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Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images US lawmakers have proposed letting people sue over faked pornographic images of themselves, following the spread of AI-generated explicit photographs of Taylor Swift. The Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits (DEFIANCE) Act would add a civil right of action for intimate digital forgeries" depicting an identifiable person without their consent, letting victims collect financial damages from anyone who knowingly produced or possessed" the image with the intent to spread it.The bill was introduced by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), joined by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Josh Hawley (R-MO). It builds on a provision in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, which... Continue reading...

Illustration: The Verge Google spent $2.1 billion on severance and other expenses as it laid off more than 12,000 employees over the course of 2023. And the layoff charges keep coming: in just the one month of 2024 so far, the company has already spent $700 million on employee severance charges as part of layoffs targeting another 1,000-plus roles. Alphabet, Google's parent company, revealed the figure alongside its fourth-quarter earnings release on Tuesday.Despite the cuts, Google ended 2023 with growth across most of its core business lines. Google posted $86 billion in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2023, a 13 percent increase year over year. The search giant's core digital ads and cloud computing businesses also showed steady growth, which CEO Sundar... Continue reading...

Tomo, the AI avatar | Luka, Inc. AI companion company Replika partnered with the team behind the AI dating simulator Blush to release Tomo, a wellness and meditation app with an AI-generated avatar guiding users. Its the kind of concept that seemed destined as soon as generative AI took off, but in the time I've spent with Tomo, I found myself wondering if I can ever open up to an AI like I can with a real therapist.Tomo, now generally available on the Apple iOS store, brings users to a virtual island retreat, greeted by an AI-generated avatar guide named... Tomo. Tomo offers programs to help people explore personal growth, mental well-being, and fulfillment. It also provides guided meditation, yoga, affirmation classes, and, most of all, talk therapy.Users can try out... Continue reading...

Fantasy players and sports bettors should be salivating right now. | YouTube Since its launch last spring, YouTube TV's multiview functionality has been a huge quality-of-life improvement for sports fans. You can use it to watch multiple games concurrently without making space for extra TVs - but until now, you could only watch the predetermined sets of games that YouTube thinks would appeal to most viewers. An incoming update changes that, finally letting you customize multiview with your preferred combination of broadcasts, as spotted by 9to5Google.While a big improvement over the curated multiview feeds YouTube TV launched with, it sounds like you're still bound by certain limitations. For instance, although you can build your own bundle of specific games, you can still only choose them from a predetermined... Continue reading...

Arlo's cloud subscription plan for a single camera or video doorbell is increasing to $7.99 a month. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge In more things are just getting expensive" news, the Arlo Secure subscription service is climbing. Again. This time, it's going from $4.99 to $7.99 for a single camera or video doorbell. This 60 percent price hike comes on the heels of an increase early last year from $2.99 to $4.99.According to an email sent to single-camera users from Arlo and posted on Reddit, the change is due to increasing costs and investment in developing innovative solutions." The updated plans are now live on Arlo's site, and the lowest-tier Arlo Secure plan, which includes 30 days of cloud storage and smart alerts for people, pets, packages, and vehicles, costs $7.99 monthly for one camera.If you have multiple Arlo cameras, the subscription costs $12.99... Continue reading...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft just posted the second quarter of its 2024 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $62 billion in revenue and a net income of $21.9 billion during Q2. Revenue is up 18 percent, and net income has increased by 33 percent.This is the first quarter Microsoft is reporting earnings as a $3 trillion company and also the first time the company has reported additional revenue from its Activision Blizzard acquisition. This additional revenue has made gaming Microsoft's third largest business this quarter, above Windows.Office and cloud revenue still reign supreme, contributing nearly 60 percent of Microsoft's overall revenue. While Windows OEM revenue is bouncing back, devices revenue from Surface sales has continued to... Continue reading...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Location tracking can be very handy - it's convenient when an app can tell you, say, where the nearby restaurants or gas stations are - but it's also a privacy issue (something that at least one of Google's competitors has used in its sales pitch).You probably know that Google can track your location and movements through its Google Maps app. But you may not realize that your Android phone is also tracking your movements and activities through several other built-in apps.If you really don't want your phone to be tracking any of your movements and activities, there is a way to turn tracking off for all (well, most) of them. You just need to be aware that you're probably going to render many of your apps (such as rideshare apps, weather... Continue reading...

The New York Times will begin building a team to explore the use of generative AI in its newsroom. Zach Seward, who was recently hired by the publication to head AI initiatives, posted on Threads that the team will be focused on prototyping uses of generative AI and other machine-learning techniques to help with reporting and how the Times is presented to readers."Seward's post said the Times plans to hire a machine learning engineer, a software engineer, a designer, and a couple of editors to round out the AI newsroom initiative. So far, the Times has posted job listings for an associate editorial director for AI initiatives and a senior design editor.The team, led by the editorial director for A.I. initiatives, will also include... Continue reading...

Image: Sega Infinite Wealth is several different games wrapped up in a hard-hitting social commentary package. Continue reading...

Photo illustration: The Verge | Photo Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images The Democratic senator from Hawaii on regulating social media: An algorithm doesn't have a First Amendment right.' Continue reading...

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra is the largest and most capable phone in the lineup. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Decent deals on new gadgets aren't always easy to come by, which is why we love a good preorder promotion. Samsung has offered some pretty solid ones in recent years and, true to form, is discounting the entire Galaxy S24 lineup ahead of its launch tomorrow, January 31st.Additionally, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are offering similar storage upgrades and gift cards, regardless of whether you purchase the Samsung Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, or high-end S24 Ultra. But you might want to act fast. Samsung's deals expire at 3AM ET / 12AM PT tonight, and we expect the promos at Amazon and other retailers to follow in short order.Where to preorder the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 UltraSamsung's smartphone lineup consists of three phones:... Continue reading...

People sit in their home lit by a single donated solar lamp more than two weeks after Hurricane Maria hit the island on October 7th, 2017, in San Isidro, Puerto Rico. | Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that it'll start reimbursing local governments for installing solar panels and more efficient appliances after a disaster strikes.The move can help communities prepare for another calamity by equipping them with tools that just might keep the lights on when they would otherwise suffer a power outage. It's also a way for the US to deploy technologies that cut greenhouse gas emissions and stave off worsening climate disasters like storms, heatwaves, and wildfires.We need to adapt the way we are helping communities rebuild post-disaster"As the increase of extreme weather hazards become more severe due to climate change, we need to adapt the way we are helping communities... Continue reading...

Illustrator by Alex Castro / The Verge ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is proposing a change that could streamline the way you access your home's internal network. That means, instead of using the 192.168.x.x address to configure your router, you'd just need to type .internal.As pointed out by The Register, ICANN's Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) first identified a need to reserve a top-level domain for private networks in 2020 - but not necessarily to make it easier to connect to your router.The SSAC wants the new .internal string to prevent private domain-naming schemes from clashing with other networks. Currently, the SSAC says the informal use of top-level domains," such as the .dlink domain used by the networking... Continue reading...

Skylight Calendar Max is a digital family calendar designed to blend into your home. | Image: Skylight Smart photo frame company Skylight is launching a new version of its Skylight Calendar, a smart family calendar. The Skylight Cal Max works identically to the current model but has a sleeker, updated design plus a whopping 27-inch screen. It's available for preorder today starting at $599 and will ship in June, according to the company.The Cal Max almost doubles the size of the existing 15-inch Skylight Calendar, which is dedicated to showing multiple calendars in a familiar layout and syncing with online services to keep everything up to date. An enhanced 27-inch touchscreen display with a higher resolution (2560 x 1440 QHD compared to 1920 x 1080 HD), provides more space and better quality for easily seeing everyone's schedules at a... Continue reading...

The fifth-gen iPad Air is available at Best Buy starting at just $449.99. | Image: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge In case you haven't heard, Apple might be dropping the new iPad Air at the end of March. The rumored, next-gen iPad Air is said to come in two configurations, one of which will supposedly boast a larger 12.9-inch display like the iPad Pro. Even if it is released later this year, though, it's not likely to receive any major discounts for a while, making the current 10.9-inch iPad Air a good option if you want to save money. And right now, the Wi-Fi model is on sale at Best Buy with 64GB of storage for $449.99 ($150 off), an all-time low.Given the 10th-gen iPad currently starts at around $383 ($65 off), today's discounted price makes for a terrific deal. Unlike Apple's latest entry-level iPad, the 2022 Air works with the second-gen Apple... Continue reading...

A person walks past an AT&T store in midtown Manhattan on January 23rd, 2024, in New York City. | Photo by Kena Betancur / VIEWpress / Getty Images In a move that's supposed to help people screen spammy phone calls, AT&T announced a new service today that allows businesses to make branded calls. If a business opts in to the program and calls an AT&T wireless customer, its brand name and logo will pop up on the receiving phone.It's the latest attempt at stopping the proliferation of robocalls in the US. Complaints about telemarketing calls to the Federal Trade Commission have skyrocketed over the past decade. Now, a major US wireless carrier is partnering up with a credit reporting agency to give businesses a way to differentiate themselves from the deluge of spam.It's the latest attempt at stopping the proliferation of robocalls in the USOur customers will be able to connect... Continue reading...

Illustration: Kristen Radtke / The Verge Apple's long-rumored virtual and augmented reality headset Vision Pro headset launches in February. Here's a timeline of all the details that have emerged about the device over the years and what we know so far. Continue reading...

Yelp is joining the wealth of platforms expanding their use of AI, as it's rolling out a new feature on iOS that rounds up and summarizes user reviews in a blurb that appears near the top of a company's Yelp page.The new feature uses large language models (LLMs) to parse through user feedback to highlight what the business is best known for based on first-hand reviews," Yelp says. That may include a mention of a location's atmosphere, popular dishes, amenities, and more. One example (as shown in the image at the top of this article) describes a restaurant as a retro diner well known for its classic cheeseburgers and affordable prices." GIF: Yelp Yelp is bringing more visual content to its homepage on iOS. I... Continue reading...

The MSI Claw gaming handheld. | Image: MSI The MSI Claw will be one of the first handheld gaming PCs with an Intel Core Ultra processor inside - and the second with a variable refresh rate (VRR) screen. Previously, the Asus ROG Ally was the only handheld with that dynamic gameplay smoothing display feature, and it's one of its biggest advantages, and - after a lot of back and forth - MSI has now triple-confirmed that the Claw will contain a 7-inch, 1080p, 48-120Hz VRR screen too.Earlier today, I published that it wouldn't have a VRR screen, after explicitly fact-checking that with the company on Friday and being told that it would require manual setup to hit a 48Hz or 60Hz refresh rate if you'd rather go lower than the full 120Hz on offer.However, MSI continued to insist that... Continue reading...

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images Apple's new plan to comply with the European Union's tech regulations has already drawn criticism from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney and Spotify. Now Microsoft is weighing in with its own concerns, calling the App Store changes in the EU a step in the wrong direction."Apple has proposed a new Core Technology Fee for apps that want to operate on third-party app stores in the EU. It will require developers using third-party app stores to pay 0.50 for each annual app install after 1 million downloads. Apple will also still take a 17 percent commission from the developers who choose to use third-party payment processors.Apple's new policy is a step in the wrong direction," says Xbox president Sarah Bond in a post on X. We hope they... Continue reading...

Embracer Group, the company attempting to forge one video game publisher to rule them all, has just presided over another round of layoffs. Eidos Montreal is letting go of 97 game developers and support staff, the company announced today on X, shortly after Bloomberg's Jason Schreier scooped that the studio has canceled an unannounced Deus Ex video game. Image: Eidos Montreal The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio." The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio," wrote Eidos Montreal. Eidos... Continue reading...

There's a lot to like about the Kobo Elipsa 2 compared to something like the Kindle Scribe, especially with today's discount. | Image: Kobo As much as I like physical books, I'm planning a move and considering consolidating my collection to make that process more painless. You might be in the same boat, or perhaps you want a more convenient way to knock out your beefy reading list for the new year. If that sounds like you, you might want to consider the Kobo Elipsa 2E, which is currently on sale for $349.99 ($50 off) direct from Rakuten Kobo.In addition to reading ebooks on its large E Ink display, you can use the ad-free Elipsa 2E to take notes using the included stylus. In fact, we consider it the best ebook reader you can buy for that purpose - one that's even better than the Kindle Scribe given you can write directly on any page in any book. (The Scribe only supports... Continue reading...

Amelia Krales General Motors' shift from an internal combustion engine-producing company to one that makes electric motors is sputtering. EV sales are up, but growing slower than expected. The company's next-generation Ultium platform, in particular, isn't meeting expectations. GM's new electric trucks and SUVs seem perennially delayed - or full of buggy software.I think I have an easy solution to a lot of these problems: bring back the Chevy Volt.Remember the Volt, GM's scrappy Toyota Prius fighter from the mid-2010s? The company was lauded when it first came out in 2010 as a prescient bet on vehicles with electric powertrains. And it was undeniably a very good hybrid. The first-generation model got 36 miles of electric range before the gas... Continue reading...

Bundles freshly harvested chard. | Photo by Waltraud Grubitzsch/picture alliance via Getty Images One of the most ambitious assessments yet of our global food system calculates the health, environmental, and economic losses of business as usual. It also outlines what governments can do to reap trillions of dollars' worth of benefits by producing food more sustainably.All in all, the damages caused by the current system - how food is produced, marketed, and consumed - add up to $15 trillion in losses a year. That includes health costs associated with poor nutrition, biodiversity loss, climate change, and other environmental harms. In short, our food systems are destroying more value than they create," says the report published today by economists and scientists with the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC).It's time for a... Continue reading...

Image: The Verge Last week, I turned on my PC, installed a Windows update, and rebooted to find Microsoft Edge automatically open with the Chrome tabs I was working on before the update. I don't use Microsoft Edge regularly, and I have Google Chrome set as my default browser. Bleary-eyed at 9AM, it took me a moment to realize that Microsoft Edge had simply taken over where I'd left off in Chrome. I couldn't believe my eyes.I never imported my data into Microsoft Edge, nor did I confirm whether I wanted to import my tabs. But here was Edge automatically opening after a Windows update with all the Chrome tabs I'd been working on. I didn't even realize I was using Edge at first, and I was confused why all my tabs were suddenly logged out.After the shock... Continue reading...

Perfectly Imperfect founder Tyler Bainbridge The dream of the early internet is alive in PI.FYI, a new app spun out from Perfectly Imperfect. Continue reading...

The Galaxy S24 Ultra is packed with top-tier hardware, but its highly touted AI features are hit-or-miss - and the price is higher than ever. Continue reading...

Image: Zoom Zoom's Vision Pro app will launch alongside Apple's new headset on February 2nd and let wearers use its persona" (a digital avatar based on their face scans) during video calls. Whoever they're calling will see their facial expressions and hand movements as if they're not wearing a headset, much like Apple's FaceTime app for the Vision Pro.The upcoming Zoom app will also take advantage of the Vision Pro's augmented reality capabilities, allowing it to blend in with users' physical environments while surfacing as a floating window. These features will be available when the app launches with the headset on Friday, February 2nd.However, Zoom says it plans on bringing more features to the app later this spring, including something called... Continue reading...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In case the hubbub of the holidays made you forget all about (or completely miss) Amazon's news about putting ads in Prime Video, we're here to remind you that commercials are coming today - unless you pay more money, of course.Amazon just so happened to break the news right after Christmas, leaving a lovely email in users' inboxes (that most people probably weren't even checking at that time) to announce the rollout of ads. The new ad-free plan will cost an extra $2.99 per month, bringing your $14.99 per month Prime subscription to $17.98 per month or your $8.99 per month standalone Prime Video subscription to $11.98 per month. You won't be automatically transferred to the new ad-free plan, but you can preorder" the new tier from A... Continue reading...

SLIM landed close to its target, but engine troubles during the descent saw the lander flipped upside-down and unable to properly recharge its solar batteries. | Image: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has been resurrected, over a week after the probe ran out of electricity following its troubled lunar touchdown on January 20th, leaving it upside-down and its solar panels pointing in the wrong direction. On Monday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that communication with the SLIM spacecraft had been re-established, and operations to hunt for clues about the Moon's origins had resumed.JAXA had predicted that a change in sunlight direction could allow the probe's battery to be recharged from its awkwardly angled solar panels. It's unclear how long this power will last - the agency previously said that SLIM was not designed to survive a lunar night, which will next... Continue reading...

The Nomad Stand offers 15W of wireless iPhone fast charging for $100. | Image: Nomad Nomad's Stand is the latest Qi2 charger to hit the market, offering up to 15W of wireless charging speed to Qi2-compatible phones like the iPhone 15. The accessory was announced in late December, but it's now shipping in a choice of black or white for $100 from Nomad's website.It's $100 price point makes the Stand $10 cheaper than Nomad's equivalent MagSafe model, the Stand One, and offers the same up to 15W" charging speeds and magnetic attachment compatibility as Apple's MagSafe (Apple helped develop the Qi2 charging standard). The bad news is that Nomad's $100 asking price doesn't include the required 20W power adapter - you just get a USB-C to USB-C cable. Image: Nomad Nomad's Stand in black. Nomad's... Continue reading...

Arc Search browses the web for you and then builds you the webpage you wanted. That's the idea, anyway. | Image: The Browser Company / David Pierce A few minutes ago, I opened the new Arc Search app and typed, What happened in the Chiefs game?" That game, the AFC Championship, had just wrapped up. Normally, I'd Google it, click on a few links, and read about the game that way. But in Arc Search, I typed the query and tapped the Browse for me" button instead.Arc Search, the new iOS app from The Browser Company, which has been working on a browser called Arc for the last few years, went to work. It scoured the web - reading six pages, it told me, from Twitter to The Guardian to USA Today - and returned a bunch of information a few seconds later. I got the headline: Chiefs win. I got the final score, the key play, a notable event" that also just said the Chiefs won, a note about... Continue reading...

Illustration: The Verge X has blocked searches for Taylor Swift in reaction to a recent trend of graphic AI fakes of the world-famous recording artist being posted to the site. Right now, if you search Taylor Swift" or Taylor Swift AI" on X, formerly Twitter, you may see a Something went wrong" message. X head of business Joe Benarroch acknowledged the temporary" measure, meant to prioritize safety," according to The Wall Street Journal. But it's very easy to get around, as we found out when trying some searches after Platformer's Casey Newton posted about the block yesterday.Rearranging the words in your search to Taylor AI Swift" or simply putting quotation marks around Swift's full name both returned results as of this writing, for example. Even... Continue reading...