The Verge

Parcast Union Unionized workers at Parcast, a podcast production company owned by Spotify, shared details of their new three-year employment contract today. The contract covers workplace issues like pay, diversity, healthcare, severance, and more. It’s rare for a tech company to have one union, let alone three, as is the case with Spotify. The Parcast unionization follows successful drives at Gimlet Media and The Ringer, which ratified contracts with Spotify last year.The Parcast union announced in early April that it had reached a deal. The union, like Gimlet and The Ringer, is represented by the Writers Guild of America, East. (Disclosure: WGAE represents Vox Media’s editorial staff, which includes The Verge.)The lowest-paid employees will receive... Continue reading…

The game will be included with a Netflix subscription. | Image: Netflix Netflix is expanding its work in gaming by partnering with the makers of the silly card game Exploding Kittens on a mobile title and a TV series based on the popular franchise. Exploding Kittens — The Game, described as “an exclusive version of the beloved mobile game,” will launch in May, while the TV show, “an adult animated comedy series,” will launch in 2023. The new game will be the latest in an ever-growing series of mobile titles available to play for free with a Netflix subscription.There’s already a version of Exploding Kittens available on the App Store and Google Play, but with Netflix’s version, there will be two exclusive cards at launch. Down the line, there will be new cards and game mechanics “themed around the animated... Continue reading…

The HP Chromebook x2 11 tablet comes with its keyboard and pen in the box. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Almost anything becomes a little more appealing once the price goes down. Take HP’s Chromebook x2 11 tablet, for example. It’s currently selling for $299.99 at Best Buy, a price cut that’s mighty enough to outweigh its flaws. This one-day deal on the 11-inch tablet with Chrome OS makes for a much more compelling argument compared to its $599.99 regular price. When our own Dan Seifert reviewed the Chromebook x2 in December 2021, he scored it a 5.5 out of 10 due to its occasionally choppy performance. But for half price, it seems like a good deal.What you’re getting today for $299.99 is a modestly sized tablet with a convenient 3:2 aspect ratio screen, making it taller than 16:9 alternatives, which is better for note-taking and web... Continue reading…

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Apple’s AirDrop is a hugely convenient feature for transferring photos, videos, documents, and other files between the company’s devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. You can easily send something to a friend — or use AirDrop as a handy way of transferring files between your own products.What’s great about AirDrop is its simplicity. Instead of trying to clumsily share files using Dropbox, Google Drive, or some other cloud storage, it’s an immediate transfer from one device to another that (in most cases) takes only seconds.With AirDrop, Apple creates a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection between the two devices in an AirDrop exchange. These devices communicate directly and aren’t required to be using the same internet connection.TO... Continue reading…

Image: Marvel.com Jane Foster has always been more than the Odinson’s love interest, but you might not know that just from watching any of Marvel’s Thor movies so far — the last of which she simply wasn’t in. Thor: Love & Thunder wants to fix that and then some, judging from its first trailer.For the most part, Love and Thunder’s first trailer does its best to catch you up with what all Thor Odinson’s (Chris Hemsworth) been up to in the time since he and the rest of the Avengers managed to defeat Thanos in Endgame. With the Mad Titan gone and peace mostly restored, Thor’s been off gallivanting with the Guardians of the Galaxy, working off his depression weight, and making the best of his life as one of the last living Asgardians. It’s unclear how much... Continue reading…

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge When you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, one of the first things you may do is wonder: where the heck is my Start menu? Traditionally, the Windows Start menu has been in the lower-left corner of the screen, but when your new version of Windows appears, you’ll find the Start icon among a group of icons in the center of your taskbar at the bottom of the screen. The Windows 11 Start menu is now a small icon in the center of the taskbar. Click on the Start menu icon, and things will look very different as well. Instead of the large square Live Tiles that used to pop up, you have a much more modest set of app icons, mostly showing Microsoft-related apps pinned to the main page. Click on “All apps” on the top right... Continue reading…

Illustration by Melissa Mathieson / The Verge Tree-planting efforts get a boost from drones Continue reading…

Illustration by Melissa Mathieson / The Verge When everything else decays, those little plastic stickers remain Continue reading…

The three taikonauts spent 183 days on the Tiangong space station. | Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images Three Chinese astronauts, also known as taikonauts, safely returned to Earth yesterday after spending six months aboard China’s unfinished Tiangong space station, according to a report from Space.com. This is China’s second crewed mission to Tiangong and its longest so far.The Shenzhou 13 spacecraft landed in the Inner Mongolia desert at 9:56AM local time on Saturday morning after departing from the space station’s core Tianhe module about nine hours prior. The crew took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert last October and spent a total of 183 days on the space station.Wang Yaping made history as the first Chinese woman to conduct a spacewalkThis mission is China’s longest. In addition, taikonaut Wang... Continue reading…

Image: JK Brickworks via YouTube This LEGO flip-walking vehicle looks like it has a mind of its own, but it’s really just powered by gravity and a tiny motor. Custom LEGO builder JK Brickworks walks us through the build in a video on YouTube, which was actually inspired by the old-school Bear Mobill toy made by Bandai in 1987. It looks like the original toy is supposed to be some kind of sci-fi military vehicle, but JK Brickworks gives it a flashy new look.The hypnotic flipping motion is triggered by a forward-moving trolley in the center. It weighs down the machine just enough at the end of its track, causing the build to flip over on two legs, resetting the entire process. As shown in JK Brickworks’ video, the toy’s unique flipping motion lets it climb up small steps... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Tesla has stopped including its mobile connector with new car purchases and will instead sell its Gen 2 (Level 1) bundle separately for a lower $200 price, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed in a series of tweets. The mobile connector bundle comes with an adapter that allows drivers to charge their cars from a standard 110v household outlet, with other adapters available for purchase separately.

Organizers need approval from at least 30 percent of workers to hold a union election. | Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images Retail Apple employees at a New York City store in Grand Central Terminal have started collecting signatures to form a union, according to a report from The Washington Post.The organizers, who go by Fruit Stand Workers United, announced in an update on its website that they voted to affiliate themselves with the Workers United labor union on February 21st, 2022. Workers United is the same group backing recent unionization efforts at Starbucks stores across the country.At least three other stores are reportedly working towards organizingAs noted by The Post, organizers at the Grand Central location are currently handing out signature cards so employees can express interest in forming a union. If at least 30 percent of workers sign off... Continue reading…

The UCF Knights will have QR codes on the back of their jerseys. | Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images This spring, the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) football team will don QR codes instead of numbers on the back of their jerseys (via SportsLogos.net). The team showed off their new garb on Twitter, sporting large custom QR codes beneath their last names that you can scan to access players’ biographies on UCF’s website.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft is reportedly working on a program that will let brands showcase advertisements within free-to-play Xbox games, according to a report from Insider. Sources familiar with the situation told Insider that the ads wouldn’t disrupt gameplay and may appear on a billboard in a racing game, for example.It’s not immediately clear how else Microsoft plans on implementing ads, such as having them show up as avatar skins or as videos inside game lobbies. But as Insider notes, Microsoft is reportedly concerned that the ads could “irritate” players, and is planning on building a “private marketplace” to let only select brands into the program.Microsoft reportedly doesn’t intend to take a cut of the ad revenueSources also told Insider that... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Editing a tweet using Twitter’s upcoming edit button could leave a digital trace of your tweet’s history, according to reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong. In a tweet, Manchun Wong explains that the edit function appears to have an “immutable” quality, which means Twitter may create an entirely new tweet when one is edited, all while preserving the previous versions of that tweet.“Looks like Twitter’s approach to Edit Tweet is immutable, as in, instead of mutating the Tweet text within the same Tweet (same ID), it re-creates a new Tweet with the amended content, along with the list of the old Tweets prior of that edit,” Manchun Wong says.

You can save on everything from wireless chargers to Bluetooth keyboards at Satechi this weekend. | Image: Satechi The Easter holiday is bringing some unusual — yet welcome — deals into the spotlight this weekend, including a sitewide sale at Satechi that’s knocking a considerable amount off on everything under the Satechi umbrella. The current promotion, which runs through April 17th and requires you to use one of two promo codes, covers a wide variety of peripherals and accessories, ranging from Mac-inspired keyboards to 3-in-1 chargers. Using coupon code EASTER15 at checkout will take 15 percent off your cart total, but if you purchase $100 or more, you can take 20 percent off with the code EASTER20.If you’re not familiar with Satechi, just know that it offers plenty of functional basics, including charging cables and a number of sleek,... Continue reading…

Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge Windows 11 updates, which Microsoft sends to your system regularly, are meant to keep your operating system current. They are, for the most part, a good thing. But as long-time Windows users know, occasionally, an update can go wrong, and so some prefer to postpone updates for a week or two to make sure that there aren’t any problems being delivered with the update. In addition, sometimes updates come at an inconvenient time — for example, when you’re in the middle of a project with a tight deadline.You can’t stop updates altogether, but you can pause them. There is also a way to disable updates, but it, too, is not permanent. If you want to hold off in case of any potential glitches or would rather put them off as long as possible,... Continue reading…

Cresting a new wave of inexpensive gaming handhelds Continue reading…

When I finished Friday’s Wordle, I saw an add for the Spelling Bee. | Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge I just finished Friday’s Wordle — which I am reminding you now is owned by The New York Times for reasons you’ll understand shortly — and when I did, I was surprised to see an addition to the results screen. Under the usual stats, the “next Wordle” countdown, and the share button, there was something new: a small banner advertising another puzzle, the NYT’s Spelling Bee.For fans who appreciate Wordle’s simplicity, the ad may come as a rude surprise. Part of the appeal of Wordle is that simplicity: you take your shot at the day’s puzzle, decide whether or not your journey is worth sharing on Twitter, then close the tab and move on.And that was by design, as noted in the NYT’s profile of Wordle creator Josh Wardle:

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Scam app hunter / developer Kosta Eleftheriou, known for catching egregious scams that make it past Apple’s review process, has once again brought attention to a new crop of shady apps being peddled through the App Store. This time they’re on the Mac, and they’re using pop-ups that make it extremely difficult to quit an app without agreeing to outrageous subscription prices — all without Apple noticing, despite its argument that its App Review process keeps devices and users safe.The app that started the hunt, which seems to have been discovered by Edoardo Vacchi, is called My Metronome. According to Vacchi, Eleftheriou, and user reviews, the app locks up and won’t let you quit it using keyboard shortcuts or the menu bar until you agree... Continue reading…

The alarm clock looks cool, but it’s missing a very important button. | Image: Square Enix (with minor edits by Mitchell Clark / The Verge) Are a Final Fantasy VII fan? Tired of oversleeping? Don’t want to use your phone as an alarm lest you get sucked into doomscrolling? Well, do I ever have the solution for you: a standalone digital clock fashioned after Final Fantasy VII’s iconic Buster Sword.The miniature replica of Cloud Strife’s ridiculously large sword — specifically, the version in Final Fantasy VII Remake — is set at an angle reminiscent of how you see it on the game’s main menu screen. The time is illuminated prominently thanks to a display on the sword’s blade, and the materia near the hilt light up, too. Image: Square Enix A closer look at the clock. Wonder what materia those are. If you like Final Fantasy VII Remake’s music — like me... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Valve’s Steam Deck handheld gaming PC has been the #2 top grossing product on Steam for five weeks in a row, according to SteamDB.I am vindicated — because that means it’s not a flop.Early estimates suggested over 110,000 people put down a $5 deposit for the unproven Linux handheld in the first 90 minutes after it went on sale last July, but there was always a chance they’d change their mind. I figured many would after reading critical reviews like mine! And while I have seen a handful of people in r/SteamDeck reclaim their five bucks... almost every other sign suggests to me that it’s selling well.While we don’t have official sales numbers for the Steam Deck, here is some context that might put things in perspective: ... Continue reading…

Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge If you’re the kind of Android user that double-checks every app permission, stays informed on every new feature, and is actually interested in app split screen, then you need to go read this detailed explanation of the changes to expect in Android 13 later this year. It’s a thorough and organized changelog — with a table of contents — of developer preview 2 of the unreleased Android 13 and reads as if it’s an official internal guide for all the changes.This thoroughly documented changelog of Android 13 is written by none other than former XDA Developers editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahman — who last year uncovered the technical reason why Microsoft Teams and Android 12 caused a failed emergency call. You might even catch foreshadowing of... Continue reading…

Malenia, Goddess of Rot (AKA one of the toughest bosses in the game) Update, 5:38PM ET, April 15th: I didn’t expect this twist. IGN spoke with a player claiming to be the real “Let me solo her,” and apparently, I played with an imposter, of which there may be many. While the person who joined my game did, in fact, solo her, the player speaking to IGN said that they don’t mind if others join the battle with them. He told IGN: “I always wear a jar on my head and I do not bail on any Malenia boss fights. If the host or other summon decides to help, I have no problems whatsoever.” While this revelation is weighing heavily on my psyche, my enjoyment from watching someone single-handedly beat this boss remains.Before I reached Malenia, a notoriously tough boss in Elden Ring, I had already heard a bit about... Continue reading…

Games publisher Xseed announced via Twitter that No More Heroes 3, which was released for the Nintendo Switch in August 2021, is coming to the PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox consoles in the fall. Presumably, digital versions will be available, but the sole picture shared by Xseed shows limited-edition physical copies of the game that include an art book, a faux license plate, and a soundtrack CD adorned with the most obvious Akira reference. Xseed hasn’t yet shared a price for No More Heroes 3 on these new platforms.Fans of the No More Heroes series will definitely want to play the latest installment, which my colleague Sam Byford says is a worthy follow-up to the original Nintendo Wii title. Its stylish, fluid combat is back (along with the... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images Every Friday, The Verge publishes our flagship podcast, The Vergecast, where Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel discusses the week in tech news with the reporters and editors covering the biggest stories.The big stories from this week: Mark Zuckerberg’s big plans for AR glasses and Elon Musk’s attempt to buy 100 percent of Twitter.Nilay starts The Vergecast with deputy editor Liz Lopatto, managing editor Alex Cranz, and senior reporter Alex Heath to discuss the ever-evolving drama between Elon Musk and Twitter — and the repercussions of their limited partnership. (There are probably some additional updates to this story after we recorded this morning.)In the second half of the show, senior reporter Adi Robertson joins to discuss Alex... Continue reading…

This isn’t the Pixel Watch, but we may not have to wait too much longer. | Photo by Dieter Bohn / The Verge After years of rumors and false starts, it seems like we’re close to finally, finally seeing a Pixel Watch running Wear OS.We’ve been hearing Pixel Watch rumors for the past few months, but what got me thinking about all this was a recent leak from Evan Blass. Earlier today, Blass posted a screenshot on Twitter of an interactive tutorial teasing a “Pixel Rohan” running Wear OS 3.1. Blass also captioned the tweet by saying, “Won’t be long now” — a nod to the very likely possibility that Google will tease the Pixel Watch at next month’s Google I/O.Nothing about this is incredibly surprising if you’ve been paying attention. It was always likely the Pixel Watch would run Wear OS, though for a small while there was speculation Google... Continue reading…

CD Projekt Red brought development of the update in-house. | Image: CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Red (CDPR) announced on Wednesday that the next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt would be delayed, but the company insists it’s not in “some sort of development hell” (via Polygon).As part of the delay announcement, CDPR said that the update would miss its planned Q2 release and that the studio would move development of the update in-house. CDPR did not announce a new release date or even an expected timeline, which led some publications — including The Verge — to write that the game has been delayed indefinitely. CDPR’s SVP of business development, Michał Nowakowski, took issue with that characterization in an investor call this week.“When it comes to [the] next-gen launch of The Witcher 3, I think there one comment... Continue reading…

The chain said it was looking into expanding its crypto payments last year. | Image: The Verge AMC Theaters’ app will now let you buy tickets and concessions using Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, the company’s CEO Adam Aron announced via Twitter on Friday. The company added support for the cryptocurrencies through a Bitpay integration, after saying in November that it was “exploring” how to accept the coins.Paying for popcorn and tickets using Doge is relatively simple — you go through the normal process for selecting your seat and adding any concessions you want, then select Bitpay as your payment method. From there, you can connect your crypto wallet (it supports a ton of them, including Coinbase) or get an address where you can send your chosen cryptocurrency to complete the purchase. (As I was writing this, a matinee screening of S... Continue reading…

You learn a lot about how people behave online on Reddit, honestly | Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images “If Elon takes over Twitter, he is in for a world of pain,” writes Yishan Wong, the former CEO of Reddit. “He has no idea.”Wong goes on to suggest a version of Matt Levine’s Elon Markets Hypothesis. According to Wong, Musk doesn’t “understand what has happened to internet culture since 2004. Or as I call it, just culture.” Wong’s specific example was Bitcoin — Musk’s public interest in cryptocurrency is relatively recent — but it’s also true that at least one hedge fund made a bunch of money by noticing Musk was interested in GameStop and immediately selling.Wong reveals Silicon Valley’s real bias, which is toward coding fun stuffWhat’s very funny is that Wong reveals Silicon Valley’s real bias, which is toward coding fun stuff. (This... Continue reading…

Image: Google / Waze Waze has added broad nostalgic vibes of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s to its navigation app. You can now choose new “moods” to look like a groovy lava lamp on the map for other drivers and match yourself with a peace-loving flower power van on your own screen — all while getting directions from a smooth operator ‘70s DJ voice.You can also mix and match the eras, too. You know, just in case you’ve lived them all. For instance, you could switch to “dialed up,” which makes you a beige all-in-one PC from the ‘90s while riding in an ‘80s “Rad Racer” sports coupe (like in the 1987 NES game) and still get the ‘70s DJ navigator.But, if you prefer to live in just the era you’ve experienced or are a stickler for proper end-to-end themes, you could... Continue reading…

This laptop is a big deal Continue reading…

Archie Comics One of the most persistent cryptocurrency ideas I’ve encountered from crypto proponents like Chris Dixon is that it will let people collaboratively tell stories with non-fungible tokens (or NFTs) and then profit from their creative work. The actual attempts to do this have been underwhelming so far, often seeming to not really require NFTs or collapsing because the operators haven’t thought the details through. So I was intrigued by a new Archie Comics plan to create an NFT-based “writer’s room on the blockchain.” But after reading the details, I hope that’s not what the publisher is actually doing.Archieverse: Eclipse is a comics tie-in pitched as “a near infinite storyline, created with fans.” Based on a press release and the... Continue reading…

Image: Google Google has shown off a “design study” in ambient computing, with a series of objects that can subtly deliver notifications through taps, gentle breezes, and shifting shadows (shout out to Verge alumn Dieter Bohn for tweeting this to our attention). The company calls the experiment Little Signals and says it’s exploring “calm computing,” or ways of keeping you in the loop without having your phone blare a notification chime and light up a screen.Google has six objects in the Little Signals collection: the Air, Button, Movement, Rhythm, Shadow, and Tap. It shows off concepts of what the devices could look like in its video (which you can watch above) and explains what they all do on its website, though the descriptions can veer a bit too... Continue reading…

Perhaps the Gundam metaverse will look something like this. | Image: Bandai Namco Bandai Namco is making some big investments into the vaguely-defined idea of the metaverse, and it’s starting first with what it’s calling the “Gundam Metaverse Project.”Here is the summary of Bandai Namco’s broad metaverse vision, from a March press release. (I will warn you that there is a lot of jargon ahead.)

It’s all too easy to allow distractions such as social media or videos to seduce us from the things we’re supposed to be doing — such as, say, writing articles about Windows 11. Features such as Focus assist are now being included with operating systems to try to help us keep our eyes on the road, so to speak.Microsoft’s Focus assist was first introduced in a 2018 update of Windows 10, where it replaced a feature known as Quiet Hours, and while Windows 11 doesn’t offer any radical updates, it has made the feature easier to use. Focus assist stops notifications from popping up on your screen and can be activated automatically when you put on your display on presentation mode, are playing a game, or are using an app in full-screen mode.... Continue reading…

If you wanted a quality Nintendo Switch docking station you could actually slip into a pocket, the $70 Genki Covert Dock was your best bet — 30W of USB-C power, 1080p60 HDMI output, and a USB 3.1 port for peripherals all stuffed into a tiny folding prong charger thanks to the power of GaN.But now, its makers are making the choice a bit more difficult — with a new $49 Genki Covert Dock Mini (via Gizmodo) that’s way smaller, adds 4K30 output, and unfortunately makes a couple of sacrifices along the way. GIF: Human Things Yes, it’s basically a cube now. At 1.7 x 1.3 x 1.3 inches, the Covert Dock Mini is only slightly bigger than the tiny 5W chargers that Apple used to ship with iPhones (which admittedly didn’t... Continue reading…

Microsoft’s monolithic Xbox Series X is still challenging to get a hold of. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge The Xbox Series X is sometimes a little easier to buy than Sony’s PlayStation 5, but that doesn’t mean it’s a simple endeavor. The good news is that Best Buy has a restock of the flagship Xbox Series X consoles for its usual price of $499.99. The bad news is that this round of inventory is restricted to subscribers of Best Buy’s Totaltech, which costs $199.99 per year.That’s a steep added cost if you’re looking for a new Xbox, though Totaltech does offer extra tech support, included installation services, and extended product protection — in addition to paying your way toward the front of the line. Even as a Totaltech subscriber, you’re not guaranteed to get an Xbox today, but you have better odds.For the best chances on this restock,... Continue reading…

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Twitter’s board of directors has issued a new “shareholder rights plan” to block Elon Musk’s proposed buyout offer, a major setback to the billionaire’s efforts to take full financial control of the company.The plan was adopted “following an unsolicited, non-binding proposal to acquire Twitter,” the company’s board of directors noted in a press release announcing the change.This maneuver, known in the finance world as a poison pill, blocks hostile takeovers by giving certain shareholders the right to purchase more stock if an outsider attempts to seize control.The plan was adopted “following an unsolicited, non-binding proposal to acquire Twitter”The plan strongly suggests that Twitter’s board intends to fight Musk’s bid to take... Continue reading…

David Jenkins opens up about everyone’s favorite queer pirate show Continue reading…

If you’ve updated your PC from Windows 10 to Windows 11, you may have noticed that when you click on a link for a website, a PDF document, or a variety of other file types, you will now be sent to Microsoft’s Edge browser. In its new version of Windows, Microsoft seems to have become especially aggressive in pushing its own apps over the apps that had been installed as defaults before the upgrade. In other words, Edge suddenly became your default browser.Normally, the first time you go into another browser that is not Edge — say, Google Chrome — the not-Edge browser will ask if you’d like to make it the default instead. However, the process for changing your defaults in Windows 11 has become more complicated than it was in Windows... Continue reading…

Core on an iPad. | Image: Manticore Games Core, a free PC-based app built on Unreal Engine that lets you create and play games, is expanding to iOS and Mac this summer, developer Manticore Games announced Friday. The app is currently available only on Windows from the Epic Games Store, so the move to Apple’s platforms could mark a significant expansion for Core.Friday marks Core’s one-year anniversary of availability on the Epic Games Store (where it is in Early Access), and there are already more than 50,000 playable “games, worlds, and events” to check out, according to a press release. Crossplay will be enabled between the iOS, macOS, and Windows versions of Core, and developers who want to get a jump on preparing their experiences for mobile can begin working with a “suite”... Continue reading…

The UE Fits are on sale right now for $149, a considerable $100 off their typical list price. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge If you’re in the market for a pair of true wireless buds that offer the best fit possible, look no further than the UE Fits. After all, there’s a reason the word “fit” is literally in their name: the unique buds permanently mold to the shape of your ear in 60 seconds during setup, which makes their ear tips some of the most comfortable we’ve ever tested. The Bluetooth earbuds also offer a host of other praiseworthy features, including good sound quality, a compact charging case, and lengthy, eight-hour battery life.If you don’t mind that they lack active noise cancellation and feature mediocre sweat resistance, they’re a great option to consider, especially now that they’re on sale for their lowest price to date. Now through 11:59PM PT... Continue reading…

Not the latest and greatest, but that’s not a problem Continue reading…

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Thursday morning, Elon Musk offered to buy Twitter to save free speech.“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy,” wrote the Tesla and SpaceX billionaire — who recently acquired a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter — in a filing. “However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.”It’s not clear how this gambit will play out, but there’s also a more fundamental question: what does Elon Musk think free speech is, and who’s threatening it? Free expression is a... Continue reading…

This is Apple’s M1 Ultra, which could be getting an upgrade. | Image: Apple Apple is reportedly working on nine new Macs featuring its upcoming M2 processors, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. These rumors come hot on the heels of Apple releasing the Mac Studio and its announcement that the M1 Ultra would be the last chip in its current-gen lineup.Bloomberg isn’t predicting a replacement for the Studio yet, but it reports that most other Mac models will be getting an upgrade. Gurman says he’s seen evidence of an M2-powered MacBook Air with a 10-core GPU — contrary to previous predictions that a redesigned Air would still have an M1 — as well as an entry-level M2 MacBook Pro with the same specs. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros also make an appearance, along with a new Mac Mini and Mac Pro, all rocking... Continue reading…

It twists, taps, and turns. | Image: Scott Bezek Sometimes you come across a DIY project and immediately start figuring out ways you could use it in your life. That’s what happened to us here at The Verge when someone dropped the SmartKnob View, a proof-of-concept project by engineer Scott Bezek, into our Slack chat. While it doesn’t seem like it’s the type of project most people could go out and build themselves at the moment (more on that later), it’s easy to imagine a future where it’s available as a kit, or where somebody turns it into an actual product.The smart knob kind of looks like a mini Nest Thermostat, but Bezek’s programmed it to have loads of modes. Of course, it can just act as a spinning dial, but you could also program its motor to provide haptic feedback and... Continue reading…

It’s been a decade since Razer shipped its first Blade laptop, and they’ve all come with Windows. That isn’t quite changing today — but a company called Lambda is now putting Ubuntu on a souped-up version of last year’s Razer Blade 15 Advanced with Razer’s full blessing, with the aim of selling it to machine learning and artificial intelligence researchers.It’s called the Razer x Lambda Tensorbook, and the $3,500 machine is absolutely identical to a high-end version of last year’s laptop in most ways. It’s got an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, Nvidia RTX 3080 Max-Q graphics and 64GB of RAM underneath a 15.6-inch 165Hz 1440p display, all powered by a 80Wh battery inside an identically sized and shaped 4.45-pound chassis. It’s also got the... Continue reading…