Posts

Showing posts from June, 2023

European companies claim the EUs AI Act could jeopardise technological sovereignty

Image
The letter warns that the strict rules for generative AI outlined in the AI Act have ‘consequences.’ | Photo by Philipp von Ditfurth/picture alliance via Getty Images Some of the biggest companies in Europe have taken collective action to criticize the European Union’s recently approved artificial intelligence regulations, claiming that the Artificial Intelligence Act is ineffective and could negatively impact competition. In an open letter sent to the European Parliament, Commission, and member states on Friday, and first seen by the Financial Times , over 150 executives from companies like Renault, Heineken, Airbus, and Siemens slammed the AI Act for its potential to “jeopardise Europe’s competitiveness and technological sovereignty.” On June 14th, the European Parliament greenlit a draft of the AI Act following two years of developing its rules, and expanding them to encompass recent AI... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/87IQNKX

Reddit is going to remove mods of private communities unless they reopen

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Reddit has informed moderators of protesting communities that are still private that they will lose their mod status by the end of the week, according to messages seen by The Verge . If a moderator tells Reddit they are interested in “actively moderating” the subreddit, the company says it will “take your request into consideration.” Here is the full message, which we have confirmed was sent to moderators of at least two subreddits: After sending a modmail message on June 27, 2023, your mod team indicated that you do not want to reopen the [name of subreddit] community. This is a courtesy notice to let you know that you will lose moderator status in the community by end of week. If you reply to let us know you’re interested in actively... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/N6jYU2c

Meta is planning to let people in the EU download apps through Facebook

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Meta is planning to let people in the EU directly download apps through Facebook ads, setting the company up to eventually compete with Google and Apple’s app stores. The new type of ad is set to start as a pilot with a handful of Android app developers as soon as later this year, I’ve learned. Meta sees an opening to try this thanks to new regulation in the EU called the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that is expected to go into effect next spring. It deems Apple and Google as “gatekeepers” and requires that they open up their mobile platforms to alternative methods of downloading apps. Android technically allows sideloading already, though Google makes it difficult by coupling its in-app billing and licensing with the Play Store, along with... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/U4R1Vve

How to sell or trade in your old Android phone

Image
Samar Haddad; Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge There is a plethora of new and exciting smartphones that have just come onto the market (or are about to), and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to find out that you are planning to upgrade from your current phone. Google recently introduced its new (and expensive) Pixel Fold , along with its midrange Pixel 7A , while Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Plus is at the top of our list of best Android phones . Whether you want to go with Samsung, Google, or a different manufacturer, trading in your old phone — or selling it — is a smart way to do that, especially since there are those who will decide instead to buy a lightly used phone from an older generation that will suit their needs without breaking the bank. If you’ve got an older model and are ready... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/leyzuZo

The Steam Decks second sale ever: now its up to $130 off

Image
You can get up to 20 percent off of the Steam Deck. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge The Steam Deck rarely goes on sale, which is why you might want to take advantage of this deal on the portable gaming PC while it’s hot. As a part of the Steam Summer Sale, Valve is taking up to 20 percent off the Steam Deck in the US as well as internationally . You can buy the Steam Deck starting at $359.10 ($40 off) for the base model with 64GB of storage, which matches the price we last saw when the handheld first went on sale in March , and you can save a lot more on the higher-end Decks. If you require more storage, you might want to consider buying the 256 or 512GB model. As my colleague Sean Hollister pointed out , you can easily upgrade it with a new SSD , but there’s a slight risk of damage if you aren’t careful. What’s more, the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/vcaZIq7

Reddit is telling protesting mods their communities will not stay private

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Reddit is pressuring moderators who have set their subreddits to private to reopen their communities this week, according to messages seen by The Verge . The company has given moderators deadlines to lay out their plans for reopening but said that they can’t stay closed. The timeframes given generally indicate a deadline of sometime Thursday afternoon. Reddit was vague about the exact repercussions but seemed to suggest this was the final warning stage. “This community remaining closed to its [millions of] members cannot continue” beyond a the deadline , the admin (Reddit employee) account ModCodeofConduct wrote in a note to one of the biggest Reddit communities that’s still private. “That is not going to continue” After a mod replied,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/PBX1W0A

Microsoft CEO says he wants to end Xbox exclusives but blames Sony

Image
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella appears at court for FTC v. Microsoft. | Photo by Loren Elliott / Getty Images Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says he’d “love” to get rid of console game exclusives but blames Sony for defining the market and competition. Nadella made the comments as part of testimony in FTC v. Microsoft today, discussing Microsoft’s cloud gaming strategy, internal gaming targets, and much more. When discussing the ideal of Microsoft being focused on software across as many platforms as possible, Nadella was asked about Xbox exclusives. Here’s what he said: If it was up to me I would love to get rid of the entire exclusives on consoles, but that’s not for me to define especially as a low share player in the console market. The dominant player there [Sony] has defined market competition using exclusives, so that’s the world we live in.... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/GHMtc6w

The best early Prime Day deals

Image
The Fire HD 10 is one of many early Prime Day deals you can get, one that’s available at a steep 50 percent discount. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge Amazon Prime Day may not start until July 11th , but early deals are already trickling out. We’re expecting to see some worthwhile discounts on wireless earbuds, noise-canceling headphones, tablets, TVs, smart home tech, games, and other gadgets on the actual days of, with the early deals functioning as a kind of small temperature check. As the ghosts of Prime Days past can tell us, the ahead-of-schedule deals are almost always on Amazon-owned devices and brands. There are sure to be more deals coming online in the days ahead — especially since Amazon has promised discounts from brands like Sony and Bose — but early bird shoppers already have some decent discounts to take advantage of. Usually, these early deals will hold through the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/QRwFIEa

Sony just spilled confidential PlayStation information because of a Sharpie

Image
Photo by Anthony Wallace / AFP via Getty Images Sony has just revealed lots of highly confidential information about its PlayStation business by mistake. As part of the FTC v. Microsoft hearing , Sony supplied a document from PlayStation chief Jim Ryan that includes redacted details on the margins Sony shares with publishers, its Call of Duty revenues, and even the cost of developing some of its games. It looks like Sony redacted the documents with a black Sharpie — but when you scan them in, it’s easy to see some of the redactions. Oops. The court has scrambled to remove the document, but the damage is done; reporters and Sony’s competition have already downloaded all the documents while they were in the public domain. Among other things, the document shows that Horizon Forbidden... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/EnTGKa8

Jony Ives LoveFrom designed a new seal for the UKs outer space sustainability initiative

Image
The Astra Carta seal | Image: Sustainable Markets Initiative Jony Ive and his team at LoveFrom have made a new design for King Charles III called the “Astra Carta” seal. The seal is meant to represent the UK’s call to action for public and private sectors to work together on responsible and sustainable use of outer space. It marks his second project for King Charles this year after LoveFrom made a royal emblem to herald the King’s recent coronation earlier. The seal, which is animated on the sustainability initiative’s official site , is a circular badge with the all-caps Latin words “ASTRA CARTA” planted in the middle beneath a crown. In the center, a blue dot represents the planet Earth, while constellations, the Sun, the Moon, and the flowery path taken by Venus surround it. Around the outside... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/cyAem7J

AI-generated tweets might be more convincing than real people research finds

Image
Image: OpenAI People apparently find tweets more convincing when they’re written by AI language models. At least, that was the case in a new study comparing content created by humans to language generated by OpenAI’s model GPT-3. The authors of the new research surveyed people to see if they could discern whether a tweet was written by another person or by Chat-GPT. The result? People couldn’t really do it. The survey also asked them to decide whether the information in each tweet was true or not. This is where things get even dicier, especially since the content focused on science topics like vaccines and climate change that are subject to a lot of misinformation campaigns online. Turns out, study participants had a harder time recognizing... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/cGQ4osH

Unfortunately Secret Invasions AI credits are exactly what we should expect from Marvel

Image
A still from Secret Invasion ’s opening credits sequence. | Image: Marvel Studios Secret Invasion’s AI-generated opening credits aren’t Marvel’s best, but they do feel like a very telling sign of where the studio and the larger entertainment industry are at right now. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/JjAX72G

Volvos upcoming EVs join the Tesla Supercharger bandwagon

Image
Volvo’s upcoming EX30 will initially use an adapter to support Tesla’s Superchargers. | Image: Volvo Volvo is the latest automaker, and the first one from Europe, to announce support for Tesla’s electric vehicle charging standard known as the “North American Charging Standard,” or NACS . According to the announcement, this arrangement is similar to the ones Tesla recently reached with several other car manufacturers. Volvo owners will get access to 12,000 Tesla Supercharger stations, and Volvo EVs will be manufactured with a NACS port starting in 2025. By early 2024, existing vehicles may use the Supercharger network with an adapter. In 2025, new Volvos will be equipped with the NACS charge port — Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) June 27, 2023 For current Volvo EV owners — including XC40, C40 Recharge, and the upcoming EX30 and... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/5nMFcPC

You can watch the first episode of Apples Silo... on Twitter

Image
Image: Apple No, this isn’t another Mario Bros. Movie situation — this time, Apple has put up the entire first episode of its post-apocalyptic drama Silo on Twitter so anyone can watch for free. The move comes the same week that the series is set to air its season 1 finale, and not long after season 2 was officially confirmed . You can watch it right here: 3 days until the #Silo finale. Here’s the entire first episode. pic.twitter.com/lIcTXCQ9D6 — Apple TV (@AppleTV) June 27, 2023 Now, it’s pretty common for networks to release single episodes of shows on YouTube to drum up excitement, sort of like a video game demo. But now that Twitter allows for lengthy video uploads , it seems we might see the trend extend to a new format — even if it’s not... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/0Goj1Ae

The AirPods Max are getting left behind so are new Apple headphones coming this year?

Image
Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge It was inevitable that despite their hefty $549 price, Apple’s AirPods Max headphones would eventually start to miss out on the company’s latest software enhancements. Headphones are basically computers now and have evolved into their own platform , so just like with any iPhone or Mac, Apple’s ecosystem tricks and new features increasingly require more powerful silicon and revamped components. We started to see the swan song for the two-and-a-half-years-old AirPods Max earlier this month at WWDC when Apple announced several new features coming this fall that, in nearly all cases, will exclusively apply to the second-generation AirPods Pro — and no other models. The headlining feature is called “Adaptive Audio,” a new sound mode that... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/SbDIdcK

YouTube reportedly tests adding playable games to its video platform

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge “Playables” is a new feature in development for YouTube that could add interactive games to the video platform, The Wall Street Journal reports . The feature was apparently detailed in an email Google sent to its employees asking them to test it. Games could either be playable via the YouTube app on iOS and Android or through the browser on desktop. The WSJ ’s report only contains details on one game the service could include, Stack Bounce , which it describes as “an arcade game in which players attempt to smash layers of bricks with a bouncing ball.” It sounds a little bit like Atari classic Breakout to me, but it’s hard to tell without seeing screenshots. In a statement, a YouTube spokesperson declined to confirm the existence of the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/riM1op7

Hope fear and AI

Image
Who’s using AI? AI is suddenly everywhere. Image generators and large language models are at the core of new startups, powering features inside our favorite apps, and — perhaps more importantly — driving conversation not just in the tech world but also society at large. Concerns abound about cheating in schools with ChatGPT, being fooled by AI-generated pictures, and artists being ripped off or even outright replaced. But despite widespread news coverage, use of these new tools is still fairly limited, at least when it comes to dedicated AI products. And experience with these tools skews decidedly toward younger users. Most people have heard of ChatGPT. Bing and Bard? Not quite. Only 1 in 3 people have tried one of these AI-powered... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/FXoKOsg

Lucid Motors strikes deal to power Aston Martins future lineup of EVs

Image
Photo by Tim Stevens for The Verge Lucid Motors will supply powertrain technology to Aston Martin for the British brand’s future lineup of electric vehicles, the two companies announced Monday . The deal brings together two companies with deep ties to motorsports , as well as brand identities centered on performance luxury. Under the deal, Lucid will supply Aston Martin with its electric motors and batteries that have been used to power the California-based company’s only model, the Lucid Air sedan . Aston Martin will then take that technology and plug it into its own bespoke EV models. Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson hailed the deal as “a landmark collaboration.” Under the deal, Lucid will supply Aston Martin with its electric motors and batteries that have been used to power... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/gRcs63h

WinGPT is a new ChatGPT app for your ancient Windows 3.1 PC

Image
ChatGPT running on Windows 3.1. | Image: dialup.net Someone has created a ChatGPT app for Windows 3.1 PCs. WinGPT brings a very basic version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT responses into an app that can run on an ancient 386 chip. It’s built by the same mysterious developer behind Windle , a Wordle clone for Microsoft’s Windows 3.1 operating system. “I didn’t want my Gateway 4DX2-66 from 1993 to be left out of the AI revolution, so I built an AI Assistant for Windows 3.1, based on the OpenAI API,” says the developer in a Hacker News thread . WinGPT is written in C using Microsoft’s standard Windows API and connects to OpenAI’s API server using TLS 1.3, so there’s no need for a separate modern PC. That was a particularly interesting part of getting this app running on Windows 3.1, alongside managing... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/OmJbACR

UK police blame Android SOS feature for influx of false emergency calls

Image
Android’s Emergency SOS feature is so easy to activate that users in the UK are accidently calling emergency services. | Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge An Android feature designed to help users contact emergency services is making life difficult for first responders in the UK. The BBC reports that police forces across the nation have reported an influx of false emergencies to the 999 switchboard (The UK’s equivalent of 911) in recent weeks which have largely been attributed to the Emergency SOS feature for Android phones. Law enforcement in Scotland , and the English counties of Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall , and Gloucestershire have reported receiving a higher number of silent or abandoned calls since an Android update released between October 2022 and February 2023 introduced an Emergency SOS calling feature to more Android phones. The BBC reports that each errant call can take around 20... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/DYLJINp

White House announces $40 billion in broadband funding

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge President Joe Biden is getting closer to distributing more than $40 billion in funding to support broadband expansion nationwide as part of his administration’s goal to connect all Americans to high-speed internet by 2030. The funding, authorized in Biden’s 2021 bipartisan infrastructure package, will be distributed proportionally to states based on need with each state receiving at least $100 million. Monday’s allocations were made using broadband coverage maps that were recently updated to include more than one million new locations. “Just like Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered electricity to every home in America through his Rural Electrification Act, the announcement is part of President Biden’s broader effort to deliver... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/hbuyfGP

Here come the electric buses

Image
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images Make way for the electric buses. The US Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration is sending out $1.7 billion from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 46 states and territories to fund the acquisition of 1,700 buses — over half of which will be zero-emission models. The new awards will bring the total number of zero-emission buses funded by the infrastructure law up to 1,800, which is more than double the number of clean buses on the roads today. That still only represents a fraction of the roughly 60,000 buses that are currently in operation in the US, but officials hailed it as an important step toward updating the nation’s aging transit fleet with an eye toward fighting climate change. T... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/bBP32KO

An upcoming 5G deadline could cause airline delays starting July 1st

Image
With the 5G C-band rollout complete, there may be some flight delays. | Image: The Verge US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Friday there may be some airline delays or cancellations starting July 1st if the last remaining passenger jets haven’t upgraded their altimeters to deal with 5G interference, per a report from The Wall Street Journal report. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains that 5G C-band signals could interfere with radio wave emitters passenger jets use to measure how far they are from the ground, which pilots rely on when landing with low visibility. Though airlines aren’t actually required to get the new equipment in place until February 2024 , those passenger jets that haven’t been certified for operation around C-band 5G signals by the first of July will not be allowed to land in... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ykfuCD2

Reddit says accessibility upgrades for moderators are coming to its mobile apps soon

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Reddit will make “accessibility improvements” to many moderator tools in its official mobile apps by July 1st, the company announced on Friday . Some moderators rely on third-party apps because Reddit’s apps have what they characterize as “significant accessibility challenges,” and the accessibility community has expressed concerns over how they will moderate on mobile after popular apps like Apollo shut down on June 30th due to potentially expensive API pricing changes . It seems this roadmap, which promises improvements to features like the moderation queue and the ModMail messaging system on Android and iOS, is intended to assuage those fears. Based on the replies to the announcement post, however, many are still unhappy with the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/jv5OLBG

Formula E team caught using RFID scanner that could grab live tire data from other cars

Image
Stoffel Vandoorne drives in the Portland ePrix today. | Image: John Lamparski/Getty Images During the Formula E qualifying round in Portland, Oregon, today, the DS Penske team was fined €25,000 after it surreptitiously installed an RFID scanner at the entrance to the pit, which the FIA stewards said could collect data from other race cars and give them an advantage. The team’s racers, Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Éric Vergne, were also hit with a pit lane start penalty for today’s race — meaning they will have to wait at the end of the pit lane until all of the other cars have driven past before entering the race. The FIA Stewards explanation for the penalty was provided to The Verge via email: The Stewards were advised by the Technical Delegate that the competitor had installed RFID scanning equipment in the pit lane entry this... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/5LB0eay

Google Pixel devices finally have a real default weather app

Image
Finally, a real Pixel Weather app. This particular forecast is for the birds, though. Google finally has a default weather app to compete with Apple and Samsung. Though Pixel phones have long been able to display the current weather in widgets, tapping on those widgets just launched a basic screen with a cute weather frog and a handful of stats. It felt like a web page because that’s basically what it was. With the launch of the Pixel Tablet earlier this week , Google has rectified that situation. Its new weather app — which is accessed via the same widgets as before, as there’s no icon to launch it — has a much nicer design without losing the playfulness of the older experience. It has 10-day and 24-hour forecasts; wind, humidity, barometric pressure, and UV index reports, plus current sun position and sunrise / sunset... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/gC3rXQt

Russia invades Ukraine: the latest news on connectivity cryptocurrency and more

Image
Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge This even has implications for the ISS Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/QjW9T13

Making sense of the EUs fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

Image
Image: Apple The European Parliament recently voted on regulation that would, among other things, require smartphone manufacturers to make their device’s batteries more easily user-replaceable. Here’s the fine print. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/xHGj36F

E3 is dead how big was it anyhow?

Image
The letter “E” and number “3” hung over the escalators at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. | Photo: The Verge The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is dead. Following cancellations in 2020 , 2021 , 2022 , 2023 , and Thursday’s revelation that it won’t return to Los Angeles in 2024 or 2025 either , you can safely stick a fork in the world’s former most influential gaming show. It’s done, replaced by events that stream online like the Summer Game Fest , Nintendo Direct , PlayStation Showcase , Xbox Games Showcase , and Ubisoft Forward . But given how seemingly easily it’s been replaced, you might be wondering: how big a deal was it, really? In 2016, I wrote for CNET how it was actually becoming less of a gamer’s mecca every year , and you aren’t really missing that much. But when I ran the numbers today, they told a slightly different story — E3 had... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/RSrCiKH

Microsoftacquired Bethesda after hearing Starfield would be exclusive toPlayStation

Image
Image: Bethesda Microsoft’s Xbox chief has revealed one of the key reasons behind the acquisition of Bethesda parent company ZeniMax: potential Starfield PlayStation exclusivity. Speaking at the FTC v. Microsoft hearing today, Phil Spencer revealed that Sony regularly pays competitors to “skip our platform” and Microsoft felt it needed to own Bethesda to compete. “When we acquired ZeniMax one of the impetus for that is that Sony had done a deal for Deathloop and Ghostwire ... to pay Bethesda to not ship those games on Xbox,” said Spencer. “So the discussion about Starfield when we heard that Starfield was potentially also going to end up skipping Xbox, we can’t be in a position as a third-place console where we fall further behind on our content... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/OZb36gN

My Garmins fatal flaw is it refuses to acknowledge my naps

Image
The Epix Pro is $1,000 and will not acknowledge my naps. Rude. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge Ask any coach, athlete, personal trainer, or doctor: sleep is an important, if not the most important, part of recovery. You cannot get those gains without regular, quality sleep. But life happens, and sometimes regular, high-quality sleep isn’t possible. In those instances, studies have found naps can be an effective way to boost your recovery and athletic performance . So, knowing this, somebody please explain why none of the Garmin smartwatches in my review closet will acknowledge my naps. Miraculously, my occasional bouts of insomnia and Garmin training haven’t overlapped much. It makes sense. I never sleep better or more regularly than when I’m training for something. That streak ended these last few weeks when my insomnia came back... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/jXBSOT8

Kevin Scott Craig Peters and David Baszucki join Code 2023

Image
This September, Code Conference enters a new era with a lineup of the most prestigious names in tech, business, and beyond. Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge, will interview Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott and Getty CEO Craig Peters — in two 1:1 conversations, they’ll tackle the latest in AI, from innovations and competition to what the immediate and long-term futures for these companies might look like. Roblox CEO David Baszucki will sit down with Alex Heath, deputy editor of The Verge, to discuss the impact of AI in gaming, how it will affect Roblox’s creator-backed economy, and more. Kevin Scott | CTO & Executive Vice President of AI, Microsoft Kevin Scott Kevin Scott is EVP of AI, and the CTO of Microsoft.... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/xek4OZQ

Titan submersible suffered catastrophic implosion

Image
Image: OceanGate via Twitter The Titan submersible, which disappeared after setting off to tour the wreckage of the Titanic on Sunday, experienced a “catastrophic implosion,” US Coast Guard Rear Admiral John Mauger announced during a press conference on Thursday afternoon. “This morning, an ROV, or remote-operated vehicle from the vessel Horizon Arctic discovered the tail cone of the Titan submersible approximately 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic on the seafloor,” Mauger stated. “The ROV subsequently found additional debris. In consultation with experts from within the unified command, the debris is consistent with the catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber.” The Titan is a 22-foot long, 20,000-pound submersible owned by OceanGate Expeditions, a Titanic... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/l0je7an

Know the price-matching policies for Best Buy Target Walmart and others

Image
Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge Nothing is more frustrating than buying a new pair of headphones, an OLED TV, or a backpack just to find out that you could have gotten it for a lot cheaper somewhere else. In order to keep customers happy — and prevent them from going elsewhere — many retailers offer price-matching policies where they promise to match a lower price you’ve found elsewhere. That’s information that could come in handy now that we’re just a few weeks out from Amazon Prime Day, which will be taking place on July 11th and July 12th . What follows are the price-matching policies for a variety of major retailers. There are a few things to make note of here. First, all price-matching policies have a number of rules attached to them. We’ve summarized some of the... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/mtYvTeE

TikToks COO has quit

Image
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge V. Pappas, the chief operating officer of TikTok, has resigned, as first reported by The Information . In a memo Pappas posted to Twitter , they informed staff that they will no longer work as COO of the company, as they believe the ”time is right to move on and refocus.” Pappas will still stay at TikTok in an advisory role. “Given all the successes reached at TikTok, I finally feel the time is right to move on and refocus on my entrepreneurial passions,” Pappas writes. “Few had imagined what the last five years would look like and with all the incredible innovation happening now with generative AI, robotics, renewable energy, genomics, blockchain and the IoT, clearly the future will again look much different.” The news of Pappas’... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/RW57LmS

Opera launches revamped browser equipped with an AI sidekick

Image
Image: Opera Opera has launched Opera One — a new version of the browser that comes packaged with an AI-powered chatbot called Aria. Just like the Bing chatbot on Microsoft Edge, Opera’s AI assistant lives within the browser’s sidebar, where you can have it answer questions using real-time information, generate text or code, brainstorm ideas, and more. The built-in chatbot is powered by Opera’s Composer AI engine and connects to OpenAI’s GPT model. To use the tool, you need to sign up for an Opera account if you don’t have one already. Once that’s done, you can click the Aria icon on the left side of the screen to start chatting. While Opera first started testing the revamped version of the browser in May, now it’s available to everyone who downloads... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/b7ezJOw

YouTube TV expands multiview beyond sports but you still cant customize it

Image
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Being able to watch multiple things on TV at the same time is obviously a huge convenience for sports fanatics. So it makes sense that YouTube TV focused exclusively on sports when launching its multiview feature . It’s been several months since then, and today, the company says it’s (slowly) expanding multiview to also feature news, business, and weather programming. That’s the good news. The bad news is that for now, one frustrating catch remains: you’re limited to the preselected multiview groupings that YouTube TV chooses itself and can’t yet customize any of this yourself. And, we’re ROLLING Starting today in the Home tab, a small portion of members will see us testing up to 5 brand new multiview streams that will be available... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/VoINGh2

How to check your version history on Google Docs

Image
Image: Samar Haddad / The Verge Anyone old enough to have used a typewriter knows that a major advantage of word processors is that nothing is permanent — if you make a mistake, you can easily fix it. However, sometimes the fix is worse than the mistake: you may accidentally delete a word, a phrase, a paragraph, or an entire section and then realize minutes, hours, or even days later that you should have kept it. What do you do? Not a problem — just go back and check the previous versions of the document. While Google Docs automatically saves your documents every few minutes, it also keeps a record — a version history — of what has been done in the document since it was created. It’s very simple to find your version history: Go to the top menu and select File >... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ioEz937

Sennheiser SoundProtex earplugs review: concert safety without sacrifice

Foam earplugs are convenient and cost virtually nothing. But with ticket prices these days, it’s worth spending a bit more on earplugs that preserve the fidelity of live music. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/jGlDTVg

Apple reportedly has fitness features for the Vision Pro we havent seen yet

Image
Image: Apple While Apple imagines users wearing its Vision Pro headset to do a variety of things, like watch movies, capture videos, and multitask , it still hasn’t mentioned one pretty major application: fitness. But now, a report from The Information suggests that Apple had been planning workout apps for the mixed reality headset, but they just weren’t ready in time for its June reveal. Former Apple employees tell The Information that staff members explored partnering with Nike to create workouts for the Vision Pro and also looked into creating face cushions designed for “sweaty, high-intensity workouts.” Apple employees even reportedly weighed the idea of letting Vision Pro wearers interact with content while on a stationary bike. Although Apple... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/i4ZBUua

The government is helping Big Telecom squeeze out city-run broadband

Image
Illustration by Hugo Herrera for The Verge President Joe Biden’s internet access plan will hand $41.6 billion to internet service providers. In many places, that money will get funneled into private hands. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/ICLziqr

Inside the AI Factory

Image
Illustration by Richard Parry for The Verge As the technology becomes ubiquitous, a vast tasker underclass is emerging — and not going anywhere. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/s1bIeDi

Spotifys long-anticipated HiFi tier might require a more expensive subscription

Image
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Spotify is reportedly planning to include lossless audio streaming in a new, more expensive subscription tier codenamed “Supremium” internally, according to Bloomberg . The lossless streaming feature was first announced in February 2021 as “Spotify HiFi,” but is still yet to release over two years later. Bloomberg reports that the new more expensive plan could release later this year, initially in non-US markets. The pricing of Spotify HiFi has been a source of much speculation in the years since its announcement, especially after competitors Amazon Music and Apple Music started offering lossless streaming as part of their standard plans at no additional charge. Bloomberg reports that Spotify delayed the release of HiFi after Amazon and... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/8u4XeDG

Vimeos new AI script generator will write corporate marketing filler in seconds

Image
Video platform Vimeo is integrating new AI tools for paying users, including an AI script generation feature powered by OpenAI’s tech. The company is promoting the tools as a way for users to “create a fully produced video in minutes,” and stressing the utility for corporate customers — potential use-cases range “from quickly creating highlight reels, to hosting virtual events or company meetings, to exporting quote clips for short marketing videos.” There are three new features. A script generator that generates scripts “based on a brief description and key inputs like tone and length.” A teleprompter, which has no real AI component, but lets users adjust timing and font size. And a text-based video editor, which automatically... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/iGK95WX

WhatsApp can now silence calls from unknown numbers

Image
The new option is available from the privacy menu in settings. | Image: WhatsApp / Meta WhatsApp’s latest feature can automatically mute incoming calls if they’re from an unknown number, the service announced today . The setting is available by going into WhatsApp’s settings, hitting “Privacy,” selecting “Calls,” and turning on the “Silence Unknown Callers” toggle. WhatsApp says the feature will help “screen out spam, scams, and calls from unknown people for increased protection.” When enabled, the feature silences all signs of incoming calls from unknown numbers including both sound and visual alerts in the app. However, silenced calls will still appear in your recent calls list with a “silenced unknown caller” note next to them, in case you want to call back. The addition of the feature comes after reports of an... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/73fpkBz

Google Pixel Tablet review: the dock makes all the difference

Google’s first tablet in many years doesn’t try to reinvent what tablets are good for. Instead, it leans into being a good media consumption device and can be a useful smart display when you’re not holding it. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/D5uInzQ

Nothing Phone 2: a roundup of every tease about the upcoming phone

Image
The rear of 2022’s Nothing Phone 1. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge Our constantly updated list of all the teases Nothing has released about its second phone. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/9RY6HBP

Reddit hackers demand $4.5 million ransom and API pricing changes

Image
Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge A ransomware group is claiming responsibility for a hack on Reddit’s systems earlier this year — and demanding not just money but policy changes. BlackCat, a ransomware group, says it was behind the February phishing attack on Reddit, as previously reported by Bleeping Computer . In a post shared by researcher Dominic Alvieri, BlackCat claims to have stolen 80GB of data from Reddit and threatens to release it publicly if demands aren’t met. The group wants a $4.5 million payout in exchange for the data and also demands Reddit roll back its planned API pricing changes that spurred user and moderator protests last week. At the time of the hack, Reddit said hackers had used a “sophisticated and highly-targeted” phishing attack to get access... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/WHE0Ngm

Breville Joule Turbo review: sous vide with speed

Sous vide cooking can produce perfect meats every time, but it takes a long time to do so. Breville’s new Joule Turbo can pull the same tricks in as little as half the time. Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/Ldz38cW

Amazon insists striking delivery drivers dont really work for Amazon

Image
Amazon delivery drivers strike for the first time. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge On Thursday, Motherboard reported that Amazon delivery drivers in Palmdale, California have gone on strike , a first for the company. The drivers, who unionized with the Teamsters in April and were recognized by Amazon “Delivery Service Partner” (DSP) Battle-Tested Strategies in May, are demanding better pay and improved safety conditions. They walked out on Thursday. Happening Now! Amazon #Teamsters in Palmdale, CA are walking out today in the fight for good jobs at Amazon. The unfair labor practice strike by Amazon drivers and dispatchers is the first strike of its kind in the US: https://t.co/lcA903tIBM #1u pic.twitter.com/AJ2Anooq2l — Teamsters (@Teamsters) June 15, 2023 Motherboard ’s original article used the headline “Amazon... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/8nl4NWs

Shutterless cameras deserve good shutter sounds

Image
The Nikon Z9’s stacked sensor doesn’t require a mechanical shutter, but that doesn’t mean its users don’t need good feedback from their cameras. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge Snapping a camera’s shutter to take a picture is one of the best feelings in photography. You get a timeless, tactile feedback as you capture every decisive moment with a satisfying auditory “click” sound . But we’re slowly losing this hallmark of picture-taking. Not only because smartphones are replacing full-size cameras for most people but because more cameras are being built without mechanical shutters at all. Nikon’s flagship Z9 and newer Z8 cameras forego traditional shutters entirely, so instead of hearing and feeling a mechanical action, you either hear nothing at all or are played the sound of a fake shutter. Just this week, Nikon released firmware 4.0 for the Z9 , which added a slew of new features, including extra shutter sounds :... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https:/

Netflixs very brief Avatar: The Last Airbender teaser promises a 2024 premiere

Image
Image: Netflix Netflix has been very quiet about its live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender . And while the new teaser trailer released at its Tudum event doesn’t show much at all, it does confirm the series will start streaming in 2024. The show has been in the works for some time, first announced in 2018 , and has gone through a few issues — including having Last Airbender series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko leave the project over creative differences . Since then, Netflix has announced some of the cast and the technology powering the show , but we have yet to see it in action via a trailer. But hey, at least we got our first images today: Meet Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender,... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/P3NK2mR

Two of the biggest Reddit communities reopened in the funniest way possible

Image
Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images Two huge subreddits, r/pics and r/gifs, now only allow posts about comedian and Last Week Tonight host John Oliver. Both have reopened after going dark as part of the ongoing protests toward Reddit, and after each subreddit polled users, the new rules are now in place. “As many of you are aware, we recently held a poll to decide on the future of the subreddit,” wrote r/gifs moderator u/IronSentinel . “This initiative was prompted by statements from Reddit’s CEO, who suggested that the desires of the platform’s everyday users were being eclipsed by those of moderators.” Moderators of thousands of subreddits set their communities to private to protest upcoming API changes that will force beloved third-party apps to shut down , but CEO Steve... Continue reading… from The Verge - All Posts https://ift.tt/HGDsPeh