The Verge

Apple has finally excised its much-maligned Apple TV remote with a new iteration that ditches the confusing touchpad for some good old-fashioned buttons. But you won’t need to shell out for Apple’s updated Apple TV 4K to get one. Apple is selling the new remote separately for $59, and customers will be able to use it with any tvOS-based Apple TV.That means even if you own the first-generation Apple TV 4K or the original fourth-generation Apple TV from 2015 that debuted the Siri remote, you’ll be able to upgrade to the new and improved clicker.This is great news for anyone who still has an older model since the original Siri remote is terrible, and Apple’s newly refreshed Apple TV 4K models are still on the extremely high end of the... Continue reading…

Image: Apple Apple just wrapped up its “Spring Loaded” event, announcing new iPads, iMacs, and more. It was jam-packed with news from the company.If you want to read about what was announced as it happened, check out our live blog with commentary from Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and Chaim Gartenberg. But if you just want the news, read on. Image: Apple Apple’s new iPad Pro. Apple’s new iPad Pros have the company’s M1 chip Apple unveiled its newest iPad Pro tablets, and they’re equipped with the same Apple-designed M1 chip in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini (and the new iMac, also announced today). The 12.9-inch model has an upgraded display that uses 10,000 Mini LEDs, and Apple calls it the Liquid Retina XDR... Continue reading…

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Discord is ending talks to sell itself to Microsoft or other companies, The Wall Street Journal reports. The popular online chat app was reportedly in talks to sell to Microsoft in March for a price that valued Discord at over $10 billion.Discord was reportedly in talks with at least three other companies besides Microsoft. Other past potential suitors included both Amazon and Epic Games, according to Bloomberg. But even with the big-name options, Discord has reportedly decided to stay independent and consider a potential public listing to build on its success. Discord has around 140 million monthly users and earned about $130 million in revenue in 2020 but still isn’t profitable, according to the WSJ.Microsoft’s interest in Discord... Continue reading…

Jeff Kaplan, the most public face of Blizzard’s team shooter Overwatch, has left the company.In a letter posted today, Kaplan said “it was truly the honor of a lifetime to have the opportunity to create worlds and heroes for such a passionate audience. I want to express my deep appreciation to everyone at Blizzard who supported our games, our game teams, and our players. But I want to say a special thanks to the wonderful game developers that shared in the journey of creation with me.” It’s not clear where Kaplan is headed, but his tenure at Blizzard lasted 19 years.“It was truly the honor of a lifetime.”It’s also unclear what this might mean for Overwatch. The game is in a strange place at the moment, with a sequel in the work that i... Continue reading…

Apple Right on schedule, Apple has launched the next generation of its iPad Pro. As was the case with the recent MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, Apple’s improvements to the iPad Pro are largely on the inside.The device has a new eight-core M1 processor, the same chip that powers the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini. Apple claims this will deliver “a big jump in performance” over the previous generation. The graphics performance is over 1,500 times faster, per the company. The chip brings a number of new features, including a “next-generation 16-core Apple Neural engine” and an advanced image signal processor. Apple also says you can expect up to 10 hours of battery life from Wi-Fi models and nine hours from Wi-Fi + Cellular models. ... Continue reading…

The redesigned iMac will be available in seven colors. | Image: Apple Apple introduced a redesigned iMac today with a slimmer display, an Apple Silicon chip, and a case with bright, bold colors that throws back to the classic colorful all-in-one iMacs. Apple said the new iMac was designed from the ground up for the M1 chip.The new iMac has a 24-inch, 4.5K display with narrower borders around the top and sides. It still has a large chin on the bottom, but the rear of the display is now flat instead of curved — Apple says the volume has been reduced by over 50 percent. The screen also has Apple’s True Tone tech for automatically adjusting the color temperature.Apple is also promising a much-needed update to the iMac’s camera and mics so that you’ll look better on video calls. It now has a 1080p resolution... Continue reading…

Image: Apple TV Plus Apple’s event today was full of hardware and new products, but the company also took some time to have fun by unveiling a new trailer for Ted Lasso’s second season. The show — which stars Jason Sudeikis as a perpetually positive football coach who takes on a gig helming an English soccer team — has been one of the breakout hits on Apple TV Plus, the company’s fledgling streaming service.

The Apple TV remote is one of the weakest parts of the company’s set-top box, and Apple is, at last, addressing it today. The company just unveiled a redesigned Siri remote alongside its new Apple TV 4K. You’ll get the new remote with the new $179 4K set-top box, or it’s available separately for $59. As well as being compatible with the new Apple TV 4K, it also works with the 2017 model and Apple TV HD. Apple will also sell the remote bundled with the Apple TV HD for $149.The new Siri remote has an iPod-style scroll wheel, a five-way click pad, touch controls, a mute button, and a power button that can turn your TV on and off. Meanwhile, the Siri button is now on the side of the remote, and Apple says that the voice assistant now works... Continue reading…

The new Apple TV 4K with redesigned remote | Image: Apple Apple has just announced a new Apple TV streaming box, replacing the Apple TV 4K that came out in 2017. The new model retains the name of the prior model but comes with a more powerful A12 Bionic chip that lets it play HDR video at higher frame rates. It’s also powerful enough to support 60fps Dolby Vision playback over AirPlay from a compatible iPhone.The old Apple TV 4K, which has been Apple’s flagship set-top box for four years, supports 4K streaming as well as HDR, including Dolby Vision. It also supports Dolby Atmos sound codecs. But it doesn’t support 120Hz refresh rates, which might be important should you ever want to play serious games on an Apple TV. It also has the most notoriously bad remote control.Fortunately, Apple has... Continue reading…

Apple is officially launching a Tile-like item tracker that will work with the company’s software and services. Dubbed AirTag, the small circular tag will allow you to track items within Apple’s “Find My” app on iOS. Much like Tile, Apple’s AirTags will be useful for tracking items like keys or wallets, and you’ll be provided with notifications when you’re separated from your item.Details about AirTags first appeared in copies of the iOS 13 beta nearly two years ago, and the AirTags name was also spotted in iOS 13.2. Apple accidentally confirmed the AirTags name in a deleted support video last year, too. Following the rumors, it has taken Apple a considerable amount of time to make AirTags a reality.First rumored in 2019Apple will... Continue reading…

A monumental change is coming to Apple Podcasts’ business: the company is launching subscriptions within the Apple Podcasts app. During its spring event today, the company announced that people will be able to subscribe to content from the app for extra perks, like ad-free and bonus content, as well as early access. It’ll launch in 170 regions and countries next month.Initial partners include Pushkin Industries, QCODE, and NPR. It appears that content creators will have to pay Apple $19.99 per year in order to offer subscriptions.Apple has mostly, up until now, focused its podcast efforts on creating RSS-based companion shows for its TV Plus and Books content. This move suggests the company sees an opportunity for subscriptions,... Continue reading…

The US Federal Trade Commission has warned companies against using biased artificial intelligence, saying they may break consumer protection laws. A new blog post notes that AI tools can reflect “troubling” racial and gender biases. If those tools are applied in areas like housing or employment, falsely advertised as unbiased, or trained on data that is gathered deceptively, the agency says it could intervene.“In a rush to embrace new technology, be careful not to overpromise what your algorithm can deliver,” writes FTC attorney Elisa Jillson — particularly when promising decisions that don’t reflect racial or gender bias. “The result may be deception, discrimination — and an FTC law enforcement action.”As Protocol points out, FTC... Continue reading…

iPads? AirTags? AirPods? There could be a lot on tap today Continue reading…

New Outlook settings for meetings. | Image: Microsoft Microsoft is updating Outlook to give companies the option to automatically start or end all meetings early to ensure employees have a break between back-to-backs. New settings in Outlook are rolling out to help reduce the digital overload of working remotely.Companies can set their own scheduling defaults, and they’re fully customizable. That means you could have five minutes blocked off before or after a 30-minute meeting, or 10-15 minutes after hourlong meetings. Individuals can also set their own scheduling defaults, but the company-wide option is the significant change here.Calendar software like Outlook has defaulted to on-the-hour meetings for decades, often inadvertently promoting the idea of back-to-back meetings with default... Continue reading…

Photo: Jake Chessum / Vulture https://www.vulture.com/article/mads-mikkelsen-in-conversation.html Continue reading…

This is the Smart Monitor M5 | Samsung If you aren’t sure whether a TV or computer monitor will suit your needs better, why not get a display that’s a little of both? Samsung’s 32-inch 1080p Smart Monitor M5 looks like a monitor with its small bezels and stand, but it has access to TV streaming apps, including Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and more without the need for extra hardware. The reason I’m sharing this info today is because it’s $50 off at Amazon, down to $230 (via 9to5Toys).You can find a larger 4K TV for this price, but the M5 has a few other features up its sleeve that might appeal to you. It can be mounted to your wall or a monitor arm, its remote supports Google Assistant and Alexa, and it’s even AirPlay 2-compatible. This model has two HDMI ports, two USB-A 2.0... Continue reading…

Photo by Sam Byford / The Verge Microsoft is reportedly working on a big overhaul to its app store for Windows. Windows Central reports that the software maker plans to release an updated store later this year that will be far more open to all types of apps and games. This could pave the way for developers to be able to submit any Windows application to the store, including browsers like Chrome or Firefox, and even allow third-party commerce platforms in apps.That’s a big shift for the app store on Windows if Microsoft delivers this rumored overhaul later this year. Currently, the Windows store (or Microsoft Store as Microsoft calls it) requires developers to package their win32 apps as an MSIX and use Microsoft’s own update mechanisms and commerce platforms.... Continue reading…

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Amazon’s Alexa-enabled devices can now help direct customers to COVID-19 vaccination sites, the company announced today. Users can ask, “Alexa, where can I get a COVID vaccine?” and hear a list of nearby places to get a shot.After hearing the list, users can also ask Alexa to call a vaccination site, which the company said in a blog post can help them get information about appointment availability. Making COVID-19 vaccine appointments by phone is often easier for older adults or other people who struggle to use online scheduling platforms.Amazon introduced an Alexa feature that could direct people to COVID-19 testing sites in February.Every adult in the US is now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine after every state met President Joe... Continue reading…

Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge Anjali Sud on building a profitable video business by moving from streaming to software Continue reading…

The Hewlett Packard (HP) logo is displayed in front of the office complex on October 04, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images HP pledged to slash its still-growing greenhouse gas emissions in half this decade, compared to 2019 levels. It plans to reach “net zero” emissions by 2040, meaning that it won’t release more climate pollution than it can draw down from the atmosphere.Those targets fall in line with what scientists have found is necessary globally to stave off the worst effects of climate change. It also follows climate commitments made recently by Apple and Dell. Apple has a faster-approaching deadline of achieving net zero emissions by 2030. Dell pledged in 2019 to cut planet-heating pollution from its operations and electricity use in half this decade.The company’s overall carbon footprint grew by 5 percent in 2019HP’s plan to reduce emissions is... Continue reading…

Images of an upcoming fitness-focused virtual reality headset from HTC, dubbed the Vive Air, have leaked online. Details about the product were published by the World Design Guide (which we spotted via Engadget) as part of its annual awards. It seems likely the product will be unveiled officially at HTC’s upcoming ViveCon 2021 on May 11th and 12th.The Vive Air is “specially designed for virtual fitness” and “optimized for high intensity with long use,” says the copy on the World Design Guide’s website. The headset is built from fast-drying knitted fabrics inspired by sports shoes, which are supposed to be lightweight and breathable. A quick-release design allows these “ergonomic soft components” to be removed for washing. The site says... Continue reading…

Microsoft’s newest Surface Laptop brings better battery life and a better chip Continue reading…

Image: Apple Whenever Apple decides to schedule an event, you know there are going to be some interesting products introduced, with at least one major device taking center stage and perhaps one or two surprise entries.Current rumors have Apple introducing 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, the latter with Apple’s first Mini LED display. There may also be a new Apple Pencil stylus to go with it.What else? We could see Apple’s long-awaited AirTags, device trackers that are set to go up against Tile, the current leader in that particular market. There is the possibility of a new iPod Mini, a third-generation version of the AirPods, a new model of the Apple TV (which was released in 2017), and the official release of iOS 14.5.Anything more? Well,... Continue reading…

Luigi — everyone’s favorite also-ran brother of the most famous mushroom-stomping plumber — is joining Lego’s interactive Super Mario collection of sets in a new starter kit (creatively titled the LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi Starter Course.)The new Luigi figure is technologically similar to the Mario one, with a built-in display that animates his eyes, mouth, and a main screen on his chest and a sensor on the bottom that’s used to scan barcodes and brick colors. The main differences are cosmetic here — Luigi looks different, and features different sound effects, voice lines, and character interactions.In addition to Lego Luigi, the new starter course also includes a Pink Yoshi, a Bone Goomba, and Boom Boom for players to... Continue reading…

Amazon’s latest bricks-and-mortar experiment is, unexpectedly, a hair salon. The company is opening its Amazon Salon in London’s East End Spitalfields area, where it says it will trial “the latest industry technology.” This includes an augmented reality app that lets customers see what different hair styles and colors look like on them before they decide on a change.Unlike the company’s cashierless Go grocery stores (which expanded to London last month), Amazon Salon does not seem to be a beachhead for an industry invasion. “This will be an experiential venue where we showcase new products and technology, and there are no current plans to open any other Amazon Salon locations,” said the company in a blog post.Instead, it looks more... Continue reading…

Picture the scene. It’s summer, lockdowns are easing, and you’re ready to venture back out into the world. You’re feeling brave after a year stuck inside, brave enough that you’ve picked out an all-white outfit. You read up on how to make the color work in the likes of Vogue and GQ, but suddenly, disaster strikes. You notice something. “The Verge’s top rated wireless headphones!” you exclaim to no-one in particular, “they’re only available in black, blue, or this weird dork-ass beige?!”It’s ok, don’t fret. Sony is releasing a limited edition of the WH-1000XM4 headphones in all white. Better still, it’s real white, not that orthopedic brown Sony’s being trying to pass off as “silver” all these years. Sony promises these “Silent White”... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Today, we’re expecting a grab bag of new products from Apple, headlined by new iPad Pros. Given the relatively minor spec bumps that we got on last year’s iPad Pros, this time around we’re hoping for a more substantial update. In some ways, it seems likely that Apple will deliver, at least with the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro.I’m sure the specs will be impressive. But after the release of the first MacBooks with Apple’s own M1 ARM-based silicon, there’s a strange inversion happening. Before, we’d look at a MacBook and wonder why it can’t have the power and battery life of an iPad. Now, I think more and more people are going to join me in looking at the iPad and wondering why it can’t have the flexibility and power of a Mac.In short,... Continue reading…

Image: Venmo Venmo is releasing a feature that will allow users the option to store, buy, and sell popular cryptocurrencies, PayPal announced on Tuesday. Similar to PayPal, Venmo will support four different cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. PayPal had said last year that Venmo would get support for cryptocurrencies.You can get started with as little as $1, and transactions are managed from the app. Venmo said in a press release that it will begin rolling out the feature to some users today, and tells The Verge it anticipates that “most customers” will have access to cryptocurrencies in the app by the end of May. Image: Venmo All cryptocurrency transactions will be managed directly from the... Continue reading…

The keyboard features a DeX shortcut on the top right of the keyboard. | Image: Samsung Samsung has quietly announced a new wireless keyboard, the Smart Keyboard Trio 500. According to a listing on Samsung’s store spotted by Max Jambor it’s a compact wireless keyboard with a very similar design to the likes of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, but with an interesting Samsung twist — a DeX shortcut to use the desktop-style interface on compatible Samsung devices.DeX has been around since launching on the Galaxy S8 back in 2017, and allows you to access select Samsung phone or tablet’s apps in a windowed-interface similar to a desktop computer. But despite receiving new features and updates with subsequent phone releases, it’s yet to become the true desktop replacement Samsung initially pitched it as. Giving it an eye-catching button... Continue reading…

eBay listings show accessories to attach the trackers to a key chain. | Image: ta9146 / eBay Apple’s long-rumored AirTags trackers could launch alongside a wide array of third-party accessories, if retailer listings and leaked photos pulled together by MacRumors are accurate. eBay and Etsy sellers, and even Walmart, are already selling keychains to attach the trackers to a set of keys. Images of apparent silicone straps have also leaked, showing how the trackers could be strapped to bigger items.After being rumored for over a year, Apple’s Tile-like trackers are widely expected to be officially announced later today at its Spring Loaded event. Reports indicate the trackers themselves will be small discs equipped with Bluetooth and ultra-wideband radio chips, which users can track with Apple’s Find My app. At this point they’ve... Continue reading…

Not the most affordable wired model, but it’s a solid choice Continue reading…

VanMoof S3 with PowerBank arriving at Castricum aan Zee from Amsterdam. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge We put a new 2021 S3 model to the test on a three-hour ride Continue reading…

Google has added a bunch of popular Japanese characters to its AR feature in mobile search, which has previously featured animals, historical artifacts, and dinosaurs. The list of characters is taken from Japanese pop culture including anime, TV, and video games, with names like Pac-Man, Hello Kitty, mechs from Evangelion and Gundam, and more. The feature works on Google search on Android and the iOS Google app.When you enter the characters’ names, you’ll see an option to “see in your space” below the main search result, and that’ll let you drop a 3D model into your camera view. The models can appear at various degrees of scale, with an option to render at life size, though I’m not sure quite how accurate those measurements are. I was... Continue reading…

Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge Samsung has announced that customers will soon be able to scan for unknown Galaxy SmartTags trackers using Samsung’s SmartThings Find service. The feature, called Unknown Tag Search, will be coming to the SmartThings app starting next week.Users will be able to scan the nearby area for any SmartTags that don’t belong to them but that are moving along with them. This feature could be a big win for safety, providing an easy way to make sure that nobody’s tracking you with a tiny SmartTag that they slipped in your backpack, purse, coat pocket, etc. It’s a nice feature if you’re concerned about the privacy or security implications of Tile-like tracking devices.Samsung also announced that its assistant, Bixby, will gain the ability to find... Continue reading…

Image: Guerrilla Games Sony and Guerrilla Games’ PS4 hit Horizon Zero Dawn is now available, free of charge, to PS4 and PS5 owners. PlayStation owners on both consoles can redeem a free digital copy of the game until May 14th at 8PM PT / 11PM ET.The free copy Sony is offering is the Complete Edition, meaning you get not only the base game but some extras, including the Frozen Wilds expansion and a digital artbook. Unlike the PS Plus free games, which require an active subscription to the service, Sony is giving away the game for free, no strings attached.The promotion is part of Sony’s Play at Home initiativeHorizon Zero Dawn was originally released in 2017 as a PS4 exclusive. Players control a young hunter named Aloy who roams a post-apocalyptic world... Continue reading…

Photo Illustration by Thiago Prudêncio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The embattled social network Parler is slated to reappear on iOS on the week of April 26th, following its re-acceptance into Apple’s App Store earlier today. However, the iOS app will block some content that’s available on the Android and web versions of Parler — a compromise that apparently satisfies Apple’s developer guidelines.Parler announced the news in a press release. Interim CEO Mark Meckler said the company had “worked to put in place systems that will better detect unlawful speech and allow users to filter content undesirable to them, while maintaining our strict prohibition against content moderation based on viewpoint.”Apple reversed its ban earlier todayApple reaccepted Parler after a months-long ban under pressure from... Continue reading…

Oatly is going public, so out of prurient interest, I picked up their registration statement. Did you know: a risk factor to Oatly’s business? Climate change.In 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission provided guidance about how to apply climate change disclosures — since it might be required in the risk factor section, among other places. And according to the SEC, investor demand for climate change disclosures has “grown dramatically.” The SEC is mulling over whether existing disclosures are good enough, and it has requested feedback from the public.Oatly’s registration provides a nice demonstration of that interest: the risks of climate change laid out bluntly by a corporation.“Our ability to ensure a continuing supply of... Continue reading…

Images: Genesis Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, has revealed its first all-electric car. It’s called the Electrified G80 because, well, Genesis took the existing G80 sedan and is refitting it to run on electricity. The carmaker claims it will travel about 427 kilometers (roughly 265 miles) on a full battery.It’s a very straightforward idea that pales in comparison to some of the truly exciting concept cars Genesis has shown off over the years, many of which are purported to be electric. Basically none of those progressive styling choices and daring ideas are coming across in the Electrified G80. It’s also not mold-breaking like Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 sedan or Kia’s EV6, both of which are built on the parent company’s new e-GMP electric vehicle platform.T... Continue reading…

YouTube has stopped running ads on James Charles’ channel after the creator was accused of sending sexual messages to minors. Charles apologized on April 1st and acknowledged the accusations. YouTube now says that Charles has violated its “creator responsibility policy,” resulting in the temporary demonetization of his channel. Insider first reported the action and YouTube verified the report with The Verge. The company didn’t clarify how long Charles’ channel would be demonetized.The policy is essentially a catchall that YouTube uses to crack down on creators when their behavior leads to widespread negative attention, even if they haven’t explicitly violated YouTube’s rules. Charles is one of YouTube’s biggest creators with 25.5... Continue reading…

Love, Death and Robots is heading back to Netflix for “Volume 2” on May 14th, according to a new trailer the company released today. The science fiction anthology series originally debuted in 2019 and was renewed for more episodes that same year. Now, Netflix is showing off a new bundle of episodes and teasing more for 2022.The joy of a good animation anthology is the grab bag quality of it — experiencing a variety of stories, made in a variety of different styles. The original trailer for Love, Death and Robots played up the frenetic, over-stimulating feeling that sometimes gets associated with “the future,” but it seems like Volume 2 is taking a different tack, focusing on the drama and gravity of these new episodes’ stories and... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Samsung is giving owners of its foldable phones some free dessert. Specifically, an order of “Chef Daniel Boulud’s signature Madeleines and Canelé,” designed by the chef exclusively for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Premier program, which offers Galazy Z Fold and Flip owners free perks in exchange for having bought the luxury-styled phones.The new perk is being offered in partnership with the Michelin Guide through Boulud’s restaurant, Daniel (which itself has two Michelin stars). Samsung’s announcement claims that the dessert in question is valued at $75, which seems like a lot for French pastries, but if you already own a Galaxy foldable, the price tag isn’t something you’ll need to worry about, given that it’s free. Who doesn’t... Continue reading…

Image: Nextdoor Nextdoor is introducing a new anti-racism notification, which asks users to reconsider posting content if the app thinks it may be offensive. As with its previous Kindness Reminder, if a user tries to post something with words or phrases Nextdoor thinks may be objectionable, it will give them the option to edit the post before it actually goes live. The users can, however, ignore the warning and post it anyway. Image: Nextdoor The notification users may receive if they try to post something containing the phrases “all lives matter,” “blue lives matter,” etc. In the blog post announcing the anti-racism notification, Nextdoor says that its similar Kindness Reminder has reduced “incivil content” by 30 percent.... Continue reading…

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) talks to reporters during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on November 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. | Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images ‘There are structures that are racist in our society.’ Continue reading…

Images: Daimler Mercedes-Benz has revealed a new electric SUV called the EQB at Auto Shanghai 2021. It’s the first mass-market electric SUV the company will sell in the US after it canceled plans to bring its first mass-market EV, the EQC, stateside in February. It will be the second mass-market electric Mercedes-Benz in the US after the EQS sedan goes on sale later this year.The EQB is a slightly taller electric SUV than the EQC, and it has space for seven people. It won’t dazzle in the range department, though, as Mercedes-Benz says it expects the EQB to squeeze 419 kilometers out of the 66.5kWh battery pack when fully charged, or about 260 miles. That figure is based on Europe’s WLTP testing standard, too, which typically produces rosier estimates.... Continue reading…

Image: Extremely OK Games The developer of indie hits Celeste and Towerfall has unveiled its next game: Earthblade. There aren’t many details about the game just yet, but Extremely OK Games billed Monday’s news as a “vibe reveal,” taking the wraps off the game’s title, a poster, and a song from the game.You can see the poster and the game’s logo (designed by Pedro Medeiros) and hear the song (composed by Lena Raine) in a teaser video posted on Twitter.

The Ingenuity helicopter on the surface of Mars. | Image: NASA There’s new video of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars, captured by the Perseverance rover’s cameras and posted to Twitter by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The copter had its first flight earlier today, lifting 10 feet off the Martian surface for 39 seconds and marking the first flight of a powered craft on another planet. The video shows the tissue box-sized craft zipping up and hovering in place before gracefully landing back on the surface.

Image: Facebook Facebook is going all in on audio. The company announced multiple products on Monday that emphasize voice content over text, images, or video. The products will be released over the next few months and, in some cases, will start with a limited set of people.Most notably, Facebook is indeed launching a competitor to the buzzy social audio app Clubhouse with a feature called Live Audio Rooms, which will be available this summer. It’ll first roll out to groups and public figures as a test, but it will eventually make its way to Messenger, too, so people can hang out with friends. Users will be able to record their conversations and distribute them, and eventually, people can charge for access to these rooms through either a subscription or... Continue reading…

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge Microsoft is rolling out a new Xbox April dashboard update today that will improve the way games are downloaded. A new feature will now let Xbox owners suspend games to speed up download speeds. Currently, Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S systems throttle game updates and new game downloads if another game is active.This new suspend option can be coupled with Quick Resume on the Xbox Series X / S to quickly pause a game, download game updates, or download a new game altogether and then resume the suspended game later. It’s a much cleaner option than having to manually quit a game or app to ensure download speeds aren’t getting throttled. The new suspend option. Alongside this new dashboard option, Microsoft is finally... Continue reading…

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Sony has announced that it’ll be keeping its PS3 and PlayStation Vita digital storefront open “for the foreseeable future.” The PSP’s store will still be shut down on July 2nd, 2021, as originally planned.“Upon further reflection, however, it’s clear that we made the wrong decision here. So today I’m happy to say that we will be keeping the PlayStation Store operational for PS3 and PS Vita devices. PSP commerce functionality will retire on July 2, 2021 as planned,” Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan announced in a blog post.The PS3 and PS Vita stores will stay open “for the foreseeable future”Sony had originally announced that the digital storefronts for its legacy consoles would be shut down at the end of... Continue reading…

Apex Legends. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard about the mobile version of Apex Legends, but we’ll be seeing more of it very soon: EA announced that a regional beta for the game will kick off later this month. Initially, the publisher says the game will only be available to “a few thousand players in India and the Philippines,” but the plan is to roll it out to more countries over the course of the year.The company also provided some of the first details of the game. Most importantly, it won’t be a port of Apex Legends, but instead a new version built for smartphones. “Apex Legends Mobile is specially designed for touchscreens, with streamlined controls, and thoughtful optimizations that result in the most advanced battle royale combat... Continue reading…