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Showing posts from September, 2023

Apple blames iOS 17 bugs and apps like Instagram for making iPhone 15s run hot

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Apple has acknowledged user complaints that iPhone 15 and 15 Pro phones are overheating, reports Forbes , but said that contrary to speculation, it has nothing to do with the phone’s hardware design. Forbes noted an update to Instagram has already rolled out with version 302, released September 27th, to address some of the issues. Bloomberg notes an unnamed Apple spokesperson specifically mentioning Instagram, Uber, and the game Asphalt 9 as examples of apps that could cause the devices to “run warmer than normal.” Apple also says there is no safety risk in the thermal issues but that other factors, like USB-C power adapters with more-than-20W charging and background processing that occurs shortly after a phone is restored, can make a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/efRu7Jz

The Sphere’s first show looks like it was a mind-blowing spectacle

The outside of The Sphere during the U2:UV Achtung Baby Live concert on September 29th, 2023. | Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images U2 played the first-ever show at the Las Vegas Sphere, a massive, dome-shaped venue wrapped in over a million LEDs. The concert, a live performance centered on the band’s Achtung, Baby album, was also the band’s first in a series of performances it will put on at the venue through the end of December . The cheapest tickets for the shows that haven’t sold out yet start at about $400, as of this writing. From videos being posted to social media, it looks like shows at The Sphere can be breathtaking, probably more than a little nauseating, and undoubtedly expensive to produce. A review in The New York Times says the concert alternated between gigantic, trippy visual effects sweeping across the domed display and the more standard concert... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/Hw2BsWJ

Here are a few discounted chargers to make use of iOS 17’s StandBy mode

Apple’s StandBy mode is a convenient feature that gives you a good excuse to buy a MagSafe stand. | Image: Apple The iPhone 15 and iOS 17 do a whole bunch of new things that many of us here at The Verge enjoy, but one of our favorites is Apple’s StandBy mode. The simple little feature turns your iPhone into a small smart display once you place it on a MagSafe / magnetic Qi stand in landscape orientation. This allows you to see an assortment of full-screen widgets, including a pleasant desk clock, a calendar, or both. Using the new StandBy mode may involve some menu diving if you want to customize it to your liking (which is definitely part of the fun), but getting started is as simple as turning on the feature and plopping your phone on a charger sideways. Of course, if you don’t already own a magnetic charging stand for your iPhone, you’ll need... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/KaI9eMr

These are the biggest wins in the WGA’s new labor contract

The Simpsons c reator Matt Groening draws strike sign collectibles for picketers. | Image: Brittany Woodside / The Writers Guild of America From its new writers room staffing minimums to guarantees that staffers will receive a bigger cut of streaming residuals, the WGA’s new labor contract is set to fundamentally improve working conditions in the entertainment industry. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ST8yJnD

The Humane Ai Pin makes its debut on the runway at Paris Fashion Week

The Humane Ai Pin, up-close on a model at coperni’s Ready to Wear show during Paris Fashion Week, September 29th, 2023. | Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images It’s Paris Fashion Week, and Humane was designer Coperni’s latest buzzy tech name to be included . Humane’s Ai Pin — a device we’ve so far only seen in silhouette on the company’s website or peeking out of Humane co-founder Imran Chaudhri’s breast pocket in a TED demo earlier this year — was pinned on the clothes of multiple Coperni models during its presentation. And it’s a rounded-corner square thing that makes me think just a little of a Star Trek: TNG- style communicator. The Coperni showcase doesn’t answer our many questions about the device since nobody seems to have used it on the runway as far as we can tell, but at least we know basically what it will look like now. We still have no real idea how self-contained it is, whether it... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/O6

‘The Android of agriculture’: Monarch Tractor CEO Praveen Penmetsa on the future of farming

Photo illustration by Alex Parkin / The Verge Monarch Tractor’s Praveen Penmetsa has a grand vision for agriculture, and it includes autonomous electric smart tractors powered by AI. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/CRJYIXL

Apple’s dark sci-fi comedy Fingernails turns love into science

Image: TIFF Fingernails , a sci-fi romcom coming to Apple TV Plus from director Christos Nikou , imagines a future where one very specific technology has changed the world. In this timeline, scientists have figured out how to conclusively determine if two people are in love. This upends relationships as we know them, with couples sticking steadfastly to the results of the test; if they get a negative result, they end up splitting up. It’s a cute conceit for exploring the ways relationships can grow stale or change over time, and Fingernails builds on that with its darkly comedic vibe. It also has a surprising amount of body horror — the nature of which you might be able to glean from the title. The film centers on Anna (Jessie Buckley), a teacher who... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/nINDKkg

Uber, DoorDash, and Grubhub lose bid to block NYC’s new wage rules for delivery workers

Photo by Leonardo Munoz / VIEWpress New York City’s delivery workers will get a significant pay bump after a judge rejected a request by Uber, DoorDash, and Grubhub to block the city’s new minimum wage rules from going into effect. The ruling by New York Acting Supreme Court Justice Nicholas Moyne will allow the law to go into effect , which requires companies to pay gig workers a minimum wage of $17.96 per hour. That wage will rise to $20 an hour by 2025. Delivery worker advocates celebrated the ruling, claiming it puts them “one step closer” to earning a living wage for their work. New York City has the largest delivery workforce in the country, comprised of at least 65,000 mostly undocumented immigrants who earn less than $8 an hour after expenses. View... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/iNKT6IB

We’re at New York Film Festival 2023

Lincoln Center’s annual two-week lineup features new works from household-name filmmakers, as well as a strong slate of international debuts. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/6XBMTUc

The Fitbit Charge 6 looks like a return to form

The Fitbit Charge 6 sticks to what Fitbit does well. | Image: Google / Fitbit Fitbit is back with the Charge 6 — and on paper, this one feels like the most Fitbit-y Fitbit since Google actively began folding the company into its ecosystem. Not only has the price been lowered from $179.95 to $159.95 but the device also adds an improved heart rate tracking algorithm, compatibility with certain gym machines, and better integration with Google services. Oh, and the physical side button is back, baby. At first glance, the Charge 6 looks nearly identical to the Charge 5 , with the most notable difference being the aforementioned return of the side button. But that’s huge. Fitbit replaced the physical button with an inductive groove with 2018’s Charge 3 , and its reliability (or lack thereof) has been a point of contention... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/28/23892317/fitbit-charge-6-google-fitness-trackers

Microsoft is testing low-carbon concrete for its data centers

A worker smooths a sample of concrete mix in a canister that contains materials to lower the overall embodied carbon in concrete. | Image: Dan DeLong for Microsoft To clean up some of the pollution stemming from its supply chain and data centers, Microsoft is experimenting with new kinds of concrete. Cement, a key ingredient in concrete, happens to be a big culprit in climate change. It’s responsible for around 8 percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally. Avoiding that pollution is no easy task, especially since concrete is the most widely consumed material in the world after water. A host of startups are looking for just the right recipe to make concrete minus the carbon dioxide emissions. And Microsoft wants to be a buyer. “Something that we can do right now and we are doing right now is shopping around. You know, concrete supplier A might have lower embodied carbon [emissions] than concrete... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/D1Sn63C

Apple’s Argylle looks like the ultimate power clash in new trailer

Apple You might think that it would take a lot of effort to make Henry Cavill look like a huge dork, but the first trailer for Apple TV Plus ’ new meta spy comedy Argylle from director Matthew Vaughn proves that all it takes is a velveteen sweater and an unforgiving trip to SuperCuts. Rather than focusing entirely on its namesake himself, Argylle tells the story of how reclusive spy novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) is suddenly pulled into the very legit world of espionage after a criminal organization realizes that the plot of her book series is somehow matching up eerily closely to their latest nefarious plan. Despite creating Argylle (Cavill) — a lantern-jawed operative with a widow’s peak situation so high and tight you’d think it... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/EgjDm9I

Beyerdynamic’s first wireless gaming headset opts for simplicity over RGB

German headphones that lean toward a utilitarian design? Color me geschockt. | Image: Beyerdynamic Beyerdynamic is making its first wireless gaming headset, offering a premium $249 set of cans that are compatible with PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch consoles via a USB receiver. But instead of opting for a gamer-y aesthetic with vivid colors or showy RGB lighting, the Beyerdynamic MMX 200 come in simple black or gray colors (with some small orange accents), both of which are on sale now from the German manufacturer’s site. The MMX 200 feature 40mm drivers, a removable boom mic with pop filter, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, USB-C charging / wired mode, and a claimed continuous battery life of up to 35 hours. While these fairly pricey headphones don’t support noise cancellation like Sony’s more expensive InZone H9 , the closed-back... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/GCv94lE

New PlayStation 5 owners can currently snag a free game courtesy of Sony

You can get God of War Ragnarök for free if you pick up a PS5 before October 20th. | Image: Santa Monica Studio We’re now less than a month away from the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 . Thankfully, if you have yet to pick up a PlayStation 5 and need a refresher as to what all the fuss is about, Sony is offering a terrific deal on its flagship gaming console through October 20th. Right now, Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Spider-Man Remastered are among the many games you can download for free when you pick up a disc-based PS5 or the PS5 Digital Edition at Amazon , Best Buy , Target , or GameStop . There are 12 games to choose from in all, including notable console exclusives like God of War Ragnarök , Horizon Forbidden West , Returnal , The Last of Us Part I , Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart , and the excellent Demon’s Souls remake from 2020 . To take... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/yCZdEcN

Philips Hue will soon require an account to use its app — here’s what that means

The Philips Hue Bridge is required to access many of Hue’s smart lighting system features, and soon, you’ll need an account to use them, too. Smart lighting stalwart Philips Hue is making some more changes. After launching a new security system last month and finally making good on its promise to support Matter , the company is now requiring users to sign up for a Hue account to use its app. For most people, this might not seem like a big deal; if you have Hue smart bulbs, you probably already have a Hue account, which has always been optional but lets you do things like connect the bulbs to platforms such as Amazon Alexa for voice control. But for some, the ability to use Hue’s line of smart lighting without creating an account was a big part of its appeal. Yes, its products are pricey, but you don’t have to give the company your data. That could be about to change. According... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/dcIrJlf

Jabra’s rugged Elite 8 Active earbuds are on sale for the first time

Jabra’s latest flagships are also some of its toughest thanks to their IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. | Image: Jabra At this point, it would be an understatement to say there are a lot of wireless earbuds to choose from. There is something to be said about a competent platform-agnostic pair that takes a more targeted approach to features instead of relying on ecosystem tricks, which is precisely what Jabra aims to do with the Elite 8 Active . Right now, Jabra’s latest pair of premium earbuds are on sale for the first time at Amazon , Best Buy , and Jabra’s online storefront for $179.99 ($20 off). Like their lauded predecessor, Jabra’s Elite 8 Active are designed with fitness buffs in mind. They boast adaptive ANC and eight hours of playback per charge, along with Jabra’s ShakeGrip coating, which helps secure them during rigorous exercise without the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/HoehGy4

iPhone 15 Pro users will pay full console price for Resident Evil 4 remake

Don’t expect to pay mobile game prices for a console title — even if it’s running on iPhone. | Image: Capcom If you’re looking to grab the recently announced iPhone 15 Pro version of the Resident Evil 4 remake, you’ll be paying full console game prices. According to information nestled away in the Resident Evil 4 App Store listing , the base game will cost $59.99 when it’s released later this year — the same launch price as its PS5 and Xbox series S / X debut in March. An extra DLC pack is available for $19.99, alongside additional in-app purchases for weapon upgrades that range between $2.99 and $9.99. Capcom hasn’t announced a release date for the game yet (the App Store date of December 31st is a placeholder), but preorders are currently live, and it’s expected to launch before the end of 2023 . Resident Evil Village — a slightly older title... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/8P1mNvi

Horizon Forbidden West is coming to PC early next year

Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment. Sony is bringing Horizon Forbidden West to PC in early 2024 with help from in-house port developer Nixxes Software, which it acquired in 2021 . It’s the latest PlayStation PC port after Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart arrived on PC in July. The news comes as Sony announces the “ complete edition ” of Horizon Forbidden West , which will also be available on the PS5 on October 5th. This edition includes the base game, its Burning Shores expansion , and other add-ons like a digital art book and soundtrack. The PC version will be available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store . Horizon Forbidden West picks up six months after the end of Horizon Zero Dawn , with an impressive world full of snowy mountains and jungle marshes to explore. Sony wants to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/Ys9qyxG

Yale’s new smart locks work with your fingerprint or HomeKey, but not both

The Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus works with HomeKey, so you can open it with your wrist instead of your hand if you have an Apple Watch. | Image: Yale Yale has expanded its Assure 2 lineup with two new smart locks : one with support for Apple’s HomeKey and one with a fingerprint reader. Both are firsts for the company, but unfortunately, you have to pick one or the other — there’s no model with a fingerprint reader and HomeKey. While the locks can work with all the major smart home platforms, neither works with Matter , and there’s no ETA on its arrival. But it's not for lack of trying. The Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch ($199) adds a fingerprint reader but is otherwise identical to the existing Yale Assure Lock 2 — one of our favorite smart locks . It comes in keyed or key-free versions but is touchscreen only (the standard Assure 2 has the option of a physical keypad). Like the other Assure... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/hLHma1O

How to turn regular photos into Portrait mode photos on an iPhone 15

Add background blur or change the focus point on pictures of your furry friend. | Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge Anyone with an iPhone who’s taken a picture of their child or pet knows the Portrait mode dilemma. Portrait mode adds that lovely, soft bokeh effect to the background of your image and calls attention to your subject — ideal when your toddler or cat is doing something adorable. But taking the extra second to switch from the standard camera app to Portrait mode sometimes means missing the moment entirely. Now, there’s good news for iPhone 15 owners: all of the most recent iPhones — the iPhone 15, 15 Plus , 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max — will allow you to apply Portrait mode after capture to pictures taken in the standard camera mode. You can even shift focus to a different subject or part of the frame if you want. Here’s how it all works. (I... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/JnMVkT3

EU criticizes X over levels of disinformation found on platform

Photo by Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images European Union regulators have reprimanded Elon Musk after X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, was found to contain a higher ratio of misinformation and disinformation in a new report. “X, formerly Twitter … is the platform with the largest ratio of mis/disinformation followed by Facebook,” the European commissioner for values and transparency, Věra Jourová, said in comments reported by The Guardian . The comments coincided with the publication of a new series of reports as part of the EU’s Code of Practice on Disinformation. These included a third-party analysis from TrustLab , which says that discoverability of posts containing misinformation and disinformation was highest on X, meaning that for a given search containing... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/XhN7Tgt

Jony Ive is reportedly developing an AI gadget with OpenAI’s Sam Altman

Altman recently called on former Apple designer Thomas Meyerhoffer — a Jony Ive hire — to create the retina-scanning Orb (pictured) for Altman’s Worldcoin crypto project. | Image: Worldcoin Apple’s former chief design officer, Jony Ive, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are allegedly exploring opportunities to collaborate on building an unspecified artificial intelligence “hardware device,” according to two sources speaking to The Information . This wouldn’t be the first time that Altman has partnered with a former Apple designer on new hardware. Thomas Meyerhoffer — who was Ive’s first hire at Apple and worked alongside him on projects like the iMac — designed the spherical retina-scanning Orb for Altman’s Worldcoin crypto project . Orb was developed by Tools for Humanity, a company that Altman co-founded in 2019 and serves as the company’s chairman. There’s currently no word on what the device will be, or what purpose it serves. T... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Post

How to order free rapid covid tests from the US government — again

Image: Samar Haddad / The Verge Autumn is here, and once again, warnings are going up about the spread of the covid-19 virus — along with the flu and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. To try to minimize the upsurge, the US government is once again restarting a program that was last canceled in May 2023 and is again offering free home rapid antigen tests to each US household. According to the government website, orders will start shipping the week of October 2nd. As before, it’s extremely simple to put in your order. You will not need to submit a credit card or any other financial information. Go to COVIDTests.gov . Tap on the button reading Order Free At-Home Tests . If you don’t see the button for any reason, you can go directly to the USPS site (which is where... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/JtEnlBI

Why the First Amendment protects liars

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge How a tall tale from a California water official tested the Constitution’s limits. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/CYTIf5M

EVgo is trying to turn around complaints about slow, broken EV chargers

Image: EVgo Imagine buying a new car, and suddenly, most gas stations are broken. That’s a reality new electric vehicle owners are finding when it comes to EV charging stations supplied by significant players like ChargePoint, Electrify America, and EVgo. Many stations often result in customers leaving without a recharge thanks to unreliable or damaged hardware, and the situation is growing worse over time. For some EV owners, it might feel like the companies behind the charging networks are asleep at the wheel. But occasionally they stick their heads up to let us know they realize there’s a problem, and they’re laboring to fix it. Today, for example, EVgo says it’s made “significant progress” with a renewal campaign designed to boost reliability... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/NodbmGF

iFixit has good news and bad news about the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s repairability

Screenshot: iFixit via YouTube While Apple may have made the iPhone 15 Pro Max easier to repair physically, a teardown from iFixit reveals it still comes with the same parts pairing constraints as its predecessors. Like the iPhone 14 , iFixit found that the iPhone 15 lineup has a redesigned midframe that you can access by removing the device’s screen or back glass. However, iFixit notes that the internals on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max live behind the screen, rather than the back glass, as is the case with the base iPhone 15 and 15 Plus as well as the iPhone 14 lineup. This inverted setup could make “critical repairs like battery swaps slightly riskier than on the 14,” iFixit says, as you’re “removing the expensive, fragile display rather than an inert sheet of... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/9mIYrza

Pixel 8 series rumored to include seven years of software support

A teaser image of the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro released by Google. | Image: Google Google’s upcoming Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro could come with seven years of software support, according to a leaked list of specs published by 91Mobiles . Kamila Wojciechowska , the original source of the leak, has also published US pricing for the two unannounced phones ahead of their October 4th launch. The Pixel 8 Pro is reportedly due to start at $899, the same as the 7 Pro, while the Pixel 8 could start at $699, a $100 increase over the $599 starting price for the Pixel 7. Wojciechowska notes that it’s unclear whether Google will offer seven years of major Android OS updates for the phones, or whether the figure just refers to seven years of security patches (my money’s on the latter, for what it’s worth). But either way it’s a decent... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ZscLK8H

Hollywood writers reach tentative deal to end the strike

The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since May 2nd. | Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images The Hollywood writers strike may be close to an end. After a more than 140-day work stoppage, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced on Sunday night that it reached a “tentative agreement” with major Hollywood studios on pay, working conditions, and more. “We can say, with great pride, that this is an exceptional deal — with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership,” the WGA negotiating committee wrote in an email to members. WGA leadership said details of the agreement couldn’t be shared until its language is finalized; after that, writers will have to vote to approve the deal. The guild said its leaders may end the strike as soon as Tuesday, once the contract is finalized and sent to members... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/zyP5Rl4

Resident Evil Village’s iPhone port might launch a day before Halloween

The tall lady from Resident Evil Village comes to iPhones soon. | Image: Capcom Capcom quietly revealed an October 30th release date for Resident Evil Village on a page for the iOS and iPadOS versions of Village and the Resident Evil 4 remake. Resident Evil 4 remains listed as “available 2023.” Capcom doesn’t list any prices, but for reference, the macOS version of the game is $29.99 on the Apple App Store. Yesterday, Gematsu reported that Capcom had announced the same release date for the port in Japan. Capcom hasn’t formally announced the release date for the US version of Village outside of the page linked above. We’ve reached out to the company to confirm the release date is as listed on its site. Screenshot: Wes Davis / The Verge Resident Evil Village for iOS and iPadOS appears to have a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/NoUdM8n

Meta’s AI chatbot plan includes a ‘sassy robot’ for younger users

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta is preparing to announce a generative AI chatbot, called “Gen AI Personas” internally, aimed at younger users, according to The Wall Street Journal . Reportedly set to launch during the company’s Meta Connect event that starts Wednesday, they would come in multiple “personas” geared towards engaging young users with more colorful behavior, following ChatGPT’s rise over the last year as one of the fastest-growing apps ever. Similar, but more generally targeted, Meta chatbot personas have already been reportedly tested on Instagram . According to internal chats the Journal viewed, the company has tested a “sassy robot” persona inspired by Bender from Futurama and an overly curious “Alvin the Alien” that one employee worried could imply... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/8yLJdDt

NASA collected a sample from an asteroid for the first time — here’s why it matters

Victoria Thiem, system safety engineer from Lockheed Martin, checks the temperature of the actual size OSIRIS-REx’s return capsule sample during the recovery rehearsal at Lockheed Martin, Waterton Canyon campus in Littleton, Colorado on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.  | Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post The OSIRIS-REx mission, launched in 2016, has collected as much as several hundred grams of asteroid material, which could help scientists understand the earliest stages of the solar system. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/JfLnecI

Watch as NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission brings asteroid samples back to Earth

NASA Seven years after the OSIRIS-REx mission launched, a capsule containing rocks captured from the asteroid Bennu in 2020 will land in Utah on Sunday morning. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/QnLdtFH

California governor vetoes a bill requiring humans in autonomous big rigs

Driverless trucks from Waymo. | Credit: Waymo Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 316 , which would have required human attendants in driverless vehicles over 10,000 pounds, reports Reuters . The bill saw broad support among state legislators and was backed by the Teamsters and other labor organizations. At the moment, The governor wrote in his veto message that the bill “is unnecessary for the regulation and oversight of heavy-duty autonomous vehicle technology,” adding that the existing regulatory framework is “sufficient.” The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) was given regulatory authority over autonomous vehicles in the state. Newsom writes that the DMV consults the state highway patrol, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “and others with... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/bDpjc3Z

The last-gen Apple Watch Series 8 is on sale for as low as $279 today

The Apple Watch Series 8 bears more than a striking resemblance to this year’s model (surprise, surprise). | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Apple Watch Series 9 has officially landed, bringing with it a few minor improvements under the hood, watchOS 10 , and a new Millennial pink(!) color. The new smartwatch is technically the best Apple has ever made, though the updates are all pretty iterative. Thankfully, if you’re looking to pick up an Apple Watch for the first time or make the jump from an earlier model, the last-gen Series 8 is on sale at Best Buy in select styles starting at $279 ($120) or at Amazon for $20 more . So, what exactly do you lose out on opting for the Series 8 over the Series 9? Well, for starters, the Series 9 packs a new S9 SiP chip, which allows for quicker performance, onboard Siri processing, and Apple’s handy double-tap feature. It also features... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/0o6glhT

The Google Pixel 8’s latest leak shows off big AI camera updates

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Pixel 8 camera specs and a new AI promo video for the phone were posted by 91Mobiles , courtesy of leaker Kamila Wojciechowska , giving us our first real look at how Google will integrate more AI into its flagship smartphones ( via 9to5Google ). Magic Editor, which the company said earlier this year would come to “select” Pixel phones, is like a supercharged version of Magic Eraser. It enables you to remake any picture you take so it looks like you want it to. That’s shown in a demonstration where a person takes three pictures of a family on a carousel and combines them into one shot so that everyone is smiling and looking at the camera at the same time. Screenshot: Wes Davis / The Verge This will be a nice family... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/n0Ycb5H

Samsung’s new ploy to get kids off iPhones is a MrBeast sponsorship

Earlier this year, investment bank Piper Sandler published results from an annual survey showing that 87 percent of teens own an iPhone , leaving precious little market for Android device makers to carve up. But Samsung has a new plan to break the kids of their Apple addiction: Get YouTuber and restauranteur Jimmie Donaldson, aka MrBeast, to make content with its phones. Starting with a video where he drives expensive cars around . Samsung writes in its announcement that this will showcase “what’s possible with a Galaxy smartphone for aspiring and professional creators.” The company’s phones get some screen time in the video. There’s a quick mid-video ad read for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a nod to the S23 Ultra while MrBeast drives a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/wWLAfjq

Alexa is the best frenemy I’ve ever had

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge Before I received my first Alexa-enabled smart display as a Christmas gift in 2019, I was not a big fan. I just didn’t feel like I could trust an Amazon device with a camera inside of it. I’d heard about all the privacy concerns , and I was determined to avoid it like the plague. But then a plague really did happen — and right when my mom got sick. And then, suddenly, this device I was once suspicious of became a vital part of our support system. Those people Amazon always claim love Alexa? I somehow suddenly found myself becoming one of them. To be clear, Mom had been sick for years. Mom has Parkinson’s disease, an incurable neurological disorder that affects everything from mobility to memory. At first, she suffered from a few tremors... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/A8nvbT5

The iPhone 15 Pro is teaching me to embrace digital zoom

I promise digital zoom isn’t as icky as it used to be. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge If you want to hear a love story, ask any photographer about their favorite lens. They’ll probably get a little glimmer in their eye as they tell you about the fast 35mm they carry everywhere or the long portrait lens with the bokeh that hits just right. Camera bodies come and go, but your favorite lens is a lifelong relationship. Phone camera lenses are a different story. They’re built like a regular camera lens — only, you know, tiny — and they’re with us literally everywhere we go. But I don’t know anyone who would wax poetic about the 24mm equivalent wide angle on their iPhone or the 5x telephoto lens on their Pixel. Our relationships with them are much more transactional, and the results have as much to do with the image processing... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/CaOB26e

Amazon will charge you to use its new Echo Show 8 as a digital photo frame

The special “Photos Edition” of the new Show 8 costs extra to show your photos as the “primary content.” | Photo by Alex Cranz / The Verge Amazon is finally turning its Echo Show into a proper digital photo frame, but you have to pay extra for the privilege. Announced at its fall hardware event this week, the new Echo Show 8 Photos Edition costs $10 more than the standard edition of the new smart display but lets you make your photos the “primary home screen content.” The Show 8 Photos Edition is coming this Fall for $159.99 and has all the same features as the new Echo Show 8 (third-gen) . But for the extra $10, you get a six-month subscription to Amazon’s new PhotosPlus service, which enables this new “enhanced photo mode.” PhotosPlus enables Photo Mode, making personal memories and photos shared by family and friends the primary content you see on the Echo Show 8 Photos... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/FZQVLaA

Case-Mate’s see-through Fuel Chargers are on sale starting at just $10

Most of Case-Mate’s colorful chargers are on sale at Woot and Amazon. | Image: Case-Mate Happy iPhone 15 day ! If you were planning on picking up Apple’s newest smartphone now that it’s officially available, why not pick up a USB-C charger to go with it? Now until October 3rd, Case-Mate’s 30W Fuel Charger is on sale at Woot in blue, orange, and white with a 90-day warranty for just $9.99 ($20 off). You can also buy the lime green version on Amazon for just $5 more using the on-page coupon. With their colorful, semi-translucent design, Case-Mate’s see-through wall chargers seem to take a cue from the vibrant iMacs and N64 controllers of the late-’90s. They don’t just look cool, either; each charger is outfitted with a USB-C port that is capable of delivering up to 30W of power, allowing you to charge your smartphone, tablet,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3sXNqdp

Echo Hub hands-on: It’s all about the widgets

The $180 Echo Hub is designed to be wall-mounted but can be used as a tabletop device with a separate mount. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Amazon was keeping close guard over its new Echo Hub smart controller in the demo room at today’s big hardware event. But I managed to get a few seconds of hands-on with a working tabletop unit before it was whisked away. I also put it through its paces on the wall-mounted version, and while it responded to touches promptly in some cases, it’s no iPad — or even Fire tablet. Maybe it’s asking too much to have a powerful tablet that controls your whole smart home, mounted on your wall, for under $180. The Echo Hub did promptly turn on a nearby lamp when I tapped “on.” It swiftly activated a Baby Crying Routine that started lullabies playing on an Echo Show 5. It accepted swipes and presses with good response times — faster than the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/6x2asDU

You asked, and we answered your burning iPhone 15 questions

Who you gonna call when you have very specific questions about the new iPhone? | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Ever since our reviews for the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro went up on Tuesday morning, you’ve had a ton of questions to ask about the phones — in comments , on The Vergecast , on Threads, an Instagram App , and in a live Q&A . So we thought we’d put all that information together in a nice little smorgasbord of nerdy tidbits and philosophical pondering and pick out a few favorites in the process. I deeply respect a settings menu question Post by @allisonjo1 View on Threads Since the mute switch is going away, Apple put an indicator in the status bar so you can check if your ringer is silenced at a glance. But what if you find it annoying and want it to go away? Great news: you will have the power to banish it from sight. We almost got... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/qJKOP4t

Amazon is sticking ads in Prime Video shows and movies unless you pay more

Your Prime Video experience is about to be downgraded unless you cough up an extra $3 each month. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Amazon has announced plans to start placing “limited advertisements” in TV shows and movies running on the company’s Prime Video streaming platform, to allow the e-commerce giant to “continue investing in compelling content.” According to Amazon’s press release , the ads will first be introduced on Prime Video content in the US, UK, Germany, and Canada on an unmentioned date in “early 2024,” with France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Australia to follow later that year. Amazon says it doesn’t have plans to change the current price of its Prime memberships in 2024, and Prime members will be notified of the change several weeks before the ad injections begin, along with details to sign up for the ad-free option. US-based Prime members will be... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/AaWi2Lv

The latest Windows 11 update will help you ditch passwords for good

Microsoft takes its next step towards a passwordless future. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft’s incoming Windows 11 update will introduce public support for passkeys — a passwordless login technology that instead uses your face, fingerprint, or device PIN to sign into accounts. Announced at Microsoft’s AI and Surface launch event on Thursday , the latest Windows 11 update (available from September 26th) will allow users to create, manage, and store passkeys , and use them to access supported websites and services using their device’s own authentication systems. Microsoft began testing passkey management in the Windows Insider developer channel back in June, so this Windows 11 update is bringing the technology into general availability. Windows 11 passkeys are created through Windows Hello. Passkeys can be accessed on both... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/qOfTLJ7

Microsoft Surface and AI event: live coverage from the keynote

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is ready to talk more about its AI plans at a “special event” in New York City today. We’re expecting to hear about three new Surface devices, with the Surface Laptop Studio 2 the main flagship device that could be part of a bigger AI push for Windows. The event comes just days after former Surface and Windows chief Panos Panay announced his resignation from Microsoft. Panay won’t be presenting at the event anymore, and we’re expecting to see Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s head of consumer marketing, instead. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will also appear on stage. Microsoft won’t be live streaming this event so you can follow along with the latest here. The event starts at 10AM ET / 7AM PT and should run for around an hour. Our own... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/y509Opm

GM CEO Mary Barra drops out of the Code Conference due to UAW strike

The annual Code Conference is set to kick off next week, but one of our headline speakers won’t be there: GM CEO Mary Barra and her new EVP of software, Mike Abbott, have dropped out of the show, citing the ongoing UAW strike and contract negotiations. “Mary and Mike unfortunately needed to change their plans to be at Code,” writes GM spokesperson Brandee Barker. “They are staying focused on the ongoing labor negotiations and supporting internal operations through the strike. They have long been supporters of Code and want to return to a future conference.” That’s great and all, but we were very much planning to ask Barra about that strike and how negotiations are proceeding — she told CBS that things “still have a ways to go” last week.... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/mqXEo7u

Pixel Fold replacement parts and iFixit repair guides now available

You can purchase Pixel Fold parts separately or bundled with iFixit’s repair tools. | Image: iFixit The prospect of having to repair your own Pixel Fold just became a lot less daunting thanks to Google’s continuing partnership with device repair specialists iFixit. As spotted by 9to5Google , iFixit’s website now provides multiple repair guides that instruct Pixel Fold owners on how to replace their broken phone components, in addition to stocking the genuine Pixel Fold parts needed to complete the job. Among the parts available is a kit to replace the Pixel Fold’s flexible inner screen . It costs $899.99 (or $909.99 when bundled with iFixit’s Fix Kit toolset) and includes the inner OLED display, a flexible glass panel, batteries, display bezels, side buttons, and fingerprint scanner. You can also buy some of these components separately,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/1wizvlE

LG’s monstrous Gram 17 is nearly half off just for today

LG’s last-gen Gram 17 offers a spacious screen without sacrificing portability. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Laptops are useful for many things, but your typical 13-inch screen just isn’t spacious enough for hardcore multitaskers. If you want more screen real estate at a reasonable price, Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air is an obvious choice, as is LG’s Gram 17 when you can find it at a steep discount. Thankfully, last year’s version of the latter is currently on sale at Best Buy with 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 12th Gen Core i7-1260P processor for $999.99 ($800 off), one of its best prices to date. LG’s 17-inch Gram 17 was once one of our favorite laptops for fans of big screens thanks to its quiet performance and spacious, high-resolution display. That extra screen real estate doesn’t translate to extra weight, either, which is impressive... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/iHXWb3j

Dumb Money is the Funko Pop version of the GameStop story

Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen as dumb money in Dumb Money. | Image: Lacey Terrell / Sony Pictures Dumb Money thinks you’re stupid — the title might as well be a reference to anyone paying to see the film. It’s a bummer, too. I had such high hopes! The GameStop saga, which is the basis for the movie, is genuinely bizarre, and anyone with a flair for the absurd would have a fantastic time with it. To recap: a bunch of Redditors (and others) bought the stock of a flailing retailer that was heavily shorted, sending it soaring — and burning the shorts in the process. A financial Love Actually , minus the charm Think about the story of Keith “Roaring Kitty / Deep Fucking Value” Gill for even a moment and you have one of the funniest possible superhero arcs of all time. By day, Gill is giving people decent, reasonable, sensible financial... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ABTEcZ0

Arlo’s new security tags can disable your security system with a doorbell tap

We currently have no ideas what the Security Tag looks like, but it’ll be compatible with Arlo’s new video doorbell (pictured). | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Arlo is adding a new gadget to its smart home security lineup that should make it easier to disarm its Arlo Home Security system without digging through the company’s companion app or using its keypad once you’re in the house. The press release for Arlo’s new Essential product series — which includes a new video doorbell, outdoor camera, indoor camera, and XL security camera — mentions an “Arlo Security Tag” that can be held against the new doorbell itself to swiftly disarm the company’s security system when the little fob launches in “Q4 2023.” When asked for comment about the product, Arlo spokesperson Hannah Block said that the Arlo Security Tag will be the “first NFC Touchless Disarm device,” and that further details would be... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/JuAnRbp