Lead Hacker

A phone for people who like pens. The 2026 edition of Motorola's stylus phone is plenty appealing. My review unit is a charming lilac color, has a pleasantly textured back panel, and includes a MicroSD slot and what might be the last surviving headphone jack on a mainstream phone sold in North America. The namesake stylus is no longer just a fancy plastic stick, it's active and comes with some neat tricks. Motorola Moto G Stylus (2026) The latest version of Motorola's stylus phone comes with an active pen, as well as old favorites like a headphone jack and MicroSD support. Score: 6 Pros Cons Active stylus Headphone jack! MicroSD card support! IP68/69 rated Big screen for the p … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/917497/motorola-moto-g-stylus-2026-review

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has had a busy week. Sharma held an internal town hall with Xbox employees today, just days after announcing an Xbox Game Pass price cut , commenting on the status of the Xbox mobile store , and teasing a mysterious Xbox and Discord partnership . One of the items on the agenda for the employee all-hands was scrapping Microsoft Gaming. Sources familiar with the meeting tell me that Sharma announced that Microsoft is returning to using Xbox for its gaming division, instead of Microsoft Gaming. "Xbox needs to be our identity," said Sharma, noting that Microsoft Gaming was a departure from that. Microsoft originally switched … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/report/917485/microsoft-return-of-xbox-no-more-microsoft-gaming

If you’ve ever wished your laptop keyboard was better tailored to your workflow, the Keychron V1 is a solid upgrade. It doesn’t cost as much as most other mechanical keyboards, but it still offers a lot of the same flexibility. And now through April 25th, you can buy the wired board for $44.99 ($30 off) with red switches from Woot , matching its all-time low price. Other models are also on sale at Amazon and directly from Keychron for about $25 more. Keychron V1 Where to Buy: $84.99 $66.29 at Amazon $84.99 $69.99 at Keychron $74.99 $44.99 at Woot The V1 includes features you don’t always get at this price. It nearly matches the typing experience of more expensive keyboards, offering a sturdy build that feels nice to type on. The keyboard also offers a small 75 percent layout that mimics a laptop-style keyboard without the numpad. It’s also customizable. The V1 supports hot-swappable switches, so you’re not stuck with the red ones that come with this discounted model ...

It feels like not a week has gone by this year without a senior Microsoft executive leaving the company. Some departures have triggered sweeping shakeups of Microsoft's biggest businesses, while others have seen fresh faces replace veteran employees. Executive departures at Microsoft are nothing new, but the pace feels notable this early in the year. The timing points to a Microsoft that is struggling to retain talent in a market where competition is high and the stock price is low. Investors have been hammering Microsoft's stock price in recent weeks, and at one point last month it had dropped by more than 30 percent compared to six months … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/917361/microsoft-executive-departures-notepad

Several US federal agencies are taking up Anthropic's new cybersecurity model to find vulnerabilities, but one is reportedly not getting in on the action: the nation's central cybersecurity coordinator. On Tuesday, Axios reported that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) didn't have access to Mythos Preview, which Anthropic has touted as a powerful tool for finding and patching security vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, other agencies like Commerce Department and National Security Agency (NSA) are reportedly using the model, and President Donald Trump's administration has been negotiating broader access, Axios wrote last w … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/policy/916758/anthropic-mythos-preview-cisa-left-out

Microsoft first revealed it was building an Xbox mobile gaming store to take on Apple and Google all the way back in 2022 . Former Xbox president Sarah Bond even went on stage at a Bloomberg event nearly two years ago and promised the store would launch in July, 2024 . Now, it looks like Microsoft has put the project on hold. Better xCloud developer redphx noticed that the store URL Microsoft had been testing for the past couple of years no longer works. It's not clear exactly when it disappeared, but the last time the website was updated was nearly a year ago. The store was originally supposed to compete with Google and Apple, but strict ap … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/news/916601/microsoft-xbox-mobile-store-comment

The two-paneled design is my favorite of the year so far. Oppo's Find X9 Ultra offers something that no other new phone has for three long years: a 10x telephoto lens. In an attempt to win the photography front of the war between the various Ultra flagships, Oppo has turned to a trick last employed by Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra . It's a better 10x lens than ever before, but is it good enough for the moments you might really need it? The long-distance lens is the best of its kind, but compared to this phone's other lenses it struggles a little with the usual suspects: moving subjects, low light, and moving subjects in low light. Fortunately the Find X9 Ultra is an excellent phone otherwise. It pairs … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/915686/oppo-find-x9-ultra-review-10x-telephoto-lens

After Xbox CEO Asha Sharma admitted last week that "Game Pass has become too expensive for players," Microsoft is dropping the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate drops from $29.99 to $22.99 a month, and PC Game Pass moves to $13.99, down from $16.49 a month. The price drops are being fueled in part by future of Call of Duty titles no longer joining Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass at launch. "New Call of Duty  games will be added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass during the following holiday season (about a year later), while existing Call of Duty titles already in the library wi … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/news/915928/microsoft-xbox-game-pass-ultimate-price-drop

La-Z-Boy announced a new AudioLuxe furniture line with recliners and sofas upgraded with built-in sound systems that deliver "crystal clear tones and deep bass vibrations." The company is partnering with Klipsch for the speakers integrated into each piece's headrest and the subwoofer hidden in the base. The furniture can be used as part of a larger surround sound setup or wirelessly connected to smartphones and tablets to enhance your evening doomscrolling. Specifics like pricing or configuration options haven't been announced yet, but after introducing its AudioLuxe line at a trade show this week, La-Z-Boy says the furniture will be availa … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/914248/la-z-boy-audioluxe-furniture-recliner-sofa-speaker-subwoofer-klipsch

Following last year's AI-powered Darth Vader in Fortnite that swore in a re-creation of James Earl Jones' voice, Epic Games is now letting Fortnite creators experiment with a new "conversations" tool to create AI-powered characters that players can talk and interact with. "Instead of authoring dialogue trees for characters in your islands, conversations transforms an NPC into an AI-powered character capable of unscripted dialogue and interactions with players, like a quest giver or narrator," Epic says. "You define who the character is with simple prompts-how they think, what they know, and how they behave-and then select a voice that match … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/games/914963/fortnite-ai-characters-developers-conversations

Birdfy has announced a new version of its camera-equipped metal feeder with an upgraded camera to make you feel even closer to nature while staring at your phone from the sofa. The Birdfy Feeder Metal 2 has a similar design to the original, using metal panels that animals like squirrels can't chew through to access its 1.8-liter stockpile of seeds. But it now features a 4K wide-angle camera - a big upgrade from the 1080P camera on the original - for capturing and streaming higher-res video. The Birdfy Feeder Metal 2 (4K) is launching today for $269.99. You'll need to pay an optional monthly or annual subscription to access the company's AI … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/914832/birdfy-feeder-metal-2-4k-wide-angle-camera-ornisense-ai-price-availability

As an avid vanlifer, I have to carefully curate everything I carry in order to eke out every square inch of storage I can to support life off the grid for weeks at a time. That's why I jumped at the chance to review DJI's latest power station. The DJI Power 1000 Mini is almost half the size of the original DJI Power 1000 released two years ago with the same 1kWh battery capacity. And from my calculations, it's also the smallest 1kWh power station from the major brands that money can currently buy. DJI's little power station also has a few tricks up its sleeve, including a built-in retractable USB-C cable, a light that can be controlled rem … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/reviews/913706/dji-mini-power-station-review-comparison

The Mission family. | Image: GoPro GoPro is pricing its new Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro cameras at $599.99 and $699.99, respectively, each discounted by $100 if you subscribe to its ecosystem - fine for professional filmmakers, but a tough sell for weekend warriors. The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro can both be reserved now , and you'll get the $100 Point-and-Shoot Grip accessory for free (while supplies last) ahead of their May 28th release. The Mission 1 Pro ILS, the cam with the interchangeable mount for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lenses and adapters, will be available later in Q3 for $699.99, or $599.99 for GoPro subscribers. @verge The Verge's video director, Owen Grove, … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/914764/gopros-mission-camera-prices

Liftoff. | Anadolu via Getty Images Today's launch of AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite aboard Blue Origin's reusable New Glenn rocket was a partial success. The New Glenn touched down on its landing pad without incident, making it the second launch and landing for the first stage booster, and officially giving Jeff Bezos a reusable launch vehicle. Unfortunately for AST SpaceMobile, the mission was less successful. Its cell-tower-in-space was delivered to a lower orbit than expected by the second stage of the launch vehicle, rendering it functionally useless. In a statement , the company said: While the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the alt … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/science/914729/blue-origin-successfully-reused-its-new-glenn-rocket

Vercel, a major development platform that hosts and deploys web apps, was compromised, and the hackers are attempting to sell stolen data. A person claiming to be a member of ShinyHunters , which was behind the recent hack of Rockstar Games , posted some data online, including employee names, email addresses, and activity time stamps. Vercel confirmed in a post on X that a "security incident" had occurred, and that it impacted a "limited subset" of its customers. Vercel said that a compromised third-party AI tool was the avenue for attack, though it did not specify which third-party was involved. We've identified a security incident that inv … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/914723/vercel-hacked

This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more stories on Big Tech versus politics in Washington, DC, follow Tina Nguyen and read Regulator . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started A long time ago, in 2004, the Federal Communications Commission laid down a rule designed to prevent a monopoly: No one company could broadcast to more than 39 percent of all the TV households in the United States. But then Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025. Brendan Carr became FCC chairman and immediately kicked off a deregu … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/column/914674/nexstar-tegna-merger-trump-local-news

According to Nikkei Asia , even as suppliers ramp up DRAM production, manufacturers are only expected to meet 60 percent of demand by the end of 2027. SK Group chairman has even said that shortages could last until 2030 . The world's largest memory makers - Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron - are all working to add new fabrication capacity, but almost none of it will be online until at least 2027, if not 2028. SK opened a fab in Cheongju in February, but that is the only increase in production among the three for 2026. Nikkei says that production would need to increase by 12 percent a year in 2026 and 2027 to meet demand. But according to Counte … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/914672/the-ram-shortage-could-last-years

In some Minneapolis neighborhoods, nearly every house has an anti-ICE sign. | Photo by Jack Califano / The Verge Jorge L. Alonso, a federal district court judge for the Northern District of Illinois, said that the Trump Administration violated the First Amendment when it pressured Facebook and Apple to remove ICE-tracking groups and apps . Judge Alonso granted the plaintiffs, Kassandra Rosado, who runs the ICE Sightings - Chicagoland Facebook group, and Kreisau Group, the developers of Eyes Up, a preliminary injunction. Judge Alonso cited a unanimous Supreme Court decision from a 2024 case that pitted the NRA against the former superintendent of the New York Department of Financial Services, Maria Vullo. In that case, the court ruled that "[g]overnment … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/policy/914619/trump-administration-violated-first-amendment-ice-tracking

The Trump administration has spent nearly two months fighting with AI company Anthropic. It's dubbed the company a "RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY" full of "Leftwing nut jobs" and a menace to national security. But some of the ice may reportedly be melting between the two, thanks to Anthropic's buzzy new cybersecurity-focused model : Claude Mythos Preview. Anthropic's relationship with the Pentagon soured quickly in late February after the company refused to budge on two red lines: using its technology for domestic mass surveillance or lethal fully autonomous weapons with no human in the loop. Anthropic's tech has in the past been used heavily b … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/914229/tides-turning-anthropic-trump-administration-cybersecurity-mythos-preview

Prediction market exchanges have created an environment where just about any piece of information is potentially monetizable: How well will BTS's new song perform this week? How hot will Los Angeles get? Will Donald Trump be impeached? Users can wager on all of that and, on some platforms, more gruesome and violent outcomes in the real world. The rapid rise and expansion of Polymarket and Kalshi have put newsrooms in a strange position. Prediction market evangelists often claim that their odds are more trustworthy and accurate than polls and traditional media - effectively positioning the industry as a replacement for news. At the same time … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/report/914157/prediction-markets-news-outlet-ethics-policy-propublica-kalshi-polymarket

I kind of wish it just took pictures. I've never been as charmed and frustrated by one gadget as I have with the Poetry Camera. It's a delightful object. White and cherry red with a color-matched woven strap, it looks playful and adorably lo-fi. If I saw it on a store shelf, I'd absolutely pick it up. But aside from obviously appealing, I'm not exactly sure what it is. I mean, I know what it is . It's a camera that makes AI poems instead of photos. You take a picture, and instead of printing a photo, you get an AI-generated poem inspired by the scene, printed on thermal receipt paper. But after printing dozens of poems, I can only report feeling frustrated instead of inspired. … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/913981/poetry-camera-ai-hands-on

The iPhone 17E is the best cheap iPhone, no surprises there. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge Over the last few months, every phone maker under the sun has refreshed its lineups, especially at the affordable end, with no major budget phone launches now expected until next year. That made it the perfect time to go back and reassess The Verge 's recommendations for the best budget phones you can buy right now. You won't be too surprised to hear that the iPhone 17E is now our recommendation for the best cheap iPhone, not least because it's the only cheap iPhone. Still, this year's addition of MagSafe charging makes it a much more well-rounded package than last year's 16E, and with the same A19 chip as the flagship iPhone 17, you won't f … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/912286/our-new-favorite-budget-phones

The Surface Laptop 7. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Microsoft is preparing to launch new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models in the coming months. Windows Central reports that the refreshed models will include both Intel and Qualcomm variants, with Microsoft opting for an OLED display option for the Surface Laptop this year. Microsoft is expected to launch new Surface Pro and Laptop models with Intel's Core Ultra 3 chips first, followed by Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 variants later this summer. This is reportedly because Qualcomm's latest chips are in short supply, but it reverses Microsoft's trend of shipping Qualcomm-powered Surface devices to consumers first in recent years. While a RAM cri … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/news/913218/microsoft-surface-laptop-oled-display-rumor

Microsoft's new Xbox chief has had a busy couple of months after promising "the return of Xbox." Asha Sharma met with publishers at the Game Developers Conference in March, and has also been on the road visiting Microsoft's own game studios and product teams in recent weeks. Sharma, who used to work in Microsoft's CoreAI division, is very much in learning mode and talking to as many people as she can before she makes strategic decisions on the future of Xbox. Some of those decisions are about to be made very soon. Sources at Xbox tell me Sharma has been looking closely at Game Pass pricing recently, with a view to offering a wider range of … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/913093/microsoft-new-xbox-ceo-asha-sharma-memo-notepad

An example image from Google. Google's Personal Intelligence feature, which lets Gemini pull data from apps like Google Photos to offer responses tailored to you, can now use that data and its Nano Banana 2 image model to create images based on your personal context. With the feature, you can use prompts like "Design my dream house" or "Create a picture of my desert island essentials" and the photos Gemini creates will "automatically reflect your specific tastes and lifestyle, gleaned from the Google apps you've connected to," Google says in a blog post . Under the hood, the integration uses your labels in Google Photos to identify people like you, your friends, and your … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/913202/gemini-personal-intelligence-images-nano-banana

Anthropic has released its most powerful "generally available" model to date: Claude Opus 4.7. The company called it a step up from Opus 4.6 for advanced software engineering tasks, particularly in complex coding areas that in the past required more hand-holding. It's also supposed to be better at analyzing images and following instructions, and it can exhibit more "creativity" when creating slides and documents, per Anthropic. Opus 4.7 comes on the heels of Mythos Preview , the buzzy cybersecurity-focused model Anthropic announced earlier this month, which the company has said is its most powerful model overall. Comparatively, Opus 4.7 is … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/913184/anthropic-claude-opus-4-7-cybersecurity

The AirPods Pro 3 are $50 off, which is one of the biggest discounts we’ve seen this year. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you missed out on Amazon’s recent spring sales event, Best Buy’s Ultimate Upgrade Sale presents yet another opportunity to score steep discounts on some of our favorite gadgets. The five-day sale runs through April 19th and features deals on a wide range of tech, including 4K TVs, Apple gear, smartphones, smart home devices, and more. Whether you’ve had your eye on LG’s budget-friendlier B5 OLED or Bose’s latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds , several Verge favorites are either at or near their record-low price. Even products released just last month — including Google’s Pixel 10A and the new 11-inch iPad Air — are on sale, so it’s not just older devices. Best of all, competing retailers like Amazon are matching many of these prices, so you can snag the same deals no matter where you shop. LG B5 OLED TV LG’s B5 TV is a great way to get OLE...