The Verge

The Matrix Awakens single-handedly proves next-gen graphics are within reach of Sony and Microsoft’s new game consoles. It’s unlike any tech demo you’ve ever tried before. When we said the next generation of gaming didn’t actually arrive with Xbox Series X and PS5, this is the kind of push that has the potential to turn that around. And it’s free to download on those consoles right now, so you should really give it a go.Just don’t expect it to make you question your reality — the uncanny valley is still alive and well. I jacked into The Matrix Awakens today after watching our exclusive interview with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss — they play Neo and Trinity, I’m sure you know — and hearing breathless praise around... Continue reading…

The return of a proper feed could come soon. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram head Adam Mosseri used his story to answer people’s questions about the company’s plan to bring back the much-missed chronological feed, which he promised during his appearance at a Senate hearing on Wednesday. In a Q&A on Friday, he said that the company is testing out two versions of the feature and that it’s “targeting early next year” as a release window.One version of the chronological feed would let you “pick your favorites and they show up at the top in chronological order,” he said. The other would let you see the posts from everyone you’re following in chronological order, though he didn't mention how recommended posts would be interspersed. Images: Adam Mosseri Instagram wants to release the... Continue reading…

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook attends China Development Forum (CDF) 2018 | Photo by Visual China Group via Getty Images/Visual China Group via Getty Images Tim Cook has pushed Apple’s value within close range of $3 trillion, and a lot of that has to do with the former operations lead’s ability to manage a relationship with China, where many of its products are made and, increasingly, many of them are sold. A report this week from The Information relies on unnamed sources and internal documents to peel back some of the details about Apple’s ties with China.A 1,250-word MOU between Apple and China’s National Development and Reform Commission reportedly runs for five years and accounted for $275 billion in spendingThat includes a request Apple reportedly received in 2014 or 2015 about a small group of uninhabited islands that China and Japan apparently have a dispute over in terms of who... Continue reading…

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge OnePlus released the Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 to the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro this week, but the company has already pulled it following reports of bugs and issues from users.“We are aware of the issues caused by the OxygenOS 12 update and our software team is fixing them,” OnePlus said in a statement to Android Police. “We will suspend this software update and roll out a new iteration as soon as possible.”The release has been widely panned. Android Police called it “just awful,” highlighting the need to toggle settings to get the 120Hz display to work again and that some menus “straight-up crash” as examples of issues. 9to5Google agreed: “For a so-called ‘stable’ release, OxygenOS 12 is riddled with bugs and issues that honestly make... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge In 2017 — long before Apple declared that cloud gaming could only exist on the iPhone if it jumped through gigantic hoops — Sony was preparing to launch its PlayStation Now cloud gaming service on mobile phones, a confidential document reveals.It could have been the single biggest expansion of Sony’s PS Now game service in years. Originally, the service streamed PS2 and PS3 games to smart TVs, Blu-ray players, and the PS3 and PS Vita, but cut off all those original platforms in late 2017 (coincidence?) to focus on the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC instead. While it recently added 1080p streaming and a PS5 client, it’s never been offered on Android, iOS, or Mac.But according to a confidential document unearthed by The Verge from the... Continue reading…

Photo by Vlad Savov / The Verge Sometimes when technology bugs out, I like a good and heavy analysis on why something didn’t work as intended. Mishaal Rahman, former editor in chief at XDA Developers, wrote an excellent explainer on why a 911 call on a Google Pixel 3 with Microsoft Teams failed during a real emergency — aptly titled: “How a bug in Android and Microsoft Teams could have caused this user’s 911 call to fail.”Rahman’s story explains the recent situation of a Pixel 3 user frantically trying to call 911 but attempts kept freezing the phone.

The company won’t be doing a company-wide pay raise to match rising prices. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google parent company Alphabet announced its fifth quarter in a row of record profits ($18.9 billion) and second straight quarter of record revenue ($65.1 billion) in October, but a company executive told employees that Google wouldn’t automatically adjust their salaries to account for inflation. According to CNBC, Google’s VP of compensation Frank Wagner told employees at a company all-hands meeting on December 7th that Google doesn’t “have any plans to do any type of across-the-board type adjustment” when asked about the inflation rate in the US.Wagner did hint that the company’s compensation budgets “reflected” the higher cost of labor that comes with increased prices, according to CNBC. However, he said that the company would... Continue reading…

Last night’s Game Awards had some really cool surprises. We got a new Alan Wake announcement, we got the slit scared out of us by Slitterhead, and an adorable pot friend (like an actual friend in a pot, not a cannabis companion) dropped some Elden Ring lore on us. But there was one surprise that left me and my colleagues at The Verge confused, curious, and breathless for more: what game has alligator brides in it and how can we get our hands on it?Ming-Na Wen, savior of China and Boba Fett’s right hand, appeared during the Game Awards to present the award for Best Narrative (which, by the way, went to the very well-deserving Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy). During her speech, she mentioned that as the mother of a gaming-obsessed kid,... Continue reading…

You can now get the Switch OLED dock without the Switch OLED | Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge If you’ve wanted to get your hands on the Nintendo Switch OLED’s dock, you’re in luck — Nintendo is now selling it on its online store for $70, $10 more than the original dock. The newer version of the dock has a slightly more rounded design, comes in white, and (most importantly for some gamers) trades one of its USB 2.0 ports for an ethernet jack.It’s nice to have the option to buy a second dock for your Switch OLED, should you need an extra or a replacement. You could also pick one up if you’ve got a non-OLED Switch and your dock is getting to the point where it needs a replacement. Nintendo’s own FAQ says the OLED’s dock is compatible with the regular Switch, though you may need to do a software update to get full functionality.If... Continue reading…

Illustration by Ori Toor It’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time in case of problems Continue reading…

Photo by Jay Peters / The Verge Many of Fitbit’s wearables are currently enjoying solid discounts at multiple retailers. A pair of highlights we noticed include the Fitbit Charge 5, normally $179.99, which has been discounted to just $130 at Amazon and Best Buy. Additionally, the Fitbit Versa 3 has been lowered to $179.99 from its regular $229.99 price tag at Best Buy.While the Fitbit Charge 5 does suffer from a relatively small touchscreen, the lightweight design and excellent battery life are a far more tempting offer at this price point. Read our review.We haven’t had a chance to review the Versa 3 yet; however, our wearables reviewer, Victoria Song, definitely recommends this Apple Watch look-alike at this price.Two variations of Samsung’s 8.7-inch Galaxy Tab... Continue reading…

Illustration by Ori Toor Viral photos are becoming a sore spot for protected sites Continue reading…

Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images The UK’s High Court has approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the US. The decision reverses a ruling by a lower court in the UK that blocked the extradition on the grounds that imprisonment in the US was a threat to Assange’s mental health and increased his risk of suicide.The US government has now successfully appealed this decision by offering a number of assurances to British judges. These include assurances that Assange won’t be held in a “supermax” high-security prison during pretrial or if convicted (unless he “commits any future act which renders him liable to such conditions of detention”) and that the US will allow Assange to serve any final sentence in his native Australia, if he wishes.As reported by Sky News,... Continue reading…

Image: Netflix The new season is grander, but less playful, than the first Continue reading…

Josef Fares is known for making award-winning co-op gaming experiences. He’s also known for showing up at The Game Awards and dropping some well-placed f-bombs. Tonight, Fares followed up his famous 2017 “Fuck the Oscars” rant with an equally passionate and expletive-sprinkled acceptance speech for the Game of the Year award.This time, Fares wasn’t on an awkward tear about the Oscars, but both of his f-bombs were in reference to the moment that cemented him for all time in the Game Awards Hall of Fame. After arriving on stage to accept the award and make his speech, Fares recalled the journey from his 2017 moment to now.“I was up on that stage, 2017 saying, ‘fuck the Oscars’ and now, actually in a way the Oscars got fucked because The... Continue reading…

Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images Another busy night Continue reading…

Image: Warner Bros. A new clip for The Matrix Resurrections debuted at The Game Awards Thursday evening. In the clip, Keanu Reeves’ Neo and a blue-haired character played by Jessica Henwick walk through a door to board a train heading to Tokyo. But then, they go through another door to enter a mysterious room where a clip from the first movie is being played. Yes, in the new movie. I’m intrigued.The new clip is the latest in a string of trailers Warner Bros. has already released for the upcoming movie, which will release in theaters and on HBO Max on December 22nd. In one released this week, Neo remarks that “I still know kung fu,” which is something I also definitely say every day when I wake up. That trailer also features a cameo from The Game Awards’... Continue reading…

“How do we know what is real?”It’s a telling question asked by a seemingly real-life Keanu Reeves early on in The Matrix Awakens, a playable tech demo built in the new Unreal Engine 5 by Epic Games. Premiered at this year’s Game Awards, the interactive experience stars Reeves along with Matrix co-star Carrie-Anne Moss and was written by Lana Wachowski, the co-writer/director of the original The Matrix trilogy and director of the upcoming sequel. It’s available starting Thursday to play for free on the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S.In an exclusive interview, Reeves and Moss talked with The Verge about making the Epic demo, how technology is blurring the line between what’s real and virtual, and what to expect from the upcoming Matrix... Continue reading…

After a short teaser last month, Paramount Plus has debuted the first full trailer for the upcoming live-action Halo TV series at the 2021 Game Awards, ahead of the show’s streaming debut in 2022.Halo will star Pablo Schreiber (American Gods) as the armored super-solider, while Jen Taylor will reprise her role from the games as Master Chief’s AI companion, Cortana.The trailer still doesn’t give too much of an idea of what to expect from the show, which Paramount says “will take place in the universe” as the Halo games and see humanity face off against the alien forces of the Covenant. But it’s still not clear whether Halo will be trying to adapt the games directly or tell its own story within the world of the franchise. The trailer... Continue reading…

Hot on the heels of Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, and The Lower Decks, the Star Trek franchise is getting a new video game. Dramatic Labs, a brand new studio composed of former Telltale Games developers, announced during The Game Awards that it’s working on Star Trek: Resurgence, a story-driven game reminiscent of Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead.According to the game’s press release, “Star Trek: Resurgence is an interactive narrative video game that tells an original story set in the era shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation.”Players will control two characters aboard the U.S.S. RESOLUTE as they work to unravel a mystery in order to prevent a galactic war. Spock made an appearance in the... Continue reading…

Google is planning to bring Android games to Windows PCs next year. A Google Play Games app will be available in 2022, built by Google to allow games from Google Play to run on Windows laptops, tablets, and PCs.“Starting in 2022, players will be able to experience their favorite Google Play games on more devices: seamlessly switching between a phone, tablet, Chromebook, and soon, Windows PCs,” says Greg Hartrell, Google’s product director of games on Android and Google Play, in a statement to The Verge. “This Google built product brings the best of Google Play Games to more laptops and desktops, and we are thrilled to expand our platform for players to enjoy their favorite Android games even more.”Google spokesperson Alex... Continue reading…

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, a new game from Batman: Arkham developer Rocksteady Studios, released its first gameplay trailer and it is explosive. The video got an amazing introduction (and Geoff Keighley got an earful) from renowned actress and all-around badass Debra Wilson in her role as Suicide Squad overlord Amanda “The Wall” Waller.From the trailer, it seems you’ll be able to play as multiple members of DC’s maladjusted band of villainous misfits, including Deadshot, King Shark, and fan-favorite Harley Quinn in an squad-based action fighter akin to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.Rumors of a Suicide Squad game began this summer and were confirmed in August during DC Comic’s fan-event FanDome. On December 8th, Sefton... Continue reading…

Innersloth Social deception game Among Us is getting a virtual reality adaptation. The VR edition will launch on Meta Quest, PlayStation VR, and SteamVR, and it’s being developed by Schell Games, creators of the acclaimed I Expect You To Die series. There’s no release date for the game, but a trailer debuted at the 2021 Game Awards.The VR version of Among Us is a first-person 3D experience instead of a third-person 2D one, but it retains the “core mechanics” of developer Innersloth’s original multiplayer game. The short trailer, seen above, shows a player interacting with a keypad in a cartoony 3D room before getting attacked by another crewmate who’s (presumably) a sinister imposter.

Dune: Spice Wars will be available in early access next year. | Image: Funcom Dune: Spice Wars is a new real-time strategy game for PC set in the Dune universe. It will be available in early access in 2022.Spice Wars, which was announced at The Game Awards on Thursday, is described by developer Shiro Games and publisher Funcom as a strategy game “with 4X elements.” There will be multiple playable factions and multiple ways to win a game, which could mean a lot of replayability.

Dread it. Run from it. But Sonic Team still is making another 3D Sonic game: Sonic Frontiers, which was formally announced with an early preview at the 2021 Game Awards.Originally teased earlier in 2021 as part of Sega’s 30th anniversary celebration for the Sonic franchise, Sonic Frontiers is the first new Sonic game since the release of the much-maligned Sonic Forces in 2017 (which itself had been announced to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary).Sega didn’t show a real look at gameplay for Sonic Frontiers, which isn’t set to arrive until holidays 2022, but studio is promising “high velocity open-zone freedom,” which could indicate levels with more room to explore. The trailer definitely appears to be going for a Breath of the... Continue reading…

This boss looks terrifying. | Image: Studio MDHR Cuphead’s long-in-the-works The Delicious Last Course DLC will finally be released in June, Studio MDHR announced at The Game Awards Thursday. You’ll be able to play through new levels, take on new bosses, and use a new character named Ms. Chalice when the DLC is released on June 30th, 2022, which is nearly five years after the initial release of the original game.The Delicious Last Course was first announced in June 2018 with a 2019 release date, but that was pushed to 2020 and later to 2021. When it’s out, it will be available on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and GOG.“We’re beyond thrilled to finally be sharing a release date for The Delicious Last Course with our fans,” Studio MDHR co-director Chad Moldenhauer said in... Continue reading…

A screenshot from PUBG: Battlegrounds. | Image: Krafton The original PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (aka PUBG) is moving to a free-to-play model beginning January 12st, 2022, developer Krafton announced at The Game Awards Thursday.PUBG has been a paid game since it launched on Steam in early access in 2017. It quickly became a huge hit, and it was such a sensation that it inspired Epic Games to make a free battle royale mode for its (at the time) new tower defense game called Fortnite. Fortnite: Battle Royale has since gone on to become an entertainment juggernaut, likely in part because it’s free, and Activision Blizzard has also released its own massively popular free-to-play battle royale shooter, Call of Duty: Warzone.Although PUBG will soon be free-to-play, there will still be some... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft is rebranding its Xbox Game Pass for PC subscription to just PC Game Pass. The new name drops the Xbox branding in favor of a simplified PC Game Pass name that should make things less confusing for PC gamers.Previously, Microsoft had Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Game Pass for PC, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions, which could all be mistaken as Xbox-only offerings. The name of the PC subscription is now changing, but the logo will still include an Xbox symbol.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is coming to the Epic Games Store. | Image: Square Enix Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is coming to PC. It’ll be available on the Epic Games Store, and it’s coming soon — in just one week on December 16th. Previously, the game had been exclusive to PlayStation 5, where it became available earlier this year.Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is an enhanced version of Final Fantasy VII Remake, which, like it says in the title, is a remake of the PlayStation classic. Intergrade upgrades the graphics, adds a number of quality of life features, and includes a new chapter starring Yuffie Kisaragi called Intermission.

Alan Wake 2 was just announced at The Game Awards. A brief teaser trailer appears to show the titular protagonist in both New York City as well as the original game’s Pacific Northwest setting, and confirms a release date of 2023. Alan Wake 2 will be released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and the Epic Games Store.Remedy creative director Sam Lake told TGA’s Geoff Keighley on stage that Alan Wake 2 will be the studio’s first ever survival horror game, contrasting with the action focus of the original Alan Wake. Lake also tweeted this:

Sonic The Hedgehog 2, follow-up to Paramount Pictures surprisingly good live-action adaptation of Sega’s beloved speedy rodent platformer, has a new trailer. The trailer, announced during tonight’s Game Awards broadcast featureed Sonic trying to fit into his new life on Earth and his first encounter with Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba.Ben Schwartz will reprise his role as the titular Sonic, while Jim Carrey will once again look like he’s having so much fun playing Sonic’s mortal enemy Dr. Robotnik. During the first movie’s post-credits scene, Tails made a brief appearance, alluding he might play a role in the inevitable sequel. On December 7th, Tails’ long-time voice actor Colleen O’Shaughnessey, confirmed she will be voicing Sonic’s... Continue reading…

Wonder Woman will star in her own video game. | Image: Monolith Productions Wonder Woman will be starring in her own game developed by Monolith Productions, a studio best-known for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. The new game was announced at The Game Awards on Thursday.Basically no details were revealed about the game — all we were given was a brief CGI trailer showing Wonder Woman and a title card — so we don’t know what type of game it will be, when the game might come out, or even a release window.Wonder Woman has had a resurgence lately due to Gal Gadot’s portrayals of her in the Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984, and other movies in the DC Comics universe. It’s unclear if she’ll be voicing the superhero in the upcoming video game.DC Comics is currently celebrating... Continue reading…

Image: TCL Back in late summer, TCL announced an upgraded version of its high-end 6-Series TV. Aside from some technical improvements — the newer set fully supports HDMI 2.1 and 4K gaming at 120Hz — the biggest change had to do with software, with the latest 6-Series running Google TV instead of the Roku OS that has shipped on many of TCL’s most popular sets in the United States. The company has already released TVs powered by Android TV internationally and on a few budget models in North America, but the 2021 6-Series was meant to be a combined showcase for TCL hardware and Google software.So far, it’s not working out that way, and things aren’t going quite as well as TCL might’ve hoped. Best Buy — the exclusive US retailer of the TCL Google TVs... Continue reading…

Meta’s independent Oversight Board overturned an Instagram decision to remove a post about ayahuasca | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Oversight Board for Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta has overturned a decision by the photo-sharing app to remove a post that discussed ayahuasca. The board found that while the July post from a spiritual school in Brazil violated a Facebook rule against promoting the use of non-medical drugs, it did not violate Instagram’s community guidelines “as they were articulated at the time.” The board said Meta needs to be clearer when it applies Facebook rules to Instagram content.“The Board is concerned that the company continues to apply FB’s Community Standards on IG without transparently telling users it is doing so,” it wrote in its decision. The Instagram rule at the time of the removal only covered the sale and purchase... Continue reading…

General Motors announced a deal to source rare earth metals for electric vehicle motors in North America. Under the agreement, Las Vegas-based MP Materials will supply the automaker with “US-sourced and manufactured rare earth materials, alloy, and finished magnets for the electric motors” that will be used to power GM’s upcoming lineup of electric vehicles.Electric motors are powered by permanent magnets, sometimes no larger than a pack of playing cards, that are made of rare earth metals. The magnets enable the motors to transform electricity into motion, thus powering the vehicle. But these rare earth magnets, mostly made of neodymium (NdFeB), are almost entirely mined and processed in China. And as tensions grow between China and... Continue reading…

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Apple is about to add a new feature to iPhones informing users if the device was previously repaired and whether a genuine screen or battery was used (via 9to5Mac). A new parts and service history section will appear (under Settings > General > About) with the upcoming iOS 15.2 update for iPhone — providing some insight and peace of mind for buyers of used or refurbished iPhones hoping to get a proper quality OEM unit.The new update expands on a previous feature that can tell if a screen or battery was not genuine, now adding them in one place and even including a date on when the service was performed. Since the release of the iPhone 11, Apple started including a warning when an aftermarket (ungenuine) screen was installed. Now iPhones... Continue reading…

Illustration by Ori Toor No strategy is 100 percent effective, but you can stop much of it Continue reading…

Image: Tinder Tinder is expanding the ways you can judge a potential match by their musical tastes by introducing a Music Mode, which lets you actually hear the song someone’s set as their “Anthem” before you choose which direction to swipe. Music Mode will integrate with Spotify, like Tinder’s other music features, but should make it easier to judge someone by the song they’ve picked to represent themselves — even if you’ve never heard it before, you’ll immediately be able to tell the vibe.Music Mode will live in the app’s recently added Explore tab, which means you can ignore it if you don’t feel like listening to people’s jams right now. Tinder’s product VP Kyle Miller likened Music Mode to “that feeling when you’re at a party and you find out... Continue reading…

Don’t throw out your pen and paper yet Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, has put forward a series of proposals that could lead to millions of gig workers across the bloc getting similar legal protections to traditional employees. In a press release, the Commission says these rights would include a minimum wage (where applicable), collective bargaining, paid leave, unemployment and sickness benefits, and pensions.The Commission says an estimated 28 million people in the EU currently work through “digital labor platforms,” and of these, as many as 5.5 million may be incorrectly classified as being self-employed. So, with its new rules, the EU wants to lay out a series of criteria that will clearly determine whether a platform is a simple... Continue reading…

Illustration by Ori Toor The DOJ’s task force is changing the landscape around hackers, but will it be enough? Continue reading…

Illustration by Joseph Gough All the queen’s men Continue reading…

Photo by Sam Byford / The Verge In a bold bid to turn digital crooks away from a life of crime, Microsoft is offering a 50 percent discount on its Office suite to some people using pirated versions. Ghacks reports that a new message in the Office ribbon bar is appearing on pirated Office apps, tempting people with a 50 percent discount on a genuine Microsoft 365 subscription.The message links to an official Microsoft website that claims “pirated software exposes your PC to security threats.” Microsoft warns Office pirates that they run the risk of running into viruses, malware, data loss, identify theft, and the inability to receive critical updates. Image: Ghacks The 50 percent discount notification. The discount brings the price of a... Continue reading…

WhatsApp has launched a new pilot that lets a “limited number” of people in the US send and receive money from within a chat using cryptocurrency. The feature is powered by Novi, Meta’s digital wallet that launched as a pilot six weeks ago, with payments made using Pax Dollars (USDP), a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar issued by Paxos. The news was announced by Novi’s incoming head Stephane Kasriel and WhatsApp’s Will Cathcart.According to Novi’s website, sending a payment works much like sending any other attachment in WhatsApp. You access the feature via the paper clip icon on Android or the + icon on iOS, and then select “Payment” from the menu that appears. Novi’s site notes there are no fees for sending or receiving money, no... Continue reading…

The weather widget returns to the taskbar. | Image: Microsoft Microsoft is bringing back its weather widget on the Windows 11 taskbar. It’s a feature that originally debuted in Windows 10, providing live weather conditions and quick access to the broader widget and news feed. Windows 11 removed this taskbar integration in favor of a separate widgets panel, though.“We are trying out showing the Widgets entry point on the left side of your taskbar with live weather content,” explains Amanda Langowski, Microsoft’s Windows Insider chief. “You can also open the Widgets board by simply hovering over the entry point.” Image: Microsoft The weather widget will appear as an icon on left-aligned taskbars. The weather widget will be displayed on the left side of the taskbar by... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Amazon has been fined $1.3 billion (€1.1 billion) by antitrust regulators in Italy. The company is accused of using its dominance in the online shopping world to steer Italian sellers into using its logistics service, Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA). Amazon says it will appeal the decision.The fine is one of the largest levied by a single nation in the EU as part of a years-long battle over online antitrust issues. Just last month, Amazon and Apple were both fined by Italian antitrust regulators for allegedly conspiring to limit the supply of Apple and Beats products. But that fine only totaled $77 million (€69 million) for Amazon — a drop in the bucket compared to today’s judgement. (Both companies are currently disputing the case.)Italy... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Amazon is shutting down Alexa Internet, a service that has provided web traffic analysis for more than two decades. Alexa was founded in 1996 and bought by Amazon in 1999 (15 years before the shopping giant revealed its digital assistant of the same name).Alexa is best known for Alexa Rank, a ranking of the world’s most popular websites, with this information frequently referenced in news coverage and public resources like Wikipedia. The company extrapolates this data from a small sample of web users who use its browser extension and from sites which choose to install its traffic monitoring software directly.In an announcement post, the Alexa.com team said the company stopped offering new subscriptions on December 8th, 2021, and will... Continue reading…

A short teaser trailer shows the folding mechanism in action. | Image: Oppo Oppo has announced its first foldable smartphone, the Oppo Find N, in a blog post penned by its chief product officer (and OnePlus CEO) Pete Lau. The device will be launched next week on December 15th, on the second day of Oppo’s annual Inno Day.Although the post doesn’t reveal too many specifics about the device, a teaser trailer released on Twitter shows it has a similar form factor to Samsung’s Z Fold devices, combining a large internal folding screen with a smaller outer screen that can be used like a traditional smartphone. Interestingly, this small outer screen looks like it has a similar aspect ratio to a traditional smartphone, unlike the tall thin external display of the Fold 3.In his post, Lau admits that other companies have... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple’s widely rumored upcoming mixed reality headset will make use of 3D sensors for advanced hand tracking, according to analyst Ming-chi Kuo, whose latest research note has been reported on by MacRumors and 9to5Mac. The headset is said to have four sets of 3D sensors, compared to the iPhone’s single unit, which should give it more accuracy than the TrueDepth camera array currently used for Face ID.According to Kuo, the structured light sensors can detect objects as well as “dynamic detail change” in the hands, comparable to how Face ID is able to figure out facial expressions to generate Animoji. “Capturing the details of hand movement can provide a more intuitive and vivid human-machine UI,” he writes, giving the example of a... Continue reading…

Image: ViacomCBS Wattpad has long been a pipeline bringing content adaptations of stories by emerging writers to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Now, ViacomCBS and Wattpad’s studio arm are teaming up to spin out a slate of original series from successful titles on Wattpad and Webtoon.Wattpad has been a story springboard for streaming services for years — The Kissing Booth and the After franchises are two notable examples — in part because Wattpad is able to mine a trove of internal data about how readers are interacting with stories and what specific kind of storytelling they return to. That can easily translate to hit franchises for services hungry for new original content, particularly for content that appeals to younger viewers. (After, for... Continue reading…