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by Allison Johnson on (#6CZMH)
Phones rule everything around me. I don't have hard data on this, but most people probably rank switching to a new phone somewhere around dental cleaning" and trip to the DMV." A few years ago, I felt that way, too. Dozens of phone reviews later, switching devices has become just as routine as taking out the recycling every week.Sure, sometimes things get mucked up and I have to tag in my wireless carrier (thanks a bunch, eSIM), but I'm living proof that it's possible to switch to an entirely new phone every week without suffering any serious emotional or social consequences. And you can, too! I promise it's not as painful as it seems.I'm living proof that you can switch to a new phone every week without suffering any serious emotional or social consequencesMost... Continue reading...
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The Verge - All Posts
| Link | https://www.theverge.com/ |
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| Updated | 2024-11-26 07:00 |
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by Mia Sato on (#6CZMJ)
Image: The Verge Over the last eight months, disparate segments of the public have clamored to integrate generative AI software like OpenAI's ChatGPT into their daily lives - and especially into their work.Everyone from doctors and online marketers to students and tennis announcers is experimenting with bringing AI tools into the fold. Aspiring millionaire spammers are using chatbots to speed up their junk generation, while artists are using AI art tools like Midjourney to beat out human competition. At least one lazy lawyer tried - and failed - to cut down on the research they needed to do. The promise of maximizing output and saving time is driving much of the experimentation."News outlets are among the institutions that have latched onto this... Continue reading...
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by Emilia David on (#6CZMK)
Photo by Vernon Yuen / NurPhoto via Getty Images China has released new guidelines on generative AI services, limiting their public use while encouraging industrial development.Reuters reported the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) softened its stance compared to draft rules in April. These new interim regulations will take effect on August 15th. The guidelines only affect organizations offering generative AI services to the public. Other entities developing the same technology but not for mass-market use do not fall under the measures.The rules (translated via Google Translate) retain some wording from the April proposal. They continue to mandate generative AI services must adhere to core values of socialism" and not attempt to overthrow state power or the socialist... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6CZMM)
The green version of the Buds 2 will save you more green today. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Even two days after Amazon Prime Day, there are still some lingering deals sticking around, but here's one that somehow got slightly better. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 in olive green are on sale for $79.96 ($70 off) at Amazon (with slightly delayed shipping). That about matches the all-time low price of the very capable noise-canceling earbuds. They may not be as fancy as Pro" models from Samsung or Apple, but they nail the essentials for Bluetooth wireless earbuds, and they sound good. The Buds 2 even have a great feature that much pricier earbuds from the likes of Beats and Bose often omit - wireless charging.If olive green isn't your jam, the graphite and lavender colors are also available at Amazon for $10 more - still a very... Continue reading...
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by Ash Parrish on (#6CZH6)
Image: Sanrio / Sunblink The makers of Hello Kitty Island Adventure want you to know the game has nothing to do with South Park.Back in 2006, South Park finally made itself relevant to me with its World of Warcraft episode. In the episode, the boys take up the MMO and try to recruit Butters to join them. He refuses, explaining that he has simpler tastes, preferring to play Hello Kitty Island Adventure instead.It's a throwaway line, meant to elicit nothing more than a sneer from the gamers watching that Butters would dare admit aloud to playing something so childish. But though the game sounded exactly like a PlayStation 2 Japanese-only launch title or something that was on a CD-ROM for Windows 98, it didn't actually exist.That is until now.Announced late... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6CZH7)
Image: Apple Some video game experiences are simply timeless, whether that's matching up blocks in Tetris or blowing away fish with a shotgun. Good news for fans of the latter: Ridiculous Fishing, a mobile classic, is back in an updated form on Apple Arcade. And it's just as obscenely engrossing and silly as the original.The new version is called Ridiculous Fishing EX, and for the most part, it plays the same as the one that launched way back in 2013 and inspired an army of clones. If you haven't played before, the game is basically divided into three segments. First, you drop your line into the water and tilt your phone back and forth to avoid the various fish and other sea creatures swimming around. The goal is to get as deep as possible before... Continue reading...
by Dan Seifert on (#6CZE4)
The Yoga Book 9i jettisons the traditional lower laptop deck for a second touchscreen, which opens up some interesting use cases along with some compromises. Continue reading...
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by David Nield on (#6CZE5)
Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge If you've invested hours in achieving high scores, exploring open worlds, and leveling up, then you absolutely don't want someone you live with - or a passing guest - to sit themselves down in front of your console and interfere with all that hard work.Whether you use a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S, you can configure multiple user accounts so that games, achievements, and apps belong to you and you alone - while giving other people the chance to play on the console as well.And you have a couple of options, depending if these are registered users or guests. Users who already have their own Sony or Microsoft accounts will only need to enter the credentials for these accounts once and can protect those accounts with a... Continue reading...
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by Makena Kelly on (#6CZE6)
Image: Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images House Republicans came to the defense of Elon Musk Thursday, tearing into Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan over an agency investigation they claim borders on obsession" with Twitter and its owner.The blustering support for the billionaire dominated a Thursday House Judiciary Committee hearing overseeing the agency's work under Khan's leadership. The committee's chair, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), set the tone right out of the gate, calling Khan's leadership a disaster" and suggesting that the FTC's Twitter probe was politically motivated.Why are you harassing Twitter?" Jordan pressed Khan Thursday. This wasn't harassment. It was a shakedown."The hearing came hours after Musk asked a federal court to end the FTC's investigation... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6CZE7)
LG CEO William Cho (pictured above at CES 2023) has revealed how the company plans to squeeze additional revenue out of its customers. | Photo by David Becker/Getty Images LG Electronics is looking to squeeze some additional cash from its customers by going all in on advertising and subscription offerings for its home appliances and televisions. It's part of a plan to increase global annual revenue from the $51 billion reported last year to almost $79 billion by 2030. Part of that growth strategy is to get webOS - the operating system running LG smart TVs - onto more external TV brands and other product groups."On Wednesday, LG CEO William Cho announced the Korean tech giant's intention to transform itself into a smart life solution company" by diversifying its current business portfolio and creating a business model that focuses on customer engagement." LG's new growth strategy will introduce a... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6CZBB)
At press time, we weren't provided images of the rally-inspired Mustang Mach-E, so please enjoy this photo of the Mustang logo until such images become available. | Image: Ford Ford announced a first-ever" rally-inspired Mustang Mach-E for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, which kicked off this week. And what's more, the special-edition EV will be available to order in the US and Europe later this year.We don't have much more information about the Mustang Mach-E Rally, as Ford would not provide specifications or images of the vehicle before the publication of this article. But the company did say the EV would be a true off-roader with a focus on speed and performance - as is typical of vehicles designed for the notoriously hilly Goodwood Festival.The freedom to venture off the asphalt and beyond the beaten path"Mustang Mach-E took the freedom and fun of Mustang and made it free from emissions.... Continue reading...
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by Sean Hollister on (#6CZ1G)
Image: Lego All the Lego news that Verge readers deserve. Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6CYZQ)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Reddit is sunsetting its current coins and awards systems, meaning you soon won't be able to thank a kind stranger for giving you Reddit Gold for one of your posts.Awards are little icons on posts you might have come across while scrolling around Reddit, and they're given by other users to show appreciation for a post. Perhaps the most commonly-known award is Reddit Gold, which shows up as a gold medal with a star, but there also reaction awards and awards specific to certain communities. Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge See all those icons? Those are awards. To buy an award, you need to use Reddit Coins, but if you don't already have some, you aren't able to get any more of them as of Thursday, according... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6CYY3)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The biggest Reddit community that's still private as part of the Reddit protest is now encouraging its users to congregate elsewhere: Discord and Substack.If you currently try to visit r/malefashionadvice, which has more than 5 million subscribers, you'll be greeted with a page that suggests you visit the community's Discord and Substack instead. r/malefashionadvice was a great resource for fashion conversation and guides, and the Discord and Substack offer alternative homes for those resources. Specifically, the Discord lets members of the community chat amongst themselves and post about things like fits and inspiration, while the Substack hosts a lot of guides. Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge One of the... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6CYY5)
Image: Laura Normand / The Verge The Elon Musk-owned X Corp. is suing four unnamed individuals over allegations they illegally scraped user data from Twitter, as first reported by CNBC. The lawsuit was filed in a Dallas County, Texas, court on July 6th and seeks over $1 million in damages.According to the complaint, the four entities, which are identified only by their IP addresses, unlawfully scraped Twitter user data in violation of the platform's terms of service. The lawsuit describes these IP addresses as flooding" Twitter's sign-up page with automated requests," which allegedly put a strain on the company's servers and disrupted users' experience.X Corp. says it has been unable to ascertain" the identities of all four individuals. The company alleges that... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6CYY6)
The AMPTP proposal will sound familiar to Black Mirror fans. | Image: Netflix During today's press conference in which Hollywood actors confirmed that they were going on strike, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's chief negotiator, revealed a proposal from Hollywood studios that sounds ripped right out of a Black Mirror episode.In a statement about the strike, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said that its proposal included a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors' digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members."When asked about the proposal during the press conference, Crabtree-Ireland said that This groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get one day's pay, and their companies... Continue reading...
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by Mia Sato on (#6CYY7)
Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Months after Elon Musk announced that some Twitter users will be eligible to earn money via ads on the platform, popular creators are finally getting an update: the money is coming within the next 72 hours."The revenue sharing program is only available to users who pay for a Twitter Blue subscription and is driven by ads placed in the replies to tweets. So far, payout amounts are ranging from a few thousand dollars to nearly $40,000 for accounts with a few million followers. In a thread, Twitter says it will expand eligibility to more creators later this month.
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by Umar Shakir on (#6CYVK)
Get that rally car feeling - but with an EV. | Image: Hyundai Electric vehicles aren't often thought of as fun to drive machines compared to gear-shifting gas vehicles, but Hyundai is doing its part to bridge the gap with the new Ioniq 5 N performance variant. As the name suggests, the automaker handed its popular crossover EV off to the teams at its N" subbrand and is giving it a virtual eight-speed transmission and up to 478kW (the equivalent of 641 horsepower).The new e-shift" dual-clutch transmission is designed to make the 2024 Ioniq 5 N feel like an internal combustion engine vehicle without the emissions. It simulates gear shifting by adjusting torque output on the dual motors and includes jolts and fake engine noises that help you pretend you're firing pistons on the racetrack. You can... Continue reading...
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by Charles Pulliam-Moore on (#6CYVM)
Image: SAG-AFTRA After weeks of unsuccessful negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the union representing about 160,000 of the entertainment industry's American laborers will begin striking at midnight tonight.This afternoon, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced that the union's national board has unanimously voted to go on strike in direct response to the AMPTP's refusal to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers."Crabtree-Ireland said that while SAG-AFTRA - which represents thousands of actors,... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6CWZ0)
Amazon's last-gen Echo Dot is still sitting at $22.99 thanks to an ongoing Prime Day promo at Woot. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Everybody wants to save big during major deals events like Amazon Prime Day, but the little purchases are often the ones we end up using all the time. Whether it's a quality HDMI 2.1 or USB-C cable, a convenient charger for your phone, or a quirky little accessory you never knew you needed - nothing beats a great deal on something affordable that you get tons of use from.However, there's a plethora of crap on sale at these prices, too, which is why we sifted through all the remaining dreck Amazon drummed up during Prime Day to find a handful of excellent deals you can still get. Sure, not all of the items here are discounted as low as they were during Prime Day, but if you're looking to be extra frugal, there are still plenty of deals... Continue reading...
by Jess Weatherbed on (#6CYVN)
The investigation has been referred to the next phase, where the merger will be assessed by an independent panel. | Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge Adobe's $20 billion bid for cloud-based design platform Figma will now be subject to an in-depth probe by the UK's competition watchdog, which will decide whether to approve the merger or block the deal entirely.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Thursday that it had referred the acquisition for a phase two" investigation - a longer, more intensive assessment carried out by an independent CMA panel - after Adobe and Figma informed the regulator that they wouldn't provide resolutions to address concerns the merger would cause a substantial lessening of competition" for designers in the UK.The CMA has until December 27th to conclude the second phase of its investigationFollowing its initial phase one"... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6CYR9)
Now, if only Starfield could get here a little quicker. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge It's not often we see sold-out Amazon Prime Day deals suddenly resurrect from the dead less than a day after the event ended, never mind on a console like the Xbox Series X. That's why it's worth jumping on this rare deal while it's still around. Right now, you can pick up Microsoft's next-gen console on sale at Dell for $449.99 ($50 off).Unlike the smaller Xbox Series S, the Series X features a built-in Blu-ray drive, allowing you to play both physical games and digital titles. It's equipped with 1TB of storage - twice that of the Series S - and more processing power, which, combined with the console's support for 120Hz gaming, make it a noticeable step up from Microsoft's entry-level system. It's also a great way to tap into one of... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6CYRA)
Microsoft's new Aptos default font. | Image: Microsoft Microsoft is replacing its Calibri default font with Aptos, a new sans-serif typeface that's inspired by mid-20th-century Swiss typography. Previously known as Bierstadt, Microsoft has been on the hunt for its new Aptos default font over the past couple of years. The software giant commissioned five new custom fonts for Office in 2021, and the Aptos font was picked as the default after years of feedback.Today we begin the final phase of this major change where Aptos will start appearing as the new default font across Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel for hundreds of millions of users," explains Si Daniels, a principal program manager at Microsoft, in a design blog post today. And, over the next few months it will roll out to be the... Continue reading...
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by Emilia David on (#6CYRB)
Photo by Win McNamee / Getty Images The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating ChatGPT creator OpenAI over possible consumer harm through its data collection and the publication of false information.First reported by The Washington Post, the FTC sent a 20-page letter to the company this week. The letter requests documents related to developing and training its large language models, as well as data security.The FTC wants to get detailed information on how OpenAI vets information used in training for its models and how it prevents false claims from being shown to ChatGPT users. It also wants to learn more about how APIs connect to its systems and how data is protected when accessed by third parties.The FTC declined to comment. OpenAI did not immediately... Continue reading...
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by Elizabeth Lopatto on (#6CYRC)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ripple's XRP token was an investment contract when the company sold it to institutional investors, a judge ruled today. The case, brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, is one of the biggest in determining whether tokens are securities. Though this is an intermediate ruling in a larger case, it's still significant.In the ruling, Judge Analisa Torres found that Ripple's $728.9 million sales of XRP to institutional investors - hedge funds, etc. - were unregistered securities offerings. However, the programmatic sales and those by Ripple's CEOs weren't. The case will go to a jury trial to decide other claims.There are long-standing questions about whether cryptocurrencies are actually securitiesIn the suit, the SEC alleged... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6CWGG)
The Amazfit Band 7, a fitness tracker that offers terrific value for the money, is still on sale for $37.99. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Amazon Prime Day may now officially be a thing of the past, but that doesn't mean all the deals have disappeared. In fact, not only are there still some deals kicking around, but some are just as budget-friendly as they were before. There are a variety of gadgets and gizmos on sale, too, from fitness trackers like the Amazfit Band 7 to streaming devices like Google's 4K-ready Chromecast, all of which you can buy for under $50.Below, we've rounded up an assortment of cheap Prime Day deals you can still get. While some are only available to Amazon Prime members, in some cases, retailers are matching those prices, so there should be a deal available to everybody if you poke around.The best Prime Day deals for under $50
by Andrew Webster on (#6CYRD)
Image: EA EA's foray into its post-FIFA future starts very soon. During a livestreamed event, the publisher announced today that its new soccer franchise, EA Sports FC, will debut in early access on September 22nd before a wider launch on September 29th. It'll be available on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. You can get a first look at the new title - officially known as EA Sports FC 24, or FC24 for short - in the first gameplay trailer above.The event opened with a lengthy monologue from EA CEO Andrew Wilson, in which he explained his long history with the sport, including his work at EA Sports, and managed to not say the word FIFA once. We're going to take another giant leap forward,"... Continue reading...
by Emma Roth on (#6CYKQ)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge OpenAI will train its AI models on The Associated Press' news stories for the next two years, thanks to an agreement first reported by Axios. The deal between the two companies will give OpenAI access to some of the content in AP's archive as far back as 1985.As part of the agreement, AP will gain access to OpenAI's technology and product expertise," although it's not clear exactly what that entails. AP has long been exploring AI features and began generating reports about company earnings in 2014. It later leveraged the technology to automate stories about Minor League Baseball and college sports.AP joins OpenAI's growing list of partners. On Tuesday, the AI company announced a six-year deal with Shutterstock that will let OpenAI... Continue reading...
by Ash Parrish on (#6CYKR)
Image: Sony PlayStation's accessibility controller finally has a release date and a price.July is Disability Pride Month, a celebration of people with disabilities established to mark the anniversary of the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. PlayStation seems to be getting in on the celebration with its announcement that its Access controller will be available for preorder on July 21st, with the controller launching officially in the US on December 6th.The Access controller is deeply customizable, designed to accommodate any player's specific needs. From Sony's blog: You can map buttons to create up to 30 control profiles, adjust stick settings, toggle commands on / off, or disable buttons altogether to stop... Continue reading...
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by Allison Johnson on (#6C9Y9)
The rear of 2022's Nothing Phone 1. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Our constantly updated list of all the information about Nothing's second phone. Continue reading...
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by Allison Johnson on (#6CYKS)
Form, function, and a good midrange phone. Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6CYG0)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The former CEO of the fallen Celsius crypto lending company, Alex Mashinsky, and the company's chief revenue officer, Roni Cohen-Pavon, have been arrested on charges of committing securities fraud, according to Bloomberg. On Thursday, the Justice Department unsealed charges against Mashinsky and Cohen-Pavon for inflating the price of Celsius' crypto token, called CEL, while lying to Celsius customers about the token, their activities, and the company's overall health.The DOJ claims Mashinsky and Cohen-Pavon illicitly manipulated the price of CEL," causing investors to buy the token at inflated prices. The DOJ claims that selling their tokens, even as Mashinsky told Celsius customers he wasn't selling, pulled in $42 million for... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6CYG1)
Illustration: The Verge If you're using the new macOS Sonoma beta, you might want to know about a glorious new bridge between ecosystems that lets Mac Chrome users connect with their iCloud passwords. Apple has updated its iCloud Passwords Chrome extension with a new feature that lets you directly pull passwords from iCloud, keeping you from needing to open Safari or migrate your iCloud passwords to another password manager.Apple software engineering manager Ricky Mondello tweeted about the new feature yesterday. Mondello explained that the Chrome extension can also AutoFill passwords and one-time codes, save new passwords, and lets you right-click QR codes to set up code generators.
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by Emilia David on (#6CYG2)
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge US policymakers hope to require online platforms to disclose information about their algorithms and allow the government to intervene if these are found to discriminate based on criteria like race or gender.Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) reintroduced the Algorithmic Justice and Online Platform Transparency Act, which aims to ban the use of discriminatory or harmful" automated decision-making. It would also establish safety standards, require platforms to provide a plain language explanation of algorithms used by websites, publish annual reports on content moderation practices, and create a governmental task force to investigate discriminatory algorithmic processes.The bill applies to online platforms" or any... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6CYG3)
Image: Susie Allnutt / Netflix We're approaching the end of an era for Netflix's adaptation of The Witcher. When the final episodes of season 3 drop on July 27th, it will mark the conclusion of Henry Cavill's run as Geralt of Rivia, with Liam Hemsworth taking over the role for subsequent seasons.In a new trailer, Netflix shows what fans can expect in those last episodes - and it looks like a big, bloody war. At one point, Geralt's sword shatters in battle, suggesting his new big bad enemy is a tough one, and the trailer ends with him saying, There's no coming back from this." Now that's ominous.The first half - or volume, as Netflix calls it - of The Witcher's third season started streaming in June, and it was clearly setting up this kind of large-scale conflict... Continue reading...
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by Thomas Ricker on (#6CYG4)
Cowboy sends you its love. | Image: Cowboy Belgian e-bike maker Cowboy has released a free app to keep rival VanMoof owners on the road now that the Dutch company is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.The Bikey app - get it... bike key - can generate and save a VanMoof owner's unique digital key, which might be needed if the company's servers are ever taken offline. It also provides basic access to the VanMoof e-bike's settings. The key can be exported elsewhere for safekeeping.The app currently only works with S3 and X3 e-bike models, the most common VanMoof e-bikes currently on the road, with support for new S5 and A5 e-bikes on the way. It's in beta and is iOS only for now, with an Android beta releasing soon. Cowboy says that nothing is shared outside of the app," not... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6CYG5)
Image: Telly The free TV company Telly has started shipping its ad-supported TVs to its first wave of customers. Telly first opened its waitlist in May and plans on shipping 500,000 free TVs to customers by the end of 2023 - and millions more" in 2024.Unlike most TVs, beneath Telly's 55-inch 4K display is a smaller screen separated from the main display by a soundbar. That thinner display is dedicated to showing advertisements, which is the point of its business model.To even use the thing, you'll need to commit to having your viewing data sucked up and used by advertisers. If you're okay with that, you can also use the secondary display to show widgets that surface sports scores, a news sticker, the weather, and more. The TV features a camera... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6CYD1)
Illustration by Hugo Herrera for The Verge We've now endured two whole days of Amazon Prime Day, which had us poring over thousands of deals and covering hundreds of the best the tech world had to offer - and yet, we're not quite done here.As usual, there are still a bunch of lingering discounts to sift through. So if you didn't yet blow your entire budget on gadgets like wireless earbuds, tablets, e-readers, video games, or fancy smart home accessories, well, there's still time to make that happen.Below are the best remaining Prime Day deals for 2023, the stubborn ones that just won't go quietly into the night, still vying for your hard-earned money. It's your final chance to consider that big or small purchase and decide whether you're pulling the trigger or holding out for... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6CYD0)
Lou Llobell in season 2 of Foundation. | Image: Apple Adaptations of big, complex books tend to start slow - and that's usually because there's just so much to explain. It was true of Game of Thrones and The Rings of Power, and it was especially true of Foundation on Apple TV Plus, which took Isaac Asimov's novels and turned them into prestige television. With unusual concepts like psychohistory (a kind of math that can predict the future) and a genetic dynasty (a never-ending line of clone emperors who rule the galaxy), the first few episodes of season 1 were bogged down by exposition.According to David S. Goyer, showrunner on Foundation, there really wasn't a way to avoid that. I felt like the first three episodes of season 1 were so exposition heavy, but - trust me - we tormented... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6CYA4)
After parting ways with FIFA, EA is moving forward with a new brand this year. Continue reading...
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by Sean Hollister on (#6CYA5)
The Last of Us running on a Steam Deck. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge The Last of Us Part I arrived on PC this March as an embarrassing, broken PC port of a game, even on high-end machines. When I tried it on my Steam Deck handheld, the game was utterly unplayable - despite co-creator Neil Druckmann's assurances that the game would grace" the Steam Deck.But after 11 patches, I can finally confirm The Last of Us is completely playable on Valve's portable PC.It's safe to go back in the... clicker-infested water?As of last night I've completed all 14 hours of the game on my Deck alone, and I haven't seen a single crash or game-breaking glitch. I rarely saw the frame rate drop below a locked 30 frames per second on default settings, and I've comfortably pressed the power button at any time to suspend and... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6CY5X)
Illustration: The Verge Google is adding some new features to its Bard AI chatbot, including the ability for Bard to speak its answers to you and for it to respond to prompts that also include images. The chatbot is also now available in much of the world, including the EU.In a blog post, Google is positioning Bard's spoken responses as a helpful way to correct pronunciation of a word or listen to a poem or script." You'll be able to hear spoken responses by entering a prompt and selecting the sound icon. Spoken responses will be available in more than 40 languages and are live now, according to Google.The feature that lets you add images to prompts is something that Google first showed off at its I/O conference in May. In one example, Google suggested you... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6CXWG)
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge There are many, many deals going on during Amazon Prime Day, even now well into day two. But these sub-$100 deals right here are the Goldilocks of Prime Day deals - not too pricey and not too cheap. They're that perfect balance of a good value that's likely to still get you buzzing with anticipation for when the package arrives in the mail.So what can $100 get you in the world of tech? Quite a lot, actually. There's smart home stuff like a very capable smart display, an excellent e-reader for diving into more books than you can read in a lifetime, a mobile game controller for your iPhone, a desktop mic that's a favorite among podcasters and Twitch streamers, and a whole lot more.Here are some of the best Prime Day deals for a cool... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6CY31)
Photo by Robert Nickelsberg / Getty Images Raising speed limits leads to more frequent car crashes, while lowering them leads to fewer crashes, a new analysis by AAA concludes. It's the kind of conclusion that seems obvious on the surface but still needs to be highlighted given how many states seem convinced that raising speed limits can save drivers time, when all it really does is endanger the lives of pedestrians and cyclists.The report is the latest in a growing body of evidence that finds that changing speed limits can have a big impact on road safety in the US. AAA analyzed a dozen roadways of varying types in the US in which half raised their speed limits while the other half lowered the limit. The group then did a before-and-after assessment to see what kind of impact... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6CXB6)
Illustration by Hugo Herrera for The Verge As they say, it's the final countdown. There are now just a couple of hours left of Prime Day 2023, everybody's favorite midsummer shopping event hosted by Amazon. That means that, if you've been on the fence about a certain deal, it might be a good time to take the plunge before it (most likely) disappears tomorrow.Luckily, many of the best deals we saw yesterday and earlier today are still around, despite the fact we're now at the tail end of the event. Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and other retailers are even matching Amazon's prices in many cases, which means there are still deals available even if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership.To save you both time and money in these final hours, we've combed through thousands of... Continue reading...
by Monica Chin on (#6CWCG)
Apple's M1 MacBook Air certainly isn't new, but for $749.99, it still has plenty to offer. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Amazon Prime Day may be almost done, but you can still save on a bunch of gadgets spanning a range of categories. If you're in the market for a good laptop deal, though, this is where you'll find them all.Despite it being the waning hours of Prime Day, a bunch of different laptops of all shapes and sizes are still on sale at Amazon, from Apple devices and Windows PCs to even gaming laptops. But not all deals are created equal (and there are some truly bad ones out there), so we've picked out the best bargains right here.Take a look, and if you need some extra help, be sure to also check out our guide to the best laptops.Best Prime Day deals on Windows laptops
by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on (#6CWGC)
The Google Nest Wifi Pro is on sale, if you want a pretty good mesh system that looks like it has a candy shell. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Good evening. It's still Prime Day. Maybe we'll be stuck in Prime Day forever (jkjk, there are only a few hours left). Since we're here, please enjoy these deals on smart home devices. They are for sale. Please. Amazon Prime Day 2023, day two.There are some pretty good deals on robot vacuums and smart bulbs and so forth. Got a couple of cameras in here, a video doorbell or two. Smart locks. The Google Nest Wifi Pro mesh router thing that looks like it has a candy coating, which I regret to inform you is just plastic. The new Nanoleaf Matter bulbs are on sale! They're pretty. Other deals occur as well. But they'll end, as all things eventually do.Before you buy any smart home device, make sure it works with the smart home platforms and... Continue reading...
by Allison Johnson on (#6CWGJ)
Motorola's latest flip smartphone is brand new, but already on sale. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Because time is a flat circle, back-to-school season is creeping up on us just as we were getting settled into summer. Fall flagship phone launches are on the horizon, too. But before you trade in your SPF 30 for a pumpkin spice latte, there's at least one more summer soiree on the calendar: Prime Day.The annual summer shopping holiday that was foisted upon us by our online retailer overlords is here once again - well, at least for the next few hours. And if you've managed to hold off on a new phone purchase until now, I have good news for you: there are still some darn good savings to be had on an unlocked Android phone. If you managed to put off a new phone purchase until this week, then give yourself a little pat on the back; your... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6CHE7)
The Kindle Scribe has hit a new all-time low, as have other Kindle models. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge It's that time of year again. Amazon Prime Day kicked off in earnest yesterday and will last for several more hours. As an Amazon event, naturally, some of the best discounts you can still get are on Amazon's own devices. As expected, the retailer is offering some steep discounts on some of its newest smart speakers and e-readers, as well as Amazon-branded TVs, streaming devices, smart displays, and various Fire tablets.We've rounded up some of the best deals available below, many of which are set to expire later this evening when Prime Day officially wraps. Thankfully, until then, there are plenty of great discounts to go around.The best Prime Day TV and streaming device deals
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6CWQD)
Both the WH-1000XM5 (left) and last-gen WH-1000XM4 (right) headphones are on sale right now. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge If you felt left out of Amazon Prime Day this year because you're not a Prime member, it's understandable. Watching everyone else quickly grab deals you don't have access to can inspire a major case of FOMO. The good news is, however, that other retailers are still offering their own competing sales even despite the fact Prime Day is nearly over. Many don't require you to pony up for a premium subscription, either.Right now, for example, retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target are holding their own sales events and offering some good deals on noise-canceling headphones, robot vacuums, and other gadgets. In fact, in some cases, they're actually matching Amazon's day two prices. There are a lot of deals available, but we've gone... Continue reading...
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