The Verge - All Posts

Is there going to be any HBO content left for the upcoming Max app? | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Just over a month after HBO canceled its once-hit original show Westworld, it’s planning on yanking the back catalog from its streaming service, according to Variety, Deadline, IndieWire, and The Wrap.It’s currently not clear when Westworld will be removed from Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streaming service, but it likely won’t be alone. The reports indicate that HBO’s Love Life and The Nevers will also have to find new homes.When we checked on Monday evening, all three shows were still available on the service. IndieWire points out a tweet from Gordita Chronicles creator Claudia Forestieri indicating this past weekend would be the last one for her show (which is also still streaming, for now), so the ax could fall very soon.I... Continue reading…

A list of Linked Roles on a server, along with icons for the connections they’ll require. | Image: Discord Discord is making the accounts you have linked to your profile a key part of the chatting experience. It’s introducing a system called Linked Roles, where admins and moderators can grant people access to certain channels and even entire servers based on which third-party apps and websites those people have connected to their Discord account.In an extremely detailed blog post on Monday, the company says the feature, which will be rolling out over the next few weeks, will support connecting accounts from sites like Steam, Twitter, Reddit, DeviantArt, and more (there are “over twenty official Connections,” according to Discord’s blog post). Server administrators will then be able to set up certain filters based on those connections — for... Continue reading…

Would you pay for Twitter? | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Elon Musk’s $8-per-month Twitter Blue subscription with verification is officially available, and you’ll need a verified phone number to sign up.In a thread on Twitter, the platform notes that Blue will cost $11 per month if you sign up on iOS and will grant you access to the ability to edit tweets, upload 1080p videos, reader mode, and, of course, the coveted blue checkmark. If you paid for the old $4.99 / $2.99 Blue package, then you’ll need to subscribe again to keep its benefits, while anyone who signed up on Apple at the old $7.99 per month price will be automatically renewed at $11 per month unless they cancel.

I wonder how many hours of entertainment I’ve gotten from Content forged on this Throne. | Image: dril Dril, the account behind a frankly unbelievable number of viral tweets, is packaging his magnificent archive into a book and selling it for those of us who want to show off just how Online we are. According to Amazon, the Dril Archives paperback is around 240 pages and contains “10,000 of His finest Posts.”Like Taylor Swift, Dril is selling several “Flavors” of the archive — the “refined” edition lays out his posts in alphabetical order, “beloved” ranks them by the number of favorites they got, “eternal” sorts them in chronological order, and “chaotic,” obviously, is completely random. While many of us here at The Verge are big fans of the reverse chronological timeline (and it would be very interesting to see the evolution of the Dril... Continue reading…

Lyft drivers can get cash for driving an EV. Lyft, which has said it wants “100 percent” of the vehicles operating on its platform to be electric by 2030, is offering a new slate of incentives to drivers to get them to ditch their polluting, gas-powered vehicles for ones with zero tailpipe emissions.Starting today, Lyft drivers in California who use an EV are eligible to receive a bonus of $150 if they complete 50 trips in a week — which translates to an extra $3 per trip. Drivers will need to register their EVs on Lyft’s app before the end of 2023 in order to qualify for the bonus. And they can keep raking in $150 per week until they hit the bonus maximum of $8,100.Only drivers in California are eligible for the Lyft EV challenge, the company says. As the largest market for... Continue reading…

Image: Mercedes-Benz / Rivian Rivian and Mercedes-Benz halted plans to co-develop multiple new electric delivery vans based on both companies’ commercial EV platforms. Rivian put the agreement on pause reportedly because it was concerned about spending a lot of money on an expensive new vehicle development project amid a slowing economy.“At this point in time, we believe focusing on our consumer business, as well as our existing commercial business, represent the most attractive near-term opportunities to maximize value,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe stated in a press release. Both Mercedes-Benz and Rivian had signed a memorandum of understanding in September for a joint venture to build large commercial electric vans.The companies were going to build the vehicles... Continue reading…

Photo by Dieter Bohn / The Verge Yes, it was too expensive. Yes, it looked dated and clunky. Yes, there were weird things going on with the hinge. But the world needed it. Please, Microsoft, bring back the Surface Book.I’ve been using a Surface Book 2 as my primary personal laptop since 2018. When I was shopping for a computer back then, I had a particular constellation of needs that I was finding it very difficult to fill. I wanted a convertible device to watch TV and read piano music. (You laugh, but balancing a full-sized laptop atop an electric piano is a task I would not advise anyone here to attempt. Ask me how I know.) I wanted something that wasn’t too heavy because I am whatever the opposite of buff is. I also wanted to play games — not daily, but every so... Continue reading…

The Witcher 3 running on the PS5. | Image: CD Projekt Red The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has always been a beautiful game. One of my favorite things to do when I played for the first time in 2015 was just wander around on horseback soaking in the incredible atmosphere, from the crumbling ancient ruins to the bustling towns. Seven years later and I found myself awed once again while playing it on the PlayStation 5.A free next-gen patch for The Witcher 3 launches on December 14th, giving the aging open-world a boost if you’re playing on a PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or high-end PC. I’ve managed to play through the first few hours of the new version — for those who’ve already played, I’m right in the thick of the haunting “Bloody Baron” quest — and while it’s still fundamentally the same game, some of the... Continue reading…

The second-gen AirPods Pro look just like the originals, but there are improvements within. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge The second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds have returned to their lowest price, first seen during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You can get the latest top-tier wireless earbuds from Apple on sale for $199.99 at Verizon (normally $249.99). That $50 savings is as good as it gets on these earbuds, which significantly improve on the noise cancellation of the previous model and now support a handy new volume control — allowing you to slide your finger on the stem to easily increase or decrease the volume.The pricier Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II may have better noise cancellation prowess, but those $300 earbuds are much pricier than this sale price on the second-gen AirPods Pro. Plus, if you use Apple devices, you get a much tighter software... Continue reading…

MrBeast in Fortnite. | Image: Epic Games MrBeast, who recently became the most-subscribed-to creator on YouTube, is the next person to join Fortnite’s Icon Series. The creator made a brief appearance in a trailer for Fortnite’s newest season, and Epic Games is now confirming that not only will MrBeast be getting his own Fortnite skins, but also a MrBeast-themed in-game competition with a $1 million prize.If you’ve watched any of MrBeast’s outrageous challenges on his YouTube channel (recent examples: “Last To Take Hand Off Jet, Keeps It!” or “Survive 100 Days In Circle, Win $500,000”), then you might not be surprised that the in-game event is called an “extreme survival challenge.” Players will have to try and get the highest score they can on a custom-built island and the... Continue reading…

The Xiaomi 13 Pro features three 50 megapixel cameras. | Image: Xiaomi Vivo may have been the first manufacturer to announce new smartphones with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, but Xiaomi isn’t far behind with the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro. Both include Qualcomm’s new flagship processor, but only the 13 Pro gets top features like a large 1-inch-type camera sensor and support for 120W wired charging.Among the more functional differences between the two phones are their cameras. The Xiaomi 13 Pro features a total of three 50-megapixel rear cameras. The main camera uses the same 1-inch-type Sony IMX989 sensor found in the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, and its joined by a 50-megapixel telephoto, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide with support for macro photographs taken from as little as 5cm away. Meanwhile, the... Continue reading…

Returnal demands more RAM than even Microsoft Flight Simulator. | Image: Sony Sony’s Returnal is the latest PlayStation exclusive to make the jump to PC, but it comes with a hefty RAM recommendation (via WccfTech). While you’ll need a minimum of 16GB of RAM in your rig just to get it in a playable state, Returnal’s Steam listing recommends at least 32GB to get the most out of its gameplay and graphics.To get an idea of how unusual this is, not even Microsoft Flight Simulator recommends this amount of RAM; it has a minimum requirement of 8GB of RAM and recommends 16GB. Meanwhile, other graphically-demanding PC games, like Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, Dying Light 2, and A Plague Tale: Requiem, don’t suggest more than 16GB of RAM.Returnal is a third-person roguelike shooter that features undeniably... Continue reading…

NASA’s Orion capsule splashed down into the Pacific Ocean at around 12:40PM ET. | Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images NASA’s Orion spacecraft has returned to Earth. The uncrewed capsule safely splashed down into the Pacific Ocean off of Mexico’s Baja California around 12:40PM ET on Sunday, marking the end of the landmark Artemis I mission.The capsule reached speeds of about 24,500mph as it returned to Earth, while its heat shield sustained scorching temperatures of around 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Orion traveled a total of 1.4 million miles through space over the span of 25.5 days.As it reentered Earth’s atmosphere, the Orion capsule successfully performed a skip entry maneuver, in which Orion dipped into Earth’s upper atmosphere and lifted out before reentering again. The move is supposed to help the spacecraft land in the designated splashdown... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Remember that Pixel 6A mod that unlocks a 90Hz refresh rate? Well, the developer behind it, Nathan Brooke (aka Lunarixus), just made the changes public in hopes that other developers can finish off the tweak.In a post on Twitter, Brooke includes a link to the project on GitHub and says that he just doesn’t have enough time to work on it. The mod activates a seemingly untapped 90Hz refresh rate on the budget-friendly Pixel 6A, which would otherwise ship with a 6.1-inch OLED display running at 60Hz. While The Verge’s senior editor, Sean Hollister, confirmed that the mod does work, there are a few caveats.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Twitter’s relaunching its Blue subscription on Monday, one month after abandoning a chaotic first attempt that spurred hoax accounts and general mayhem.As reported previously, the subscription will cost $8 per month to purchase on the web or $11 per month via the iOS App Store to make up for the up to 30 percent commission Apple takes off of in-app purchases. This time, anyone paying for Blue who wants to display a “verified” checkmark on their profile will need to register a phone number first, and changing your “handle, display name or profile photo” will remove the label until your account is reviewed again.

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge Apple will no longer bar employees from speaking out about workplace harassment and discrimination issues, as first reported by the Financial Times. The company shared the news following a review of Apple’s non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), which previously excluded language surrounding the discussion of working conditions.Apple shareholders voted to approve the independent review in March after the company failed to make the suggested changes to its concealment clauses last year. The initiative had the backing of Nia Impact Captial, the Transparency in Employment Agreements (TEA) coalition, and Ifeoma Ozoma, the co-sponsor of the Silenced No More Act that’s supposed to protect workers who speak out about workplace harassment and... Continue reading…

The latest iPad Air uses Apple’s M1 CPU and has a more powerful camera than the last-gen model. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The holidays are quickly approaching, and if you’re doing a little weekend window shopping for yourself or others this weekend, we’ve collected a handful of excellent deals that we think we think will allow you to cross more than just a few names off your list.Starting things off is the latest iPad Air, which is discounted in the 64GB, Wi-fi configuration at Best Buy to just $499.99, matching its lowest price to date. Apple’s newest iteration of its featherweight tablet includes significant upgrades to its performance thanks to Apple’s M1 CPU, and it’s equipped with a 12MP ultrawide camera with support for Apple’s Center Stage feature. Just like the older model, the fifth-gen Air features a 10.9-inch display and is compatible with all... Continue reading…

NASA’s SLS rocket sends the Orion Capsule on its way to the Moon on November 16th, 2022. The capsule is set to return to Earth on December 11th. | Photo by Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel / Tribune News Service via Getty Images This weekend NASA’s Orion spacecraft will return to Earth, following its 25-day mission around the Moon. The uncrewed spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, December 11th.Since its launch on November 16th, Orion has traveled through Earth’s atmosphere and out into space, making a close flyby of the Moon and heading into a distant orbit, reaching a distance of over 43,000 miles from the Moon at its furthest point. Orion traveled around the Moon and made a second close flyby on the return journey and is now on its way back to Earth.The biggest challenge that awaits the spacecraft now is safely entering the Earth’s atmosphere and landing in the ocean.“At present, we are on track to have a fully successful... Continue reading…

Image: Marvel Studios We all know the feeling: you sit down in front of the TV, exhausted after a long day, only to become absolutely paralyzed by choice. There’s so much to watch and play that settling on one single thing to do can be a challenge. So we’re here to make your evenings a little less stressful. Throughout 2022 this page will be regularly updated with all of our favorite entertainment experiences — everything from the latest hit on Netflix to that open-world game people can’t stop talking about — to make those moments of choice that much easier. If you see a show, game, or movie in this collection, know that it’s an experience we fully recommend. Continue reading…

You won’t find Ye’s music in Peloton’s on-demand library. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Music is a big part of any Peloton workout, but Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, won’t be. Over the past few days, Peloton has removed hundreds of classes from its on-demand library featuring Ye’s music.In late October, Peloton began telling members that Ye’s music would no longer appear in new classes following the rapper’s antisemitic comments. However, previously filmed classes were left alone. Now it appears Ye’s presence has been entirely scrubbed from the platform.The classes first began disappearing on December 6th, according to unofficial Peloton fan site Pelo Buddy. The Verge also confirmed that searching for “Kanye West” or “Ye” no longer shows results on our Peloton Row review unit or on Peloton’s desktop site. The... Continue reading…

If you want the cheapest tier of Disney Plus, you’ll be suffering through some ads. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Disney Plus’ new ad-supported tier, Disney Plus Basic, is now available, which means I’m back for another blog about what ads look like in your streaming services. The tier itself didn’t surprise me too much; if you’ve seen ads on other web videos, actually watching Disney Plus’ ads won’t feel much different. But the service’s new pricing, including a price jump for no ads, means the ad plan isn’t a very good deal.Any ad content on Disney Plus is noted with a little “Ad” box in the bottom-left corner of the screen with a countdown showing how much longer you’ll have to suffer through it. You can pause an ad, though you can’t fast-forward through it. On the progress bar for whatever you’re watching, you’ll see little notches marking... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of failed crypto exchange FTX, loaned $27 million to Michael McCaffrey, the CEO of crypto publication The Block, to help it stay afloat, according to a Medium post from the site’s chief revenue officer, Bobby Moran. Bankman-Fried also loaned McCaffery $16 million, some of which helped him purchase property in the Bahamas, where FTX is headquartered, according to Axios, which broke the story.McCaffrey is stepping down from his position today and will be replaced by Moran. Moran writes that McCaffrey kept the funding secret from everyone else in the company until revealing it before Thanksgiving this year.

How much is that group chat in the window? | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge I have been somewhat unsure of what to make about The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times’ reports about text messages, sent on Signal, between rivals Changpeng “CZ” Zhao and Sam Bankman-Fried around the time FTX went up in smoke. That’s because I am not entirely sure who leaked them or who stands to benefit. But I’m pretty sure someone leaked to both of those outlets because the reports went up within hours of each other. So someone wants everyone to know about this!Because I don’t understand what’s going on, I’m going to walk through these two stories, which are the same in broad brushstrokes, suggesting that the sourcing was similar. (As longtime readers know, reidentifying anonymous sources is one of my favorite games, though... Continue reading…

Whether you want the best photo quality or ultra-portability, there’s a printer for you. Instant printers are an easy and entertaining way to get photos off of your phone and into the real world. Continue reading…

Image: Square Enix It might be time to stop ragging on Forspoken. Yes, it has an abysmal name (that, upon reflection, is no more ridiculous than, say, Triangle Strategy or Live A Live), but after finally getting my hands on the demo that launched yesterday, there’s actually a solid game hidden under the layers of poor promotion and cringey dialogue.I’ll admit to not being particularly wowed by Forspoken during any part of its development cycle. It looked like a very generic action RPG whose only interesting feature was that it had the shiny veneer of being a PlayStation 5 exclusive with all the souped-up graphical impressiveness that entails. The marketing for the game was not the greatest, featuring dialogue that was memed to death (and not in the good... Continue reading…

Maezawa with the dearMoon crew and two alternates. | Image: Yusaku Maezawa On Thursday, Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa announced the selection of an eight-person crew who will join him on a SpaceX mission around the Moon. Maezawa’s dearMoon mission aims to be the first private mission around the Moon, carrying artists and creatives on a SpaceX Starship.The crew consists of eight artists from a range of disciplines — it includes an EDM DJ, two photographers, a documentary filmmaker, and a YouTuber, along with other creative professionals.“I hope each and every one will recognize the responsibility that comes with leaving the Earth, traveling to the moon and back,” Maezawa said in a video about the announcement, which is translated from Japanese. “They will gain a lot from this experience, and I hope they... Continue reading…

A JetBlue plane takes off at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States, on September 15th, 2022. | Photo by Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images JetBlue is giving up carbon offsets for its domestic flights, shifting its focus instead to sustainable aviation fuels. It’s a step that could help the airline actually reduce its emissions rather than relying primarily on controversial carbon offsets to counteract its fossil fuel use.Back in 2020, JetBlue became the first US airline to voluntarily offset greenhouse gas emissions from all of its domestic flights. That effort ends in 2023, the company announced this week.The airline now plans to effectively cut its per-seat emissions in half by 2035. For flights to take off without generating as much pollution, JetBlue says its planes will need to run on sustainable aviation fuels [SAF].“JetBlue views SAF as the most promising avenue... Continue reading…

The PSVR2 headset. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge PlayStation VR2 preorders currently appear to be open to everyone with a PlayStation account, no special invitation required. When preorders first opened last month, you had to register ahead of time and then be selected by Sony to be able to put an order in for the PSVR2. But as of this writing, you can preorder Sony’s next-generation VR headset from the PlayStation Direct website and get it within a week of its February launch.I actually discovered this on accident Thursday night. I had registered for the preorder but, to my disappointment, never got an email. I figured it was a sign from the universe that I’d just have to get the headset at another time next year.But while I happened to be browsing PlayStation Direct, I noticed I... Continue reading…

Portal will look the best it ever has with an RTX 40-series GPU, but you definitely don’t need one to play the game. | Image: Nvidia and Valve A deal on a single PC game doesn’t usually rise to the top of our daily pickings of discounts, but it did today. Valve’s mind-bending and often hilarious puzzle game Portal costs a single dollar at Steam. This price cut is timed with Nvidia’s release of a big graphical overhaul of the game that adds optional ray tracing and DLSS 3 AI upscaling that’s best experienced with its pricey RTX 40-series GPUs. Thankfully, you don’t need one of those to play the game — far from it. It originally released in 2007 as part of Valve’s The Orange Box collection, and it’s compatible with Windows PCs, macOS, and the Steam Deck. Even the Portal Companion Collection containing Portal and Portal 2 for the Nintendo Switch is on sale, costing $13.39 ($6.70... Continue reading…