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by David Pierce on (#6NCP6)
Phil Schiller may have slightly overstated Siri's initial abilities. | Photo by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images When Apple first launched Siri in 2011 alongside the iPhone 4S, the company made a series of very compelling ads showing how you might use this newfangled voice assistant thing. In one, Zooey Deschanel asks her phone about delivering tomato soup; in another, John Malkovich asks for some existential life advice. There's also one with Martin Scorsese shuffling his schedule from the back of a New York City taxi. They showed reminders, weather, alarms, and more. The point of the ads was that Siri was a useful, constant companion, one that could tackle whatever you needed. No apps or taps necessary. Just ask.Siri was a big deal for Apple. At the launch event for the 4S, Apple's Phil Schiller said Siri was the best feature of the new device.... Continue reading...
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The Verge
| Link | https://www.theverge.com/ |
| Feed | http://www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml |
| Updated | 2025-04-22 22:47 |
by Sean Hollister on (#6NCN3)
The MSI Claw. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge When I called the MSI Claw an embarrassment in my May 18th review, one commenter pointed out they'd gotten higher benchmark scores than me. Sure enough: MSI had pushed out new graphics drivers and BIOS updates between the time I benchmarked and the time we published.I've now tested those updates. In some of my tests, they're better. In others, I actually found them worse! Overall, they don't change my conclusion one bit: the MSI Claw is the worst pick from today's crop of consumer handheld gaming PCs, and you should steer clear.Below, you'll find my new benchmark results in the same games, across all of the Claw's standard power modes. In almost every test, you'll see the Claw dramatically behind the competition in speed while using... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6NCFS)
Cult of the Lamb. | Image: Devolver Digital Devolver Digital's keynote events tend to be, let's say, unique. And the publisher's presence at Summer Game Fest 2024 was no exception. Like last year, Devolver focused on just a handful of really interesting indie games, which ranged from a game about fighting through an interdimensional catastrophe to an expansion that somehow makes Cult of the Lamb even weirder. There was both a first-person kicker and a thirst-person shooter. If you missed it live, here are all the reveals.PossessorComing to PC and console in 2025A slick side-scrolling action game from the creators of Solar Ash and the Hyper Light games, Possessor looks absolutely gorgeous. It also sounds like it'll be plenty challenging. Here's the official setup:
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by Ash Parrish on (#6NCFT)
Image: iam8bit The most exciting showcase of Summer Game Fest 2024 is here. Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6NCE7)
Image: Riot Games Riot's tactical shooter Valorant has been a PC-exclusive since it launched in 2020 - but that's changing very soon. The developer has finally provided some details on the console version of the game, which will be available in a limited beta on the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S starting on June 14th. You can register right here. The beta will be limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and Japan, and Riot says that it will be possibly rolling out to remaining global regions shortly thereafter." There's no word on when a full launch might happen.Riot says the console versions of Valorant feature custom-built gameplay" and that crossplay between console and PC will not be available for competitive reasons. That... Continue reading...
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by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on (#6NCE8)
A better symbiosis between smart technology and our favorite kitchen gadgets is part o the future of the smart kitchen. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge A new moment for connected cooking emerges at the Smart Kitchen Summit in Seattle. Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NCE9)
Image: CBS Studio The title sequence for the Among Us animated series made its debut during the Summer Game Fest on Friday. During the sneak peek, we got a glimpse at each of the characters and their various roles aboard the Skeld.We first heard about the Among Us series last year, which is made in collaboration with CBS Studios, Among Us developer Innersloth, and Titmouse, the animation studio behind Big Mouth and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.We already know some of the characters - and their voice actors - that will appear in the show. Some of the biggest names include Randall Park as the captain Red; Ashley Johnson as the security chief Purple; Patton Oswalt as the contest winner White; Elijah Wood as the unpaid intern Green; Phil LaMarr as... Continue reading...
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by Richard Lawler on (#6NCEA)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge The antitrust lawsuit by the Justice Department and eight states seeking to break up Google's alleged adtech monopoly will be heard by a judge this fall, as the company preferred. The government's lawyers had included a damages claim in their lawsuit and pursued a trial by jury. Jury trials can be more unpredictable, like Epic's courtroom win over Google last year, and a legal expert told The Verge that if the government was successful, it could make Google more likely to settle the case.But Reuters reports that won't happen after the company filed a copy of a $2.3 million cashier's check - without admitting any liability or wrongdoing - that it said would be enough to cover triple the monetary damages requested by the government, if... Continue reading...
by Andrew Webster on (#6NCCC)
Image: 2K Games It's been a long wait, but the next Civilization has finally been revealed. At the main Summer Game Fest keynote, publisher 2K officially announced Civilization 7, the first new entry in the strategy series since 2016. We didn't get any real details or actual gameplay, but instead a very brief teaser trailer that looked a lot like, well, Civilization. But there's one thing we do know: the game won't be launching until 2025. And it's coming to a number of platforms, with the launch planned for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.More details will be coming in August, according to 2K, with a full gameplay showcase."There were some inklings this was coming. Ahead of the show, the publisher teased that the next iteration in one of 2K's... Continue reading...
by Andrew Webster on (#6NCCD)
Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment One of the cuter reveals at Summer Game Fest was the Lego-ified version of Horizon's postapocalyptic future. The game is called Lego Horizon Adventures, and it looks like a playful action-adventure game set (obviously) in the Horizon universe. Naturally, there's lots of building as well. And co-op play. And some very goofy jokes fitting Lego's many video game spinoffs.This isn't the first collaboration between the two, as Lego released a Horizon Forbidden West set in 2022, But it appears that Sony is intent on growing the franchise into one of its tentpoles. The original game was followed by a sequel on the PS5 (and PS4), and it's also being adapted into a show on Netflix.Lego Horizon Adventures is launching this holiday. As a Sony... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NCCE)
Image: Alex Choi A YouTuber was arrested after posting a video showing two people in a helicopter shooting fireworks at a Lamborghini. On Thursday, the US Department of Justice charged Suk Min Choi - known as Alex Choi on YouTube - for allegedly breaking the law against having an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft.The now-deleted video, titled Destroying a Lamborghini With Fireworks," was posted on July 4th, 2023. Choi, who has more than 924,000 YouTube subscribers, is shown driving the Lamborghini as two women begin shooting fireworks in the direction of the car. Law enforcement officials believe Choi filmed the video at El Mirage, a dry lake bed in San Bernardino County, California.The Federal Aviation Administration began... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6NC9N)
Photo by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images The Biden administration released another vehicle emission rule that was not as strict as the one the president originally proposed.Under the new rules, fuel economy will increase 2 percent per year for model years 2027-2031 for passenger cars, while light trucks will increase 2 percent per year for model years 2029-2031. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these increases will bring the average light-duty vehicle fuel economy up to approximately 50.4 miles per gallon of gas by model year 2031.That's less ambitious than the rules President Joe Biden first proposed in 2022, in which passenger vehicles would be required to achieve an average of 55 miles per gallon by 2026. And in 2023, NHTSA proposed... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6NC9P)
Creatives are fearful of how Adobe's adoption of generative AI will impact their privacy and rights over their work. | Illustration by Haein Jeong / The Verge A recent notification from Adobe about a terms of service update caused outrage online once many people - forced to accept the new terms for continued access to its apps and services - interpreted it to mean Adobe was permitting itself free rein to access and use their work to train AI models.Specifically, the notification said Adobe had clarified that we may access your content through both automated and manual methods" within its TOS, directing users to a section that says techniques such as machine learning" may be used to analyze content to improve services, software, and user experiences. The update went viral after creatives took Adobe's vague language to mean that it would use their work to train Firefly - the company's... Continue reading...
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by Mia Sato on (#6NC9Q)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Meta now allows users to create giant group chats without having an associated Facebook page, as reported by TechCrunch.The groups, called Communities," allow admins to add up to 5,000 people, even if they're not part of the same Facebook group. Meta previously introduced that feature in 2022, allowing Facebook group admins to create Discord-like chatrooms for members. This new type of chat, meanwhile, is open to anyone - users could make one for their neighborhood, school, or an event, for example.Meta notes that creating Messenger Communities" isn't yet available to everyone and that users should be aware there's a different level of privacy that they typically associate with personal messages.The gradual updates to Messenger... Continue reading...
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by Sean Hollister on (#6NC7G)
The original MSI Claw. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge If you're still under the impression that an original MSI Claw might be a worthy purchase, I beg you to reconsider. MSI has now announced not one but two successors to the embarrassing handheld that are coming this fall - and hinting it might show off yet another one at CES in January.MSI already revealed an eight-inch Lunar Lake version dubbed the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus at Computex this week, but the company will put Intel's Lunar Lake into a new seven-inch version at the same time. MSI Claw product management director Clifford Chun revealed the existence of that handheld in an interview with PCWorld and explained that both devices should arrive with the launch of Intel's more efficient Lunar Lake chips this fall.Lunar Lake not only has u... Continue reading...
by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6NC7H)
The older iPad Pros are compatible with the second-gen Apple Pencil (pictured) as well as the new Pencil Pro. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge It's a good time to be a late adopter, as the last-gen M2 iPad Pros are falling to record low prices on their way out the door, allowing you to save anywhere from $200 to $400. Apple's M4-based iPad Pros may be the hot new tablets for 2024, with ultrathin builds and OLED displays, but 2022's iPad Pros are still formidable slates for doing just about all necessary iPaddy things.The cheapest way into one of these M2 iPad Pros is the base 11-inch model with 128GB of storage, selling for $599 ($200 off) at Best Buy. Stepping up to the 256GB model runs $699 (also $200 off), and the beefy 512GB is $799 (saving $300).These discounts drop the 2022 11-inch iPad Pro down to the same price as the new 2024 iPad Air that just got the same M2... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6NC4N)
Image: Microsoft Microsoft says it's making its new Recall feature in Windows 11 that screenshots everything you do on your PC an opt-in feature and addressing various security concerns. The software giant first unveiled the Recall feature as part of its upcoming Copilot Plus PCs last month, but since then, privacy advocates and security experts have been warning that Recall could be a disaster" for cybersecurity without changes.Thankfully, Microsoft has listened to the complaints and is making a number of changes before Copilot Plus PCs launch on June 18th. Microsoft had originally planned to turn Recall on by default, but the company now says it will offer the ability to disable the controversial AI-powered feature during the setup process of new... Continue reading...
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by Geoffrey Bunting on (#6NC4P)
Videoverse. | Image: Kinmoku Running concurrently with Summer Game Fest, the Access-Ability Summer Showcase redresses what gaming events leave out. Organized by accessibility consultant and critic Laura Kate Dale, it's a reaction to events designed to build hype and how disabled gamers too often have to temper excitement with caution over whether revealed games will be accessible. A frustration, Dale told The Verge, driven by the industry's unwillingness to be open and transparent about gaming accessibility."Now in its second year, the showcase continues to push back against a lack of inclusive gaming events as it grows - it includes a dedicated Steam page this year. Already, developers are not only viewing it as an opportunity to show off their games, Dale said,... Continue reading...
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by Victoria Song on (#6NC4Q)
National Samsung Electronics Union members strike outside of Samsung's office building in Seoul, South Korea. | Photo by Anthony Wallace / AFP via Getty Images Samsung Electronics workers went on a strike on Friday for the very first time in the company's history. The move comes at a time when the Korean corporation faces increased competition from other chipmakers, particularly as demand for AI chips grows.The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), the largest of the company's several unions, called for the one-day strike at Samsung's Seoul office building as negotiations over pay bonuses and time off hit a standstill. The New York Times reports that the majority of striking workers come from Samsung's chip division. (Samsung Electronics is technically only a subsidiary comprising its consumer tech, appliances, and semiconductor divisions; Samsung itself is a conglomerate that controls... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NC4R)
Image: Adata Adata has become the latest company to join the hype surrounding PC gaming handhelds - but the XPG Nia prototype it revealed during Computex 2024 is completely different from what we've seen so far. The handheld is the first to come with LPCAMM2 memory, making it far easier to swap out and upgrade RAM.As reported by Liliputing, you'll be able to access the device's storage beneath the kickstand on the back of the device. You can also remove and replace the device's M.2 2230 SSD. These aren't the only things you'll be able to mod, either.During an interview with YouTuber GGF Events, XPG product head Luca Di Fiore said the company is building the handheld for the modding market" and will use a circular computing platform." This means... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NC4S)
Photo by Sarah Stier / Getty Images for Netflix Netflix's fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, which was originally set to take place in July, will now stream live on Friday, November 15th. Last week, they announced the event would be postponed after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up during a flight, affecting his ability to train ahead of the original date.Although we had to postpone the fight, I will resume training shortly," Tyson said in a statement. While we have a new date, the result will be the same no matter when we fight. Jake Paul is getting knocked out." The fight will still be held in the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, marking Tyson's first officially sanctioned match since 2005.
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6NC1T)
Fiona Harvey is suing Netflix and Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd, saying her life has been destroyed" by the show after being identified as the inspiration for Martha (pictured, portrayed by Jessica Gunning). | Image: Netflix A Scottish woman who says it only took thousands of Reddit and TikTok users a matter of days" to identify her as the inspiration behind a stalker in Netflix's Baby Reindeer series has filed a $170 million defamation lawsuit against Netflix and the show's creator, Richard Gadd. Fiona Harvey alleges her identity and likeness" were used for the character Martha Scott, played by Jessica Gunning, telling brutal lies" out of greed and lust for fame" that have destroyed her reputation, her character, and her life."In the series, which claims in its title card that it's a true story" based on Gadd's personal experiences, the comedian plays a fictionalized version of himself being stalked by Martha. While Harvey isn't mentioned in the show... Continue reading...
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by Quentyn Kennemer on (#6NC1V)
Let's normalize not paying $100-plus for these Qi2 chargers. | Image: Anker As might have been expected, mobile accessory makers used Qi2's arrival as an opportunity to fill out their charger lineup with the new wireless fast charging standard. Equally predictable was that many of those products started in a price tier quite a bit higher than their equivalent previous generation models - and that prices would eventually drop. Anker was one of the earliest to appear, and it's one of the first to bring its 3-in-1 MagGo Wireless Charging Station well under $100 - you can now pick the charging station up for $69.99 ($30 off) at Amazon when clipping the coupon or directly from Anker with code WSCPV2KWZ3XE.The tree-like design props up your Qi2 / MagSafe iPhone at an angle, and ditto for your Apple Watch - it... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NC1W)
Image: Summer Game Fest It's that time of year again. Summer Game Fest kicks off this week, and we're expecting to see new game trailers and other exciting updates during the two-hour-long presentation.There might not be as many new game reveals as previous years, as Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley says this event is largely focused on announced stuff." Even still, the event is bound to have a few surprises. Here's how and when you can catch the show.What time does Summer Game Fest start?Summer Game Fest starts on Friday, June 7th, at 5PM ET / 2PM PT.That's not the only gaming-focused show happening, either, as the indie game showcase Day of the Devs will air right after Summer Game Fest, followed by Devolver Digital's game presentation at 8PM ET /... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NC1X)
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple is gearing up to reveal a new AI system on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac next week at WWDC 2024 - and it will be called Apple Intelligence, according to a report from Bloomberg. In addition to providing new beta" AI features across Apple's platforms and apps, it will reportedly offer access to a new ChatGPT-like chatbot powered by OpenAI.Apple reportedly won't focus on buzzy AI features like image or video generation and will instead focus on adding AI-powered summarizations, reply suggestions, and an AI overhaul for Siri that could give it more control over apps while chasing applications with broad appeal."Apple will use its own technology and tools from OpenAI" to power its new AI features, according to Bloomberg. The company... Continue reading...
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by David Pierce on (#6NC1Y)
Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge Starting this fall, it appears Siri is going to be much more powerful. Whether this is good news or a harbinger of infinite technological frustration depends on how you feel about Siri, AI, virtual assistants, and the whole idea that your devices should be able to do stuff on your behalf. Either way, it seems virtually certain that at Apple's WWDC event on Monday, we're going to hear an awful lot about how Siri can make your life better.This year's WWDC is actually an important one for Apple. CEO Tim Cook and others have been hinting that this is when Apple will reveal its grand plans for AI and end the notion that Apple is somehow behind Google, OpenAI, and the rest. What will it look like, though? Who knows! But it's going to be AI,... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6NBZD)
Image: The Verge Every year, Apple's WWDC comes third after Google's I/O and Microsoft's Build developer conferences, and Apple has hardly ever needed to announce a product in response. This time, however, things are different.Over the past month, Apple's biggest rivals presented bold plans for AI, with Google showing its latest Gemini models and Microsoft revealing powerful Copilot features like Recall. Now, Apple has to step up to the plate and show that it isn't far behind in bringing its customers useful generative AI experiences.Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference starts on Monday, June 10th with a presentation at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. Here's what you can expect at Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote.AI, AI, and more AIAt WWDC, Apple is rumored to infuse... Continue reading...
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by Justine Calma on (#6NBZF)
Workers plant trees at an ecological afforestation demonstration zone on April 11, 2023. | Photo: Getty Images Big tech companies are increasingly turning to nature to do the dirty work of cleaning up their greenhouse gas emissions. The idea is to use plants and ecosystems that naturally absorb CO2 to compensate for industry pollution, a tactic brands have come to call nature-based carbon removal."At first glance, these attempts sound a lot like carbon offset projects that have a checkered past. For decades, companies have purchased credits from offset projects to try to cancel out some portion of their carbon footprint, typically by planting trees, restoring or protecting ecosystems that sequester CO2 through photosynthesis.It all sounds green and dandy on paper. But studies have shown that this strategy repeatedly fails to have any... Continue reading...
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by Emilia David on (#6NBZE)
Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Since the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act last August, eight companies have already received more than half of the planned government direct funding.These companies have collectively received $29.34 billion in funding through the CHIPS Act for semiconductor factories across the country. The law, a $280 billion package to support innovation in the US, includes $52 billion in subsidies for semiconductor manufacturing and was passed last year.These investments only concern the construction or expansion of semiconductor fabrication facilities and do not include government funding for other chip research facilities.As of writing, Intel, Micron, Global Foundries, Polar Semiconductor, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC),... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6NBXM)
Illustration: The Verge Microsoft is launching a new Automatic super resolution (Auto SR) feature on its upcoming Copilot Plus PCs that will compete with upscale technologies like Nvidia's DLSS. The AI-based Auto SR feature will automatically upscale game resolutions and improve frame rates, and Microsoft is now detailing exactly how it's different to DLSS, XeSS, and FSR.Auto SR will be integrated into Windows 11, and available on Copilot Plus devices that have a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU). It's designed to work with existing games with no manual configurations required and no need for game developers to change how their games are rendered.Auto SR is different from super resolution technologies like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, Intel XeSS,... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NBJM)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty Images Apple is planning to introduce a new app called Passwords to help users manage their login information, according to a report from Bloomberg. The company will reportedly introduce the device at its Worldwide Developers Conference event next week.Apple already lets you save your passwords across your iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro using iCloud Keychain. The new app would sync the same way but with logins separated into different categories, such as accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and passkeys. However, Bloomberg says the new Passwords app would extend support for Windows as well - there's no word about support for Android.The new app is expected to make its debut in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. As noted by Bloomberg, Passwords will be able... Continue reading...
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by Kevin Nguyen on (#6NBJN)
Photo: Janus Films To celebrate its 70th anniversary, Akira Kurosawa's black-and-white epic Seven Samurai is coming back to theaters with a new 4K restoration.Arguably the crowning achievement of one of the world's most lauded filmmakers, the film depicts a small village in the 16th century that is threatened by bandits. To protect themselves from the invaders, the farmers go in search of ronin - master-less samurai for hire - who can ward off the marauders and keep the village safe.One of the film's co-writers, Shinobu Hashimoto, found the process of putting together Seven Samurai so exhausting that he checked himself into a hospital. I thought I'd never be able to write anything as good ever again," he said. On the other hand, I thought since... Continue reading...
by Emma Roth on (#6NBJP)
Illustration: The Verge eBay will no longer accept American Express payments starting August 17th, the company announced on Wednesday. It blames the change on the unacceptably high fees" for Amex credit card transactions.Credit card transaction fees continue to rise unabated because of a lack of meaningful competition," eBay writes in a notice to customers. There is a need for more robust regulations to drive greater competition to credit card networks and help reduce transaction processing costs." eBay still accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and other payment methods, like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Venmo.Amex disagrees with eBay's move, stating on its website that its fees are similar to other cards accepted by eBay. We find eBay's decision to... Continue reading...
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by Sean Hollister on (#6NBJQ)
Image: Microsoft Microsoft's new Windows AI features, like Auto Super Resolution for smoother gaming, aren't exclusive to Qualcomm - Intel's Lunar Lake and AMD's Strix Point chips will have enough AI co-processing performance, too. But when Intel and AMD's new Copilot Plus PCs arrive this fall, no one is promising they'll ship with all or even any of the new AI features.Each of those laptops will require free software updates before they get Microsoft's Copilot Plus AI features, and those updates won't necessarily even arrive before the end of 2024.Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Strix PCs are Windows 11 AI PCs that meet our Copilot+ PC hardware requirements. We are partnering closely with Intel and AMD to deliver Copilot+ PC experiences through free... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6NBFZ)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by Grzegorz Wajda, Getty Images Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm is calling on the company's shareholders to approve Elon Musk's massive $56 billion pay package or risk driving the billionaire CEO to greener pastures.On June 13th, Tesla shareholders will decide the fate of Musk's compensation package, which is estimated to be worth as much as $56 billion. It will be the second time that shareholders will vote on the CEO's pay, after a Delaware judge voided the first one earlier this year on the grounds that the approval process was deeply flawed." And now the company is engaged in a full-court press to convince shareholders to approve the proposal a second time.Elon is not a typical executive, and Tesla is not a typical company," Denholm writes in a letter to... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NBD2)
Image: Warner Bros. Games Warner Bros. Discovery took a $200 million hit after the launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the troubled looter shooter released in February - and now we have a sense of what went wrong. A new report from Bloomberg details some of the studio's struggles behind the scenes, including inexperience with the multiplayer genre and a constantly changing vision."Rocksteady, the UK-based studio owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, was tasked with developing a Suicide Squad game in 2016. At this time, new Rocksteady employees were reportedly unaware that the studio was developing a multiplayer game, as Rocksteady is known for its single-player action-adventure games like Batman: Arkham Knight. This caused many employees to leave, B... Continue reading...
by Wes Davis on (#6NBD3)
It's getting harder to get a Samsung phone fixed. | Image: Best Buy It's been an interesting couple of weeks for people who want ways to get their Samsung phone fixed, between revelations about the company's onerous repair shop contracts and a failed iFixit contract renegotiation. To add to that, Best Buy's Geek Squad is in the middle of shutting down its Samsung authorized service provider program (ASP), which lets certain Best Buy stores repair your phone with genuine Samsung parts, tools, and training.The Verge was initially tipped off to a Geek Squad subreddit thread saying the company was leaving the program. Several others in that thread and another r/BestBuyWorkers one appeared to confirm the same.Next, we spoke with a Geek Squad employee who not only corroborated those reports but also... Continue reading...
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by Justine Calma on (#6NBD4)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivers a special address on climate action at the American Museum of Natural History on World Environment Day in New York on June 5th, 2024. | Photo: Getty Images United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to fossil fuel advertising yesterday in a fiery call to action following the release of alarming new climate data.I urge every country to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies. And I urge news media and tech companies to stop taking fossil fuel advertising," Guterres said during a speech in New York City yesterday.Guterres called out tech, media, and PR companies for accepting ad money from the fossil fuel industry even though a safe climate depends on replacing coal, oil, and gas with cleaner energy. Each of the past 12 months has smashed heat records, the European Commission's Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed yesterday.I call on these companies... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6NBD5)
Image: Netflix Netflix is testing a big homepage redesign on its TV app. The new look replaces the static tiles containing the shows and movies you want to watch with boxes that extend as soon as your remote lands on them.It's a change from how Netflix's existing homepage works, which currently surfaces a title's trailer and other information at the very top of its interface when you scroll over it. The new design, on the other hand, consolidates things - making all the information you're looking for much more prominent on your screen.Hover over a TV show or movie long enough, and Netflix will begin playing a short preview directly within the tile. Below the box, you'll find all the information about a title, including its synopsis, the year it was... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6NBD6)
Image: Grubhub Grubhub will partner with Starbucks to deliver beverages and food to US customers starting this month, the food delivery app announced on June 6th.Starbucks will be accessible through the Grubhub mobile app and website in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Illinois first, starting this month before expanding nationwide by August. Customers will be able to buy most beverages and food available on the Starbucks menu and can customize their orders as well.According to Grubhub, Starbucks is the most searched for business not yet available on its marketplace. With this partnership, Grubhub is now catching up with rivals like DoorDash, which started offering Starbucks delivery in the US last year. Customers can also order Starbucks via Uber Eats... Continue reading...
by Victoria Song on (#6NBD7)
Despite what the haters say, screen protectors are always a good investment. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Bad news if you spot a tiny crack on your iPhone or Apple Watch display. They're no longer covered under Apple's standard warranty, according to a 9to5Mac report.Technically, the standard one-year warranty has never covered cosmetic damage" such as scratches, dents, and broken plastic on ports unless you could prove that it was defective materials or workmanship from Apple. However, single hairline cracks - as in, a crack that doesn't spiderweb or have an obvious point of impact - have historically been considered screen defects. As such, repairs could be covered for free. (Though, in reality, your mileage may have varied depending on which Apple Store or repair shop you went to.)Citing unnamed sources, the 9to5Mac report says Apple... Continue reading...
by Emilia David on (#6NB91)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) reportedly agreed to split duties in investigating potential antitrust violations of Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia, The New York Times reported.The DOJ will lead inquiries into Nvidia, while the FTC will look into the deal between OpenAI and its largest investor, Microsoft.The FTC began looking into potential antitrust issues related to the investments made by technology companies into smaller AI companies in January this year. The agency sent letters to Alphabet, Amazon, Anthropic, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, and Amazon are both investors in Anthropic.The FTC is already investigating OpenAI's data collection practices, having... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6NB95)
Image: Rivian The exterior design of the R1T and R1S may look the same, but everything beneath the surface has changed,' CEO says. Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6NB94)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge The last six months have been turbulent for Xbox. Microsoft started the year by laying off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees, then announced four in-house games would drop their exclusivity and ship on PS5 and Nintendo Switch. More recently, the company shut down three game studios, including Tango Gameworks, maker of the award-winning and widely praised Hi-Fi Rush.The moves have rattled fans. Hardcore Xbox customers are upset that exclusives are available on rival consoles, with many wondering why they should continue to invest in the Xbox ecosystem when Microsoft is shutting down studios and its games are appearing on rival platforms anyway. Sunday's Xbox Games Showcase is a chance for Microsoft to try and get fans excited... Continue reading...
by Allison Johnson on (#6NB93)
Enhanced messaging with emergency services is coming to Android phones. | Image: Google Texting with emergency services is about to get an upgrade. Starting this winter, Google Messages will support texting 911 through RCS.Using SMS to contact 911 is available at just over half of all emergency dispatch centers in the US, but in those areas, people using RCS will benefit from a handful of new features like location sharing and read receipts. The timing of the announcement - just days before Apple is expected to announce RCS support in iOS 18 - is probably no coincidence, either.Google is working with a company called RapidSOS, which can already relay certain medical information to emergency responders for both iPhone and Android users. Once enabled by an emergency dispatch center, people texting that center via Google... Continue reading...
by Mia Sato on (#6NB92)
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Livestreaming platform Twitch announced a new program aimed at DJs today that will allow creators to use copyrighted music in their streams by paying a fee.Twitch signed deals with major record labels like Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music as well as hundreds" of independent labels, the company says. CEO Dan Clancy hinted in April that the company was working on building an official system for DJs.In order to cover the cost of the rights, streamers will pay a percentage of their earnings from a stream to rights holders. The percentage, which Twitch hasn't shared publicly, will vary slightly depending on which monetization methods streamers use. They'll share that cost with Twitch in a 50 / 50 split, though... Continue reading...
by Emma Roth on (#6NB96)
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Apple has committed to providing a minimum of five years of iPhone security updates, as reported earlier by Android Authority. The disclosure comes as part of Apple's plan to comply with the UK's Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act, which requires companies selling internet-connected products to meet new security standards.The law, which went into effect in April, compels companies to define the minimum length of time it will provide security updates for a product. This doesn't necessarily mean that Apple will cap security updates at five years, as it's only a minimum. Apple sometimes pushes security updates to older phones, too. In January, the company issued a security update to the nearly 10-year-old... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6NB97)
Image: EA The game formerly known as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has a new name - BioWare is calling its next RPG The Veilguard. In a blog post, the studio explained that the change was made in order to capture what this game is all about," as the previous name didn't show just how strongly we feel about our new heroes, their stories and how you'll need to bring them together to save all of Thedas."The studio didn't reveal much else about the game but did have this to say:
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6NB98)
The Starship successfully splashed down in the Indian Ocean after launching from Texas on Thursday. | Image: SpaceX / The Verge The fourth Starship Super Heavy flight test has ended with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The vehicle launched from its pad in Texas at 8:50AM ET, before successfully performing a hot-stage separation from its booster rocket. The Super Heavy booster then performed a landing burn as planned before it came down in the Gulf of Mexico.The Starship vehicle continued along its planned flight path before reentry. Live camera views showed a damaged flap burning and starting to come apart. However, the vehicle stayed in one piece long enough for the engines to relight and perform a soft landing." In a tweet, Elon Musk said, Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!"
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by Chris Welch on (#6NB64)
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Hopefully, by now, you've read through my written review of the Sonos Ace headphones. They're an extremely impressive first effort from the company, but with several features still in the coming soon" column, it feels like they were rushed.In this video review, I go deeper into what Sonos got right with the Ace and what still needs work. There's also a segment where I cover why these aren't quite the magical Wi-Fi headphones that many of the brand's most loyal customers had long dreamed of. Crucially, the Ace can't be grouped with other Sonos speakers, but at one point, the company prototyped headphones that could.It turns out, they sucked - at least within the confines of today's technology. This Reddit AMA post goes into more... Continue reading...
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