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Made by Google 2026: all the Pixel news and announcements

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Google is gearing up to reveal a bunch of new Pixel devices on August 12th. A series of leaks leading up to the event suggest that the Pixel 11 lineup will come in an array of colors , with signs pointing to a built-in light coming to Pro models . Teasers from Google also indicate that it will show off a next-gen Pixel Fold alongside a Pixel Watch 5 in four different finishes. There might be a new Pixel Tag tracker as well. Google may take the wraps off the new devices well ahead of its Made by Google livestream. On Google’s website , the countdown for preorders ends on August 12th at 10AM ET — eight hours before its event at 6PM ET. Comedian Trevor Noah will host this year’s show, featuring notable guests like NBA star Stephen Curry, podcaster Alex Cooper, Indian cricketer Shubman Gill, and Japanese actress Ayami Nakajo. We’ll be live blogging the event, so stay tuned! Follow along for all the latest news about Google’s Pixel devices. ...

Apple could help you prove your iPhone photos aren’t deepfakes

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Apple is seemingly developing an iOS feature that can verify when a photograph was taken using an iPhone camera. 9to5Mac reports that the iOS 27 beta 5 includes code references for an "Apple Reference Image" system that can embed provenance metadata into iPhone photographs at the point of capture - enabling users to prove where the photo originated, and that it isn't AI fakery. Apple Reference Image isn't currently live, but a privacy disclosure in the iOS beta notes that the feature will be off by default. When (or if) it does roll out, 9to5Mac says it can be enabled via Settings > Camera > Reference Image > Reference Mode, and that only p … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/977921/apple-reference-image-iphone-metadata

Costco’s great Switch 2 console bundle includes over $100 in free stuff

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Games look gorgeous on its 7.9-inch screen. | Photo: Brandt Ranj / The Verge The cost of the Nintendo Switch 2 is going up by $50 on September 1st, 2026 , resulting in a $499.99 price tag for just the console. We’re just weeks away, but Costco is offering a fantastic $499.99 bundle for its members that includes a Nintendo Switch 2 , a 256GB microSD Express card ( usually $59 ), and a one year subscription to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack tier, which normally costs $49.99 per year . That’s over $100 in value, and a great way to kickstart your Switch 2 experience. Nintendo Switch 2 Where to Buy: $558.98 $499.99 at Costco (with NSO and 256GB memory card) The Switch 2 has 256GB of internal storage, so a microSD card is likely something you’ll need eventually for storing more games without having to constantly manage your library. With first-party Nintendo games typically running between 10 and 25GB, and larger third-party games reaching 50GB...

YouTube is making it harder to earn money on YouTube

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Starting February 1st, 2027, creators who want to monetize their channel through YouTube's Partner Program (YPP) will need at least 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. That's a sizeable jump from YouTube's current requirement of 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 watch hours in the past year, or 1,000 subscribers with 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. Creators will also need to maintain 10 million Shorts views over 90 days to earn money from the Shorts Creators Pool, though falling below this threshold won't result in removal from YPP. Ad … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/streaming/977474/youtube-partner-program-new-requirements

Space mirrors could ruin astronomy — and your eyes

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Solar energy, at any time of day or night - that's the dream of space mirror projects. Futurists have been imagining satellite mirrors that could reflect the sun's light onto the Earth's surface for over a century. Russian scientists experimented with the concept in the '90s with the Znamya project. The idea is to put a large mirror in orbit and angle it such that sunlight can be reflected onto a specific geographical area for illumination or the generation of solar power. Now, the California-based company Reflect Orbital wants to try this idea again, launching a test satellite named Eärendil-1 as a precursor to a fleet of up to 50,000 spa … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/science/976977/space-mirror-reflect-orbital-fcc-solar-eye-damage

No Dogs in Space is a music history podcast for true obsessives

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Sadly, there hasn't been a new episode of No Dogs in Space since July of 2024. Part four of the podcast's series on Can wrapped up an abbreviated season three, which focused on experimental rock. Don't get me wrong, I loved seasons one and two, but the show seemed to be gearing up for a deep dive into Krautrock, and I was hype. Unfortunately, that episode ended with hosts Marcus Parks ( Last Podcast on the Left ) and Carolina Hidalgo declaring they were going to do another season on punk (the topic of season one), only for the feed to go quiet. If you're a music obsessive, this is a must-listen podcast. Over the course of 73 episodes, the hu … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/977190/no-dogs-in-space-music-history-podcast

Zuckerberg’s yacht was closer, but someone else saved a stranded boat

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Mark Zuckerberg's yacht "The Launchpad" | Image: Sylvain Lefevre / Getty Images Earlier this week, the Alaskan cruise ship Wilderness Legacy rescued a small skiff stranded near Farragut Bay after running out of fuel. But, according to tracking data reviewed by the Alaska Beacon and Halifax Shipping News , the closest vessel was actually Mark Zuckerberg's super yacht, Launchpad. Michael Love, a passenger on the Wilderness Legacy, posted on Bluesky that the captain announced the Launchpad was closer, but "repeatedly refused to respond," which was met with booing from the passengers. The AIS tracking (embedded below) seems to support that the Launchpad was closer to the vessel in trouble, but then stopped near the entrance … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/977161/mark-zuckerberg-yacht-wilderness-legacy-stranded-boat