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by Lauren Feiner on (#6SBYD)
Illustration: The Verge Google employees met with the Department of Justice Antitrust Division last month to share workers' perspectives ahead of the government's expected proposal to break up the company. Their message? That as the DOJ attempts to end Google's search monopoly, any effective remedy must make sure workers are protected and empowered to speak out.Three members of the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) met virtually with staff from the DOJ Antitrust Division on October 23rd, workers who attended the meeting told The Verge exclusively. During the hour-long conversation, the Google employees urged the government to consider how any remedies imposed by the court could impact workers and to make sure workers are protected and aware of their rights to share... Continue reading...
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The Verge
| Link | https://www.theverge.com/ |
| Feed | http://www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml |
| Updated | 2025-04-20 11:33 |
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SBW9)
Illustration: The Verge Google Meet is making it easier for everyone to position themselves in video calls without having to move the camera or mess around with the webcam's frame adjustment settings. The automatic framing feature that was launched for Google Workspace accounts in 2022 is now rolling out for all Google Meet users, centering users in the middle of the screen to correct weird camera angles.The toggle is enabled by default, but can be switched off by clicking the three-dot menu before you join a call, selecting Apply visual effects," and clicking Appearance." It's similar to Apple's Center Stage feature, but Google's version doesn't track users as they move to keep them in frame - which can help reduce distractions in meetings. G... Continue reading...
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by Quentyn Kennemer on (#6SBWA)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Uber has launched a new airport-only fare option in its ride-sharing app called UberXXL. It surpasses UberXL's single X by guaranteeing rides with trunk space that can handle large families with lots of big bags - no more sitting at the curb trying to figure out what to do next. Screenshot: Uber The new option is available today at more than 60 airports worldwide, with more coming down the road. In terms of pricing, UberXXL will sit somewhere between UberXL and Uber Black, the company says. XXL also adds a stopgap before Uber Shuttle, the charter-style option it launched in New York last month that lets you book up to five seats for a trip to the airport with discounted rates and protection against surge pricing.T... Continue reading...
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by Richard Lawler on (#6SBNS)
Image: Strava Strava recently informed its users and partners that new terms for its API restrict the data that third-party apps can show, refrain from replicating Strava's look, and place a ban on using data for any model training related to artificial intelligence, machine learning or similar applications."The policy is effective as of November 11th, even though Strava's own post about the change is dated November 15th.
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by Wes Davis on (#6SBKT)
Photo by Sam Byford / The Verge Niantic has announced that it's building a new Large Geospatial Model" (LGM) that combines millions of scans taken from the smartphones of players of Pokemon Go and other Niantic products. This AI model could allow computers and robots to understand and interact with the world in new ways, the company said in a blog post spotted by Garbage Day.The LGM's spatial intelligence" is built on the neural networks developed as part of Niantic's Visual Positioning System. The blog post explains that Over the past five years, Niantic has focused on building our Visual Positioning System (VPS), which uses a single image from a phone to determine its position and orientation using a 3D map built from people scanning interesting locations in our... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6SBJ3)
People loved uploading videos from their iPhone Camera Roll directly to YouTube. | Image: The Verge The IMG_0001" website features a frame with an old TV static effect and a floating retro Panasonic remote that you can click to start watching random YouTube videos from over a decade ago that were recorded and uploaded from devices such as 2010's iPhone 4.Riley Walz, a tech worker who helped stage a fake steakhouse restaurant in Manhattan last year, built the site. He credits this blog by Ben Wallace for the idea and says the iPhone is the reason the project is possible.As described on the site, there was a novel (at the time) Send to YouTube" feature on iPhones between 2009 and 2012 that let you upload recordings directly from your iPhone for anyone to see - which often aren't accompanied by any text descriptions.
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by Jay Peters on (#6SBJ4)
Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Sony is bringing a big new feature to the PlayStation Portal: cloud streaming. When it first launched, the device was only able to stream games from your PS5 over Wi-Fi. But as part of a new system update that's rolling out starting later today, you'll be able to stream select PS5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog to your PlayStation Portal.Sony is launching the feature in beta, and you'll need to be a PlayStation Plus Premium subscriber to take advantage of it. Sony says that to stream at 720p, you'll need a minimum 7 Mbps connection, while 1080p quality will require a minimum 13 Mbps connection. Image: Sony Portal Cloud Streaming Beta Some PlayStation Plus features won't be available to start with... Continue reading...
by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy on (#6SBJ5)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Following ongoing reports that Amazon's generative AI makeover of Alexa is not going well, it appears Amazon may take a more practical approach to making its smart assistant more useful. According to Business Insider, Amazon is partnering with several companies to make Alexa better at doing things you might want a digital assistant to do: including calling an Uber, tackling Ticketmaster for events, booking dinner through OpenTable, and handling GrubHub and Instacart for your food delivery.Now, if this sounds familiar, it's because the likes of Uber, OpenTable, GrubHub and others already had Alexa Skills, but apparently, this is something different. These companies are reportedly being recruited to be part of the new Alexa, which Amazon... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SBFW)
Illustration: The Verge Just one day after 404 Media revealed that HarperCollins struck a three-year AI training deal with an unnamed company, Bloomberg now says Microsoft will use the publisher's content to train a not-yet-announced AI model.HarperCollins said in a statement to 404 Media that its deal will include select nonfiction backlist titles" and that authors will have to opt into the training program.One author, Daniel Kibblesmith, posted screenshots a few days ago showing that he was offered $2,500 per book for a three-year AI licensing contract. Asked what would be an offer he'd consider taking, Kibblesmith said in a post on Tuesday, I'd probably do it for a billion dollars. I'd do it for an amount of money that wouldn't require me to work... Continue reading...
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by Ash Parrish on (#6SBFX)
Image: Warner Bros. A Minecraft Movie has a new trailer giving us a taste at the kind of story moviegoers can expect. The trailer predominately features Jack Black as Steve, the silent protagonist players embody in Minecraft. In the trailer, Black's Steve is way more chatty, giving us his backstory as a child who quite literally yearns for the mines. As an adult, Steve finds a special blue cube that transports him to the Minecraft world where, anything you can imagine is possible."It should come as no surprise that the movie, like The Super Mario Bros. Movie before it, is an isekai. A group of unsuspecting folks including Danielle Brooks, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen are magically transported to the world to find a blocky paradise... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SBCM)
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix (C) 2024 Despite widespread issues with video quality and buffering, Netflix's live-streamed Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match brought in an average of 108 million viewers, based on TVision data in the US and first-party data in global markets. With 65 million concurrent streams, Netflix says the fight was the most-streamed global sporting event ever."Of those simultaneous streams, 38 million were from households in the US, and the TVision data says it accounted for 56 percent of TV viewing between midnight and 1AM that day.Meanwhile, the match between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano broke the record for the most-watched professional women's sports event in US history," with 47 million average viewers nationwide, according to Netflix.... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6SBCN)
Image: Aqara Aqara's Smart Valve Controller T1 is now available, bringing an interoperable Matter-compatible valve controller option to the smart home for the first time. The $69.99 T1 connects to your water shutoff valve so you can operate it remotely or shut it off automatically when a leak is detected.The Aqara hub lets this T1 integrate with any of the major smart home platforms, unlike some pricier options from companies like Moen, Kohler, and Belkin. Right now, only Samsung and Home Assistant support smart valve controllers like this, but that will change as others expand their Matter device support.The T1 attaches to the lever or butterfly handle of most household valves. Aqara says it's DIY-friendly as it requires no major modifications... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SBCP)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google has given us a glimpse at what's coming in the next major version of Android. The first preview release for Android 16 is available for developers starting today, which expands the photo library and medical data-sharing capabilities in apps. A change moving Android's release timeline forward was announced last month, which could help third-party Android phones released in 2025 avoid waiting months to receive the latest major updates.Android Developer head Matthew McCullough says, This is the start of Android having more frequent API releases as part of our effort to drive faster innovation in apps and devices."The preview available today allows developers to embed Android's photo picker - the menu that lets users select... Continue reading...
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by Sean Hollister on (#6SB9X)
The original Steam Controller, and a prototype that preceded it. | Image: Sean Hollister / The Verge Two years ago, Valve told The Verge it wanted a successor to its cult classic Steam Controller, whose incredibly customizable buttons and touchpads paved the way for the Steam Deck handheld PC. Now, Valve watcher Brad Lynch claims a Steam Controller 2 - codename Ibex" - is actually getting made.His sources tell him the Steam Controller 2 is currently being tooled for mass production, and it's apparently not the only new Valve gamepad on the way!
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by Emma Roth on (#6SB9Y)
Illustration: The Verge Google Gemini can now remember" certain things about you, such as your interests and personal preferences. The change is rolling out to subscribers with access to Gemini Advanced, and it will allow the AI chatbot to tailor its responses based on your needs, according to Gemini's most recent release notes.As noted by Google, you can share your interests, as well as details about your work, hobbies, or aspirations, while chatting with Gemini. You can also enter relevant details about yourself within the bot's Saved Info" page, such as telling it to only suggest vegetarian recipes, or that you work as an accountant.
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by Ash Parrish on (#6SB9Z)
Minecraft could soon be coming to a theme park near you. UK theme park company Merlin Entertainments has announced the completion of a $110 million deal with developer Mojang to open Minecraft-themed attractions in the US and the UK. The attractions are planned to open in 2026 and 2027 and will either be new additions to existing parks or a wholly new experience. The game seems well-suited for the theme park treatment with in-game activities like mine cart rides, fighting creepers, taking trips to the The Nether, and more.Minecraft joins a number of video game franchises and companies making the jump into theme parks and other forms of entertainment. Nintendo opened its theme park Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan in 2021.... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SBA0)
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Bose has acquired the high-end audio brand McIntosh - a move that Bose says will significantly" expand its product lineup. The acquisition, which also includes McIntosh subsidiary Sonus faber, also opens new opportunities in the automotive sector," as both companies plan to work together to expand their in-car audio offerings:
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by Jay Peters on (#6SBA1)
Image: Netflix Netflix is releasing a documentary next month about Ilya Dutch" Lichtenstein and Heather Razzlekhan" Morgan called Biggest Heist Ever - and the company's timing couldn't be better, as Lichtenstein and Morgan, a married couple, were both recently sentenced to prison for laundering stolen Bitcoin that would now be worth more than $11 billion.Based on a trailer for the documentary, Biggest Heist Ever seems like it could be fascinating and wildly entertaining. These were some of the more unique people we encountered," says one person featured in the trailer. They were the first aspiring rappers that I arrested, that's for sure." (That last quote is in reference to Morgan's rap career under her Razzlekhan persona. The songs are bad.)L... Continue reading...
by Umar Shakir on (#6SB64)
British automaker Jaguar is changing its branding for a new era" as it prepares to fulfill its plan to go all-electric for its lineup, with the first new model slated to launch in 2026. The automaker has revealed a new logo that changes the font, spaces out the letters, and uses a mix of upper and lowercase letters.This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience," writes Jaguar Land Rover's chief creative officer Gerry McGovern. While at a press event, McGovern told journalists his team had not been sniffing the white stuff - this is real," according to Car Dealer Magazine.Jaguar is taking the contemporary" quite... Continue reading...
by Mia Sato on (#6SB65)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Google is tightening its rules against parasite SEO" content, or articles and pages that often have little to do with the site's focus but that exploit the website's Google ranking.An example of parasite SEO content is a news blog that publishes online shopping coupon codes in a hidden part of its website or an educational site publishing unrelated affiliate marketing content. In March, Google announced it would crack down on this kind of site reputation abuse," and now it's making it clear that it doesn't matter if the publisher created the content themselves or outsourced it - it's a search policy violation regardless.Since launching the policy, we've reviewed situations where there might be varying degrees of first-party... Continue reading...
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by Justine Calma on (#6SB66)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Image Brazil and the United Nations launched a new international effort to combat disinformation on climate change. They announced the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change during the G20 Leaders' Summit taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.It's a collaboration between governments and international organizations to boost research on misinformation swirling online and around the globe that they fear could slow action on climate change. There isn't much information available yet, but they say they'll fund nonprofit efforts to counter that spread of lies.Countries cannot tackle this problem individually," President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a press release.Countries cannot tackle this problem... Continue reading...
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by Sheena Vasani on (#6SB67)
Nanoleaf's smart ceiling lights are exceptionally bright and deliver some cool lighting effects perfect for setting the mood. | Image: Nanoleaf If you want to brighten up your home as the days get darker, Nanoleaf's ceiling lights will bring a bit of the sun in. Normally $249.99, right now you can buy the three-pack Nanoleaf Skylight Smarter Kit at an all-time low price of $199.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Nanoleaf.Nanoleaf designed the full-color LED ceiling lights so they mimic a skylight, and that they do very well. All of the tunable lights radiate 4,200 lumens of brightness, illuminating any home even on the darkest winter day. You can even choose from nature-inspired lighting animations like shooting stars" and sun shower," so it's as if you're really peering up right through your ceiling into the sky.Along with brightening up your house, the lights also... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SB68)
Image: Microsoft Microsoft is creating a new companions experience for the Windows 11 taskbar that will surface important data with just a click. Microsoft 365 Companions will include contacts and people, files, or calendar appointments integrated into the taskbar of Windows 11.We will bring Microsoft 365 People, Files, and Calendar to your taskbar so your Graph data is just a click away," said Windows chief Pavan Davuluri on stage at Microsoft Ignite 2024 today.Microsoft hasn't detailed this new Companions experience fully, but it looks very similar to what exists for the Phone Link app on Windows 11. Microsoft introduced a similar companion experience at the side of the Start menu for Phone Link with the Windows 11 24H2 update, allowing you to... Continue reading...
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by Antonio G. Di Benedetto on (#6SB6A)
Image: Sony Sony announced its new A1 II pro-focused mirrorless camera during today's livestream from its Creative Space event in New York City. The camera has various speed and performance improvements over its predecessor, plus a fast new zoom lens to accompany it.The $6,499 A1 II sports a 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked sensor that's capable of shooting full-resolution RAW photos at 30 frames per second and up to 8K video at 30p (as well as 4K video at 120p). That's not very different from the original A1, but the sequel model is adopting the body design of Sony's A9 III with a slightly taller grip and improved ergonomics, an in-body image stabilizer capable of a claimed 8.5 stops of correction, and a speed boost button and pre-capture... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6SB6B)
Illustration: The Verge Right now, text highlighting is broken for anyone using recent Chromium-based browsers on some websites. The cause appears to be a change to selection styling that doesn't play nicely with Tailwind CSS. We've noticed it on our site, and so have several people posting about the issue in threads on Github and Chromium.For affected sites, you may still be able to select, copy, and paste text on websites but there's no visual indicator that you did so. Or you may not be able to copy and paste text at all or have other unexpected behaviors when you try to select specific text. Tailwind has updated its CSS tools and offered a workaround, but not every site has implemented the fix. That includes The Verge (we're working on it!), Bloomberg, and... Continue reading...
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by Emma Roth on (#6SB35)
Image: Amazon Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can now get one free audiobook per month - similar to the freebie Spotify started tossing Premium listeners last year. The perk is available to Music Unlimited subscribers in the US, Canada, and the UK, offering access to Audible's library of more than 1 million audiobooks.Amazon says individual subscribers and the primary account holder for family plans can listen to one audiobook at a time - of any length - per month." If a user doesn't finish the audiobook during the month, they can continue listening to the same audiobook the following month, or choose a new title. Subscribers will lose access to the audiobook at the end of their billing cycle if they cancel or pause their Amazon Music... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Webster on (#6SB36)
Control. | Image: Remedy Entertainment We already knew that the supernatural thriller Control was getting a sequel, but now Remedy has provided some more details on the game. Well, one major detail: Control 2 will be an action RPG, seemingly deviating from the action-adventure template set by the original.The news came during an investors presentation, in which the studio revealed a few other tidbits about its franchises: Alan Wake 2 has sold over 1.8 million copies, the ultimate edition" of Control hits Mac on February 12th, and it will also be getting a free update of some kind next year that will unlock previously released content."A large part of the presentation was devoted to Remedy's ambitious plan to build out an interconnected universe, which will span not only... Continue reading...
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by David Pierce on (#6SB37)
Image by: The Verge; Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix The Paul / Tyson fight on Friday was very popular. Netflix streamed it into more than 60 million households, which is a huge number for any TV event, much less a streaming-only one. Whether the whole thing went well, though, is another matter. The fight itself wasn't very exciting, and for a large portion of the audience it wouldn't have mattered if it was - all they could see was laggy, pixelated nothingness. Netflix is clearly bought in to live programming and sports, but is it ready to do it big?On this episode of The Vergecast, The Verge's Richard Lawler joins the show to talk through the state of sports streaming. We talk about the ups and downs of the Netflix live-streaming experiments so far, what's at stake for the company's... Continue reading...
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by Victoria Song on (#6SB38)
The update will first come to the Galaxy Watch 6 before arriving on previous Wear OS models. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge There's good news if you've got an older Samsung Galaxy Watch: the company announced today that it's finally begun rolling out One UI 6 Watch to its older Wear OS smartwatches.One UI 6 Watch is Samsung's take on Wear OS 5, and brings with it a host of new features. On the health and fitness front, that includes AI-powered health tips, FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, and Energy Score, a new metric for gauging recovery from exercise and physical stress. (You can read more about how these three features work in our Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Ring, and Ultra reviews.) Meanwhile, the new Workout Routine feature allows you to create a custom workout by combining various activity types. Also included is the Race feature for runners and... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SB3A)
Image: Google Google is introducing a new feature to Google Lens that aims to give users more information about products when they're shopping in physical stores. Starting today for Android and iOS users in the US, using the Google app to snap a picture of an item on store shelves will bring up detailed information about the product, customer reviews, stock and price comparisons for online and nearby retailers, and similar products that are available in the same store.Google says the feature was developed thanks to major advancements in our AI image recognition technology," and requires users to share their location data with the Google app, as it appears to work out which store the user is in based on proximity. Beauty products, toys, and... Continue reading...
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by Andrew J. Hawkins on (#6SB39)
Image: Nuro In the wake of pivoting its business strategy to include robotaxis and driver assist, Nuro is taking its fully autonomous vehicles to new geographic areas.The California-based company, which currently operates a small fleet of driverless vehicles in California and Texas, said it would grow its operational design domain and expand the deployment of its zero-occupant, Level 4 vehicles.In Mountain View and Palo Alto, Nuro says it will see an 83 percent increase in the deployment area, while Houston will see a 70 percent increase. Its vehicles will also take on new, more complex driving environments, such as multi-lane roads at speeds of up to 35mph, driving around emergency vehicles, buses, and construction sites, and driving at night.... Continue reading...
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by David Nield on (#6SAZT)
Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge There are all kinds of reasons you might want to record what's happening on your Android screen, from capturing your gaming exploits to trying to explain to a family member how to fix a problem they're having with their favorite app.And when you do need this function, you'll find it built right into Android (as it is on iOS). Since Android 11 launched in 2020, you haven't needed a third-party app for the job - though you can still use one if you need extra features.Here's how to get screen recordings on Android, as tested with both a Pixel 8 running Android 15 and a Galaxy Z Fold 5 running Android 14 (One UI 6.1.1). If you need more options, there are a couple of third-party apps mentioned at the end.Screen recording on a Google Pixel... Continue reading...
by Tom Warren on (#6SB00)
Illustration: The Verge Microsoft Teams meetings are getting a new interpreter feature that lets each participant speak or listen in the language of their choosing. Interpreter in Teams uses real-time AI-powered speech-to-speech translation to simulate your speaking voice during meetings.A preview will be available in early 2025 that will include up to nine languages, and the ability for the interpreter feature to simulate your personal voice in a different language.It's part of a series of AI-powered changes coming to Microsoft Teams. Meeting transcription will soon support multilingual meetings, so that up to 31 translation languages will be supported for a meeting transcript. Image: Microsoft The Microsoft Teams Super Resolution... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SAZZ)
Image: The Verge Ignite is Microsoft's big event to sell the future of Windows, AI, and Office to its biggest customers. Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SAZY)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty Images Microsoft is creating an in-person hacking event, Zero Day Quest, which it says will be the largest of its kind. The event will build upon Microsoft's existing bug bounty program, and incentivize research into high-impact security flaws that can affect the software powering cloud and AI workloads.This new hacking event will be the largest of its kind, with an additional $4 million in potential awards for research into high-impact areas, specifically cloud and AI," explains Tom Gallagher, VP of engineering at Microsoft's security response center. Zero Day Quest will provide new opportunities for the security community to work hand in hand with Microsoft engineers and security researchers - bringing together the best minds in security... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SAZX)
The Verge At Microsoft's Ignite conference today the software giant is introducing Copilot Actions, a new way for Microsoft 365 Copilot users to automate repetitive tasks. Microsoft is also adding AI agents to SharePoint, allowing PowerPoint to translate entire presentations, and improving how Copilot works in Outlook to find the best time for meetings.Copilot Actions, now in private preview, enables anyone to automate repetitive everyday tasks. That could include automating a summary of meeting actions from Teams meetings, generating weekly reports, or even automating meeting prep. Copilot Actions are designed to be something you set and forget, much like an AI-powered macro that goes off and does its thing based on some fill-in-the-blank... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SAZW)
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The CrowdStrike catastrophe that took down 8.5 million Windows PCs and servers in July has left many of Microsoft's biggest customers looking for answers to make sure that such an event never happens again. Now, Microsoft has some answers in the form of a new Windows Resiliency Initiative that's designed to improve Windows security and reliability.The Windows Resiliency Initiative includes core changes to Windows that will make it easier for Microsoft's customers to recover Windows-based machines if there's ever another CrowdStrike-like incident. There are also some new Windows platform improvements to provider stronger controls over what apps and drivers are allowed to run, and to help allow anti-virus processing outside of kernel... Continue reading...
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by Tom Warren on (#6SAZV)
Image: Microsoft Microsoft is planning to launch a new purpose-built miniature PC for its Windows 365 cloud service next year. Windows 365 Link is a $349 device that acts like a thin client PC to connect to the cloud and stream a version of Windows 11.The Link device is designed to be a compact, fanless, and easy to use cloud PC for your local monitors and peripherals. It's meant to be the ideal companion to Microsoft's Windows 365 service, which lets businesses transition employees over to virtual machines that exist in the cloud and can be streamed securely to multiple devices.We want the focus of Link to be the Windows 365 part of it," explains Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft's head of Windows and Surface, in an interview with The Verge. We want to make... Continue reading...
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by Jess Weatherbed on (#6SB01)
Instagram users can soon clear and make a fresh start on the content that's recommended to them. | Image: Meta Instagram is testing a new feature that will let users completely refresh the content that's recommended to them on the platform. The recommendations reset feature will soon roll out globally," according to Meta's announcement, and can be used to clear the algorithmic content that currently appears in Feeds, Explore, and Reels.The new feature will be available to users of all ages, including Teen accounts. We want to make sure everyone on Instagram - especially teens - has safe, positive, age-appropriate experiences and feels the time they're spending on Instagram is valuable," Meta said. We want to give teens new ways to shape their Instagram experience, so it can continue to reflect their passions and interests as they evolve." ... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6SAMZ)
Google now lets you manage Nest Cam IQ indoor and outdoor cameras - which were both released in 2017 - through a public preview in the Google Home app, meaning that you can now technically manage all Nest cams from as early as 2015 from the Home app instead of the Nest app.Google has been slowly making it possible to bring Nest cams into Home over the past year and change. When you transfer your Nest Cam IQ cameras over to Home, you'll be able to review video history in event and timeline views, access camera settings, and more without switching between the Nest and Google Home apps," Google says. From Home, Google also lets you view live streams from cameras in your favorites tab and set up automations.You can join the public preview... Continue reading...
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by Umar Shakir on (#6SAN0)
New V4 cabinet and Supercharger stalls. | Image: Tesla Tesla will launch fully realized V4 Supercharger stations that support up to 500kW charging for EVs and 1.2MW for Tesla's commercial Semi trucks next year. Sites with new V4 cabinets are going into permitting now. When they open next year, they'll connect the charging stalls EVs plug into with upgraded electronics that support faster charging on Cybertruck and other manufacturers' EVs.Tesla started rolling out the V4 stalls in Europe and limited places in the US last year. However, their power cabinets are limited to the capabilities of V3 Supercharger stations that support 250kW max charging. The updated V4 stalls include new physical payment terminals, longer cords that can reach the charge ports of other manufacturers' EVs without... Continue reading...
by Adi Robertson on (#6SAJS)
Image: Cath Virginia/ The Verge A group of state attorneys general are pushing Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which has stalled in the House of Representatives thanks to concerns over online censorship. An open letter published today is signed by 32 attorneys general, including those of 31 states and the District of Columbia. It urges leaders of both parties in the House and Senate to vote on the bill before the current congressional session ends early next year.While an increasingly online world has improved many aspects of our material well-being, prolific internet usage negatively impacts our children," reads the letter, whose signatories include the attorneys general of Florida, New Mexico, and New York. KOSA will establish better safeguards... Continue reading...
by Wes Davis on (#6SAJT)
Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge The Department of Justice is planning to ask for Google's antitrust trial judge to force the company to sell off its Chrome browser after the judge ruled the company has maintained an illegal search monopoly, reports Bloomberg.Chrome is the world's most widely used browser, and the government's lawyers have argued that its use in cross-promoting Google's products is one of the things limiting available channels and incentives for competition to grow.Requirements that officials are preparing to propose include that Google separate Android from Search and Google Play, but without trying to force Google to sell off Android. Another requirement would say it has to share more information with advertisers and that it give them more control... Continue reading...
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by Lauren Feiner on (#6SAJV)
Photo by ANDREA RENAULT/AFP via Getty Images Amazon and SpaceX are seeking to hamstring the National Labor Relations Board, asking a court to declare its processes for upholding labor law unconstitutional. But judges on a three-person panel appeared skeptical when the companies presented their arguments Monday.In two separate cases before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the two companies argued that the NLRB is unlawfully forcing them to participate in administrative law proceedings over alleged anti-labor actions. The Amazon case centers around whether it's required to bargain with the union at its JFK 8 fulfillment center on Staten Island, while the SpaceX case involves a charge by former employees who claimed they were fired after being critical of CEO Elon Musk.A ruling... Continue reading...
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by Wes Davis on (#6SAJW)
Screenshot: Razzlekhan A federal judge has sentenced Heather Morgan to 18 months in prison for her role in helping husband Ilya Dutch" Lichtenstein launder stolen Bitcoin, CoinDesk reports. Lichtenstein has admitted to hacking the cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex in 2016 and stealing 120,000 Bitcoin, worth $71 million at the time (and almost $11 billion as of this writing).Before she was arrested, Morgan was a Forbes and Inc. blogger. When the Department of Justice announced her arrest, the internet found out she also made crypto-themed rap videos under the name Razzlekhan." The whole story is expected to be immortalized in a Netflix documentary series and a film called Dutch & Razzlekhan.Morgan issued a statement on X, saying she will soon be telling my... Continue reading...
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by Andrew Liszewski on (#6SAGP)
Corsair has upgraded its K65 Plus wireless keyboard and M75 wireless mouse so they're Mac compatible with new colorways. | Image: Corsair Corsair has announced an updated version of the K65 Plus wireless keyboard it debuted earlier this year that's now compatible with the Mac. It's joined by a new version of Corsair's M75 wireless mouse, and both peripherals are available in Mac-exclusive colors including glacier blue and a white version the company calls frost.The frost versions of the K65 Plus wireless keyboard and M75 wireless mouse are available now from Apple's online and retail stores for $179.95 and $129.95, respectively. The glacier blue versions will be available for the same price, but at a later date. Image: Corsair The Mac version of the Corsair K65 Plus wireless keyboard is exclusively available in glacier blue and frost (white)... Continue reading...
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by Jay Peters on (#6SAGQ)
Image: Hugo Herrera / The Verge HarperCollins has agreed with an unnamed AI tech company to let the company use some nonfiction titles to train its models, 404 Media reports, but only if authors opt-in to having their books be used for training. Some authors are currently suing companies like OpenAI, accusing them of copyright infringement for training AI models on their works without permission.According to a statement HarperCollins gave to 404 Media, the agreement protects authors' underlying value of their works and our shared revenue and royalty streams." Author Daniel Kibblesmith posted screenshots of an email showing that he would be paid $2,500 if he allowed one of his books to be licensed.
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by Umar Shakir on (#6SAGR)
The liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla H2 Concept. | Image: Toyota Toyota is pushing hydrogen-powered vehicle technology forward with a liquid hydrogen system design that includes a self-pressurizer to save escaping gas and reuse it as fuel to increase engine efficiency.Toyota introduced a liquid system in the GR Corolla H2 Concept in 2023, which keeps hydrogen at -253 degrees Celsius during filling and storing in the tank. Hydrogen exists as a gas at room temperature, so the pumps have to operate cold to prevent the liquid from boiling. Inherently, the system still has boil-off gas that gets wasted. Image: Toyota Boil-off gas chart for the system. So what's the solution? Toyota exhibited a self-pressurizer" at the Super Taikyu Series 2024 race this past weekend that uses the... Continue reading...
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by Justine Calma on (#6SAGS)
The US Department of Energy headquarters building on February 9th, 2024, in Washington, DC. | Photo by J. David Ake / Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Energy is fossil fuel executive Chris Wright - who has misleadingly claimed on LinkedIn that there is no climate crisis, and we're not in the midst of an energy transition either."Hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and other disasters exacerbated by climate change are already hitting the US. And renewable energy capacity is on course to more than double globally by the end of the decade.Nevertheless, Wright is a staunch evangelist for fossil fuels who consistently rejects mainstream climate science. While Wright also has ties to the nuclear energy industry, clean energy advocates say that with Trump's cabinet picks, the US is losing ground in the race to deploy renewable... Continue reading...
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by Kylie Robison on (#6SAGT)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Emails in Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI expose the startup's rocky origins. Continue reading...