Lead Hacker

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Uber and Lyft have both pledged to cover legal fees in case their drivers are sued under Oklahoma’s restrictive abortion bill, according to a report from CNBC . While the bill has not yet been signed into law, Republican Governor Kevin Stitt is expected to approve it within the next few days. On Friday, Oklahoma’s House passed the Heartbeat Act ( SB 1503 ), a law that bans abortions at around six weeks of pregnancy — much earlier than many women become aware that they’re pregnant — and now awaits Governor Stitt’s signature. Like a similar anti-abortion law recently passed in Texas , Oklahoma’s bill also gives individuals the right to sue someone who “aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion.” This includes the clinic that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/30/23050662/uber-lyft-extend-legal-fee-coverage-drivers-sued-over-oklahoma-restrictive-abortion-law

Image: Baidu Baidu and Pony.ai have been given permission to operate their autonomous vehicles without safety drivers in Beijing, a first for robotaxi services in China (via CNBC ). Although both companies now no longer need a staff member in the driver’s seat, they’ll still need a supervisor present somewhere in the vehicle. Baidu and Pony.ai can’t operate throughout the entire city of Beijing just yet — they’re limited to a 60 square kilometer (23.1 square mile) area in Yizhuang, Beijing, the home of about 300,000 residents. While Baidu can deploy just 10 autonomous vehicles in the area, CNBC says Pony.ai can only operate four. Both companies have plans to expand the number of vehicles on the road (with Baidu shooting for 30), but it’s unclear how... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/30/23050493/baidu-pony-ai-first-robotaxi-services-operate-without-safety-drivers-beijing-china

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Telegram now lets users send Toncoin, the cryptocurrency built off of Telegram’s abandoned blockchain effort, directly from chats within the messaging app (via Protocol ). In a post on Twitter , TON (The Open Network), announced that Telegram now supports Toncoin transactions with no fees attached. TON included a short video showing how crypto transactions work on the platform. To get started, you’ll have to add Telegram’s Wallet bot to your attachment menu, which allows you to “purchase cryptocurrency by bank card, exchange, and transfer to other wallets.” You can now send #Toncoin directly within Telegram chats! It’s a new way to send Toncoin without transaction fees to any Telegram user. With this service, you’ll no longer need to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/30/23050263/telegram-lets-users-send-cryptocurrency-chats-toncoin-ton

Photo by Michele Doying / The Verge Stay up to date with the latest in the Musk-Twitter saga Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23026874/elon-musk-twitter-buyout-news-updates

Marvel Studios There’s only one week left until Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness drops, but rather than waiting for news to spread by word of mouth, Marvel’s just dropped a new teaser featuring a cameo that might change the future of the MCU. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Steven Strange headlines Marvel Studios’ upcoming Multiverse of Madness , but he isn’t the only heavy hitter slated to make an appearance in the movie. Both the Scarlet Witch and America Chavez will somehow factor into the second Doctor Strange film’s story about the entire MCU collapsing in on itself — an event that’s raised more than a few questions about the narrative territory Marvel’s journeying into. While Multiverse of Madness ’ newest teaser doesn’t explain what’s happened... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/29/23048572/multiverse-of-madness-illuminati-professor-x

Photo by Christian Marquardt - Pool/Getty Images Elon Musk sold around $8.4 billion worth of his shares in Tesla this week as he seeks to line up the money to buy Twitter, according to filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. But the billionaire claims he won’t sell any more Tesla stock “after today.” Musk sold the bulk of his shares on Tuesday and Wednesday, offloading 4.4 million shares, the filings show. He sold another 5.2 million shares on Thursday, after which he tweeted , “No further TSLA sales planned after today.” Tesla’s share price plummeted 12 percent on Tuesday and has since inched up higher. The stock was up about 3.9 percent on Friday. “No further TSLA sales planned after today” On April 25th, Twitter’s board of directors accepted Musk’s offer of $54.20... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/29/23048615/elon-musk-tesla-stock-sells-twitter-takeover

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has SOS emergency features, but that doesn’t equate to having “freedom to exercise at all hours.” | Screenshot: Samsung Samsung is under fire for a recent ad depicting a woman wearing a Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Buds running alone in the middle of a city at 2AM. Critics have called the ad both “ unrealistic” and “tone-deaf ” in the wake of the murder of Ashling Murphy , a 23 year old who was killed while running in January in Dublin, Ireland. The ad is oblivious to the dangers of nighttime running, but that makes sense since many smartwatch makers don’t seem to understand how their limited safety features may fail runners. Samsung has since apologized for the ad, telling BBC Radio 1 that it hadn’t intended to “be insensitive to ongoing conversations around women’s safety” and that “the ‘Night Owls’ campaign was designed with a positive message in mind: to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/29/23048309/samsung-smartwatch-ad-e...

The contractors have worked on games like Mass Effect Legendary Edition . | Image: EA A group of contractors supporting EA-owned BioWare is trying to unionize . Part of the reason is because they’ll be required to return to the office, even while full-time BioWare employees who work at the same location are being offered a hybrid work from home option, two employees told The Verge . The organizing group is employed by Keywords Studios , a company that offers services like quality assurance testing and localization for game development companies. One employee expects the unit will consist of between 15 and 20 individuals. These Keywords employees are embedded directly with BioWare’s team at the company’s office in Edmonton, Canada, and have worked on titles like Mass Effect Legendary Edition , the newest Star Wars: The Old... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/29/23047488/bioware-keywords-studios-contractors-organizing-union-office-return

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge Last year, Apple added App Tracking Transparency to iOS , and the shift in the flow of data from mobile users was enough to unsettle even Facebook. Now, Google, which relies on targeted advertising for its business model , is preparing its own multi-year adjustment to mobile ad tracking and privacy. Starting today, app developers can get their first look at the new system , as the first developer preview of Privacy Sandbox on Android rolls out, following the path of similar tests in Google’s Chrome browser on the desktop . This new plan is supposed to replace Android’s existing advertising ID , which is a user-resettable ID for each device with a Privacy Sandbox of “new, more private advertising solutions.” Like Apple’s approach, it claims... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23046608/android-advertising-privacy-sandbox-google-preview

Gameloft / Disney Make way for Disney Dreamlight Valley , a new Disney-inspired life-sim that feels as if Disney adults got their hands on the Animal Crossing source code. In combination with yesterday’s formal announcement , I had the opportunity to participate in a hands-off demo to see a bit of the vision the developers at Gameloft have for the game. It’ll be difficult to resist the allure of talking about a brand new Disney game entirely in Disney song lyrics, but I’ll do my best to rein in that impulse. Hey! Clear the way in the old Bazaar. Hey you, let us through, it’s a brand-new star. Oh, come be the first on your block to meet its eye In addition to being a life-sim game, Disney Dreamlight Valley is a Disney adult’s ultimate isekai fantasy. In it,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23046633/disney-dreamlight-valley-animal-crossing-ps5-xbox-pc

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A huge reason behind Sonos’ success is the company’s adaptability. Whenever a new audio streaming service comes along — and as the industry evolves and pushes new formats like lossless and Dolby Atmos spatial audio — Sonos is always right there trying to support what’s new. For voice assistants, Sonos offers both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on its smart speakers. And the company also widely supports Apple’s AirPlay 2 across its current product lineup. That’s all on top of the whole-home audio platform that Sonos has built its brand on. But to stay so nimble and adaptable, Sonos constantly needs to be looking forward and have some sense of what’s coming down the technology pike. To help with that, Sonos recently (and very quietly)... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23046358/sonos-joins-connectivity-standards-alliance-matter

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Snap takes another stab at hardware with a selfie drone called Pixy Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23043011/snapchat-pixy-drone-hands-on

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge As cryptocurrency thrives, Bitcoiners seethe Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23042819/bitcoin-2022-miami-beach-conference-maxis

Optic Gaming winning the Valorant Masters Finals in Reykjavik, Iceland. | Image: Riot Games Riot Games is making some big changes to the Valorant esports scene. The shift is due to kick off in 2023 and will include the introduction of three regional leagues representing the Americas, Europe, and Asia; previously, professional Valorant operated on a tournament structure . The changes will bring Valorant more in line with Riot’s other popular competitive game, League of Legends . It’s not clear yet which teams will participate in the new leagues, nor how they will be selected. But Riot says that “the new model will incorporate long-term partnerships with no entry fees to a select number of teams to ensure continued long-term stability for the world’s fastest-growing esport,” adding that “teams who meet the selection criteria will... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23045328/valorant-professional-esports-leagues-2023

Image via FCC It appears Snap is working on a drone called Pixy, and the whole thing just leaked with a huge amount of details, including photos and a seemingly unfinished user manual, published by the FCC . It’s small: rulers in the photos indicate the drone is roughly 130 millimeters wide and 120 millimeters tall, which translates to approximately 5.1 inches by 4.7 inches. In a user manual , Snap characterizes the drone as “a small smart drone with a camera and camera function.” The drone itself is a rounded rectangle in Snap’s characteristic yellow hue with translucent orange propellers. There’s a knob on the top that looks to offer a bunch of different settings — it looks like a camera mode dial, right down to a traditional “landscape picture mode”... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23046577/snap-drone-pixy-revealed-fcc-photos

Photo by: Rosalind O’Connor/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Saturday Night Live star and almost space tourist Pete Davidson will soon star in a Peacock series based on his own life. Called Bupkis , the half-hour comedy series is described as a “heightened, fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s real life” that “will combine grounded storytelling with absurd elements from the unfiltered and completely original worldview for which Pete is well known.” Dave Sirus and Judah Miller, who previously worked with Davidson on The King of Staten Island , will join the star as writers on the show. There isn’t much other info about Bupkis , such as when it’ll debut or how many episodes to expect. But it looks to be a notable win for the streamer, which says that “the series was acquired in a highly competitive... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/27/23044856/pete-davidson-peacock-bupkis-snl

Image: Microsoft The Windows XP startup sound is forever engrained in my mind, those tinkling chimes bringing back memories of AIM, Civilization III , and endless hours spent trying to download music through Napster and Kazaa followed by endless hours spent trying to remove the viruses I accidentally downloaded through Napster and Kazaa. The sounds of Windows are as much a part of computing history as anything else you’ll find, and the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast is doing a two-part series on the history of the startup jingle . It begins before computers were even able to have startup sounds, and it traces their evolution through composers like Brian Eno and musicians like Robert Fripp and the Seattle Symphony. The first episode is out now, and it’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/27/23044724/windows-startup-sound-podcast

Part of Amazon’s facility collapsed when it was hit by a tornado. | Photo by Jason Tan/Xinhua via Getty Images Amazon won’t be fined or cited by US safety officials after a tornado caused one of its Illinois warehouses to collapse , killing six workers, according to a letter sent to Amazon on Tuesday from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (or OSHA). The regulator says that it has a few recommendations for the company after its investigation , where it interviewed workers and reviewed records and the facility’s emergency action plan. OSHA’s letter still flags a number of concerns with Amazon’s handling of the incident, including an unnecessarily convoluted process for raising the alarm. When the order to shelter in place first came through, managers had to yell to employees instead of using a megaphone since the megaphone was “locked... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/27/23043685/osha-safety-amazon-warehouse-collapse-illinois-tornado-re...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Twitter’s policy and legal head Vijaya Gadde is facing criticism from new owner Elon Musk and harassment from Twitter users while trying to shepherd Twitter’s moderation team into a new era. Politico reported yesterday on a team meeting where Gadde acknowledged (in the article’s words) “significant uncertainties” about the future of Twitter under Musk. Musk then replied to a tweet from conservative journalist Saagar Enjeti criticizing Gadde. Enjeti had linked to a screenshot of the story, calling Gadde Twitter’s “top censorship advocate” and claiming she “censored the Hunter Biden laptop story” by temporarily and confusingly banning links to a New York Post story about President Joe Biden’s son. “Suspending the Twitter account of a major... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/27/23044521/twitter-policy-chief-vijaya-gadde-elon-musk-policy-criticism-harassment

Between stints at Engadget , Gizmodo, and CNET, Sean Hollister became part of the small group that co-founded The Verge back in 2011. He has worn a lot of hats in the past decade: reviewing products, running the newsroom, training and editing new writers, putting spicy editorials on the site, starring in a few videos, liveblogging, and shaping coverage where he can. He’s currently a Senior Editor. Tell us a little about yourself. What do you like doing at The Verge ? My favorite part of the job is blogging about gadgets! I try to do it every day no matter what else The Verge needs from me because I love them to death. Where did you get your desk and where in your home have you placed it? It’s in the corner of my home office, right... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23037594/sean-hollister-desk-razer-synology-microsoft

Sifu , the tough martial arts game released earlier this year, will be getting difficulty modes on May 3rd as part of a major content update, developer Sloclap announced Tuesday . The game had received some criticism for its challenging difficulty, so, hopefully, the new modes will make the game more approachable. As part of the May 3rd update, the game will get “student,” “disciple,” and “master” difficulties, though it’s unclear exactly how the modes will be tuned in comparison to one another. If I had to guess, though, they translate to “easy,” “medium,” and “hard” modes. I was a big fan of the game’s difficulty at launch. It was hard, but I loved going through the game’s levels multiple times to improve. When I defeated the game’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/26/23042872/sifu-difficulty-modes-sloclap-content-updates

Every color and configuration of Samsung’s S22 is currently on sale. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge If you’re looking to upgrade your smartphone, you’re in luck. Both Best Buy and Amazon have discounted the entire Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup, with some models getting up to $200 knocked off their original price. This offer applies to all unlocked models of Samsung’s latest smartphone, regardless of the configuration. This either matches or beats the best prices we’ve seen for the S22 line, and we consider this an excellent deal on what we consider the default Android phones to buy. Read our reviews of the S22 and S22 Plus . Kicking things off with the standard model of the S22, the 128GB model is currently available at Amazon and Best Buy for $699.99, as opposed to its usual retail price of $799.99. The base model of this 6.1-inch phone... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2022/4/26/23041199/samsung-galaxy-s22-plus-ultra-apple-16-inch-macbook-pro-...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Let’s break it down Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/26/23040879/elon-musk-twitter-plans-free-speech-bots-anonymity-algorithm-open-source

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge If you’ve managed to get your hands on a Playdate or have one on the way , you’re guaranteed a full “season” of 24 games delivered to your device over the span of 12 weeks. And there are some great ones included — check out my full Playdate review for a round-up of my favorites . But there’s also more to the device than just those games, thanks to sideloading. Playdate maker Panic has made it very easy to get games onto your device. You can check out the process here , but essentially, you just need to download a file — usually from somewhere like Itch.io — and then either load it onto your device via USB or load them wirelessly by adding them to your account on the Playdate website. It’s a pretty painless process, and there are already... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/26/23042607/playdate-best-games-sideloading

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube is expanding its Super Thanks tipping program, giving more creators another way to monetize their presence on the platform. Super Thanks, which allows fans to send creators tips directly on videos, was previously in beta since being announced last year. Tip amounts vary between $2 and $50, and fans can include a custom comment when they send creators money. The program is now open to all eligible YouTube Partner creators in 68 countries, the company announced in a blog post. YouTube has introduced a variety of ways creators can monetize interactions with fans and viewers. In addition to Super Thanks, a feature called Super Chat allows livestream audience members to pay to have their comment pinned in the accompanying chat. With... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/26/23041651/youtube-expanded-super-thanks-tipping

Ram teased its upcoming electric 1500 pickup truck, which is scheduled to go into production in fall 2022. The new electric truck is expected to be one of the first major long-range EVs to come out of Stellantis, the multinational conglomeration that formed last year when Fiat Chrysler merged with the French PSA Group. The decision to tease the electric Ram 1500 is clearly a shot at Ford, which is set to begin customer deliveries of its hotly anticipated F-150 Lightning truck this week. “Time to steal some thunder,” the tweet from Ram reads — a clear allusion to Ford and its lightning-branded EV. Time to steal some thunder. Unleashing Fall 2022. https://t.co/epaaYdKHj9 pic.twitter.com/m4wB9AjYBp — Ram Trucks (@RamTrucks) April 25,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23041381/ram-1500-ev-tease-electric-truck-ford

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is loaded onto a recovery vessel | SpaceX/Axiom Space The first crew of private astronauts to visit the International Space Station have successfully returned to Earth, splashing down off the coast of Florida soon after 1PM ET. Their return marks the end of a 15-day mission to the ISS, a trip that cost the crew a reported $55 million per ticket. This mission, dubbed Ax-1, was the first human spaceflight mission for Axiom Space, a private aerospace company that plans to build commercial space stations in the future. Axiom contracted with SpaceX to send a crew of four to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, calling it a precursor mission to prepare for sending people to Axiom’s space stations in the future. The Ax-1 crew’s visit to the space station was supposed to last... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040877/iss-axiom-spacex-splashdown-space-station

Perhaps for an improved transparency mode? | Image: SnoopyTech It seems that Sony’s next flagship over-ear headphones aren’t the only ones that have leaked ahead of a public announcement, as official-looking images of a new set of Sony noise-canceling wireless earbuds have hit the web thanks to leaker SnoopyTech ( via Android Police ). According to SnoopyTech, the earbuds will be called the LinkBuds S, suggesting they could share some similarities to Sony’s LinkBuds released in February . The original LinkBuds have a distinctive “open-style” design with an unconventional donut-like hole that’s intended to help you better hear your surroundings while you have the earbuds in. The LinkBuds S, in contrast, have a more traditional closed design like that of Sony’s WF-1000XM4s . However, looking at the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23041108/sony-wireless-earbuds-linkbuds-s-vent

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, smartwatch advocates and wearable tech companies thought the devices could help with illness detection. They wanted to flag people who might be sick with the disease using things like their heart rate and oxygen levels. The strategy could still be a reasonable way to track illness, but two years later, the promise hasn’t panned out — the research is still underdeveloped, according to a new review published last week in The Lancet . The review looked at 12 research studies and 12 proposed study protocols published in 2020 and 2021 that tried to find patterns in the data collected by devices like the Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Whoop. Most of these studies focused on people who had already tested... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040869/covid-detecting-smartwatch-illness-fitbit-apple-watch

The fourth-gen Echo Dot is a small, ponderous orb available in white, black, or blue. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge It’s time to kick off another week of deals, and what better way than with promos like a smart speaker hitting its lowest price yet and a new TV getting a nice discount? Amazon’s orb-like Echo Dot is one of the most affordable ways to smarten up your home, and it’s now cheaper than ever before. You can pick up the fourth-gen Echo Dot, which launched in 2020, for just $27.99 at Amazon or Best Buy in black, blue, or white. That price is $22 off its regular price and even beats the discounts we saw around the holidays. While this little speaker is inexpensive and compact, it supports all the same Alexa voice commands as its pricier counterparts, like setting timers and controlling other devices in Amazon’s ecosystem of smart home devices.... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2022/4/25/23040773/amazon-echo-dot-bose-soundlink-flex-8bi...

Photo by Nilay Patel / The Verge SpaceX is starting to make deals with airlines to provide its Starlink satellite internet to sky travelers everywhere. It announced a deal on Monday with Hawaiian Airlines, and last week made a similar deal with charter carrier JSX. None of the involved parties shared the financial details of their deals, but both airlines did say they’re planning to offer the in-flight Wi-Fi for free, which is both a semi-miraculous fact and a sign of hope that free Wi-Fi is becoming the industry standard. Delta meanwhile, confirmed last week that it’s running “exploratory” Starlink tests. In-flight Wi-Fi has been on the minds of Team Starlink for a while. Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s VP of Starlink and commercial sales, said last year that the company... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040937/starlink-airlines-in-flight-wifi

Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Elon Musk raged at the head of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund for failing to back his bid to take Tesla private in 2018, complaining that he was being thrown “under the bus,” according to newly disclosed text messages. “I am deeply offended,” Musk wrote to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), on August 12, 2018. The texts were sent a few days after Musk shocked the financial world by tweeting that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share, adding “funding secured.” The now infamous tweet triggered a lawsuit from Tesla shareholders, who claim that Musk lied about having the money required to delist Tesla from the stock exchange and take it private. As part of the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040961/elon-musk-saudi-pif-texts-tesla-private-lawsuit

Meta Meta is launching its first hardware retail store on its campus in Burlingame, California. The store, which opens May 9th , will let visitors try out and buy Meta’s Portal videophones and Quest virtual reality headsets. They’ll also be able to demo the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses that debuted last year and get help ordering them online. Meta’s store will include a demo area for Portal where users can test its video calling features with a store employee. There’s a space to test several Quest 2 demos, including Beat Saber , GOLF+ , Real VR Fishing , and Supernatural , and visitors will take home a 30-second mixed reality clip showing them playing a game. They can also try on different styles of the Ray-Ban glasses, which capture and share... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23037875/meta-retail-store-burlingame-ray-ban-stories-portal-quest-hours-location

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge If you're trying to buy a new video game console in 2022, then you probably already know that they’re still in short supply. While the Nintendo Switch (including the new Switch OLED model) and Xbox Series S are generally available throughout the US, it’s a little harder to get something more powerful, and NPD data released today reflects that. Between the Xbox Series S remaining in stock consistently and the increasingly obtainable Xbox Series X (try opening up your Best Buy app in the morning or checking local stores to find one — many have had them in stock lately ), Microsoft’s consoles led in terms of hardware dollars for March 2022 and the entire first quarter in the US. This is the most total Xbox units sold in March since 2011 U... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040875/xbox-series-x-s-sales-nintendo-switch-ps5-npd-march-2022

The 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06 | Chevy General Motors will release an “electrified” version of the Chevy Corvette next year, followed by a fully electric version of the iconic sports car soon after that, the automaker’s president Mark Reuss said on CNBC Monday . Reuss wouldn’t confirm when the all-electric ‘Vette would make its debut, but did note that “this is coming very quick.” The automaker plans to continue selling gas-powered versions in the meantime. “This is in addition to all the great performance that Chevrolet and Corvette have been known for many, many years with our internal combustion engine, so it’s an addition to [that],” Reuss said. BREAKING: An electrified #Corvette will be available as early as next year and a fully electric version to follow. Stay... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040815/gm-corvette-electrified-ev-chevy-2023

Image: Blizzard We already knew Blizzard is working on a new entry in the Diablo series that is designed for mobile devices . And today, timed to coincide with Activision Blizzard’s Q1 2022 earnings report, the company announced that Diablo Immortal will release on Android and iOS on June 2nd and, surprise, on PC too in open beta. On June 2, Hell is everywhere. iOS & Android PC Open Beta Pre-register: https://t.co/hKUMmROvQI pic.twitter.com/BoC4tDL7Kq — Diablo Immortal (@DiabloImmortal) April 25, 2022 According to the developers, Diablo Immortal will have cross-play and cross progression with controller and keyboard support on PC. Set after Diablo II: Lord of Destruction , Diablo Immortal, is a free-to-play MMORPG. The game will be online-only, and... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/22285442/diablo-immortal-android-ios-pc-release-date

The PA147CDV next to one of Asus’ laptops. | Image: Asus The Asus ProArt Display PA147CDV is a 14-inch touchscreen that’s designed to act as a secondary display for creatives. With its small form-factor and ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio it looks as though Asus has ripped the secondary display off one of its Duo laptops and turned it into an external monitor. The PA147CDV was technically announced last September , but Asus is currently showing it off at the NAB 2022 show in Las Vegas and is announcing plans to release the monitor in Q2 2022 in North America at a price that’s yet to be announced. With its support for Microsoft’s Pen Protocol 2.0, and a built in dial that’s designed to emulate the functionality of Microsoft’s Surface Dial , Asus is pitching the PA147CDV as an accessory for creatives... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/25/23040654/asus-proart-display-pa147cdv-14-inch-secondary-monitor-duo-laptop

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge Workers at Nintendo’s third-party repair facility reportedly faced a “very stressful” work environment caused by a deluge of Switches sent in for issues related to Joy-Con drift, according to a report from Kotaku . A former supervisor at the New York-based United Radio, the company that partners with Nintendo to repair broken devices, told Kotaku that the large volume of Joy-Con repairs resulted in a high turnover rate and “lots of” mistakes. United Radio is its own company — Nintendo merely acts as the middleman, handling customer communications and leaving the repairing to United Radio, which serves Nintendo customers located in the eastern half of the US. The ubiquity of Joy-Con drift led to “easily thousands” of Joy-Cons that passed... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/24/23039777/workers-nintendo-third-party-repair-facility-were-reportedly-overwhelmed-with-joy-con-repairs

Image: Android Central Our first look at what seems to be the Google Pixel Watch comes under strange circumstances: someone supposedly found its prototype lying around at a restaurant and sent pictures of it to Android Central on the condition of anonymity. The images of the purported device match up with what we’ve seen from previously leaked renders, down to the circular watch face, rotating crown, and nearly bezel-less design. As shown in the photos, a physical crown sits between two buttons on the side of the watch. If it’s anything like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 , the two buttons could be used to turn the watch on or off, return to the home screen, or even as a shortcut to pull up recently used apps. Meanwhile, the small hole next to the crown could be a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/24/23039835/google-pixel-watch-leak-photos-prototype-left-at-restaurant

The Chevy Spark EV ran from 2013 to 2016. | Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images General Motors will reportedly no longer provide battery replacements for the all-electric version of the Chevy Spark, according to a report from EV-Resource (via InsideEVs ). The Chevy Spark electric vehicle (EV) was first released in 2013, and GM continued to make new models until 2016. A GM district executive confirmed to EV-Resource that the company is “no longer going to supply that [the Spark EV’s] battery.” GM’s inventory of Spark EV battery packs has reportedly run out as well, and the company doesn’t plan on making any more. The Verge reached out to GM with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back. It’s unclear if GM will continue to honor the Spark EV’s battery pack warranty With the oldest model of the Spark EV... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/24/23039665/gm-chevy-spark-ev-no-longer-provide-battery-replacements

This $1,550 robot can mop, vacuum, clean itself, and find you in your home Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23037426/ecovacs-deebot-x1-omni-review-vacuum-mop-robot-voice-control

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple may be cracking down on apps that no longer receive updates. In a screenshotted email sent to affected developers, titled “App Improvement Notice,” Apple warns it will remove apps from the App Store that haven’t been “updated in a significant amount of time” and gives developers just 30 days to update them. “You can keep this app available for new users to discover and download from the App Store by submitting an update for review in 30 days,” Apple writes in the email. “If no update is submitted in 30 days, the app will be removed from sale.” While Apple will remove the outdated apps from the App Store, any previously downloaded apps will remain on users’ devices. I feel sick. Apple just sent me an email saying they're removing... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/23/23038870/apple-app-store-widely-remove-outdated-apps-developers

Ubisoft says “Project Q” isn’t the game’s official name. | Image: Ubisoft Ubisoft announced its upcoming “team battle arena game,” with two major disclaimers: it’s not just a battle royale and there aren’t any NFTs. The game company shared the news on Twitter after leakers posted footage of the game, codenamed Project Q , online. “This is not a Battle Royale,” Ubisoft said in a series of tweets . “The game will feature a variety of PvP modes with one single goal in mind: FUN! We don’t have plans to add NFTs to this game, you can find out more by registering and taking part in the upcoming tests!” So, we heard you heard... ‍Introducing codename “Project Q”, a team battle arena letting players truly own the experience! The game is in early development and we will keep testing, so for now all you can do is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/23/23038699/ubisoft-upcoming-team-battle-arena-game-project-q-nfts

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Lapsus$ hacking group stole T-Mobile’s source code in a series of breaches that took place in March, as first reported by Krebs on Security . T-Mobile confirmed the attack in a statement to The Verge , and says the “systems accessed contained no customer or government information or other similarly sensitive information.” In copies of private messages obtained by Krebs, the Lapsus$ hacking group discussed targeting T-Mobile in the week prior to the arrest of seven of its teenage members . After purchasing employees’ credentials online, the members could use the company’s internal tools — like Atlas, T-Mobile’s customer management system — to perform SIM swaps. This type of attack involves hijacking a target’s mobile phone by... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/23/23038570/lapsus-hackers-target-t-mobile-source-code-multiple-breaches-cybersecurity

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge On April 17th, the decentralized finance (DeFi) project Beanstalk Farms was exploited for $182 million after an attacker mounted a lightning-fast hostile takeover, buying a controlling stake of tokens and immediately voting to send themself all of the funds . The incident sparked discussion around “governance attacks,” a way of manipulating blockchain projects that use decentralized governance structures by gaining enough voting rights to reshape the rules. In the wake of the attack, chat logs and video evidence show that the founders were warned about the risk of exactly this kind of attack, but they dismissed community members’ concerns. The Beanstalk exploit was made possible by another DeFi mechanism known as a “flash loan,” which... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/22/23037325/beanstalk-dismissed-governance-attacks-lost-182-million

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Several years ago, I had to deal with a situation that may be familiar to a lot of people: I was slammed with a series of high medical bills that had been denied by the insurance company. The doctor was in network, but according to the insurance company, his bills were coded wrong. Or wait, his facilities weren’t in network or… well, you get the idea. It took over a year and many phone calls to iron out the issue — and I wouldn’t have gotten through it had I not been able to record each phone call I made with the insurance company and the various medical facilities involved. Today, it would be nearly impossible. Federal law in the US says that you can legally record a phone conversation, but only if you are taking part in that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23037242/phone-call-record-iphone-android-tapping-privacy-apps

Amazon’s Smart Thermostat is down to just $47.99 today at Amazon. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge It’s Earth Day, so in honor of the occasion, we’re starting today’s roundup with an excellent deal on Amazon’s eco-friendly Smart Thermostat. Smart thermostats such as Amazon’s can reduce and, in some cases, track your energy consumption. And they’re also a great buy for bargain hunters given that they can lower your monthly energy bill. In honor of the holiday today, some retailers are discounting an array of smart thermostats, including Amazon’s budget-friendly option. Right now, you can buy the Smart Thermostat for $47.99 instead of $59.99 at Amazon , Best Buy , and Kohl’s , which is its lowest price to date. Plus, depending on where you live, you may be eligible for a rebate of up to $50 from your local energy provider. Despite its... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2022/4/22/23035493/amazon-smart-thermostat-apple-mac-mini-anker-go...

Twitter is testing a CC button for closed captions on videos. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Twitter said on Friday it’s testing a new “CC” button to turn captions on and off on videos with captions available. The feature is rolling out to some users on iOS and will be coming “soon” to Android, the company says. As shown in a video tweeted by Twitter’s Support account, the button appears in the upper-right corner of a video attached to a tweet. Video captions or no captions, it’s now easier to choose for some of you on iOS, and soon on Android. On videos that have captions available, we’re testing the option to turn captions off/on with a new “CC” button. pic.twitter.com/Q2Q2Wmr78U — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) April 22, 2022 As its board considers a takeover bid by Tesla CEO Elon Musk , Twitter has been rolling out a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/22/23037422/twitter-testing-cc-button-captions-video-accessibility

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Sony is aiming to launch its revamped PlayStation Plus tiers in the Americas on June 13th, the company announced Friday . Sony is targeting a launch date first in markets in Asia (with the exception of Japan) on May 23rd, followed by a Japan launch on June 1st, an Americas launch on June 13th, and a Europe launch on June 22nd. Sony first announced the new tiers in March, with the premium options offering perks like access to a collection of games to download or stream and the ability to play classic PlayStation, PS2, PS3, and PSP games. (Unfortunately, if you want to play the retro games, you’ll have to pay for the most expensive tier .) At the time of the original announcement, Sony had said that the tiers would be available first in the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/22/23037384/sony-playstation-plus-new-tiers-launch-date

Photo illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Now that Apple has several models, there’s more to consider Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23037217/apple-watch-best-smartwatch-how-to-buy

Apple Cash debit cards may be switching from Discover to Visa. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple Cash, formerly known as Apple Pay Cash, may be transitioning from the Discover payments network to Visa, a new repor t from MacRumors suggests. Visa has a much larger global network than Discover, which might account for the move. Since its launch in 2017, Apple Pay Cash had a partnership with Green Dot Bank on Discover’s network, but in recent days, users have noticed that Apple Cash virtual cards now have a Visa logo on them. Apple Cash virtual cards live in users’ Apple Pay mobile wallets, and let them send peer-to-peer payments via iMessage. They function like virtual debit cards, and can be linked to a bank account or other debit card. Apple Card customers’ cash back earnings can be paid to Apple Cash accounts as well. Apple... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/22/23037188/apple-cash-debit-cards-discover-visa-payments