The Verge

Google’s Nest Hello video doorbell first came out in 2018 and has seen a slight rebrand as the Nest Doorbell (wired). | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge There have been lots of great deals this week despite Memorial Day having come and gone, some of which are still available to Walmart Plus subscribers through the weekend. But if you’re someone who cares more about smart home tech than the current highlights at Walmart, we’ve got an exclusive treat just for you.Wellbots is offering Verge readers up to $80 off on select Google Nest devices until Sunday, June 19th. This includes two great options for video doorbells if you favor using Google Assistant in your smart home setup. The longstanding Google Nest Hello — now known as the Nest Doorbell (wired) — is $80 off when you use promo code VERGE80 at checkout, which drops the excellent wired doorbell to $149. While this model has been... Continue reading…

Torn between being a souped-up e-reader and a stripped-down tablet Continue reading…

Saturday morning, aerospace company Blue Origin is slated to conduct its fifth tourist flight, sending a crew of six to the edge of space and back out of West Texas. Once again, it’s a flight without any major celebrities on board, as the company transitions into making these quick jaunts to space relatively routine.The flight, called NS-21, comes just two months after Blue Origin’s last tourist trip on March 31st. That mission sent up five paying customers and one company employee — the first time no big names flew. The Blue Origin employee was actually a last-minute replacement for comedian and actor Pete Davidson, who was originally slated to fly but had to drop out due to scheduling issues when the mission was delayed. Prior to that... Continue reading…

Image: Apple Square announced on Thursday that it will begin to support Apple’s Tap to Pay technology later this year with a beta test arriving this summer as part of the company’s Early Access Program.Right now if a company is using Square to process sales it needs to use Square’s familiar dongle to receive payments. With support for Apple’s Tap to Pay it should be able to process a big chunk of payments with nothing but an iPhone and the Square app. The new program will allow iPhone users to pay with their phone within Square’s point of sale (POS) app.Apple first announced Tap to Pay in February 2022, and first supported Square’s competitor Stripe. The partnership with Stripe also supports payments made in the Shopify POS app. The Tap to Pay... Continue reading…

The Posé is a new lifestyle TV from LG. | Image: LG LG is catching up with Samsung in “lifestyle” TV land, adding a new model to its LG OLED Objet Collection that launched last year. The new Posé is a slimline take on Samsung’s Serif; it comes in 42-inch, 48-inch, and 55-inch screen sizes and launches in the third quarter of 2022, starting in Europe.The Posé joins the 65-inch Easel that was announced at CES (then called the Objet), which is designed to look like an art easel and has a sliding fabric cover to conceal the screen. Both can display artwork or photos when not in use.But what is a lifestyle TV? Why is there a premium for a TV to look good in our homes? “Looks nice when in the middle of my living room” seems like a key consideration when buying a TV just as it is when you buy... Continue reading…

Hello! Welcome (or welcome back) to This Week in Elon, The Verge’s occasionally revived newsletter for when there’s Too Much Elon News. And, I mean, there’s always too much Elon news. But what’s happening right now feels worth digging into more deeply. So, let’s get into it.On Tuesday, Musk demanded Tesla employees come back to the office or “pretend to work somewhere else,” which is an odd thing to say for a guy who splits his time between cities and at least four different companies. He’s also looking to cut about 10 percent of Tesla’s workforce, Reuters reported this morning, based on his “super bad feeling” about the economy, and all I’m saying is I don’t want to do layoffs, so I’m going to make you miserable enough to quit would... Continue reading…

Square Enix Yesterday, Sony and Square Enix blessed us with the biggest chunk of Final Fantasy XVI news yet during the State of Play event. Square Enix released not only a new trailer but also a new blog and updates to the official Final Fantasy XVI website that has established a nice foundation upon which we can start building an idea of what this game is about and what we can expect.Despite the number, Final Fantasy XVI is not the 16th entry in the series; it’s not even the 16th single-player mainline entry, either (thanks to FFXIII’s sequels and the FFVII Remake). There are a million and a half Final Fantasy games, far too many to count. This is simply the one that comes after the one with Noctis and his bro-dtrip.Final Fantasy XVI takes place... Continue reading…

T-Mobile’s voice over 5G technology is live in Portland, Ore. and Salt Lake City. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge According to the US carriers, 5G has well and truly arrived. We did it! We won the race to 5G. But there’s one piece of the puzzle that’s still largely missing: voice. Phone calls still mainly rely on LTE networks, even where 5G data coverage is robust. Today, T-Mobile announced that it has taken a small step forward in making voice over 5G a reality. In Portland, Oregon, and Salt Lake City, Utah, some commercial calls will be routed via T-Mobile’s standalone 5G network.Voice over 5G (referred to as Voice over New Radio, or VoNR) is a major challenge for the whole wireless industry, though all US carriers will likely want to move voice calling over to 5G sometime in the future to free up LTE spectrum for 5G. Voice calls over 5G are also... Continue reading…

Instagram and Facebook Reels now supports 90-second videos | Image: Meta In a blog post on Thursday, Meta said that it’s globally rolling out new creator tools for its TikTok competitor, Reels, on both Instagram and Facebook. The handful of new tools will make it easier for creators to skip using TikTok to edit short clips and help encourage people to create original content using Reels, which is something the team at Instagram really wants to happen.Instagram Reels will now let users import their own audio (that’s at least five seconds long) from their camera roll to their reel video. Reels also now supports 90-second videos, and it is adding interactive “stickers” that support polls, quizzes, and emoji — much like Instagram Stories. Instagram is also widely releasing templates that let users easily... Continue reading…

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge Google is telling users of the Android Auto for Phone Screens app that it’ll no longer work soon via an in-app pop-up message (via 9to5Google). The app enables a simplified in-car interface of Android that is safer to use while mounting the phone on a car dashboard, a great feature for those who don’t own newer cars with the version of Android Auto that runs on the infotainment screen.This is actually not Google’s first warning that it was putting Android Auto for Phone Screens in exile. It was already deprecated last year when the company disabled Android Auto for Phone Screens on newer Android 12 devices. People with older devices could still access the app, but Google didn’t give a timeline on how long it would last, stating it has... Continue reading…

iFixit The New York state legislature has passed the United States’ first “right to repair” bill covering electronics. Called the Fair Repair Act, the measure would require all manufacturers who sell “digital electronic products” within state borders to make tools, parts, and instructions for repair available to both consumers and independent shops.Having passed the legislature, it is awaiting signature by Governor Kathy Hochul, who is expected to support the measure. The measure will take effect one year after it passes into law.“One giant leap for repairkind”Self-repair groups like iFixit have applauded the ruling, calling it “one giant leap for repairkind” in a blog post following the announcement.“The passage of this bill means that... Continue reading…

The Nintendo Switch OLED model boasts a vibrant, 7-inch display and a slate of minor upgrades. | Image: Nintendo The Nintendo Switch was, like most consoles during the pandemic, once in short supply. Thankfully, retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart now routinely stock the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and upgraded Switch OLED model in multiple color configurations, giving those who have continually struck out ample opportunity to purchase Nintendo’s incredibly popular handheld console.If you’re not sure where you can pick up a Switch as of right now, we’ve vetted stock and rounded up where you can purchase the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch Lite, and the Nintendo Switch OLED model both online and in-store. We’ve also scoured the web for any bundle that seems like a good deal, as well as discounts that might be applicable.Where can... Continue reading…

Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Amazon stopped supplying retailers in China with Kindle e-readers and will close down the country’s Kindle ebook shop, Reuters reported based on a post made to the company’s WeChat account. Starting June 30th, 2023, users will no longer be able to buy digital Kindle books in China, while Amazon will pull its Kindle app from Chinese app stores one year later.However, current customers will be able to download titles purchased in the past until June 2024, and after that, they’ll keep working but without the cloud’s backup. The move isn’t related to pressure from the government or censorship, the tech giant told Reuters. Rather, Amazon says it’s changing its strategic focus. The company’s other businesses in the country — like its... Continue reading…

Photo by Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images Self-driving company Cruise has received a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to charge for fully driverless rides, a milestone that the company claims makes it “the first and only company to operate a commercial, driverless ride-hail service in a major U.S. city.” Cruise has been testing free driverless rides for the public in San Francisco since February, and now, it will be able to offer paid fares.For this paid service, the GM and Honda-backed Cruise will be able to operate its 30 all-electric vehicles at night from 10PM to 6AM in “select streets” in San Francisco, and the vehicles won’t be able to go faster than 30 miles per hour, according to the draft resolution (pdf). Cruise will also only be able to... Continue reading…

If Samsung nixes the physical rotating bezel for good, it would be the end of an era. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge Well, well, well. There were rumors that Samsung would ditch the Classic model for the Galaxy Watch 5, and according to the beta version of the Samsung Health app, it appears to be true. The app shows listings for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro — but no Classic. Screenshot: Dan Seifert / The Verge Oops, Samsung did it again. The gaffe was initially spotted by 9to5 Google, but The Verge was also able to independently confirm it. From the preview image, it appears the Pro will be closer in design to the Galaxy Watch 5. In essence, sleeker and sportier without the mechanical watch vibe. And crucially, it appears that Samsung could be axing the concept of a physical rotating bezel entirely.... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Dave Clark, Amazon’s CEO of worldwide consumer business, is resigning effective July 1st, the company announced on Friday. Clark has been with Amazon for 23 years and played a major role in building out the company’s expansive and speedy supply chain. He’s one of two chief executives at Amazon who report up to company CEO Andy Jassy. Clark will be resigning to “pursue other opportunities,” Jassy wrote in a memo Amazon shared publicly.Clark elaborated more on his departure in an email to staff. “For some time, I have discussed my intent to transition out of Amazon with my family and others close to me, but I wanted to ensure the teams were setup for success,” Clark wrote in the note, which he posted on Twitter. “I feel confident that... Continue reading…

An artistic rendering of SpaceX’s Starship on the Moon, adorned with a NASA logo. | Image: NASA Today, when asked about Elon Musk’s pessimistic attitude toward the economy, President Joe Biden made a dismissive little quip: “Lots of luck on his trip to the Moon.” It’s a funny aside — but there’s one tiny hitch. Technically, a good chunk of SpaceX’s funding to return people to the Moon comes from the Biden administration.Biden was asked about Musk’s opinions today during a press conference at the White House. Specifically, a reporter wanted to know what Biden would say to the Tesla and SpaceX CEO “around his feeling about the economy.” The question was in reference to a recent report that Tesla would be freezing hiring and cutting its workforce by 10 percent because of Musk’s “super bad feeling” about the economy, according to an... Continue reading…

The 2020 iPad Air is just one of the many devices on sale right now for its lowest price ever. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Beating the deals you’ll find on Prime Day isn’t easy, but Walmart is definitely going to try. The big blue retailer is offering stacks of discounts on a wide variety of products to Walmart Plus members this weekend. Starting today and ending at 7PM ET on Sunday, June 5th, Walmart is hosting sales on everything from laptops and 4K TVs to noise-canceling headphones and video games.While you’ll need to be a Walmart Plus member to cash in on these savings, the retailer is sweetening the deal for anyone who signs up for the service this weekend, offering a $20 promo code for new subscribers that can be applied to your next online order. Sadly, you’ll need to be a paying member to access these deals, meaning that you can’t just use the... Continue reading…

The ComfoBuds Pro normally retail for $94.99, but right now Amazon has them for as low as $55. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Planning on flying out for a holiday this summer? Trying to unwind on a packed flight while a baby screams like a banshee isn’t the most relaxing start to a vacation — and is exactly when a pair of noise-canceling earbuds could come in handy. Unfortunately, many tend to be over $100, but today you can buy 1More’s ComfoBuds Pro on Amazon in white for $55 instead of $94.99 or in black for $59.99 as opposed to $99.99, both of which require you to clip the on-page coupon.True to their name, we found 1More’s ComfoBuds Pro to be very comfortable, even over long stretches of time. The budget-friendly true wireless earbuds boast good sound quality for the price as well, along with decent noise cancellation with various levels of intensity. They... Continue reading…

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Years of alarm bells from cybersecurity experts about the vulnerabilities of medical devices are finally being heard by Congress. Senators proposed a new bill this week that would require the Food and Drug Administration to issue cybersecurity guidelines more regularly, and share information about vulnerable devices on its website.The legislation, first reported by CyberScoop, comes from Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.). The bill comes a few weeks after cybersecurity expert Joshua Corman testified before a Senate committee on the vulnerabilities of medical devices to cyberattacks, and a few months after FDA leaders asked Congress in April to dedicate more funding and authority to the agency around device cybersecurity.... Continue reading…

Reliable connectivity on a connected fitness gadget is a must Continue reading…

Could a working prototype of Optimus be imminent? Or is this another fake out? | Image: Tesla In a tweet that is definitely not meant to distract from the news that he’s planning on laying off about 10 percent of his workforce, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that he was shifting the company’s “AI Day” event from August to September in anticipation of being able to show off a “working” Optimus prototype.You’ll recall that Optimus is the name given to the humanoid robot that Musk said will take on the repetitive, boring tasks that humans are loath to do. The robot was revealed during Tesla’s last AI day in August 2021, and as with all things Musk, it’s difficult to parse the reality from the smokescreen of bullshit he tends to throw out. After promising to reveal a working prototype sometime in 2022, the evening was capped by a person... Continue reading…

It looks like the mini console trend isn’t over quite yet. Sega has announced a sequel to its miniature Mega Drive (otherwise known as the Sega Genesis), and this one will feature both cartridge games and titles from the Mega CD add-on. In total, the tiny console will feature 50 built-in games, including the likes of Silpheed, Shining Force CD, Sonic the Hedgehog CD, Virtua Racing, and Shining in the Darkness.Unfortunately, as of now the device has only been announced for Japan; it’s expected to launch on October 27th for 9,980 yen (about $75).Miniature retro consoles were all the rage a few years ago, following the blockbuster success of the NES mini in 2016. Nintendo followed that up with a tiny SNES, and Sony made a... Continue reading…

While it’s not the robot we were looking for, Astro is rolling in the right direction. Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Every Friday, The Verge publishes our flagship podcast, The Vergecast, where Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel and editor-at-large David Pierce discuss the week in tech news with the reporters and editors covering the biggest stories.This week, Nilay and David, along with Verge managing editor Alex Cranz and deputy editor Alex Heath discuss the news of Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg stepping down from the company after 14 years. How will this affect the structure and direction of the company?Later in the show, transportation editor Andrew Hawkins joins to drive through the latest car news, including Volvo using Epic’s Unreal Engine to create ‘photorealistic’ graphics in its cars, GM slashing the price for the Chevy Bolt, and a first look at... Continue reading…

Elisabeth Moss in Shining Girls. | Image: Apple Chicago isn’t a dreamland for Kirby Continue reading…

The Realme GT Neo 3 comes in 80W and 150W versions. You’re never going to find a phone like the Realme GT Neo 3 Naruto Edition on a store shelf at Verizon or AT&T. For starters, Realme branded phones are usually only available in the US as unlocked global versions sold on Amazon, and they aren’t necessarily compatible with your wireless carrier’s network.This particular model is also a special edition device with only 5,000 units made that pays tribute to the anime franchise Naruto. Either the US population just doesn’t have an affinity for special edition phones, or manufacturers have decided that it’s not worth the effort to sell them here. About the most exciting thing we seem to get is a green iPhone, which is just… an iPhone that’s green. Photo by Allison Johnson... Continue reading…

Thermacell’s Liv keeps the biting bugs at bay until you step outside its zone of protection Continue reading…

On the road, the 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 looks like any other 4 Series. There’s a reason the four-door sedan with its gigantic kidney grilles and sleek roofline commands is one of the automaker’s best-selling vehicles. It looks the part of a German sedan, and the EV version of the vehicle is the fruit of the automaker’s desire to build a platform that can accept any powertrain. Except, this is the best 4 Series.While the push for electric SUVs continues, not every driver wants to sit above cars and haul all that extra weight around. There are real competitors for the BMW sedan — namely, the Tesla Model 3, Mercedes EQE, and Polestar 2. All of these vehicles are courting the midlevel luxury buyer who’s likely looking for either something a... Continue reading…

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Elon Musk emailed Tesla executives on Thursday, Reuters reports, telling them the company needs to pause hiring worldwide and cut its workforce by about 10 percent. At the end of 2021, Tesla said in a filing that it had 99,290 employees worldwide. In the email seen by Reuters, Musk cites his “super bad feeling” about the economy.One thing to note is that widespread layoffs aren’t an unusual practice for Musk and Tesla. It cut hundreds of workers in October 2017, 9 percent of staff in June 2018, and about 7 percent in January 2019, then cut salaries and furloughed employees in April 2020. There are no details in the report about which departments may be more or less impacted. Still, Musk recently sent a company-wide email claiming that,... Continue reading…

Did you know you can buy over-the-counter molecular COVID-19 tests? OTC molecular tests combine PCR accuracy with the convenience of rapid antigen tests Continue reading…

Representation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. | Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images The Bitcoin mining boom in New York state hit a roadblock as the state Senate passed a bill that will halt new permits for certain fossil fuel power plants to be used in Bitcoin mining. The measure, which also initiates a study on the environmental impact mining facilities are having in the state, passed in the state Assembly earlier this year.Promising new jobs, the crypto industry had split Senate Democrats on whether the moratorium would come with greater environmental or economic costs. Talks languished until late in the evening as the state Senate neared its legislative deadline.The bill will face another test as it heads to Governor Kathy Hochul to sign or veto. Hochul received a $40,000 donation last month from a chief... Continue reading…

Sony Sony’s latest State of Play showcase gave a glimpse into what games will support the launch of the PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2) headset. Neither a price or release date has been shared yet for the headset, but at least we know what kind of games we can look forward to. For what it’s worth, Sony committed to launching the headset with 20 “major” games, so it’s still got a bit of work to do to fill the gaps. We’ve covered the main highlights below, including trailers.Horizon Call of the Mountain continues to look goodGuerilla Games showed off some combat and traversal gameplay for its upcoming PSVR2 exclusive game, Horizon Call of the Mountain. Like the console game, there seems to be a heck of a lot of climbing, and the visuals look... Continue reading…

The last time we saw Stray, the open-world cyberpunk game where you play as a cat, it had been delayed. But now we have a new release date, and it’s soon: the game is coming out on July 19th. (It was originally slated to launch in early 2022.) It’ll be coming to the PS4 and PS5, as well as PC. And if you’re not sure what all of the fuss is about, there’s a brand-new trailer above showcasing all the futuristic feline action. It looks equal parts adorable and stressful, and I swear that if anything happens to that little kitty, I will absolutely lose it.I mean, come on... Continue reading…

Square Enix If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, today’s State of Play is for you. Today, Square Enix has revealed a bit more information about Final Fantasy XVI.In the new trailer, we get our first glimpse of combat, which features high-speed real-time action that looks reminiscent of what Cloud and the gang get up to in Final Fantasy VII Remake. The trailer also features more of the mysterious Eikons, powerful monsters that resemble the summons of Final Fantasies of yore and seem to reside in human controllers called Dominants. It seems like befriending or fighting these Dominants will be at the heart of the game’s story.Final Fantasy XVI was revealed in 2020 with a bloody trailer that was unlike anything the usually bright and hopeful series usually... Continue reading…

Sony announced during its June 2022 State of Play showcase that Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered from Insomniac Games is coming to PC on August 12th, 2022. This title debuted on PS5 as a launch title. The company didn’t share a price for the PC version, but like previous games, it’s coming to Steam and Epic Games Store. In a follow-up blog post, Insomniac Games confirmed that Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is coming to PC sometime in the fall.There’s likely much more news to come — at least for spec nerds. The remastered edition of the game contains all DLC, and on the PS5, it came with some impressive graphical features, including ray tracing. Suffice to say, similar settings should be coming to the PC version, too. Sony showed off... Continue reading…

Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Photo Courtesy Meta Meet the most powerful exec in social media you’ve never heard of Continue reading…

Capcom is continuing its trend of remaking classic Resident Evil games with the fourth mainline entry in the survival horror series. A remake of Resident Evil 4 will be hitting the PS5, Xbox Series X / S, and PC on March 24th, 2023, bringing the action-focused game to modern platforms. Capcom also says the game will feature some kind of support for the next iteration of PlayStation VR. You can check out the first trailer above to see what a next-gen Leon Kennedy looks like.“We aim to make the game feel familiar to fans of the series, while also providing a fresh feeling to it,” Capcom wrote in a blog post. “This is being done by reimagining the storyline of the game while keeping the essence of its direction, modernizing the graphics... Continue reading…

The Call tab will be available at the bottom portion of the user interface in the Messenger app | Image: Meta Meta is rolling out a new ‘Calls’ tab globally in its Messenger app for iOS and Android users. The new tab will keep track of each call you make or receive in the app in one place and make it easier to connect calls with one tap. Also, for people who don’t regularly use the feature, it adds a clear reminder that they can use the app for voice or video calls in addition to text-based messaging.In 2014, Facebook pulled messaging out of the main Facebook app, pushing mobile users to download a separate one to continue using the feature as part of its push to make Messenger a singular experience. The video call feature arrived in 2015, followed by cross-app messaging with Instagram and eventually cross-app group chats. Most recently, it a... Continue reading…

We don’t know any official specs for the Pixel Watch, but the rumor mill is rife with speculation. | Image: Google While Google confirmed last month that a Pixel Watch is on its way, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the device, like its hardware specs. The rumor mill has been buzzing, however, and the gist is the device will purportedly feature a 300mAh battery and Samsung’s last-gen wearable processor. The latest report from 9to5 Google claims that the watch will get around 24 hours of battery life on a single charge and that fast charging isn’t in the mix. It might be tempting to cry doom and gloom, but if this pans out? These numbers are par for the course.Battery life remains one of the biggest challenges for smartwatch makers. Try to pack in a larger battery to get more juice and end up with a gargantuan watch that excludes anyone with... Continue reading…

Image: BMW BMW has redesigned its X1 compact SUV and is introducing an all-electric version of it. The new iX1 xDrive30 is the company’s latest EV option built on its fifth-generation eDrive platform, the same one that the new BMW i4 is built on. Unfortunately, BMW spokesperson Jay Hanson tells The Verge there are currently no plans to offer the iX1 in the US.The German automaker will be building the new X1s in Regensburg, where gasoline, diesel, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, and all-electric versions of the vehicle will be built on one assembly line. BMW is calling the refreshed X1 vehicles compact SAVs, or “Sports Activity Vehicles,” in an effort to better differentiate the entry-level compacts from the rest of the X line. Noticeable changes in the... Continue reading…

Tumblr users who don’t want a specific post to be reblogged by others will now have the option to turn off the reblog setting. In a blog post, Tumblr says it will start rolling out reblog controls today on web and iOS, with Android to come soon.When composing a post, users can choose between two reblog options. One option allows anyone on the platform to reblog the post to their own blog. A new option will let users disable reblogs on that post, making it so nobody can reblog it.In the post, Tumblr says that the feature comes at the request of users who say controlling reblog settings would create a sense of safety. Even if a user blocks someone else after the post is made, the blocked user still would not be able to reblog the post,... Continue reading…

BioWare Wardens, Inquisitors, Champions, it’s time to break out the whisks. Today, in a surprise announcement, BioWare revealed the name of the next installment in the Dragon Age series: Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

Kristen Radtke / The Verge What will Apple’s next OS bring? Continue reading…

Fingers crossed for a summer rich in PS5 console availability. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Update June 2nd, 4:02PM ET: Walmart has sold out of both PlayStation 5 consoles and bundles for today’s restock.We’re still seeing short or no supply of PlayStation 5 consoles at many retailers and going weeks between new nationwide restocks. Hopefully, this summer will prove more fruitful, especially now that retailers like Amazon are taking invite requests to buy a PS5. As for a more imminent restock, Walmart has a scheduled one that’s happening now.If you’re a Walmart Plus subscriber, you can queue up right now for the standard $499 disc drive-equipped PS5, the $399 PS5 Digital Edition, and the new $549 PS5 bundle containing Horizon Forbidden West — as well as a similar bundle with the PS5 Digital Edition for $449.This is yet... Continue reading…

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss at the Bitcoin 2021 Convention in Miami. | Photo by Joe Raedle / Getty Images On Thursday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed suit against Gemini Trust Company, a cryptocurrency business founded by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss. The commission alleges that Gemini misrepresented key details of its exchange and futures contracts in meetings with regulators in 2017.As punishment, the commission is calling for civil monetary penalties and an order blocking Gemini and its affiliates from trading commodities or soliciting investments.“We look forward to definitively proving this in court.”The complaint puts particular focus on Gemini’s Bitcoin Futures Contract, one of the first financial instruments allowing investors to trade on expectations of a cryptocurrency’s future value. Because the futures... Continue reading…

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge | Image: Universal Studios Hollywoord Universal Studios Hollywood and Nintendo are slowly cranking up the volume about the first Super Nintendo World theme park located in the US. Now, they’re narrowing its opening window to “early” 2023 while posting a few pictures and a video trailer of its signature ride: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.The augmented reality on rails ride is already a highlight of the experience at Super Nintendo World in Japan, which we visited early last year, offering an interactive experience where riders in four-seat Mario Kart vehicles can steer to collect coins and also throw shells to defeat Team Bowser, which also allows for different outcomes to the ride. Image: Universal Studios Hollywood Image: Universal... Continue reading…

Google Tasks briefly looked like the answer to Google’s problem with reminders, but... nope. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Google appears to be dropping two features from its Assistant’s reminder-setting capabilities. It’s ditching support for assignable reminders — “remind Anna to bring in the trash cans this morning” — and location-based ones — “remind me to call Becca when I get to the office.” Google didn’t announce either change, instead opting to bury one in a support page and another in a pop-up in the Assistant app. Both features still work but evidently won’t for much longer.Chalk this one up to the latest in a long, long history of Google doing a terrible job of turning Reminders into an even remotely useful system.The list of chaotic Google product offerings is long, but I submit that none make less sense than Reminders. You can set reminders in... Continue reading…

Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images Tim Hortons used its mobile app to collect “vast amounts of location data” from users, including tracking when they visited competing coffee shops, says Canada’s privacy watchdog. Yesterday, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada released the results of a 2020 investigation into the coffee and donut chain, demanding it delete any remaining location data and limit future collection. Tim Hortons, the commission says, has agreed to implement the regulations.The full report outlines a sweeping, invasive attempt to deduce Tim Hortons customers’ behavior in order to target advertising at them — although the company apparently never actually used the data for that purpose. It notes that in May 2019, Tim Hortons updated its mobile app... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A day after Sheryl Sandberg announced she is leaving as Meta’s COO later this year, the company is losing another executive amid a reorganization of its artificial intelligence group.Jerome Pesenti, Meta’s VP of AI for the past four years, will leave later this month as the company closer integrates his AI teams across various product groups rather than have AI function as a centralized organization. AI is already used for everything from ordering what you see when you open Facebook and Instagram to the software powering the Oculus VR headset. The change is meant to “leverage the newest AI technology at scale” across the company, said Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth in a post announcing the reorg.The AI research team led by Yann LeCun,... Continue reading…