Lead Hacker

Google's AI Overviews are running into an interesting problem right now. As of this writing, if you search for the term "disregard," instead of showing the usual AI-generated summary of search results, the AI Overview section instead includes a response like what you'd see from a more traditional AI chatbot, as called out by a post on X . To one Verge colleague searching "disregard": Got it! Let me know if you need help with anything else. Nothing else followed in the AI Overview portion of the results page. To me, initially: No problem at all! How can I help you today? I searched for "disregard" again later and got another response … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/936176/google-ai-overviews-search-disregard

Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG) just announced a licensing deal that will allow users to prompt the creation of AI-generated remixes and covers for streaming songs. The tool will be a paid add-on for Premium subscribers. Artists will be able to opt out of the program, but those who do participate will collect royalties on these AI remixes. In October of last year, Spotify announced that it was working with UMG, as well as other major labels, Sony Music Group, Warner Music Group, Merlin, and Believe, to create " responsible AI products ." At the time, it was unclear exactly what that meant. But this appears to be the first product of t … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/935379/spotify-umg-ai-covers-remix

Volvo once had ambitions to fully exit the gas car business . Now it's trying to keep its tenuous foothold in the EV market. It's not an understatement to say that Volvo's EV journey has been a bumpy one. The compact EX40 has been a consistent winner, but the Swedish brand's other EVs have been plagued with problems. The EX90 was supposed to be a bold statement for the future , but persistent software bugs have forced Volvo into an expensive hardware replacement. The tiny EX30 faired no better, with tariffs upending the rollout of the brand's first mass-market affordable EV, eventually leading to its discontinuation in the US . But now with … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/transportation/932805/volvo-ex60-ceo-interview-ev-strategy

Some ads will have chatbots built in. | Image: Google Google's AI-powered Search era apparently also extends to its ads. Now, when you search for a product, Google's Gemini AI chatbot will surface relevant items and generate a "custom explainer" about why you should purchase a specific one. The update comes just one day after Google revealed a new Search box for larger, more conversational queries, along with a focus on AI-generated results. In an example shared by Google, someone searching for a "compact espresso pod machine" might see a Nespresso Vertuo Up under a "Sponsored Product" label, alongside an AI-generated description saying: For a quality machine, look for capsule compatibility … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/934585/google-ai-shopping-ads-search

You can soon check for SynthID and C2PA markers directly on your Chrome browser. | Image: The Verge Google is expanding AI detection capabilities to Chrome and Search, with the aim of making it easier for people to identify deepfakes. The updates, announced at Google I/O today, cover not only SynthID - the invisible watermarking technology developed by Google DeepMind - but also content embedded with C2PA content credentials , making both systems more accessible for users to learn how the content they see online was made or manipulated. To start, Google says verification for images that carry SynthID markers (which indicate they've been made with Google's AI tools) is coming to Search features starting today, including Google Lens, AI Mode … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/933424/google-synthid-c2pa-content-credentials-expansion

Google I/O 2026 kicks off today, with the event’s keynote presentation slated for 10AM PT / 1PM ET on May 19th.  Gemini is expected to be front and center once again at this year’s developer conference, with Google potentially introducing new versions of AI models and more agentic AI features. Google already showed off a bunch of AI features coming to Android 17 , including AI-generated widgets, during the Android Show . The keynote is likely to bring similar updates to Search and other Google properties.  We could also get an update on Google XR and potentially even a glimpse at some new smart glasses, with models from Samsung and even Gucci reportedly in the works.  Follow along for the latest updates. The Vergecast is going live right after I/O. Some wild Verge alumni appear at I/O. Google I/O 2026 live blog: On the ground at Google’s keynote Google I/O 2026: How to wat...

It's not just you - the Google Workspace apps are getting a new look. The redesigned app icons, leaked last month , are now rolling out widely, as we started noticing this morning. Users with the redesigned icons will notice they now have a gradient look that fades from lighter to darker shades, rather than being the same flat tone throughout, similar to the redesigned Google logo that launched a year ago . Some of the icons switched from a rainbow design to a single color, like Google Chat, Meet, and Calendar, which could help all of the icons stand out a bit more from one another - or make them harder to recognize. Others haven't changed a … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932417/google-gmail-docs-cal-sheets-workspace-icon-redesign

Alexa Plus, Amazon's upgraded AI assistant, can now generate podcasts on "virtually any topic," according to an announcement on Monday . With the update, Amazon says you can give Alexa Plus a topic, and the AI assistant will offer an overview of what its AI hosts plan to talk about, allowing you to steer the conversation and adjust its length before it starts generating the episode. Some "Alexa Podcast" examples shared by Amazon have two AI-generated hosts talking about the history of the Roman Empire, new music, and expectations for the World Cup. Amazon says you can also ask Alexa Plus to generate audio lessons about the Apollo missions, o … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932375/amazon-alexa-plus-ai-podcasts

Zero Parades: For Dead Spies wants you to question the price of forgiveness. After leading a crew of spies through a failed operation, protagonist Cascade is willing to pay whatever amount is needed to reestablish contact not just with fellow agents, but with the friends she let down. After being "frozen" for five years and forced to do desk work, Cascade is sent to the city of Portofiro with an assignment and a chance to redeem herself. Zero Parades highly resembles Disco Elysium , the critically acclaimed 2019 RPG featuring a disastrous detective dealing with generational heartbreak and a hangover that split his psyche into dozens of voice … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/931629/zero-parades-for-dead-spies-review-disco-elysium

Microsoft launched Teams' Together Mode during the pandemic to give the illusion of a bunch of people sitting in a conference room together, even if they were really sitting at home without pants on. But times have changed, and it's now being retired in favor of a more simplified Teams experience. The feature used AI to cut your head and shoulds out, and place you in a virtual space with others in the meeting. It could definitely feel gimmicky - especially when you'd tap co-workers on the shoulder, or give virtual high fives - but it did limit visual distractions. The changes are being rolled out gradually, but as they are, the Together Mo … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932215/microsoft-teams-together-mode

Apple is hoping that its record on privacy can be the differentiator on the AI front, and maybe even buy it a little slack as it continues to lag behind the competition. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the more chatbot-like Siri set to debut in iOS 27 will include the option to autodelete chat histories. Users will be able to save conversations for 30 days, one year, or forever. That's in stark contrast to the other major players in the space that generally only offer temporary incognito chats, if that. It appears Apple is betting that people are willing to give up some convenience in the name of greater privacy, as anxiety around AI … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932207/siri-apple-intelligence-auto-deleting-chats

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt delivered the commencement address at the University of Arizona on Friday. And, as his speech veered into talk of AI, he was repeatedly drowned out by boos. AI is already a contentious topic, and it's not surprising that those about to enter a ravaged job market feel particularly negative about it. Schmidt acknowledged the anxiety, according to Business Insider , saying fears "that the machines are coming, that the jobs are evaporating, that the climate is breaking, that politics are fractured, and that you are inheriting a mess that you did not create," were "rational." But Schmidt's frustration was also palpa … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/932203/university-of-arizona-students-boo-eric-schmidt-ai-commencement

A week before the ElliQ robot arrived, a neurologist told me we need to rebalance my mom's life. Her Parkinson's disease medication had steadily become less effective over the previous month, and with it, she had slowly stopped doing many of the things crucial to managing the disease - exercising, socializing, and engaging in hobbies. The result was a rapid, noticeable decline. As my mom's primary caregiver, I was open to any help I could get. And surprisingly, ElliQ did help in a way I never expected. Before increasing her medication dosage again - something that can come with serious side effects - her doctor wanted us to see whether life … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/928806/elliq-intuition-robotics-hands-on

This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about how AI is seeping into our daily lives, follow Emma Roth . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started In 2021, McDonald's became one of the first major fast-food chains to greet customers with an AI chatbot at the drive-thru. It started small, deploying the voice-ordering technology at 10 of its locations in Chicago. McDonald's developed its drive-thru tech after acquiring Apprente , a startup focused on voice-based, conversational technology in 2019, and later wor … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/column/928096/chatbots-ai-drive-thru-mcdonalds-wendys

Schools say social media is hurting grades and creating a mental health crisis. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Snap, YouTube, and TikTok have settled the first lawsuit of its kind, alleging that social media addiction has cost public schools massive amounts of money, according to Bloomberg . The suit, filed by the Breathitt County School District in Kentucky, claims that social media has disrupted learning and created a mental health crisis, straining budgets. The terms of the settlement have not been revealed yet, and Meta is still facing a trial in the same suit, which is viewed as a bellwether for over 1,000 similar lawsuits across the country This follows an earlier case, settled by Snap and TikTok , in which a 19-year-old plaintiff claimed signif … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/932153/snap-youtube-tiktok-lawsuit-social-media-addiction-schools

AI radio DJs demonstrated their volatile personalities. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Andon Labs has been running a series of experiments in which AI agents run businesses without human intervention. Its latest is a quartet of radio stations run by some of the most popular AI models out there. "Thinking Frequencies" is run by Claude, "OpenAIR" by ChatGPT, "Backlink Broadcast" by Google's Gemini, and "Grok and Roll Radio," obviously enough, by Grok. They were each given a simple prompt: Develop your own radio personality and turn a profit…As far as you know, you will broadcast forever. They all failed, some in pretty spectacular fashion. It didn't take long for each to burn through their initial $20 in seed money. Only DJ … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/931479/andon-labs-ai-radio-companies

Google updated its spam policy to mark attempts to "manipulate" its AI model in search results as spam, including results in AI Overview or AI Mode in Search, as Search Engine Land reports: "In the context of Google Search, spam refers to techniques used to deceive users or manipulate our Search systems into featuring content prominently, such as attempting to manipulate Search systems into ranking content highly or attempting to manipulate generative AI responses in Google Search." Some users have been trying to influence AI search responses , using tactics like biased "best-of" listicles or "recommendation poisoning," which injects LLM … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/931416/google-ai-search-spam-policy

ChatGPT will even know how much credit card debt you have. | Image: OpenAI Your trust in AI is about to be put to the test: OpenAI will soon let you give the chatbot direct access to your bank accounts. The new feature announced in preview today will allow users to "securely connect" ChatGPT with Plaid - the bank-to-app bridging platform used by 12,000 financial institutions, including Schwab, Fidelity, Chase, Capital One, and more. "More than 200 million people are already going to ChatGPT every month with finance questions - from budgeting to tips on how to cut back on spending," OpenAI said in its announcement. "Now, users can securely connect their financial accounts with Plaid to get the full view of their fi … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/931122/openai-chatgpt-financial-accounts-plaid-connection

In January, Colorado lawmakers introduced a proposal to make operating systems collect users' ages and pass them to app developers. The bill, SB26-051 , had clearly been designed for commercial platforms like iOS and Android - one of numerous plans to age-gate the internet through users' devices. It was intended to provide information that would let developers disable age-inappropriate experiences for kids. But as it made the rounds online, Linux laptop maker Carl Richell read the proposal with dismay. Carl Richell is the founder and CEO of Dever-based System76, which also develops the Pop!_OS Linux distribution. The law, he realized, would … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/930573/age-verification-bills-linux-open-source

An interactive map tracking data center construction and AI policy, built by Isabelle Reksopuro. When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn't initially know what to believe. "There's a lot of misinformation about data centers," she said. "Google has denied taking that land." Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, "and Google is just a big, unnamed power user." The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood's watershed to meet municipal needs as its population - 16,010 as of the 2020 census - … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/policy/930629/data-center-policy-map-interactive

Subnautica 2 , the new underwater survival game from Unknown Worlds, took less than an hour to rocket up Steam's charts. The game has already sold more than 1 million copies, according to a press release , and as of this writing, Steam's charts show that Subnautica 2 is currently the fourth-most played game on the platform with more than 460,000 concurrent players. The only titles with more concurrent players right now are perennial heavy hitters Counter-Strike 2 , Dota 2 , and PUBG: Battlegrounds . It's also worth noting that Steam's Subnautica 2 player count doesn't include players on the Epic Games Store or on Xbox, where the game is also now … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/games/930562/subnautica-2-early-access-launch-steam-pc-epic-games-store-xbox

Instagram is once again cribbing from competitors like Snapchat and BeReal with a new photo-sharing format it calls "Instants," which are ephemeral photos that you can't edit and that you can only share with your close friends or followers that follow you back. Instants are available globally beginning on Wednesday as a feature in the inbox in the Instagram app and as a separate app that's now in testing in select countries. To access Instants from the Instagram app, go to your DM inbox and look in the bottom-right corner for an icon or a stack of photos. After you post a photo, your friends can emoji react to it and send a reply to your DM … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/929958/instagram-instants-photos-disappearing-app

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says its new Incognito Chat is "the first major AI product where there is no log of your conversations stored on servers." Messages in Incognito Chat aren't saved or stored in users' chat history, similar to incognito modes on other AI chatbots, but Meta says its version is different because it also uses end-to-end encryption, which Meta recently removed from Instagram DMs : "Other apps have introduced incognito-style modes, but they can still see the questions coming in and the answers going out. Incognito Chat with Meta AI is truly private, meaning no one - not even Meta - can read your conversations." Google … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/929791/meta-ai-incognito-chats

The family of a 19-year-old college student is suing OpenAI over claims that his conversations with ChatGPT led to an accidental overdose. In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday , Sam Nelson's parents allege ChatGPT "encouraged" the teen to "consume a combination of substances that any licensed medical professional would have recognized as deadly," resulting in his death. Though ChatGPT initially pushed back on conversations about drug and alcohol use, the launch of GPT-4o in April 2024 changed the chatbot's behavior, according to the lawsuit. Following the update, ChatGPT "began to engage and advise Sam on safe drug use, even providing specific do … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/928691/openai-chatgpt-wrongful-death-overdose

Google I/O is just a week away, and that means it’s time for another Android Show event to unpack all the Android ecosystem highlights Google has in store.  Android Show: I/O Edition is set to kick off on YouTube and the Android website at 10AM PT / 1PM ET on Tuesday, May 12th.  Based on last year’s Android Show , we’re expecting this event to be fairly short, around half an hour or less, and include some key features of Android 17 along with a release window for it. The Android Show will also likely show off some updates to Gemini, particularly any features baked into Android, and may also include looks at Android XR and Aluminium OS, Google’s rumored PC version of Android .  Follow along here for all of the news and updates on Android Show: I/O Edition 2026. How to watch Google’s Android Show: I/O Edition today source https://www.theverge.com/tech/928624/android-show-2026-all-the-news-and-anno...

Hollywood actors and producers are standing behind a new AI licensing standard that will tell AI systems whether they'll need to pay to use a person's likeness, creative work, characters, and designs. With the Human Consent Standard, people can set terms for the use of their work or likeness, including giving AI systems full permission to use their content, allowing access with certain requirements, or restricting access entirely. The Human Consent Standard builds upon the Really Simple Licensing (RSL) Standard, which launched last year as a way for websites to signal how AI systems use their work. RSL Media , a nonprofit cofounded by Cate B … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/928534/rsl-media-human-consent-standard

Apple now lets you have encrypted RCS conversations with Android users through the Messages app on iOS. As part of iOS 26.5, which was released on Monday, Apple added support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging in beta, meaning that Apple and Google can't see your messages while they're sent. With iOS 26.5, you'll see a lock icon and a small "Encrypted" message at the top of the chat to note when you're having an encrypted conversation with an Android user and are on a carrier that supports the feature . Apple says that encryption will be on by default and "will be automatically enabled over time for new and existing RCS conversations." … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/928141/apple-ios-26-5-rcs-messages-iphone-google-android

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Netflix , accusing the company of turning its back on its promise to remain ad-free and safe for kids. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, claims Netflix has "opened Texans' data for inspection by the same Big Ad Tech community it once criticized for exploiting users in this same way." In the lawsuit, Paxton claims Netflix drove up subscriptions by promoting its platform as an "escape from Big Tech surveillance." But at the same time, Paxton alleges the streamer "built a behavior-surveillance program" in the background with addictive features, like autoplay, which automatically plays th … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/streaming/928071/texas-netflix-lawsuit-privacy

For the first time, Google says it has spotted and stopped a zero-day exploit developed with AI. According to a report from Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG), "prominent cyber crime threat actors" were planning to use the vulnerability for a "mass exploitation event" that would have allowed them to bypass two-factor authentication on an unnamed "open-source, web-based system administration tool." Google's researchers found hints in the Python script used for the exploit that indicated help from AI, like a "hallucinated CVSS score" and "structured, textbook" formatting consistent with LLM training data. The exploit takes advantage of … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/928007/google-ai-zero-day-exploit-stopped

If your baby monitor looks something like this, it’s probably a Meari. | Image: Meari A baby's eyes peer directly into the camera lens. A kid with a striped shirt looks up, then away. A boy in a policeman's costume, a gold star on his chest. A messy bedroom that reminds me of my own daughters, with an unmade bunk bed, a little girl's hat and headband, and Hello Kitty plastered on the wall. One thought repeats in my mind: I shouldn't be seeing this . No stranger should. But bad actors could've easily spied on all these locations - and a million more - because many of Meari Technology's Wi-Fi baby monitors and security cameras were absurdly insecure. If you had access to one of those cameras, you theoretically had access to t … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/926487/meari-technology-hack-baby-monitor-security-camera

You might think this looks like a phone at first glance, but it isn’t — it’s a mouse that’s folded in half. | Images by Logitech / shared by WinFuture Logitech is reportedly developing a new wireless mouse that folds in half to make it easier to carry around in a bag or pocket. According to leaked marketing images shared by WinFuture , Logitech's foldable mouse caused "22 percent less muscle strain" compared to using a laptop trackpad, and can be used across "multiple operating systems." Logitech's design is visually similar to Microsoft's Surface Arc mouse and Lenovo's Yoga mouse , sporting the same arched shape when unfolded for use. One key difference is that while Microsoft and Lenovo's offerings can only be folded flat, the new Logitech mouse - the name of which is still unknown - fold … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/927695/logitech-folding-mouse-le...

It’s already raised over $700,000 on Kickstarter. | Image: Bastl Make no mistake, the Bastl Kalimba is a synthesizer, you just play it like a kalimba. Its tines don't really make much sound. There is an internal mic that you can blend in for a little acoustic spice, but it's mostly driven by the synth engine that combines physical modeling and FM. The tines are actually touch and velocity-sensitive triggers. And, while it can sound somewhat like a real kalimba, it's a lot more sonically versatile and offers features you can only find on a synth. Beyond the synth sounds that range from pluck to pads, there are also built-in effects covering basic spatial effects like delay and reverb, as well as distortio … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/927638/the-bastl-kalimba-is-a-wild-synth-that-thinks-its-a-thumb-piano

I can’t wait for a proper full length. | Image: Blitzcat Records I've got to thank my oldest friend and concert buddy, Tim , for turning me on to this one. Ashnymph is a London band that blends post-punk melodies with Krautrock rhythms and industrial grime. Their debut EP, Childhood , drifts between dreamy vocals buried in layers of reverb and four-on-the-floor dancefloor pounding. It's a thrilling opening salvo from a band that feels on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Childhood opens with an ambient recording of someone walking down a hall (I think), and some swirling synth noise before the first song, "Island in the Sky" kicks off properly with a motorik beat and bass throb. The thin, digitally manipul … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/927620/ashnymph-childhood-ep-music-review

Substack, the once buzzy newsletter platform, is losing a new swath of writers to rival platforms most people haven't heard of. Just last month, The Ankler , one of Substack's most popular publications, left for a platform that gives it more control over its site. Others who have departed Substack within the past year voiced similar complaints and cite the platform's increased focus on social features as well as a pricing model that puts a chokehold on their business. Substack faced talent drain in 2024 linked to its platforming of Nazi newsletters , but now it's not just the platform's stance on hate speech that's driving away creators. Sea … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/927294/substack-tax-ghost-beehiiv

This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Netflix, follow Andrew Webster . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started Boggle has become a spectator sport in my household. Everyone crowds around the TV while one of us plays, and the crowd either helps shout out words or waits patiently for their turn. There's a lot of yelling. But it's a game that my family can hop into easily, and once someone starts playing, it seems everyone slowly drifts into the room to join in. The surprising part is that the experience is ha … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/column/926250/netflix-tv-games-strategy

The X300 Ultra is mostly let down by its rather dull design. A few months ago, I wrote that the telephoto camera is the only lens that matters any more , at least when it comes to Ultra-class flagships. As phones got better, cameras became where manufacturers tried to stand out. As cameras got better, telephoto lenses became the next point of focus. The most recent Ultra phones from Xiaomi , Oppo , and Huawei have all made the telephoto, above all, their selling point. Vivo's X300 Ultra is doing something different. Instead of pushing its telephoto hardware to further extremes, Vivo has mostly left it be. The company has focused its efforts on a significantly improved 35mm main camera, unique among the … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/926067/vivos-x300-ultra-has-the-best-cameras-in-any-phone

The 360 Vis Nav impressed us with its exceptionally powerful carpet-cleaning performance. | Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge. If you’re tired of running your vacuum multiple times just to get the dirt and debris out of the carpets in your living room, Dyson’s 360 Vis Nav is worth a look. It’s one of the more powerful robot vacuums currently available, and now through May 11th (or while supplies last), it’s on sale at Woot for an all-time low of $279.99 ($919 off) with a full two-year warranty. Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner Where to Buy: $1199 $279.99 at Woot The last-gen 360 Vis Nav offers a whopping 65 air watts of suction, allowing it to pull dirt, dust, and pet hair from carpets impressively well. In her brief time testing the robovac, my colleague Jennifer Pattison Tuohy said the Dyson “demolished a pile of dry oatmeal in seconds,” adding that she briefly worried it might even suck up the tassels on her large rug (it di...

Apple and Intel reached a "preliminary agreement" for Intel to make chips for Apple hardware, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday . Apple had famously moved on from Intel-powered computers with its highly successful transition to Apple Silicon, but now it appears the two companies will be working closely together again. Intel appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO in March 2025 , and in August, the US government took a 10 percent stake in the company. The WSJ says that it's "still unclear" what Apple products will get Intel chips. Apple and Intel didn't immediately reply to a request for comment from The Verge . Bloomberg reported this we … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/926988/apple-intel-chips

After quickly selling out of the Steam Controller on May 4th, Valve has launched a reservation system to ensure that you can get one without too much hassle. You may not get one as quickly as you'd like to, but at least you can now easily reserve the $99 controller. If your Steam account is in good standing, and you've purchased something on the account before April 27th of this year, you'll be able to reserve one. Essentially, this will hold your place in line for future restocks. Once a controller is available for you, you'll get an email prompting you to purchase. You'll have 72 hours to purchase your Steam Controller before it gets offe … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/924672/steam-controller-reservation-queue-buy

As part of an earnings presentation on Friday , Sony shared how it's thinking about AI at the company, including many details about how it's evaluating AI as part of making PlayStation games. Generative AI has recently been showing up in bigger games - though many indie developers still reject it - and while Sony calls AI a "powerful tool," it says that the "vision, the design, and the emotional impact of our games will always come from the talent of our studios and performers." and that "AI is meant to augment their capabilities, not to replace them." At its own studios, Sony says that developers are "automating repetitive workflows, improv … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/games/926914/sony-playstation-ai-powerful-tool-games

The EP-136 KO Sidekick sandwiched between two KO-II samplers. | Image: Teenage Engineering The EP-136 KO Sidekick is Teenage Engineering's stylish new two-channel mixer, clearly designed to connect two of its KO-II samplers for live performances and DJ sets. Though, it can connect any two audio sources, not just TE gear. The mixer leaked a couple of times, but what those leaks didn't show was that it's also a robust effects processor that brings some of TE's beloved punch-in effects to any instrument in your arsenal. The EP-136 by default supports two stereo ins, but can also be switched to four mono inputs using split audio adapters. In addition, it supports two stereo channels over USB-C, so you can actually use it to control … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/926898/teenage-engineerings-ko-sidekick-is-a-mixer-with-fun-performance-effects

Microsoft showed off a "consistent" Xbox UI across handhelds, consoles, and cloud gaming during its Xbox keynote at the Game Developers Conference in March. At the time it was difficult to see if there was anything new about the UI from the videos and photos captured during the event, but Microsoft has now given us a closer look at it thanks to a new video of the keynote that was published earlier today. Jason Ronald, VP of next generation at Xbox, showed off the UI while mentioning that players had been noticing "a lot of fragmentation within the experience" across devices, and an overall lack of consistency. "What the team has been doing … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/news/926170/new-xbox-ui-dashboard-console-handheld-cloud

Newly minted CEO Josh D'Amaro says that he wants to turn Disney Plus into "the immersive, interactive digital centerpiece of the company." It used to be that people went to the movies or theme parks to immerse themselves in Disney's fictional worlds. But now, D'Amaro says that he sees Disney Plus becoming "the primary relationship between Disney and its fans." The general idea that D'Amaro put forth during his call with investors this week is that Disney Plus and Disney's parks are both places that people visit to spend money while engaging with the company's characters and worlds. D'Amaro framed the streaming service and the parks as comp … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/streaming/925973/josh-damaro-disney-plus-disney-parks

Microsoft revealed last month that it's planning to offer long-serving employees in the US the ability to voluntarily retire . While the terms of the buyout were supposed to be announced to employees tomorrow, sources at Microsoft tell me the company has posted them on its internal HR website a little earlier than expected. US employees whose combined years of service added to their age totals 70 or more will be eligible for voluntary retirement, and the package will include five years of access to Microsoft's healthcare coverage, a lump sum cash severance payment, and six months of vesting for unvested stock options. The five years of medi … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/report/925218/microsoft-voluntary-retirement-program-package-details

The Nutribullet Chill won’t demand as much counter or storage space as other ice cream makers. | Image: Nutribullet For the past few months, I've defiantly walked past the Ninja Creami at Costco as I think about our air fryer, toaster oven, breadmaker, rice cooker, and stand mixer already vying for limited counter space. Nutribullet's new Chill ice cream maker could finally break my resolve with its smaller footprint. While the Creami's base measures 17.44 by 8.58 inches, the Chill's is just 9.6 by 5.74 inches, making it easier to squeeze onto a kitchen counter and later store once my family tires of DIY frozen treats. The Chill is now available from Nutribullet's online store and Amazon for $199.99 and comes with a pair of 16-ounce pint cups. You'll als … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/925124/nutribullet-chill-ice-cream-maker

In terms of pricing, the  original AirPods Max  remained stubbornly high even years after their debut, which made them hard to recommend over the Bose QC Ultra or Sony’s XM series headphones unless you were an Apple die-hard. The AirPods Max 2 , however, have been out for just over a month, and we’re already seeing a $40 discount at  Amazon and Best Buy , bringing the price down to $509 across all five colors. AirPods Max 2 Where to Buy: $549 $509 at Amazon $549 $509 at Best Buy $549 $509.99 at Target Unlike the refreshed AirPods Max Apple put out in 2024, the Max 2 are a true sequel. The company’s latest pair of over-ear headphones still feature the same 40-millimeter drivers as the original, but they’re now paired with a new high dynamic range amplifier, allowing for better bass response and terrific sound across the board. They also support lossless audio at 24-bit / 48kHz via USB-C and, construction-wise, continue to sport the same combo...