and design issues. Ubisoft describes it as the game's biggest patch yet." Most notable, it seems, is that the stealth sections - a major point of frustration for many players - have been toned down.Ubisoft says that the update includes updates to... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6SD6X)
The new 2025 Kia EV9 GT Kia came to the LA Auto Show with not one but two revamped electric vehicles, a sign that the South Korean automaker is still feeling bullish about its momentum in the plug-in car market.First off, the 2025 Kia EV9 GT is a performance version of its three-row SUV, which we first tested earlier this year. This one promises more power and a sportier feel than the version we drove, which bore the GT Line badge but wasn't specifically tuned for performance. The new GT trim comes with over 500 horsepower (compared to 379hp in the 2024 model) and a zero to 60mph acceleration of 4.3 seconds. Kia is calling it the most powerful" three-row SUV it's ever created. The dual-motor EV9 GT will also be the first Kia vehicle to feature... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6SD6Y)
The Sonos Era 100, our go-to smart speaker, is down to an all-time low of $199 right now. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Good news: Black Friday has come early for Sonos fans. Now through December 2nd, you can potentially save hundreds on a variety of Sonos products, including soundbars, smart speakers, and headphones. There are a lot of things on sale - and the Sonos app is in better shape than it was a few months ago, thankfully - which means now is a great time to buy if you've been looking to upgrade your home theater setup.First up is the Sonos Ace, the company's first pair of wireless headphones. Right now, they're down to a new low of $349 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos' online storefront. They're comfortable and stylish, with stellar noise cancellation, an exceptionally natural-sounding transparency mode, and excellent sound. However,... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SD2Y)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images A new cell phone carrier is launching with an interesting pitch: it says it will offer secure cell service that limits how much personal data users give up, as reported earlier by 404 Media. The service, called Cape, is geared toward high-risk" individuals like politicians, journalists, activists, and others.Cape is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that uses UScellular's network. But since it runs its mobile own core, Cape says it can control the technology powering the mobile network and implement protections over what data enters and leaves your phone." When signing up for the service, Cape says it will ask users for the minimum amount of personal information" and will store it for as little time as possible."The carrier... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SD2Z)
Illustration: The Verge WhatsApp is introducing a new transcription feature that makes it easier (and more convenient) to communicate using voice messaging. The feature is rolling out globally to Android and iOS users in the coming weeks" according to WhatsApp, and will automatically create a text version of voice clips under the message for moments when you're unable to listen to them.This finds a great balance between the pros and cons of voice messages, which are easier to record than typing out lengthy conversations but can be cumbersome to listen to, especially on the go or in loud environments. Now you get the best of both worlds, but only voice message recipients who have the feature enabled can see the transcripts. Image: WhatsApp ... Continue reading...
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by Gaby Del Valle on (#6SD30)
Illustration: The Verge A federal lawsuit over Minnesota's Use of Deep Fake Technology to Influence An Election" law is now directly dealing with the influence of AI. In a recent filing, attorneys challenging the law say an affidavit submitted to support it shows signs of containing AI-generated text. The Minnesota Reformer reports Attorney General Keith Ellison asked Stanford Social Media Lab founding director Jeff Hancock to make the submission, but the document filed includes non-existent sources that seem to have been hallucinated by ChatGPT or another large language model (LLM).Hancock's affidavit cites a 2023 study published in the Journal of Information Technology & Politics titled The Influence of Deepfake Videos on Political Attitudes and Behavior."... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6SD31)
Illustration: The Verge We are rebalancing ranking to prioritize content from people you follow, which will mean less recommended content from accounts you don't follow and more posts from the accounts you do starting today," Threads boss Adam Mosseri announced on Thursday.This is another significant change to Threads since many people started flocking to Bluesky. It lets people default to seeing their Following feed when they open the app and offers lots of customizability, including custom feeds. Threads just yesterday rolled out its take on custom feeds less than a week after it started testing them.The change could make the For You feed include more accounts you care about, but we'll have to wait and see if the update addresses the problem of the... Continue reading...
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by Charles Pulliam-Moore on (#6SD32)
Image: Universal Jon M. Chu's Wicked adaptation gets at the heart of what makes musicals such a spectacular form of storytelling. Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SCZT)
Illustration: Hugo Herrera / The Verge Major digital payment providers will soon be subject to bank-like supervision from the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). On Thursday, the CFPB issued a final rule that will regulate digital payment apps that process over 50 million transactions each year, covering services like Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal, Cash App, and others.The new rule is meant to ensure digital payment providers adhere to the same laws as credit unions and large banks. It will give the CFPB the authority to oversee their compliance with federal laws surrounding privacy, fraud, and other rules through proactive examinations." This follows the CFPB's initial proposal to regulate digital payment providers last year, which would've covered a wider... Continue reading...
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by Lauren Feiner on (#6SCZW)
Image: The Verge New York State Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D) is a driving force behind kids online safety laws. He sponsored the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act, both signed by Governor Kathy Hochul earlier this year. But when parents talked to him about the rules, he says, they kept asking a question he hadn't considered: Does it cover Roblox?"Like the vast majority of online regulation, New York's rules were aimed at traditional social media companies like Meta, Snap, and TikTok. But there's been increasing scrutiny of the massively popular and overwhelmingly child-focused social gaming platform, and Gounardes is introducing a new bill to target it.The New York Children's Online Safety... Continue reading...
by Brandon Widder on (#6SCZV)
Photo: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you're unsure what to gift the father figure in your life this year, we have more than a few suggestions. Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6SCZX)
The Butter Bot has a functional camera that can live stream video to an included wireless remote. | Image: Kickstarter Geek Club and CircuitMess have created a functional replica of one of Rick and Morty's most tragic characters - the Butter Bot - with new capabilities so the bot is more than just a breakfast butler. With a camera, working treads, and AI capabilities, this Butter Bot can navigate the world, recognize your face, and chat with you.The tiny robot is available for preorder now through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for $139, with delivery expected as early as August 2025. For aspiring Ricks, the Butter Bot is also available as part of a pricier $219 Mad Scientist Pack" that includes a collection of upgradeable modules expanding its functionality.With any crowdfunded product there's always the risk of delays or delivery never... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SCRW)
Who even carries eight six-sided dice with them anyway? | Image: Timestop Dice hoarding is a common hobby among Dungeons and Dragons players, but I'm betting most won't have a digital watch in their collection. Alongside displaying the time, day, and date, the Timestop D-20 includes all the dice-rolling features you need to play tabletop roleplaying games directly from your wrist at the push of a button.The watch allows the wearer to digitally roll a 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, 20-, or 100-sided dice, alongside Advanced Combat" features such as rolling up to 12 dice at once, and D20s with advantage or disadvantage (a fancy way of rolling two dice and taking either the higher or lower results). It'll also display specific icons when a D20 rolls a 1 or a 20 - known as a critical failure" or critical success"... Continue reading...
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by Thomas Ricker on (#6SCPW)
The 25L model is an improvement on perfection, but not without some help. Continue reading...
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by Lauren Feiner on (#6SCMB)
Image: Laura Normand / The Verge The Department of Justice says that Google must divest the Chrome web browser to restore competition to the online search market, and it left the door open to requiring the company to spin out Android, too.Filed late Wednesday in DC District Court, the initial proposed final judgement refines the DOJ's earlier high-level outline of remedies after Judge Amit Mehta found Google maintained an illegal monopoly in search and search text advertising.The filing includes a broad range of requirements the DOJ hopes the court will impose on Google - from restricting the company from entering certain kinds of agreements to more broadly breaking the company up. The DOJ's latest proposal doubles down on its request to spin out Google's Chrome... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6SCK7)
Image: Honda Honda set up a demonstration facility in Japan to show off its plans to mass-produce solid-state batteries at lower costs, which could be crucial to unlocking higher-range, longer-lasting electric vehicles for the future.Solid-state batteries have been elusive for many companies due to the complexity of scaling up production. The technology swaps out the liquid electrolytes found in current lithium-ion batteries with dry conductive materials, promising higher energy density and longer lifespans. But it will require a whole new production process to be successful.Several companies are actively pursuing solid-state batteries, including Volkswagen-backed QuantumScape, Nissan, and Factorial, which is testing semi-solid-state batteries that... Continue reading...
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by Abigail Bassett on (#6SCHS)
The SEL trim of the Hyundai Ioniq 9. | Image: Hyundai The South Korean automaker unveiled its newest EV ahead of the LA Auto Show. Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6SCHT)
Illustration by Laura Normand / The Verge Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were officially appointed the co-leads of President-elect Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) last week, and on Wednesday, the two men spelled out their plans for the advisory group in a long article in The Wall Street Journal.Musk and Ramaswamy say they will serve as outside volunteers" making recommendations that allow the Trump administration to cut the federal government down to size." Their primary focus is on cutting down federal agencies, which they view as wasteful and antidemocratic."Most legal edicts aren't laws enacted by Congress but rules and regulations' promulgated by unelected bureaucrats," write the two unelected men who have been tasked with cutting trillions... Continue reading...
by Sean Hollister on (#6SCG0)
The Blackwell B200 GPU. | Image: Nvidia Nvidia has become the world's most valuable company on the back of AI chips, passing Microsoft and Apple along the way, and in today's Q3 2025 earnings, the company suggested its record AI revenue and profits are only the beginning.While The Information recently reported that its new flagship Blackwell AI servers might have cooling issues, the company didn't address that on today's call - instead, Nvidia assured investors that Blackwell is in full production," is full steam" ahead, and that the company would continue to deliver more of the chips each quarter from here on out.Nvidia has already shipped 13,000 Blackwell samples to its customers this quarter, said CFO Colette Kress, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claimed Blackwell's... Continue reading...
by Lauren Feiner on (#6SCG1)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by Bloomberg, Getty Images Apple urged a federal judge to dismiss the Department of Justice's antitrust case against it, saying the government's complaint includes speculative arguments and the government doesn't plausibly argue it has monopoly power.The court is allowed to use common sense," countered DOJ counsel Jonathan Lasken at a hearing in New Jersey on Wednesday. We're here today based on the idea that it's not plausible that [Apple] has monopoly power, but instead is at the mercy of supposed global behemoths who are a fraction of its size."The government and more than a dozen states sued Apple earlier this year for maintaining an illegal monopoly in the smartphone market, ultimately driving up prices and locking consumers into its ecosystem. It pointed... Continue reading...
by Emma Roth on (#6SCDQ)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images SafeRent, an AI screening tool used by landlords, will no longer use AI-powered scores" to evaluate whether someone using housing vouchers would make a good tenant. On Wednesday, US District Judge Angel Kelley issued final approval for a roughly $2.3 million settlement to prevent SafeRent from discriminating against tenants based on income and race.The settlement stems from a 2022 class action lawsuit filed in Massachusetts. The suit alleged that SafeRent's scoring system disproportionately harmed people using housing vouchers - specifically Black and Hispanic applicants. In addition to violating Massachusetts law, the complaint also accused SafeRent of breaking the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits housing discrimination.As outlined... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SCDR)
A conceptual rendering of Blue Origin's cargo lander. | Image: Blue Origin / NASA After asking both SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop cargo landers for its Artemis missions, NASA has announced plans to use those landers to deliver heavy equipment to the Moon.The agency wants Elon Musk's SpaceX to use its Starship cargo lander to deliver a pressurized rover to the Moon no earlier" than 2032, while Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin will be tasked with delivering a lunar surface habitat no sooner than 2033. Both launches will support NASA's Artemis missions, which aim to bring humans back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.Both companies are developing human landing systems for Artemis missions - SpaceX for Artemis III and Blue Origin for Artemis V. NASA later asked both companies to develop cargo-hauling variants... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SCDS)
Image: The Verge Reddit had some issues on Wednesday afternoon, as many users couldn't get the platform to load reliably. In a statement to The Verge, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt said, There was a bug in a recent update we made, but a fix is in place and we're ramping back up."Its status page now says the platform is monitoring the results" of its fix, but that there still may be degraded performance" on its website or mobile app. At the height of the outage, the site didn't load at all and simply displayed the error message: upstream connect error or disconnect/reset before headers. reset reason: connection failure."
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by Tom Warren on (#6SCDT)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft has been trying to convince Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 for months now, ahead of the end of support date for Windows 10 in October, 2025. Earlier this year, Microsoft started using fullscreen prompts to warn Windows 10 users about the support cutoff, and now it's using similar prompts to try and tempt people to buy a new Windows 11 PC instead.Over the weekend some Windows 10 users have noticed these new fullscreen prompts, and Microsoft is using them to suggest you can do more with a new Windows 11 PC" or level up to the new Copilot Plus PCs" to get the ultimate Windows 11 experience." Like the prompts earlier this year, the read more link goes to a promotional site that includes links to new Windows 11 PCs.... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6SCDV)
Image: Meta Meta has announced that it's adding HD video calling and noise suppression to its Messenger app, along with several other features like AI backgrounds that help bring it up to par with other popular smartphone video calling apps.HD video calling is enabled by default on Wi-Fi but can be turned on for calls using your cell data plan in the Call settings" menu. You'll also find options to adjust noise cancellation or switch your call's audio output. Meta says it's giving users the ability to leave voice or video messages as well. Image: Meta Messenger now has AI-generated backgrounds. Apps like Google Meet, Zoom, and FaceTime have all had these features already, and for many years in some cases. The same goes... Continue reading...
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by Chris Welch on (#6SCBA)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge After its foray into headphones, the next major new product category from Sonos is rumored to be a video streaming box similar to a Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV. Such a device has been rumored for ages now, with Bloomberg previously reporting that its price is expected to fall between $150 and $200. And today we got confirmation (or at least something close to it) that the Sonos streamer will run an operating system built by The Trade Desk, a digital advertising business.Janko Roettgers first reported on a partnership between the two back in September, noting that The Trade Desk is supplying Sonos with the core smart TV OS, and facilitating deals with app publishers, while Sonos is designing its own hardware, and customizing the... Continue reading...
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by Allison Johnson on (#6SCBB)
Good one, T-Mo. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge T-Mobile isn't exactly known for having a stellar track record against hackers, but it seems that the company actually caught a recent cyberattack in progress and shut it down in time. Bloomberg reports that T-Mobile detected suspicious activity in a recent attempt to access customer data and kicked the cyber criminals out before they were able to infiltrate deeper levels of the network.The report doesn't name the hackers or the date when the breach occurred, but details are consistent with the recent Salt Typhoon attack in which Chinese hackers targeted US telecom companies - including T-Mobile. Targets of that attack included members of the Trump and Harris campaigns. Hackers successfully breached Verizon, T-Mobile, and Lumen ISPs.... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6SC8B)
A screenshot of today's NYT Connections on the alternate puzzle creator. | Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge The New York Times wants to shut down a copy of its popular Connections word game. The publication sent a cease and desist letter to the owner of a website that lets you make your own Connections games. The site also has a full archive of all of the NYT's past Connections puzzles, which the NYT keeps behind a paywall.The Connections creator website is built and run by Anthony Salazar, a freelance web developer who runs the creative studio Swellgarfo. Earlier this month, striking New York Times tech workers used Salazar's Connections tool to make their own strike-themed puzzle. Salazar previously told me that he built the archive using the NYT's publicly available API.In the letter, which Salazar shared with The Verge, the NYT's counsel... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6SC8C)
Dumbgood's Limewire apparel collection includes a mix of sweaters, jackets, and tees. | Image: Dumbgood LimeWire, the popular peer-to-peer file sharing app from the early aughts that was resurrected by new owners in 2022 as an NFT marketplace, is back once again. But this time it's just the platform's retro branding that's making a comeback as part of a new officially licensed apparel collection from lifestyle brand Dumbgood.The collection includes a $120 Playlist Work Jacket, a $90 Disc Burning Green Zip Up Hoodie, and a $90 Gnutella Network Beige Pullover covered in iconography from the burnable CD-R discs that were an important accessory for those using the original LimeWire app. Image: Dumbgood The collection ranges in price from $42 for t-shirts to $120 for a jacket. The collection also features a trio of $42... Continue reading...
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by Ash Parrish on (#6SC8D)
Image: Square Enix / Lightspeed Studios Have you heard that the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is getting a mobile version? In a video announcement, Final Fantasy XIV game director Naoki Yoshida announced FFXIV Mobile, a joint production between Square Enix and Tencent's Lightspeed Studios. The announcement was accompanied by a teaser trailer showing Warriors of Light in locations all across the game's world of Eorzea.It seems as though FFXIV Mobile will be a reset of sorts for the MMORPG, featuring content from the base game without anything from its five expansions. In the video, Yoshida said that Lightspeed Studios was working to, faithfully recreate the story, duties, battle content, and other aspects of the original game." Lightspeed Studios, known for P... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6SC8E)
Illustration: The Verge Just five days after Meta started testing custom feeds in Threads, the company is already rolling them out to everyone. With custom feeds, you can track topics and accounts in one feed, making it easier to keep an eye on specific things that matter to you.To make a custom feed, search for a topic, then click on the three dots menu next to the search bar, and then click on the Create new feed" option. Custom feeds can also contain information about multiple topics - just add a new one from a search or, on desktop, from the three dots menu next to a feed. You can add individual accounts to custom feeds, too, giving you a lot of flexibility on what's contained in that feed.The quick rollout of the feature follows increased pressure... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6SC4Y)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google has released a beta version of the Google Drive desktop app that supports Windows 11 running on Snapdragon chips. The app offers the same features as on computers with Intel and AMD chips, with the exception of the Outlook Meet plugin, a Google employee wrote in a Drive community forum post spotted by Android Authority.You can download the beta from Google using this direct link to the .exe file. Besides requiring Windows 11, Google says the installer will prompt users to install the also-necessary Microsoft WebView2.Google Drive getting a native app for Windows on Arm brings the Snapdragon-powered PCs a step closer to native software parity with their x86 cousins. Chrome has already supported Arm PCs since January, and other... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SC4Z)
Image: The Verge Microsoft is starting to open up Xbox Cloud Gaming to existing Xbox game libraries today. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can now stream 50 games that they already own, including Balatro, Baldur's Gate 3, a variety of Final Fantasy titles, and Hogwarts Legacy.The expansion to 50 more games is just the beginning of opening up the Xbox game library to cloud streaming. Our library of cloud-playable titles will continue to grow, as we work with our partners around the world to bring you a diverse and expansive selection of great games across devices," says Ashley McKissick, corporate vice president of Xbox Experiences and platforms engineering.The 50 additional games will be available through TVs, smartphones, tablets, and PCs through... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6SC50)
Photo by Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images Ford said it would cut 4,000 jobs from its business in Europe, while also lowering production estimates for its upcoming Explorer and Capri electric vehicles.The planned cuts, which amount to 14 percent of the automaker's European operations, will primarily affect its workers in Germany and the UK, with minimal reductions" coming from other European markets.The news comes as EVs continue to lose momentum in markets around the world, as governments eliminate subsidies and economic headwinds force many automakers to rethink their strategies. Image: Ford It also comes at a tough time for Ford, which has been dealing with disruptions both at home and abroad. The company recently paused production of its F-150... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6SC51)
Garmin's Venu Sq 2 comes with an impressive set of health features, including hydration tracking, which its Fitbit rivals lack. | Image: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you're looking to upgrade your old Fitbit, Garmin's Venu Sq 2 smartwatch is a stylish alternative that's currently down to an all-time low price. Normally $249.99, right now you can buy the wearable for $149.99 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Garmin's online storefront.Not only is Garmin's Venu Sq 2 currently cheaper than rivals such as Fitbit's aging Versa 4 and Fitbit's Sense 2 smartwatches, in many ways it's even better. The Venu Sq 2 boasts a beautiful and bright OLED display that's easy-to-read and battery life that lasts around 11 days. The wearable also offers many health features you won't be able to find in the Versa 4 or the Fitbit Sense 2, including hydration tracking and Garmin's recovery feature, Body Battery. You... Continue reading...
by Quentyn Kennemer on (#6SC52)
Most MagSafe power bank kickstands are too flimsy to safely hold an iPhone. Anker's design is much better. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge We'll soon see an explosion of early Black Friday deals, with several extended sales kicking off tomorrow and more underway as the week itself approaches. That said, there are still many bargains to be had right now.It's hard to pass on a Prime-exclusive deal that brings the Anker MagGo 6,6000mAh Qi2 power bank as low as $19.99 ($50 off) in select colors when clipping a coupon at Amazon. It's also available at Anker for $29.99 ($40 off) through the end of the day with code WSPEV2JAZSLN. That's a good fallback if you're not a Prime member or prefer it in white or black, as those colors are sold out at Amazon as of this writing.While it's a little chunkier than comparably sized power banks, the advantage here is that you can charge any... Continue reading...
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by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on (#6SC53)
Now that's a big smart display. | Image: Amazon Amazon's first wall-mounted smart display just got a big upgrade. Today, the company announced the launch of the Echo Show 21, an upgrade to the Echo Show 15 that debuted in 2022. The new model has a 21-inch screen with 1080p resolution for $399.99. Amazon says it has better audio quality than the original Show 15 and nearly doubles the viewing area. An improved camera and a built-in smart home hub round out the features. A new Echo Show 15 for $299.99 was also announced and comes with the same audio, camera, and smart home upgrades.According to Amazon, the Show 21 will be capable of delivering immersive sound, double the bass and room adaption technology." The company also upgraded the auto-framing camera for improved video calls with... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6SC54)
Image: The Verge The latest version of Chrome (Version 131.0.6778.86) has addressed an issue in the browser that broke the ability to highlight text on some websites over the weekend, Google's Scott Westover confirmed to The Verge in an email.We tested the change, and found that we were able to highlight text within stories on sites like Bloomberg and The Verge, and in the post composer on X, both in updated Windows and Mac versions of Chrome. It's not clear whether the change applies to other Chromium-based browsers, such as Arc, which continues to be affected in our testing.Westover says the update has gone out to all users. To see the change, you'll need to restart Chrome; if text highlighting still isn't working, you can check the Chrome version... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6SC18)
The DS Pixel Keyboard combines the flexibility of a touchscreen keyboard with the tactile feedback of a physical one. | Image: DS The creators of the DS Pixel Keyboard have come up with a potential solution to the challenge of typing on a touchscreen. The keyboard, which doubles as a display, includes a removable electrostatic capacitive keycap" frame that sits atop its touchscreen, providing physical keys that facilitate touch typing.The DS Pixel Keyboard is now available through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The earliest backers can reserve a model with a 1,000Hz polling rate discounted to $349 (plus shipping) or a version for gamers with an 8,000Hz polling rate that is available for $419. Full retail pricing is expected to be closer to $580 and $640, respectively, with delivery estimated as early as February 2025. That's just a few months away, but its... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6SC19)
STLA Frame platform with a battery pack. | Image: Stellantis Stellantis released new details about its big multi-energy" vehicle platform, STLA Frame. The new platform runs primarily on battery-electric technology but can also underpin internal combustion, hybrid, gas-extending, and hydrogen vehicles, the company said.STLA Frame supports bidirectional charging, and its pure EV version has an 800-volt architecture with up to 350kW of DC fast charging speeds that can add 100 miles in 10 minutes. When configured with a gas range extender (REEV), the platform uses a 400-volt architecture with up to 175kW charging that adds 50 miles in 10 minutes.STLA Frame will give trucks like the Ram 1500 Ramcharger up to 690 miles of range with the help of a gas-powered range extender, or 500 miles purely on... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SC1A)
Image: Lapz Lapz, the Apple Vision Pro app that puts Formula One races in mixed reality, is on hold after F1 asked it to stop using its content, as reported by UploadVR. In a message posted to its Discord channel, Lapz says it halted distribution through TestFlight while it explores licensing opportunities with various racing leagues and tech partners."F1(R) have respectfully asked us to discontinue the use of their F1(R)TV broadcast rights in our platform for the time being while we continue to advance our roadmap and enhance the beta experience," the message says.Lapz started out as just a concept video created by designer John LePore. However, the video garnered a lot of attention, leading LePore to work with a group of developers to create an... Continue reading...
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by Ash Parrish on (#6SC1B)
Elden Ring. | Image: FromSoftware Reports that Sony was in talks to acquire Kadokawa, the Japanese media conglomerate that owns Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, have been confirmed. Kadokawa has released a short statement acknowledging Sony's intention but stating that no decision had been made.Read the full letter below:
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by Emma Roth on (#6SC1C)
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix (C) 2024 Netflix is following up the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight with NFL games and WWE's Monday Night Raw. Continue reading...
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by Lewis Gordon on (#6SBYA)
Image: GSC Game World GSC Game World's long-awaited survival epic delivers the ultimate stalker fantasy - if you can look beyond the plethora of glitches. Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SBYB)
Photo by Jeff Fusco/Getty Images for Comcast Comcast is splitting from its NBCUniversal television arm as the market of cable TV customers shrinks in the age of cord-cutting and TikTok.The US media giant announced plans on Wednesday to spin off the bulk of its cable network channels - including CNBC, MSNBC, Universal Kids, USA Network, E!, Oxygen, Golf Channel, and Syfy - into a separate company. Comcast will retain its reality TV darling Bravo and the Peacock streaming service within its NBC TV business.The new, currently untitled venture (dubbed SpinCo" as a placeholder) will be led by NBCUniversal chairman Mark Lazarus, with NBCUniversal's CFO Anand Kini serving as both its financial and operating head. Non-cable services including Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, and... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SBYC)
Reviews for the game on Steam are currently labeled as Overwhelmingly Negative." | Image: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was released on PC and Xbox yesterday but early players have struggled to load or even finish installing the game. Users have reported a range of issues - including post-installation loads stalling before completion, long login queues, and the game itself crashing - with the $70 flying sim currently tagged as Overwhelmingly Negative" in customer reviews on Steam.Some players are seeing their downloads freeze at 97 percent, while others were stuck on a login queue page at launch for several hours that says too many users are trying to connect at the same time." Microsoft advised players to check the Xbox Support Status page for updates, which doesn't list any ongoing issues with the game at the time of... Continue reading...
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by Victoria Song on (#6SBYE)
As an entry-level device, the FE doesn't quite nail the right mix of price, features, and hardware. Continue reading...