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Updated	2025-04-22 14:04

The best Prime Day deals on Amazon devices

by

Sheena Vasani

on 2024-07-17 21:48 (#6P619)

The Kindle Scribe is down to an all-time low price. | Image: Amelia Holowaty Krales Amazon Prime Day 2024 has officially arrived. We've already published a detailed guide to the best Prime Day deals, but if you're just interested in Amazon devices, this is where you'll find the ones that are actually worthwhile. From Alexa-based Echo smart speakers to video doorbells, Amazon is discounting a wide range of gadgets, some of which are currently seeing their lowest prices to date.Of course, the main caveat here is that you'll have to be an active Amazon Prime member to take advantage of any and all Prime Day deals. Luckily, Amazon makes it pretty easy to sign up, especially since new members can take advantage of the exclusive discounts with a free 30-day trial.The best streaming device and TV deals

Nintendo’s offering a rare discount on its wireless NES gamepads

by

Andrew Liszewski

on 2024-07-17 21:20 (#6P9VG)

Until the end of July, you can save $12 on Nintendo's retro gamepads. | Image: Nintendo If you're looking for a more authentic way to set a new speedrunning record when Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition launches tomorrow, Nintendo's now offering a 20 percent discount on its wireless NES gamepads, bringing the price down from $59.99 to $47.99 for a pair of them.The promotion runs until July 31st, so you've got a few weeks to take advantage of the deal. However, the controllers are only available to those with a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership - and the free trial doesn't count. You'll need to log in with your Switch credentials to buy them through Nintendo's online store, and Nintendo is limiting sales to four sets of two NES controllers. Image: Nintendo The wireless NES gamepads... Continue reading...

The best Apple deals available for Amazon Prime Day 2024

by

Sheena Vasani

on 2024-07-17 21:13 (#6P8PW)

The latest iPad is down to an all-time low price. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Thanks to Amazon Prime Day, you don't need to wait until Black Friday this year to save big on Apple gadgets. Despite being an Amazon event, some of the best deals surprisingly include popular Apple products, ranging from the high-end latest AirPods Pro to the entry-level third-gen AirPods - both of which have new all-time low prices.It's not just AirPods that are receiving steep discounts, though, but also the Apple Watch Series 9, the latest iPad, and other excellent Apple devices. Below, we've rounded up the cream of the crop to make diving through the deals easier. If you're interested in deals outside of the Apple ecosystem, check out our main Prime Day roundup so you can save even more.The best AirPods deals

The best smartwatch and fitness tracker deals for Amazon Prime Day 2024

by

Victoria Song

on 2024-07-17 21:07 (#6P8TB)

Now's a good time to cop last year's flagship models at a lower price. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Amazon Prime Day 2024 is here and, with it, a whole bunch of deals on Apple Watches, Android smartwatches, or even just a regular ol' fitness tracker. Fall product launches are right around the corner, but if you're on a budget, now is a great time to snag discounts on higher-quality materials and last year's premium devices.Wading through thousands of deals can be a pain, especially when you factor in the dozens of smartwatch models, sizes, colors, and materials. Never fear - we've already done that for you and compiled the best deals out there. (Just make sure you have a Prime membership to access them!) And when you're done checking out smartwatches and fitness trackers, you can head back to our main Prime Day deals page for more.A... Continue reading...

This Prime Day has cranked up thedealson Bose and Sony speakers

by

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

on 2024-07-17 20:48 (#6P9VH)

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Finding especially good deals on Amazon Prime Day can be challenging (trust me, I do it nonstop for our coverage), but the discount on the Bose SoundLink Flex is a standout one. For now, you can get the portable Bluetooth speaker in select colors for $99 ($50 off) at Amazon and direct from Bose or for $99.99 at Best Buy. Amazon gates the deal behind its Prime membership paywall, but anyone can buy from the other two retailers.This is the lowest price to date on the SoundLink Flex, which is our top pick of Bluetooth speakers under $200. Bose's colorful speaker has a small footprint, making it easy to throw in a bag and travel with, but it sounds like a much larger speaker. It's got a nice, bass-rich sound that doesn't cross into that's... Continue reading...

The best Apple Watch deals for Amazon Prime Day

by

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

on 2024-07-17 20:41 (#6P98Z)

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Apple Watch often sees its fair share of limited-time discounts throughout the year, but Amazon's Prime Day offers a chance for someone to shop deals across most available models all at once.For this Prime Day, we're seeing some worthwhile sales across the range of the 2022 Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 9, and even the pricey Apple Watch Ultra 2. Most of these require an Amazon Prime subscription, but Amazon's excellent $100 discount on the Ultra 2 does not.While most Apple Watches are pretty similar at their core (iOS notifications on your wrist, fitness tracking, health metrics, etc.), it's the extra features added or omitted from some models that often determine which is right for you - as well as your budget, of course.... Continue reading...

The best Prime Day deals on smart home gear

by

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

on 2024-07-17 20:35 (#6P8C3)

The Blink Video Doorbell is down to $30 for Prime Day. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Amazon's Prime Day 2024 runs from Tuesday, July 16th, through Wednesday, July 17th, and is an excellent way to stock up on smart home gear. I spent hours sifting through the best deals to bring you my picks for the best buys.Grab some serious bargains on robot vacuums, smart kitchen gadgets, and lots of smart plugs. Plus, smart lighting favorites Philips Hue and Lutron Caseta have some select savings on their popular products. Read on for all the latest deals, and be sure to check back, as I'll keep this updated throughout the sale.Best deals on Amazon Echo devices

A long-delayed hands-on with Essential’s skinny Android phone

by

Umar Shakir

on 2024-07-17 20:00 (#6P9RT)

Didn't think we'd see this phone again. | Image: Essential Someone obtained Essential's unreleased smartphone that took the candy bar" style phone a bit too far. Originally revealed in 2019 as Project Gem," this PH-2 looks like what you'd get from splitting an already tall Sony Xperia 1 in half. It reminds me of memes that popped up about the slightly taller 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5, as people imagined what might happen if phones just kept getting taller instead of wider.Rob Wainwright, a software engineer who works on the Nova Launcher, says he bought the phone on eBay, and in his video, you can see the mostly operational PH-2 with card-style widgets for apps like Spotify and Uber, along with a smartwatch-style clock at the top.Why didn't it come out? The first Essential phone in... Continue reading...

The Verge’s guide to Amazon Prime Day 2024

by

The Verge Staff

on 2024-07-17 19:59 (#6NZKP)

Image: Shira Inbar for The Verge Amazon Prime Day 2024 is here. The annual two-day super sale started July 16th and runs through July 17th, bringing with it a treasure trove of discounts, promos, and exclusive deals for Amazon Prime subscribers. It may not be the only Prime Day event we see this year - Amazon has recently taken to hosting a second shopping event in the fall - but it will likely remain one of the best opportunities of the year to score discounts on a range of tech outside of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.Like in previous years, we're highlighting the best deals on a variety of Verge-approved gadgets and gizmos, from the latest laptops and OLED TVs to robot vacuums that can leave your hardwood floors as spotless as your living room carpet. We're also... Continue reading...

The best thing you can buy on Prime Day is some silly VU meters for your speakers

by

Nilay Patel

on 2024-07-17 19:51 (#6P9RV)

Photo by Nilay Patel / The Verge My friends, it is Prime Day, and that means you can justify buying silly gadgets because they are even slightly on sale. This is what it means to be American.In my case, that gadget is the Neohipo ET30, a vintage-looking VU meter that swings its needles around when you listen to music. I have mine connected between my Sonos Amp and my speakers for maximum accuracy, but you don't need to do that: it has a built-in mic that makes the needles bounce if you're playing music through any old speaker in the same room. It also lights up in 34 colors. I am in love.I want to be clear: there is a scale printed on these meters, but it means literally nothing because you can adjust their sensitivity at will. They are just for show, and the show is... Continue reading...

Instagram will help researchers study if it’s hurting teen mental health

by

Emma Roth

on 2024-07-17 18:30 (#6P9RW)

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram will let a select group of researchers access its data to study how the platform affects the mental health of teens and young adults. The pilot program, launched in partnership with the Center for Open Science (COS), could produce independent studies that offer insight into the relationship between social media and a teen's well-being.Researchers will gain access to Instagram data for up to six months, which may include information on how many accounts a teen follows, how much they use Instagram, their account settings, and more. However, Meta notes it won't provide access to a user's demographic information, nor will it include the contents of their posts, comments, or messages.

Google’s AI results are showing up less frequently, a study found

by

Jay Peters

on 2024-07-17 17:57 (#6P9NY)

Illustration: The Verge Google appears to be showing its AI-generated search results less often in recent weeks, according to a recent study from an SEO company.The data, collected by BrightEdge and reported on by Search Engine Land, suggests that AI Overviews dropped from appearing in 11 percent of queries on June 1st to 7 percent of queries on June 30th. BrightEdge's data also indicates that AI Overviews cite Reddit and Quora dramatically less than they did before.Since the launch of AI Overviews in May, Google has had to make changes to address bizarre results like recommending that you put glue on pizza (which appears to have been pulled from a Reddit thread) and suggesting that you eat rocks (seemingly pulled from an article in The Onion). In response,... Continue reading...

Some of the best all-in-one robot vacs are up to 50 percent off for Prime Day

by

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

on 2024-07-17 17:57 (#6P9NZ)

Robot vacuums with multifunctional docks that make cleaning virtually hands-free - like the Dreame L20 Ultra - are seeing some serious discounts this Prime Day. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Robot vacuums have come a long way since their bump-and-roll days, when they had to be rescued whenever they encountered a sock or a particularly scary-looking chair leg.Today, high-end robot vacs have advanced sensors that help them nimbly navigate your home, charging docks that suck the dirt out of the bin so you don't have to get your hands messy, and self-filling water tanks so they can mop more of your floor in one clean.The problem with all these fancy features is that they can cost over $1,000 for the privilege of less hands-on time with your floor cleaner. However, this Prime Day, we're seeing the first serious discounts on several of these high-end, multifunctional cleaning robots.iRobot's Roomba Combo j9 Plus, Roborock's... Continue reading...

This case turns your Apple Watch into a tiny iPod

by

Allison Johnson

on 2024-07-17 17:55 (#6P9P0)

C'mon, how cute is that. | Image: TinyPod If you've been feeling nostalgic for your old iPod lately, well, I have great news. TinyPod is a case you put on your Apple Watch - sans strap - so you can hold it and use it like your favorite vintage MP3 player. A $79 version includes a scroll wheel, which physically turns the watch's digital crown. For $29, you can get a case without the scroll wheel and with a cutout so you can access the digital crown directly.But TinyPod could be more than just a way to turn your watch into a cute media player - it's designed to make your watch a more capable companion to your phone. Recently, we've seen all kinds of gadgets and minimalist phones that promise to help you disconnect while still keeping you connected to the essentials. But largely,... Continue reading...

This flying robot needs a hug

by

Andrew Liszewski

on 2024-07-17 17:38 (#6P9P1)

EPFL researchers drew inspiration from bats and owls to design a flying robot that crash lands with style. | Image: Nature Instead of hunting for a runway, researchers have built an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can land by crashing into trees or poles and wrapping its grippy wings around them to prevent a fall. It's an unorthodox approach but one that could make it easier to position surveillance or inspection equipment in hard-to-reach areas.The UAV, which its designers from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) have called the PercHug, is yet another robot built to emulate a behavior seen in nature: bats and owls using their wings to both fly and climb or perch onto trees.The PercHug robot is designed with dual-purpose hinged wings that remain rigid and outstretched, allowing the UAV to fly, but... Continue reading...

The best Prime Day deals on charging devices

by

Quentyn Kennemer

on 2024-07-17 17:19 (#6P8K6)

Now is a good time to consider ditching your older, slower chargers. | Image: Satechi If you're still charging your phone with whatever random wall wart came in the box three phones ago or your laptop with the bulky brick it came with, now is a great time to upgrade. Advances like GaN chargers have led to smaller, faster USB-C chargers for phones and laptops alike, and Qi2 gives iPhones (and maybe soon some Android phones?) MagSafe-speed charging at lower prices. And with Prime Day deals available now, you can save quite a bit and charge in less time, too.There is a sizable selection of charging devices on sale, whether you're looking to outfit a home office or your coffee office. Nearly all of the brands we trust have something on offer, including Anker, Belkin, Ugreen, and Satechi.Prime Day ends after today, July... Continue reading...

The best Prime Day deals for some of The Verge staff’s favorite gadgets

by

Barbara Krasnoff

on 2024-07-17 17:15 (#6P8C2)

Image: Joseph Joseph Amazon Prime Day 2024 is underway! For more deals we recommend across all categories, check out our full roundup.Every month or so, we like to ask our staff about their favorite stuff - whether it's board games, smart tech, or kitchen gadgets. And the results are usually very different, very interesting, and a lot of fun.Since Amazon is currently pushing a lot of deals through its current Prime Day sales, we looked through some of our recent favorites" articles and found deals on a lot of the devices we like. So, we thought we'd list a few in case you have read about them in the past and thought, well, that sort of sounds good, but it's a bit pricey. (Or - that's pretty cheap, but maybe I'll wait until the price goes down some... Continue reading...

How to get a transcript for a YouTube video

by

Barbara Krasnoff

on 2024-07-17 16:58 (#6P9P2)

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge While I edit and write how-to" articles, I also sometimes find myself in need of how-to directions myself. But when I do a search for guidance on, say, a difficult crochet stitch, it often helps to have a blow-by-blow text explanation that I can have handy without having to sit and watch a video over and over again.For that, there's YouTube's automatically generated transcript. A transcript is not only useful when you want to view a text scroll of what's being said while you're watching the video, but it is also handy as a reference point afterward. For example, if you don't have the time or patience to sit through an entire video, then you can simply glance through the transcript to get the gist of the subject and save it for future... Continue reading...

The ‘godmother of AI’ has a new startup already worth $1 billion

by

Kylie Robison

on 2024-07-17 16:56 (#6P9P3)

Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for WIRED Fei-Fei Li, the renowned computer scientist known as the godmother of AI," has created a startup dubbed World Labs. In just four months, its already valued at more than $1 billion, the Financial Times reported.World Labs hopes to use human-like processing of visual data to make AI capable of advanced reasoning, Reuters reported in May. The research to make it human-like, much like what ChatGPT is trying to do with generative AI, is still ongoing.Li is best known for her contributions to computer vision, a branch of AI dedicated to helping machines interpret and comprehend visual information. She also spearheaded the development of ImageNet, an extensive visual database used for visual object recognition research. Li headed AI at... Continue reading...

Spotify launches a new voice and language for its AI DJ

by

Jess Weatherbed

on 2024-07-17 16:15 (#6P9JF)

Premium Spotify subscribers can switch between DJ's English and Spanish voice options. | Image: Spotify Spotify is launching a Spanish-language version of its AI DJ" feature. The new Spanish-language voice has been provided by Spotify's senior music editor, Olivia Livi" Quiroz Roa, with users able to switch between hearing Livi or Xavier X" Jernigan, another Spotify staffer who voices the English-speaking DJ variant released in February 2023.The feature uses an AI-generated voice to create radio-like commentary that provides users with additional context and information about the song they're hearing, which Spotify says makes listeners less likely to skip to another track. This commentary is paired with an endless playlist of personalized music recommendations that change based on user activity, such as if users switch to different... Continue reading...

PSA: Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro have some very delicate ear tips

by

Chris Welch

on 2024-07-17 16:00 (#6P9JG)

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Samsung's new Galaxy Buds 3 Pro underwent a major redesign, making them look much more like AirPods and any number of other stemmed earbuds. So far, my impressions have been quite positive - full review coming soon - but even before the earbuds are widely released on July 24th, early buyers have been running into a frustrating issue.Apparently, the ear tips are quite fragile and can be prone to breaking if you're not careful. Reddit is already starting to light up with examples:

Robots will head to the depths to scan the Titanic

by

Wes Davis

on 2024-07-17 15:58 (#6P9JH)

The wrecked bow of the Titanic. | Image: NOAA / Institute for Exploration / University of Rhode Island A pair of remote-operated submersibles (ROV) is heading down to the wreckage of the Titanic this week to conduct digital 3D scans and take high-resolution images of the ship's remains. Orchestrated by RMS Titanic, Inc., the expedition is the company's first to visit the ship since 2010.RMS Titanic's seven-person crew arrived at the Titanic's coordinates last night, according to the company's most recent Instagram update.

US eyeing new rules to keep Chinese software out of cars

by

Andrew J. Hawkins

on 2024-07-17 15:34 (#6P9JJ)

Photo by Jia Tianyong / China News Service / VCG via Getty Images The US Commerce Department is expected to issue new rules in August placing limits on vehicle software that comes from China, according to Reuters.The new rules come as the Biden administration ramps up its scrutiny of Chinese auto imports in an effort to prevent the country from flooding the market with cheap electric vehicles.While speaking at a forum in Colorado, Alan Estevez, who serves as under secretary of commerce for industry and security, said that the department would propose rules that would require certain vehicle software be made in the US or by its trade partners. The rules would pertain to key driver components of the vehicle that manage the software and manage the data around that car," Estevez said, according to R... Continue reading...

Canon’s new pro cameras have eye-controlled autofocus and stacked sensors

by

Umar Shakir

on 2024-07-17 15:22 (#6P9JK)

Canon EOS R5 Mark II | Image: Canon Canon's new EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1 cameras both have better autofocus performance than their predecessors, with computations powered by a new Digic X processor. That includes a Digic Accelerator that is behind a new Dual Pixel Intelligent AF autofocus system capable of body, joint, and head area estimation, as well as focusing on people other than the subject.Both cameras share much-needed upgrades, like backside illuminated sensors with faster readouts and Canon's unique eye-controlled autofocus, which was only available in the R3. Also, one of the most requested features for filmmakers, support for Canon Log 2 color profile, is now included. Image: Canon R5 Mark II The R5 Mark II is Canon's sweet spot... Continue reading...

The UK will start feeding lab-grown meat to pets this year

by

Jess Weatherbed

on 2024-07-17 14:43 (#6P9EQ)

Image: Meatly The UK is now the first European country to green-light the sale of lab-grown meat, but with pets instead of human consumers as its first guinea pigs.The UK's Animal and Plant Health Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs granted London-based startup Meatly regulatory approval to produce lab-grown pet food, which described the clearance as a huge leap forward for the cultivated meat industry."Pet parents are crying out for a better way to feed their cats and dogs meat," Meatly CEO Owen Ensor said in a statement, pitching that the company's cultivated pet food would allow them to do so in a way that is kinder to our planet and other animals."Meatly says it plans to launch commercial samples of its first... Continue reading...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s $27 million mansion is a ‘lemon’ with a leaky pool, lawsuit alleges

by

Emma Roth

on 2024-07-17 14:11 (#6P9ER)

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images Sam Altman's $27 million San Francisco luxury abode is apparently plagued with issues, ranging from a leaky infinity pool to faulty piping that dumped raw sewage on the property. That's according to a lawsuit that The San Francisco Standard linked to the OpenAI CEO's residence, which claims Altman purchased a lemon" with pervasive shoddy workmanship and corner-cutting."The 9,500-square-foot estate is situated on San Francisco's iconic Lombard Street, where it overlooks the city and the bay. As you can see in this walkthrough of the home, some of its key features include a four-sided infinity pool that hangs off the edge of the house, a Batcave" leading into a garage, as well as a system that uses recycled rainwater to irrigate an... Continue reading...

Home Depot’s viral giant skeleton has some upgrades — and lots of new friends

by

Andrew Webster

on 2024-07-17 14:02 (#6P9ES)

Image: Home Depot Five years ago, Home Depot stumbled upon a viral hit with a 12-foot-tall skeleton nicknamed Skelly. The towering Halloween decoration can be seen year-round in some neighborhoods, has been featured in countless memes and TikToks, and remains a hot ticket - it went back on sale in April and promptly sold out. Now the company is bringing back a slightly refreshed version of the skeleton as part of a huge lineup of Halloween creatures packed with LEDs and animatronics, as it looks to keep its undead hit alive.Skelly remains the centerpiece. The skeleton is going back on sale with a slight tweak: now those creepy LED eyes are customizable, with eight different presets so you can keep Skelly in style for multiple holidays. One of the options... Continue reading...

Nintendo’s mystery title Emio is a detective game

by

Ash Parrish

on 2024-07-17 13:30 (#6P9ET)

Nintendo On a random Wednesday in July, Nintendo asked #WhoIsEmio?" and accompanied the question with a cryptic and creepy 15-second teaser. Now, with an official announcement and a new listing on the Nintendo eShop, we know.Emio, known as Smiling Man in the Japanese version, is not a new horror project but, rather, the latest entry in Nintendo's Famicom Detective Club series. In it, you'll play as - what else? - a detective tasked with solving the gruesome murder of a student who was found with a paper bag with a smiling face over his head. Contrary to the rumors that suggested The Medium studio Bloober Team was the game's developer, Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club was actually developed internally at Nintendo, with Metroid... Continue reading...

Mercedes-Benz’s 400kW EV chargers are coming to Starbucks

by

Andrew J. Hawkins

on 2024-07-17 12:00 (#6P9BK)

Image: Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz and Starbucks are teaming up to install fast electric vehicle chargers at 100 coffee-slinging locations on Interstate 5, which runs along the West Coast from Canada to Mexico.The new stations will be part of the German automaker's $1 billion plan to build 2,000 new EV charging hubs across the globe. Its first station, complete with a swanky waiting area and 400kW charging speeds courtesy of ChargePoint, opened in Atlanta last year.Now it looks like Mercedes is ready to embark on the next phase of its installations, with a primary focus on Starbucks locations along I-5. The two companies said in the announcement that they share an ambition to identify additional opportunities in key markets, including core urban areas,... Continue reading...

The Biden administration wants to find more sustainable construction materials

by

Justine Calma

on 2024-07-17 12:00 (#6P9BJ)

Steel in a scrapyard to be recycled into new steel. | Photo by Roger Ball/Worldsteel via Getty Images The Biden administration announced $160 million in grants to projects meant to measure the climate impact of new-fangled construction materials. The grants cover a spectrum of potential alternatives from hemp-based products to bamboo, recycled steel, and more.Scientists and startups have proposed all sorts of new ways to cut down carbon dioxide emissions from building materials that have become a big climate problem. But it's hard to suss out how effective proposed solutions are without metrics in place to compare products. There's also potential for greenwashing, when companies make sustainability claims that they can't back up with evidence.The grants cover a spectrum of potential alternatives from hemp-based products to bamboo,... Continue reading...

Nintendo’s speedrunning collection made me see NES classics in a new way

by

Andrew Webster

on 2024-07-17 12:00 (#6P9BH)

Image: Nintendo There are few things I know better than Super Mario Bros. 3. Over the last few decades, I've replayed the game across basically every Nintendo platform, exploring its levels over and over, searching out each and every secret. But there's one thing I never paid attention to: the timer. I've always taken a slow, methodical approach to the game, ignoring the tiny countdown clock. That changed with Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, a collection of NES classics that have been chopped into pieces in the interest of pure speed. It showed me a new side to games I thought I knew intimately.Named after Nintendo's occasional in-person esports competition, the collection takes 13 of the company's most iconic titles and divides them into... Continue reading...

Samsung’s new image-generating AI tool is a little too good

by

Allison Johnson

on 2024-07-17 11:00 (#6P98Y)

AI definitely nailed the right surly energy for this orange cat. The pirate ship in Elliott Bay was one thing, but it was a little blurry bee that sent me over the edge.Samsung would very much like us (and its shareholders) to know that its new phones are the AI-est phones that ever AI-ed, and the Fold 6 that I'm testing comes with a new tool called sketch to image." Draw a rough sketch on a photo or an empty note page, and it will use generative AI to turn that thing into an image. I shrugged it off as just another AI thing when Samsung announced it onstage at Unpacked - but y'all, it's really good. So good that it worries me a little.Using the sketch to image tool in a note is pretty harmless: you draw something, highlight it, and choose from a handful of styles like 3D cartoon" and... Continue reading...

Tinder can now pick your dating profile picture for you

by

Jess Weatherbed

on 2024-07-17 10:01 (#6P990)

It's not immediately clear what Tinder's Photo Selector feature looks for in a good" selfi. | Image: Tinder Tinder is releasing an AI-powered feature that supposedly makes it easier for users to select better photos for their dating profiles. The dating app says its new Photo Selector tool aims to take out the guesswork" when picking your most flattering photos by curating a diverse selection that's optimized to help users find a match."To use Photo Selector, users will need to take a selfie within Tinder and allow the app to access their device's camera roll. Tinder's new AI feature will then use facial recognition to collate a selection of images for the user to review and add to their profiles. The curation is processed on-device and doesn't upload the user's camera roll to Tinder's systems. We have asked Tinder to clarify the criteria... Continue reading...

The best Amazon Prime Day tech deals you can get

by

Antonio G. Di Benedetto

on 2024-07-17 03:41 (#6P8C4)

Image: Shira Inbar for The Verge Day one of Prime Day is underway, and we've got the skinny on which tech deals are worth your attention (and maybe your money). Continue reading...

Elon Musk is moving X and SpaceX to Texas

by

Emma Roth

on 2024-07-16 22:40 (#6P8X4)

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by STR / NurPhoto, Getty Images Elon Musk says he plans to move X and SpaceX's headquarters from California to Texas. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas," Musk wrote in a tweet, referencing California's SAFETY Act (AB1955).Signed on Monday by California Governor Gavin Newsom, it prevents schools from imposing rules requiring teachers to disclose changes to a student's gender identity without their permission and prohibits retaliation against teachers who refuse to out a student, reports the Los Angeles Times.Another post from Musk a few minutes later said that X, which is currently headquartered in San Francisco, will move to... Continue reading...

The Netflix app for Quest headsets is no more

by

Wes Davis

on 2024-07-16 21:27 (#6P8X5)

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Netflix has discontinued its streaming app for Quest headsets, Upload VR reports. The good news for Quest owners is that Meta recently added support for Netflix in the Quest browser, complete with 1080p streaming.Netflix hadn't significantly updated its VR app since porting it to the Quest in 2019. It never gained passthrough or download support, and its resolution stayed pinned at 480p. None of that mattered when the app came out for Samsung Gear VR in 2015, but things have changed a lot in the nine years since then.I'd imagine some people will miss the cozy Netflix cabin in this YouTube Short, though.Streaming in the browser fixes two of those things - passthrough and higher-resolution streaming - but users still can't download... Continue reading...

Ozy Media founder Carlos Watson is guilty of fraud

by

Emma Roth

on 2024-07-16 21:17 (#6P8X6)

Katie Couric (L) and Ozy CEO and Co-Founder Carlos Watson speak onstage during Ozy Fest 2017 | Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Ozy Fusion Fest 2017 Carlos Watson and the now-shuttered Ozy Media startup he cofounded were found guilty of fraud by a federal jury on Tuesday, as reported earlier by The New York Times. Over the course of a several-weeks-long trial, the jury heard the government's claims that Ozy Media misled investors by falsifying financial records, inflating audience numbers, and even making up business deals.Watson, the former CEO of Ozy Media, cofounded the company alongside Samir Rao in 2013. The company launched an online magazine, newsletter, and an annual conference in New York City, all while striking high-profile partnerships and receiving millions in investments.But things came to a halt when a 2021 article from New York Times media columnist Ben Smith... Continue reading...

You can escape this Royal Caribbean cruise aboard a virtual train ride

by

Andrew Liszewski

on 2024-07-16 21:05 (#6P8TA)

On the Utopia of the Seas you can experience train dining without the bumps and spilled drinks. | Image: Royal Caribbean The new 5,668-passenger Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas is docked in Florida, where sites like Cruise Critic have gotten a preview of the amenities before it enters service on July 19th. That includes a unique experience called Royal Railway Utopia Station, where passengers dine on a virtual train ride while staring at simulated scenery zipping by on giant screens.The restaurant is built to look like two full-size rail cars with a lavish interior featuring four-person booths lining the sides, each with its own giant display serving as a virtual window. What diners see out those virtual windows will rotate throughout the year. The first experience is Western-themed, with views of mountains, canyons, and gold rush towns.Murder on the... Continue reading...

Larian Studios teases all the new features coming in the next Baldur’s Gate 3 patch

by

Ash Parrish

on 2024-07-16 20:41 (#6P8TC)

Image: Larian Studios In a new community update, Larian Studios has shared a brief overview of all the things it's working on for the next Baldur's Gate 3 patch.Larian has previously announced that patch 7, due out in September, will include the release of official mod support and the introduction of a toolkit that will allow players the ability to create their own mods. According to Larian, the toolkit supports the creation of new items, classes and subclasses, races, and more.I've been modding my games since the days of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade and Dragon Age: Origins. However, I've always been intimidated by the idea of creating my own mods, even for games I adore. I'm definitely interested to try out the mod toolkit for myself, especially... Continue reading...

The app that promised to ‘use AI to weed out daters with STI’ has been shut down

by

Lauren Feiner

on 2024-07-16 19:12 (#6P8PY)

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge HeHealth's AI-powered Calmara app claimed, Our innovative AI technology offers rapid, confidential, and scientifically validated sexual health screening, giving you peace of mind before diving into intimate encounters," but now it's shut down after an inquiry by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).The app prompted daters to submit dick pics to check for sexually transmitted diseases, promising clear, science-backed answers about your partner's sexual health status," according to an FTC letter dated July 11th. The letter lays out some of the agency's concerns with the information HeHealth relied on for claims, including one saying that it could detect more than ten sexually transmitted infections with up to 94 percent accuracy. ... Continue reading...

Twisters doesn’t mention climate change to avoid saying anything ‘message-oriented’

by

Charles Pulliam-Moore

on 2024-07-16 19:08 (#6P8PZ)

Image: Universal Though Universal's Twisters is set to drop as the US deals with a massive heatwave, wildfires, and the aftermath of multiple deadly storms, the movie goes out of its way to avoid mentioning climate change because its director didn't want to make audiences uncomfortable.It would have made sense if Twisters - a film about storm chasers studying a spate of unusually powerful and destructive tornadoes - worked climate change into its story. But in a recent interview with CNN, director Lee Isaac Chung said that, even though he thinks cinema should be a reflection of the world," he avoided mentioning climate change in Twisters because he doesn't feel like films are meant to be message-oriented."Chung pointed to the way that some of T... Continue reading...

Generac launches its first electric vehicle charger

by

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

on 2024-07-16 19:08 (#6P8Q0)

The Generac EV charger starts at $649. | Image: Generac Generac - a power and energy management company known for its gas-powered home backup generators - has released its first electric vehicle charger. The new charger joins the company's home battery solution in its move toward clean energy. Generac also owns Ecobee, a smart thermostat company.The Generac level 2 charger costs $649 for the 40 amp version or $699 for the 48 amp and is compatible with all EVs on the market today, including Teslas' with an adaptor. It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for managing scheduled charging with the Generac EV charging app.A Power Sharing feature lets you connect multiple chargers to one circuit (up to 25), and the system will manage the charging so as not to overload it. A Power Boost feature... Continue reading...

J.D. Vance is anti-Big Tech, pro-crypto

by

Lauren Feiner

on 2024-07-16 18:50 (#6P8Q1)

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images The former tech investor likes the FTC's Lina Khan and wants to break up Google, citing its liberal bias. Continue reading...

Five futures for Apple’s HomeScreenPod

by

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

on 2024-07-16 17:00 (#6P8K5)

An iPad version of the iPhone's StandBy mode would be a start for Apple's smart display efforts. But I'd rather see a dedicated Apple Home iPad. | Image: David Pierce / The Verge Apple's smart home efforts need a smart display. If I have to hear Siri say, I found some web results; I can show them if you ask again from your iPhone," one more time, I may throw a HomePod out the window.While smart displays - the more expensive sibling to smart speakers - haven't lived up to their potential, they can be useful and are a missing piece in Apple's smart home, which the company has largely avoided creating products for - so far, just a couple of smart speakers and a bit of help from the Apple TV.An Apple smart display with a touch-screen display, a dedicated Apple Home control panel, a smarter Siri, and the chops to be an Apple Home hub supporting Thread and Matter is something I'd put in my smart home.It appears... Continue reading...

Puerto Rico files $1 billion suit against fossil fuel companies

by

Justine Calma

on 2024-07-16 16:56 (#6P8K7)

An aerial view of the flooded neighborhood of Juana Matos in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Catano, Puerto Rico, on Friday, September 22nd, 2017. | Photo: Getty Images Puerto Rico filed suit against fossil fuel companies this week, alleging that the oil and gas giants have misled the public about climate change and delayed a transition to clean energy. The suit seeks $1 billion in damages to help Puerto Rico defend itself against climate disasters.In a complaint filed in San Juan yesterday, Puerto Rico's Department of Justice says that the companies violated trade law by promoting fossil fuels without adequately warning about the dangers. The defendants include ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and other energy companies.It's the latest in a slew of lawsuits attempting to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the consequences of climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil... Continue reading...

Elon Musk and tech elite back a pro-Trump super PAC

by

Gaby Del Valle

on 2024-07-16 16:09 (#6P8K9)

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images Several close friends of Elon Musk, including Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, venture capitalist Doug Leone, and investor and podcast host David Sacks, have donated lavishly to a super PAC backing former President Donald Trump - and The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk plans on donating as much as $45 million a month to America PAC. In a post on X, Musk replied to the Journal's article with a meme claiming it was fake gnus" (fake news), though Bloomberg reported this weekend that he had already contributed an undisclosed amount to the super PAC.Musk endorsed Trump on Saturday following the assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and praised Trump's selection of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate.... Continue reading...

Lee Daniels’ The Deliverance can’t pray away the demons in new trailer

by

Charles Pulliam-Moore

on 2024-07-16 15:52 (#6P8FJ)

Courtesy of Netflix (C) 2024 Though director Lee Daniels isn't exactly new to horror, the first trailer for Netflix's The Deliverance makes it seem like he's hitting his stride with the genre.Inspired by the 2011 reports of a haunting in Gary, Indiana, The Deliverance tells the story of Ebony Jackson (Andra Day), a woman from Pennsylvania whose life is upended as her sons Andre (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nate (Caleb McLaughlin) are tormented by a malevolent entity.While it's obvious that Ebony's at her wit's end as she brings in Reverend Bernice James (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) to exorcize her sons, it's also clear that others - like social worker Cynthia Henry (Mo'Nique) and churchgoer Alberta (Glenn Close) - aren't sure what to make of the mother's situation. The... Continue reading...

The Pixel 9 Pro could get a 50MP selfie cam

by

Emma Roth

on 2024-07-16 15:40 (#6P8FK)

The Pixel 8 (left) and Pixel 8 Pro (right). | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge The Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL could help you capture clearer selfies thanks to a major upgrade to the front-facing camera. Leaked marketing materials shared with Android Authority depict the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL with 50-megapixel autofocusing selfie cameras.The selfie cam and the rear-facing ultrawide and telephoto cameras are all rumored to use 50MP Sony IMX858 image sensors, while the primary rear camera may feature a 50MP sensor from Samsung. You can get an early look at what appears to be the Pixel 9 Pro's camera in action in this video posted to TikTok, which shows an up to 30x Super Res Zoom - just like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8. The device used in this video appears to be the same leaked hardware the account showed off last week.

The best Kindle deals available for Amazon Prime Day 2024

by

Sheena Vasani

on 2024-07-16 15:34 (#6P8FM)

The Kindle Scribe is down to an all-time low price. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge It's no secret that Amazon sells some of the most popular e-readers on the market. Every Kindle I've ever tested has been snappy and sharp with a decent feature set, making them ideal for those embedded in Amazon's ecosystem. And now that Prime Day 2024 is here, they're even more attractive purchases since many are steeply discounted.To make life easier, we've rounded up the best deals on everything from the entry-level Kindle to the note-taking Kindle Scribe. We've added deals on the kid-friendly variants and bundles, too, so you don't need to pore through Amazon looking for them. And remember: if you want to save money on other devices, make sure to also check out our larger guide to the best Amazon Prime Day deals you can currently... Continue reading...

Apple, Anthropic, and other companies used YouTube videos to train AI

by

Mia Sato

on 2024-07-16 15:14 (#6P8FN)

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge More than 170,000 YouTube videos are part of a massive dataset that was used to train AI systems for some of the biggest technology companies, according to an investigation by Proof News and copublished with Wired. Apple, Anthropic, Nvidia, and Salesforce are among the tech firms that used the YouTube Subtitles" data that was ripped from the video platform without permission. The training dataset is a collection of subtitles taken from YouTube videos belonging to more than 48,000 channels - it does not include imagery from the videos.Videos from popular creators like MrBeast and Marques Brownlee appear in the dataset, as do clips from news outlets like ABC News, the BBC, and The New York Times. More than 100 videos from The Verge a... Continue reading...

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