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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Uber is overhauling its four-year-old app safety toolkit, adding a new feature for riders to contact security company ADT during rides. The company is also expanding the availability of a feature enabling customers to text 911.The safety toolkit is a section of Uber’s app through which customers can contact emergency services, report a safety issue to the company, or share their location with a family member or friend. It was first rolled out in 2018 as a way to address the company’s abysmal record on safety. Uber claims its rides are getting safer, and today’s announcement is meant to reflect these improving conditions.“With so many safety features, it is time for an upgrade,” Rebecca Payne, the company’s lead safety product manager,... Continue reading…

Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Overengineered arthouse tech from a tiny microbrand Continue reading…

Starlink RV installed on a beach house. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge Starlink users around the world complained on Tuesday that Elon Musk’s internet from space service was down. My own Starlink RV service in the Netherlands went down for about 30 minutes. It’s now reporting “Degraded Service” which the SpaceX company is investigating, according to the Starlink app.My outage began at 3AM ET which coincides with initial reports found on Twitter and Reddit. Starlink users from the US, New Zealand, Mexico, the UK, and beyond all reported outages. Access returned to most as of 7AM ET, although many are still reporting degraded throughput. My own speeds have dropped from around 200Mbps / 30Mbps to 32Mbps / 17Mbps (down / up) at publication time.Last week SpaceX lowered the monthly subscription prices for... Continue reading…

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Elon Musk says the disclosures of Twitter’s former security chief have given him new justifications to walk away from his $44 billion deal to buy the social media platform.Musk’s lawyers filed a new “Termination Letter” with the SEC on August 29th, which cites the testimony of Twitter whistleblower Peiter “Mudge” Zatko as evidence that Twitter misled Musk in the parties’ merger agreement. Specifically, Musk claims that Twitter’s declaration in the merger agreement that it had not misled the SEC is false, citing Zatko’s allegations. In Zatko’s own complaints, which were published last week, he claimed that Twitter repeatedly and knowingly misled regulators about the security of its platform.“[Zatko’s] allegations, if true, demonstrate... Continue reading…

Team Red has been cooking up next-gen processors and graphics cards, set for release later this year. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge AMD revealed price, performance, some release dates, and more about the upcoming RDNA 3 graphics cards and Ryzen 7000 series processors during its “together we advance_PCs” livestream on Monday.Four CPUs using the new Zen 4 desktop processing architecture (codenamed “Raphael”) will launch on September 27th, 2022. The flagship Ryzen 9 7950X chip will cost $699 at launch and features 16 cores, 32 threads, and a boost clock of up to 5.7GHz. Image: AMD A rundown of pricing, specs and release date for the upcoming Ryzen 7000 series. The three other processors include the Ryzen 9 7900X (12 cores, 24 threads and a 5.6GHz boost) for $549, the Ryzen 7 7700X (8 cores, 16 threads and a 5.3GHz boost) for $399, and the... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Sony has once again quietly launched a revised PS5 model that’s more lightweight. Press Start, an Australian-based gaming site, reports that both the disc and digital versions of the PS5 are a lot lighter now, after new models began appearing in Australia this week.The new disc model (CFI-1202A) now weighs 3.9kg (8.6 pounds), a 7 percent reduction from the 2021 revision (4.2kg / 9.2 pounds) and an even bigger 13 percent reduction from the original model (4.5kg / 9.9 pounds). The digital PS5 has a similar weight loss, with the 2022 revision now weighing 3.4kg (7.5 pounds), down 13 percent from the original weight of 3.9kg (8.6 pounds). The new models mean the disc version of the PS5 now weighs the same as the original digital PS5 model.P... Continue reading…

Photo by Yang Bo/China News Service via Getty Images The French government has collected nearly €10 million in additional taxes after using machine learning to spot undeclared swimming pools in aerial photos. In France, housing taxes are calculated based on a property’s rental value, so homeowners who don’t declare swimming pools are potentially avoiding hundreds of euros in additional payments.The project to spot the undeclared pools began last October, with IT firm Capgemini working with Google to analyze publicly available aerial photos taken by France’s National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information. Software was developed to identify pools, with this information then cross-referenced with national tax and property registries.The project is somewhat limited in scope, and... Continue reading…

Logitech’s handheld looks like it runs Android. | Image: Evan Blass (Twitter) Logitech’s new cloud gaming handheld has leaked weeks after the company teased it was working on the new device. Logitech G and Tencent Games confirmed their plans for a dedicated handheld earlier this month, and now Evan Blass has tweeted pictures of the handheld which reveal access to the Google Play store, alongside support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia’s GeForce Now service.The Logitech G Gaming Handheld looks roughly the same size as a Nintendo Switch, and it even includes a Switch-like UI where you scroll through apps and games. One leaked image shows Chrome and YouTube apps, alongside Xbox, Nvidia, and Steam icons. While Blass tweeted images of the handheld, Logitech was quick to file a DMCA complaint to remove them from... Continue reading…

Photo by MTV VMA 22/Getty Images Meta has been testing support for NFT “digital collectible” posts on Instagram since May, and if you’re among the expanding group of people with access, then you can now share posts with your blockchain-verified items on Facebook as well. According to an updated blog post from the company, it’s “started giving people the ability to post digital collectibles that they own across both Facebook and Instagram,” after they connect their digital wallets to either platform.The posts will basically look like normal posts, according to a screenshot the company tweeted, but will have a badge marking them as a “digital collectible.” Image: Meta NFT Posts on Instagram that link to Facebook The FAQ has a lot of details... Continue reading…

Photo by Sean O’Kane / The Verge Union swag at Tesla is in. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said that Tesla’s current dress code policy was unlawful. Specifically, the part where it only allowed employees to wear Tesla or other pre-approved black tee shirts. That policy meant union swag was not allowed — a hindrance to anyone trying to organize or show union solidarity.Tesla’s policy went into effect in 2017, and employees were reportedly told they couldn’t wear shirts baring the United Auto Workers logo. Tesla attempted to justify its dress policy to the board claiming that its black shirts prevent damage to cars and it needed to maintain “visual management” of its employees. The NLRB rejected this.“With today’s decision, the Board reaffirms that any... Continue reading…

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the latest in the line of Samsung’s foldables to endure JerryRigEverything’s torture test that subjects devices to razor blades, lighters, and handfuls of dirt. Like the Fold 3 and Fold 2 before it, the Fold 4 managed to survive the test, albeit with quite a few scratches and some burnt-up pixels.But the real question is whether the Fold 4 can pass the test of time. Samsung has taken significant steps toward improving the durability of its lines of foldables, making them water resistant, as well as adding stronger screens with a more rigid aluminum frame. And while the company has released videos — both this year and the last — designed to inspire confidence about the durability of its devices, they still don’t... Continue reading…

Apologies to my editors, who are going to start getting drafts bursting with emoji. A few months after Google added emoji reactions to Google Docs, the company’s making it easier to include them in your actual document as well. Today, it announced a new shortcut that lets you easily insert an emoji while writing, so you no longer have to pull up your computer’s picker or copy and paste the icons from other places.The new system gives you several ways to get at emoji, which Google lists in this help document. The simplest is to just type “@[emoji name],” and typing “@emoji” will pull up a searchable emoji picker, like the one on your phone. Gif: Google It’s a pretty simple system. You can also type “@:[emoji name],” which I’ve found to be the fastest and most reliable method. Typing in the... Continue reading…

The new HP 965 4K Streaming webcam | Image: HP HP has a new webcam that feels familiar and uses AI to keep you and your fidgeting guests in the frame during meetings. The $199.99 HP 965 4K Streaming webcam is the company’s new business-oriented model that contains a Sony Starvis CMOS sensor, similar in spec (and price) to Dell’s 4K webcam offering, Elgato’s Facecam, and Razer’s Kiyo Pro. A home office 960 version is available in white but, according to HP spokesperson Christine Wahl, has identical specs, and after initially appearing on HP’s website with a $50 discount, the 960 is now priced identically with the 965.Those webcams have similar tracking abilities, just like the following abilities found in Logitech’s StreamCam (one of the best webcams our colleague Cameron tested)... Continue reading…

If you’re in the market for a budget Android phone, the Pixel 6A is the one to get. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Just when you were getting ready to wish your loved ones happy Honda Days, Amazon went and threw a new commercial holiday on our calendars: Android Days. Today is apparently the first day of Android Days, and as cringe-inducing as that sounds, there are actually some really good deals to be had, starting with our favorite midrange Android phone of the year: the Google Pixel 6A. Usually $449, it’s marked down to $369 right now — a discount of $80.You don’t need to be a Prime member to get the deal, and naturally, you can find some good prices on other Android phones, like the OnePlus Nord N20 5G — marked down from $299 to $259. It’s a great option if you’re looking to spend a bit less than midrange prices, and it offers fast wired... Continue reading…

Photo by Nate Smallwood / Getty Images Democratic Senate hopeful John Fetterman is calling on President Joe Biden to decriminalize marijuana before visiting Pennsylvania next week.“It’s long past time that we finally decriminalize marijuana,” Fetterman said in a Monday statement. “The president needs to use his executive authority to begin descheduling marijuana, I would love to see him do this prior to his visit to Pittsburgh.”Biden is expected to travel to two key midterm swing states next week — Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — to “celebrate Labor Day and the dignity of American workers,” according to a Monday White House advisory. When in Pittsburgh, Biden is set to meet with Fetterman, the Democrats’ pick to beat Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz.Fetterman is a longtime... Continue reading…

It could come down to business negotiations. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge As Apple’s iPhone 14 event gets closer, rumors continue to swirl around the phone’s potential ability to provide emergency communications via a satellite network. On Monday, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple had “completed hardware tests for this feature” with the iPhone 14, but it would have to negotiate a business model with carriers if it wants to include it.According to Kuo, “whether iPhone 14 will offer satellite communication service depends on whether Apple and operators can settle the business model.” Kuo says this hurdle may have already delayed the feature once — according to him, the hardware that would’ve let the iPhone 13 communicate with satellites was finished, but Apple couldn’t figure out the business end with... Continue reading…

Samar Haddad / The Verge None of us are perfect, and all of us have published Facebook posts with misspellings, grammatical errors, mistaken “facts,” or opinions that we immediately realized might not need to be aired in public. When that happens, you’re going to want to hop into your post and fix the problem — either by changing it or deleting it altogether. Luckily, it’s really easy — if you know how.What follows are directions on how to edit a Facebook post, delete it, and restore it on the web and using the mobile app. (I used the Facebook app on a Pixel 6, but the steps will be similar on other phones and on iOS.)On the web

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram has fixed a recent bug that removed the sound from Reels video clips that were downloaded from the editing screen. The bug impacted iOS users and was detrimental to creators who use Reels as a filming tool and then export to other platforms, like TikTok.After The Verge published a story about the issue, Seine Kim, a spokesperson for Instagram’s parent company, Meta, reached out to say the change wasn’t intentional and would be fixed. Kim said today that the issue was fixed in an update to Instagram released on Friday.The issue appears to be resolved on my own iPhone. In a test this afternoon, I was able to download a clip from the Instagram Reels, complete with sound, the same as I could before the bug. This fix will help... Continue reading…

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge The Android 12L-based One UI 4.1.1 has finally started to land on Galaxy Tab S8 devices, making it the first line of tablets to receive the Samsung-flavored update (via Sammobile). So far, it’s only rolling out to users in South Korea and Europe, with people in more countries likely to see the update soon.One UI 4.1.1 is built off of Android 12L, which is specifically made for devices with larger screens. The update came to the Lenovo P12 Pro tablet first, with Samsung and Microsoft committing to bringing the update to their devices later on.Android 12L adds a new two-column layout that lets you view two different screens at once, as well as a taskbar that allows for more efficient multitasking. With the update, you can open... Continue reading…

So far, the Apple Watch straps have always been backward-compatible. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge While Apple has increased the size of the Apple Watch over the years, users have always been able to use older watch bands with newer models. That might soon change. Initially spotted by MacRumors, leaker UnclePan claims that the so-called Pro — Apple’s forthcoming rugged smartwatch — may not be compatible with existing straps.Until now, Apple’s been able to easily maintain compatibility because the Apple Watch’s design has barely changed. Each Apple Watch model comes in two sizes: a smaller version and one that’s 4mm larger. The original watch up through the Series 3, for example, was sold in 38mm and 42mm sizes. That changed with the Series 4, which increased the cases to 40mm and 44mm. Apple once again bumped up the size with the S... Continue reading…

Photo by Loren Grush / The Verge NASA is moving ahead with plans for a second attempt to launch its next-generation rocket Friday, September 2nd, after an engine issue forced the agency to scrub today’s planned launch.NASA halted the Artemis I launch attempt at approximately 8:34AM ET Monday, citing the failure of one of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s four engines to reach the appropriate temperate. SLS is a key component of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the Moon by 2025.The next attempt is scheduled for Friday, September 2ndThe next attempt is scheduled for Friday, September 2nd, at approximately 12:48PM ET. Michael Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, said that Friday is “definitely in play” but noted that the agency’s team needs... Continue reading…

Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro is $400 off. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you’re preparing to go back to school and require a more powerful laptop than the new M2-powered MacBook Air, you might want to consider investing in Apple’s 14- and 16-inch Macbook Pro models today now that they’ve dropped to new all-time lows. Best Buy is currently selling the 14-inch, M1 Pro-powered MacBook Pro in space gray with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $1,599, a record-breaking $400 discount. The 16-inch configuration, meanwhile, is on sale at Best Buy and Amazon with Apple’s M1 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, a 10-core CPU, and a 16-core GPU in space gray for $2,099 ($400 off).Both laptops offer lightning-fast performance that makes them ideal for content creation and creative work. Unlike the new MacBook... Continue reading…

Photo by Nilay Patel / The Verge Ford’s future electric lineup is coming more into focus. (No, not that Focus.)After scoring a big win with the F-150 Lightning, Ford is developing a new electric truck that will likely go on sale in 2025, according to Automotive News. Details are scarce, but the new EV truck will sit alongside an electric Ford Explorer, as well as the automaker’s Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, as Ford’s family of electric vehicles begins to fill out by the mid-point of the decade.Ford CEO Jim Farley first teased the new truck back in April, noting that it will be built at the company’s upcoming Blue Oval City campus in Tennessee. The truck will be an “all-new” nameplate, not a redesigned F-150 Lightning, and will help bolster Ford as a leader in... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Federal Trade Commission has sued app analytics firm Kochava for selling sensitive geolocation data, including details that could unmask people seeking or performing abortions.The lawsuit claims Kochava failed to add basic privacy protections to its location data, much of which is collected from phones without the owners’ knowledge. “Kochava’s data can reveal people’s visits to reproductive health clinics, places of worship, homeless and domestic violence shelters, and addiction recovery facilities,” the FTC said in a press release. “By selling data tracking people, Kochava is enabling others to identify individuals and exposing them to threats of stigma, stalking, discrimination, job loss, and even physical violence.” The agency... Continue reading…

Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, the former Twitter security chief whose explosive disclosures alleged serious security flaws and misleading practices within the company, has received a subpoena to appear for a deposition in the ongoing lawsuit between Twitter and Elon Musk.The request puts Twitter’s whistleblower at the center of Musk’s ongoing legal fight with Twitter, which he agreed to purchase in April. Musk has sought to void the deal, citing many of the same issues detailed in Zatko’s disclosures.Zatko is scheduled to be deposed in connection with the subpoena on September 9th.any documents related to illegal activityMusk’s legal team took action shortly after Zatko’s claims became public, telling reporters they were in the process of... Continue reading…

Snapchat’s dual camera feature layouts | Image: Snapchat Snapchat is adding a new feature to its main camera, allowing users to capture photo and video using the front- and back-facing cameras on their phones at the same time.The dual camera feature was initially announced back in April as part of Snapchat’s to-be-released director mode, which will give users access to a wider range of creative tools. The dual camera feature is coming directly to Snapchat just as BeReal — the nostalgia-tinged photo sharing app using both cameras — is breaking into the mainstream.Part of BeReal’s appeal is in the relatively minimal set of features and the mundanity of what users see when they open the app. It only supports images, there’s just one layout for pictures, and it doesn’t include any editing... Continue reading…

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales AMD is expected to launch four CPUs in its Ryzen 7000 series (the “X” line) this evening, and a few hours ahead of the announcement, the pricing has already leaked. According to Wccftech’s sources, the prices of the upcoming desktop chips will be as follows:

Image: T-Mobile T-Mobile led the way in bundling mobile and entertainment services together, but now competitors like Verizon are doing the same to incentivize their subscribers to stick around. With that in mind, T-Mobile is trying to sweeten the pot a bit more with the addition of free Apple TV Plus. The new perk will be available starting August 31st for customers on the company’s Magenta Max plan.Thankfully for T-Mobile customers, gaining Apple’s service doesn’t mean giving up Netflix. The carrier will continue to offer its long-running “Netflix on us” deal, which similarly provides free streaming access for as long as you’re a T-Mobile customer. Just keep in mind that the Netflix perk is limited to the basic, standard definition tier for most... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Waymo’s fully driverless vehicles are picking up passengers in downtown Phoenix, five months after the Alphabet-owned company expanded its service area to include denser, more complex areas of the city.Waymo has been testing its vehicles in several suburban towns outside of Phoenix since early 2017, including Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, and Gilbert. It also operates a commercial ride-hailing service called Waymo One using a mix of vehicles with and without safety drivers. The company expanded its service area to include downtown Phoenix earlier this year.Last year, the company launched its Trusted Tester program, which is basically a rebranding of the early rider program it ran in suburban Phoenix. Customers interested in using Waymo’s... Continue reading…

Tesla Powerwalls in Toronto | Andrew Francis Wallace / Toronto Star via Getty Images Tesla’s latest virtual power plant is in Japan. The company announced Friday that it has been quietly installing its Powerwall batteries at homes on the island Miyako-jima since 2021 and now has over 300 installed. It’s the largest commercial virtual power plant in Japan, according to the statement.Virtual power plants take advantage of solar panels and batteries in private homes. People with those setups can sign up to send extra power back to the electrical grid in their area, giving it an extra boost during situations when it’s at risk of a blackout. The grid can use that power instead of pulling from the gas-fired power plants typically used when the power supply is strained.The virtual power plant is based on a program at local... Continue reading…

Photo by Vlad Savov / The Verge Honda and LG Chem will build a $4.4 billion electric vehicle battery factory in the US, the latest move to shore up the country’s domestic production to comply with new tax credit rules.Honda and LG Chem will form a joint venture to produce batteries in the US for the automaker’s upcoming lineup of EVs. The two companies aim to begin construction in early 2023 to enable the start of mass production of lithium-ion battery cells by the end of 2025. Honda and its subsidiary Acura have plans to release 30 hybrid, battery-electric, and fuel-cell vehicles by 2030.annual production capacity of approximately 40GWhThe factory, which aims to have an annual production capacity of approximately 40GWh, is likely to be located in Ohio, according... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge As part of Sony’s push into mobile gaming, the company has formed a PlayStation Studios Mobile Division that will operate separately from console game development. According to a press release, the new team will create mobile games with “new and existing PlayStation IP.”Sony’s move to form a mobile gaming division aligns with the company’s overall goal of extending its IP to PC and mobile games, as well as TV series and movies. Earlier this year, Sony announced that it wants half of its games to be on PC and mobile by 2025, with Sony Interactive Entertainment president Jim Ryan stating that it could result in a “significant growth in the number of people who play our games.” The company’s also looking to expand into live service games —... Continue reading…

Image: Massive Monster I’m putting Cult of the Lamb on my game of the year shelf right next to Elden Ring. The dark yet cutesy cult simulator roguelike mixes the best parts of Animal Crossing with all the fun of a dungeon-crawling murder fest. The unique way the game combines these two disparate elements makes it more than worthy of claiming a spot on 2022’s game of the year list.Cult of the Lamb starts with the titular lamb being offered up as a sacrifice to sate the hunger of a handful of eldritch gods that look like the parasites that probably live between the folds of Lord Cthulhu’s tentacles. As you tremble and cry, you’re saved at the last minute by another, eldritch-ier looking god who promises you power if you do their bidding and kill the gods who... Continue reading…

You can now buy bananas without ever leaving WhatsApp. | Image: WhatsApp WhatsApp users in India can now do their grocery shopping without ever leaving their messaging app. Meta announced a new integration with JioMart today, through which users can text “Hi” to a certain number and be taken to an in-app shopping experience. The shopping experience looks fairly familiar, akin to what Instacart and other delivery services have been designing for years. But here, there’s no other app. And for WhatsApp, that’s a big deal.Meta is convinced that business messaging is a big part of how WhatsApp will make money going forward. (Well, that and ads, but the ads thing is causing WhatsApp some trouble.) “Business messaging is an area with real momentum and chat-based experiences like this will be the go-to way people... Continue reading…

Image: NASA NASA delayed the launch of its colossal next-generation Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, as an engine bleed issue forced the agency to scrub its plans.The launch director halted the Artemis I launch attempt at approximately 8:34AM ET. SLS is a key component of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the Moon by 2025. The massive rocket will carry the Orion crew capsule, which aims to carry its first astronauts in 2024.NASA determined it could not successfully launch“Launch controllers were continuing to evaluate why a bleed test to get the RS-25 engines on the bottom of the core stage to the proper temperature range for liftoff was not successful, and ran out of time in the two-hour launch window,” the agency said... Continue reading…

National Cinema Day has 3,000 participating theaters so far. | Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images Movie tickets across the US will cost just $3 on Saturday, September 3rd in celebration of National Cinema Day (via Associated Press). If you’ve never heard of such a holiday before (at least in the US), that’s because it never existed until now, apparently.The $3 ticket price (not including tax) applies across all tickets, formats, and showtimes — and yes, this includes IMAX and 3D movies. So far, a growing list of 3,000 theaters, including popular chains, like Regal, Cinemark, and AMC, have agreed to take part in the new holiday.You might not want to count out your local, independently-run theaters, either. In a list of participating theaters viewed by The Verge, we spotted several smaller locations, like the Starmax Cinemas in... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Trademark filings spotted by Bloomberg suggest Apple might incorporate “Reality” in the name and branding of its long-rumored mixed reality headset. Three separate filings show trademarks for “Reality One,” “Reality Pro,” and “Reality Processor,” matching the realityOS name that cropped up in Apple’s code and a trademark application that potentially refers to the headset’s operating system.The applications weren’t filed by Apple itself, but by a company called Immersive Health Solutions, LLC. Companies like Apple often use the names of shell companies when filing for a patent or trademark to help keep their plans private. But, as Bloomberg points out, the Delaware-based Immersive Health Solutions was registered by Corporation Trust Co.... Continue reading…

Photo: Mission Workshop In August 2021, we asked the staff of The Verge to tell us about their go-to laptop bags. Now, a year later, some are still using the same bags — but not all.It’s surprising how attached you can get to a bag — especially the bag that you use to carry your laptop, your sweater, your lunch, your notebook, your exercise shoes, your kids’ diapers, or any of the other stuff you need. Whether you’re heading to the office, visiting a friend, hanging in a coffee shop, going on a hike, or just sitting outdoors to read or work, having a bag that can accommodate everything on your “gotta have this” list can help you avoid a lot of aggravation.So, here’s this year’s staff picks — some old, some new. Most of the staff wrote about their backpacks,... Continue reading…

Nichelle Nichols died on July 30th, 2022 at age 89. | Photo by Araya Diaz/Getty Images for Ovation The ashes of Nichelle Nichols, the actress who played Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the original Star Trek, will get sent into deep space on a rocket that memorializes her and several other Star Trek veterans (via Reuters). Nichols’ son, Kyle Johnson, donated her ashes after she died in July at age 89.Nichols’ ashes will head to space on a rocket fittingly called the Vulcan Centaur, with the memorial spaceflight company, Celestis, running the “Enterprise Flight” mission. There still isn’t a set date for the send-off, and it will likely depend on the United Launch Alliance’s ongoing development of the Vulcan rocket.During the mission, Nichols will be joined by the remains of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and his wife, Majel Barrett,... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge As Google carries out the needlessly complex process of combining both the Meet and Duo apps, now it’s throwing a feature copied from Zoom in the mix. In an update on the Google Workspace blog, the company announced that Google Meet will soon give you the ability to unmute yourself by holding down the spacebar and to mute yourself again by releasing it.If you frequently use Zoom, this feature might sound a lot like its push-to-talk feature — and that’s because it’s essentially the same thing. Zoom obviously didn’t revolutionize this feature (we have walkie-talkies to thank for that), but it conveniently makes it available during video conferences, which comes in handy whenever you want to chime in during a meeting but don’t want to stay... Continue reading…

Yes, it looks as weird as it sounds, but it works well as a basic smart lock Continue reading…

Image: Marcos Cruz / Netflix Netflix’s Resident Evil series has been canceled a little over a month after its initial debut, according to a report from Deadline. The streamer reportedly decided against renewing the series due to lackluster ratings and viewership.Like the many other Resident Evil adaptations, Netflix’s live-action series attempts to put yet another spin on the video game franchise it’s based on. The show, which was helmed by Supernatural’s Andrew Dabb, flashes between two different timelines, centering around Umbrella executive Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick) and his two daughters (played by Tamara Smart and Siena Agudong).In our review of the series, my colleague Charles Pulliam-Moore notes that it “keeps things feeling fresh up to a point,” but... Continue reading…

There are a few companies that want to keep you connected when you’re in remote areas. | Image: SpaceX On Thursday, Elon Musk got on stage with T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert to announce that SpaceX is working with the carrier to completely eliminate cellular dead zones. The companies claim that next-generation Starlink satellites, set to launch next year, will be able to communicate directly with phones, letting you text, make calls, and potentially stream video even when there are no cell towers nearby. What’s more, Musk promised all this is possible with phones that people are using today, without consumers having to buy any extra equipment.It’s a bold proclamation from the carrier — Verizon and AT&T don’t offer anything like it. However, SpaceX and T-Mobile aren’t the only companies looking to use satellites to directly communicate with... Continue reading…

Screenshot: Emma Roth / The Verge Netflix is testing gamertag-style handles that users can create and publicly display when playing its selection of mobile games, as first spotted by mobile developer Steve Moser (via TechCrunch). This should let members identify and invite other users to play games based on their handles, as well as see where they rank on leaderboards.I got to experience the feature for myself after updating my Netflix app and downloading Into the Breach and Mahjong Solitaire. Netflix gave me the option to create and manage the game handle associated with my particular Netflix profile in both games. Just like creating your gamertag (or public-facing username on any other gaming platform), your game handle must be unique, which Netflix will automatically... Continue reading…

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge Google’s trying to make it easier for developers to create Android apps that connect in some way across a range of devices. In a blog post, Google explains that it’s launching a new cross-device software development kit (SDK) that contains the tools developers need to make their apps play nice across Android devices, and, eventually non-Android phones, tablets, TVs, cars, and more.The SDK is supposed to let developers do three key things with their apps: discover nearby devices, establish secure connections between devices, and host an app’s experience across multiple devices. According to Google, its cross-device SDK uses Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ultra-wideband to deliver multi-device connectivity. Image: Google G... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A leak of potential branding for Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Game Pass family subscription suggests you’ll be able to share a subscription with friends, too. Microsoft started testing its Xbox Game Pass family plan in Ireland and Colombia earlier this month, and now Twitter leaker Aggiornamenti Lumia has spotted “Game Pass Friends & Family” branding.The leak could mean Microsoft isn’t thinking about restricting Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to sharing their benefits with just immediate family members. The current preview allows Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to pay €21.99 per month in Ireland (instead of the regular €12.99 per month) for an unnamed test plan that includes sharing subscription benefits with up to four others.... Continue reading…

Image: Apple It’s the weekend, which means that our Verge Deals team is kicking back and recharging for next week. But we have a few time-sensitive deals to pass your way in case you feel like making some additions to your repertoire of gadgets. Starting things off is the ninth-generation iPad, which is discounted to $279.99 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Target ($50 off). Target’s site says this deal will end Saturday, though we don’t currently know if that applies to the other retailers.If you just need an affordable yet relatively powerful iPad, this 2021 model is likely the one for you. It has a 10.2-inch display, and it runs on Apple’s capable yet not cutting-edge A13 Bionic chip. There isn’t much you won’t be able to do on this iPad compared to... Continue reading…

A little phone with big performance Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The plan is to make a lot of money as cheaply as possible Continue reading…

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg were in line to give hours of depositions in response to a lawsuit over Facebook and the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal, but now that won’t happen — the company has reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs. As reported earlier by Reuters, a court filing reveals the parties have reached an agreement in principle and requested a stay of 60 days to finalize their written agreement. Without the settlement and stay, they would have been deposed before September 20th.You can read the document for yourself below, but so far, there are no details about the terms of the agreement. Meta, as the company is now known, declined to comment via a spokesperson, while lawyers for the plaintiffs... Continue reading…