Lead Hacker

Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge Before the iPhone, before Android, before webOS, a revolutionary soap bar of a phone made it incredibly easy to get shit done. The Danger Hiptop, better known as the T-Mobile Sidekick, made the internet portable and affordable like no phone before. It introduced cloud sync long before iCloud, popularized unlimited data and real web browsing on mobile, and made instant messaging and email a breeze thanks to its landscape hardware keyboard . But the Sidekick doesn’t get enough credit for one physical button that tied the whole phone together: the Jump key. Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge Most remember the swiveling screen, but there was much more to a Sidekick. On modern phones, opening an app usually means... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24115039/danger-hiptop-t-mobile-sidekick-jump-button

The original PlayStation 5. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Sony will use a new “PS5 Pro Enhanced” label to tell players which games take advantage of the console’s new abilities, according to documents seen by InsiderGaming yesterday. The outlet writes that to get the label, a game would have to offer a PS5 Pro graphics mode, which includes PSSR for 4K upscaling, constant 60fps framerate, and added or improved ray-tracing . It would reportedly also indicate higher resolution for both fixed and variable refresh rate games. The site says that the internally-named “Trinity Enhanced” label would be akin to the “PS4 Pro Enhanced” label from the last PlayStation generation (or the “X|S” label that denotes games with improvements like better load times or higher framerates) . It also told players when a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/30/24116580/ps5-pro-enhanced-label-specs-ray-tracing-60fps-pssr-4k-upscaling

Image: The Verge AT&T has acknowledged that a data leak making the rounds online contains information from more than 7.6 million current customers and 65 million former customers. The company has reset the security passcodes of active customers affected, and says that leaked information "may have included full name, email address, mailing address, phone number, social security number, date of birth, AT&T account number and passcode." AT&T is reaching out to affected customers via “email or letter” to let them know what data was included and what it’s doing for customers in response. The company's acknowledgment that the leaked data is real — the first reports of the leak emerged in 2021 — only came after TechCrunch notified AT&T of the vulnerability... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/30/24116515/att-data-leak-passcode-reset-cybersecurity-privacy

Photo by Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images For years now, civil engineers have understood that bridges have a problem: many of them are not designed to withstand a blow from the kinds of cargo ships that routinely pass through their waters. Those concerns came to a head on Tuesday with the devastating collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. It’s the kind of failure engineers have been trying to prevent for decades — and even now, they’re not sure if the available solutions are enough. “We don’t design for the deadly force that is generated by such an impact — millions of pounds,” Atorod Azizinamini, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Florida International University, tells The Verge . “The collapse has really nothing to do with the type... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/29/24115805/bridge-ships-collapse-baltimore-key-collision-size

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Robert Robb allegedly convinced several crypto investors to send him $1.5 million to build a too-good-to-be-true crypto trading bot, according to an FBI affidavit viewed by 404 Media and CourtWatch . Robb allegedly sent a message reading, “Poof, YOU’RE A MILLIONAIRE” to one Telegram group, accompanied by this image of a purple fairy wearing a mushroom cap. The message promised recipients they could strike it rich if they used Robb’s MEV bot and invested in the cryptocurrency $RAT and the ironically named token NoRugz. Image: FBI affidavit, Case No. 1:24-MJ-100 A screenshot of a Telegram message allegedly sent by Robert Robb to prospective investors. It says Robb asked crypto investors over Telegram and other... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/29/24115677/crypto-scam-robert-robb-mev-bot

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Samsung is raising the price of its Care Plus device protection plans — but, in exchange, it’s throwing in unlimited battery repair. In an email spotted by Sammobile , Samsung tells customers that Care Plus and the more expensive Care Plus Theft and Loss plan will increase in price by $2. The new pricing goes into effect on May 1st, 2024, which is when Samsung plans on rolling out a new unlimited battery repair option for “eligible devices.” To qualify for a battery repair, Samsung says the phone must have a charging capacity below 79 percent and no “additional damage.” The Verge reached out to Samsung for more information on which devices are eligible for unlimited battery repairs, as well as whether it will be completely free, but... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/29/24115503/samsung-care-plus-price-increase-battery-repair

Philips Hue’s latest smart string lights offer plenty of preset scenes and a wide variety of vibrant colors. | Image: Philips Hue Philips Hue lights set the mood in a way other types of home decor can’t, but sadly, they can be pricey. Thankfully, Amaz on and Woot have both kicked off a Philips Hue sale, making many bulbs, dimmers, light strips, and other accessories a little more affordable for a limited time. Amazon is also currently taking 20 percent off when you buy two or more items featured on this page , while Woot is slashing prices on a handful of both new and refurbished items. That includes a three-bulb kit with a smart button and Hue Bridge for $67.99 ($32 off) . However, the real star of the show here is the Philips Hue Festavia string lights deal at Amazon , which drops the 65-foot smart lights to $175.99 ($44 off) when you clip the on-page coupon for an... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/29/24115040/philips-hue-festavia-smart-stri...

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge After Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay departed Microsoft last year, the software giant quickly split his two divisions into two different teams. It was a move designed to push Windows engineers to focus on more web and AI features under Mikhail Parakhin, who was previously responsible for Bing and ads. It didn’t work out. Six months after that shake-up, Windows and Surface are back together under a new leader, following frustrations from the very top of Microsoft. The shuffling comes just as Microsoft gets ready for a big “AI PC” push. Pavan Davuluri, who’s currently in charge of Surface hardware, will now lead both Windows and Surface . Mustafa Suleyman, the DeepMind co-founder who Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella just hired , will now... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/28/24114362/microsoft-windows-surface-reorg-ai-pcs-report

Image: Legendary Director Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong sequel is big on bombastic spectacle and new lore but woefully lacking in terms of story and substance. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24113767/godzilla-x-kong-the-new-empire-review

Gadgets aren’t the problem, but how you use them might be. | Illustration by Christina Lee for The Verge First adopters are ambassadors for the future. Glassholes need not apply. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24113500/wearables-smartwatches-smart-glasses-smart-rings-etiquette

Illustration: The Verge Google is adding more AI into its search in the hopes that it will help shoppers find the items they want — even if it’s something they’ve generated with AI. Shoppers on Google’s app and on mobile will be able to refine their search with generative AI tools to help people find exactly what kind of jacket they’re looking for. The newest feature, called Style Recommendations, lets users rate items in their searches so it learns the searcher’s style and what they like. It’s kind of like Tinder but with shirts. After they’ve found clothes they like, shoppers can specify the brands they like, which will instantly bring up more apparel from those selections. Image: Google Google’s new AI-powered shopping feature lets... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24113485/google-shopping-generative-ai-image-generation-rating-style

New Google features will provide suggestions for places to visit or even roughly plan your entire vacation. | Image: Google Google is introducing a handful of updates that aim to take some of the stress out of planning trips and outings, from new translation features and AI-powered trip itineraries in Search to curated recommendations in Maps. Starting this week in over 40 cities across the US and Canada, Google Maps will now show users curated lists of recommendations for places to eat and visit. These recommendations from sources like Lonely Planet , The New York Times , and OpenTable include a weekly updated “Trending” list of places that have seen a recent spike in popularity, a “Top” list of historically popular locations, and a “Gems” list of places that are, well, hidden gems worth visiting. Image: Google If you’re stuck for ideas... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24113348/google-maps-search-update-itineraries-lists-translation

Image: The Verge Google is releasing an optimized version of its Chrome browser for Windows on Arm this week, the search giant has announced alongside chipmaker Qualcomm. The official release comes two months after an early version of the browser was spotted in Chrome’s Canary channel . Qualcomm says the release “will roll out starting today.” The release will be a big deal for any Chrome users with Windows machines powered by Arm-based processors, who’ll now have access to a much faster native browser. That’s in contrast to the x64 version of Chrome they’ve previously had to run in an emulated state with slow performance. Arm-based users have previously been able to turn to Microsoft’s Edge, which is already available for Windows on Arm devices . Today’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/26/24112273/chrome-native-windows-on-arm-qualcomm-snapdragon

Illustration: The Verge Meta’s executives have been saying for a while that they don’t want to boost posts about politics in their apps. Now, an opt-out setting that limits recommendations of “political content” has been added to Instagram and Threads. You can find it under your “Content preferences” account settings in Instagram. From there, “Limit political content from people you don’t follow” is enabled by default. The setting applies to Threads as well since that app shares its account system with Instagram. Meta has framed this new setting as being good for user choice, and the company says it isn’t limiting the reach of political content from accounts people choose to follow. While the change was first announced in early February , Meta spokesperson Andy... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/25/24111604/meta-setting-downranks-politics-instagram-threads

The mechanical keyboard might sell out faster than its light-based optical switches can read your keystrokes. | Photo by Jon Porter / The Verge Amazon’s Big Spring Sale ends today, March 25th, but you can find even more savings elsewhere. For example, Woot is discounting one of Razer’s most popular mechanical keyboards, the Razer Huntsman V2 , until April 3rd (or while supplies last). The version with analog optical switches is down to $99.99 ($50 off), which is $10 lower than we’ve seen it at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. It comes with a 90-day limited warranty through Woot, and it also ships with a magnetic wrist rest that’s meant to add comfort while typing or gaming. The Razer Huntsman V2 comes in both full and tenkeyless varieties . You’ll get the former with this deal, so you’ll have a full number pad and dedicated controls for media playback and volume. The big... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/25/24111302/razer-huntsman-v2-mechani...

A coalition of tech companies, including Intel, Google, Arm, and Qualcomm, hopes to loosen Nvidia’s grip on the AI market. | Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge Major tech companies are attempting to eliminate software advantages that have helped Nvidia dominate the artificial intelligence market. According to Reuters , a group formed by Intel, Google, Arm, Qualcomm, Samsung, and other tech companies is developing an open-source software suite that prevents AI developers from being locked into Nvidia’s proprietary tech, allowing their code to run on any machine and with any chip. The group, called The Unified Acceleration Foundation (UXL), told Reuters that technical details for the project should reach a “mature” state by the second half of this year, though a final release target wasn’t given. The project currently includes the OneAPI open standard Intel developed to eliminate requirements like... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/25/24111435/n...

The production line of Easy Mac Macaroni & Cheese Cups on March 27, 2020, at the Kraft Heinz plant in Champaign, Ill. | Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images The Biden administration today announced the largest investment in cleaning up industrial greenhouse gas emissions to date. The Department of Energy (DOE) selected 33 projects across more than 20 states to receive up to $6 billion in federal funding for clean energy technologies. It’s a diverse cohort spanning from mac-and-cheese maker Kraft Heinz to manufacturers of chemicals, paper, and construction materials. Industrial emissions account for almost a quarter of the nation’s planet-heating pollution. It’s also widely considered the most difficult kind of climate pollution to prevent. Alternatives to fossil fuel-fired furnaces and industrial processes have lagged behind other clean energy technologies. The Biden administration thinks... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.co...

Image: Studio Ghibli Studio Ghibli fans who missed their shot at watching Spirited Away in theaters last year can try again between April 27th and May 1st at “U.S. cinemas nationwide.” The showings are part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 , which will put 14 Ghibli films — with English dubbed and subtitled versions with the original Japanese voice work — back in theaters throughout the year. It’s not clear how many theaters are involved, but in my area, five theaters are showing Spirited Away over the course of as many days. That’s the largest list of movies since Ghibli Fest started in 2017 . Others hitting theaters this year include Miyazaki classics like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke, as well as movies from other Ghibli directors,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/24/24110519/spirited-away-studio-ghibli-fest-2024-us-theaters

The world of Elden Ring expands on June 21st with a new world, items, and bosses to slay. | Image: Amazon We spent much of the time following Elden Ring ’s launch begging FromSoftware to expand the universe of its latest Game of the Year award-worthy soulslike. By now, you’ll realize our prayers were answered . Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will launch on June 21st for the PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC. It takes place in a whole new area separate from the game’s standard map, one filled with new stories, characters, and bosses to slay. It sounds full enough to be a standalone game, but alas, you’ll need the base game to enjoy the $39.99 expansion. When it comes to purchasing options, Shadow of the Erdtree is not your average piece of downloadable content — there are preorder bonuses, physical bundles, and special editions with collector’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24086612/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-preorder-guide-dlc-deluxe-collecto...

Image by Cath Virginia / The Verge Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 31, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, hi, sorry for my bad taste in TV, and also, you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) This week, I’ve been reading about LA crime rings and AI music tools , watching March Madness even though all my brackets are already busted, watching the story of Mickey Mouse and pretending I don’t care about Love Is Blind while my wife watches even though I’m now kind of obsessed with Love Is Blind , and trying to understand all the basketball terms LeBron James uses in his new podcast . I also have for you a huge new Netflix show, a super-cheap USB charger, a newish messaging app, the new X-Men series... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/24/24109107/3-body-problem-stardew-valley-warzone-mobile-installer-newsletter

Smart ceiling lights are finally becoming a thing and are great for lighting up your whole room with both fun and function. We compared two new options from Aqara and Nanoleaf to find out which is the best. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24108832/aqara-ceiling-light-t1m-versus-nanoleaf-skylight-smart-ceiling-light-showdown

Yesterday, Square Enix released a trailer for The Rising Tide, the next paid DLC for Final Fantasy XVI , and gave the expansion a release date: April 18th. The update to the PS5 game will be available as a single purchase add-on or in the $24.99 Final Fantasy XVI PlayStation Store Expansion Pass . And besides adding the eikon Leviathan to the game, other content introduces a game mode as well as new weapons and abilities. For no good reason, I haven’t played a new Final Fantasy game in years, but I trust Ash Parrish’s conclusion that the Leviathan being missing has been an error in need of correction. PlayStation’s blog post says in addition to fighting it in a new boss fight, Clive will get Leviathan Eikonic abilities, including summoning... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/23/24109641/final-fantasy-xvi-the-rising-tide-dlc-trailer-release-date

Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Scott Olson, Getty Images Shareholders of the Digital World Acquisition Corporation approved a long-awaited merger with Truth Social, former President Donald Trump’s beleaguered social media app , on Friday — potentially boosting Trump’s net worth by $3 billion. As a result of the merger, shareholders of publicly traded DWAC will become shareholders of the Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company behind Truth Social. Trump’s media company will begin trading on the Nasdaq under the symbol DJT as early as next week, The Associated Press reports . Trump owns nearly 79 million shares in the company, meaning the merger could give him a much-needed inflow of cash. The former president owes more than $454 million in legal penalties. But a so-called... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24108811/donald-trump-truth-social-dwac-spac-stock-merger

Image: Larian Studios With the sheer popularity surrounding Baldur’s Gate 3 , the game is ripe for an expansion — but if it ever happens, it won’t be made by its developer Larian Studios. During a panel at the Game Developers Conference on Thursday, Larian founder Swen Vincke revealed that the studio plans on moving away from Dungeons & Dragons games, as first reported by IGN . “We’re not going to make new expansions, which everybody is expecting us to do. We’re not going to make Baldur’s Gate 4 , which everybody is expecting us to do. We’re going to move on,” Vincke said. He added that Larian is also going to “move away from D&D ” and start a new project. Counter expectations but I’ve never been more sure about a strategy shift. This is the right thing for... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24108773/baldurs-gate-3-larian-dungeons-and-dragons

Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by Michael Duva, Getty Images Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn are calling for TikTok briefings to be declassified so the government can “better educate the public on the need for urgent action.” The briefings come as support grows for a forced sale of TikTok due to national security concerns around ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the app. “We are deeply troubled by the information and concerns raised by the intelligence community in recent classified briefings to Congress. TikTok is a weapon in the hands of the Chinese government, and poses an active risk to our democratic institutions and national security,” Blumenthal and Blackburn wrote. Last week, in an unusually speedy process, the House passed a bill that... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24108674/tiktok-ban-classified-intelligence-briefing-china-national-security

Image: Max We may be waiting a while to see Robert Pattinson return as Batman , but the franchise isn’t going totally quiet. Max just released the first teaser trailer for The Penguin , which sees Colin Farrell reprise the titular role from the 2022 film The Batman . As a teaser, the short clip doesn’t give much away, but the vibes are clear: this is going to be a crime drama, only set in Gotham. Matt Reeves, who directed The Batman , will serve as an executive producer, while Lauren LeFranc ( Agents of SHIELD ) is showrunner. And while we don’t know much of the premise just yet, the rest of the cast includes Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Clancy Brown, and Michael Zegen. The eight-episode-long show... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24108730/the-penguin-trailer-max-batman

Microsoft’s new Surface hardware is designed exclusively for businesses. | Image: Microsoft Microsoft is gearing up for its “year of the AI PC” with two new Surface devices that won’t be sold directly to consumers. The Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business both feature Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors, Microsoft’s new Copilot key, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to accelerate some existing and upcoming AI-powered features in Windows 11. Microsoft is calling them “the first Surface AI PCs built exclusively for business.” Both of these new Surface devices haven’t been redesigned on the outside, so the Surface Pro 10 for Business will look largely like the Intel version of the Surface Pro 9. The Surface Laptop 6 for Business has an additional USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port and an optional smart card... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/21/24107513/microsoft-ai-pc-surface-pro-10-laptop-6-specs-release-date-price

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube TV subscribers can now watch several programs at once on smaller devices — not just big TV screens. As noted by 9to5Google , the service’s multiview feature has rolled out on iOS and iPadOS, although the Android crowd will have to wait for it to arrive “ in the coming months .” So, Google’s leaving its own crowd out of watching several March Madness games while on the go. Ouch. Multiview lets you watch four different things at the same time. The feature started out focused squarely on sports, and... that very much remains the case. YouTube TV has made it slightly more flexible and customizable , but you still can’t just pick any four cable channels you’d like to have on-screen together, which would be my preference. If you’re using... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/20/24106859/youtube-tv-multiview-now-available-ios-ipados

Image: Epic Games At GDC last year, Epic launched a robust new creative tool called the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). And this year, the company announced some major new features that are on the way for it. To start, the company’s MetaHumans — hyperrealistic human characters that can be animated using only an iPhone — will be available in UEFN beginning today. Epic says that users can import any characters made using the MetaHuman Creator tool and the MetaHuman Animator into UEFN, where they can then be used as NPCs in player-made games. While MetaHumans are the highlight, a couple of other notable features are coming as well. Epic says that UEFN will be getting more camera options later this year, including a much-requested first-person perspective.... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/20/24106494/fortnite-unreal-editor-uefn-metahumans-fps

Epic’s State of Unreal keynote opened with a surprise: a first look at 1943: Rise of Hydra ,the new Marvel game from writer and director Amy Hennig, best known for her work on the Uncharted franchise. It features an “ensemble” of playable characters including Captain America and Black Panther, and is described as a “narrative-driven action-adventure game.” Here’s how Marvel describes the set-up: As the game’s narrative unfolds, players will assume the role of four central characters: a young Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America; Azzuri, T’Challa’s grandfather and the WWII-era Black Panther; Gabriel Jones, a US soldier and member of the Howling Commandos; and Nanali, a Wakandan spy embedded in Occupied Paris. 1943 was featured by Epic... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24106470/1943-rise-of-hydra-marvel-game-trailer-amy-hennig

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge From Fortnite to UE5. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/20/24106665/state-of-unreal-2024-epic-fortnite-ue5-gdc

Lego’s Dungeons and Dragons set is ready to roll. | Image: Lego Grab your dice and get ready to (literally) assemble your adventuring party next month — Lego has finally unveiled the 3,745-piece Dungeons & Dragons set it co-developed with Wizards of the Coast as the tabletop roleplaying game celebrates its 50th anniversary. The $360 set, called “Red Dragon’s Tale,” was inspired by Lucas Bolt’s fan design, “ Dragon’s Keep: Journey’s End ,” and retains many of the same features. There’s a tower, a bridge, a tavern with a removable roof, and yes — both a dungeon and a dragon. Image: Lego / Lucas Bolt This is Bolt’s original fan design... Image: Lego ...and the official Lego set that’s available to buy from April 1st. Image: Lego ... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/19/24105862/lego-dungeons-and-dragons-pictures-price-release-date

Image: Aleksandar Vacić For years, there’s been a dedicated community of tech tinkerers who’ve built unofficial “Macs” out of PC hardware or successfully gotten macOS running on a laptop that ran Windows in a past life. But now, some of those enthusiasts believe the Hackintosh dream is becoming more and more untenable. This blog post by Aleksandar Vacić, highlighted by 9to5Mac , runs through some of the difficulties that seem to be growing by the day. In a nutshell, macOS Sonoma removed support for many drivers that were found in Intel Macs a decade ago. Vacić says these drivers were “the key ingredient to many fully functional Hackintosh builds.” It’s still possible to cobble together a Hackintosh with the Sonoma OS, but you’ll have to be comfortable with some... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/19/24105829/hackintosh-almost-dead-macos-sonoma-drivers

“Passion. You can feel it, can’t you?” begins Bloom, an AI NPC from Ubisoft in collab with InWorld, and Nvidia. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge For the past three months, ever since I spoke to the AI NPCs in Nvidia’s cyberpunk ramen shop , I’ve been wondering: Which game developer will take a flying leap on this controversial and intriguing tech? If you said “Ubisoft,” the company that’s always raising its hand to play with VR , NFTs , interactive TV shows , secondary screens and more, you’d be half right. Last night, I played three prototype segments of an experimental Ubisoft demo featuring the company’s just-announced “Neo NPCs” — one of whom tried to convince me to join the resistance against powerful megacorps by playing on my emotions. Another walked me through an infiltration plan on a whiteboard, letting me “convince” her that we should knock out the lights or hack the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/19/24105748/nvidia-neo-npc-pr...

Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images The speed in which automakers will have to phase out their gas-powered vehicles in favor of ones that are all-electric will be determined Wednesday, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to release its new vehicle emissions rules. Environmental groups are hoping for a sped-up timeline that will put the country on the path to an all-electric fleet by the early part of next decade, while automakers are pushing for a slower adoption that allows the industry to meet consumers’ needs. First announced in April 2023 , the EPA’s original proposal would have resulted in battery-electric vehicles accounting for 37 percent by 2027, 60 percent by 2030, and 67 percent by 2032 — a dramatic increase over the current EV sales... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/19/24105752/epa-emission-rule-electric-vehicle-transition-timeline

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is rolling out three $5 million AI pilot programs across three of its agencies, The New York Times reports . Through partnership with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta, DHS will test out AI models to help its agents with a wide array of tasks, including investigating child sex abuse materials, training immigration officials, and creating disaster relief plans. As part of the AI pilot, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will use generative AI to streamline the hazard mitigation planning process for local governments. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) — the agency within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that investigates child exploitation, human trafficking, and drug smuggling —... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24104843/dhs-ai-pilot-programs-chatgpt-openai-anthropic-meta

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge TikTok is leaning in even more to its app being used like a search engine. Creators making money on the platform will now be paid based in part on how well their content meets what other users are searching for. TikTok calls this metric “search value,” and it’s one of four core elements in determining creator payouts. TikTok announced the change as part of its new monetization program, called Creator Rewards. This metric is the TikTok version of search engine optimization (SEO). One tactic in SEO is keyword research, where publishers make content that aligns with what searchers (the vast majority of whom are using Google) are looking up . On TikTok, search value is whether a creator is posting content that is about topics users are... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24101695/tiktok-creator-rewards-program-monetization-search-value-seo

Sony’s PlayStation VR2. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge After producing in excess of two million units of its latest virtual reality headset, Bloomberg is reporting that Sony is hitting pause on production to try and shift its unsold inventory. The PlayStation VR2 launched last February for $549 as an accessory for the PlayStation 5, but IDC data suggests that shipments have declined each quarter since. Bloomberg suggests that the problem is a lack of content for the headset. The PSVR2 is compatible with a handful of AAA games including Horizon Call of the Mountain , Gran Turismo 7 , and entries in the Resident Evil series, as well as a range of smaller titles. But, at $549, the headset costs more than the PS5 itself, so expectations are high. Bloomberg notes that Meta and Apple have faced... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24104649/sony-pausing-playstation-vr2-production

Last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Apple is reportedly in “active negotiations” with Google to bring its Gemini generative AI technology to the iPhone, Bloomberg reports , and has also considered using OpenAI’s ChatGPT. CEO Tim Cook has already confirmed that Apple is spending “a tremendous amount of time and effort” on artificial intelligence features, and plans to release them to its customers “later this year.” Bloomberg’s report suggests that the AI features built into Apple’s products could eventually be powered by a mix of first- and third-party AI models. Apple’s models could power on-device generative AI with iOS 18, releasing later this year, while cloud-based AI features like text- and image-generation could come via partnerships with the likes of Google. If a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24104626/apple-license-google-gemini-generative-ai-openai-chatgpt

Is it upper midrange? Is it lesser high-end? Hard to say. | Image: Qualcomm Qualcomm just launched a new chipset that’s designed to sit just below its current flagship in terms of capabilities and price. The Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 aims to bring most of the 8 Gen 3’s features — including support for on-device generative AI models — to more affordable phones. It represents a new tier for the top-of-the-line 8-series chips, and it’s also a little bit confusing. Before we get into all that, let’s start with the straightforward stuff: the 8S Gen 3 includes a GPU similar to the standard 8 Gen 3, though it has one less performance core and runs at a lower frequency — the prime core runs at up to 3.0GHz versus 3.4GHz on the 8 Gen 3. The new 8S Gen 3 also uses a previous-gen modem, the X70 5G, which includes Wi-Fi 7... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24101903/qualcomm-snapdragon-8s-gen-3-chipset-on-device-ai

The Verge On March 11th, Elon Musk said xAI would open source its AI chatbot Grok , and now an open release is available on GitHub . This will allow researchers and developers to build on the model and impact how xAI updates Grok in the future as it competes with rival tech from OpenAI, Meta, Google, and others. A company blog post explains that this open release includes the “base model weights and network architecture” of the “314 billion parameter Mixture-of-Experts model, Grok-1.” It continues saying the model is from a checkpoint last October and hasn’t undergone fine-tuning “for any specific application, such as dialogue.” As VentureBeat notes, it’s being released under the Apache 2.0 license that enables commercial use but doesn’t include... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/17/24097810/xai-open-source-grok-musk-generative-ai-llm

Cath Virginia / The Verge Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 30, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome. So psyched you found us, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) This week, I’ve been playing the fun puzzler Close Cities , scrounging up money to buy TikTok, reading the latest in my favorite spy-thriller series , debating becoming a mansion squatter , testing Today for simple tasks, taking notes on this great video about the editing in Oppenheimer , and yelling “SPACE!” while watching the most recent SpaceX launch . I also have for you a new AI productivity tool, a great way to find stuff to watch, some new shows about old events, and a deep dive into the collapse of the Apple... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24102242/likewise-movie-recommendations-apple-car-proton-mail-evernote-installer

Starship Home, a cozy mixed-reality game for the Meta Quest 3 , is trying to get to the heart of “what makes a game meaningful in mixed reality.” That’s according to developer Doug North Cook, who wrote on Reddit that the game, which turns your environment into a custom spaceship and you into an intergalactic horticulturist, is indie studio Creature’s “first answer to that question.” A Meta Quest blog post says players will customize their starship by “strategically placing virtual windows, control panels, and other components” in their room. Outside the windows, the game’s trailer shows you’ll see things like space creatures, planets, cloud-tops, and travel animations as you leave planets. When players land on a planet, they’ll collect... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/16/24103308/starship-home-meta-quest-3-mixed-reality-sim-game

Image SpaceX’s Starshield unit has had a classified contract with the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) since 2021 to build a network of “hundreds” of spy satellites for the agency, Reuters reports today , citing unnamed sources “familiar with the program.” A Wall Street Journal report in February listed a classified $1.8 billion SpaceX contract with a then-unnamed government agency. Now Reuters has attached a name, and that it’s to build a network of “hundreds of satellites bearing Earth-imaging capabilities that can operate as a swarm in low orbits.” The report didn’t say when the network will be operational or what other companies are involved. It does mention that a US database of space objects lists satellites deployed by SpaceX... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/16/24103172/spacex-starshield-spy-satellite-network-us-intelligence-classified-contract

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Federal prosecutors asking questions about Meta are "looking into whether the company’s social-media platforms are facilitating and profiting from the illegal sale of drugs," according to unnamed sources in a report today by the Wall Street Journal . Prosecutors reportedly sent Meta subpoenas last year seeking records on “violative drug content on Meta’s platforms and/or the illicit sale of drugs via Meta’s platforms.” A Meta spokesperson told the Journal that, “The sale of illicit drugs is against our policies and we work to find and remove this content from our services. Meta proactively cooperates with law enforcement authorities to help combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs.” The WSJ said TikTok did not respond when... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/16/24103027/us-investigation-meta-drug-sales-profits

From AAA blockbusters to indie cult classics, there are tons of games up to 95 percent off. | Valve / Steam You’d think most gamers would have indulged enough over the long winter season that they wouldn’t want to spend the first moments of spring doing the same, but rainy days are still a thing, yeah? And the grind never truly stops for many of us. That’s why I can appreciate the Steam spring sale , happening now through March 21st. It happens around this time every year and offers up to 90 percent off thousands of titles. You can find deals on game-of-the-year-worthy titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 for $53.99 ($6 off), for example, while Diablo IV is 50 percent off no matter which version you buy, whether it’s the base game going for $34.99 or the Ultimate Edition for $49.99. It’s also a great chance to check out older titles you may have passed... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/15/24101003/steam-spring-sale-m1-macbook-air-breville-barista-exp...

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Until relatively recently, Rep. Jeff Jackson, a freshman Democratic congressman from North Carolina, had more than 2.5 million followers on TikTok. Jackson’s follower count dropped by over 100,000 virtually overnight — as did his esteem among some of TikTok’s young users — after he voted to ban the app . The bill passed with 352 votes, but to the legions of TikTokers who called their representatives to urge them not to ban the app, Jackson’s vote feels like a unique betrayal. @noahglenncarter An update on Jeff Jackson. Hes losing everything right now because he boted yes #keeptiktok #jeffjackson #tiktokban #foryou ♬ Stargazing (Slowed + Reverb) - Marcelo De Carvalho On Wednesday, Jackson posted a video on X laying out the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/15/24101851/tiktok-ban-vote-jeff-jackson-sell-bytedance

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Uber and Lyft are pulling their services out of Minneapolis after the city council passed an ordinance that will increase drivers’ pay. Both companies say they will no longer offer ridesharing services in the city when the ordinance goes into effect on May 1st. The ordinance, which guarantees drivers a minimum rate of $1.40 per mile and 51 cents per minute while carrying a rider, was first passed last week but later vetoed by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. The City Council voted 10–3 to override the veto on Thursday. Lyft spokesperson CJ Macklin calls the ordinance “deeply flawed,” as the rates were determined before the state released a study detailing how much drivers would have to be paid to earn Minneapolis’ $15.57 per hour minimum... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/15/24101774/uber-lyft-leave-minneapolis-minimum-pay

Image: Wooting Wooting’s 60HE is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, gaming keyboard on the market. That’s all thanks to Rapid Trigger , a feature that speeds up how quickly you can activate a key to respond in games like Valorant or Counter-Strike 2 . Now, Wooting is launching the 80HE , a larger keyboard with an 80 percent layout. It comes with a new “Rappy Snappy” feature that combines with Rapid Trigger to make it even faster to pull off moves like strafing and bunny hopping in games. “Rappy Snappy is our new spin on Rapid Trigger, so it compares two keys together and the one that gets pressed the furthest is prioritized,” explains Wooting CEO Calder Limmen. “You could, for example, use it on your A and D keys to make counter strafing... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/14/24100819/wooting-80he-keyboard-rappy-snappy-feature

The SEC claims that Musk “has done everything he can to delay the completion of this matter.” | Image: Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images The officials assessing whether Elon Musk violated federal securities law during his acquisition of Twitter are growing tired of his alleged attempts to stall their investigation. In a new filing on Wednesday , the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused Musk of trying to “misrepresent” the scope of its investigation, claiming that he “persists with baseless constitutional objections” against its attempts to make him testify. The SEC has been scrutinizing Musk since 2022 over his delay in disclosing a substantial stake in Twitter. Musk had purchased before initiating his acquisition of the social media platform on April 14th. According to the SEC, while Musk testified twice that year, he has since fought against a third and... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/14/24100847/elon-musk-sec-investigation-...

You can buy Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for just $30. | Image: Ubisoft What’s with all the good PlayStation deals lately? First, the disc-based and discless versions of the PS5 “slim” dropped to an all-time low (with a digital copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 , no less). Now, Sony is taking up to 80 percent off a ton of PlayStation games through March 27th as part of its Essential Picks sale , which drops digital copies of newer hits like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown to $29.99 ($20 off) and both Final Fantasy XVI and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to $41.99 ($28 off). Hundreds of other older games are on sale, too, so you’ll likely find something that’ll strike your fancy if none of the newer games do. Right now, for example, you can challenge yourself for hours on end with either Returnal or Demon’s Souls ,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/14/24099507/prince-of-persia-ps5-games-jabra-earbuds-anker-511-charger-deal-sale