by Tauriq Moosa on (#6RRRA)
Image: Remedy Entertainment Remedy's latest release is connective tissue for its growing video game universe. Continue reading...
The Verge
| Link | https://www.theverge.com/ |
| Feed | http://www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml |
| Updated | 2025-12-21 23:48 |
 |
by Jay Peters on (#6RRFW)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Apple got a mixed victory in a patent infringement lawsuit against medical device maker Masimo. On Friday, a federal jury determined that Masimo had infringed on some Apple patents, and as part of the verdict, Apple was awarded $250 - yes, just $250 - as a statutory remedy for Masimo's infringement.$250 is the statutory minimum damages for the alleged infringement and Apple had sought that figure, Bloomberg Law reports. We're not here for the money," Apple attorney John Desmarais said to jurors in closing arguments, according to the publication.Masimo's W1 smartwatch, Freedom smartwatch, and health module infringed on one patent, while Masimo's charger infringed on another, per the verdict form. The jury also found that Masimo's... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RRE6)
Image: Boeing Kelly Ortberg, who took over as Boeing CEO in August, is weighing the sale of the company's space division as part of an attempt to turn things around, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The plans, which are reportedly at an early stage, could involve Boeing offloading the Starliner spacecraft and its projects supporting the International Space Station.Boeing is facing a series of predicaments, including a fraud charge over 737 Max plane crashes and Starliner issues that left two astronauts at the ISS for months. Just this week, a Boeing-made satellite for Intelsat stopped working and fell apart suddenly after suffering an anomaly."We're better off doing less and doing it better than doing more and not doing it... Continue reading...
|
by Sean Hollister on (#6RRCC)
Collage by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images When video game scholars want to study games that are no longer on sale, they sometimes have to drive many hours to do it legally - and that won't be changing anytime soon. The US Copyright Office has just denied a request from video game preservationists to let libraries, archives and museums temporarily lend individuals some virtual, remotely accessible copies of those works.Kendra Albert, who made the argument on behalf of the Software Preservation Network and the Library Copyright Alliance, says preservationists weren't asking for a lot: It was the thing that basically exists for all kinds of special collections in libraries: the library reviews the request, makes sure it's not harmful, and allows access to the work."While the... Continue reading...
 |
by Umar Shakir on (#6RRCD)
An Archer eVTOL. | Image: Archer Here's all the news on the future of flying cars that look like a cross between small airplanes and helicopters. Continue reading...
|
 |
by Victoria Song on (#6RR9W)
Metabolic health is a burgeoning wearable health trend. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Apple has long been rumored to be working on noninvasive blood glucose monitoring. Now, a Bloomberg report says the company tested an app that helps people with prediabetes better manage their condition.Citing anonymous Apple sources, Bloomberg notes the app required Apple employees to validate they were prediabetic via a blood test. Employees then monitored their blood sugar using various devices available on the market" and logged changes related to what food they were eating.Prediabetes is a metabolic condition when blood sugar levels are higher than normal, and increases a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. And while there is no cure for diabetes, prediabetes can be reversed through diet and exercise interventions. The... Continue reading...
|
by Elizabeth Lopatto on (#6RR9X)
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos | Laura Normand / The Verge The Washington Post's editorial page had drafted an endorsement of Kamala Harris for president when its owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, intervened to cancel its publication, The Washington Post reports. In its place, The Post ran a bizarre column by its current publisher (and former Rupert Murdoch henchman) Will Lewis, saying The Post would not endorse anyone.This is now the second American newspaper, after The Los Angeles Times, to kill a Harris endorsement at the owner's behestIn his editorial, Lewis cited the Post's decision not to publish an endorsement in the race between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960. Nixon would later be implicated in the Watergate scandal, which generated 69 indictments and 48 criminal convictions... Continue reading...
 |
by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6RR9Y)
Image: Scout Motors Read about Scout Motors' first new vehicles since the eighties: the electric Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck. Continue reading...
|
 |
by Andrew Liszewski on (#6RR6G)
8BitDo's first smartphone controller is Android-only. | Image: 8BitDo 8BitDo has announced its Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller, the company's first gamepad that attaches directly to smartphones and mobile devices using an expanding clamping mechanism. It's available for preorder now for $49.99 and is expected to be released on November 29th, 2024.The Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller can be attached to smartphones or smaller tablet devices measuring between 100mm and 170mm in length. For expanded compatibility, instead of plugging in with USB-C, 8BitDo's new controller connects wirelessly over Bluetooth but only supports Android devices.The use of Bluetooth necessitates a 350mAh rechargeable battery in the controller, which 8BitDo says is enough for 15 hours of play on a 1.5-hour charge. That added... Continue reading...
|
by Sheena Vasani on (#6RR6H)
The powerful Asus ROG Ally is $100 off, which is nearly half the price of its successor. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge If you're a gamer looking to save but can't wait until another a month until Black Friday, it might be worth checking out Best Buy's three-day gaming sale. Now through October 27th, the retailer's offering discounts on gaming gear, but some of the best deals are on hardware specifically.For example, Best Buy has some notable deals on Windows handheld consoles, like the Asus ROG Ally, which is on sale with a Z1 Extreme chip for $549.99 ($100 off) (and even cheaper at $499.99 for My Best Buy Plus and Total members). That's $50 shy of its best price to date, and nearly half the price of its successor, the ROG Ally X. Admittedly, the ROG Ally X, offers more impressive performance and battery life, but the ROG Ally is still more powerful... Continue reading...
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RR6J)
Photo by Gerald Matzka/picture alliance via Getty Images McDonald's always-broken ice cream machines might finally get easier to fix. That's because the US Copyright Office granted an exemption allowing third parties to diagnose and repair commercial equipment - including the ones that make your McFlurries.Now, franchise owners will be able to break through the digital locks that have blocked them from repairing McDonald's ice cream machines for years. According to the Copyright Office, the exemption will allow people to diagnose, perform maintenance, and repair retail-level commercial food preparation equipment." McDonald's ice cream machines have become so notorious for breaking that someone even created a tool to track broken machines.The decision is part of the Copyright Office's final... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Jay Peters on (#6RR6K)
Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images Everything you need to know about games from The New York Times, Apple, and even LinkedIn. Continue reading...
|
by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6RR6M)
It's the Leica M's platinum anniversary, and this camera costs as much (or more) than most weddings. | Image: Leica Camera Leica is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the M rangefinder camera, but the most precious gift it's giving for the occasion is for only 250 rich people and costs $22,995. The ludicrously expensive Leica M Edition 70 set includes a platinum-plated Leica M-A 35mm film camera with Leicavit fast winder, a matching 50mm APO-Summicron-M f/2 lens, and a metallic film container with a roll of black-and-white film.Yes, the film container is also platinum, and yes, that's completely ridiculous.This anniversary edition commemorates when the Leica M3 was released in 1954 as the first M camera. Leica goes to great lengths to honor the M3 and the brand's legacy just about whenever it can. Back in 2014, the Leica M Edition 60 did the same thing... Continue reading...
 |
by Allison Johnson on (#6RR3A)
We finally got a look at one of Siri's big Apple Intelligence updates. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge Apple Intelligence's official launch is less than a week away, but it's the next wave of AI updates that will start to make Siri a lot more useful.The forthcoming iOS 18.2 update - now available as a developer beta - starts to make your phone a lot smarter with the addition of Visual Intelligence and the ability to pass Siri requests along to ChatGPT. On phones that support Apple Intelligence, Siri won't just be a let me Google that for you" machine; now it's a let me ChatGPT that for you" machine, with all that entails: good, bad, and everything in between.By default, Siri will ask for confirmation every time it wants to pass on a request to ChatGPT. This makes a lot of sense, and I thought I'd prefer that behavior. But after an... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Umar Shakir on (#6RR3B)
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Insurance company UnitedHealth Group is confirming a ransomware attack earlier this year affected the private data of over 100 million people. The number was published in the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Breach Report on Thursday, making it the largest healthcare data breach on the list.Hacker group Blackcat, also known as ALPHV, claimed responsibility for the February attack on Change Healthcare that caused widespread disruptions for healthcare providers processing bills, claims, payroll, and prescriptions for weeks.According to the HHS FAQs page, Change Healthcare told OCR on October 22nd that it's sent people about 100 million individual notices regarding this breach.Stolen information... Continue reading...
|
by Mia Sato on (#6RR3C)
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta's AI chatbot will soon begin citing Reuters reporting while answering news-related queries. The two companies have struck what Axios describes as a multi-year deal" that will allow Meta to use Reuters content for its chatbot responses. The deal is the first of its kind for Meta, in an era of news outlets agreeing to provide their content to AI companies.We're always iterating and working to improve our products, and through Meta's partnership with Reuters, Meta AI can respond to news-related questions with summaries and links to Reuters content," Meta spokesperson Jamie Radice said in an email. While most people use Meta AI for creative tasks, deep dives on new topics or how-to assistance, this partnership will help ensure a... Continue reading...
 |
by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6RR3D)
Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images Waymo just completed an oversubscribed funding round of $5.6 billion, its largest investment round to date. The company said it will use the funds to support its robotaxi business in its current markets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, as well as bring it to new cities, like Austin and Atlanta, where its vehicles will be available exclusively on the Uber app.Waymo also hinted at future business applications" for its Waymo Driver," which is the company's branding for the hardware and software used to enable its vehicles to drive autonomously. This could be a reference to food and package deliveries, trucking, or even personally owned autonomous vehicles - all possibilities that Waymo has explored in the past.Waymo also... Continue reading...
|
by Ash Parrish on (#6RR0E)
Image: Amazon MGM Studios Like a Dragon proves that a quality adaptation doesn't always have to be a faithful one. Continue reading...
 |
by David Pierce on (#6RR0F)
Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge The first bits of Apple Intelligence are starting to show up on people's phones. The features in iOS 18.1 are fairly basic: summarizing messages, writing emails, that kind of thing. Apple is already letting developers play with iOS 18.2, though, which looks like a much more substantial update. Meanwhile, the company is about to launch a bunch of new M4-powered and AI-focused Macs, and launched the iPad Mini this week. It's a lot happening all at once, and it's a lot to make sense of.On this episode of The Vergecast, we try and make sense of it. The Verge's Richard Lawler joins us as we talk through the small changes in 18.1 and the much bigger changes in 18.2, debate whether Tim Cook can really use every Apple product every day, and... Continue reading...
|
by Jess Weatherbed on (#6RQYV)
Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Getty Images Adobe is going all in on generative AI models and tools, even if that means turning away creators who dislike the technology. Artists who refuse to embrace AI in their work are not going to be successful in this new world without using it," says Alexandru Costin, vice president of generative AI at Adobe.In an interview with The Verge, Costin said that he isn't aware" of any plans for Adobe to launch products that don't include generative AI for creators who prefer to manually complete tasks or oppose how AI is changing the creative industry.We have older versions of our products that don't use gen AI, but I wouldn't recommend using them," Costin said. Our goal is to make our customers successful, and we think that in order for them... Continue reading...
 |
by David Pierce on (#6RQP2)
One of the many prototypes The Browser Company is building for its next browser. | Image: The Browser Company Stop me if this sounds familiar: The Browser Company is building a browser that it thinks can make your internet life a little more organized, a little more useful, and maybe even a little more delightful. It has new ideas about tabs, and what your browser can do on your behalf.I've heard this story before! But the browser that Browser Company CEO Josh Miller wants to talk about when he calls me on Thursday isn't Arc, the product he and his team have been working on for the last five years. It's not Arc 2.0, either, even though Miller has been talking publicly about Arc 2.0 for a while now. It's an entirely new browser. And for Miller and The Browser Company, it's a chance to get back to building the future of browsers they set out to... Continue reading...
|
by Kylie Robison on (#6RQP3)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images OpenAI plans to launch Orion, its next frontier model, by December, The Verge has learned.Unlike the release of OpenAI's last two models, GPT-4o and o1, Orion won't initially be released widely through ChatGPT. Instead, OpenAI is planning to grant access first to companies it works closely with in order for them to build their own products and features, according to a source familiar with the plan.Another source tells The Verge that engineers inside Microsoft - OpenAI's main partner for deploying AI models - are preparing to host Orion on Azure as early as November. While Orion is seen inside OpenAI as the successor to GPT-4, it's unclear if the company will call it GPT-5 externally. As always, the release plan is subject to change and... Continue reading...
 |
by Jay Peters on (#6RQP4)
The Verge AI startup Perplexity, which offers an AI search engine, published a blog post today pushing back on News Corp's lawsuit against the company.Perplexity has recently come under significant scrutiny following accusations that it scraped content without permission, and News Corp, which is the parent company of the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal-owner Dow Jones, alleged that Perplexity's search engine copies on a massive scale."Perplexity, in its response today, argues that news organizations like News Corp that have filed lawsuits against AI companies prefer to live in a world where publicly reported facts are owned by corporations, and no one can do anything with those publicly reported facts without paying a toll."No one,... Continue reading...
|
by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6RQMY)
Image: Scout Motors This is how you revive an iconic brand. Continue reading...
|
by Jay Peters on (#6RQMZ)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Apple is inviting investigations into the Private Cloud Compute (PCC) system that powers more computationally intensive Apple Intelligence requests. The company is also expanding its bug bounty program to offer payouts of up to $1,000,000 for people who discover PCC vulnerabilities.The company has boasted about how many AI features (branded as Apple Intelligence) will run on-device without leaving your Mac, iPhone, or other Apple hardware. Still, for more difficult requests, it will send them to PCC servers that are built using Apple Silicon and a new operating system.Many AI applications from other companies also rely on servers to complete more difficult requests. Still, users don't have much line of sight into how secure those... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RQKK)
Image: Notion After taking on calendar apps earlier this year, Notion is ready to tackle emails with a fully customizable app launching next year. Much like Notion's other tools, the company says Mail will distill email down to its building blocks," allowing you to create an inbox with views, layouts, and actions tailored to your preferences.You can also use Notion AI to automatically organize, archive, or draft emails based on a prompt. Its AI can schedule meetings for you through integration with Notion's Calendar app, as well as help you quickly write personalized emails using one-click snippets." The Mail app bears some resemblance to Skiff, the secure email service Notion acquired in February. GIF: Notion Notion plans on... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Umar Shakir on (#6RQKM)
Image: Blizzard Blizzard is bringing back 6v6 matches in testing for Overwatch 2 when it launches its next season in December. The company had previously switched the series to a 5v5 format, and Blizzard is now trying these tests to find how it can make the core game even stronger" through a balanced new version of the classic 6v6 mode that lets each team have multiple tank characters once again.Game director Aaron Keller says Blizzard knows the 5v5 format appealed to and brought in a new group of players, and developers are hoping to repeat that success with the addition of 6v6 (which won't replace current formats). For a detailed write-up of what's changing, you can read the full director's take.In July, Keller noted some of the issues 6v6 faced... Continue reading...
|
by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6RD5P)
The M3 Pro generation of MacBook Pros arrived about one year ago in October 2023. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Another round of Apple devices is about to arrive. After launching new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods in September and a new iPad earlier this month, Apple is now gearing up to launch updated Macs. After weeks of rumors and speculation, Apple SVP Greg Joswiak came out and directly teased the arrival of new computers to be announced during the final week of October.We're expecting a fresh round of chip upgrades, at least one redesign, and maybe an October surprise or two (the good kind). Since there was no hyped-up save-the-date sent out for an in-person or livestream event, we're expecting a series of early morning press releases - in the past, Apple has tended to drop them around 9AM ET.Joswiak's teaser mentioned a week" of... Continue reading...
 |
by Gaby Del Valle on (#6RQHF)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Image A former Florida sheriff who moved to Russia amid an FBI investigation is a Kremlin-backed propagandist responsible for viral deepfake videos and misinformation targeting Kamala Harris's campaign, according to European intelligence documents reviewed by the Washington Post.The GRU, Russia's military intelligence service, gave funding to John Mark Dougan, the operator of several fake news websites. According to documents reviewed by the Post, Dugan was responsible for several websites that seemingly published fake local news, including DC Weekly, Chicago Chronicle, and Atlanta Observer. The documents, which mostly focus on the time between March 2021 and August of this year, show that Dougan worked with Yury Khoroshevsky, an officer... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Kylie Robison on (#6RQHG)
Image: The Verge Miles Brundage, OpenAI's senior adviser for the readiness of AGI (aka human-level artificial intelligence), delivered a stark warning as he announced his departure on Wednesday: no one is prepared for artificial general intelligence, including OpenAI itself.Neither OpenAI nor any other frontier lab is ready [for AGI], and the world is also not ready," wrote Brundage, who spent six years helping to shape the company's AI safety initiatives. To be clear, I don't think this is a controversial statement among OpenAI's leadership, and notably, that's a different question from whether the company and the world are on track to be ready at the relevant time."His exit marks the latest in a series of high-profile departures from OpenAI's... Continue reading...
|
by Umar Shakir on (#6RQHH)
Lilium's Jet eVTOL. | Image: Lilium Two years before German air taxi manufacturer Lilium promised to deliver its first two aircraft to customers, the air taxi pioneer has run out of money and will imminently stop making them. In a filing to the US SEC, Lilium says it cannot acquire the funding to continue operations in its subsidiaries (Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAircraft GmbH), and is going into insolvency. We've been covering the company continually since 2017, when it successfully took its first flight in Germany.Lilium had previously confirmed it had begun assembling its first two all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in Germany, while working towards certification from the EASA and FAA, but its first customer deliveries weren't slated until 2026.... Continue reading...
 |
by Quentyn Kennemer on (#6RQHJ)
It may be time to bury the M1 MacBook Air for good. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge Apple might be updating several Macs with M4 chips as early as next week, but it's looking like the MacBook Air lineup might not join the party until early 2025. That said, if you're on an older MacBook and can't wait to upgrade, there have been few better times than now. The base 13-inch M2 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has fallen to an all-time low of $699.9 ($200 off) at Amazon, while the step-up 512GB model is down to $949.99 ($249 off) thanks to an on-page coupon. You can even grab the M3 MacBook Air 13 at Amazon starting at $899 ($200 off), which is $50 shy of its all-time low.Although the M1 Air was technically discontinued earlier this year, we still considered its $699 price a great value for routine... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RQE3)
Image: Bluesky Bluesky is working on a premium subscription that will add features like higher-quality video uploads and some profile customization options. Unlike the premium subscription offered by X, however, Bluesky's paid tier won't boost the visibility of your posts, nor will it give your account a verified" status. In a post on its blog, Bluesky also notes that the platform will always be free to use."Subscription revenue helps us improve the app, grow the developer ecosystem, and gives us time to explore business models beyond traditional ads," Bluesky chief operating officer Rose Wang wrote in a post. Paid subscribers won't get special treatment elsewhere in the app, like upranking premium accounts or blue checks next to their names."
|
 |
by Chris Welch on (#6RQE4)
Google's Magic Editor added several questionable items to this scene. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge There's no putting the genie back in the bottle when it comes to generative AI forever shaking our trust in photos, but the tech industry has a responsibility to at least be as transparent as possible when these tools are used. To that end, Google has announced that starting next week, Google Photos will note when an image was edited with the help of AI.Photos edited with tools like Magic Editor, Magic Eraser and Zoom Enhance already include metadata based on technical standards from The International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) to indicate that they've been edited using generative AI," John Fisher, engineering director of Google Photos, wrote in a blog post. Now we're taking it a step further, making this information... Continue reading...
|
by Charles Pulliam-Moore on (#6RQE5)
Image: Sony Sony's third Venom feature feels like another throwback to when comic book movies kept things short and silly. Continue reading...
 |
by Jay Peters on (#6RQA9)
Illustration: The Verge Apple is adding a new child safety feature that lets kids send a report to Apple when they are sent photos or videos with nudity, according to The Guardian. After reviewing anything received, the company can report messages to law enforcement.The new feature expands on Apple's Communication Safety feature, which uses on-device scanning to detect nudity in photos or videos received via Messages, AirDrop, or Contact Poster and blur them out. In addition to blurring the photo or video, Apple also shows a pop-up with options to message an adult, get resources for help, or block the contact.As part of this new feature, which is in testing now in Australia with iOS 18.2, users will also be able to send a report to Apple about any images or... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Umar Shakir on (#6RQAA)
There's a banner printed on the top of the card that tells you there's a gift card inside. | Image: Hallmark Hallmark announced new physical greeting cards that include digital gift cards inside. The Gift Card Greetings" line means you can hand someone a real card, paired with the convenience of not needing to tape on an extra piece of plastic. It's a little bit more personal than buying someone an e-gift card and having a code land somewhere in their email inbox.The gift card comes in the form of a QR code printed on the inside flap of Hallmark's card that is used for both loading and redeeming its value. The new cards are an expansion of Hallmark's other digital-gift-in-a-physical-card idea that lets you include cash via Venmo, so you don't have to go to the ATM.For the new cards, the buyer peels off a sticker to reveal the QR code, and... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RQAB)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Verizon has relaunched its family-tracking app with a Safe Walk SOS feature, allowing users to share their real-time location with emergency contacts and send notifications when they arrive safely. Users can also access a silent SOS button that will alert contacts if they need help.The new Verizon Family app replaces the Smart Family service that the carrier launched in 2019. It comes with many of the same features, including ways to track the locations of family members, view how much time a child is spending on their phone, and set limits on screen time.The Verizon Family app also lets parents view their child's call and text activity (without actually viewing their messages), monitor their teen's driving activity, and set location... Continue reading...
|
by Jay Peters on (#6RQAC)
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Apple may not be doing a formal product event this October, but Apple SVP Greg Joswiak is teasing a week" of Mac announcements starting on Monday morning.Rumors have been swirling about announcements of updated Macs. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has been all over them, saying in an early October Power On newsletter that Apple was planning to announce a suite of Macs powered by M4 chips as well as a refreshed iPad Mini - though that has since been announced.
 |
by Justine Calma on (#6RQAD)
Illustrations by Alex Castro / The Verge Governments face a deadline in early 2025 to update their national climate plans, 10 years after the adoption of the landmark Paris accord. Before that can happen, Americans will face a crucial decision on Election Day that will have consequences for the whole world.If the US misses that deadline under a president who thinks this is no big deal, it could be a serious blow to global efforts to stop climate change. This isn't about the US being the world's savior. It's about cleaning up after itself considering the planetary mess it's made and continues to make.What's at stake? Only debilitating impacts to people, planet and economies," the latest United Nations report on greenhouse gas emissions released today tells us.We are a... Continue reading...
|
by Tom Warren on (#6RQAE)
Image: Intel Intel's flagship Core Ultra 200S-series processor runs more efficiently, but PC gaming performance is disappointing. Continue reading...
 |
by Andrew Liszewski on (#6RQ6J)
The Razer Barracuda X Chroma headphones feature size zones of customizable RGB lighting. | Image: Razer Razer has announced a new version of its Barracuda X wireless gaming headset that adds a glowing Razer logo and a ring of color-changing LEDs outlining each earcup. The new Barracuda X Chroma headphones are now available for preorder in a black or white colorway for $129.99 and are expected to ship in late October or early November.As with other Razer headphones featuring RGB LEDs, the Barracuda X Chroma's accent lighting can be customized through the Razer Chroma Studio desktop app or the Razer Audio mobile app. The headphones feature six zones that can be set to one of 16.8 million colors to match the motif of a gaming room or other hardware, or you can choose from preset effects, including lighting that corresponds to over 300... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Gaby Del Valle on (#6RQ6K)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images The Department of Justice sent America PAC - the political action committee Elon Musk set up to help reelect former President Donald Trump - a letter warning that Musk's $1 million lottery targeting swing state voters may be illegal. It's the latest government attempt to regulate Musk, but it may go nowhere, even though campaign finance experts are adamant that he broke the law.A vocal Trump supporter, Musk is using his vast fortune to influence the election. He's contributed $75 million to the PAC thus far and has been stumping for Trump in Pennsylvania, a battleground state, since last week. But Musk's actions go far beyond typical - and legal - wealthy donor behavior.Musk has made payouts to voters a key element of his campaigning.... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Andrew Liszewski on (#6RQ6M)
Satechi's magnetic charging pad gets a Qi2 upgrade and a small price bump. | Image: Satechi Satechi has announced an updated version of its Trio Wireless Charging Pad that increases the power delivery to smartphones to 15W through an upgraded Qi2 charger. The new Satechi Qi2 Trio Wireless Charging Pad now also supports 5W fast charging for the Apple Watch, including the Series 7, 8, and 9 and both versions of the Ultra.Made from a mix of aluminum, vegan leather, and soft silicone to prevent devices from getting scratched, the charging pad is available starting today through Satechi's website for $129.99. That's $10 more expensive than the original version, but in addition to potentially faster charge times, Satechi has also included some design improvements on the new Trio. Image: Satechi Devices... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RQ6N)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Peacock's multiview feature isn't just for sports - it's also good for tracking the action on election night, apparently. As votes roll in on November 5th, Peacock will show three different livestreams that you can jump between.One window will have a stream of NBC News Now, which will show breaking news and real-time election results from anchors Lester Holt and Savannah Guthrie. The multiview setup will also include a Kornacki Cam" with analysis from correspondent Steve Kornacki as well as a map with election results from across the country.Just like the multiview option for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Peacock will let you move between each screen, toggle the audio on or off for specific streams, and select a livestream to watch in full... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Nilay Patel on (#6RQ6P)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Getty Images The latest AI manifesto, from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, says a lot about the industry's current moment. Continue reading...
|
 |
by Andrew Liszewski on (#6RQ6Q)
Google Calendar on the web's new dark mode started rolling out to users on October 23rd. | Image: Google Google is finally introducing a dark mode to the web version of Google Calendar and rolling out a refreshed user interface." The new UI will include buttons, dialog boxes, and sidebars that are more modern and accessible" with improved typefaces.The update started rolling out this week and soon it will be available to everyone, whether they're using a personal Gmail login or any sort of paid Google Workspace account.Once it's available on your account, you can turn on the dark mode by clicking the settings icon in the top right corner of the Google Calendar interface, which presents a new drop-down menu with the dark option available under Appearance." Users can also switch back to the light option or choose to match their... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Umar Shakir on (#6RQ6R)
Image: Activision Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is launching on Nvidia's GeForce Now game streaming service on Friday, October 25th - the same day it launches on all other platforms. It's the first time a Call of Duty game is launching day one on GeForce Now, which follows Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023 and a deal to launch its games on Nvidia's service.New Call of Duty releases had exclusive content deals with PlayStation for many years, but Microsoft struck a deal with Sony as part of a promise it would bring parity for the franchise's future launches when it acquired Activision Blizzard. Microsoft had to compromise in its buyout of Activision Blizzard to get past regulators, which included bringing games from the... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Emma Roth on (#6RQ3Y)
Image: Minecraft Minecraft will officially stop supporting all virtual reality headsets after March 2025, according to an update posted to the Bedrock changelog. The update means Minecraft will no longer support devices like the Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality headsets, or the Meta Quest (through Quest Link), as reported earlier by UploadVR.Last month, Minecraft developer Mojang also announced that the game would end support for PlayStation VR headsets next March. When Minecraft's spring update rolls around, Mojang says you'll still be able to keep building in your worlds, and your Marketplace purchases (including Minecoins) will continue to be available on a non-VR/MR graphics device such as a computer monitor."As pointed out by UploadVR, you'll... Continue reading...
|
 |
by Jess Weatherbed on (#6RQ3Z)
Image: Snapchat Starting this week, Snapchat is introducing a faster way for iPhone users to take snaps when they're in a rush. iPhones running iOS 18 or later can replace the flashlight or native camera shortcuts at the bottom of the lock screen with shortcuts to Snapchat's camera.With the new shortcuts, you can launch the Snapchat camera directly from the lock screen with a single tap, making it easier to capture moments before they pass. Using these controls enables iPhones to launch and take photos in Camera Only" mode while locked, but sending or editing the snaps will still require users to unlock the device.To set this up, users need to tap and hold the Lock Screen, hit Customize, and then select Lock Screen to replace one of the default... Continue reading...
|