Lead Hacker

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A judge for the National Labor Relations Board has determined that Amazon broke labor laws in the run-up to union elections at its JFK8 and LDJ5 facilities in Staten Island, New York. According to the judge, the company threatened workers by saying they wouldn’t get raises or additional benefits during a potential collective bargaining period and discriminated against union organizers while enforcing its solicitation policies. According to the decision, posted in full by Bloomberg Law , Amazon removed a post from an internal forum that called for workers to sign an Amazon Labor Union petition to get holiday pay for Juneteenth. Amazon allegedly cited its solicitation rules, but the judge says the company didn’t take the same action against... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/31/23580139/nlrb-amazon-labor-union-complaint-solicitation-laws

A screenshot from Apex Legends Mobile . | Image: EA Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment announced the game’s mobile version will shut down in all regions on May 1st, just a few weeks shy of its one-year anniversary. As if that wasn’t enough bad news for players, it also said that once the game is gone, so are any items or extras they purchased in Apex Legends Mobile . EA shared the news about the change as part of its Q3 FY203 earnings results. A news post from the company described the shutdown as a “mutual decision” reached with its “development partner”; Apex Legends Mobile was developed by Respawn and Tencent’s Lightspeed & Quantum Studios , which also handles the mobile port of PUBG . Respawn’s post reiterates that note but starts by claiming, “Following a strong start, the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/31/23580285/ea-apex-legends-mobile-shutting-down-refunds-battlefield

Promotional art for Street Fighter: Duel . | Image: Crunchyroll Capcom and Crunchyroll are launching a new Street Fighter mobile game very soon, though it doesn’t sound like your typical Street Fighter title. Titled Street Fighter: Duel , Crunchyroll describes it as “the first ever RPG in the series,” and based on a summary on Crunchyroll’s website , it will feature 2D brawling, too: Are you ready to duel it out in the world of Street Fighter ? Be prepared to travel the globe to recruit and level up iconic characters from across the Street Fighter series. With a team of champions, players will throw down in beautifully animated 2D brawls on all-new and iconic stages from Street Fighter ’s past to take down Seth and the Shadaloo’s army of mech clones in an extensive story mode. Street Fighter: Duel is a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/31/23580037/capcom-crunchyroll-street-fighter-duel-mobile-android-ios

Excited for my top 10 songs this year to just be the new Boygenius album. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple Music users who love having a playlist of their favorite songs rejoice: Apple has made the Replay 2023 playlist available, letting you see which songs you’ve listed to the most this year. The songs that are on it and their rankings will almost certainly change before the big replay roundup in December , but it’s nice to start using it now as a shortcut to playing music you know you’ll like. The playlist has come a bit early this year, as XDA Developers points out . The 2022 version was released around the middle of February . It seems as if Apple is taking the feature a bit more seriously; last year, it apparently decided it should actually compete with Spotify’s Wrapped feature and made its end-of-year recap significantly more... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/31/23579784/apple-music-replay-2023-playlist-how-to-favorites

Image: Getty Images City officials are sick of them . Residents are annoyed by them . And any inkling of profit remains a distant dream . But despite mounting challenges, San Francisco’s robotaxis are rolling along. This week, both Waymo and Cruise submitted their latest quarterly trip data to the California Public Utilities Commission, and taken together, they show steady progress in the number of miles and passengers served. Both companies offer a paid ridehailing service in the Bay Area, with most of their activity concentrated in downtown San Francisco. But while Cruise is permitted to charge for rides in its fully driverless vehicles, Waymo only has authorization to charge for rides in vehicles with a safety driver behind the wheel. Waymo and Cruise’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/31/23579426/cruise-waymo-cpuc-trips-growth-robotaxi-sf

Nick Offerman as Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank | Image: HBO The Last of Us’ third episode illustrates why breaking away from the source material can be exactly what a video game adaptation needs to do the original story justice. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23577959/the-last-of-us-hbo-episode-3-bill-frank-kathleen

A new, more powerful LG Gram. | Image: LG Electronics USA The 2023 model of LG’s ultralight Gram 17 now has an official release date and price. LG has announced that the devices will be available for purchase on February 1st on LG’s website, with other “select LG-authorized retailers” to follow. Models will start at $1,999. A number of refreshes to the Gram line were announced at CES 2023 in early January. The laptops will support variable refresh rate and Dolby Atmos for the first time. They’ve also been updated to 13th Gen Intel processors. LG refers to these new LG Gram 17 models as the “LG Gram Pro,” though they are simply labeled as “LG Gram 17” on its website. There look to be two models available at launch. The $1,999.99 model will include an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23578022/lg-gram-17-2023-release-date-price

The Kid Laroi’s avatar performing in Fortnite. | Image: Epic Games Checking out The Kid Laroi might be the first time I ever died during a concert — virtually, of course. The Australian singer is the latest artist to headline an interactive Fortnite experience , but this one differs a bit, adding a touch more of the shooter action that’s core to the game. The result is a strangely compelling experience that further expands what these kinds of virtual concerts can be. It even has a miniature raid. Called “Wild Dreams,” the virtual music experience is billed as an “immersive sonic experience portraying Laroi’s journey from humble beginnings to headlining sold-out performances as a worldwide superstar.” Unlike virtual concerts from the likes of Travis Scott and Ariana Grande , which took over the entire... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23577949/fortnite-kid-laroi-concert-raid

Arrival said it would reduce costs by laying off 50 percent of its employees. | Image: Arrival Arrival, an electric vehicle startup based in the UK, said it was laying off 50 percent of its employees in a bid to reduce costs. The company also named a new CEO, Igor Torgov, who previously served as executive vice president of digital at the company. Arrival, which announced last year that it was winding down its UK operations in favor of refocusing its business in the US, became a publicly traded company in March 2021 after merging with a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC . Founded in 2015, Arrival was developing electric delivery vans for UPS as a customer, as well as ridehailing cars for Uber and public buses . It also has backing from Hyundai and Kia. The layoffs were the latest piece of bad news to hit the EV startup... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23577753/arrival-layoff-50-percent-ev-startup-new-ceo

Image: Sean O’Kane / The Verge A little more than six months after it raised prices on the Mustang Mach-E, Ford said it would now be slashing prices on its flagship electric vehicle as well as increasing its production targets for the year. The Mach-E will drop by an average of around 5.85 percent, depending on the trim level. (Some versions are seeing steeper discounts than others.) According to Marin Gjaja, chief customer officer for Ford Model e division, the “center cut” discount was roughly $4,500. Here’s a breakdown of the new prices: The company also said it was expanding the production capacity for the Mach-E, opening new space in its factory and adding new equipment. As such, Ford says it expects to produce 130,000 vehicles for customers in North America... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23574610/ford-mustang-mach-e-slash-prices-ev-tax-credit

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Sony says it should now be a lot easier to find PS5 stock at retailers. After two years of supply challenges, Sony has thanked fans for their patience as it delt with “unprecedented demand” since the PS5 launch in November 2020. “If you’re looking to purchase a PS5 console, you should now have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally,” says Isabelle Tomatis, VP of brand, hardware, and peripherals at Sony Interactive Entertainment. Sony recommends its own PlayStation direct store for those looking for a PS5 in the US, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. There are a variety of bundles available, alongside the base digital and disc PS5 consoles. Breaking News - A GIANT Leviathan Axe spotted in London. R... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23577454/sony-ps5-stock-supply-improved

Apple’s 10th-gen iPad, released last year. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Apple could be on track to release a foldable iPad as early as next year, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. “I’m positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model will boost shipments and improve the product mix,” he tweeted early Monday . Kuo expects it to be joined by a revamped iPad Mini, due to enter mass production in early 2024. Kuo didn’t offer many new details on the rumored iPad foldable, but said that it will feature a “carbon fiber” kickstand produced by Chinese component manufacturer Anjie Technology. (4/4) Thus, I'm taking a cautious approach to iPad shipments for 2023, predicting a YoY decline of 10-15%. Nevertheless, I'm positive about the foldable iPad in 2024 and expect this new model... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/30/23577407/apple-ipad-foldable-analyst-ming-chi-kuo-2024-release-date

Image: Internet Archive I never thought I’d actually have fun with a calculator emulator. But here I am, toying with the old-school graphing calculators that the Internet Archive has freed from their plastic chassis and put in a digital form for all to enjoy. The Internet Archive calls this new collection the Calculator Drawer. There are 14 calculators to choose from, including the HP 48GX, TI-82, TI-83 Plus, and even the Electronic Number Muncher, which is an 80s-era toy calculator. The Internet Archive doesn’t just emulate the interface of each device, either; it incorporates their physical design and buttons, making it feel like you have the actual device right in front of you. Screenshot: Emma Roth / The Verge Doing some tough math... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/29/23576677/emulated-calculators-internet-archive-mame

Image: Nintendo The latest Super Mario Bros. Movie teaser lets us hear Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong for the first time. During the clip, Mario faces off against Donkey Kong in an arena of sorts — just like we’ve seen in the previous trailer — but this trailer expands on the scene. While it seems like Mario’s on the losing side of the battle, this appears to change when the titular plumber hits a question mark block, and (presumably) gets the Super Bell, transforming him into Cat Mario. Seeing Mario in his adorably fuzzy catsuit sends Donkey Kong into a laughing fit, which gives us a chance to hear Rogen’s signature laugh . Image: Nintendo Don’t laugh at Cat Mario. It’s nice to finally hear Rogen as Donkey Kong, and I have to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/29/23576904/super-mario-bros-movie-teaser-seth-rogan-donkey-kong

Cruise and Waymo are causing traffic issues in San Francisco. | Image: Getty Images San Francisco transportation officials want Waymo and Cruise to slow the expansion of their robotaxi services in the city due to safety concerns, as reported earlier by NBC News . In two letters written to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the officials on San Francisco County’s Transportation Authority say the expansion of either service “is unreasonable,” citing recent incidents involving stopped driverless vehicles blocking traffic and obstructing emergency responders. The GM-backed Cruise and Alphabet-owned Waymo are currently the only companies permitted to offer driverless rides to passengers in San Francisco. In June, Cruise won a permit to charge for rides in its autonomous vehicles (AV) between 10PM and 6AM,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/29/23576422/san-francisco-cruise-waymo-robotaxi-rollout

Samar Haddad / The Verge With the latest update to iOS 16.3 , your Apple HomePod Mini smart speaker can now monitor the temperature and humidity in your home. No setup or extra hardware needed! The soon-to-be-released HomePod 2 will also have this capability. In this article, we’ll go over how to use this new feature and show you how to use it with Apple Home smart home automations. How to check the temperature and humidity in your room using your HomePod With the new temperature and humidity sensing in the HomePod, you can easily check what the temperature is in the room your smart speaker is situated in just by asking Siri. Say, “hey Siri, what's the temperature in here?” and the voice assistant will reply with its current reading. The same goes for checking... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23574268/homepod-temperature-and-humidity-sensor-how-to-use

Microsoft, GitHub, and OpenAI claim the lawsuit doesn’t hold up. | Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa-Zentralbild/ZB (Photo by Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images Microsoft, GitHub, and OpenAI want the court to dismiss a proposed class action complaint that accuses the companies of scraping licensed code to build GitHub’s AI-powered Copilot tool, as reported earlier by Reuters . In a pair of filings submitted to a San Francisco federal court on Thursday, the Microsoft-owned GitHub and OpenAI say the claims outlined in the suit don’t hold up. Launched in 2021 , Copilot leverages OpenAI’s technology to generate and suggest lines of code directly within a programmer’s code editor. The tool, which is trained on publicly available code from GitHub, sparked concerns over whether it violates copyright laws soon after its release. Things came to a head when programmer and lawyer, Matthew Butterick, teamed... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/28/23575919/micr

Image: Capcom Capcom will exclusively use PCs to power its upcoming Capcom Cup tournament, which has the world’s top Street Fighter 5 players battling it out for a $300,000 prize pool. In a post on Twitter , Capcom Fighters says all matches will be played on PCs with the displays set to 144Hz. The company doesn’t provide any information on the hardware going into these PCs (or if they’ll just use gaming laptops), but the move’s expected to reduce input lag — the time it takes for a system to translate your button press on a keyboard or controller to an action displayed on the screen. Low input lag is a necessity for pros in the fighting game scene, where a delayed punch or kick can greatly affect the outcome of a match. pic.twitter.com/UbQK0gESD2 —... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/28/23575521/capcom-cup-tournament-street-fighter-5-pc

Song of the bots. | Illustration: The Verge Google researchers have made an AI that can generate minutes-long musical pieces from text prompts, and can even transform a whistled or hummed melody into other instruments, similar to how systems like DALL-E generate images from written prompts ( via TechCrunch ). The model is called MusicLM, and while you can’t play around with it for yourself, the company has uploaded a bunch of samples that it produced using the model. The examples are impressive. There are 30-second snippets of what sound like actual songs created from paragraph-long descriptions that prescribe a genre, vibe, and even specific instruments, as well as five-minute-long pieces generated from one or two words like “melodic techno.” Perhaps my favorite is a demo of “story... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/28/23574573/google-musiclm-text-to-music-ai

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Department of Justice announced this week that FBI agents successfully disrupted Hive, a notorious ransomware group, and prevented $130 million worth of ransom campaigns that targets no longer need to consider paying. While claiming the Hive group has been responsible for targeting over 1,500 victims in over 80 countries worldwide, the department now reveals it had infiltrated the group’s network for months before working with German and Netherlands officials to shut down Hive servers and websites this week. “Simply put, using lawful means, we hacked the hackers,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco remarked during a press conference . The FBI claims that by covertly hacking into Hive servers, it was able to quietly snatch up over... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/23574257/fbi-us-justice-department-seizes-hive-ransomware-network-servers

She apparently won’t be the star. | Photo by Dominique Charriau / WireImage Amazon is developing a TV series based on the Tomb Raider video game franchise with scripts written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, according to The Hollywood Reporter . Details are light on this new Tomb Raider series, but THR says that while Waller-Bridge will serve as a writer and executive producer, she won’t be starring in the show. The show is apparently still in the development stages, so we probably shouldn’t expect to see it anytime soon. This new series could be another potentially big video game franchise adaptation for Amazon, which announced in December that it would be making a God of War TV show . But it also marks a further investment from Amazon into the Tomb Raider franchise, as the company will also be publishing the next Tomb... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/23574923/amazon-tomb-raider-tv-series-phoebe-waller-bridge

Comcast revealed that the service lost $978 million in Q4 despite gaining 5 million new subscribers. | Image: Peacock Comcast published its fourth quarter 2022 earnings on Thursday, reporting that the company had managed to exceed analyst projections for the year despite losing broadband and video subscribers and widening losses from its Peacock streaming service. Peacock — the streaming platform for Comcast-owned NBCUniversal — reported a loss of $978 million during the company’s fourth financial quarter, a sizable jump from the $559 million loss reported in the same quarter last year. Comcast expects Peacock’s total losses to peak at around $3 billion. “We believe 2023 will be peak losses for Peacock and, from there, steadily improve,” said Comcast president Michael Cavanagh during a company earnings call ( via CNBC ). Peacock’s annual revenue has... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/23574580/comcast-peacock-revenue-q4-2023-subscriber-loss

This is the first time the Apple Watch will be an official wearable of choice in a professional sports league. | Image: World Surf League The Apple Watch will officially be catching waves. The World Surf League announced today that it’s adopting the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra as official equipment to keep surfers up to date during competitions. It marks the first time a professional sports league has named the Apple Watch as its official wearable of choice. Before each heat, each athlete will be given Series 8 and Ultra watches preloaded with a specially made WSL Surfer app. The app will connect with the league’s scoring system in real time and give surfers updates on scores, wave priority, and how much time is left in the heat. They’ll also be able to see how many points are needed to either advance or take the lead. The idea is to help surfers better plan and focus... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/23574189/apple-watch-world-surf-league-wea

Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Felicity Kyle Napuli in In My Mother’s Skin . | Image: Sundance Institute It does not take long for In My Mother’s Skin to get gross. Within its first few minutes, the horror film from writer and director Kenneth Dagatan subjects you to some truly gruesome images of flesh-eating creatures, and honestly, it never really lets up. This is a blood-soaked fairy tale, one that mashes together folklore and history in a way that’s reminiscent of Guillermo del Toro’s defining work, Pan’s Labyrinth — only it’s a lot scarier. The movie is set in the Philippines in 1945 in the waning days of World War II, with Japanese forces occupying the country. Things are bleak. Early on, you hear kids sharing horrible stories about the barbaric acts of the Japanese soldiers, and the family at the center of the story is getting by on... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/23572642/in-my-mothers-skin-review-sundance-2023-amazon-prime-video

Photo Illustration by William Joel / The Verge Bad news: flagship phones cost a small fortune these days. Good news: we can help you pick the right one and get the most for your money. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22163811/best-phone

A Ford owner getting service at home — and looking ecstatic to not need to drive to the dealership they probably hate. | Image: Ford Ford is ramping up its remote service offerings to save customers a trip to their dealership for things like oil changes and recall repairs. The updated program promises that more Ford owners nationwide can get access to complimentary pickup and delivery of their vehicles, as well as mobile repair options. Mobile services from Ford won’t operate from a central location, though. It will still be up to dealerships to offer remote services and to choose what services to provide at a customer’s home or business. Ford is, however, lending dealers a hand to get the services up and running. “We’ve been working with multiple teams at Ford to offer our customers more ways to personalize vehicle service,” stated Ford National Dealer Council... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/26/23572519/ford-mobile-service-pickup-delivery-dealersh

This is not a Samsung Galaxy S23, but rather a puck Corning uses to test its glass. | Image: Corning Samsung will officially announce its next Galaxy smartphones on February 1st , including a new Ultra — and Corning just revealed they’ll be the first phones to protect their screens with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 . Like I told you in November , Corning says its new cover class should be able to survive a one-meter drop on concrete, one of the more difficult landings for a phone because of all those jagged bumps. (The original Gorilla Glass Victus from 2020 claimed to be able to survive two-meter drops, but only on smoother asphalt; Victus 2 can do that as well.) Now, we don’t know that Samsung’s phones will actually survive any of those drops. Yours might not! Corning’s latest press release with Samsung doesn’t tout the one-meter claim at... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/26/23554215/samsung-galaxy-s23-corning-gorilla-glass-victus-2

Companies have been cutting costs.  | Photo by Natt Garun / The Verge Over the past few months, the economy has started to turn, and tech workers are being hit hard. Meta, Twitter, and more have fired thousands, and others are slowing or freezing hiring. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/14/23458204/meta-twitter-amazon-apple-layoffs-hiring-freezes-latest-tech-industry

Season: A Letter to the Future. | Image: Scavengers Studio There’s no shortage of games — or any stories, for that matter — about the end of the world. But I can’t think of many that are as calm and soothing as biking around the end times in Season: A Letter to the Future . Instead of fighting for your life or searching for ways to survive an impending apocalypse, you’re documenting the world as it is so future generations have a chance to learn about it when it’s gone forever. It makes the apocalypse almost cozy . The game takes place in a world where the eras of humanity are split into seasons, which can last a few centuries, and when they end, they take almost everything with them. Season starts not long before the next season (sorry), and you play as a young explorer leaving their small town... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23568494/season-a-letter-to-the-future-review-pc-playstation-ps5

Prime Minister Narendra Modi | Getty Images Tech companies — including Twitter — are following the Indian government’s demands to suppress a BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As reported by The Intercept and TechCrunch , Twitter and YouTube both locally blocked The Modi Question , which investigates claims of Modi’s involvement in India’s deadly 2002 Gujarat riots. It’s one of Twitter’s first tangles with India under the ownership of billionaire Elon Musk, but contrary to some writing , the documentary’s ban isn’t an example of Musk violating a vocal “free speech absolutist” ethos. It’s a reminder that Musk has always been fine with government censorship. Over the weekend, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting senior advisor Kanchan Gupta tweeted that both... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/25/23571103/elon-musk-twitter-india-social-media-bbc-documentary-modi-censorship

Image: Raymond Hall/GC Images Lauren Sánchez is best known for her TV and news appearances — and a relationship with Jeff Bezos (that had a few publicly dramatic turns ) — but now, she could soon be known as the first person to lead an all-woman space mission on Blue Origin. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal , Sánchez reveals that she’s wanted to fly on earlier missions but Bezos is now encouraging her and thrilled to put together the female crew. Sánchez isn’t saying who the five women are who will be joining her, something that will be revealed closer to the planned early 2024 flight. “It’s going to be women who are making a difference in the world and who are impactful and have a message to send,” Sánchez tells the Journal . And Bezos won’t be getting an... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/25/23571248/lauren-sanchez-blue-origin-2024-new-shepard-space-flight-woman-mission-bezos

Image: William Joel/The Verge The best laptops for you, from ultraportables to high-powered editing machines Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/21250695/best-laptops

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Twitch is sharing a road map for features it’s working on for 2023. Among them are changes to the way ads are run, new first-party tools to help with chat engagement, and tools to help streamers manage their brand deals. But the biggest is making pre-roll ads less annoying. For 2023, Twitch is working on changing how ads are displayed during a stream. As described in an open letter from chief product officer Tom Verrilli and chief monetization officer Mike Minton: In the first half of this year, we’re making two changes to improve the way ads work for viewers and channels: First, we’re updating the way disabling pre-roll works for channels. Running three minutes of ads per hour in any way will disable all pre-rolls – they no longer have... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/25/23569990/twitch-2022-review-2023-roadmap-ads

The Verge is excited to announce that Hot Pod Summit — our invite-only event for creators, decision-makers, and trendsetters in the audio industry — is returning to Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn. On February 23rd, we’ll be holding a day-long summit of panels, conversations, and interactive programming exploring the latest developments in podcasting, audiobooks, and more. The event will be led by Ariel Shapiro, Hot Pod ’s lead writer, and feature appearances from Nicholas Quah, author of Vulture ’s 1.5x Speed newsletter and the founder of Hot Pod , and Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge . We’re thrilled to once again be partnering with the incredible team at work x work to produce the event. Hot Pod Summit is part of work x work’s On Air... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/25/23570039/hot-pod-summit-brooklyn-2023-on-air-fest-work-x-work

I, too, am throwing my hands in the air for this change. | Image: Meta Meta is making a big improvement to controls in its social VR platform Horizon Worlds : jump is being remapped to the A button, according to a blog post about the app’s new v94 update . You might be surprised to hear that wasn’t the case before, especially given that the A button has been widely used for jumping in video games for decades. But before now, you jumped in Horizon Worlds by pressing the right thumbstick as if it was a button. If you ask me, that wasn’t ideal; not only is jump not where you might expect it to be but the right thumbstick is already used to rotate your character, so pushing down the stick to jump could also lead to accidental turns. The A button as the default will be in effect for “all players and worlds” with... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/24/23569905/meta-horizon-worlds-jump-button-controls-v94

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge GoTo, the remote collaboration and IT software company that owns LastPass, has confirmed that, along with LastPass’ password vaults , it had customer data taken by attackers during a November 2022 security breach ( via TechCrunch ). The company, which was formerly known as LogMeIn, is updating its blog post about the breach for the first time since November 30th, when GoTo confirmed “unusual activity” within its development environment and cloud storage service. Many of GoTo’s enterprise products were affected, including Central, Pro, join.me, Hamachi, and RemotelyAnywhere. GoTo CEO Paddy Srinivasan writes that a hacker “exfiltrated encrypted backups from a third-party cloud storage service” and acquired the encryption key for a portion of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/24/23569109/goto-hack-lastpass-breach-encrypted-backups-key

Seems like this person has everything they need for Apple’s just-launched security key support. | Image: Yubico Apple just added support for security keys to secure your Apple ID with its latest iOS and macOS updates, but to actually set up your keys with your account, you’ll need to have at least two security keys on hand, according to an Apple support document ( via MacRumors ). While that might sound like a bit of an inconvenience, the requirement means that you’ll have a backup in the event that you lose your primary key and won’t be locked out of your account. It’s not an entirely unexpected ask; Google recommends using two security keys with its Advanced Protection Program for Google accounts , though the company only requires that you have one security key to enroll. Apple will let you enroll up to six keys to your account. You can add... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/24/23569578/apple-security-key-support-two-fido

Jacob Buster and Emma Tremblay in Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out . | Image: Sundance Institute It’s pretty easy to look at a film title like Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out — which, from now on, I’m just calling Aliens Abducted My Parents — and roll your eyes. It’s just so goofy. (And admittedly makes it really hard to write a headline for.) But it’s also incredibly fitting and does a great job of selling what this movie is all about. Director Jake Van Wagoner’s Aliens Abducted My Parents , which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival , is a lighthearted mashup of a family-friendly caper and coming-of-age tale, one that does just enough weird sci-fi stuff to help it get away with an otherwise formulaic story. Ten years ago, a young Calvin (Jacob Buster) was waiting on his roof with his dad (Will... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23568443/aliens-abducted-my-parents-and-now-i-feel-kinda-left-out-

Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth (wearing masks, obviously) in Infinity Pool . | Image: Sundance Institute Even the worst vacation you’ve ever had — screaming kids, delayed flights, cruise ship food poisoning — has nothing on Infinity Pool , the latest from director Brandon Cronenberg ( son of body horror master David Cronenberg ). What starts as an escape to a picturesque resort swiftly turns into a bizarre and gruesome game of violence and brutality, with a little existential horror thrown in for good measure. Infinity Pool doesn’t fully explore the elements that kick off its high-concept premise, but it’s worth it to watch two talented actors absolutely lose their shit. The film takes place in the fictional country of Li Tolqa, where James (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are taking an all-inclusive vacation at a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23567549/infinity-pool-review-sundance-2023

Image: Dbrand I imagine you have questions. In no particular order: Yes, that’s a Steam Deck done up to look like a Nintendo Switch. Yes, the assholes at Dbrand are shitposting again ! Also yes, you can actually buy it . It’s a skin. Peel and apply. The red, blue, and black regions are all one big sticker. There’s another sticker for the front, and two squares for the trackpads. No, we didn’t blur the Nintendo Switch logo. Dbrand did. What you see is what you get. “Lawyers we paid to say ‘it’s legal’ said it’s legal,” Dbrand spox Danny tells us. That didn’t stop Sony . It might not stop the infamously litigious Nintendo , either. It costs 50 freaking dollars, the same price Dbrand charges to wrap your Deck in leather . My headline is a classic Sega... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23567250/dbrand-switchdeck-steam-deck-nintendo-switch-skin

Another big musical act is descending upon Fortnite . Today, Epic announced that the game’s next virtual music experience will feature The Kid Laroi, and it’s kicking off very soon: the “immersive, interactive musical experience” will begin on January 27th at 6PM ET. It will be a little different from the events featuring the likes of Travis Scott and Ariana Grande , however, which took over the Fortnite battle royale island for a massive spectacle. Instead, the Kid Laroi event will take place on a dedicated Creative island purpose-built for the experience. Epic says the event will explore the singer’s “journey from humble beginnings to headlining sold-out performances as a worldwide superstar.” It sounds like something of a cross between... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23567508/fortnite-concert-the-kid-laroi-trailer-date

Under a new brand called “Afeela,” the Japanese electronics and media conglomerate is partnering with Honda to produce a new electric vehicle from 2026 onward, which will more than likely be built at Honda’s facilities in the US to take advantage of new EV tax credit rules. | Image: Getty It’s easy to be cynical about Sony’s entry into the automotive world. Even the name — Afeela — evokes more eye rolls than serious expressions. But here’s why you should take it seriously.  Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23564431/sony-honda-ev-afeela-apple-subscription-lease-software

Microsoft is removing Windows 10 Home and Pro downloads from sale later this month. The downloads include license keys for Windows 10 (necessary to activate and use the download), and are being removed more than two years before Microsoft stops officially supporting Windows 10 on October 14th, 2025. Microsoft updated its Windows 10 product pages recently to note the January 31st cutoff date for sales, but it’s not clear how the company will treat similar downloads and license keys available from retailers like Amazon. We asked Microsoft to comment on Windows 10 license keys and downloads from third-party retailers, but the company only confirmed its own plans to remove its own sales. “An update was made to the Windows 10 product page to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23567281/microsoft-windows-10-download-license-sales-ending

NieR: Automata Ver1.1a, the anime based on PlatinumGames’ action RPG, has seen its release interrupted by the ongoing impact of the covid pandemic. The show’s official Twitter account has announced that the release of the rest of the series has been indefinitely delayed. Unusually, this announcement has come after the first three episodes of the show were already released on Crunchyroll following a January 7th premiere. “Due to the impact of COVID-19 on production, we have decided to postpone the broadcast and distribution of episode 4 and all subsequent episodes,” the statement reads, adding that an updated release schedule will be announced on Twitter soon. “We apologize for any inconvenience and concern this may cause our fans who... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23567272/nier-automata-anime-delayed-episode-4-covid-19

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Samsung TV Plus, the app that houses hundreds of free channels, could eventually make its way to other, non-Samsung TVs. That’s according to media tech reporter Janko Roettgers, who writes in his Lowpass newsletter that Samsung’s in talks to bring its streaming app to TCL TVs. Introduced in 2015, Samsung TV Plus is a free, ad-supported streaming (FAST) service that comes preinstalled on newer Samsung TVs. The service gives viewers a way to flip through a collection of channels, much like you would with a traditional TV service. Samsung TV Plus has a pretty strong slate of content for a free app, with Samsung adding popular shows like Top Gear , Law & Order Special Victims Unit , NCIS , and Chicago Fire last August. It also offers a range... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/22/23566741/samsung-free-tv-plus-streaming-tcl

Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images Quordle, the word-solving game that emerged at the height of Wordle’s popularity, has been acquired by Merriam-Webster, as first reported by TechCrunch . The game now lives directly on Merriam-Webster’s website , rather than on its own. “I’m delighted to announce that Quordle was acquired by @MerriamWebster,” a post on Quorlde’s Twitter account reads. “I can’t think of a better home for this game. Lots of news features and fun to come, so stay tuned!” Quordle is just one of many spinoffs that tried to piggyback off of the success of Wordle, which had users posting their scores across Twitter and competing with friends to solve the word of the day with the least guesses. Screenshot: Emma Roth / The Verge Quordle’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/22/23566622/merriam-webster-acquires-quordle-wordle-clone

Gulikit’s joystick replacements use Hall effect sensors that make them less likely to wear down. | Image: Gulikit After years of dealing with Joy-Con drift and no satisfactory answers from Nintendo, we may finally have our solution. A company called Gulikit created a set of Switch joystick replacements that promise to banish stick drift once and for all (via Gizmodo ) . If you’re a Switch owner, you’re probably well-acquainted with Joy-Con drift , which creates annoying false inputs even when you’re not touching the thumbsticks. It’s been a problem ever since the Switch came out and still hasn’t been fully fixed in the new OLED model (although Nintendo says it’s made some “improvements” ). While you can send your Joy-Cons away for a free repair at Nintendo (or just buy a new set), the sticks will inevitably start drifting again. Image:... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/22/23566353/switch-joy-con-drift-solution-nintendo-gulikit

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge Apple’s working on a MacBook Air and iMac with an M3 chip built using the more efficient 3-nanometer fabrication process, according to a report from Bloomberg ’s Mark Gurman . While it’s not clear when the two upgraded devices might launch, Gurman expects the M3 chip to arrive later this year or early next year. Gurman first hinted at this in June of last year , noting that Apple’s working on an M3-equipped 13-inch MacBook Air, 15-inch MacBook Air, and a new iMac. At the time, he added that the M3 chip could appear as early as this year, but that hasn’t happened. Instead, Apple included the new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips with the lineup of MacBook Pros it announced earlier this month, and also added an M2 Pro chip to the Mac Mini . These chips... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/22/23566265/apple-m3-macbook-air-imac-gurman

Image: Square Enix The development of Marvel ’s Avengers is coming to a close. In a blog post , developer Crystal Dynamics announced that the game won’t receive any new updates after March 31st, with support ending on September 30th ( via IGN ). While you’ll still be able to play the game in both single-player and multiplayer mode, Crystal Dynamics says it “can’t guarantee that we will be able to address issues that occur” after support ends. The last — and final — balance update will take place in March, and from then on, all cosmetics, including “every Outfit, Takedown, and Nameplate” will be available for free and without the purchase of credits. Any remaining credits “will be converted into in-game resources,” Crystal Dynamics says. It also provides a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/21/23565629/marvels-avengers-development-ending

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Elon Musk says Twitter will roll out a new “higher priced” Blue subscription that doesn’t show ads on the platform. The current $7.99 per month Twitter Blue subscription promises 50 percent fewer ads when compared to “non-verified people,” although this feature hasn’t been rolled out yet. A more expensive, ad-free subscription might be Twitter’s answer to Blue’s disappointing subscriber numbers and Twitter’s 40 percent decline in ad revenue, something The Verge ’s Alex Heath reports on in his latest Command Line newsletter . In addition to the new tier, Musk says Twitter’s also working on a way to decrease the frequency and size of ads on Twitter, which he’s hinted at in the past . Also, there will be a higher priced subscription that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/21/23565364/elon-musk-twitter-blue-subscription-no-ads