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by Mia Sato on (#6PE7D)
Image: Kamala HQ On Sunday, President Joe Biden shocked the country with his announcement that he would not seek reelection in November. He threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. If elected, Harris would be the first Black and Asian American woman to become president, and her historic run is already creating excitement. Most Democrats are quickly falling in line. Some would say Harris is having a Brat" summer.Brat summer" is a phrase that's become the defining pop culture meme of the season - at least for the very online set - and references an album released in June by pop artist Charli XCX titled Brat. Charli XCX is a 31-year-old English woman who's been around for a while, though her influence is greater than her name recognition.... Continue reading...
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The Verge - All Posts
| Link | https://www.theverge.com/ |
| Feed | http://www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml |
| Updated | 2024-11-23 12:45 |
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by Chris Welch on (#6PE7E)
Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Spotify The saga of Spotify HiFi has many twists and turns. First announced over three years ago, the music service's higher-quality streaming tier has still yet to materialize. Recent reports have said lossless audio will be bundled together with other perks (like advanced library management, AI-powered playlists, and headphone sound quality optimization) as an add-on to Spotify's premium subscription. And today, during Spotify's earnings call, the company's CEO, Daniel Ek, confirmed that a better-than-Premium offering is still in the works - though he offered no firm timetable as to when it'll be available.In what might be my favorite-ever use of a cliche tech industry phrase, Ek said the effort is still in early days." (For those keeping... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6PE47)
Image: Wooting Earlier this month, Razer beat Wooting to a speedy new keyboard feature that lets players counter-strafe more quickly in a variety of competitive PC games. Now, Wooting has implemented the same feature.Normally, to switch strafe directions in a first-person shooter, you have to fully release one key before pressing the other. If both are pressed, they cancel each other, and you stand there like a dummy for a moment until you release one of the keys. Professional players have mastered not overlapping A and D keys to get perfect counter-strafing and movement in games, but with Razer's Tap Snap and Wooting's new Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions (SOCD) beta, you don't need to release a key and can rapidly tap the A or D key to... Continue reading...
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by Lauren Feiner on (#6PE0W)
Photo by Alex Wong / Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to announce in a speech that he will bring the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) to the Senate floor this week for a procedural vote. This tees up the biggest step yet on the federal level to move forward with a law in the area of children's online safety legislation.Over the past few months I've met with families from across the country who have gone through the worst thing a parent could endure - losing a child," Schumer said in a statement. Rather than retreating into the darkness of their loss, these families lit a candle for others with their advocacy. I am proud to work side-by-side with them and put on the floor... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6PE0X)
Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Apple continues to work on a foldable iPhone, which could arrive as early as 2026, according to a report from The Information. The phone is rumored to fold horizontally, like the clamshell-style Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.In February, The Information reported that Apple was in the early stages of developing two folding iPhone prototypes. But now, it seems Apple may have settled on a design, as The Information says the device has an internal nickname, V68, indicating the idea has moved beyond the conceptual stage" and is now "in development with suppliers." Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Apple's folding iPhone could look similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. Apple is reportedly still working to flatten... Continue reading...
by Andrew Webster on (#6PE0Y)
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge There's a new name in charge of Netflix's ongoing gaming efforts. As Variety reports, the streamer has hired Alain Tascan as the new president of its gaming division, after he previously served as executive VP of game development at Fortnite maker Epic Games. The news comes as the game division's former boss, Mike Verdu, moved into a different role at Netflix focused on a new team on the cutting edge of game innovation."In his previous role at Epic, which he held since 2018, Tascan was in charge of the company's first-party output, which included not only Fortnite and its various modes like Lego Fortnite but also other live-service games like Rocket League and Fall Guys. In a statement, Tascan explained that he took the role at the... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6PE0Z)
Image: Activision Microsoft is bringing last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III to Xbox Game Pass tomorrow. It's the first time a Call of Duty game will be available on Game Pass, and it's the last in Activision's franchise to have PlayStation-exclusive content now that Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will be available for Xbox Game Pass for Console, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on July 24th. The announcement comes just weeks after Microsoft revealed price hikes for its subscription service.Microsoft announced price hikes for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass earlier this month. The launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III on Game Pass could soften the blow of the price increases, which, in... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6PE10)
You can power up to six devices with Sharge's new charging station. | Image: Sharge Sharge's new 100W charging station falls somewhere between a compact multi-port USB charger and a plastic power strip. Designed with a small footprint so it can live on a desk and stay easily accessible, it delivers enough USB-C power to keep laptops charged while also accommodating hardware dependent on a three-prong plug.The charging station can deliver up to 100W of power across four USB ports. If you have a device plugged into one of the two 100W USB-C ports, it can draw up to 100W. But if both 100W USB-C ports are in use, one will drop to 65W while the other is capped at 35W. With all four USB ports in use, the fastest power delivery from any one USB-C port will be limited to just 45W. The USB-A port maxes out at 18W but is still a... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6PE11)
Photo by Diego Radames/Anadolu via Getty Images On Friday morning, shortly after midnight in New York, disaster started to unfold around the world. In Australia, shoppers were met with Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) messages at self-checkout aisles. In the UK, Sky News had to suspend its broadcast after servers and PCs started crashing. In Hong Kong and India, airport check-in desks began to fail. By the time morning rolled around in New York, millions of Windows computers had crashed, and a global tech disaster was underway.In the early hours of the outage, there was confusion over what was going on. How were so many Windows machines suddenly showing a blue crash screen? Something super weird happening right now," Australian cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt wrote in a post on X. On... Continue reading...
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by Ash Parrish on (#6PE12)
Image: Arrowhead Studios The team at Arrowhead Game Studios is working on the biggest Helldivers 2 update yet. On August 6th, the Escalation of Freedom update will offer players new game modes, enemies, mission objectives, and a much more punishing difficulty. In the announcement trailer, chief creative officer Johan Pilestedt and design director Niklas Malmborg went over the details, sharing that they're planning on bringing back an old enemy from the original Helldivers to terrorize freedom lovers across the galaxy.
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by Emma Roth on (#6PE13)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Amazon's plan to launch a paid version of Alexa is part of a strategy change to reverse the over $25 billion in losses that its devices business incurred from 2017 to 2021, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The AI-supercharged Alexa, which is rumored to cost up to $10 / month, could arrive as soon as this month.With a potential launch just weeks away, employees reportedly have doubts about whether the new version of Alexa will catch on. A person who worked on the Alexa team told the WSJ that the division is racing toward the deadline to launch the subscription even though the technology isn't there." Amazon's former head of devices, David Limp, first revealed Amazon's plans to charge for an improved version of Alexa... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6PDXA)
The Cruise Origin in 2020. | Image: Vjeran Pavic / The Verge General Motors told reporters on Tuesday that it has indefinitely suspended production of its self-driving Cruise Origin robotaxi, reports The New York Times. The company will refocus on using the Chevy Bolt EV, which Cruise has already been using. A modified version will go into production next year.The Origin created regulatory uncertainty" owing to its design, GM CEO Mary Barra said in her letter to shareholders today. It was to be purpose-built for self-driving, with no steering wheel or pedals, no clear front or rear, and no driver; but estimates put each vehicle's cost in the hundreds of thousands. The company said in September of last year that it was just days away" from regulators approving the Origin for mass production. ... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6PDXB)
The gray model may lack some of the Game Boy's vintage vibes like the other colors on offer, but the design homages are there once you look close. Between the Analogue Pocket and the proliferation of game emulators on Apple's App Store, retro gaming is more than chic in 2024. So, it's not terribly surprising that boutique keyboard maker Angry Miao is getting in on some of that sweet nostalgia with its latest mechanical board, the Game Boy-inspired AM RGB 65.But the real surprise is that what at first blush looks like a near-$600 parts bin rehash of an existing board is actually Angry Miao's best mech to date. There's a lot of Cyberboard DNA here, but oh so much better. The RGB 65 is a 65 percent layout keyboard, but its large dot matrix LED forehead means it takes up almost as much space as most 75 percent keyboards. It looks a whole lot like a shrunken-down... Continue reading...
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by David Pierce on (#6PDXC)
Photo: Andrey Rudakov / Bloomberg via Getty Images It all started with a configuration file. A seemingly routine update, the kind that happens hundreds of times a year to millions of computers around the world. But last week, that update crashed 8.5 million computers and wreaked havoc on banks, airlines, schools, and more.On this episode of The Vergecast, The Verge's Tom Warren joins the show to talk about the story and legacy of the CrowdStrike crash. We talk about what exactly happened, how CrowdStrike and Microsoft scrambled to fix it, and whether we're due for a reckoning over how much we rely on complex and fragile technology. (Don't forget to subscribe to Notepad!)After that, we chat with The Verge's Victoria Song along with Adrian Hon, a writer and game designer who spent many... Continue reading...
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by Gaby Del Valle on (#6PDXD)
Image: Hugo Herrera / The Verge Nearly a decade ago, Uber revealed that customers are more willing to pay surge prices when their phones are about to die. That data point sparked a pervasive belief that Uber and other ridehailing apps use algorithms to tailor each passenger's price to their behavior and willingness to pay - a practice known as surveillance pricing." A related myth - that airlines use your search history to jack up prices for flights you're interested in - is similarly ubiquitous even though it's not true.Surveillance pricing may not be widespread yet, but experts say it's on the horizon, and consultants are starting to offer surveillance pricing models to businesses across various industries. The Federal Trade Commission announced today that it's... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6PDTJ)
Illustrator's new Generative Shape Fill tool allows users to fill a selected shape with scalable generated images. | Image: Adobe Adobe is introducing some new tools and generative AI features to its Illustrator and Photoshop design software that aim to help speed up creative workflows. The most notable updates are coming to Illustrator courtesy of Adobe's latest Firefly Vector AI model, which is available in public beta starting today.Adobe's latest Firefly Vector model powers new Illustrator features like Generative Shape Fill, which allows users to add detailed vectors to shapes via descriptive text prompts. The updated model also improves the Text to Pattern beta feature, which can be used to create scalable, customized vector patterns for things like wallpapers; and Style Reference, which generates outputs that mirror existing styles. I... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6PDTK)
Image: Cadillac Cadillac has a new convertible concept EV that's longer than some SUVs, has giant pillar-to-pillar infotainment screens, and can keep you cool for the summer with a refrigerator in the back seat.It's called the Sollei, and it's a new electric vehicle concept that looks like a convertible version of Cadillac's bespoke Celestiq" - the automaker's answer to exclusive luxury vehicles like the Rolls-Royce. The new vehicle converts the $340,000 full-size electric sedan into a manilla cream" coupe that tries to evoke the sun with ray patterns emanating from the center of every seat and from the wooden panels on the back of them.The Sollei was shown off at the Cadillac House at Vanderbilt in Warren, Michigan - the same place high-rolling... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6PDTM)
The new Motorola Razr Plus features an even bigger and more delightful cover screen. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge Many smartphones are impressive, but few stand out like the Motorola Razr Plus. Arriving in bright poolside colors like hot pink, green, and blue, the new flip phone is as much fun to use as it is to admire, and it's currently on sale. Priced at $999.99, you can preorder an unlocked Razr Plus with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $899.99 ($100 off) from Amazon and Best Buy ahead of its release date on July 24th.As The Verge smartphone reviewer Allison Johnson wrote in her review, few phones are as delightful as the Razr Plus. That's largely because of its upgraded cover screen, which now measures four inches - much bigger than its predecessor and the 3.4-inch external screen on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - and is even more... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6PDTN)
Image: Amazon Amazon's Prime Video is fixing one of the most frustrating things about its interface. Its redesigned UI comes with a new tab dedicated to all the content included with your Prime Video subscription - no paid movies or series mixed in.You'll find the new Prime" tab in the main navigation bar that's now situated at the top of the screen, rather than on the left side. Alongside options for movies, TV shows, sports, and live TV, there are tabs dedicated to other services you're subscribed to, such as Max, Crunchyroll, and Paramount Plus. If you don't have any services linked to Prime, you'll see a subscriptions" tab with other services you can sign up for. GIF: Amazon The redesign, which has started to roll out now,... Continue reading...
by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on (#6PDRB)
The Roomba Combo 10 Max is the company's first robot vacuum with a charging dock that can wash the bot's mop as well as empty its bin and refill its mopping tank. | Imge: iRobot The Roomba Combo 10 Max is a new robot vacuum and mop from iRobot that can wash its mop, empty its bin, and refill its mopping tank - meaning less manual labor on your part. The company's new flagship robot vacuum will also be its first to support the smart home standard Matter. The vacuum is available for preorder starting today at irobot.com for $1,399.99, and in the UK for 1,499 and Europe for 1,499. Shipping starts in August, when it will also come to other retailers.Building on the Roomba Combo j9 Plus' retractable mopping system that picks itself up when it vacuums carpet, the Roomba Combo 10 Max robot and Auto Wash Dock is the company's first robot vac with a fully multifunction charging dock. In addition to emptying the... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6PDP9)
Wiz reportedly abandoned the deal over antitrust and investor concerns. | Illustration: The Verge Cybersecurity startup Wiz has turned down a $23 billion takeover bid from Google's parent, Alphabet, breaking off what would have been the largest acquisition in the search giant's history. In an internal memo seen by CNBC, Wiz co-founder Assaf Rappaport said the company would instead pursue an initial public offering.Saying no to such humbling offers is tough," Rappaport said in the memo sent to Wiz employees. Had the acquisition gone ahead, it would have doubled the $12 billion valuation that Wiz announced in May after the company raised $1 billion in private funding. According to the memo, Wiz will now focus on achieving $1 billion in annual recurring revenue alongside the IPO - goals the security firm had set before its talks with... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6PDG3)
Apparently AI-generated artwork that was first used to promote California Forever's city. | Image: California Forever California Forever tech billionaire-backed plan to build a new city 60 miles away from San Francisco is on hold for at least two years, pending an environmental impact study, reports The New York Times.Last year, the Times reported that a group of Silicon Valley investors (including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Andreessen Horowitz investors Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and Emerson Collective founder Laurene Powell Jobs) had secretly bought up hundreds of millions of dollars worth of farmland in Solano County to build their own city.With former Goldman Sachs trader named Jan Sramek spearheading the project, it filed for permission to develop the land only months after its plans became known. A... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6PDE6)
Slack introduced its first three iPhone and iPad widgets today. | Screenshot: Slack Today, Slack introduced the first four widgets for the iOS version of its mobile app. Three of them are designed for the iPhone's homescreen, while the fourth can be added to the lockscreen, allowing users to jump immediately into the Slack app after unlocking their device.The homescreen widgets include Catch Up, which provides an at-a-glance look at how many unread messages and mentions a user has without opening the app. It gives a little more detail than the Slack app icon's badge, and tapping the Catch Up widget takes users directly to that section of the Slack app so they can quickly swipe through conversations they've missed.
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by Emma Roth on (#6PDE7)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Intel says it has found the source of the widespread instability issues affecting its Core 13th and 14th Gen processors. In an update on Monday, Intel confirmed that CPUs are experiencing elevated operating voltage" and that a patch is on the way.We have determined that elevated operating voltage is causing instability issues in some 13th/14th Gen desktop processors," Intel employee Thomas Hannaford writes on the company's forum. Our analysis of returned processors confirms that the elevated operating voltage is stemming from a microcode algorithm resulting in incorrect voltage requests to the processor."Intel says it's working to release a microcode patch for motherboard manufacturers in mid-August and that anyone affected by the... Continue reading...
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by Lauren Feiner on (#6PDE8)
Image: The Verge CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz was called to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee over the major outage affecting Windows PCs spurred by a faulty update that brought flights, hospital procedures, and broadcasters to a halt on Friday, The Washington Post reported.Recognizing that Americans will undoubtedly feel the lasting, real-world consequences of this incident, they deserve to know in detail how this incident happened and the mitigation steps CrowdStrike is taking," Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-TN) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) wrote in a letter later shared with The Verge. They asked that CrowdStrike schedule a hearing with the subcommittee by end... Continue reading...
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by Chris Welch on (#6PDE9)
Image: 9to5Google Google is seemingly about to move on from the HDMI dongle design of all its past streaming devices in favor of a more conventional set-top box. 9to5Google has published images of the upcoming product, which is apparently called the Google TV Streamer." So not only is the look of past Chromecasts going away, but so is the name.The new device has a slanted top, and the overall design is in keeping with Google's other recent hardware. As for the included remote, it's mostly similar to what came with the last-gen Chromecast, though this one is longer and has a volume rocker right on the face.The Google TV Streamer is likely to debut at the company's August 13th hardware event alongside a litany of other products including the Pixel 9... Continue reading...
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by Richard Lawler on (#6PDEA)
Illustration: The Verge Google is putting the brakes on a change that would have made it more difficult to track users across different websites to serve them targeted ads. After years of testing, planning, and delays, Google has scrapped a plan to turn off third-party cookie tracking by default like Safari and Firefox already do. The change was supposed to reach Chrome users soon, despite concerns raised by competitors, regulators, and privacy advocates.Now, Chrome will ask users to make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing" instead of deprecating third-party cookies, writes Google Privacy Sandbox VP Anthony Chavez. That could work more like Apple's app tracking opt-in, a setting that reportedly cost social media platforms nearly $10... Continue reading...
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by Thomas Ricker on (#6PDEB)
Yes, the Cowboy Cross comes in zune brown." | Image: Cowboy Cowboy is rolling out a free over-the-air update to its single-speed, belt-driven e-bikes that promises to flatten steeper hills while also making its 250W rear-hub motor more efficient when the road levels out - no gear changes required.Specifically, Cowboy says its AdaptivePower 2.0 update will help take riders up hills that are 50 percent steeper while saving 10 percent more power on flat roads. These improvements are compared to the company's first-generation adaptive power tech that Cowboy launched just over a year ago, which automatically adjusts power delivery based on incline, headwind, or extra hauling weight.As Cowboy explains it, adaptive power relies on a proprietary (and once contested) algorithm that monitors the... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6PDCF)
Only 26 copies of this gold-finished cartridge were ever produced. | Image: Goldin Starting tonight, Goldin will be auctioning off one of the rarest Nintendo Entertainment System cartridges of all time. Nintendo originally created only 26 of these gold cartridges as prizes for Nintendo Power magazine readers in 1990. They're so hard to come by that one sold on eBay for $100,088 a decade ago.Hundreds of cartridges were created for the 1990 Nintendo World Championships, an event that toured the United States trying to find the country's best gamers. Players competed for high scores in timed versions of Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Rad Racer, which were all bundled onto special cartridges featuring physical switches, allowing the games' time limits to be modified.Most of these cartridges featured standard gray NES... Continue reading...
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by Ash Parrish on (#6PD9Y)
Photo: Evo / Stephanie Lindgren Evo 2024 wrapped up late Sunday night with Victor Punk" Woodley beating Adel Big Bird" Anouche in Street Fighter 6. With his victory, Woodley became the first American to win a mainline Street Fighter tournament at Evo in over 20 years.The match was nail-bitingly close with Anouche, who made it to the grand finals via the loser's bracket, beating Woodley 3-0 to reset or flip" the bracket requiring another best-of-5 match to determine the winner. Their second match went the distance, with each player having two set wins a piece and tied 1-1 in the final match. A well-executed super move from Woodley's Cammy ended the match and America's long Street Fighter Evo championship drought along with it.Americans actually fared exceedingly... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6PD73)
Yep, still bad at Minesweeper. | Photo: Wes Davis / The Verge Apple recently approved a new emulator app called UTM SE that enables your iPhone or iPad (or Vision Pro!) to masquerade as PC hardware and run honest-to-goodness computer desktop operating systems. Some of you asked in the comments section of my last story how it runs - a fair question that I couldn't answer at the time. But now that I've tried it a little, I have answers, and I can say this much: it's better than I expected, but I wouldn't count on it for too much.That's because it doesn't use a just-in-time (JIT) compiler, which translates software into code that your device understands before it's executed. JIT compilers go against Apple's software guidelines for the App Store, so you'd have to jailbreak your phone to install a v... Continue reading...
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by Justine Calma on (#6PD74)
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks at Tioga Marine Terminal on October 13th, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. | Photo: Getty Images With the US facing the prospect of another four years of former President Donald Trump rolling back environmental protections at the federal level, the Biden administration is putting billions of dollars of climate funding into the hands of local governments.The Biden administration announced $4.3 billion in funding today for locally led climate projects across the US. The money will fund 25 different initiatives led by state, municipal, and tribal governments as well as coalitions of local governments working to transition to cleaner energy and reduce greenhouse gas pollution. The money can be used to deploy a wide array of clean energy technologies - from solar and wind farms to EV chargers and heat pumps.All in all, the projects are... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6PD75)
Image: Rivian Rivian's R3X electric SUV will arrive before the base model, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe says on today's episode of Decoder. Even though Scaringe still doesn't provide an exact date when the performance variant will roll out, it will be as soon as we possibly can."We're launching R2 first, allowing some time to get that stable, and then launching R3," Scaringe says. I will say this: The first R3 that we're launching, it's going to start with R3X." We first got a glimpse at the upcoming R3 lineup during the EV maker's R2 reveal event in March.R2 / R3X launch eventRivian hasn't released many details about the R3 or the R3X, but it has said the more compact SUV will cost less than the R2, which starts at $45,000, along with more... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6PD47)
Along with being an excellent fitness tracker, Amazfit's GTR 4 is a good smartwatch with a sharp OLED display. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge From the Apple Watch Series 9 to Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6, many of the best wearables on the market received steep discounts during Prime Day. While those deals have since disappeared, those who missed out now have the opportunity to score an excellent deal on the Amazfit GTR 4, our favorite fitness tracker and the best budget Android watch on the market. If you're a My Best Buy Plus member, you can buy the smartwatch on sale for $139.99 at Amazon and Best Buy, which marks a new all-time low from its regular price of $199.99.For its price, the GTR 4 offers an impressive number of features. It does a good job of tracking all kinds of health and fitness metrics, from heart, sleep, and stress to your menstrual cycle, while boasting over... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6PD48)
Illustration: The Verge The European Union says it has notified Meta that its pay or consent" model for Facebook and Instagram might violate consumer protection laws. The EU's Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network says the company has until September 1st, 2024, to propose changes to its model, which it calls misleading" and confusing" for users, or face potential fines.Meta's pay or consent" model, which was introduced last year, gives users a choice: pay as much as 12.99 per month to use Facebook and Instagram without ads or consent to letting the company collect and use personal data to serve personalized ads. The EU doesn't like what it sees as privacy-violating data usage and has already hit Meta separately with Digital Markets Act charges... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6PD4A)
Rivian R1S, without CarPlay. | Image: Rivian Despite Apple's claims that most consumers will only consider purchasing vehicles that support CarPlay, Rivian says it still doesn't have any plans to adopt the iPhone mirroring system. Talking to The Verge EIC Nilay Patel in today's episode of Decoder, Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe likened Rivian adopting CarPlay to Apple choosing to use Microsoft's Windows operating systems instead of developing its own in-house iOS and macOS alternatives.We have a great relationship with Apple," he said. As much as I love their products, there's a reason that ironically is very consistent with Apple ethos for us to want to control the ecosystem." CarPlay isn't consistent with how we think about really creating a pure product experience,"... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6PD4B)
Now you're playing with 12,000mAh of power. | Image: Ayaneo Ayaneo's Retro Power Bank isn't the most powerful portable charger, but it is the first to wrap a 12,000mAh lithium battery in a miniature homage to the Japanese version of the Super Nintendo. And it's now finally listed in the company's online store for $39.99.The company is best known for its handheld gaming PCs designed to compete with Valve's Steam Deck, but late last year, Ayaneo teased a collection of retro-themed devices that included this portable charger. At a quick glance, it looks like the Super Famicom, but upon closer examination, there's no cartridge slot, and what appear to be controller ports on the front are actually USB-C ports. Image: Ayaneo Looks can be deceiving. Ayaneo's new retro power bank... Continue reading...
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by Gaby Del Valle on (#6PD4C)
Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images A Nevada man was sentenced to 65 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sextorting more than 100 children on Omegle, Snapchat, TikTok, and Mega and distributing child sexual abuse material on dark web forums.From 2018 to 2021, James Patrick Burns used several platforms to contact minors and coerce or threaten them into producing sexually explicit content, according to court documents presented at trial. Prosecutors called Burns the most prolific creator" of illegal content on these forums in the years he was active.Snap released new features last month intended to protect teen users from sextortion scams. The features include in-app warning messages when teenagers get messages from users other people have... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6PD4D)
Image: Shokz Shokz may be getting some fresh competition in the open-ear headphone space from the likes of Bose and Suunto, but it's hard to beat the value of its OpenRun Pro - especially while they're still discounted to $124.95 ($55 off) at Amazon and Best Buy until July 23rd at 1AM ET.The OpenRun Pro are a form-follows-function device, designed primarily for fitness and exercise use with bone conduction tech that doesn't block your ears. The wrap-around headphones may not be the prettiest, but are incredibly helpful if you want to venture out into busy streets without blocking out your surroundings. To go along with the running-focused name, the OpenRun Pro are both lightweight and water / sweat resistant, so you can get plenty gross and clammy... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6PD4E)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Reddit has struck deals with major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and the MLB, as the company looks to boost revenue following its move to go public. Through the program, Reddit will show more game highlights, behind-the-scenes videos, and ask-me-anything (AMA) sessions with players.In exchange, advertisers on Reddit, such as Samsung, Ford, Volkswagen, and FanDuel, can show ads alongside video content posted by the leagues. Reddit will then share the revenue it gets from advertisers with the participating sports leagues, according to The Information. In the example shown below, Reddit shows an ad just before a highlight from a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks. GIF: Reddit You... Continue reading...
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by Nilay Patel on (#6PD1E)
Photo illustration by The Verge / Photo: Rivian Rivian's founder on the R2 and R3 roadmap, the company's $5 billion VW deal, and his thoughts on the Tesla Model Y. Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6PCYZ)
Image: Hugo J. Herrera for The Verge If you can't tell the difference between AGI and RAG, don't worry - we're here for you. Continue reading...
by Jess Weatherbed on (#6PCZ0)
Apple's illustrious original programming may face tighter budgets. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple is known to spend billions of dollars on its Hollywood projects, but that could be set to change following production losses across the wider streaming industry. According to Bloomberg, Apple's senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, is pushing studio chiefs Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht to oversee project budgets more closely in a bid to make its Apple TV Plus streaming business more sustainable.Apple invests heavily in individual projects compared to larger streaming companies like Netflix, having spent over $500 million on movies from directors Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon), Ridley Scott (Napoleon), and Matthew Vaughn (Argylle). While its original projects get plenty of attention during award seasons, B... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6PCMV)
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 will not ship with the Samsung Messages app pre-installed in the US, according to 9to5Google. Those who still prefer Samsung's app will have to download it from the Galaxy Store, where it's still available.Starting with Starting with the Flip6, Fold6 and newer models, the Samsung Messages app will no longer be preloaded," reads a Samsung message posted by Android leaker Max Weinbach. Instead, Google Messages will provide a new and enhanced experience to express your emotions, making communication safe and fun."Google Messages has been the default for Samsung phones since 2022 when Samsung made the switch, which was a boon for RCS messaging.
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by Wes Davis on (#6PCKH)
A Mac app for true notch-heads. | Image: NotchNook There's a new app for Macs called NotchNook that transforms the notch on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro into, basically, the iPhone's Dynamic Island. And after using it for a day, I'm not sure I can do without it.Just like the Dynamic Island, NotchNook expands out from the notch, revealing a Nook" with basic media controls (sort of like Live Activities in iOS) and other customizable widgets. Then there's a Tray" tab that you can drop files or apps into; it's similar to the macOS dock, except that the tray empties when you quit NotchNook. GIF: NotchNook NotchNook made my MacBook Air's notch useful. You access this by clicking on a tab that blends in with the notch, or by swiping downward on your trackpad... Continue reading...
by Lauren Feiner on (#6NTZZ)
Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images Joe Biden and Donald Trump were expected to face off on Tuesday, November 5th. Continue reading...
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by Gaby Del Valle on (#6PCJ4)
Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images, Anna Moneymaker President Joe Biden says he will stand down from his reelection bid and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term." Biden announced his decision with a letter posted to social media (first X, then Instagram / Threads, and then Facebook) after a growing movement among Democrats and the media called for him to step aside.Biden is endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, writing, Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year."Harris ran for the 2020 Democratic nomination for president before dropping out and later endorsing Biden for the position. Biden named her as his running mate in August 2020, which eventually made... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6PCGD)
Image: The Verge The CrowdStrike outage that hit millions of Windows machines on Friday has left IT workers scrambling to get their organizations' computer infrastructure back up and running. Images and stories shared online are illustrating just how tedious and overwhelming this task is.Microsoft and CrowdStrike don't have a way to push a fix for the issue to crashed computers. And in many cases, systems administrators can't repair the machines remotely, either. That leaves them working in person to do things like use a Microsoft-created tool on a USB drive, delete a specific file while in Safe Mode, or restart affected computers over and over again, hoping an update comes through.And these things must be done for every individual computer affected.... Continue reading...
by William Poor on (#6PCEY)
Image: Samar Haddad for The Verge On the infinite list of possible uses for AI, getting selfie advice from a Kylie Jenner voice clone" seems both completely off-the-wall and also pretty inevitable. So of course it does exist. It's not a widely-available app, at least not yet; it's an experiment from artist and programmer Dries Depoorter.With access to a couple of APIs from OpenAI and ElevenLabs, and a little knowledge of Python, you too can up your selfie game. The app will take a photo through your webcam, then feed it to ChatGPT with a prompt asking for funny advice in the voice of Ms. Jenner. The text output is then passed to an ElevenLabs voice clone of the selfie maven, and out pops the advice:Ok, love the candid vibe, but let's add some drama. Turn towards the... Continue reading...
by Wes Davis on (#6PCEZ)
Image: The Verge CrowdStrike has published a new Remediation and Guidance Hub" that collects details related to its faulty update that crashed 8.5 million Windows computers across the globe on Friday.The page includes technical information on what caused the outage, what systems are affected, and CEO George Kurtz's statement. It contains links to Bitlocker key recovery processes and to various third-party vendor pages about dealing with the outage, as well.The page points to a knowledge base article (which only logged-in customers can access) for using a bootable USB key. Microsoft released such a tool yesterday that automatically deletes the problematic channel file that caused machines to blue screen.CrowdStrike also published a blog yesterday... Continue reading...