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Illustration: Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Image: Getty Images In a new motion filed late Friday in his lawsuit against OpenAI, Elon Musk’s attorneys have asked for a preliminary injunction to stop OpenAI from transitioning to a for-profit enterprise, reports TechCrunch . They also asked the judge to forbid the company from continuing alleged practices that they say violate US antitrust laws. Musk’s lawyers claim that because of CEO Sam Altman’s alleged self-dealing, OpenAI “will likely lack sufficient funds to pay damages” if Musk wins the suit. The motion follows reports of OpenAI’s intent to become a for-profit business and that it recently began early talks with regulators to move its structural change forward. As for antitrust claims, the lawyers say OpenAI and Microsoft “told investors not to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/30/24309697/elon-musk-openai-lawsuit-for-profit-transition-preliminary-injunction

This beefy battery from Anker, which can keep all your gadgets charged while traveling, is on sale for its lowest price to date. | Image: Anker As a power-hungry tech journalist, I’m constantly on the lookout for good bargains on portable power to keep my devices charged while I’m traveling for work. So, I snapped up Anker’s 24,000mAh 737 Power Bank when I saw it on sale at Amazon for $73.99 — which is more than 50 percent off the original retail price. It’s also available directly from Anker for the same Black Friday low when you use promo code WS24SJHXE0JN at checkout. I’ve been looking for a good power bank that could simultaneously charge my MacBook Pro, iPhone, and headphones while on the go, and I’ve had my eye on the Anker 737 for a while. Its whopping 24,000 mAh battery means I can ditch my other less powerful power banks and seriously streamline my go-bag (although at... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/30/24309602/black-friday-2024-a...

Image: Epic Games Fortnite ’s most recent virtual concert was supersized in multiple ways. Unlike previous events, which focused on specific artists like Ariana Grande or Metallica , this one featured a cast of four different artists: Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, and the late Juice WRLD. And it turned each one of the large lineup into a kaiju-sized performer, while also integrating deep cuts of Fortnite lore and providing a tease of what’s next for the game. Things started out at Snoop Dogg’s compound, which has been at the center of the battle royale map since the beginning of November. From there, a gigantic version of the rapper performed, before whisking players away into space for another song. In fact, the event constantly moved around: up next was... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/30/24305460/fortnite-chapter-2-remix-concert-eminem-snoop-juice-wrld-ice-spice

With a new Marvel Rivals trailer , Marvel has revealed that Wolverine, Black Widow, Iron Fist, Squirrel Girl, and Cloak and Dagger will all be part of its upcoming 6 v 6 hero shooter . The company says in an announcement that each of them will be “fully revealed” in one trailer per day leading up to its December 6th launch. The trailer hints at some of the attacks the characters will have, including a Hulk / Wolverine team-up that involves the big green guy flinging Marvel’s furry short king at their adversaries. Some other paired attacks show up, like Squirrel Girl catching a Spider-Man web ball and apparently turning it into an exploding slingshot projectile, or Black Window and Hawkeye firing side-by-side. Marvel also took the wraps... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/30/24309516/marvel-rivals-gets-wolverine-black-widow-and-more-in-the-latest-trailer

Apple’s second-gen AirPods Pro buds in front of the charging case against a dark background. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Black Friday and AirPods discounts go together like, well, AirPods and iPhones. We thought the latest AirPods Pro were an incredible deal at their recently discounted price of $189, but they’ve dropped even further at Amazon , Walmart , and Target where you can now pick them up for a new low of $153.99 ($95 off). That’s less than the current price for the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation , which are down to $164.99 ($14 off) at Amazon . Sure, the AirPods 4 are newer, but Apple was mostly playing catchup with their release. The second-gen AirPods Pro are still the best wireless earbuds in Apple’s lineup, even a couple of years after their initial release. Their voice call quality is fantastic and their noise cancellation performance... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/26/24306522/apple-airpods-pro-2-usb-c-earbu...

Illustration: The Verge You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a robot clean your floors. Here’s our pick of the most cost-effective bots you can buy right now. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23846479/best-budget-robot-vacuum-robot-mop

Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Eastman Kodak has temporarily paused all film production. The news comes as part of a shutdown in November allowing the company to upgrade and modernize its Rochester, New York factory, according to a report by Kosmo Foto . The decision was announced by Kodak CEO Jim Continenza during the company’s Q3 2024 quarterly earnings call on November 13th. The improvements will help Kodak keep up with an increased demand for film. “Our film sales have increased on motion picture and in still film and other films. So on film, we’re doing a shutdown in November, total shutdown,” Continenza said during the earnings call. “We’ve continued to invest in our manufacturing process, while we need to shut down completely to bring light into the dark, right?... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/28/24308172/kodak-film-factory-upgrade-rochester

Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images Australia just voted into law a social media ban for children under the age of 16. The legislation was approved by Australian lawmakers on Thursday with the aim of protecting the mental health of children online, despite opposition from tech companies who claim the rules are unworkable. The new law is scheduled to come into effect in 12 months, giving social media companies time to meet the requirements. These include taking “reasonable steps to prevent children who have not reached a minimum age from having accounts.” Children who violate these upcoming restrictions won’t face punishment, nor will their parents — the responsibility lies entirely with platform providers. “We want Australian children to have a childhood, and we want... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/28/24308245/australia-bans-social-media-children-under-16

Google’s generation for the prompt “Make a classic chess set inspired by geometric sci-fi art.” | Screenshot: The Verge Google has released a new chess website that puts one fun twist on the game: it uses custom pieces that are created each time by generative AI. The game starts by letting you type in a short description for what the white pieces should look like; it’ll generate the set using its Imagen 3 AI model, then automatically come up with a related idea for black. When I asked for sci-fi-themed pieces for myself, it made fantasy-themed pieces for the opponent. From there, you can play the game. It’s functional, but it’s far from a fully featured chess app. You can choose three difficulty settings and two time controls, but you can’t review past moves or see what pieces have been captured. The game also defaults to an isometric view of the board... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/27/24307438/google-genchess-generative-ai-chess-pieces

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Selling Chrome might not be the most painful part of the DOJ’s antitrust demands for Google. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/27/24302415/doj-google-search-antitrust-remedies-chrome-android

The Ultimate Ears Miniroll speaker is pocketable with a built-in strap for extra portability. | Image: Logitch / Ultimate Ears If you need a good portable speaker, we’ve highlighted plenty in our larger Black Friday deals roundup — but the UE Miniroll is one of our favorites and one of the best deals of the week. Normally $79.99, right now it’s down to $49.99 ($30 off) at Amazon , Best Buy , and directly from Ultimate Ears , which is an all-time low price. The Miniroll is similar to Ultimate Ears’ discontinued Roll and Roll 2 products , with the same disc design. However, the Bluetooth speaker is smaller, so you can store it in small bags and even some pockets if you need to. Like the Roll products, the Miniroll features a built-in strap so you can attach it to your bag and other objects. Combined with its robust IP67 rating against dust and water, you can easily... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/27/24307424/ultimate-ears-miniroll-bluetooth-s...

Photo by Andrew J. Hawkins / The Verge What GM takes away, the aftermarket restores. General Motors’ controversial decision to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from most of its electric vehicles now has a possible workaround. As noticed by InsideEVs , a company called White Automotive and Media Services (WAMS) is advertising a new aftermarket upgrade kit that restores the popular phone-mirroring features back into Chevy and GMC EVs. On its website, the company promises “fully integrated wired and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto in all the ways you’ve come to expect (and some you haven’t!) without compromising any existing features or functionality.” The upgrade is currently compatible with the Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs, as well as the GMC Sierra EV. (Sorry... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/27/24307345/gm-ev-carplay-android-auto-aftermarket-kit

Image: Ford With more cars equipped with partial automation hitting the road, safety researchers are growing increasingly worried about driver attention and the potential for these systems to cause crashes. A new survey has a possible solution to the problem of wandering attention while using partial automation: let drivers adjust the steering. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducted a new study that found that drivers were more likely to stay alert while using advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) when they were allowed to correct the steering without disengaging the partial automation. “These results suggest that small differences in system design can nudge drivers toward safer habits,” said IIHS president David Harkey in a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/26/24306519/adas-partial-automation-driver-attention-steering-iihs

Anker’s orb-like charging stand can power up eight devices, including iPhones, for just $56. | Image: Nathan Edwards / The Verge If you’re tired of cluttering up your desk with multiple chargers, check out Anker’s MagGo Magnetic Charging Station 8-in-1 , because it can probably replace all of them. It’s one of our favorite MagSafe chargers precisely because it can power up eight devices at a time, and right now is down to an all-time low of $55.99 ($44 off) at Amazon for Black Friday. You can also purchase it at the same price directly from Anker when you apply the promo code WS7DV2NMENHH . Anker’s orb-like charger is capable of quickly delivering Qi2 speeds (15 watts) of power to MagSafe-compatible iPhones. Yet it’s also a power strip, one that supports up to 67 watts total power output and features a pair of USB-C as well as USB-A ports, along with three AC... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/26/24305776/anker-maggo-magnetic-charging-station-...

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge The European Union says Twitter alternative Bluesky violates the EU Digital Services Act rules around information disclosure, reports Reuters . But since Bluesky isn’t yet big enough to be considered a “very large online platform” under the DSA, the regulator says it can’t regulate Bluesky the way it does X or Threads. The Financial Times quotes European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier, who told reporters about the violation during a Monday press briefing: “All platforms in the EU . . . have to have a dedicated page on their website where it says how many users they have in the EU and where they are legally established,” said commission spokesman Thomas Regnier. “This is not the case for Bluesky as of today. This is not followed.” ... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/25/24305579/bluesky-breaking-european-union-rules-user-count

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Google must face a £7 billion (around $8.8 billion) class action lawsuit in the UK that accuses the company of harming consumers by abusing its dominance in search. On Friday, the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled that the case can move forward, adding to the growing number of legal conflicts Google has to confront worldwide. The class action case was initially filed in September 2023 by consumer rights advocate Nikki Stopford. It alleges that Google’s anticompetitive practices made it more expensive for companies to advertise on the platform, leading to higher prices for millions of consumers across the UK. The lawsuit argues that Google “forced” Android phone makers to ship their phones with Google Search and Google Chrome,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/25/24305482/google-uk-class-action-lawsuit-search-dominance

A still from the latest A Minecraft Movie trailer. | Screenshot: YouTube This week, I went to a theater to watch a showing of the black-and-white version of Johnny Mnemonic, starring Keanu Reeves. Old-heads like me may recall it as a bad mid-90s cyberpunk film (written by William Gibson!) about a data courier whose brain is the storage medium, but who had to have his childhood memories erased to make space for the work. I hadn’t seen it since I was a kid, and you know what? It’s still not a good movie. But if you ignore the plot holes, mostly awful acting, and terrible pacing, it’s at least very cool to look at. Also, I had totally forgotten about Ice T’s turn as J-Bone, leader of the Lo-Tek underground. It was fun enough, but it was weird to hear the theater audience erupt with applause at the end, though,... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/24/24304977/movie-trailers-mincraft-elio-alien-earth-star-wars-outlaws-wild-card-how-to-train-your-dragon

Tim Cook and then-President Donald Trump, speaking to the Press in Austin, Texas in 2019. | Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images Apple CEO Tim Cook managed to forge a personal relationship with Donald Trump during his first Presidential term that other tech firms struggled to replicate. Now, others are trying to follow his template, says a Wall Street Journal report today. Cook used direct appeals to influence Trump’s 2017 tax policy and to get him to dial back his 2019 tariffs in ways that benefitted Apple . In exchange, Trump got to look good; as the Journal points out, Cook didn’t correct Trump when claimed responsibility for Apple opening an Austin manufacturing plant that had already been around for years and wasn’t even owned by Apple . Part of Cook’s strategy was keeping things simple, according to the Journal : Instead of sending government relations... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/24/24304771/tim-cook-trump-relationship-playboo...

Image: Apple Wolfs director Jon Watts told Collider on Friday that he didn’t think a sequel to the George Clooney and Brad Pitt movie, which Apple had already greenlit, would be happening. Yesterday, he revealed to Deadline that he had backed out of the project because he “no longer trusted [Apple] as a creative partner” after the company made a u-turn on its wide theatrical release. The New York Times reported in August that Apple pulled the theatrical run for Wolfs because it was concerned it was spending too much on films after suffering multiple high-profile box office disappointments. At the same time, its limited-run approach worked out for Doug Liman’s The Instigators , which analysts cited by the Times said was the most-watched streaming movie... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/24/24304621/wolfs-sequel-cancelled-apple-tv-plus-theatrical-release-jon-watts-george-clooney-brad-pitt

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge Nintendo recently announced a batch of Black Friday deals , all of which run through November 30th. This includes a steep discount on the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller , which drops it to an all-time low of $49.99 ($20 off) at Best Buy , GameStop , and Target . This is one of the more notable Black Friday discounts from Nintendo this year — that is, aside from the current promo on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Nintendo’s latest Switch OLED bundle — namely because the Pro Controller rarely goes on sale, even today. Although there are many great third-party gamepads available, the Switch Pro Controller remains the best all-around controller for Nintendo’s aging console. It’s much more comfortable to use a full-size controller... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/24/24302297/nintendo-switch-pro-controller-black-friday-2024-deal-sale

Image: David Pierce / The Verge Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 61, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy Hallmark season, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) I missed you all last week — thanks to everyone who told me you missed Installer , too! Warms my heart, and also makes me feel terrible for not being there, but mostly warms my heart. Let’s get back at it. This week, I’ve been reading about venom and deadly car races and hockey phenoms , setting up the new Mac Mini I finally caved and bought, watching The Day of the Jackal (which is spectacular) and Wolfs (which is fine), devouring the Dark Matter and Say Nothing books before I watch the shows , seeing if Google’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/24/24303359/surveilled-buy-now-documentaries-tech-dune-installer

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft has stopped offering updates to Windows 11 version 24H2 on PCs that have certain Ubisoft games installed, Bleeping Computer reports . The company made the move after complaints that Star Wars Outlaws and games in the Assassin’s Creed series were crashing after installing the new Windows update. Microsoft confirmed the “compatibility hold” in a status update yesterday evening, and says it’s working with Ubisoft to find a fix. In the meantime, the company recommends against installing the Windows 11 24H2 update manually. Here is Microsoft’s description of the issue and games affected: After installing Windows 11, version 24H2, you might encounter issues with some Ubisoft games. These games might become unresponsive while... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/23/24304313/microsoft-delays-windows-11-24h2-update-ubisoft-star-wars-outlaws-assassins-creed-valhalla-crashes

The Chrysler Pacifica could come as a fully-electric minivan in a few years. | Image: Chrysler Chrysler is working on a fully electric version of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, according to Green Car Reports . The EV version reportedly would “likely” come a year after the company debuts a Pacifica design refresh that features elements of the Halcyon concept that Stellantis showed off earlier this year. At the moment, the Pacifica lineup includes a standard gas-powered minivan and a plug-in hybrid with an estimated 32-mile electric-only driving range before it switches over to gas. Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell, who confirmed the plans to Green Car Reports during the LA Auto Show on Thursday, wouldn’t say whether the company will keep the plug-in hybrid alongside the all-electric model. Image: Stellantis The... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/23/24304099/chrysler-pacifica-ev-fully-electric-minivan

Yes, the dongle dangles from your TV’s HDMI port. No, it’s not that big of a deal. | Image: The Verge It’s clear the world is ready to go all in on streaming for premier live events. That’s evidenced most recently by massive deals brokered by the likes of Netflix, which will exclusively broadcast two NFL games on Christmas Day and weekly episodes of WWE’s Monday Night Raw . If you aren’t already set up with a capable streamer to enjoy it all, the Chromecast with Google TV (4K) is on sale at Amazon , Best Buy , and the Google Store for $39.99 ($10 off), which is less than $2 shy of its all-time low. There’s a bit of urgency here, too, because we may be in the final proverbial hours of the Chromecast’s existence. Google recently confirmed it’s discontinuing the line in favor of the Google TV Streamer 4K , so if you want one — even if it’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/23/24303221/chromecast-with-google-tv-4k-streaming-device-black-friday-d...

Image: Plex Plex is beginning to test its “newly reimagined Plex experience,” which will be available first on mobile and is coming to TV platforms “very soon.” Plex says the new experience has been in development for almost two years and is “designed to bring everything you love into one seamless interface.” But don’t worry — while the new version of the app is currently missing some features, Plex says it will be “closing those gaps” and will keep the current app available during the preview, which will hopefully prevent a Sonos-like debacle . A big change for the new app is redesigned navigation that more clearly delineates between media you might have on your Plex server and the company’s streaming and on-demand offerings. The bottom bar has... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/22/24303282/plex-app-redesign-sonos-debacle

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The young streamer behind a viral meme coin called Quant was doxxed by the crypto community after he ripped off investors, as reported by Decrypt and The Crypto Times . During a livestream earlier this week , the kid giddily watched the price of his meme coin go up before selling his stake for $30,000 and flipping off viewers, causing its price to plummet. The young investor, who reports claim is 13 years old, started gaining attention after his post on X went viral . “Just made 2k before school. Lock in,” the post said, alongside a photo of the kid holding up his phone to show off his gains. When the boy later launched his token Quant during a livestream, investments quickly started coming in — until he pulled all of the money out of the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/22/24303149/teen-streamer-dumped-quant-meme-coin-doxxed

Illustration: The Verge WhatsApp is introducing a new transcription feature that makes it easier (and more convenient) to communicate using voice messaging. The feature is rolling out globally to Android and iOS users “in the coming weeks” according to WhatsApp, and will automatically create a text version of voice clips under the message for moments when you’re unable to listen to them. This finds a great balance between the pros and cons of voice messages, which are easier to record than typing out lengthy conversations but can be cumbersome to listen to, especially on the go or in loud environments. Now you get the best of both worlds, but only voice message recipients who have the feature enabled can see the transcripts. Image: WhatsApp ... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/21/24302365/whatsapp-voice-message-transcription-feature-availability-ios-android

Image: Universal Jon M. Chu’s Wicked adaptation gets at the heart of what makes musicals such a spectacular form of storytelling. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/21/24301620/wicked-review

Photo by Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images Ford said it would cut 4,000 jobs from its business in Europe, while also lowering production estimates for its upcoming Explorer and Capri electric vehicles. The planned cuts , which amount to 14 percent of the automaker’s European operations, will primarily affect its workers in Germany and the UK, with “minimal reductions” coming from other European markets. The news comes as EVs continue to lose momentum in markets around the world, as governments eliminate subsidies and economic headwinds force many automakers to rethink their strategies. Image: Ford It also comes at a tough time for Ford, which has been dealing with disruptions both at home and abroad. The company recently paused production of its F-150... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301507/ford-retracts-in-europe-with-layoffs-and-lower-ev-production

Most MagSafe power bank kickstands are too flimsy to safely hold an iPhone. Anker’s design is much better. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge We’ll soon see an explosion of early Black Friday deals , with several extended sales kicking off tomorrow and more underway as the week itself approaches. That said, there are still many bargains to be had right now. It’s hard to pass on a Prime-exclusive deal that brings the Anker MagGo 6,6000mAh Qi2 power bank as low as $19.99 ($50 off) in select colors when clipping a coupon at Amazon . It’s also available at Anker for $29.99 ($40 off) through the end of the day with code WSPEV2JAZSLN . That’s a good fallback if you’re not a Prime member or prefer it in white or black, as those colors are sold out at Amazon as of this writing. While it’s a little chunkier than comparably sized power banks, the advantage here is that you can charge any... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301443/a...

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Image Brazil and the United Nations launched a new international effort to combat disinformation on climate change. They announced the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change during the G20 Leaders’ Summit taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’s a collaboration between governments and international organizations to boost research on misinformation swirling online and around the globe that they fear could slow action on climate change. There isn’t much information available yet, but they say they’ll fund nonprofit efforts to counter that spread of lies. “Countries cannot tackle this problem individually,” President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a press release. “Countries cannot tackle this problem... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/19/24300541/disinformation-climate-change-g20-summit-united-nations

Nanoleaf’s smart ceiling lights are exceptionally bright and deliver some cool lighting effects perfect for setting the mood. | Image: Nanoleaf If you want to brighten up your home as the days get darker, Nanoleaf’s ceiling lights will bring a bit of the sun in. Normally $249.99, right now you can buy the three-pack Nanoleaf Skylight Smarter Kit at an all-time low price of $199.99 at Amazon , Best Buy , and directly from Nanoleaf . Nanoleaf designed the full-color LED ceiling lights so they mimic a skylight, and that they do very well. All of the tunable lights radiate 4,200 lumens of brightness, illuminating any home even on the darkest winter day. You can even choose from nature-inspired lighting animations like “shooting stars” and “sun shower,” so it’s as if you’re really peering up right through your ceiling into the sky. Along with brightening up your house, the lights also... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/19/24299663/nanoleaf-skylight-...

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is creating a new companions experience for the Windows 11 taskbar that will surface important data with just a click. Microsoft 365 Companions will include contacts and people, files, or calendar appointments integrated into the taskbar of Windows 11. “We will bring Microsoft 365 People, Files, and Calendar to your taskbar so your Graph data is just a click away,” said Windows chief Pavan Davuluri on stage at Microsoft Ignite 2024 today. Microsoft hasn’t detailed this new Companions experience fully, but it looks very similar to what exists for the Phone Link app on Windows 11. Microsoft introduced a similar companion experience at the side of the Start menu for Phone Link with the Windows 11 24H2 update , allowing you to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/19/24300605/microsoft-365-companions-windows-taskbar-files-people-calendar

Photo: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The holidays are expensive, but they don’t have to be. From fitness trackers to smart speakers, here are the best gifts under $50. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/24224039/best-gifts-under-50-ideas-cheap-tech-2024-budget

Image: The Verge Telegram is pushing a new 2.0 update for its in-app “mini-apps” that allows them to run full screen, enables developers to add subscription plans, allows gift sending from mini-apps, lets you add the apps to your homescreen, and more. Full-screen mini-apps, including games such as Doom, can run in either portrait or landscape orientations inside Telegram and include “expanded gestures and interfaces” to support more gaming genres. Like native mobile apps, mini-apps can now read your device’s processor and RAM information to optimize performance and support gyro controls. GIF: Telegram Add mini-apps to your homescreen. Telegram’s additions show the company’s efforts to build an all-in-one super app like China’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/18/24299536/telegram-mini-apps-update-2-super-app

The Verge Perplexity is rolling out a new feature that will let Pro subscribers purchase a product without leaving its AI search engine. When searching for a product using Perplexity, Pro members based in the US can now choose a “Buy with Pro” button that will automatically order the product using saved shipping and billing information. Perplexity says all products purchased through Buy with Pro come with free shipping. For products that don’t support Buy with Pro, Perplexity will redirect users to the merchant’s website to complete their purchase. Screenshot: Perplexity Perplexity’s product cards will show whether you can “Buy with Pro.” When asked whether Perplexity gets any kickback from sales made through its Buy with... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/18/24299574/perplexity-ai-search-engine-buy-products

You’re probably going to want one of these by the time GTA VI comes out. | Image: Western Digital We’ve safely exited another summer gaming lull and it looks like we’re entering a bull run of great games heading into 2025. As a result, the 512GB of internal storage supplied by the Xbox Series S is feeling increasingly paltry. You’ll even start to feel the squeeze on the 1TB Series X when you load up on new titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops VI (which demands about 85GB for multiplayer alone , and much more if you’re into the campaign). Don’t even get us started on the spate of games due in the next year and beyond . The 1TB WD_Black C50 expansion card can offer relief, and it’s down to an all-time low of $99.99 ($56 off) at Amazon and Best Buy . You can also get the 512GB card for $67.99 ($12 off), which is $2 more than its lowest... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/18/24299443/western-digital-wd-black-c50-1tb-expansion-card-series-x-s-deal-sale

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that intends to name Brendan Carr as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Carr, a commissioner at the FCC since 2017, has made a name for himself by threatening to use the commission’s powers to regulate speech online and over the airwaves. Carr authored Project 2025’s section on the FCC, using it to propose restrictions on social media platforms meant to bolster conservative speech. He proposed limiting the legal shield that gives websites wide latitude to host and moderate user-generated content. He also suggested putting regulations on tech companies that would limit their ability to block and prioritize that content as they choose. In the lead up to the election, Carr... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/17/24299207/brendan-carr-fcc-chairman-trump

I haven’t been able to find mine for years. | Image: Apple The Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter may have bitten the dust, as it’s sold out at Apple’s online store in the US and much of the world, MacRumors reports . The accessory is reportedly still available from Apple in some countries, including France, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. If it’s truly gone, then this feels like the end of an era. Apple introduced the Lightning headphone adapter in 2016 alongside the iPhone 7, when it first courageously ditched the headphone jack . The company even included it with new iPhones for a couple of generations before it stopped doing that for 2018’s iPhone XS , leaving customers to buy one themselves, pick up Lightning EarPods , or get on the AirPods train (which many of us had started... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/17/24299072/apple-lightning-to-3-5mm-headphone-jack-adapter-sold-out-apple-site

Image: The Verge An Ohio man named Larry Dean Harmon will serve three years in prison and forfeit more than $400 million worth of cryptocurrency and other assets, the Department of Justice announced on Friday . Harmon was indicted in 2020 on money laundering conspiracy charges related to Helix, a darkweb cryptocurrency “mixer” service he ran. Also known as crypto “tumbling,” services like Helix are designed to hide cryptocurrency transactions — often for illegal drugs — and the identity of people involved. From 2014 to 2017, Harmon processed more than 350,000 Bitcoin (about $311 million USD at the time) in such transactions, according to the DOJ’s announcement. Harmon, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in August 2021, will be on... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/17/24298962/larry-dean-harmon-charged-bitcoin-laundering-helix-mixer-cryptocurrency-darknet

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images Elon Musk’s X may have tweaked its algorithm to boost his account, along with those of other conservative-leaning users, starting around the time he announced his support of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. That’s according to a new study published by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), which found that Musk’s posts in particular were suddenly much more popular. The study’s authors — QUT associate professor in digital media Timothy Graham and Monash University communications and media studies professor Mark Andrejevic — first looked at Musk’s engagement before and after his July endorsement of Trump . They report that starting around July 13th, Musks’ posts received 138 percent more views and 238 percent more retweets than... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/17/24298669/musk-trump-endorsement-x-boosting-republican-posts-july-algorithm-change

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Thanks to Qi2, there are way more great chargers for your MagSafe phone than ever before. Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/23505846/best-magsafe-magnetic-chargers-apple-iphone

Concept art for Half-Life 2: Episode 3 , from the Half-Life 2 20th Anniversary Documentary. | Screenshot: YouTube Unsurprisingly, yesterday’s big Half-Life release wasn’t the sequel to Half-Life 2 or even the third Half-Life 2: Episode entry, but a 20th-anniversary update to Valve’s legendary 2004 game. And given what studio co-founder Gabe Newell has to say on the subject in a 2-hour documentary that the company released in tandem with the update, it seems less likely than ever that we’ll be seeing either follow-up anytime soon. Newell explains what he calls his “personal failure” near the end of the video: You can’t get lazy and say, “oh, we’re moving the story forward.” That’s copping out of your obligatiion to gamers, right? Yes, of course they love the story. They love many, many aspects of it. But sort of saying that your reason to do it is... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/16/24298091/gabe-newell-half-life-2-documentary-why-hl-3-nev...

Image: Nick Barclay / The Verge Facebook is making “views” its primary metric to measure the performance of content, bringing it in line with Instagram metrics . Views will be measured not just on video content but also on photos, text posts, and more. When Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced the switch to views this summer, he said that having one consistent metric across the platform would make it easier for creators to understand how their content was performing. For reels, a view is how many times the video was played. For everything else, a view is how many times a piece of content shows up on a user’s screen, and if the same user looks at it multiple times, each instance counts as a view. Meta has also added a view count to posts on Threads, saying it’s an... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/15/24297255/facebook-metrics-views-instagram

Illustration: The Verge Google has announced it will stop showing political ads to users in the European Union next year due to uncertainties around the bloc’s new transparency regulations. In a new blog post , Google says the upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) rules that aim to prevent election interference and help voters make informed choices will introduce significant “operational challenges and legal uncertainties.” Google says the definition of political advertising in the TTPA, which is set to come into force in October 2025, is too broad and makes it difficult to reliably identify what content should be restricted across different EU regions at scale. The search giant is planning to stop serving political ads before the... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/14/24296510/google-dropping-political-ads-in-the-eu-ttpa

Apple TV Plus Mythic Quest ’s upcoming fourth season finally has a release date, but Apple’s future plans for the series aren’t stopping there. Today, Apple announced that Mythic Quest will return on January 29th with a two-episode premiere picking up Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney,) Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao,) David Brittlesbee (David Hornsby,) Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi,) Rachel Ashly Burch, Dana Bryant (Imani Hakim,) Jo (Jessie Ennis) and Carol (Naomi Ekperigin) adjust to a new status quo. In the new season, the Mythic Quest team will find their attempts at maintaining healthier work / life balances disrupted by stars rising, egos clashing, and new relationships blooming. Though season 4 is set to conclude on March 26th, Mythic Quest ’s world will get a... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/14/24296445/mythic-quest-season-4-premiere-date-side-quest

Illustration: The Verge Bluesky might be on the rise, but Instagram and Threads boss Adam Mosseri wants you to know that Threads is still much bigger. In a post on Thursday, Mosseri said that Threads has gotten “more than 15 million signups in November alone,” seemingly trying to throw some cold water over Bluesky crossing 15 million users total on Wednesday . Mosseri also reiterated that the platform has been getting more than a million signups per day — a stat that CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed during last month’s earnings call — and noted that the platform has been seeing that volume of signups for “going on three months.” Many people have been jumping to Bluesky looking for a new place to post that’s not X, which is owned by Donald Trump supporter Elon... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/14/24296490/meta-threads-15-million-adam-mosseri-bluesky

Illustration: Cath Virginia / The Verge After an open beta that rolled out last month, Arc Search is now available to all Android users. The Browser Company’s search engine — which describes itself as “the fastest way to search” — has been positioning itself as a better alternative to Chrome. Arc Search not only blocks ads but also has an AI feature called “browse for me” that summarizes search results . In a September Decoder interview, Browser Company CEO Josh Miller described Arc as a laptop-first search engine, but the company is clearly leaning in to mobile. Over 100,000 Android users participated in the Arc beta, according to a press release. Arc says it’s fixed some of the issues that bothered users most during the beta test — as a result, the browser now has full... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/14/24296473/arc-search-android-mobile-web-browser-launch

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled for the sixth time this year — and the fix won’t involve an easy software update. Tesla voluntarily issued a recall for approximately 2,431 Cybertrucks manufactured between November 6, 2023 and July 30, 2024. The issue is related to something called the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors, or MOSFET, in which the inverter has the potential to stop creating torque, resulting in a loss of propulsion for the truck. A loss of propulsion There isn’t any warning prior to the loss of propulsion, but a visual alert will appear on the center touchscreen instructing the driver to pull the truck over to the side of the road. Tesla is sending notices out to affected Cybertruck owners and plans to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/13/24295539/tesla-cybertruck-recall-inverter-loss-propulsion

Donald Trump participates in a roundtable discussion with former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) on October 29th, 2024, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. | Photo by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Artificial intelligence is top of mind for President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY). Zeldin plans to help “unleash US energy dominance” and “make America the AI capital of the world,” he said in a post on X today. The EPA regulates emissions that pollute the air and cause climate change, giving it a huge role to play in how much the rise of energy-hungry AI leads to a jump in power plant pollution. From the looks of it, though, the EPA’s incoming leader is prioritizing making sure environmental protections don’t get in the way of doing business — particularly when it comes to expanding AI data centers. Environmental advocates are already concerned about Trump’s plans... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2024/...