The Verge

The Tapo Wire-Free MagCam is the newest indoor / outdoor smart security camera from TP-Link. | Image: TP-Link TP-Link's latest entry to the smart security camera market is a high-spec camera that undercuts the competition on price - even as it matches or beats them on many features. The new Tapo Wire-Free MagCam is a versatile indoor / outdoor Wi-Fi security cam that brings with it a more stylish look than prior Tapo cameras, for $120.I've tested a number of TP-Link's outdoor cameras, and some have a slightly awkward design, even adopting the same ridiculously techy antennas found on the company's Wi-Fi routers. In comparison, these new Tapo MagCams ($119.99 for one at Amazon or $299.99 for a three-pack at Best Buy) have a bit of style, which I think is important for a device you might put on the outside of your home. Image:... Continue reading...

No, that's not a turret on top, but it might as well be. | Image: Nissan If your idea of an electric vehicle for the eco-minded outdoor traveler looks like a low-poly spaceship on wheels, then Nissan's latest concept might be for you. The automaker's new Hyper Adventure" is a futuristic SUV that accommodates the outdoor person's diverse needs," including the ability to power campsite equipment and recharge electric Jet Skis using the vehicle's large battery with vehicle-to-everything, V2X," technology.Nissan didn't bother to add a pretend battery size and driving range for the Hyper Adventure concept, but it does claim the EV is capable of months-long" journeys to remote locations with a good supply of energy." The vehicle features plenty of interior room to accommodate tents, a kayak, and other gear.... Continue reading...

For a new Pixel, Google has some new ringtones. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Google is adding a new section to its Pixel-only Sounds app, with a collection of new ringtones and alarm sounds that it calls Gems." As first spotted by 9to5Google, the Gems collection includes 26 new sounds in all, with names like Prism," Ethereal Vibration," and Mineral Chimez." They've been rolling out alongside the launch of Android 14 and the new Pixel phones hitting stores this week.Like the new ringtones in iOS 17, Google's new sounds are distinctly higher res than your average ringtone. These companies are leaning away from the simple, retro-sounding tones of old and into much richer, fuller sounds that might also be at home in a video game soundtrack or as a loop in Ableton.There are lots of vibes to choose from here.... Continue reading...

Belkin's MagSafe offering is one of the few charging pucks that lets you make use of Apple's new StandBy feature. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Wireless charging is nearly ubiquitous, but obtaining true MagSafe speeds when charging your iPhone isn't always cheap. Apple's first-party MagSafe Charger clocks in at a hefty $39 when it's not on sale, while MagSafe-certified 2-in-1 chargers can often cost as much as $100. Thankfully, Belkin's BoostCharge Pro with MagSafe is on sale for an all-time low of $14.27 (about $36 off) direct from Belkin when you use promo code PBF23 at checkout. If you prefer a different retailer, it's also matching its previous low at Amazon, where you can snag it for $19.99 ($30 off) thanks to Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event.Belkin's charging puck is better than Apple's charger in just about every way, though it's regularly more expensive. What makes... Continue reading...

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Google is moving quickly to restore some of the features and functionality it previously removed from multiple products in response to Sonos' patent infringement case. After its victory in federal court on Friday, the company plans to undo the restrictions it implemented on speaker groups.We recently made a change to speaker groups for Nest speakers, displays, and Chromecast where certain devices can only belong to one speaker group at a time in the Google Home app," the company wrote on its Nest community blog. In light of this legal decision we're happy to share that we will be rolling back this change. Devices will be able to belong to multiple speaker groups and you will no longer run into an error when trying to add a device to... Continue reading...

What if this was your computer's desktop? Space OS thinks it should be. | Image: Deta / David Pierce Here's how your computer should work, according to Mustafa Abdelhai, the co-founder and CEO of a startup called Deta. Instead of a big empty screen full of icons, your desktop should be an infinite canvas on which you can take notes or watch movies or run full apps just by drawing a rectangle on the screen. Instead of logging in to a bunch of cloud services over which you ultimately have no control, you should be able to download software like PC users did 20 years ago, and the stuff you download should be completely yours. All your apps should talk to each other, so you can move data between them or even use multiple apps' features simultaneously. You should be able to use AI to accomplish almost anything.And it should all happen in a... Continue reading...

Image: Sony Sony Electronics has just announced the $199.99 InZone Buds, its first gaming-focused pair of wireless earbuds. The company says the earbuds are designed to optimize battery life (with up to 12 hours of continuous use) and deliver audio at the lowest latency possible.The InZone Buds support a variety of devices including the PS5, PCs, and mobile gadgets. In most of those cases, you'll connect using the included USB-C dongle, which cuts latency to below 30 milliseconds. But the InZone Buds also support Bluetooth LE Audio, which could be a meaningful inclusion if you've got a recent high-end Android phone. Image: Sony The earbuds come with a USB-C dongle. Sony is very much touting the 360 spatial audio... Continue reading...

Some special guests are coming to Fortnite's annual Halloween event, Fortnitemares. The battle royale's item shop is being updated in the coming weeks with a trio of season-appropriate characters: Alan Wake, Michael Myers, and Jack Skellington. They'll join some new and returning Fortnite characters who will be available during the holiday.Here's a look at what to expect:Outside of things to buy, the event will also feature the usual spooky makeover. In the past, that has included everything from ghosts to werewolves to a monster hunting Ariana Grande. However, in keeping with the current season of Fortnite, this year's Fortnitemares is all about vampires. There's a new shotgun that shoots wooden stakes, a vampire blade that saps... Continue reading...

Image: Microsoft Activision Blizzard says it will start adding games to Xbox Game Pass next year, if the Microsoft deal closes. Microsoft is currently targeting to close its proposed Activision Blizzard deal on Friday, pending approval from a UK regulator.In a strangely timed and vague post on X (formerly Twitter) Activision Blizzard makes it clear to Xbox fans that both Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV won't be part of Xbox Game Pass in 2023.

An unofficial render of the Pixel 8A. | Image: OnLeaks / Smartprix Google just started selling its new $699 Pixel 8 and $999 Pixel 8 Pro, but a less expensive version is apparently already on the way: OnLeaks and Smartprix have teamed up again to offer unofficial renders of a roughly 6.1-inch Pixel 8A.Like the Pixel 8, it's a design with two rear cameras and a hole-punch selfie cam, and it's curvy like the other new Pixel phones, too.And you may not have to satisfy your curiosity with renders alone - because in September, Abhishek Yadav shared photos of this handset too:

The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Google isn't just promising seven years of upgrades for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro - the company says it'll also stock spare parts for seven years as well.Parts will be available for seven years. That's part of our commitment," Soniya Jobanputra, director of product management at Google, told Android Authority. [W]e need to make our parts available so you can keep your hardware alive for that long."While Google didn't specifically tell the publication it'll make those parts available to you, it's hard to imagine otherwise. Not only does iFixit now sell repair parts for every modern Pixel phone with Google's blessing and support - up to and including the Pixel Fold's $900 screen - but right-to-repair will almost certainly be the... Continue reading...

Red vs. Blue is now all but gone from YouTube. | Screenshot: Wes Davis / The Verge Rooster Teeth has moved some of its popular content, including most Red vs. Blue seasons, off the YouTube platform entirely and onto its own website. Rooster Teeth senior writer and showrunner for RWBY Kerry Shawcross posted a video on Thursday announcing the change, explaining that YouTube revenue is just not cutting it for us right now."Shawcross said Rooster Teeth also moved Camp Camp to the site, where episodes will continue to be ad-supported and free to watch. He added Rooster Teeth gets approximately 5 - 10 times more value" from ads it runs on its own website, adding that animation's hard and it's expensive."

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta is looking down the road at a follow-up to the Quest 3, which is releasing this week, and plans to take cues from Apple's Vision Pro while it races to mainstream its VR tech. That's according to Mark Gurman in today's Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, who writes that the company's Quest headset marketing plans have changed in response to Apple's Vision Pro announcement earlier this year. Part of the plan is to release a VR headset without controllers to get the cost down next year.Gurman says a person within Meta told him the company is in the afraid of Apple' stage," comparing it to the mobile phone industry just before the iPhone's launch. He writes that the company's shift away from a heavy focus on the metaverse and more to... Continue reading...

Hisense's latest entry-level model offers a lot for the price, including Mini LED backlighting and full-array local dimming. | Image: Hisense Happy Saturday, dear readers! As you might have seen, Amazon has already begun to roll out a bevy of deals and discounts ahead of its fall Prime Day event next week. However, Amazon isn't the only retailer currently slinging noteworthy discounts on Echo speakers, robot vacuums, and 4K TVs. Best Buy is also matching many of Amazon's current promos, including Amazon's terrific discount on the Hisense U6K, which drops the 55-inch TV down to just under $400 ($80 off).Although TCL TVs have been the go-to budget recommendation for the last decade or so, Hisense has really upped the ante in recent years. The U6K Series is a great example of a 4K ULED TV that punches above its weight with great color and contrast, low input lag, and Google's... Continue reading...

Illustration: Beatrice Sala 23andMe posted a blog yesterday saying that data from users of its genetic testing and analysis platform has been circulating on dark web forums after hackers used recycled logins to gain access to get into accounts. BleepingComputer wrote on Thursday that a hacker leaked what they said was 1 million lines of data" for Ashkenazi Jewish people before saying they would sell stolen 23andMe data for $1 - $10 per account. The data includes users' names, profile photos, genetic ancestry results, date of birth, and geographical location.The company confirmed to BleepingComputer that the data is legitimate in a statement it also shared in an email to The Verge. In the statement, 23andMe managing editor Scott Hadly wrote that "the preliminary... Continue reading...

Image: Ubisoft A richly constructed world and a pared-down gameplay experience refocusing on stealth and assassinations don't save a game that is largely just okay. Continue reading...