The Verge

Microsoft has fired two employees that were involved in a sit-in protest in vice chair and president Brad Smith's office. Software engineers Riki Fameliand Anna Hattle were both dismissed today, after being part of a group of seven protesters that managed to get inside Smith's office in Building 34 yesterday. Microsoft was forced to temporarily [...]

On Wednesday, the FDA approved the new round of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax for use by seniors over the age of 65. But for anyone younger than that, the FDA approval only mentions people who have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19." [...]

Apple isn't the only tech company to send out launch event invitations this week. If you're keeping score at home, September is actually next week somehow, and Samsung is sneaking a virtual Unpacked in on September 4th before Apple hosts its annual iPhone event the following week. But it's not just a convenient date to [...]

On Wednesday, 4Chan and Kiwi Farms, two of the most controversial social media sites on the internet, filed a federal lawsuit against the British government, arguing that the requirements of the UK's Online Safety Act infringe on their Constitutional rights as American corporations. In a filing submitted to the U.S. District Court in the District [...]

My desire to make authentic-tasing barbecue at home was always tempered by the intimidation of regularly using a smoker. I've tried a couple of smart smokers before, but none were as easy to set up, cook with, and maintain as Brisk It's Zelos-450. An early Labor Day deal has dropped its price to around $328.99 [...]

Some Microsoft employees are willing to risk everything to protest their employer. No Azure for Apartheid, a group led by current and former Microsoft employees, started last year as a petition to Microsoft executives. It demanded that Microsoft end all Azure contracts and partnerships with the Israeli military and government, disclose all ties, call for [...]

Last year, Google proved it could make a phone that looks and feels like a true flagship, despite the software feeling like an AI jumble. This year, the Pixel 10 Pro starts to put AI features together in a way that actually makes sense - and it manages to upgrade the hardware a bit, too. [...]

Disney is suing Sling TV over its new streaming passes that give you access to live cable networks for as little as one day. The lawsuit, filed under seal, claims Sling violated the terms of its licensing agreement with Disney and included its networks in the short-term packages without permission, according to a report from [...]

With Dish Network owner EchoStar selling $23 billion in valuable spectrum to AT&T, any pretense that the TV provider will become a serious wireless competitor is dead. But the project was always doomed to fail, and despite plenty of assurances by the Trump administration and other companies involved, the very obvious writing was always on [...]

After a 16-year-old took his own lifefollowing months of confiding in ChatGPT, OpenAI will be introducing parental controls and is considering additional safeguards, the company said in a Tuesday blog post. OpenAI said it's exploring features like setting an emergency contact who can bereachedwith one-click messages or calls" within ChatGPT, as well as an opt-in [...]

Kwikset is doubling down on open standards and new technologies as it expands its smart lock offerings. In an exclusive interview with The Verge, the company revealed that it will launch its first NFC-powered tap-to-unlock smart lock, as well as a less expensive Matter-over-Thread deadbolt, and a smart garage door opener this fall. Kwikset also [...]

Microsoft is expanding its Xbox Cloud Gaming technology to Xbox Game Pass Core or Standard subscribers, dropping the requirement for the highest tier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for access to cloud games. As part of an Xbox Insider test, Microsoft is also providing access to some PC games for Game Pass Core and Standard subscribers. [...]

President Donald Trump has made no secret of his disdain for electric vehicles. On the first day of his presidency, he signed an executive order to eliminate EV incentives that he has often falsely portrayed as an electric vehicle mandate." And last month, Republicans in Congress voted to kill the $7,500 tax credit, among other [...]

Google is rolling out a basic version of Vids to everyone. Until now, the AI-powered video editor has only been available to Google Workspace or AI plan subscribers, but now users can broadly access the app with templates, stock media, and a subset of AI capabilities," product director Vishnu Sivaji tells The Verge. Launched last [...]

As we approach the end of August, early Labor Day deals have begun to appear, offering you a chance to save on speakers, noise-canceling headphones, TVs, and outdoor gear. Now we can add Google's 128GB Pixel Tablet to the list, which is down to $249 ($150 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store, [...]

Every once in a while, Slack conversations among The Verge's staff are interrupted by photos of incredibly cute dogs, cats, and other pets. (We even have an occasional discussion about smart home editor Jennifer Pattison Tuohy's chickens.) Naturally, anyone who has a pet wants the best for them - and that includes carriers, feeders,and automatic [...]

Plaud, the company behind an AI wearable that actually works, is launching an upgraded version of its credit card-sized note-taking device. Just like its Plaud Note predecessor, the Plaud Note Pro uses AI to record, transcribe, and summarize your conversations, but it now comes with two additional microphones that allow it to pick up audio [...]

Device tracker brand Chipolo announced the Loop and Card, two new Bluetooth-powered item trackers that can be recharged instead of requiring users to replace their batteries. The Loop and Card both support Apple's Find My and Google's Find My Device networks, and will sit in Chipolo's tracker lineup alongside the colorful Pop pucks that the [...]

Microsoft is addressing muffled audio quality on Bluetooth headsets by introducing a new LE Audio feature for Windows 11. Built on top of the Bluetooth Low Energy radio spec, LE Audio uses a new compression algorithm that results in higher quality audio that Microsoft says will drastically" improve the audio experience in games and calls [...]

Tech brand Nothing has been caught passing off stock images from professional photographers as samples taken by the Phone 3. Five sample images that Nothing claimed were captured by the device were actually licensed photos taken with other cameras. The photographer behind one of the images has anonymously confirmed to The Verge that it wasn't [...]

"Agentic AI systems are being weaponized." That's one of the first lines of Anthropic's new Threat Intelligence report, out today, which details the wide range of cases in which Claude - and likely many other leading AI agents and chatbots - are being abused. First up: "Vibe-hacking." One sophisticated cybercrime ring that Anthropic says it [...]

After bringing 4G and 5G connectivity to the Underground, London's public transport authority has started scolding noisy passengers who subject everyone to music and calls blasting out of their phones. A new poster campaign launched by Transport for London (TfL) this week encourages customers to wear headphones when watching or listening to content on their [...]

Microsoft president Brad Smith hosted an impromptu press conference on Tuesday afternoon, just hours after protesters gained access to a building at the company's headquarters and held a sit-in demonstration inside his office. Seated on the edge of his desk, in the office that had been occupied by protesters earlier that day, Smith addressed a [...]

Microsoft has temporarily locked down a building at its headquarters after protesters managed to get inside the office of the company's president. Current and former Microsoft workers held a sit-in protest inside Brad Smith's office in Building 34, demanding that the company cut ties with the Israeli government. The protesters live streamed themselves on Twitch [...]

Just because temperatures are dropping and the days are getting shorter doesn't mean it's time to hibernate. Fall is a perfect time to get outside, and it's also a great opportunity to save on gadgets and gear designed for the outdoors. To celebrate the unofficial end of summer, REI is offering up to 30 percent [...]

Anthropic has settled a class action lawsuit with a group of US authors who accused the AI startup of copyright infringement. In a legal filing on Tuesday, Anthropic says it has negotiated a proposed class settlement," allowing it to skip a trial that would have determined how much the company owes for allegedly training its [...]

Nuclear fusion is on the upswing, as more companies pile into the space to achieve what's often described as the Holy Grail of clean energy, according to an updated map from the Clean Air Task Force (CATF). Nuclear fusion aims to replicate the way the Sun produces light and heat, generating a tremendous amount of [...]

Somehow, Red Notice was once the most-viewed movie Netflix had ever released, but the streamer announced today that the honor now belongs to KPop Demon Hunters. Following its initial debut back in June, the Sony-produced animated musical quickly became a cultural phenomenon whose songs have been sitting pretty at the top of the Billboard charts [...]

Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter about the collision between Big Tech and Washington (last week of summer edition). If you enjoy this, consider subscribing to get this newsletter weekly and everything The Verge has to offer. Ever since the US Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. FEC that corporations had the right [...]

The world's most famous celebrity couple got engaged, and the first place the news broke was on Instagram. By now, it's not much of a surprise that pop star Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce opted to announce their engagement on the platform on Tuesday - if it's good enough for Beyonce, it's good [...]

Today, Framework announced the second-gen Framework Laptop 16 with two industry firsts: the first Nvidia laptop graphics card upgrade you can perform at home in just a couple minutes, and the first complete 240W laptop charging solution over a USB-C cable. But the company's also revealing some intriguing upgrades that didn't quite make the cut [...]

Embracer Group-owned CRKD recently launched a backpack, the $99.99 Vortex 1.0. During a recent vacation, I swapped it in place of my go-to for the past eight or so years, the 20-liter Peak Design Everyday backpack, which CRKD has thoroughly cribbed the look of. However, the Vortex has handheld gaming pockets, which helps it stand [...]

Dish's parent company, EchoStar, is selling a broad swath of its 5G spectrum licenses to AT&T for $23 billion. Under the deal, the Dish-owned Boost Mobile will primarily operate using AT&T's growing network - a move that marks "the end of the road for the fourth carrier," says Roger Entner, founder and lead analyst at [...]

Apple has announced the date of its next big event: September 9th, 2025, at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. The event, which has the tagline Awe dropping," will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park. This is where we expect to hear more about the iPhone 17 lineup, which rumors (and at [...]

More than three years after revealing pre-pre-pre-alpha" footage of its new Skate title, EA has finally announced that the free-to-play live service game will be launching for everyone in early access on September 16th. The game takes place in the city of San Vansterdam," where you can cruise around to find places to pull off [...]

Google is putting AI-powered language learning tools into its Translate app. The new feature, rolling out now in beta, can create customized language lessons based on your skill level and your purpose for picking up a new language, such as vacationing in another country. For now, Google Translate can only help English speakers practice Spanish [...]

The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is one of the most powerful robot vacuums out there. In fact, its 65 air watts of suction makes it the best option for carpets (even high pile) that we've tested yet. And, right now it's half off at $499 at Amazon, Target, and directly from Dyson. The robovac's long, [...]

Tesla rejected a $60 million settlement in the wrongful death case that ended up costing the company $243 million in punitive and compensatory damages, Reuters reported today, citing newly filed legal documents. The proposal stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the families of the victims in a 2019 crash in which a Tesla Model S [...]

Framework CEO Nirav Patel said he would deliver "the holy grail for gamers" with the Framework Laptop 16. In 2023, he suggested it'd be the first consumer notebook to fulfil the promise of modular, upgradable graphics cards like a desktop PC. We at The Verge were skeptical, because the last time we heard someone tell [...]

Four and a quarter years ago, I told you how a USB-C cable could someday power all but the beefiest gaming laptops. Now, Framework is finally fulfilling the promise of 240 watts through a USB plug. Today, it's opening preorders for the first standards-compliant 240W USB-C PD power adapter ever sold by a computer company. [...]

Google is increasing security measures around sideloading apps by removing anonymity for Android developers who distribute outside of the Play Store. Starting in September next year, Google will require developers in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand to verify their identities in order for their apps to be installed on certified Android devices via direct downloads [...]

Nothing is certain in life except death, taxes, and companies releasing party speakers with elaborate lighting features. Marshall's first party speaker, the new Bromley 750, is no different, but instead of filling a room with a bright-colored glow, it features a more subtle array of LEDs hidden behind its front speaker grill. It's available for [...]

Logitech's new flagship mouse may be about to launch, and bring with it an unexpected upgrade: haptic feedback. WinFuture claims to have obtained leaked details on the MX Master 4, which it says will launch on September 30 for 129.99 (around $150). While the broad strokes of the mouse's design will be familiar to existing [...]

Unconventional cameras are having a bit of a moment. From the Sigma BF to the Fujifilm Half to young photographers reaching for old digital point-and-shoots, the camera industry has looked a little different over the past few years. Are these moments just flashes in the pan, or part of something bigger? This week on The [...]

Smart locks are among my favorite pieces of smart home tech, offering convenience and peace of mind; I haven't used a key in years. But most of them are big, clunky, and unmistakably "techy." Keypads, bulky battery housings, and fingerprint readers mean they really stick out, on both sides of your door. If you want [...]

Smart home tech provider Wyze is launching its first 4K security camera. The Wyze Cam Pan v4 is available today for $60, featuring color night vision, pan and tilt capabilities, and on-device AI-powered object tracking that captures people, pets, and vehicles. Users can control the camera remotely via the Wyze app for full-room coverage, with [...]

We've spent most of the year talking about gadgets getting more expensive. Thanks to US tariffs, prices are rising every few months, and even small upgrades have come with big price hikes. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the new Hasselblad X2D 100C II will actually be cheaper than its predecessor, coming [...]

Hasselblad has just launched the X2D II 100C, the first medium format camera capable of taking true HDR photos. Those HDR images can be instantly reviewed on the new 3.6-inch OLED touchscreen at up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness, which Hasselblad says is 75 percent brighter than the original X2D 100C. Other notable upgrades [...]

Spotify is introducing a direct messaging feature that allows users to share music, podcast, and audiobook recommendations with each other without leaving the app. Messages is rolling out in select markets" this week, according to Spotify's press release, and will be available on mobile devices for Free and Premium users aged 16 years and older. [...]

With the start of the NFL season looming, it's also a window where many TV contracts are up for renewal, and on Monday evening, YouTube TV and Fox sent out alerts indicating that their contract could come to an end as soon as August 27th, at 5PM ET. Google-owned YouTube TV says that Fox is [...]