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Keep media companies paid while regularly antagonizing them is definitely a strategy. | Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Full-time Twitter CEO and part-time Tesla enthusiast Elon Musk said on Saturday that users of his social media platform will be able to avoid media subscriptions and pay per article starting “next month.” Musk says that Twitter’s forthcoming “one-click” service “should be a major win-win for both media orgs & the public” by allowing media companies to charge a higher per article price to readers who wouldn’t necessarily pay a full subscription rate. Musk didn’t say what percentage Twitter would pocket for itself or what conditions media publishers would need to abide by. Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per article basis with one click. This enables users who would not sign up for a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/30/23705561/twitter-pay-per-

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Like many great products, the Elgato Stream Deck wasn’t exactly a new idea. When the very first one debuted six years ago this month , we instantly compared it to Art Lebedev’s legendary Optimus Maximus keyboard, which promised an array of swirling OLED screens under your fingertips an entire decade earlier. Razer, too, pioneered LCD keys before their time, tacking them onto a keyboard and the company’s very first Blade laptop . But today, we’re celebrating the simple genius of Elgato — the company that finally turned them into a viable product by making them relatively cheap, comfy, and most importantly: peripheral . Art Lebedev and Razer both believed we wanted a new keyboard that morphs, where our primary computing input mechanism... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23703402/stream-deck-button-of-the-month

Whoops. It’s a long-standing belief here at The Verge that copyright law is the only real law on the internet, because it’s the only speech regulation most people on most platforms will accept. (At least in the United States.) Post something that blatantly infringes someone else’s copyright, and most platforms will spring into action to take it down, because they are protected from liability under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act if they take action in a reasonable amount of time upon request. And the way the DMCA influences user behavior on platforms is really well-known: we have been writing about “no copyright intended” for over a decade now . There are lots of and lots of people out there who know how it works. Anyway, Elon Musk isn’t... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/30/23705377/the-entire-super-mario-bros-movie-keeps-getting-posted-to-twitter

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Instagram is testing a new feature that will let you add songs to the photo carousels you post to the platform. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the news on his Instagram broadcast channel , noting that it’s already available in a “few countries with more to come.” While Instagram already has a similar feature that lets you add songs to individual photos, I feel like it makes more sense to add to a carousel of pictures. Instead of listening to a music clip while looking at a single photo, you now have more time to listen to the song as you swipe through multiple photos in a carousel. Image: Instagram Here’s how it looks when you add a song to a Note. Aside from that, Zuckerberg also mentioned that Instagram is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23702912/instagram-testing-songs-photo-carousels

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge American Department of Defense policy already bans artificial intelligence from autonomously launching nuclear weapons. But amid rising fears of AI spurred by a plethora of potential threats, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has decided to make extra-double-sure it can’t. As announced earlier this week , Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Ken Buck (R-CO) have introduced the Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous AI Act , which would “prohibit the use of Federal funds to launch a nuclear weapon using an autonomous weapons system that is not subject to meaningful human control.” The act would codify existing Pentagon rules for nuclear weapons, which, as of 2022, read thusly: “In all cases, the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23702992/ai-nuclear-weapon-launch-ban-bill-markey-lieu-beyer-buck

Illustration: The Verge ChatGPT maker OpenAI has restored access to its service in Italy, saying it has implemented changes to satisfy Italian regulators. “ChatGPT is available again to our users in Italy,” it said in a statement published by The Associated Press and also sent to The Verge. “We are excited to welcome them back, and we remain dedicated to protecting their privacy.” OpenAI said it had “addressed or clarified” the issues raised by the Italian Data Protection Authority (or GPDP) in late March. The GPDP accused ChatGPT of unlawfully collecting users’ data and failing to prevent underage users from accessing inappropriate material, leading OpenAI to block ChatGPT in the country. The company was given 20 days to address the issues, and regulators said... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23702883/chatgpt-italy-ban-lifted-gpdp-data-protection-age-verification

Image: Marvel Studios James Gunn’s third Guardians movie is packed with stunning set pieces, but its saccharine attempts at sentimentality and a by-the-numbers plot keep it from ever reaching lift-off. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23702288/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3-review

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Reddit is piloting new chat channels where you can hold real-time conversations with other users. The Discord-like channels will live within various subreddits, allowing you to swap between browsing through posts and chatting with other Redditors about a range of topics. While this may sound a bit like Reddit’s Live Chat feature, the platform notes that chats “will be dedicated spaces, rather than a one-off post.” As shown in the below screenshot, it looks like you can tap into different conversations embedded inside of a subreddit, with each dedicated to a specific topic, like “Tickets” or “Songwriting.” You can also access your conversations within the main Chat tab on Reddit’s bottom menu bar. Image: Reddit The... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23702527/reddit-chat-room-channels-discord

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge The current AI boom, from Bing and Midjourney, relies on free access to training data, much of it scraped from the web and often protected by copyright. The use of this data has led to both criticism and lawsuits, particularly in the art world, with rights owners arguing that their work is being exploited without their permission. Some of the AI world’s biggest players, like OpenAI, have avoided scrutiny by simply refusing to detail the data used to create their software. But legislation proposed in the EU to regulate AI (the long-building and far-reaching AI Act) could force companies to disclose this information, according to reports from Reuters and Euractiv . The amendment was reportedly a late addition to the draft AI Act Reuters... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/28/23702437/eu-ai-act-disclose-copyright-training-data-report

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Podcasts have finally started to arrive for YouTube Music users in the US. The change will allow you to tune into podcasts on the YouTube Music app, where you can gain access to on-demand, offline streams that support background listening without a Premium subscription. YouTube first announced that it was bringing podcasts to its music streaming service at The Verge ’s Hot Pod Summit in February, and now it’s “gradually” rolling out to users. The YouTube Music app will now have a dedicated podcast tab where you can browse through shows that were once limited to the main YouTube app. You can also swap between the audio and video versions of a podcast while using YouTube Music. podcast creators , welcome to @YouTubeMusic ✨ podcasts... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23701093/youtube-music-podcasts-rollout

Image: Clubhouse Clubhouse, the app that sparked a wave of audio-only features, is laying off over 50 percent of its employees. The app’s co-founders, Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, shared the news in a memo to employees , where they emphasize a need to “reset” the company in a post-covid era. “As the world has opened up post-Covid, it’s become harder for many people to find their friends on Clubhouse and to fit long conversations into their daily lives,” the founders write. “To find its role in the world, the product needs to evolve. This requires a period of change.” In their memo, Davison and Seth say they’ve been unable to make things work with the current size of Clubhouse’s team, noting that it’s “difficult” to “communicate the strategy to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23701144/clubhouse-layoffs-half-employees

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Windows 10 22H2 will be the final version of the operating system, Microsoft said in a blog post on Thursday . Moving forward, all editions of Windows 10 will be supported with monthly security updates until October 14th, 2025, when Microsoft will end support. (Some releases on the Long-Term Servicing Channel, or LTSC, will get updates past that end of support date.) Microsoft is encouraging users to now transition to Windows 11 because Windows 10 won’t be getting any new features. Windows client roadmap update! Key takeaways: 1 - #Windows10 will reach EOS on October 14, 2025. 2 - Version 22H2 will be the final version of Windows 10. 3 - You'll see the next #Windows11 LTSC release in the second half of 2024. Read the announcement: h... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23701134/microsoft-windows-10-updates-end-of-support

Microsoft-branded keyboards will be a thing of the past. | Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge Microsoft will no longer manufacture mice, keyboards, and webcams that are Microsoft-branded. Instead, Microsoft is now focusing on its Surface-branded PC accessories, which include mice, keyboards, pens, and more. It brings an end to the legacy of Microsoft-branded PC hardware after the company first launched its first mouse in 1983 and bundled it with Microsoft Word and Notepad. “Going forward, we are focusing on our Windows PC accessories portfolio under the Surface brand,” says Dan Laycock, senior communications manager at Microsoft, in a statement to The Verge . “We will continue to offer a range of Surface branded PC Accessories — including mice, keyboards, pens, docks, adaptive accessories, and more. Existing Microsoft branded PC... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23700998/microsoft-keyboard-mouse-webcam-discontinued-surface-brand

Image: Playstack The Case of the Golden Idol , a point-and-click murder mystery game that was one of my favorite titles of 2022 , is getting its first expansion in just a few days. The new DLC, The Spider of Lanka , adds three new scenarios and will be available starting May 4th. The Spider of Lanka promises to be just as mysterious as the main game if a description from a press email is anything to go by. “ The Spider of Lanka begins in 1741, one year before the first scenario in The Case of the Golden Idol ,” according to the description. “The new story follows Albert Cloudsley and Oberon Geller on their maiden voyage to the fictional Kingdom of Lanka, as they visit [REDACTED], the Raja whose Priest has some startling information concerning the location of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23698454/the-case-of-the-golden-idol-spider-of-lanka-dlc-expansion-release-date

Image: Meta Meta is introducing new body shapes and improved textures for hair and clothing for its avatars, the company announced on Thursday. The updates seem like good steps forward in helping people better represent themselves, but while you’re roaming around Meta’s Horizon Worlds VR social platform, you still won’t see other people’s legs. For the new body types, Meta says that you’ll be able to select from “a wider range of body shape options, including two curvier body shapes” beginning this month, according to a blog post . The company is also “refining” some existing body types to make them more differentiated from the rest. For hair and clothing, the company is adding “additional detail and realism,” and you might see more sparkle in... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/27/23700723/meta-avatars-body-shapes-hair-clothes-texture-eyes-legs

WiZ’s inexpensive smart lighting line now works with Apple Home through Matter. | Image: Signify Smart lighting company WiZ has updated all its smart bulbs, lamps, and plugs manufactured in early 2021 or later to Matter , beating its sister brand Philips Hue to the punch. The company’s new app, WiZ v2, now lets users migrate any compatible product to the new smart home standard directly in the app and, from there, add them to any Matter-compatible platform, including Apple Home. Previously, the WiZ smart lighting line was only compatible with Apple’s smart home platform through Siri Shortcuts. Now, with Matter, many of its products can be added to the Apple Home app and controlled along with any other product supported by Apple Home. Signify, which owns both brands, has said Philips Hue will also be Matter compatible, but that u... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/23697537/wiz-smart-bulbs-matter-compatible-apple-home

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge A group of US senators has revealed a bipartisan bill that would require social media platforms to verify users’ ages, stop anyone under 13 years of age from signing up, and set up special rules for minors over 13. It would also require the government to test out a voluntary nationwide verification system that would use official records and IDs to check people’s ages online. The bill, the “Protecting Kids on Social Media Act,” was introduced by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Katie Britt (R-AL) on Wednesday. It’s designed to protect younger users from things like social media addiction , but it would also require a sweeping reevaluation of how adults and children operate online. There are... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/26/23699255/senators-bill-age-verification-protecting-kids-on-social-media-act

Is Apple really good for your health? | Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Here are some cursed words: “Apple Plans AI-Powered Health Coaching Service, Mood Tracker and iPad Health App.” I can see why you might say, Liz, this sounds benign and obvious. What’s the big deal? And I think about a meeting I had in 2014 with a freelance writer who was wearing three fitness trackers, inadvertently imitating Madonna’s 1980s stacked bracelets look. He asked me how I slept. I was — and am — a pretty good sleeper. I snooze heavily for seven to eight hours and wake up feeling good, sometimes even before my alarm goes off because I am (sorry) a morning person. The freelancer I’d been speaking to, perhaps obviously, had been having trouble sleeping, and as someone who was fairly devoted to optimizing his life through fitness... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23699287/apple-quartz-ai-mental-health-watch

Toad and Princess Peach. | Universal For anyone who’s been holding out hope for a subbed US release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie with performances from the film’s Japanese voice-acting cast intact, your time has finally come, but it won’t last very long. It’s not really clear when, exactly, Illumination and Universal’s Super Mario Bros. Movie will step off the other movies’ necks and let someone else have a turn at being number one at the box office. But beginning this Friday, Japanese-language screenings of the film will begin showing “for a limited time only” in select theaters in Honolulu, Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, New York, San Francisco, and Vancouver. SUPER NEWS! For a limited time you can enjoy #SuperMarioMovie in Japanese at select screenings starting... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/26/23699024/super-mario-bros-movie-japanese-dub-screening

Image: Enhance Some of the most memorable games in PlayStation history have been downright strange, whether about dancing wireframe rabbits , deadly cubes , or mannequins traversing impossible architecture . These “very designer-led games,” as Mark MacDonald from Tetris Effect studio Enhance describes them, were often iconic — but they’ve also largely fallen out of favor. That’s where Humanity comes in. It’s an introspective game about a dog guiding a sea of humanity through puzzle-like mazes, and it’s as odd as it is compelling, a callback to exactly those kinds of classic PlayStation experiences. Humanity is a collaboration between Enhance — led by the legendary Tetsuya Mizuguchi, of Rez and Lumines fame — and designer Yugo Nakamura. Ahead of its launch... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/26/23698909/humanity-preview-ps5-pc-vr

Image: The Verge Microsoft just posted the third quarter of its 2023 fiscal financial results. The software maker made $52.9 billion in revenue and a net income of $18.3 billion during Q3. Revenue is up 7 percent, and net income has increased by 9 percent. While Windows, Xbox, and devices revenue have all been hit hard this quarter, Microsoft’s cloud, office, and server businesses have made up for weaknesses elsewhere. Microsoft had a tough quarter for Windows and devices revenue last quarter, and Q3 isn’t much different. Windows OEM revenue, the price that PC manufacturers pay Microsoft to put Windows on laptops and PCs, fell by 28 percent in Q3. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Microsoft’s devices revenue has dropped... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/23697649/microsoft-q3-2023-earnings-revenue-profits-windows-xbox-gaming-surface

Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage AI Drake has struck again, and the latest track shows just how easy it is for someone to use a familiar celebrity voice to make a song go viral. The track, called “Not a Game,” first emerged on SoundCloud and YouTube late last week and arrived only days after a song from someone named Ghostwriter went viral for featuring Drake’s AI-generated voice . “Not a Game” got mentions in both TMZ and the Daily Mail , shining even more of a spotlight on the track. But it turns out, “Not a Game” isn’t exactly a brand-new song. The Verge found that the track is composed of multiple preexisting elements, with the primary new addition being the Drake voice. The fakers took the vocals from this a cappella rap posted to Looperman, a site that hosts audio... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/23696155/viral-drake-ai-repurposed-soundcloud-rap

Update Tuesday, April 25th, 2:05am ET: The 27th Annual Webby Award winners have been announced, and The Verge is taking home THREE Webbys this year! Best in Technology Video: Full Frame with Becca Farsace Webby Winner & Webby’s People’s Voice Winner Best in Technology Podcasts: The Vergecast Webby’s People’s Voice Winner This was a record-breaking award season with over 14,000 entries and 2.5 million votes cast. In addition to our People’s Voice wins, we are also Webby Winners, meaning that our work ranked in the top 4 percent of work judged by the Webby Academy. (Woo!) Thank you all so much for the support. We can’t wait to go on stage and share our five-word speech in just a few weeks in NYC! Apr 18th, 2023, 7:30AM ET: The... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/18/23687373/webby-awards-2023-nominations-voting-peoples-voice-vergecast-full-frame

Image: Getty Images Two major automakers announced separate plans to build electric vehicle battery plants in the US, a sign that the fast-paced expansion of EV manufacturing in the country has yet to slow down. General Motors announced it will pair up with Samsung SDI to jointly invest $3 billion in an electric vehicle battery plant in the US. Separately, Hyundai said it would form a joint venture with another South Korean battery maker, SK On, for a $5 billion investment in a battery factory in Georgia. A sign that the fast-paced expansion of EV manufacturing in the country has yet to slow down Expected to start in 2026, the GM-Samsung factory will have more than 30GWh of capacity, bringing GM’s total US battery cell capacity to about 160GWh when it is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/23697335/gm-hyundai-ev-battery-factory-samsung-sk-on

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 is on sale in all configurations starting at $219.99. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge We’re in the heart of spring, which means sunny skies, super blooms , and... good smartwatch sales? Perhaps it’s because more people are working out outdoors, but in the past month, we’ve seen a number of wearable deals that are as good as the ones we saw around the new year. Today, for instance, you can buy Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch 5 at an all-time low in various sizes. The LTE-equipped 40mm wearable is available for $249.99 ($80 off) at both Amazon and Best Buy , or, if you prefer the Bluetooth-enabled configuration, it’s on sale at Amazon and Best Buy starting at around $219 ($61 off). Along with a more durable sapphire crystal glass cover, the Galaxy Watch 5 offers a few extra capabilities over the Galaxy Watch 4, including the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/23695838/samsung-galaxy-watch-5-m2-macbook-pro

Image: Yuga Labs A judge has ruled in favor of Bored Ape Yacht Club creator Yuga Labs in a lawsuit against conceptual artists Ryder Ripps and Jeremy Cahen, whom Yuga Labs accused of trademark infringement over a parody of BAYC’s non-fungible token (NFT) collection. On Friday, a California court said that Yuga was entitled to protect the BAYC trademark and that Ripps and Cahen’s project, known as RR/BAYC, isn’t artistic expression protected by the First Amendment. “Defendants’ sale of RR/BAYC NFTs is no more artistic than the sale of a counterfeit handbag,” wrote US District Judge John Walter in a summary judgment. Ripps and Cahen released a set of RR/BAYC NFTs last May featuring duplicates of BAYC artwork and selling them for less than a high-priced... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695703/bored-apes-creator-lawsuit-nfts-ryder-ripps-yuga-labs-trademark-copyright

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge It’s almost an understatement to say Amazon’s Kindle Scribe fell short of our expectations when it first launched, but perhaps there’s hope yet for Amazon’s first 10.2-inch e-reader and writing device. Today, the company launched four new Kindle Scribe features mostly focused on improving the lackluster note-taking experience. Truth be told, they’re relatively minor updates, but any change helps. First up, Amazon introduced a “Bird’s Eye View” button in the Kindle Scribe Notebook app, which you can access from the top menu when you’re on a notebook page. Clicking on it gives you a preview of nine notebook pages and also allows you to quickly add, delete, or move any of them around. You can also swipe to the next nine pages for faster... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23682206/amazon-kindle-scribe-e-reader-kobo-elipsa-2e

Runway’s new iOS app is its first available for mobile. | Image: Runway AI startup Runway has launched its first mobile app on iOS, letting people use the company’s video-to-video generative AI model — Gen-1 — directly from their phones. You can download the app here , with free users offered a limited number of credits. Gen-1 allows you to transform an existing video based on a text, image, or video input. Functionally, it works a lot like a style transfer tool (though, unlike style transfer, it generates entirely new videos as an output rather than applying filters). You can upload a video of someone cycling in the park, for example, and apply an aesthetic or theme. You can give the video the look of a watercolor painting or charcoal sketch, and so on. Of course, because this is a generative AI, the output... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695788/generative-ai-video-runway-mobile-app-ios

Honkai: Star Rail. | Image: HoYoverse The studio behind the massively popular online fantasy RPG Genshin Impact is back this week with its next game. Called Honkai: Star Rail , the game looks similar to Genshin but with more of a sci-fi twist. That means slick anime visuals, large worlds to explore, and a seemingly never-ending list of things to do, thanks to its live-service nature. Here’s the basic premise: Implanted with a Stellaron, the protagonist bravely set sail for the galaxy to drill down to the truth surrounding the so-called Cancer of All Worlds. Players will able to experience a vast universe abundant in distinctive cultures, landscapes, and scenery. From Herta Space Station where the story starts and you receive the prerequisite knowledge for the forthcoming... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695826/honkai-star-rail-release-date-trailer-pre-install

The Nintendo Switch OLED Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Edition is available to preorder for $359.99. | Image: Nintendo We’re now just a few days away from Nintendo’s Zelda-inspired Nintendo Switch OLED launch on April 28th. The special-edition console retails for $359.99 and commemorates one of this year’s most anticipated video games, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom , which will drop alongside a new Zelda -themed controller and carrying case two weeks later, on May 12th. Where to preorder the Nintendo Switch OLED Tears of the Kindom Edition For those eager to get their hands on the limited-edition console first, you can still preorder it directly from Nintendo as well as Amazon and Best Buy . Unlike the standard Switch, the Switch OLED boasts a vibrant seven-inch OLED display, 64GB of storage, and an improved kickstand, along with a handful of... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23660204/nintendo-switch-oled-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-editio

The Jib True 2 come in some funky colors, but today’s deal is only on the light gray and blue combo. | Image: Skullcandy I keep rubbing my eyes, thinking my vision must be off, but these wireless earbuds are really on sale for less than one Jackson. That’s right, the Skullcandy Jib True 2 Bluetooth earbuds are just $16.99 ($23 off) at Amazon in their gray-and-blue color combo. These ultra-affordable buds often sell for around $24, but this is a new low that makes them an easy choice for a child or anyone on a tight budget seeking wireless convenience. The Jib True 2 aren’t going to win any awards in the sound department, but while their predecessors were a little overly bass-y, they were more than serviceable for the low price. Plus, this new model has built-in Tile tracking to help locate a missing bud should you misplace one. So they’re not just for... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695614/skullcandy-jib-true-earbuds-samsung-galaxy-a54-mac-m

Olivia. | Photo by Helen Havlak / The Verge If you’ve got a pet, it’s likely you have something cool that you use to either feed the pet, amuse the pet, watch the pet, track the pet, or travel with the pet. Well, the folks here at The Verge are no different: many have animal companions whom they feed, pamper, worry about — even obsess about — and totally enjoy. We asked our co-workers to tell us about some of the techie (and not-so-techie) gadgets that they use to keep their pets clean, fed, and amused — along with portraits of the much-loved dogs and cats. We’ve got some great photos to show you. Enjoy. Aslan Mitchell Clark, former news writer Photo by Mitchell Clark Aslan. We got the WOpet automatic feeder after our vet informed us that our cat Aslan... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/22995069/pet-tech-dogs-cats-gps

The Apple MagSafe Battery Pack attached to an iPhone 12 Mini. | Dieter Bohn / The Verge More details are emerging about the design of Apple’s long-awaited mixed reality headset ahead of its expected unveiling on June 5th. Bloomberg ’s Mark Gurman reports that the headset’s external battery pack — which is designed to sit in the user’s pocket during use — will have a similar design to Apple’s MagSafe iPhone battery pack , and will use a proprietary connector to attach to the headset. This circular connector is reportedly magnetic, and designed to lock into the headset during use with a twist so it can’t be accidentally detached. Meanwhile, the opposite end of the cable is reportedly hard-wired into the battery pack. The two “aren’t separable,” Bloomberg reports. So if this power cable develops a fault, it sounds like there’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695584/apple-mixed-reality-headset-proprietary-power-connector

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge After chief twit Elon Musk made good on his promise to remove Twitter accounts’ legacy verification blue ticks last week , numerous high-profile accounts now appear to be re -verified — including a number of dead celebrities. It’s likely that the re-appearance of their blue ticks is part of a wider (but unannounced) scheme by Twitter to restore verification to users with over one million followers . But hover over the blue ticks of the accounts of dead celebs, and Twitter will tell you they’re verified “because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number.” Michael Jackson, Chadwick Boseman, Kobe Bryant, Barbara Walters, Anthony Bourdain, and Paul Walker are just a few of the many deceased stars to have regained... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23695534/twitter-blue-tick-verification-dead-celebrities

See inside a few of our favorite things — retro, modern, you name it. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23691563/x-ray-vision-gadget-storystream

The Pixel Tablet in a coral color. | Image from @saori_vj’s video on Instagram The Pixel Tablet is supposed to launch sometime this year — Google I/O in May feels like a pretty good venue! — and ahead of its eventual release, somebody captured a video of the tablet in real life at Google’s “Shaped by Water” installation currently happening as part of Milan Design Week ( via 9to5Google ). In the Instagram video from Saori Masuda (you’ll need to browse over to the very last video in the gallery), you can see many Google and Pixel devices laid out along a table, including some Pixel Tablets, Pixel Watches, different versions of Pixel Buds, and Pixel phones. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saori Masuda (@saori_vj) For the Pixel Tablet specifically, the video doesn’t... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/21/23693169/google-pixel-tablet-real-life-wild-photos-shaped-by-water-milan

AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series will apparently add some lower power chips for handhelds. | Image: AMD via Aokzoe You’ve obviously heard of the Steam Deck , and perhaps Asus drew your attention to the upcoming ROG Ally with its not-an-April-Fools’-joke . But that’s apparently just the tip of the iceberg for AMD-powered Steam Deck rivals, which have at least four handhelds based on slivers of silicon the chipmaker has yet to reveal. One of the reasons we got so excited about the Asus ROG Ally is that Asus hinted it might be the first handheld since Steam Deck to offer a custom part specifically tuned for portables — and a growing body of leaks suggests that collaboration with AMD is called the Ryzen Z1. pic.twitter.com/Mu6kcCxXmi — Hifihedgehog (@hifihedgehog) April 18, 2023 And today, Geekbench leaks (which should always be taken with a grain... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/21/23693046/amd-steam-deck-competitor-ryzen-z1-extreme-7840u-aokzoe-gpd-asu

Collector containers at the Orca direct air capture and storage facility, operated by Climeworks AG, in Hellisheidi, Iceland, on September 7th, 2021.  | Image: Arnaldur Halldorsson/Bloomberg via Getty Images Climeworks, the Swiss company that’s capturing CO2 emissions for Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify , is crafting plans to expand across the US, which is becoming the destination for companies that want to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. “The US is a very interesting place, perhaps the most interesting place at the moment ... from a market perspective, but also from a policy perspective,” says Christoph Beuttler, Climeworks’ chief climate policy officer. The Inflation Reduction Act more than tripled tax credits for direct air capture (DAC) and storage projects. And the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $12 billion for capturing and storing carbon dioxide. Together with other partners, Climeworks has applied for a slice... Continue reading… source http

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Mullvad, the Swedish company behind Mullvad VPN (virtual private network), says police walked away with nothing after attempting to seize computers from its office. According to an update on Mullvad’s site , the authorities left and didn’t take anything after it informed them that the company doesn’t store customer data. “We argued they had no reason to expect to find what they were looking for and any seizures would therefore be illegal under Swedish law,” Mullvad writes. “After demonstrating that this is indeed how our service works and them consulting the prosecutor they left without taking anything and without any customer information.” The National Operations Department (NOA) of the Swedish police has visited Mullvad VPN with a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/21/23692580/mullvad-vpn-raid-sweden-police

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Elon Musk’s coffers became a smidge lighter on Thursday after his net worth plummeted by $12.6 billion, according to Bloomberg ’s Billionaires Index , the biggest drop in Musk’s wealth so far this year. That fall comes on the heels of a fairly tumultuous 24 hours for SpaceX, Tesla, and Twitter, three of the largest businesses under Musk’s leadership. Tesla’s share price fell by 9.8 percent on Thursday following disappointing first quarter results Tesla published disappointing first quarter results on Thursday morning, reporting an almost 20 percent decline in the company’s gross margins. The EV manufacturer has made several aggressive price cuts to its vehicle lineup in recent months, a move that increased sales despite the struggling EV... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/21/23692915/elon-musk-net-worth-plummet-tesla-twitter-spacex-420

Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Redbox wants to give Netflix’s DVD business a second chance at life, but Netflix isn’t budging. That’s according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter ( via NextTV ), which says that Redbox’s parent company has already expressed interest in acquiring Netflix’s DVD business, only to get turned down by the streamer several times. Bill Rouhana, the CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul, which acquired Redbox for $370 million last year , tells The Hollywood Reporter that Netflix has brushed off his attempts to purchase its DVD business “three or four times” before Netflix announced its decision to sunset the offering on Tuesday . “I’d like to buy it,” Rouhana says. “I wish Netflix would sell me that business instead of shutting it down.” After 25... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/21/23692665/redbox-netflix-dvd-business-save

Image: PlayStation Sony is acquiring Firewalk Studios from ProbablyMonsters to help build an “original AAA multiplayer game” for PlayStation 5 and PC, Sony announced on Thursday . Sony has been investing heavily in multiplayer games recently, acquiring Destiny maker Bungie and Jade Raymond-led Haven Interactive Studios last year, and it revealed in February 2022 that it’s planning to release more than 10 live service games before March 2026 . We don’t know much about the new game just yet, but Sony’s head of PlayStation Studios, Hermen Hulst, noted in a PlayStation blog post that “we continue to be impressed by the team’s ambitions to build a modern multiplayer game that connects players in new and innovative ways.” In a press release, he added, “I think... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23691580/sony-playstation-firewalk-studios-acquisition-bungie

Sonos has a speaker for practically every price point. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Sonos has an ever-growing lineup, and after you’ve bought your first speaker, you’ll likely want to put one in every room. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23507492/sonos-best-speaker-one-roam-move-five-arc-beam-ray-sub

Lucid Air black on black on black. | Image: Lucid Lucid is now delivering new Air electric sedans for customers who ordered them with the dark-trimmed “Stealth Appearance” package. The option was first made available to order last year , which includes changes on “up to 35 components” that give the Air black gloss and satin graphite accents. And when paired with infinite black paint, you can even get a nearly murdered-out look. The first Lucid Air deliveries with Stealth Appearance are happening at the automaker’s Costa Mesa service center in Orange County, California. Lucid states it will deliver more throughout the country in the coming weeks. Lucid’s Q1 2023 customer deliveries are up 290 percent year over year at 1,406, and that comes after lackluster production numbers from last... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23689821/lucid-air-grand-touring-stealth-look-package-delivery-price

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge Apple’s new HomeKit architecture is a ground-up, under-the-hood rebuild of the company’s Apple Home smart home platform. Apple says it “will improve the performance and reliability of the accessories in your home.” First announced at WWDC, this new foundation for Apple’s smart home is part of the company’s support of the smart home standard Matter . Following a false start late last year, when the option to upgrade to the new architecture was released with iOS 16.2 but was quickly pulled following multiple user complaints , Apple is trying again. With iOS 16.4 , which released this month, users can once again choose to enable the new Home architecture. However, upgrading is entirely optional. And if you use an iPad as your main Apple Home... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23512574/apple-home-architecture-new-upgrade-how-to

Photo by Bennett Raglin / Getty Images for BuzzFeed Inc. BuzzFeed News , the Pulitzer Prize-winning news arm of BuzzFeed.com, is being shut down, BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti announced to staff on Thursday. The shutdown is happening as part of a new wave of layoffs at the company that will reduce the company’s workforce by about 15 percent. “While layoffs are occurring across nearly every division, we’ve determined that the company can no longer continue to fund BuzzFeed News as a standalone organization,” Peretti wrote in a memo to staff the company shared with The Verge . Peretti said they would focus on HuffPost , which it acquired in 2020 , as the company’s news brand because the publication is “profitable with a loyal direct front page audience.” Both HuffPost and BuzzFeed plan to open “a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/20/23691169/buzzfeed-news-shut-down-jonah-peretti-memo

Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, and Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen. | Image: Summit Entertainment It’s been years since people have worn T-shirts emblazoned with “#TeamEdward” or “#TeamJacob” with any regularity, but that might not stop Lionsgate from trying to resurrect Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga as a new TV series focused on supernatural love triangles. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Lionsgate TV is in the earliest stages of development on a new take on Meyer’s Twilight novels that served as the basis for the studio’s previous film adaptations that broke all kinds of box office records and ultimately raked in $3.4 billion globally. The project is so far from coming to fruition (if it does) that currently, no creative team whatsoever has been announced. That said, Meyer is reportedly “expected to be involved,” and the new... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/19/23689777/lionsgate-twilight-tv-series-reboot

Illustration: Nick Barclay / The Verge If you’re a US Facebook user who had an active account between May 24th, 2007, and December 22nd, 2022, you may be able to receive a portion of a multimillion-dollar class action settlement related to user privacy. Facebook parent company Meta agreed to pay $725 million to resolve a lawsuit accusing it of granting Cambridge Analytica and other third parties access to private user data, which a judge has tentatively approved. The tech giant also faced accusations it misled users about how much control they had over their private information. Meta, however, denies it did anything wrong. If you’d like to make a claim, you can do so online by August 25th, 2023. After answering a few questions, you’ll then be able to choose how you’d like to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/19/23689775/facebook-meta-cambridge-analytica-data-privacy-trump

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Volkswagen’s flagship electric vehicle, the ID.4 crossover SUV, is eligible for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit, the automaker announced Wednesday. The federal government’s list of eligible vehicles has since been updated to include all trim levels of the ID.4. Volkswagen is currently the only international automaker to have a full battery electric vehicle that is eligible for the full credit. The ID.4 is assembled in Chattanooga, Tennessee , which is one of the prerequisites for eligibility. Earlier this week, the federal government released its list of EVs that qualify for the tax credit. The VW ID.4 was initially left off, but as of today, it’s back on. “This is great news for consumers in the U.S. because it expands the choice... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/19/23689820/volkswagen-id-4-ev-tax-credit-qualify

Massive Monster In case Tears of the Kingdom isn’t your thing or you need something to tide you over until May 12th, Nintendo put on a 20-minute Indie World presentation chock-full of new games, DLC, trailers, and more. Here are the highlights. Mineko’s Night Market In Mineko’s Night Market , you play as Mineko, who’s tasked with crafting all sorts of tchotchkes for the weekly Night Market. There’s also a fun, wide world to explore, allowing you to uncover the ancient secrets of the legendary cat-god. But be careful, as there are dubious-looking government agents who don’t want land’s secrets revealed. Mineko’s Night Market looks like a cuter version of Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin but without all the demon killing. Out already on Steam and Mac, it makes... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/19/23689484/nintendo-indie-world-oxenfree-2-cult-of-the-lamb