The Verge

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge An escalating feud that has pitted YouTube, one of the most popular streaming apps in the world, against Roku, a leader in TV streaming devices, could be about to boil over. Both companies have said that unless they can reach a new distribution agreement in the coming days, the YouTube app will be removed from Roku’s channel store for new users on December 9th.The major development would follow months of stalled negotiations, and there have already been consequences for consumers caught in the middle: the YouTube TV app was pulled from Roku’s channel store earlier this year, though it can still be accessed by customers who already downloaded it. Now the much more popular YouTube app, a portal to the world’s largest video sharing... Continue reading…

The Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) has seized 42 websites that the China-based hacking group Nickel used to attack organizations in the US, as well as around the world, according to a report on Microsoft’s blog (via Bleeping Computer). Microsoft says that the attacks were likely carried out to gather intelligence from government agencies, think tanks, and human rights groups.A US District Court in Virginia gave Microsoft permission to take control of the comprised websites on December 2nd, as outlined in the court document (PDF), allowing Microsoft to redirect traffic from those sites to Microsoft’s servers. While this won’t stop Nickel’s attacks completely, Microsoft says it should help “protect existing and future victims while... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ubisoft is officially getting into NFTs. On Tuesday, the company announced a new platform, Ubisoft Quartz, where it will offer NFTs that it’s calling Digits. The Digits will be available first as in-game items like vehicles, weapons, and equipment in Ghost Recon Breakpoint in beta on Windows beginning later this week, according to a press release.NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are unique digital goods that can be bought or sold with ownership tracked on the blockchain. NFTs are becoming an increasingly popular way to attempt to add value to digital goods, and that seems to be part of what Ubisoft is trying to do with Digits.The company says that each Digit is unique, will track who has owned it over time, and will have its own serial... Continue reading…

The lowest price ever on this smart thermostat Amazon’s new smart thermostat just received its first-ever price break. Normally, this thermostat costs $59.99 but is currently on sale for $47.99 at Amazon. It’s the best price we’ve seen yet for this particular device, and considering it didn’t get a discount during Black Friday, this sale may not last.Amazon is also offering discounted bundles that combine the thermostat with a fourth-generation Echo Dot for $77.98 (normally $109.98) and another bundle that throws in a second-generation Echo Show 5 for $92.98 (normally $144.98). However, it’s worth noting that the two bundles being offered may not arrive until after Christmas.The thermostat isn’t particularly fancy, but it was built in collaboration with the thermostat experts at... Continue reading…

I adore the face buttons that don’t show the signature shape indicators. | Scuf Scuf has introduced the Reflex lineup of customizable wireless controllers made for the PS5 and PC, consisting of three pricey controllers. Pricing starts at $199.99 for the Reflex, $229.99 for the Reflex Pro, going all the way up to $259.99 for the Reflex FPS, and each model has its own unique features.Across the range, the Reflex is built upon Sony’s first-party DualSense controller board. That means it’ll receive updates through your console and that its feature set is almost identical to what you’d get from Sony’s controller (Scuf’s Instinct Pro for Xbox was built this way, too, mirroring Microsoft’s first-party controller). The Scuf Reflex is rechargeable and supports USB-C charging, and it has a mute button and features a... Continue reading…

On Tuesday, the Senate voted 68 to 31 to confirm Jessica Rosenworcel’s re-appointment to the Federal Communications Commission, putting her in place to be the first permanent chair of the agency under President Biden. Rosenworcel will also be the first female chair in the 86-year history of the FCC.The vote officially confirmed Rosenworcel’s reappointment as FCC commissioner, but with Senate approval in place, it makes her formal ascension to chair all but certain. In a speech announcing the floor vote, Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Rosenworcel “a remarkable, highly experienced and historic nominee.”“It’s the honor of my lifetime to lead the @FCC and serve as the first permanent female Chair,” said Rosenworcel in a... Continue reading…

Mainstream AR glasses are still years away Continue reading…

A lot is happening in the world of Destiny 2 today. Bungie is celebrating its 30th Anniversary inside Destiny 2, with a big content drop that includes Halo-like guns. A trailer for Destiny 2’s new Bungie 30th Anniversary pack shows off a Magnum-like sidearm in Destiny 2, alongside a Battle Rifle-like pulse rifle in the looter shooter.Both guns appear to look and feel like the original Halo weapons, but there’s no mention of an official crossover with Microsoft anywhere. It doesn’t appear that Bungie secured the official rights from Microsoft to put the actual Halo guns it originally created in Destiny 2 and has instead done a good job at producing replicas that nod to the past.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Discord is starting to test a new Premium Memberships feature that will allow creators to monetize their servers. An initial pilot is going live today with around 10 creators who will pave the way for Discord’s 150 million monthly active users to pay to access a range of channels or servers and support creators.Premium Memberships offer what a number of creators have already been experimenting with: a way to offer more content or access to community members. Discord communities will be able to create tiered perks, view analytics on member engagement, and lock channels or even entire servers to paying subscribers. Image: Discord Discord’s new Premium Memberships include tiers for community servers. “We see... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge As it previously promised, Sonos is today rolling out support for Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos tracks from Amazon Music Unlimited. After downloading the latest system update for their Sonos speakers, Amazon Music subscribers will see new badges on the Now Playing screen that clearly identify the quality of whatever music you’re playing. Sonos already supported CD-quality HD tracks on Amazon Music, as it does for other services as well.These new badges will show either HD (lossless 16-bit stream), Ultra HD (lossless 24-bit stream), or Dolby Atmos. Sonos notes that for lossless music, the maximum sample rate supported is 48kHz. Image: Sonos You’ll see badges on the Now Playing screen to indicate music quality. The... Continue reading…

How the early pioneers of the smartphone almost made it big Continue reading…

Watch your favorite videos in 4K Continue reading…

Illustration by Ori Toor There’s only so much you can do Continue reading…

Photo by Michael Schwartz/WireImage Here I am. Back again in your inbox on a Tuesday, in the final weeks before Christmas, New Year’s, and, for you business folks, the end of the quarter. For today’s Hot Pod, I interviewed the Media Matters researcher who listened to over 350 hours of The Joe Rogan Experience this year and reported back on what we’re all missing. He says the show, for those of us who aren’t spending our time there, is currently best described as a “cesspool of toxic masculinity that discusses elk hunting, mixed martial arts, anti-trans views, and harmful health information about the coronavirus pandemic.”We’ll also discuss separate — but, in some cases, related — Spotify situations and more “greenwashing” in podcast ads. More, more, more, just in time for... Continue reading…

In 1998, Donna Dubinsky and Jeff Hawkins quit Palm, a company they’d founded, to begin a new one: Handspring. They had a simple goal in mind: to eventually create the smartphone. Years before any of the technology was actually ready, their tiny startup began laying the necessary groundwork for what would become the Treo.In Springboard: the secret history of the first real smartphone, we document the history of Handspring, from its dramatic beginnings to its tragic end. Along the way, we hear from five of the key players who tried to invent the modern smartphone years before the technology world was ready for it. It’s a story that interweaves the dotcom crash, technological innovations, wireless carrier resistance, and much more.You can... Continue reading…

Amazon’s Alexa Together launches today. | Image: Amazon First announced at Amazon’s fall hardware event, Alexa Together is officially launching today, Tuesday, December 7th. A new subscription service that expands on the existing Alexa Care Hub, Alexa Together is designed to offer a minimally invasive way to use Amazon’s voice assistant and associated Echo speakers to both assist and keep tabs on an elderly loved one or other person who requires a caregiver.Almost since Alexa launched, industrious families have found ways to make the artificially intelligent assistant help them when it comes to looking after a remote loved one. Electronically “dropping in” on an elderly family member to check on them and sharing Alexa accounts so that they can see their activity have been simple — if... Continue reading…

Messenger Kids’ new features in action. | Image: Meta Messenger Kids, the child-friendly version of Meta’s Messenger service (aka Facebook Messenger), is being updated with a dark mode, as well as new audio effects for voice messages, the service has announced.Dark mode came to the main Messenger app at the beginning of 2019, but now it’s also coming to the version of the app that’s designed for children between the ages of six and 12. Perfect for any kids preparing for a difficult teenage goth phase. It’s coming to the iOS version of the app first, with Android to follow.Meanwhile, voice effects are rolling out in the weeks ahead and, like the service’s dark mode, will be coming to iOS first. They sound like a fun addition, working with the service’s existing voice messages feature to... Continue reading…

Illustration by Ori Toor The long shadow of NYPD surveillance after 9/11 Continue reading…

Calls can be initiated from the top right of a chat. | Image: Google One-on-one voice and video calls are now rolling out for Google Chat inside the Gmail app on iOS and Android, Google has announced. The feature was first announced in September, but as of December 6th it’s started rolling out for anyone with Google Workspace, G Suite, or personal Google accounts.It’s previously been possible to start calls from within the Gmail app, but until now it’s involved sending an invite to a Google Meet video conferencing call, which feels excessive for a one-on-one conversation. Going forward, however, there’ll be simple phone and video icons in the top right of every one-on-one chat which can be used for calls.It’s a simple addition, but it’s one that furthers Google’s goal of making Gmail the central hub... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram will roll out new parental control features on its platform in March, the service’s head Adam Mosseri has announced in a blog post. They’ll allow parents and guardians to see how much time their teenagers spend on Instagram, set time limits, and get notified if their child reports someone. The controls were announced as a package of new features designed to make the platform a safer place, particularly for its teenage users.Although Mosseri’s post says these safety features have been in the works for “a long time,” their announcement comes in the wake of a series of damaging revelations about the Meta-owned social network. Most notably, internal documents leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen showed Instagram was aware that... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Samsung Electronics has announced an internal reorganization of its businesses with several changes to leadership. The company will have two new CEOs overseeing two divisions: Device Solutions, which is the semiconductors business, and a new SET Division that includes mobile, TVs, and consumer electronics. It’s the biggest change to Samsung’s structure since 2017, when the company appointed three leaders for three separate divisions.Jong-hee (JH) Han, the head of the Visual Display business, is also now a co-CEO with responsibility for the SET division. Samsung credits him with having led the company to the top position in TV sales worldwide for 15 years running and says he is “expected to strengthen the synergies among the different... Continue reading…

Master Chief and The Weapon in Halo Infinite. | Image: Microsoft Halo Infinite’s campaign launches on Wednesday, but after your first trip through the story, you won’t be able to replay missions without starting all the way over, Microsoft confirmed to Polygon. It’s a significant omission, since it means you won’t be able to get collectibles you miss the first time around. It also means Infinite is the first Halo game without a way to go back and easily replay a chapter.That might not always be the case, though, as developer 343 Industries wants to add the feature down the line, the studio told The Verge. “We haven’t announced a date but that is being worked on,” 343 Industries associate creative director Paul Crocker said in an interview.“We want to have replay that works well, and when you have a... Continue reading…

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. | Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images A filing just revealed an SEC investigation into the plans for a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) named Digital World Acquisition Corp. to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) and start trading on the Nasdaq, so what’s next for the would-be social media/regular media giant?Naturally, TMTG has just announced a splashy new hire as its CEO, recruiting Congressman Devin G. Nunes. A supporter, and defender of Trump, Nunes served on the House Intelligence Committee as it investigated allegations Russia helped the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. Yes, that’s also “I sued Twitter for letting Devin Nunes’ Mom and Devin Nunes’ Cow insult me” Devin G. Nunes.The congressman plans to leave the US House of... Continue reading…

Photo by Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images Elon Musk said Monday at the Wall Street Journal’s CEO summit that he doesn’t think the United States needs the Biden administration’s infrastructure bill — or any government subsidies, for that matter. “Just delete them all,” he said.The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said during the interview that he’s concerned about the federal deficit. “We’ve spent so much money.. the federal budget deficit is insane,” he said.“I would say... can the whole bill. Don’t pass it, that’s my recommendation,” Musk said.Musk pointed out that Tesla has been selling its electric cars for more than a year in the US without the $7,500 federal tax credit, without taking a demand hit. Most other automakers, save for General Motors, are still eligible for the credit.... Continue reading…

Science fiction movies have prepared us for the distinct possibility that artificial intelligence will walk among us someday. How soon? No one can say — but that isn’t stopping a raft of companies by trying to sell “digital humans” before that whole intelligence thing gets figured out. Ah, but what if you don’t want to buy a digital human because that sounds icky? Rent one, of course! That’s why we now have the regrettable acronym Digital Human as a Service (DHaaS).The actual news here is that Japanese telecom giant KDDI has partnered with a firm named Mawari (which means something along the lines of “surroundings” in Japanese) to create a virtual assistant you can “see” through the window of your smartphone in augmented reality, one... Continue reading…

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Google is releasing an update for its Pixel Buds A-Series wireless headphones, which will add a bass slider, a loudness compensation setting for better bass and treble response at low volumes, and a nice connectivity improvement (via Droid-Life). Given that the buds are only $99 (or free, if you got them with a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro preorder), it’s nice to see Google adding new features through software updates.As we learned earlier today, the Pixel Buds will be getting more control over the bass response. The buds had a “bass boost” option before, but now you’ll be able to turn up the bass using a four-step slider — and you can even turn it down a notch if that’s what you prefer.The Pixel Buds A-Series can fall back if they can’t connect... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Japan is proposing new restrictions that would only allow banks and wire transfer services to issue stablecoins, first reported by Nikkei Asia.Stablecoins are a type of digital currency that’s pegged to an external asset, like a fiat currency, gold, or other investments, in an attempt to keep the coin at a stable price. Tether is one example of a stablecoin, and it’s no stranger to controversy. In October, it was fined $41 million for old claims that each token was backed 1-to-1 by its cash reserves — according to the CFTC, “Tether reserves were not ‘fully backed’ the majority of the time.”This follows similar plans to regulate stablecoins in the USThe country’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) plans to introduce the legislation in... Continue reading…

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 20: Jeff Bezos speaks during the Climate Week NYC Leaders’ Reception | Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Bezos Earth Fund On Monday, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced his Earth Fund’s latest round of grants: $443 million to be spent primarily on land conservation and restoration and efforts to reduce environmental burdens on marginalized communities.This year, the fund has pledged more than $3 billion for similar initiatives. In 2020, Bezos promised to funnel $10 billion — about 5 percent of his current net worth — toward tackling climate change this decade.From the beginning, the Bezos Earth Fund has faced criticismFrom the beginning, the Bezos Earth Fund has faced criticism, particularly from some grassroots environmental groups. At first, Bezos primarily funded big-name environmental groups with historically white leadership and comparatively... Continue reading…

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Ve The global chip shortage has claimed yet another camera from Sony’s lineup. This time, Sony is suspending orders for the ZV-E10, a mirrorless vlogging camera that the company released in August, as reported by Digital Photography Review.Sony announced the camera’s suspension in a post on its website, noting that it will no longer sell the ZV-E10 on its store or through any of its distributors for the time being. “With regard to digital imaging products, parts procurement is delayed due to the effects of global semiconductor shortages,” a translation of Sony’s notice reads.This is far from the only device that Sony has temporarily discontinued this yearUnfortunately, this is far from the only device that Sony has temporarily... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Gizmodo released a deep-dive look into the data collection process behind its co-reported investigation with The Markup into PredPol, a software company specializing in predictive policing (hence the name, which it has since changed to Geolitica) through machine learning.PredPol’s algorithm is supposed to make predictions based on existing crime reports. However, since crimes aren’t equally reported everywhere, the readings it provides to law enforcement could simply copy the biases in reporting over each area. If police use this to decide where to patrol, they could end up over-policing areas that don’t need a larger presence.When Gizmodo and The Markup evaluated the areas, they found that the places PredPol’s software targeted for... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg published Monday, a group of academics called for Meta to be more transparent about its research into how Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp affect the mental health of children and adolescents. The letter calls for the company to allow independent reviews of its internal work, contribute data to external research projects, and set up an independent scientific oversight group.“You and your organizations have an ethical and moral obligation to align your internal research on children and adolescents with established standards for evidence in mental health science,” the letter, signed by researchers from universities around the world, reads.The open letter comes after leaks from Facebook revealed some... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge TikTok’s much-vaunted video algorithm is designed around two things: getting users to stick around and getting users to come back. That’s according to a report in The New York Times, which reviewed a leaked copy of an internal TikTok document summarizing how the system works. The report offers a rare look into one of the most discussed algorithms in tech right now, and it reveals some considerations — like retaining creators and ensuring they make money — that may not be obvious choices when building a video feed meant to keep viewers tuned in.To keep users watching and coming back, TikTok considers four main objectives, according to the Times: user value, long-term user value, creator value, and platform value. One way that plays out... Continue reading…

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Toyota will build a $1.29 billion battery factory in North Carolina in an effort to bring some of its electric vehicle supply chain to the US. The news comes on the heels of Toyota’s announcement that it will invest around $13.6 billion in battery tech over the next decade, including a $9 billion investment in production, as it attempts to electrify its vehicle lineup.Toyota plans on spreading the $1.29 billion for the new factory over the next decade, but production at the facility is scheduled to begin in 2025, said Chris Reynolds, chief administrative officer for Toyota Motor North America. In the first year, Toyota plans on producing 1.2 million battery packs for its upcoming lineup of electric vehicles, Reynolds said.Toyota has... Continue reading…

(L to R): Nichole Ayers, Christopher Williams, Luke Delaney, Jessica Wittner, Anil Menon, Marcos Berríos, Jack Hathaway, Christina Birch, Deniz Burnham, and Andre Douglas. | Image: NASA Today, NASA announced the selection of its newest class of astronauts: six men and four women chosen from more than 12,000 people who applied to the space agency in March of 2020. Once they train and become full astronauts, these selectees have some exciting spaceflight opportunities ahead of them, potentially including flights to the Moon someday.The astronauts announced today are part of the so-called Artemis Generation. The name is a reference to NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface as early as 2025 (a landing date that is considered incredibly ambitious). The program calls for launching astronauts on a series of flights into deep space on NASA’s new massive... Continue reading…

A great laptop at the right size Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro/The Verge Language learning app Duolingo said its phrase of the year is “I am mentally exhausted,” which appears as part of its Japanese course and does seem to nicely sum up 2021.Like Spotify and Apple, Duolingo is giving users a look back at the year that was. Starting today, anyone who completed at least 10 Duolingo lessons in 2021 can get a personalized look at what kind of language learner they are, based on when they practice their lessons, how many courses they’ve taken, and how many hours they spent learning on the app. Duolingo Duolingo’s Year in Review will tell you want kind of language learner you were in 2021. In its 2021 language report and survey, Duolingo said the top five languages learned on the app... Continue reading…

Image by Engineered Arts via YouTube Engineered Arts, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of humanoid robots, recently showed off one of its most lifelike creations in a video posted on YouTube. The robot, called Ameca, is shown making a series of incredibly human-like facial expressions.Ameca opens its mouth and raises its brows in what it looks like is amazementAt the start of the video, Ameca appears to “wake up,” as its face conveys a mix of confusion and frustration when it opens its eyes. But when Ameca starts looking at its hands and arms, the robot opens its mouth and raises its brows in what it looks like is amazement. The end of the video shows Ameca smiling and holding a welcoming hand out towards the viewer — if that’s how you want to interpret that gesture.S... Continue reading…

Clearview AI is on track to receive a US patent for its facial recognition technology, according to a report from Politico. The company was reportedly sent a “notice of allowance” by the US Patent and Trademark Office, which means that once it pays the required administration fees, its patent will be officially approved.Clearview AI builds its facial recognition database using images of people that it scrapes across social media (and the internet in general), a practice that has the company steeped in controversy. The company’s patent application details its use of a “web crawler” to acquire images, even noting that “online photos associated with a person’s account may help to create additional records of facial recognition data... Continue reading…

Walmart’s Gamer Drop prominently features the big three new consoles that are difficult to get. | Image: Walmart Update December 5th, 4:30PM ET: Per IGN’s Taylor Lyles and an updated message on the Walmart Gamer Drop splash page, the event won’t have the new consoles you’re probably looking for, despite featuring them prominently in the artwork. The post below has been updated to reflect this.Walmart has announced a new Gamer Drop event coming to select stores on December 11th, where the retailer is promising to have the “latest gaming titles and consoles.” It’s billing it as a holiday shopping event, complete with discounts and exclusive gear.The posted circular on Walmart’s website prominently features the major consoles, including the Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Xbox Series X / S, and both models of the PlayStation 5 with the note of... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The My Verizon app might be collecting information about your browsing history, location, apps, and your contacts, all in the name of helping the company “understand your interests,” first spotted by Input. The program, which Verizon appears to automatically opt customers into, is called Verizon Custom Experience and lays buried in the privacy settings on the app.The program introduces two different options that appear in the app, Custom Experience and Custom Experience Plus, each of which varies in terms of invasiveness. Verizon provides additional information about both settings within the app, as well as on a FAQ page on its website. It appears that the Custom Experience option is a stripped-down version of Custom Experience Plus,... Continue reading…

Mackenzie Davis stars in Station Eleven | HBO Max I finally finished The Beatles: Get Back, and even though it meandered a lot, I found myself wanting more. The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay nicely captures what it felt like to watch this 50-year old footage as a fan, like we were all kinda just hanging out with John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they worked on new material. Highly recommend watching, it will make you question some of the prevailing narratives about the Fab Four (like the widely held belief that they were at each other’s throats constantly as the band neared its breakup).Also! We got some late-breaking news Saturday about the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It’s going to be titled Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and will actually be a two-parter,... Continue reading…

The Doja Cat codable music video. | Photo by Girls Who Code Girls Who Code, the nonprofit organization that aims to get more women and girls interested in the field of computer science, has debuted what it calls the “first ever” codable music video. The organization partnered with Doja Cat, transforming her new music video for Woman into an interactive experience.

And then there were three. After a dramatic live event on Saturday, Fortnite is moving on to Chapter 3, which introduces some big changes for the battle royale.This morning developer Epic launched season 1 of the new chapter, called “Flipped,” and the most dramatic change is the shift to a fresh, snow-covered island, one that features weather conditions, along with new locations like Sanctuary — which appears to play a large part in Fortnite lore — and the Daily Bugle. Those who pick up the new battle pass will also be able to get their hands on characters like Spider-Man and (eventually) The Foundation, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. You can get the full run-down of the battle pass right here:(It’s been a busy weekend for... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro Twitter has reportedly suspended a number of accounts by mistake after far-right extremists began exploiting the platform’s new private media policy, according to a report by The Washington Post.The platform has since launched an internal review of the matter and has made the necessary corrections, The Post notes. Twitter’s new policy, which allows individuals to request takedowns of photos or videos that contain them, has become the target of far-right activists who seek to remove pictures of them taken at hate rallies. The platform originally said that the rule was put in place to “curb the misuse of media to harass, intimate, and reveal the identities of private individuals,” which Twitter says disproportionately affects “women,... Continue reading…

Image: Ludwig via YouTube Just three days after Ludwig Ahgren left his massive Twitch following for YouTube, he was hit with what he thought was a suspension from the platform. According to a report from Kotaku, Ahgren was playing other YouTube videos during his stream, when he landed on the infamously catchy Baby Shark song. His stream was shut down shortly thereafter, giving his viewers — and himself — the impression that he was banned for violating YouTube’s copyright policies.

Buy two, get one free Best Buy is still hosting its mix-and-match sale featuring some excellent titles from the Nintendo Switch game library. Right now you can get a third game of equal or lesser value for free if you buy two other select titles. This offer includes first-party titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Mario Tennis: Aces that rarely see discounts. While this offer is limited to 11 titles, this is one of the best ways to stock up on games that are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.While not quite as enticing as Black Friday prices, Best Buy has discounted all models of the 11-inch iPad Pro that launched in 2020, with some versions receiving discounts of up to $200. This tablet is available with up to 1TB of built-in storage and... Continue reading…

Image: Activision Blizzard One of the studios responsible for Call of Duty’s success is laying off QA testers that are reportedly earning $17 an hour for their work on the franchise Activision Blizzard said brought in $3 billion dollars in 2020. Raven Software, known for its work on Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and CoD: Warzone has now laid off a third of its contract QA testers, according to reports by Kotaku and The Washington Post.Raven’s Associate Community Manager Austin O’Brien said that team members were being called into individual meetings to be told whether or not they would still have a job come January 28th. So far, the company has reportedly laid off about a third of its QA testers, or around a dozen people, but it’s possible more could follow.... Continue reading…

Photo by Guillaume Payen/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images In March 2020, Bandcamp started a promotion where it would forego taking a revenue share from sales artists made on its platform, providing some additional support to performers with suddenly limited opportunities due to the coronavirus pandemic. The arrangement turned into a monthly event, as Bandcamp Fridays encouraged fans to keep the support coming by purchasing audio tracks and merchandise over the last two years.Bandcamp pledged to keep things going throughout 2021 and has dutifully turned off its cut on the first Friday of each month. The only question left is, what happens next? The note about Bandcamp Friday sticking around for 2021 is no longer included on the blog post announcing the promotion, and no one has updated... Continue reading…