FREE TECH

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Busy season is here — but some public accountants aren’t Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/zpFdqWTvi

Microsoft appears to still be working on true 3D emoji for Windows after first teasing it last year and then only shipping 2D versions in Windows 11. Nando Costa, a distinguished designer at Microsoft, revealed recently that the company is still working on making Windows 11’s emoji look more 3D. On Friday, Costa authored a blog post on Microsoft’s new direction for its emoji system, detailing the company’s push towards 3D after a 2020 hackathon. Responding to a tweet from someone wanting 3D emoji in Windows 11, Costa says “ We’re working on that ,” with a grinning face with sweat emoji. We still don’t know when 3D emoji will appear in Windows 11, but at least Microsoft is still working on bringing its original vision to life. ... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/BML1Cgrm0

The Mojo 2 can plug into devices like tablets to improve their sound. | Image: Chord British audio manufacturer Chord has announced a successor to the excellent Mojo , a battery-powered accessory that aims to improve the sound of your wired headphones or speakers when paired with your phone, laptop, tablet, or other digital media source. New features for the Mojo 2 include a USB-C input, better battery life, and new tone controls that effectively work like an equalizer to customize the sound it puts out. The Mojo 2 retails for $725 (£449), which is hardly affordable by any measure. However, if it’s as good as its predecessor, then this might be a price worth paying to accompany a pair of suitably premium wired headphones or speakers. It’s available globally starting today. The Mojo 2, like the original Mojo, is... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/0jUfgNhz4

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge LGBTQ dating app Grindr has been removed from the Apple App Store in China, and is also unavailable on popular Android app marketplaces, Bloomberg reports . The app reportedly disappeared from the iOS App Store on January 27th, although it’s unclear when it was removed from the country’s popular Android app stores — which are operated by local companies like Huawei and Tencent in the absence of the Google Play Store. The apparent removals follow the Chinese government’s announcement last week that it would be cracking down on illegal content, pornography, and “ill-natured” activities online, Bloomberg previously reported . The tightening of restrictions comes ahead of China hosting the Winter Olympics in Beijing, which are due to kick off... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/vqDT1PZcp

Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Joe Rogan has issued a response to the ongoing controversy that has seen artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removing their music from Spotify because of not wanting to share a platform with his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience . In a nearly ten-minute video uploaded to Instagram, Rogan defends his decision to book contentious guests, apologizes to Spotify for the backlash, and details how the podcast may change in the future. “These podcasts are very strange because they’re just conversations,” Rogan says. “And oftentimes I have no idea what I’m going to talk about until I sit down and talk to people. And that’s why some of my ideas are not that prepared or fleshed out because I’m literally having them in real time,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/FBTYgNwSx

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple will now let developers distribute unlisted apps through the App Store that only users with a direct link can access (via MacRumors ). While unlisted apps aren’t discoverable by the general public through search results, App Store categories, charts, or recommendations, they’re available to administrators via the Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager. Unlisted apps are ideal for “limited audiences” Apple notes that unlisted apps are ideal for “limited audiences,” such as guests at a special event, members of an organization, research study participants, or a specific group of employees. To make an app unlisted and obtain a link, developers will first need to submit a request to Apple. Apps that have only been approved for... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/zHN9qhwgv

Spotify will now add COVID-19 content advisories to podcast episodes that discuss COVID-19 following criticism of the platform’s handling of the controversial content in the Joe Rogan Experience . The advisory will lead to Spotify’s COVID-19 hub , which contains credible and up-to-date information about the pandemic. To increase transparency around its treatment of the issue, Spotify is making its COVID-19 content policy and general platform rules publicly available on its site. Spotify says anyone who breaks the rules may have the content in question removed, with repeat offenders potentially having their accounts suspended or banned. The Verge obtained this policy ahead of the platform’s public release , and an internal memo revealed that... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/a5jmBr94X

Screenshot via Halo on Paramount Plus A new teaser for Paramount Plus’ live-action Halo series reveals the long-awaited show’s release date: March 24th, 2022 (via IGN ). At around the 52-second mark, you can hear the announcer state the fast-approaching release date. We’re just getting started. Watch the #HaloTheSeries Official Trailer today during halftime at the AFC Championship Game on @CBS and @ParamountPlus . pic.twitter.com/dER2sgbLkI — Halo on Paramount+ (@HaloTheSeries) January 30, 2022 The one-minute video teases a longer trailer set to debut during tonight’s AFC championship game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals — it flashes between clips of the live-action series and both teams on the field. The upcoming trailer will air during the game... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/HzSZmtqcE

Brené Brown is the host of popular podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead . | Photo by Rick Kern / WireImage Popular podcast host and author Brené Brown says she’s not going to release any new podcast episodes “until further notice” and didn’t offer a specific reason why. Brown’s pause on her podcasts comes shortly after both Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled their music off Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast series. Brown signed a multi-year deal with Spotify in 2020 , and is the host of Spotify exclusive podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead . “I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice,” Brown wrote on Twitter. “To our #UnlockingUs and #DaretoLead communities, I’m sorry and I’ll let you know if and when that changes.” I will not be releasing any podcasts until further notice. To our #UnlockingUs and #... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/AqxSDapX4

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge AT&T has a new Unlimited Max prepaid plan with 5G, and it’s available at Walmart for $45 / month . The plan comes with unlimited 5G data, unlimited talk and text, 100GB of cloud storage, HD streaming, and 10GB of available data when using your phone as a mobile hot spot. AT&T’s lowest-priced unlimited 5G plan available outside of Walmart (which doesn’t even come with HD streaming) will cost you $65 / month . While the Walmart-only Unlimited Max plan does allow for HD streaming, it streams in standard definition by default. You can stream in HD by turning off Stream Saver (a mode that plays video in 480p to save data) on AT&T’s prepaid site , or by calling 611. For comparison, several standard prepaid unlimited 5G plans, like Metro by... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/iEv6hKnNQ

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced over $1.2 billion in funding through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to expand broadband service across 32 states. The FCC calls this “the largest funding round to date,” and notes 23 broadband companies will provide service to more than one million new areas. In addition, the FCC also introduced the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan , which will double the number of audits and verifications performed this year in comparison to 2021. It will also require the FCC to make the results of verifications, audits as well as speed and latency tests public on the Universal Service Administration Company’s (USAC) website . The new Rural Broadband Accountability Plan will streamline our... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/hVnsSyKPZ

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge T-Mobile will fire corporate employees who aren’t fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by April 2nd, according to an internal email viewed by Bloomberg . T-Mobile’s head of human resources, Deeanne King, reportedly says employees who’ve only received one dose as of February 21st will be put on unpaid leave. There will be “limited” exceptions for certain employees “T-Mobile’s badge-controlled offices continue to be accessible only to those who are vaccinated against COVID-19,” T-Mobile said in a statement to The Verge , referencing the digital pass system the company uses to keep track of employees’ vaccination status. “We have shared with employees that we are requiring office workers to be fully vaccinated by April 2.” The mobile carrier... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ajYVhdCRv

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are reportedly looking for alternatives to the controversial facial recognition software ID.me, according to a report by Bloomberg . As Bloomberg notes, the agencies didn’t cite a reason for the possible change, and also didn’t mention any privacy concerns about the service. The IRS can’t establish its own software due to a “lack of funding” “The IRS is consistently looking for ways to make the filing process more secure,” Treasury Department spokesperson Alexandra LaManna said in a statement to Bloomberg . “We believe in the importance of protecting the privacy of taxpayers, while also ensuring criminals are not able to gain access to taxpayer accounts.” LaManna also told B... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/CQnbuPSHL

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge WhatsApp’s chief has a message for those who have been clamoring for a native iPad app: don’t give up hope. “People have wanted an iPad app for a long time.” Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp at its parent company Meta, told The Verge during an interview this week tied to a new US marketing push for the messaging app. “We’d love to do it.” Like Instagram for the iPad, a version of WhatsApp for Apple’s tablet has long eluded users despite being a heavily requested feature. And while Cathcart wouldn’t go so far as to commit to the release of an iPad version, his comments suggest it’s possible that one will be built in the near future, especially now that WhatsApp has built the underlying technology needed for such a client to work. “If I... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3g89M0o

Photo by Gary Miller/FilmMagic Even after departing the platform , Neil Young isn’t done criticizing Spotify yet. Today, the rock legend has published another letter on his website, describing Spotify as a purveyor of “more songs and less sound.” Young says that he “felt better” after pulling his music catalog from the leading streaming music service earlier this week while noting that he’s strongly opposed to censorship and that “private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information.” Throughout the latest post, Young — a longtime advocate of hi-fi sound — heavily criticizes Spotify for its lossy audio quality. “Amazon, Apple Music, and Qobuz deliver up to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3u6uOF5

The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices’ case is closing its case. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A Singaporean employment watchdog has closed an investigation against Ubisoft Singapore that was opened following allegations of a toxic studio culture and says it will not be taking action against the company. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) investigation was opened last summer after Kotaku published an extensive article detailing alleged issues at the company based on interviews with more than 20 current and former employees. The claims included racial pay disparity, sexual harassment, and an HR department that allegedly took little action in response to reports. The TAFEP shared two key findings in a press release sent to The Verge . The first was that “Ubisoft Singapore has a structured... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/34gH9M7

Whinstone CEO Chad Harris poses for a portrait in a room with Bitcoin mining machines during a tour at the Whinstone US Bitcoin mining facility in Rockdale, Texas, on October 10, 2021 | Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Democratic lawmakers are pushing Bitcoin mining companies in the US to divulge how much electricity they use in an effort to assess how that will impact nearby residents and the environment. Eight members of Congress sent letters yesterday to six companies that mine Bitcoin in the US asking them about the energy and environmental impact of their operations. “Given the extraordinarily high energy usage and carbon emissions associated with Bitcoin mining, mining operations raise concerns about their impacts on the global environment, local ecosystems, and consumer electricity costs,” the letters say . The letters were signed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Margaret Hassan (D-NH), and Ed... Continue read...

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Slack, the instant messaging app of choice for many companies, has probably become a bigger part of your life if you’re working from home. And while Slack is usually used for work, it’s also very useful for conversing with friends and family. Slack offers paid plans , but anyone can sign up for the free version and create a workspace, a virtual space where you can set up different conversations and projects. Each of those conversations and projects on Slack are called channels. These channels function like chat rooms or group chats. While there isn’t a limit to the number of channels you can make or private messages you can send in Slack, the free version will only let you see the last 10,000 messages sent in your workspace. Here’s an... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3r9zatd

Support for the original WyzeCam is sunsetting on February 1st, 2022. | Image: Wyze The original giant killer in the smart home camera space, the WyzeCam (v1), is saying sayonara just shy of its fifth birthday. The company emailed its customers this week to say it will no longer sell or support its original product, as the camera can’t support a necessary security update. While the WyzeCam will continue to work, Wyze warns in the email that it will no longer actively monitor or patch new security vulnerabilities for the device and that “your continued use of the WyzeCam after February 1, 2022 carries increased risk, is discouraged by Wyze, and is entirely at your own risk.” Wyze included a link to a $3 coupon toward the purchase of a new Wyze Cam in the email. It currently offers five different models on its online... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3ubOzex

New emoji are on their way. | Image: Emojipedia iOS 15.4 will include a new crop of emoji, including a melting face, someone saluting, beans, and a slightly uncomfortable biting lip icon. As usual, the new emoji and variations of existing emoji are coming thanks to a new version of the Unicode standard that dictates the standard set of pictographs that get added to our devices. iOS 15.4 is currently in beta, but when it rolls out, it should include 37 new emoji, according to MacRumors . Emojipedia put together a first look at Apple’s renditions. The specific way emoji look will vary from platform to platform, but you can get a feel for what to expect from the Unicode Consortium, which is the body in charge of creating new emoji (among many other very important things ). Among the 838... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35vIteA

Tesla Model 3 trying to break through the blizzard | Image: Umar Shakir / The Verge Online influencers have been vital to the success of many products on the market today, none more so than Tesla. Online creators are fond of showing off the car and its features, which helped spur Elon Musk into the spotlight as our first influencer CEO . But now that it’s wintertime, some influencers are noticing their Teslas aren’t faring that well in icy conditions. “Things I hate about my Tesla” One of the first things people notice about electric cars is how quiet they are due to the lack of a combustion engine. But in a TikTok trend titled “Things I hate about my Tesla” user Tesla Flex shared how it’s hard to clean ice off the front of the car since there is no heat energy coming from under the hood. Another Tesla influencer who... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3KPEpWQ

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft is making its Xbox subscriptions a little more flexible after a UK regulator raised concerns. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) “has secured undertakings with Microsoft” that will improve accidental renewals for Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Microsoft has agreed to offer refunds to Xbox subscribers that are on recurring 12-month subscriptions and even cancel inactive memberships if customers are reminded how to stop payments and still continue not to use a membership. The CMA identified a number of concerns around Microsoft’s auto-renewing subscriptions, and the Xbox maker has agreed to address them with the following improvements: “Better upfront information: Microsoft will provide more... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3H6UAg8

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In the culmination of a two-year legal process, the former operator of dark web index site DeepDotWeb was handed a sentence of 97 months in prison for money laundering on Tuesday. The sentence was issued to Tal Prihar, an Israeli national, by a judge of the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The judgment from the court ordered Prihar to forfeit $8.4 million in cash, along with an ASUS laptop, a black iPhone, and his accounts at cryptocurrency exchanges Binance, Kraken and OKCoin. The DeepDotWeb site started operating in 2013, operated by Prihar and another Israeli citizen Michael Phan, who is a co-defendant in the case. The site was hosted on the open internet but provided links to the .onion domains of dark web... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35k4qNu

For the last seven years, a leftover piece of an old SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been circling the Earth on a very wide orbit, having a pretty unremarkable time. But that’s all about to change on March 4th, when this rocket piece is predicted to accidentally slam into the far side of the Moon. And according to the astronomer who first figured this out, it’s a reminder that we need to take better care of our deep space junk. The doomed component is part of a rocket that launched from Florida in February of 2015 . The vehicle lofted a particularly valuable satellite for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called DSCOVR, which monitors solar winds coming from the Sun to better predict space weather. In order to perform its job... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/33Vl5Xq

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge In the first half of 2021, Twitter received fewer user information requests from governments and law enforcement agencies than in the six months before — but increased its compliance to a level that meant more user information was released overall. That’s according to data published by the social media platform Tuesday as part of its latest transparency report. The Information Requests report lists the number of requests as 12,369 globally between January and June 2021, with an overall compliance rate of 36.2 percent. In the previous reporting period for the last six months of 2020, Twitter received 14,561 requests and complied with 30 percent. Overall, Twitter said that the volume of user information requests had decreased by 15... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/32ynYg3

Image: Fanhouse After pushing back against Apple’s App Store fees last year, creator platform Fanhouse is introducing in-app purchases to its iOS app — now with a 30 percent surcharge to pay Apple — to let users subscribe to their favorite creators. The app’s co-founder, Rosie Nguyen, announced the changes today on Twitter. The company wrote that the changes are being made “as a result of apple’s b.s.” On Fanhouse, creators charge a subscription fee that allows fans to access exclusive (SFW) content like updates, photos, and videos. Followers can also tip creators or purchase “locked” content. The app promises its creators will receive 90 percent of payments, with the remaining going to the app. Fanhouse was initially able to slip a “subscribe” button... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35sdT5y

A leaked image, apparently of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra. | Image: evleaks (Twitter) The Galaxy S22 will likely be the main event, but what else could there be? Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3nWahiD

Verizon owned TracFone said attackers gained access to customer accounts | Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Customers of Verizon-owned TracFone saw their numbers transferred to different carriers without their consent in recent weeks, as part of what the company characterized as the work of external attackers, according to a notice on its website (via the Wall Street Journal ). Its Straight Talk and Total Wireless brands were affected as well. “We were recently made aware of bad actors gaining access to a limited number of customer accounts and, in some cases, fraudulently transferring, or porting out, mobile telephone numbers to other carriers,” TracFone said in the notice. The company did not reply to numerous requests for comment from The Verge , but the WSJ reported that some 6,000 customers were affected. Some saw their lines had been... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35qZpD0

Uber faces a negligence lawsuit from a Massachusetts man left paralyzed in a crash | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge A Massachusetts man is suing Uber for $63 million, claiming the ride-hailing company hired a driver with a dangerous record who was at the wheel in an accident that left him paralyzed. Will Good was in an Uber last April 30th on his way home from work when the driver swerved sharply and hit a parked car, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court. The lawsuit says Good struck his head on the passenger side seat and immediately knew he was paralyzed. The lawsuit states that the driver has a driving history dating back to 1996 that includes more than 20 driving citations, including several for failure to stop and failure to yield. According to the suit, the driver was previously required by Massachusetts to undergo a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3fXLNAX

The Appalachian Electric Power coal-fired Big Sandy Power Plant is seen June 3, 2014 in Cattletsburg, Kentucky.  | Photo by Luke Sharrett/Getty Images Major tech companies are weighing in on a high-profile climate case in support of EPA greenhouse gas regulations. Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, Tesla, Paypal, and Salesforce are among the companies that filed a brief yesterday asking the Supreme Court to uphold the agency’s authority to regulate the pollution causing climate change. “Both corporate action and EPA regulation are needed to reduce emissions at the rate necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change,” the brief says. The companies say they are “united in their efforts to combat this threat.” The case the companies are weighing in on, West Virginia v. EPA , concerns whether or not the EPA has the regulatory authority to limit greenhouse gas... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/35kEHV7

Image: Valve Valve announced that the Steam Deck will go on sale starting February 25th. According to the company’s blog, customers who have reservations will get an email on that day and have three days to place an order. Valve also says that it’ll release new batches on a weekly basis, so if you’ve got a reservation, March will be the time to keep an eye on your email. Here’s some more info from Valve’s announcement: We will start sending invites shortly after 10:00 am on February 25th, PST Order emails are sent in the same order that reservations were made. You can only order the Steam Deck model that you originally reserved. Your reservation deposit will be applied to the final price of Steam Deck, and shipping costs are included. The release date... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3nXxH71

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge Apple is releasing iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 for compatible devices today. It’s a fairly minor update, but it does come with an essential security fix to patch a nasty Safari browser flaw. Security researchers revealed earlier this month that websites could exploit a flaw in Apple’s Safari browser to access URLs visited recently by an iOS user and even obtain a Google user ID. 9to5Mac tested the iOS 15.3 release candidate that was released a few days ago and found it fixes this particular security problem. Apple’s quick fix will be useful for iOS and iPadOS users, as, unlike macOS, you can’t simply switch to another browser on iOS to avoid the security flaw. Apple allows third-party browsers on iOS, but they all have to use the same... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3KPlv23

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge HBO Max reached 73.8 million subscribers at the end of 2021, 46.8 million of which are located in the US, marking a 5.3 million increase over a full year. The numbers were shared as part of AT&T’s (HBO Max’s parent company) fourth-quarter earnings for 2021. HBO Max grew aggressively in ‘21, both in the U.S. and in the 45 additional markets where we launched. We are up 35% over the past 24 months and are almost a full 4 yrs ahead of the original HBO Max + HBO sub projections shared with investors prior to the launch of HBO Max. 6/x pic.twitter.com/ZgmT190PKI — Jason Kilar (@jasonkilar) January 26, 2022 Jason Kilar, the CEO of Time Warner, celebrated the platform’s success on Twitter, noting HBO Max’s subscriber numbers are up 35... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rVXkXh

Ryan Wyatt is leaving YouTube to join Polygon Tech. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ryan Wyatt, YouTube’s head of gaming who oversaw some of its big deals to bring Twitch streamers to YouTube, is leaving to join the crypto company Polygon Technology , where he will be leading its Polygon Studios organization. Polygon is a “protocol and a framework for building and connecting Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks,” according to its website . Said another way, it can help people build decentralized apps that aren’t as tied to one blockchain’s fees, hurdles, or performance. In one description Polygon compares itself as the “broadband” to Ethereum’s internet, with faster transaction speeds and fees that are “10000x cheaper.” Wyatt will be focused on leading Polygon’s non-tech-related efforts, he said to The Verge in a... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3H0Ys2c

NASA’s next-generation James Webb Space Telescope may have reached its final parking spot in space, but there’s still a long road ahead for the observatory before it can start taking the dazzling pictures of the cosmos that scientists have been eagerly awaiting. Over the next five months, mission engineers will meticulously tweak and test the telescope in order to prepare the spacecraft for its lifelong mission of observing the Universe . Yesterday at around 2PM ET, the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, fired its onboard thrusters for a little less than five minutes, putting the vehicle into its final orbit in space . It was a crucial last step for JWST’s journey through the cosmos, capping off a 30-day voyage from the launchpad to its... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3H63w5i

Hyperion Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief author Rick Riordan will be the first person to tell you how much he didn’t care for 20th Century Studios’ 2010 adaptation of the novel from director Chris Columbus. For years, Riordan’s been insisting to his fans how he’s been longing to see his work transformed into a live-action story that squares with the grand vision in his mind, and now, Disney Plus plans to make that happen. Though Riordan already announced almost two years ago in a series of now-deleted tweets that Disney Plus was moving forward with a new show based on the book series, the prolific author reiterated today the studio’s plans and shared some new details about the project in a new video posted to Twitter. Along with Riordan,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/347tNlh

A week after the news Microsoft will acquire Activision Blizzard , and amidst news of alleged union-busting , labor strikes , unionization and the continuing investigation of allegations of discrimination and abuse, Blizzard has announced it’s working on a new IP. We’re building a survival game in an all-new universe. Join us in writing our next chapter: https://t.co/yf7W5p9ERQ pic.twitter.com/vWtkDYh1kX — Blizzard Entertainment (@Blizzard_Ent) January 25, 2022 The new game is the first new universe from Blizzard since Overwatch in 2016; it’s also the studio’s first survival game. While it’s fairly common to announce games early to recruit new talent — Respawn Entertainment’s announcement of its new Star Wars game contained job listings... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rJXukm

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Today, the White House is saying out loud what you’ve likely already heard : the chip shortage won’t end anytime soon. “We aren’t even close to being out of the woods,” said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in a briefing with reporters today, according to Bloomberg , The Washington Post , and others. Her comments come alongside a new Department of Commerce report that cites chipmakers who “did not see the problem going away in six months,” which also isn’t exactly news: chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD have repeatedly suggested the shortage wouldn’t ease until the second half of 2022, while Intel has said it might not end until 2023 . But the report , based on 150 responses from “nearly every major semiconductor producer and from companies... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/34aDrTS

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Did you think the season of giving was over? Not at The Verge ! Not only are we continuing to give you a heads-up regarding discounts and sales on the latest gadgets, but we have another mystery bag stuffed full of freebies to give away to one lucky reader. This time, we’ve filled an Alienware M17 Elite Backpack ( which typically retails for $99.99 ) with a whole bunch of goodies. In total, the combined value of the bag and its contents is about $623. We’d be remiss to keep all of these gadgets to ourselves, so we’re offering them to one of you. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Just where did we get all this stuff? Well, The Verge is always trying out and reviewing the latest tech, and sometimes we end up... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3GXYqbg

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Panasonic is due to start mass producing next-generation lithium-ion batteries for Tesla with five times the energy capacity of existing models as early as 2023, according to a report from Nikkei Asia . Although the batteries are being manufactured primarily for Tesla, a Panasonic executive didn’t rule out supplying them to other companies in a November interview . The new batteries promise to boost the range of electric cars, and make them more affordable to produce and sell. In a statement given to Reuters , Panasonic declined to confirm Nikkei’s report. “We are studying various options for mass production, including a test production line we are establishing this business year,” the company said. “We don’t, however, have anything to... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3AubSBq

Wisk Aero, the electric air taxi startup, raised $450 million from Boeing in a new funding round that it claims will make it “one of the most well-funded [advanced air mobility] companies in the world.” In its announcement, Wisk highlights the fact that its “a privately-backed AAM leader,” setting up a contrast with a slate of similar startups that have gone public in recent months by merging with special purpose acquisition companies, also known as SPACs or “blank check” companies. Wisk Aero was formed in 2019 as a joint venture between Boeing and Kitty Hawk, the flying taxi company bankrolled by Google co-founder Larry Page . Wisk says it will use the new funds to undertake a period of rapid growth, adding new employees to its current... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/33X7puF

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned the flying of consumer drones by hobbyists. The news comes after a suspected drone attack hit an oil facility and airport in the country’s capital, Abu Dhabi, last week. The ban was announced by the Ministry of the Interior on Saturday and also applies to light aircraft like gliders. The ministry did not mention the recent attacks in its statement, but referenced “misuse spotted recently,” incidents of drone pilots “trespassing into areas where these types of activities are prohibited,” and a need to “ensure the safety of lives and property.” The attack involved ‘ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones’ The recent attack on the oil facility and airport in Abu Dhabi reportedly involved both... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3FZsDVY

Toshihiro Nagoshi, former chief creative officer at Sega, where he led development of the Yakuza series as general director of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, has announced his next move. He’s started up his own studio, simply titled Nagoshi Studio , which is being wholly funded by Chinese internet and gaming company NetEase. Nagoshi announced his departure from Sega last October, but today’s news also follows a report from Bloomberg back in August that named NetEase as his prospective future partner. Masayoshi Yokoyama, who The Verge interviewed last year about his work on the most recent Yakuza game Like a Dragon , is the new head of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and is currently working on the next game in the series. Nagoshi Studio will be headquartered... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3s39fCP

Venmo is just one of the many apps that uses Plaid to link your bank account. | Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images If you’ve connected your bank account to financial apps like Robinhood, Acorns, Venmo, American Express, Coinbase, and Credit Karma, you may be entitled to some cash, according to a report by Fast Company . Plaid, the financial service these apps (and 5,500 others ) use to link your bank account, has settled a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of collecting more financial data from users than necessary. The suit also alleges Plaid obtained users’ bank login information “through its user interface, known as ‘Plaid Link,’ which had the look and feel of the user’s own bank account login screen.” In reality, users were inputting their information “directly to Plaid.” Plaid denies these claims and says it was transparent with its... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rMkzCO

Image: evleaks (Twitter) Potential European pricing information for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 series has been released by reliable leaker Roland Quandt, as reported by Android Police . Samsung appears to have carried over its prices from the previous S21 lineup , with the only inconsistency being an equally-priced S22 Ultra model that supposedly comes with less RAM than its S21 predecessor. Whoever said S22 series was to be cheaper, didn't think of Covid, parts shortages and inflation. Actual official EURO prices: S22 8/128GB = 849 S22 8/256GB = 899 S22+ 8/128GB = 1049 S22+ 8/256GB = 1099 S22 Ultra 8/128GB = 1249 S22 Ultra 12/256GB = 1349 S22 Ultra 12/512GB = 1449 pic.twitter.com/QRnfrhkzTz — Roland Quandt (@rquandt) January 22, 2022 Quandt claims the S22 will... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3557kFJ

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple has extended its deadline requiring online group and event apps to comply with the company’s in-app purchase policy once again, as announced in a post on the company’s developer’s blog (via 9to5Mac ). Apps in this category can now use alternate payment options until June 30th, allowing them to skirt Apple’s 15 to 30 percent cut the company takes out of in-app purchases. “In 2020, we chose to support apps and developers that needed to adapt services from in-person to digital as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Apple writes in the post. “Given the recent resurgence of COVID and its continued impact on in-person services, we’ve extended the most recent deadline.” Apple first deferred its rule targeting group event apps in November... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3rLLQFy

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge On Thursday, the European Parliament voted to approve the initial draft of a bill that aims to curb Big Tech’s invasive advertising practices (via Bloomberg ). The Parliament adopted the draft with 530 votes of approval, 78 against, and 80 absentations. The Digital Services Act , which was first introduced in 2020 , will prevent platforms, like Google, Amazon, and the Meta-owned Facebook, from using sensitive information, such as sexual orientation, race, and religion for targeted ads. It will require services to give users the ability to easily opt out of tracking, and pressures platforms to remove illegal content and products online, including hate speech or counterfeit goods. Yes! with a huge majority, the European Parliament adopted... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3tNXq5P

The fitness company can’t catch a break on TV. | Image: Showtime Spoilers ahead for And Just Like That... and Billions. Peloton really can’t catch a break. Not only did rumors it’s temporarily suspending production of its connected bikes and treadmills send the stock plunging on Thursday, but — in a plot twist worthy of the big screen — a second TV show character has been shown having a heart attack while riding a Peloton. This comes just over a month after a beloved character from Sex and the City was killed off after a workout on one of the company’s bikes. Mr. Big’s ghost rides again to haunt Peloton In the season six premiere of Billions (available in an early release via streaming, including for free on YouTube , ahead of the show’s usual Sunday night time slot), the character Wags’ Peloton ride... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3nMRLZJ

A dangerous remote code execution (RCE) exploit found in Dark Souls 3 could let a bad actor take control of your computer, according to a report from Dexerto . The vulnerability only puts PC gamers who play online at risk and may potentially affect Dark Souls , Dark Souls 2 , and the upcoming Elden Ring . The exploit was seen in action during The__Grim__Sleeper’s Twitch stream of Dark Souls 3 online. At the end of the stream ( 1:20:22 ), The__Grim__Sleeper’s game crashes, and the robotic voice belonging to Microsoft’s text-to-speech generator suddenly starts criticizing his gameplay. The__Grim__Sleeper then reports that Microsoft PowerShell opened by itself, a sign that a hacker used the program to run a script that triggered the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3439Ls5

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge WhatsApp might be working on a feature that lets you migrate your chat history from Android to iOS, as reported by WABetaInfo via ( Android Central ). The feature was first spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta version 22.2.74 for iOS, and appears to corroborate WABetaInfo ’ s previous discovery in beta version 2.21.20.11 for Android . Both updates point towards a feature that may let you transfer your WhatsApp chats from Android to iOS using the Move to iOS app . Image by WaBetaInfo WABetaInfo also shared a couple of screenshots that show what the feature may look like. Judging by the images, it appears WhatsApp will ask for permission before starting the transfer process, and will then instruct you to keep the app open and... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/3fQ7Sl6