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Showing posts from August, 2024

Star Wars Outlaws is the solution to Ubisoft’s open-world woes

Image: Ubisoft There was a moment in Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws when I was scouring the depths of a creepy cave, just after finishing a dogfight in space and winning a card game in a boozy cantina, that the game clicked for me. The usual Ubisoft drudgery, where icons on maps become weights on the brain, was gone. Instead, there was an organic, self-determined flow as to why I chose to leave the frozen wastes of one planet to dig beneath the surface of another. Here was a game reacting to my actions: it was an open-world experience I’d never encountered before. I felt elated at this realization, with things happening as a result of the consequences of my own gameplay decisions. The game was organically adjusting to my... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/lcEGHtJ

With AI food recognition Samsung Food could be the ultimate meal-planning app

Samsung Food Plus can create tailored meal plans based on your nutritional needs and the food in your fridge and pantry. | Image: Samsung New features on Samsung’s AI-powered food and recipe app could make your meal planning and food management chores much easier. With Samsung Food , you can now add items to a Food List just by taking a picture. The app can then suggest recipes based on the food you have, automatically remove them when you cook a recipe using anything on the list, then add food items back to the list when you tick them off your shopping list. The Food List was previously only accessible via the SmartThings app and the built-in tablet on Samsung’s Family Hub smart fridges, limiting its usefulness. Now, as part of the cross-platform Samsung Food app, it could turn the service into a really useful all-in-one shopping, food management, meal planning, and... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/VS92RKv

It’s been a great summer for indie games — here are some of the best

Thank Goodness You’re Here! | Image: Panic Outside of some notable exceptions , there haven’t been many blockbuster games this summer — but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been much to play. In fact, at times, it has felt like a never-ending flood of fascinating indie releases, thanks to games like Arranger , Animal Well , Crow Country , and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes . It’s been nearly impossible to keep up, but we’ve been playing through most of these games and settled on a handful of recommendations that offer a range of experiences. There’s everything from shadow-hopping puzzles to comedic platformers to a game that might help fill the Silksong -shaped hole in your heart. Here are some of our favorites. The Crush House PC The Crush House is one of the rare games that capitalize on... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/MN1yOrJ

How Star Wars walked away from the world’s first self-retracting lightsaber toy

Goliath’s Power Saber, in red and green. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge It would have been a Star Wars product — but Hasbro whiffed. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/OTAoGDP

All the news on Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images French authorities arrested Durov as part of an investigation into criminal activity on Telegram. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/IPrNfLM

OpenAI searches for an answer to its copyright problems

You mean it’s all copyright? | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Why is OpenAI paying publishers if it already took their work? Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/jfoPW5L

Backpage co-founder sentenced to five years in prison

Lacey still faces about 30 other charges related to prostitution facilitation and money laundering. | Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images Michael Lacey, a founder of the defunct classified site Backpage.com, received a five-year prison sentence on Wednesday and was fined $3 million. Lacey was found guilty of money laundering last year in a sweeping case that alleged Backpage executives promoted and profited from prostitution. Lacey was convicted on a single count of international concealment money laundering in November 2023 but was acquitted of 50 other charges related to prostitution facilitation and money laundering due to insufficient evidence. He still faces about 30 related charges, according to the Associated Press . Two other Backpage executives — former chief financial officer John Brunst and executive vice president Scott Spear — received 10-year prison sentences... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2DXxdHv

Wyze’s AI can now search your camera footage so you don’t have to

The Wyze Cam 4 . | Image: Wyze Wyze is making it easier to find out which of your cats knocked over your planter while you were gone. It’s testing a new AI search feature for Cam Unlimited subscribers that lets you search through footage using keywords, rather than scrolling through all recorded events, as spotted by GeekWire . With the feature, you can search for things that might’ve been caught on camera, like “truck” or “delivery person.” You can even add more detail to your search by typing something like “show me my cat in the backyard” or “woman under an umbrella.” Wyze will then pull up relevant scenes using AI. However, Wyze notes that the feature isn’t perfect and you may “get some wonky results at times.” Still, it sounds like it could save you from having... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/JFplK2c

This 100W GaN charger is thin and foldable

Sure, it’s skinny, but it’s also blocking the second wall outlet in this image. | Image: Genki If you’re in need of a compact and portable USB-C charger, then Genki’s TurboCharger might fit the bill. The gaming accessory maker says its new gallium nitride (GaN) accessory is the “flattest” 100W wall charger on the market, capable of folding to a thickness of 18 millimeters (0.7 inches) to make it easier to pack. The TurboCharger is compatible with Power Delivery (PD 3.0) and has a pair of USB-C ports on the bottom, which can each supply up to 100W or a 65W / 30W split if charging two devices simultaneously. Its skinny design also means it can fit snugly in tight spaces like behind couches or cupboards, and it keeps its weight closer to the wall to provide a more secure connection that’s less likely to fall out. And while the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/emWMDL8

Inside Ford’s private off-road track where it tests its wildest electric machines

These high-speed electric models follow in the footsteps of 120 years of Ford racing. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/eqjoF6P

Plaud’s NotePin is another AI wearable for remembering everything

The NotePin is a voice recorder in the body of a Fitbit. | Image: Plaud After creating an impressive (not to mention somewhat TikTok famous ) AI-powered voice recorder, Plaud is launching a more ambitious gadget: a wearable designed to be with you all the time, recording your notes and meetings and helping you get stuff done. The device is called the NotePin, and the pill-shaped gadget and accessory lineup seems to take some cues from early Fitbits. You can wear the NotePin around your neck as a pendant, pin it to your chest, strap it to your wrist, or clip it just about anywhere. AI wearables are everywhere right now and largely fall into one of two categories. There are the companionship devices, like Friend , meant to just provide something to hang with and talk to. Then, there are the productivity devices,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/bfcyV3m

Shokz’s new bone conduction headphones have a clever solution for bass

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 have a dedicated speaker for bass. The OpenRun Pro 2 add USB-C charging, a dedicated speaker for bass, reduced vibration, and AI noise cancellation. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2GEUoqm

Uber tweaks its teen accounts to allow parents to book rides

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Uber to rolling out a few new features for its teenage customers in the first major update since first opening up its platform to teen riders over a year ago. Last year, Uber launched teen accounts in two dozen cities, in which parents and guardians can create accounts for minors aged 13–17. Since then, the list has grown to over 250 cities in all 50 states. Uber says the latest update is in response to feedback from teen users and their families. Uber says the latest update is in response to feedback from teen users and their families Parents and guardians can now hail a ride for their teenager from their own accounts. Previously, rides could only be hailed from the teen customers’ accounts. The ride will feature all the same safety... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/Yd1DlW5

Apple is cutting jobs across its Books and News apps

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge Apple has eliminated about 100 jobs across its digital services group according to Bloomberg , as part of a “shift in priorities” for the division. The majority of those laid off reportedly worked within the team that runs the Apple Books app and Apple Bookstore, with the remaining cuts made to some engineering roles and services like Apple News. According to Bloomberg , the layoffs aren’t a sign that Apple is shifting its focus away from services like Apple Books, and the Books app is still expected to receive future updates for new features. While the services division — which includes things like Apple TV Plus, Apple News, and Apple Music — has been a revenue driver for Apple in recent years, the company reportedly doesn’t consider... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/tpW6CNE

Garmin adds a bunch of features to make the Fenix 8 smarter

The new Garmin Fenix 8 series adds voice commands and a new Messenger app. | Image: Garmin Garmin’s back with two new rugged smartwatches: the all-new Fenix 8 and Enduro 3. The $999.99 Fenix 8, one of Garmin’s top-of-line flagships, will get a built-in speaker and microphone, along with several new training features. Meanwhile, the $899.99 Enduro 3 will feature an LED flashlight plus solar charging to extend battery life up to 320 hours in GPS mode. If there’s any theme to the Fenix 8’s updates this time around, it’s in making the device smarter while also giving athletes more choices. For example, it now has a built-in speaker and microphone so you can make and take phone calls from the wrist. You’ll also be able to issue voice commands like “set a timer for 5 minutes.” For voice commands, a connection to your phone isn’t... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/vA6pIfW

Microsoft isn’t removing the Control Panel from Windows anytime soon

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge You may have read headlines last week about Microsoft removing the Control Panel from Windows soon, but the death of the Control Panel has been greatly exaggerated. The inaccurate reports stemmed from a single support document, originally spotted by Neowin . Microsoft has now updated the support document to make it clear that Control Panel isn’t in danger of being removed from Windows anytime soon. “The Control Panel is in the process of being deprecated in favor of the Settings app,” said Microsoft in its support note last week. While Microsoft has been working on moving Control Panel items to the Settings interface for more than a decade, this seemingly small update to a support document triggered headlines about the Control Panel being... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3UWKe42

Samsung’s new AI smart TVs are getting seven years of OS updates

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Samsung says it will provide seven years’ worth of Tizen operating system updates for its newer AI-powered TVs in a bid to fend off competition from Chinese rivals. The announcement was made last week at Samsung Electronics’ Suwon Campus according to Business Korea , and will first apply to TV models released in March 2024, alongside some products released in 2023. The policy extension is a notable jump from the updates Samsung currently provides, which typically address bugs without upgrading the Tizen OS itself. The move comes as Samsung, currently the world’s biggest seller of smart TV, finds its market leadership being challenged by Chinese companies like Hisense and TCL. Research from analytics firm Omdia found that Samsung had a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/2VxW6M0

Nintendo is closing out the summer with a 40-minute showcase

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Nintendo has added one final event to the summer game-a-palooza calendar with not one but two game showcases. Tomorrow at 7AM PT / 10AM ET, Nintendo will host an indie world showcase, and then a partner direct will immediately follow. Altogether, Nintendo says the two back-to-back events will be 40 minutes long. Join us tomorrow, August 27 at 7am PT, for an #IndieWorld Showcase followed by a #NintendoDirect Partner Showcase! The livestream, featuring both presentations back-to-back, will be roughly 40 minutes in total. Watch here: https://t.co/SyxftK1vRR pic.twitter.com/tIs15ggQaM — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 26, 2024 Nintendo’s already had its big bang summer showcase this year. Back in June, Nintendo announced... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/MCnY0S1

Uber hit with $324 million EU fine for improper data transfer

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Uber is facing a fine of 290 million euros ($347 million) after improperly transferring driver data from the EU to the US, in one of the largest penalties levied under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) since its inception. The fine was imposed by the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA), which accused Uber of failing to “properly safeguard” European drivers’ personal data while transferring it to the United States. Uber has since ceased the practice, DPA added. “Uber did not meet the requirements of the GDPR to ensure the level of protection to the data with regard to transfers to the US,” the regulator said in a statement. “That is very serious.” “That is very serious.” The DPA started investigating the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/68kLmcA

This over-the-counter gadget could help the war against diabetes

Dexcom first announced the Stelo earlier this year at CES 2024. The Dexcom Stelo aims to help people with Type 2 diabetes access CGMs more affordably. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/zfGqAbU

Martin Shkreli must surrender his Wu-Tang album copies

Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty Images Former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli must turn over his copies of The Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album to comply with a preliminary injunction issued by federal Judge Pamela Chen in an ongoing lawsuit, ArtNet reported on Friday. PleasrDAO, NFT collective and current owner of Shaolin claims in its lawsuit that he “improperly retained copies of data and files” from the album and plans to release them. Among other complaints, the group alleges that this violated a court order to forfeit it to the US government . Here are the hearing’s minutes, as published on sites like CourtListener : ... the Court issued a preliminary injunction as to Defendant Shkreli: (1) enjoining him from possessing, using, disseminating, or... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/SYurpzl

AI was responsible for the fake quotes in the Megalopolis trailer

Adam Driver in Megalopolis. | Screenshot: YouTube So, all those faked review quotes from the Megalopolis trailer that got pulled last week were apparently AI, after all. Not only that, but the person who was in charge of the materials for the trailer, Eddie Egan, has been removed from the movie’s marketing team. That’s all according to Deadline , which reported on Friday that the AI-ness of it all was confirmed in an investigation after the fact. Neither Egan nor Megalopolis studio Lionsgate meant to fake the quotes, which had purported to be critical notes from contemporaneous reviews of Megalopolis director Francis Ford Coppola’s past films. According to some of the trailer’s quotes, critics had called The Godfather a “sloppy, self-indulgent movie,” while Apocalypse Now was “an epic... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/b5LJtzu

What’s in a productivity system?

You can learn a lot about somebody just by learning about how they get things done. Are they the sort of person who might have a perfectly color-coded email inbox, a flawlessly organized to-do list, and what’s that, they just sent you a calendar invite for happy hour next week? Or are they more likely to have a giant pile of sticky notes they never look at, a computer desktop with so many files you can’t even see the wallpaper, and today’s main tasks written on their arm? Neither is wrong, but they’re very different. On this episode of The Vergecast , the second in our three-part miniseries about work and productivity and how to get more done in a digital world, we decide to get to know our colleagues in a new way: by asking them to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/pA0Swal

The best smartphone photos of the year

Image: David Pierce / The Verge Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 49, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, hope you like podcasts, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) This week, I’ve been reading about upstart baseball teams and canceled comics and Francis Ford Coppola , watching Logan Lucky , binging Teo Crawford’s camera videos , listening to The Mess Around and thus rewatching New Girl for the millionth time, trying to plan a trip to the Nintendo Museum this fall, and giving Capacities another whirl since Casey Newton recommended it this week . I also have for you a bunch of new podcasts that all launched this week for some reason, some amazing smartphone photos, a reason to hit... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/LZ7gkE2

Pokémon’s first 22 seasons are getting their own FAST channel

Image: Pokémon A new all-Pokémon FAST channel is bringing the first 22 seasons of the original Pokémon anime, courtesy of Canadian distributor WildBrain. The channel will kick off its availability in the US, with Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand to follow, according to WildBrain’s announcement this week. Melissa Pearce, senior director of media licensing at The Pokémon Company International, called FAST TV is “an ideal platform” to connect with audiences and offer “accessible and curated content in a family-friendly environment.” WildBrain distributes other ad-supported channels that include properties like Super Mario Bros. , Sonic the Hedgehog , and Inspector Gadget , and its channels exist on platforms like Tubi and Pluto. The announcement... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/lR5wBde

Google Wallet now works for California driver’s licenses

Illustration: The Verge Android users participating in a pilot program can now add their California driver’s licenses to Google Wallet. The “mobile driver’s license” program is currently open to 1.5 million Californians, and previously only allowed digital IDs in the state’s “CA DMV Wallet” app for iOS and Android. “It’s never been easier to keep a digital driver’s license and identification card in California,” said Governor Gavin Newsom in a statement yesterday, “The state continues to work to offer convenience for those opting into the mobile driver’s license program, now with the option of using Google Wallet.” California announced earlier this month that it will also allow Apple Wallet digital IDs soon. Those in the pilot will still have to carry their... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/1V7jfpS

The Shokz OpenFit Air would’ve been perfect if not for my glasses

The Shokz OpenFit Air are a lightweight pair of open-ear buds that use air conduction. The bass is pretty good for open-ear fitness buds, but alas, my glasses foiled the ear hook design. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/fJoBtUb

Starlink has a pricey new plan to stop scalpers

There’s now another reason to buy a Starlink kit from an authorized reseller. | Photo by Nilay Patel / The Verge In an effort to stop resellers from buying dishes in one region — where the hardware is cheaper — and selling them in another, Starlink is imposing a new “ outside region fee ” for its satellite internet kits activated “outside of the region they were originally sold in.” Starlink has designated these six specific regions as the US and Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania. The company only says “it is possible” the fee will be applied to activations — not a guarantee — but it’s steep enough to be a discouragement. For the Standard and Standard Actuated kits, the fee is $200, but for the Starlink Mini, it’s $300. That’s in US currency, but Starlink also warns the fee “may be applied in USD or local currency,” which could... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/53IMQa2

How to troubleshoot a Mac that won’t boot

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge If your Mac suddenly refuses to boot up properly, it can be frustrating — but you don’t have to immediately head to an Apple Store. There are a number of simple tricks you can try to get everything up and running again. I’ll take you through them here. First, I’ll cover what to do if your computer starts but you only get a blank screen. Later, I’ll talk about some possible actions to take if you see a symbol on the screen or if the Mac doesn’t start at all. (Problems like this are a reminder to keep everything backed up on macOS at all times. You’ll be thankful for it if you eventually need to replace your system drive or your entire computer.) Your computer starts but shows a blank screen Try a restart If your Mac is showing signs of... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/12I7L3N

The Pixel 9 is great — and a problem

Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge Google got a lot of things right with the Pixel 9 lineup. The hardware is lovely, the chip is fast, even the huge camera bump kind of has a way about it, you know? It’s a worthy Android flagship in every way. It also — and not to be dramatic here — feels a bit like a harbinger of doom . The Pixel 9’s AI photography features, particularly the “Reimagine” tool that allows you to change your photos with just a prompt, appears to be a big and worrisome step toward a world in which we won’t be able to trust photos of practically any sort. These aren’t the AI-generated photos with too many fingers and plenty of other tells; these just look like photos. They are photos! But they’re not real. And we’re not ready for what that means . On this... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/wWHDfhn

ElevenLabs’ AI Reader app can now narrate text in 32 languages

Image: The Verge AI audio startup ElevenLabs has now made its text-to-speech Reader app available across the world, adding support for 32 different languages — including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Mandarin, and Hindi. The app, which is available on both iOS and Android, was first released in June in the US, UK, and Canada. It allows users to listen to PDFs, articles, newsletters, ePub files or “any other text content” according to the developer, but that support seemingly doesn’t extend to files from Kindle or Apple Books . There’s a good selection of AI-generated voices available for the text-to-speech tool, including deceased celebrities like Judy Garland, James Dean, and Burt Reynolds. The few I’ve listened to are impressive enough to avoid... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/0rVASx8

The Verge’s favorite audio gear

Senior reviews editor Nathan Edwards uses a simple spring clamp to store his headphones. | Photo: Nathan Edwards / The Verge Every year, I ask The Verge ’s staff what kind of audio gear they like to use. And they are the perfect set of people to ask: besides working on videos and podcasts, our Slack channels are filled with discussions of the podcasts and music we listen to while working, walking, exercising, or just hanging out. So here are the headphones, earbuds, and other devices that some of the folks here like to use, both on a professional and personal level. Headphones and earbuds RØDE NTH-100 headphones Andrew Marino, senior audio producer The RØDE NTH-100 headphones are the comfiest headphones I’ve used. The memory foam cushions let me wear these all day at work without fatigue. The sound is great for the price, too, and the optional headset... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/jfZKQk1

AMD says Microsoft’s next big Windows 11 update will improve Zen 5 CPU performance

Image: AMD AMD says Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2 update will improve performance for its new Zen 5 CPUs. The Ryzen 9000 series launched earlier this month, and failed to live up to AMD’s performance promises in most reviews. After rumors of a Windows bug, AMD has revealed that AMD-specific branch prediction code will be optimized in Windows 11 version 24H2, which is expected to ship next month. “Zen 5 will see the biggest boost, but this Windows update will improve performance for Zen 4 and Zen 3 as well,” admits AMD . While the chip maker hasn’t revealed how much better its older CPUs will perform, it’s predicting a 13 percent performance improvement for its 9950X CPU in Far Cry 6 running 24H2 instead of 23H2, and a seven percent... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/CYMQkBD

YouTube has a new tool to help restore hacked channels: an AI chatbot

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube has announced a new AI assistant feature to help users recover accounts that have been targeted by hackers. Described as a “troubleshooting tool” on Google’s support page , the chatbot can be accessed via the YouTube Help Center, and should ask hacked creators a series of questions to guide them through the process of securing their impacted Google logins and reversing any changes that have been made to their YouTube channels. The support assistant is currently only available in English, and access to “certain troubleshooting features” is limited to a select group of “certain creators,” but Google says it plans to eventually make the feature available to all YouTube creators. We’ve managed to access the tool and the results seem…... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/41MGZoK

Lucid CEO calls EV market softness ‘a temporary blip’ and says hybrids are a dead end

Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson demonstrating the Gravity SUV’s front trunk seating. | Image: Tim Stevens Different brands do different things under the hoods of their EVs. Some fill that space with inverters and high-voltage cabling. Others carve out a cubby of extra storage, the frunk that many EV aficionados demand but few actually use. With the Gravity SUV, Lucid is taking the frunk option a step further, creating a space that can be used as a seat. I confess, I thought it was a gimmick, but sitting in that frunk is surprisingly comfortable. It’s a bit cozy for two adults, as I found when Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson joined me, but we fit just fine. The Gravity is no longer a concept Rawlinson was representing Lucid at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where the Gravity was situated on the so-called “Concept Lawn,” just a few feet... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/J3Rf6F8

Samsung’s new Odyssey monitor lets you play games in glasses-free 3D

Image: Samsung Samsung has announced a new Odyssey gaming monitor lineup at gamescom that uses eye-tracking technology to convert 2D visuals into glasses-free 3D. The Odyssey 3D is set for a global release “within this year” according to Samsung , and will allow users to “seamlessly switch between 2D and 3D modes” based on preference — which may tempt folks who are curious about 3D gaming, but apprehensive to commit. The Odyssey 3D is Samsung’s first 3D gaming monitor, having first teased a concept display at CES earlier this year. It’ll be available in 27- or 37-inch sizes and features a 4K QLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate, alongside a 1-millisecond response time and support for AMD FreeSync. Both monitors also include a single DisplayPort 1.4 and... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/OEoUXyN

The FTC’s noncompete agreements ban has been struck down

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images A federal judge has blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on noncompete agreements that make it difficult for workers to join their employers’ rivals or launch competing businesses. The ruling prevents the FTC’s ban on noncompete agreements from taking effect on September 4th, though the agency could still appeal the decision. On Tuesday, US District Judge Ada Brown in Dallas, Texas ruled that the antitrust agency exceeded its statutory authority to ban practices related to unfair methods of competition, saying the noncompete agreements ban is “unreasonably overbroad without a reasonable explanation,” and would “cause irreparable harm.” Brown’s decision now stops the FTC from blocking noncompetes nationwide after initially delaying... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/rYgWejD

Nvidia’s new G-Sync monitors no longer need a dedicated hardware module

Image: Nvidia Nvidia is bringing its full set of G-Sync features to monitors that won’t need a proprietary G-Sync module. Nvidia is partnering with MediaTek to integrate all of its current and future G-Sync features into MediaTek scalers, eliminating the need for a dedicated G-Sync module. “We are working with MediaTek to bring G-Sync to their market leading monitor scalers,” says Nvidia . “We will bring all the G-Sync technologies, including our most recent – Pulsar – to many more gamers and we’ll continue to create more G-Sync technologies with the MediaTek scaler solutions​.” Image: Nvidia Your next G-Sync monitor won’t need a dedicated module. G-Sync originally required a dedicated module in 2013 to allow it to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/FcpvSle

Nvidia is linking Xbox accounts to GeForce Now so you can automatically sign in to games

Image: Nvidia Nvidia will soon let you link an Xbox account to its GeForce Now streaming service to enable automatic sign-in for supported games. Starting on August 22nd, the new account linking feature will mean you only need to sign-in and link an Xbox profile once so that it’s stored for all future GeForce Now sessions. “This new feature joins Xbox game library sync on GeForce Now, which allows members to sync their supported Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft Store games to their cloud streaming library,” explains Nvidia. Nvidia first started rolling out access to PC Game Pass and Microsoft Store titles on GeForce Now last year, before adding account syncing to bring games from Microsoft’s store to the GeForce Now library. Those features provided... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/viCxqsr

How to watch Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024

Photo by Sascha Thelen/picture alliance via Getty Images Geoff Keighley’s big Opening Night Live (ONL) show for Gamescom is back for another year. and we’re set to see some new looks at many upcoming games and hopefully a few surprises. The X account for The Game Awards — another big showcase hosted by Keighley — has already shared that we can expect to see Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Monster Hunter Wilds, Marvel Rivals, Dune: Awakening, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Civilization VII. Keighley has used his own X account to tease that games like Squid Game: Unleashed , Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero , and Little Nightmares III will be at the show. Keighley also shared a mysterious post from Hideo Kojima about Death Stranding 2 , so maybe we’ll see that game, too. How and when to watch... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/vpum3Rl

Disney gives up on trying to use Disney Plus excuse to settle a wrongful death lawsuit

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Disney has now agreed that a wrongful death lawsuit should be decided in court following backlash for initially arguing the case belonged in arbitration because the grieving widower had once signed up for a Disney Plus trial. “With such unique circumstances as the ones in this case, we believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss,” chairman of Disney experiences Josh D’Amaro said in a statement to The Verge . “As such, we’ve decided to waive our right to arbitration and have the matter proceed in court.” The lawsuit was filed in February by Jeffrey Piccolo, the husband of a 42-year-old woman who died last year due to an allergic reaction that occurred... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/vt2Ty97

Tesla is hiring people to do the robot

The role comes with height and motion requirements that line up with expectations for Optimus. | Image: Tesla Tesla is employing people to help train its humanoid Optimus robot by wearing motion capture suits and mimicking actions that it will be expected to perform. The position, advertised as a “ Data Collection Operator ” on Tesla’s career site, pays up to $48 per hour and requires walking for over seven hours a day while carrying up to 30 pounds and wearing a VR headset for “extended periods of time.” Employees must also be between 5’7’’ and 5’11’’ tall — likely to be in a similar range to Optimus’ projected 5’8’’ height. The official Tesla Optimus X account has previously teased what the role entails , and Business Insider reports that Tesla has hired over 50 workers for the position over the past year. Motion capture is a common and typically... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/OpoLByY

Lamborghini’s first EV is nearly ready — but are we?

Image: Lamborghini The Italian automaker is not quite ready to release its first full EV. Thankfully, it has a ridiculous new hybrid to tide you over. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/P1EUa5f

Procreate’s anti-AI pledge attracts praise from digital creatives

Procreate CEO James Cuda has made his distaste for generative AI known. | Image: Procreate Many Procreate users can breathe a sigh of relief now that the popular iPad illustration app has taken a definitive stance against generative AI. “We’re not going to be introducing any generative AI into our products,” Procreate CEO James Cuda said in a video posted to X . “I don’t like what’s happening to the industry, and I don’t like what it’s doing to artists.” The creative community’s ire toward generative AI is driven by two main concerns: that AI models have been trained on their content without consent or compensation , and that widespread adoption of the technology will greatly reduce employment opportunities . Those concerns have driven some digital illustrators to seek out alternative solutions to apps that integrate generative... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/p5lTntW

Formula 1 is reportedly forcing some F1 creators to change their names

An F1 single-seater during the Formula 1 Live Barcelona Road Show on June 19th, 2024. | Photo: David Zorrakino / Europa Press via Getty Images Creators whose online identities center around Formula 1 racing have been changing their handles lately, and they seem to be reluctant to say why. But the reason may be because they’re being asked to by F1 itself, who’s rumored to have been sending cease and desist orders to certain creators with monetized accounts that use its branding. Among the abrupt branding changes was Paddock Project (formerly F1r the Girls), an F1 fan podcast. Paddock didn’t mention receiving a cease and desist letter when announcing the change , instead writing that the new name “reflects where we are and where we’re headed.” @shelovesvroomss imagine #f1contentcreators ♬ original sound - shelovesvroomss F1 influencer Mikaela Kostaras, who also recently... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/jxTlgcB

A Googler’s guide to getting things done

Image: Samar Haddad / The Verge Laura Mae Martin is a big believer in the settings menu. As Google’s executive productivity advisor, Martin spends much of her time working with other Googlers on improving their productivity and communication systems — and one of the things she often recommends is taking a few minutes to poke through the options. “With your phone, with your email, your Slack, all these things, the features are there, but we don’t take the time to dive into them,” she says. She even thinks you should maybe have to look at settings before you can use the app. “Like, you can’t get into the app unless you spend 10 minutes figuring out what it can do.” On this episode of The Vergecast , the first in our three-part miniseries about all things productivity... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/gcSnqZE

How much does it cost to crash a $3 million hypercar on a NASA landing strip?

The Venom F5 Revolution at Circuit of the Americas. | Image: Hennessey Special Vehicles Hennessey Special Vehicles crashed its Venom F5 — a $3 million hypercar — while driving nearly 250mph on the Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) runway at Kennedy Space Center in July. Newly reported details show the cost of the crash, which happened while the company was testing out new components of the car. The crash damaged the runway surface, according to crash-related documents acquired by ClickOrlando . The damage was apparently minimal, and repair, plus subsequent hazmat cleanup, cost $712.70, which was billed to Space Coast Testing, the company that manages runway rentals. Renting the LLF, which was once used as a landing strip for NASA’s Space Shuttle and serves aerospace purposes like delivering the United Launch Alliance’s... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/Q8rzPDF

The app for taking better photos — with no AI

Image: David Pierce / The Verge Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 48, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, get ready for a lot of books this week, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) I’m back after a couple of weeks off — thanks to everyone who wished me a good vacation and sent over book recommendations! I wound up reading Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore , She Rides Shotgun , and The Wager and highly recommend all three. Mostly, I spent two weeks chasing a toddler around various restaurants and playgrounds, and it was a good time, but I am oh so very glad to be back hanging with all of you. And it turns out I missed a lot of good stuff! This week, I’ve been reading about W... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/9knW8Z7

Rimac’s Nevera R makes the world’s fastest production EV a little faster

Rimac, the company behind the absurdly quick Nevera EV, says it’s now made it even faster with the Nevera R. This new version of Rimac’s new electric supercar can apparently hit 60mph from a stop in just 1.74 seconds, or about a tenth of a second faster than the original . The EV apparently generates 2,107 horsepower, or about 200 more than its predecessor . On top of that, Rimac says the Nevera R has better aerodynamics, more downforce, and improved grip, and that it managed to knock 3.8 seconds off the Nevera’s lap time on the Nardo Ring, a high-speed Italian track owned by Porsche. Like the regular Nevera, the new EV supercar requires “manufacturer oversight” to unlock its top speed of 256mph. Without that, the car is limited to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/eXcOZyg

The Asus ROG Ally is on sale for its lowest price to date this weekend

It’s no ROG Ally X, but Asus’ last-gen handheld is still a powerful gaming machine. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Now that the new and improved Asus ROG Ally X has arrived, we’re starting to see some solid deals on its predecessor, the Asus ROG Ally . Now until August 19th, for instance, the Windows-based gaming handheld is available at Best Buy with a Z1 Extreme chip for an all-time low of $499.99 ($150 off). That’s almost half the price of its successor, which costs $799.99, rendering it a good alternative if you’re on a tighter budget. The lower-end model with the Z1 chip is also on sale for $379.99 ($120) , though, given the performance downgrades , we’d recommend sticking with the Extreme configuration. At this price, the standard Asus ROG Ally offers good value, even if it didn’t impress us as much as ROG Ally X when it comes to comfort,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/hjcyvSK