@www.theverge.com.walt-mossberg-verge@rss-parrot.net
I'm an automated parrot! I relay a website's RSS feed to the Fediverse. Every time a new post appears in the feed, I toot about it. Follow me to get all new posts in your Mastodon timeline! Brought to you by the RSS Parrot.
---
Welcome to Mossberg, a weekly commentary and reviews column on The Verge and Recode by veteran tech journalist Walt Mossberg, now an Executive Editor at The Verge and Editor at Large of Recode.
Site URL: www.theverge.com/walt-mossberg-verge
Feed URL: www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml
Posts: 359
Followers: 1
OpenAI and Jony Ive’s AI super-gadget
https://www.theverge.com/the-vergecast/673453/openai-jony-ive-io-gadget-google-io-vergecast
Published: May 23, 2025 13:10
Here's what we know: it's probably not smart glasses. Beyond that, we don't know much about what Jony Ive and OpenAI are building through their newly combined company io, except that it's some kind of AI super-gadget. But after a couple of years of…
Glitch is basically shutting down
https://www.theverge.com/news/673457/glitch-coding-platform-shutting-down
Published: May 23, 2025 12:56
Glitch, the coding platform where developers can share and remix projects, will soon no longer offer its core feature: hosting apps on the web. In an update on Thursday, Glitch CEO Anil Dash said it will stop hosting projects and close user profiles on…
Trump threatens Apple with a 25 percent iPhone tariff
https://www.theverge.com/news/673424/trump-apple-iphone-tariff-25-percent-india
Published: May 23, 2025 12:22
President Donald Trump has threatened Apple with a tariff of “at least 25 percent” just for its iPhones unless it moves production to the United States. “I have long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I expect their iPhone’s that will be sold in the…
Nike returns to Amazon after a six-year hiatus
https://www.theverge.com/news/673370/nike-amazon-return-six-years-wholesaler
Published: May 23, 2025 09:51
After a six year absence, Nike will soon begin selling products directly on Amazon, having previously stopped in 2019 to go it alone. At the same time, the company is reportedly set to increase prices across most of its sneakers and other clothes in the…
Discord might use AI to help you catch up on conversations
https://www.theverge.com/apps/673208/discord-ai-forums-anniversary-gamechat
Published: May 23, 2025 09:00
Discord has become the place for gaming communities on the internet. The company just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and its impact is now big enough that it's available directly on PlayStation and Xbox and was ripped off by Nintendo for the Switch 2's…
Xiaomi’s new YU7 spells trouble for Tesla in China
https://www.theverge.com/news/673023/xiaomi-yu7-ev-suv-china-tesla-model-y
Published: May 23, 2025 07:23
Xiaomi unveiled its hotly anticipated YU7 electric SUV in China today, in the latest potential blow to Tesla’s position in the world’s hottest EV market. The electronics giant says the YU7 will get up to 518 miles of range on certain trims and accelerate…
Where to preorder the Pro 2 controller and other Switch 2 accessories
Published: May 22, 2025 23:58
We’re now just a few weeks away from the release of the Switch 2, but it isn’t the only hardware launching on June 5th. Soon, Nintendo will also release a variety of new accessories for its upcoming gaming console, the bulk of which are now available for…
Elden Ring is getting a film adaptation
https://www.theverge.com/news/673247/elden-ring-film-adaptation-alex-garland-a24
Published: May 22, 2025 23:56
Elden Ring will soon be more than just a hit video game. On Thursday, Bandai Namco and A24 announced a live-action Elden Ring film directed by Alex Garland. Japanese developer FromSoftware released Elden Ring across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2022, while…
Marvel’s next two Avengers have been delayed
https://www.theverge.com/news/673265/marvel-studios-avengers-doomsday-secret-wars-delayed
Published: May 22, 2025 23:43
Marvel Studios has pushed back the release dates of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Doomsday is being delayed from May 1st, 2026, to December 18th, 2026. Secret Wars’s release has been pushed from May 7th,…
YouTube hires longtime Disney exec to head up live sports
https://www.theverge.com/news/673139/youtube-disney-justin-connolly-sports-media-head
Published: May 22, 2025 22:35
As YouTube prepares to air an exclusive NFL opening week game for free on September 5th, it’s hiring former Disney exec Justin Connolly. He’d most recently been running the streaming services and linear media networks, and will take over as YouTube’s new…
Tech CEOs are using AI to replace themselves
https://www.theverge.com/news/673194/tech-ceos-zoom-klarna-replace-earnings
Published: May 22, 2025 22:33
Tech company CEOs aren’t just making their companies AI-first: this week, they’re using AI avatars to replace themselves in earnings calls. Buy now, pay later company Klarna featured the AI version of CEO and co-founder Sebastian Siemiatkowski in an…
Ricoh is finally making a GR IV camera, and it’s coming in the fall
https://www.theverge.com/news/673127/ricoh-gr-iv-street-photography-camera-specs-announcement
Published: May 22, 2025 22:28
In a pretty barebones press release accompanied by a couple of pictures and detailed specs, Ricoh surprise announced that its long-awaited GR IV camera will launch this fall. The GR IV will adhere closely to the design of the GR III from 2018, and it will…
Xiaomi’s new PU7 spells trouble for Tesla in China
https://www.theverge.com/news/673023/xiaomi-pu7-ev-suv-china-tesla-model-y
Published: May 22, 2025 21:59
Xiaomi unveiled its hotly anticipated PU7 electric SUV in China today, in the latest potential blow to Tesla’s position in the world’s hottest EV market. The electronics giant says the PU7 will get up to 518 miles of range on certain trims and accelerate…
Valve’s huge Steam Deck update is now ready for everyone, including rival AMD handhelds
Published: May 22, 2025 21:52
Valve has been building up to this for months, first in preview, then beta, and now finally in a full stable release: a new version of SteamOS that brings brand new features to the Steam Deck and supports third-party handhelds like Lenovo’s Legion Go and…
FTC drops case against Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal
https://www.theverge.com/news/673123/ftc-drops-case-microsoft-activision-blizzard-acquisition
Published: May 22, 2025 21:47
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has officially dropped its case against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC filed an order to dismiss its complaint on Thursday, just days after it lost an appeal for a preliminary injunction to…
Warhammer’s free new game makes typing grimdark
https://www.theverge.com/news/673047/warhammer-40000-boltgun-words-of-vengeance-free-typing-game
Published: May 22, 2025 20:19
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – Words of Vengeance is a new typing game based on Warhammer 40,000 and it’s available now for free on PC via Steam. The dark sci-fi spin on a typing teacher was shadow-dropped during a series of announcements made during the…
Pro-AI, pro-pollution, pro-surveillance: what you should know about Trump’s budget
https://www.theverge.com/news/673015/trump-big-beautiful-bill-budget-reconciliation-ai-border-energy
Published: May 22, 2025 20:09
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that House Republicans narrowly passed early Thursday would strip state legislatures of AI oversight and scale back consumer protection and climate initiatives while funding border surveillance, among many other provisions.…
House GOP moves to slash renewable energy tax breaks
https://www.theverge.com/news/672787/house-republican-spending-bill-tax-credits-renewable-energy
Published: May 22, 2025 20:06
House Republicans advanced a sweeping spending package that would roll back Biden-era tax credits for renewable energy projects. If the bill passes the Senate and makes it to President Donald Trump’s desk to sign, it could deal a serious blow to…
What in the world are Jony Ive and Sam Altman building?
Published: May 22, 2025 20:02
The last 48 hours have been a wild rollercoaster ride for AI hardware. On Tuesday, Google ended its I/O keynote - a roughly two-hour event with copious references to AI - with its vision for Android XR glasses. That included flashy partnerships with Gentle…
Apple’s first smart glasses could arrive next year
https://www.theverge.com/news/673030/apple-ai-smart-glasses-2026-launch-rumor
Published: May 22, 2025 19:55
Apple is planning to debut its first pair of smart glasses next year, according to a report from Bloomberg. The upcoming glasses will reportedly come with cameras, microphones, and speakers, “allowing them to analyze the external world and take requests…
So long, EV tax credits
https://www.theverge.com/electric-cars/672911/ev-tax-credit-elimninate-house-republican-bill
Published: May 22, 2025 19:35
Once Donald Trump won office for a second time, the writing was on the wall. Trump ran on many messages, most of them confusing and contradictory, but one of his loudest and clearest messages was to end President Joe Biden’s “EV mandate.” It made no…
Senate Republicans vote to revoke California’s right to set its own tailpipe pollution rules
https://www.theverge.com/news/672092/senate-republican-vote-car-truck-pollution-ev-waiver-california
Published: May 22, 2025 19:33
The US Senate voted today to strip California of its authority to enact state limits on tailpipe pollution that are tougher than national standards. Opponents called it an illegal move by Republican lawmakers that flies in the face of Senate rules and…
Microsoft Notepad can now write for you using generative AI
Published: May 22, 2025 19:10
Microsoft is now testing a new feature in Notepad that can generate text for you using AI. It’s part of a Windows 11 update being released to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels with Copilot Plus PCs. The update also includes new AI-powered…
Mozilla is shutting down Pocket
https://www.theverge.com/news/672924/mozilla-pocket-fakespot-shutting-down
Published: May 22, 2025 18:17
Mozilla is shutting down Pocket, the handy bookmarking tool used to save articles and webpages for later. The organization announced that Pocket will stop working on July 8th, 2025, as Mozilla begins concentrating its “resources into projects that better…
Nvidia’s RTX 5060 review debacle should be a wake-up call for gamers and reviewers
https://www.theverge.com/pc-gaming/672637/nvidia-rtx-5060-review-meddling-gamersnexus-wake-up-call
Published: May 22, 2025 17:27
Nvidia has gone too far. This week, the company reportedly attempted to delay, derail, and manipulate reviews of its $299 GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card, which would normally be its bestselling GPU of the generation. Nvidia has repeatedly and publicly said…
Blue Prince is getting one more major update, but that’s it
https://www.theverge.com/news/672746/blue-prince-more-major-update-1-10-patch
Published: May 22, 2025 17:18
Blue Prince’s planned 1.10 update, which will add things like a color assist mode, controls remapping, and more, will be the “final major update” and the “definitive version” of the game, director Tonda Ros says in notes for the 1.04.5 patch that was…
Google’s Home APIs are gaining Gemini intelligence
https://www.theverge.com/news/672404/google-home-apis-gemini-intelligence-nest-smart-home
Published: May 22, 2025 17:14
Google is bringing Gemini intelligence to its Home APIs, allowing smart home developers and manufacturers to tap into Gemini’s AI-powered features and potentially making your smart home a lot, well, smarter. The company announced the news in a blog post…
Google’s AI product names are confusing as hell
https://www.theverge.com/tech/671116/google-ai-product-names-confusing-gemini-deepmind-astra
Published: May 22, 2025 17:00
Google executives took the stage this week at I/O to unveil their latest AI technology: Deep Think. Or was it Deep Search? Then there's the new subscription plan, Google AI Pro, which used to be Gemini Advanced, plus the new AI Ultra plan. Then there's…
Rode’s tiny wireless mic can now connect directly to your iPhone without a dongle
Published: May 22, 2025 16:57
Rode has announced a firmware update for its Wireless Micro microphone system introducing a new feature called Direct Connect that allows the mic to directly connect to iOS devices over Bluetooth. Previously, you needed to use the company’s USB-C dongle…
Anthropic’s Claude 4 AI models are better at coding and reasoning
https://www.theverge.com/news/672705/anthropic-claude-4-ai-ous-sonnet-availability
Published: May 22, 2025 16:45
Anthropic has introduced Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4, its latest generation of hybrid-reasoning AI models optimized for coding tasks and solving complex problems. Claude Opus 4 is Anthropic’s most powerful AI model to date, according to the…
Now you can watch the Internet Archive preserve documents in real time
https://www.theverge.com/news/672682/internet-archive-microfiche-lo-fi-beats-channel
Published: May 22, 2025 16:10
If you’ve ever wondered how the Internet Archive uploads all the physical documents on its site, now you can get a behind-the-scenes look at the process. The Internet Archive launched a new YouTube livestream that shows the digitization of microfiche in…
Microsoft is racing to build an AI ‘agent factory’
Published: May 22, 2025 16:00
When Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella ran into Meta's former engineering chief, Jay Parikh, at a conference last summer, he had the future of AI top of mind. The pair have known each other for around 15 years, but this meeting was different, and Nadella called…
Grid’s framed retro gadgets are up to 40 percent off for Father’s Day
https://www.theverge.com/tech/672571/grid-studio-iphone-4-game-boy-color-fathers-day-deal-sale
Published: May 22, 2025 15:35
Whether you’re hunting for a last-minute graduation gift or an early Father’s Day present, Grid Studio’s deconstructed gadgets are worth a look. The company transforms old-school electronics into collages in shadowbox-style frames, which make for truly…
Honor’s 400 phones are midrangers built to last
https://www.theverge.com/news/672580/honor-400-pro-midrange-six-years-software
Published: May 22, 2025 15:00
Honor has announced the 400 and 400 Pro, two midrange phones that launch today in the UK and Europe. They’re capable-looking handsets in plenty of respects, but stand out mostly for the guarantee of six years of software support, bested only by Google’s…
Xiaomi’s first flagship phone chip is a genuine Snapdragon 8 Elite rival
https://www.theverge.com/news/672541/xiaomi-xring-o1-flagship-chipset-15s-pro-pad-7-ultra
Published: May 22, 2025 14:31
Xiaomi has unveiled its first in-house flagship chipset, the Xring O1, and it’s got enough power to go head-to-head with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. The company also unveiled a 15S Pro phone and Pad 7 Ultra tablet that the new chip will power, plus a…
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is okay with reinventing the bus
Published: May 22, 2025 14:30
Today, I’m talking with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. We recorded this conversation the day Uber announced a big set of product updates, including new options for shared rides and some features to make commuting easier and more predictable. Dara was in New…
Nvidia GeForce Now six-month subs are 40 percent off
https://www.theverge.com/tech/672479/nvidia-geforce-now-six-month-subscription-deal
Published: May 22, 2025 14:12
If you’ve been wanting to grab a subscription to Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud game streaming service, now’s a good time to commit. That’s because six-month subs to its mid-tier Performance subscription — which offers ad-free 1440p gameplay, short queue…
Jony Ive’s AI gadget rumored to be ‘slightly larger’ than Humane’s AI pin
https://www.theverge.com/news/672533/jony-ive-sam-altman-ai-device-ipod-shuffle-ai-pin
Published: May 22, 2025 14:10
More details are trickling out about Jony Ive and Sam Altman’s new AI device. In a post on Thursday, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says his research indicates that the device could be larger than Humane’s AI pin, but with a “form factor as compact and elegant…
Tamagotchi Paradise has you caring for an entire planet of virtual pets
https://www.theverge.com/news/672451/tamagotchi-paradise-virtual-pet
Published: May 22, 2025 14:03
There are still plenty of Tamagotchi devices that have you focusing on raising just a single digital character, but the new Tamagotchi Paradise puts you in charge of a planet full of needy dependents. To make it a little easier to navigate its digital…
The writing is on the wall in first trailer for Netflix’s new OceanGate documentary
https://www.theverge.com/trailers/672438/netflix-titan-oceangate-disaster-trailer-premiere-date
Published: May 22, 2025 13:55
It was hard to believe how ill-conceived and poorly managed OceanGate Expeditions’ plan to send its people down to the Titanic wreckage was as reports first broke of the company’s Titan submersible suffering a catastrophic implosion. But the entire…
What if Tesla made a Slate-like EV instead of the Cybertruck?
https://www.theverge.com/tesla/672120/slate-truck-tesla-cybertruck-what-if
Published: May 22, 2025 13:07
At last month's rapturously received Slate debut, it took an executive's quip that "Slate" and "Tesla" use the same five letters to shift my brain into high gear. I've covered the EV world for 15-plus years, and I virtually never spend time on…
As the game industry cuts back, accessibility is feeling the impact
https://www.theverge.com/games/669419/gaming-industry-accessibility-cutbacks
Published: May 22, 2025 13:01
Video game consultants like Laura Kate Dale came into 2023 with a lot of hope. Since 2020, accessibility in games had become a mainstream discussion, bolstered by high-profile releases like The Last of Us Part II, and it appeared things could only get…
Switchbot’s latest lock can unlock with a look
https://www.theverge.com/news/672367/switchbot-lock-ultra-3d-facial-recognition-price-release-date
Published: May 22, 2025 13:00
Smart home company SwitchBot has announced a new version of its retrofit smart lock, and this one you can unlock with your face. The SwitchBot Lock Ultra ($159.99) works with the new SwitchBot Keypad Vision ($99.99), which uses 3D facial recognition…
Amazon’s AI voiceovers will talk you through product features
https://www.theverge.com/news/672442/amazon-ai-voiceovers-product-features
Published: May 22, 2025 12:58
Amazon is testing new AI-generated audio summaries that will let you listen to two AI “hosts” chat about a product’s features. Along with product details, the AI audio clips also draw information from user reviews and information from the web. The feature…
Details leak about Jony Ive’s new ‘screen-free’ OpenAI device
https://www.theverge.com/news/672357/openai-ai-device-sam-altman-jony-ive
Published: May 22, 2025 09:22
The mysterious device that OpenAI is cooking up with former Apple designer Jony Ive will be pocket-size, contextually aware, screen-free, and isn’t eyewear. Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed details about the project in an internal staff call reviewed…
Fujifilm’s X Half camera is so dedicated to the analog vibes, it can’t shoot RAW
Published: May 22, 2025 05:12
Fujifilm has a new pint-size addition to its X-series cameras coming in late June: the X Half. It’s an 18-megapixel “half-frame” camera with a portrait-oriented sensor and viewfinder and a fixed 32mm-equivalent f/2.8 lens. Despite being digital, the X Half…
Microsoft blocks emails that contain ‘Palestine’ after employee protests
https://www.theverge.com/tech/672312/microsoft-block-palestine-gaza-email
Published: May 22, 2025 02:21
Microsoft employees have discovered that any emails they send with the terms "Palestine" or "Gaza" are getting temporarily blocked from being sent to recipients inside and outside the company. The No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) protest group reports that…
Dyson’s new superskinny stick vac is as thin as its hair dryer
https://www.theverge.com/news/671739/dyson-pencilvac-vacuum-cleaner-thin-skinny-slimmest
Published: May 22, 2025 02:01
Dyson has announced what it’s claiming is the “world’s slimmest vacuum cleaner.” At first glance, its new PencilVac looks like a broom rather than a vacuum because the battery, motor, and electronics are all integrated into a thin handle that’s just 38mm…
The best instant cameras you can buy right now
https://www.theverge.com/23133103/best-instant-cameras-fujifilm-polaroid-kodak
Published: May 21, 2025 22:25
Even with the ability to take excellent photos with our phones and instantly share them across the world, there’s something magical about the old-school instant camera. With just a click of a button, you can capture a moment in a photo that you can see and…
Are Character AI’s chatbots protected speech? One court isn’t sure
https://www.theverge.com/law/672209/character-ai-lawsuit-ruling-first-amendment
Published: May 21, 2025 22:17
A lawsuit against Google and companion chatbot service Character AI — which is accused of contributing to the death of a teenager — can move forward, ruled a Florida judge. In a decision filed today, Judge Anne Conway said that an attempted First Amendment…
Signal says no to Windows 11’s Recall screenshots
https://www.theverge.com/news/672210/signal-desktop-app-microsoft-recall-block-windows-11-ai
Published: May 21, 2025 22:16
Signal is taking proactive steps to ensure Microsoft’s Recall feature can’t screen capture your secured chats, by rolling out a new version of the Signal for Windows 11 client that enables screen security by default. This is the same DRM that blocks users…
News publishers call Google’s AI Mode ‘theft’
https://www.theverge.com/news/672132/news-media-alliance-google-ai-mode-theft
Published: May 21, 2025 21:18
The trade association backing some of the biggest news publishers in the US slammed Google’s newly expanded AI Mode, which trades traditional search results for an AI chatbot-like interface. In a statement on Wednesday, the News/Media Alliance said the new…
Windows 95 chime composer Brian Eno denounces Microsoft for its ties to Israeli government
https://www.theverge.com/news/671864/brian-eno-windows-95-chime-microsoft-israel-palestine-statement
Published: May 21, 2025 20:57
Artist and musician Brian Eno — who also composed the iconic Windows 95 operating system startup chime — called on Microsoft today to “suspend all services that support any operations that contribute to violations of international law,” saying the company…
Microsoft adds over 50 ‘Retro Classics’ to Game Pass
https://www.theverge.com/news/672037/microsoft-xbox-game-pass-activision-retro-classics
Published: May 21, 2025 20:44
Microsoft has announced that a new “Retro Classics” collection is now available to Game Pass subscribers. Reminiscent of the Nintendo Switch Online classic games library, the collection includes Pitfall, Grand Prix, and more than 50 other Activision titles…
Chevy expands 2026 Silverado EV lineup with Trail Boss addition
https://www.theverge.com/news/671986/chevy-silverado-ev-trail-boss-range-power
Published: May 21, 2025 20:06
The 2026 Chevy Silverado EV is going off road — way off road — with the addition of the Trail Boss trim to the electric pickup’s lineup. The electric version of the automaker’s popular off-road trim, Trail Boss offers more capability and — insanely — even…
Google has a new tool to help detect AI-generated content
https://www.theverge.com/news/672013/google-synthid-detector-ai-generated-content-watermark-i-o-2025
Published: May 21, 2025 19:52
Google announced a new SynthID Detector tool at Google I/O that lets you check if content has been made with the assistance of Google’s AI tools. In a blog post, Google DeepMind’s Pushmeet Kohli describes SynthID Detector as “a verification portal” that…
Toyota’s new Rav4 plug-in hybrid lets you fast charge the battery
https://www.theverge.com/news/671999/toyota-rav4-2026-redesign-all-hybrid-fast-charging
Published: May 21, 2025 19:52
Toyota is redesigning and “electrifying” its Rav4 lineup for 2026 with models that aren’t quite EVs, but could masquerade as one. The mega popular SUV will come standard with hybrid powertrains, including a plug-in version with a feature you’d expect in…
Jony Ive says Rabbit and Humane made bad products
https://www.theverge.com/news/671955/jony-ive-rabbit-r1-humane-ai-pin
Published: May 21, 2025 19:03
While announcing a reportedly $6.5 billion team-up on AI hardware between his startup, io, and OpenAI, Jony Ive spoke to Bloomberg and commented on last year’s attempts at making AI hardware happen, the Rabbit R1 and Humane AI Pin: There have been public…
Did WhatsApp really need Meta?
Published: May 21, 2025 18:41
In its antitrust case against Meta, the US Federal Trade Commission is asking a judge to consider an alternate reality. In that world, the company never bought Instagram and WhatsApp. The two apps remained competitive with Facebook, developing features…
The best MagSafe and Qi2 chargers
https://www.theverge.com/23505846/best-magsafe-magnetic-chargers-apple-iphone
Published: May 21, 2025 18:15
Wireless charging is slower and less efficient than plugging in a wire, but it’s certainly convenient — especially when you add magnets. Most people who have an iPhone 12 or later (except the 16E) and want a magnetic charger should get a Qi2 charger. Any…
OpenAI is buying Jony Ive’s AI hardware company
https://www.theverge.com/news/671838/openai-jony-ive-ai-hardware-apple
Published: May 21, 2025 18:12
OpenAI is buying io, a hardware company founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and several other former engineers from his time there, including Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan. Ive won’t be joining OpenAI, and his design firm, LoveFrom,…
Google rejected giving publishers more choice to opt out of AI Search
https://www.theverge.com/news/671711/google-ai-overviews-search-publisher-data-choice
Published: May 21, 2025 18:12
Google didn’t want to give publishers the choice to keep their content out of AI Search results because it’s “evolving into a space for monetisation.” That’s according to a newly disclosed internal document spotted by Bloomberg, which reveals that Google…
The best Memorial Day deals you can already get
https://www.theverge.com/tech/670092/best-memorial-day-sales-2025
Published: May 21, 2025 17:08
Memorial Day weekend isn’t just for barbecues and beach trips — it’s also a chance to score some of the best tech deals you’ll find all season. And despite the fact the holiday isn’t until Monday, May 26th, multiple retailers are already offering steep…
Energy efficiency rollbacks could cost Americans $43 billion in higher utility bills
Published: May 21, 2025 17:03
The Trump administration’s attempts to gut 12 energy efficiency standards could cost Americans billions of dollars in higher electricity bills. The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that it plans to rollback dozens of policies in what it…
Lidar maker Luminar lays off more workers following CEO exit
https://www.theverge.com/news/671804/luminar-lidar-layoffs-ceo-exit
Published: May 21, 2025 16:38
Luminar, a company that develops lidar systems for autonomous vehicles, started laying off workers just one day after its founder and CEO, Austin Russell, abruptly resigned. In a regulatory filing spotted by TechCrunch, the company said it began carrying…
Android 16 adds AI-powered weather effects that can make it rain on your photos
Published: May 21, 2025 16:29
Google’s latest Android 16 beta adds a bunch of new wallpaper and lock screen options for Pixel phones, including live-updating weather animations and a feature that automatically frames subjects of photos within a variety of bubbly shapes. When you select…
Eric Adams and crypto whales demand that New York stop regulating crypto licenses
https://www.theverge.com/cryptocurrency/671653/eric-adams-crypto-summit-bitlicense-nyc
Published: May 21, 2025 16:17
At a "crypto summit" on Tuesday held by Eric Adams - the controversial mayor of New York City who recently escaped several federal corruption charges - crypto CEOs and investors made an open plea: please get rid of state crypto regulations so we can write…
Google is stuffing even more ads into its AI results
https://www.theverge.com/news/671514/google-ai-mode-overviews-ads-expansion
Published: May 21, 2025 16:00
Google’s AI search results are about to get even more ads. On May 21st, the company announced that it’s going to start testing ads in AI Mode, the new AI-powered search feature that just rolled out to everyone in the US. AI Mode is the new tab in Google…
19-year-old student to plead guilty to huge school database hack
https://www.theverge.com/news/671713/powerschool-hack-guilty-plea-matthew-lane
Published: May 21, 2025 15:29
A 19-year-old college student will plead guilty to carrying out a massive hack against PowerSchool, a popular student information system used by schools around the country. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice said Matthew Lane of Massachusetts agreed to…
PlayStation Stars burns out
https://www.theverge.com/news/671715/sony-playstation-stars-program-shutting-down
Published: May 21, 2025 15:29
Sony is shutting down the “current version” of the PlayStation Stars loyalty and rewards program that it launched in 2022, according to a blog post. The program let users obtain “digital collectibles,” which Sony described at the time as “digital…
The best rpg of 2024 heads to Game Pass this month
https://www.theverge.com/news/671570/metaphor-refantazio-xbox-game-pass-may-2025
Published: May 21, 2025 14:14
Metaphor ReFantazio — a game that combines innovative turn-based combat with a story timely for our current political moment — is coming to Xbox Game Pass later this month. In fact, the Game Pass line up for the rest of May is actually pretty sweet.…
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is a glorious co-op shooter that’s now cheaper than ever
https://www.theverge.com/tech/671571/warhammer-40k-space-marine-2-lg-oled-microsd-card-deal-sale
Published: May 21, 2025 13:57
If you ask me, there’s always space in my games catalog for a fun third-person shooter that I can play with my buds online. Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 delivers some of the best blood-gushing, bug-crushing action, filling a Gears of War void that I…
Google has a big AI advantage: it already knows everything about you
https://www.theverge.com/tech/671201/google-personal-context-ai-advantage-data
Published: May 21, 2025 13:41
Google's AI models have a secret ingredient that's giving the company a leg up on competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic. That ingredient is your data, and it's only just scratched the surface in terms of how it can use your information to "personalize"…
Google teases an Android desktop mode, made with Samsung’s help
https://www.theverge.com/news/671577/google-android-desktop-mode-samsung-dex
Published: May 21, 2025 13:34
Google is working with Samsung to bring a desktop mode to Android. During Google I/O’s developer keynote, engineering manager Florina Muntenescu said the company is “building on the foundation” of Samsung’s DeX platform “to bring enhanced windowing…
How MrBeast ended up in the new season of Love, Death, and Robots
https://www.theverge.com/interview/670960/love-death-robots-netflix-mrbeast
Published: May 21, 2025 13:30
One of the more surprising moments in volume four of Love, Death, and Robots is an appearance from YouTube star MrBeast. He shows up in the episode "The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur," playing a sort of twisted game master presiding over a death race on one…
Google is shrinking Pixel phones’ At a Glance widget
Published: May 21, 2025 13:19
Google’s new Material 3 Expressive design language includes a welcome surprise for Pixel owners: the mandatory At a Glance home screen widget has shrunk, leaving space for an extra row of apps. The new look is included in the latest version of the Android…
TikTok users can now save songs directly to SoundCloud
https://www.theverge.com/news/664481/tiktok-soundcloud-app-music-integration
Published: May 21, 2025 13:15
TikTok users will now be able to save tracks they discover straight to their SoundCloud app. On Wednesday, the two companies announced they’re partnering to expand an existing TikTok feature that was previously available to users of music streaming…
Oura rings will now track step counts more accurately
https://www.theverge.com/news/671055/oura-ring-wearable-algorithm-update-improved-accuracy
Published: May 21, 2025 13:00
Following the debut of the Oura Ring 4 last October, which featured improved accuracy for blood oxygen tracking and heart rate readings, the company has announced it’s introducing additional algorithm improvements that will deliver more comprehensive and…
Strava updates its AI route planning and cheater detection
https://www.theverge.com/news/671452/strava-ai-routes-leaderboard-update
Published: May 21, 2025 13:00
Strava is making it easier to plan workouts and keep activity leaderboard rankings fair. The updates rolling out over the coming weeks focus on helping users optimize their workout routes to compete against other users and their own personal bests,…
The pursuit of better drugs through orbital space crystals
https://www.theverge.com/space/670339/sierra-space-crystals-merck-dream-chaser-drugs
Published: May 21, 2025 12:00
In The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton wrote about killer alien space crystals that are (spoiler alert) ultimately stymied by Earth's breadth of pH values. In reality, crystals grown in space could be key to a new generation of cancer-fighting…
Volvo will be the first to install Google’s Gemini in its cars
https://www.theverge.com/news/670954/volvo-google-gemini-ai-cars-android-automotive
Published: May 21, 2025 10:21
At yesterday’s I/O conference, Google announced plans to start putting its AI chatbot, Gemini, in a variety of different places, including cars. Today, Volvo said it was shoving its way to the front of the line to be the first to receive the new tech.…
Microsoft blames Apple for its delayed Xbox mobile store
https://www.theverge.com/news/671409/microsoft-xbox-mobile-store-delay-apple-epic-court-case
Published: May 21, 2025 10:03
A year ago Xbox president Sarah Bond revealed that Microsoft was planning to launch a new Xbox mobile web store in July 2024. That never happened. I’ve been wondering what the hold up has been over the past year, and it seems we might have an answer:…
Miniot returns with a sleeker Wheel 3 vertical turntable
https://www.theverge.com/news/671413/miniot-returns-with-a-sleeker-wheel-3-vertical-turntable
Published: May 21, 2025 09:25
The original Wheel vertical turntable was a bust, the Wheel 2 redemption, and now the small mom and pop team at Miniot is back for a victory lap with the Wheel 3. It can play your record collection upright on its stand, laid flat on a table, or hung on a…
Amazon is sending customers refunds for some really, really old returns
https://www.theverge.com/news/671407/amazon-returns-refunds-old-orders
Published: May 21, 2025 09:14
Amazon is issuing refunds to customers who’d returned products but never received their money back, in some cases from as long ago as 2018. “Following a recent internal review, we identified a very small subset of returns that were unresolved because we…
Microsoft’s AI security chief accidentally reveals Walmart’s AI plans after protest
Published: May 21, 2025 07:13
Microsoft’s head of security for AI, Neta Haiby, accidentally revealed confidential messages about Walmart’s use of Microsoft’s AI tools during a Build talk that was disrupted by protesters. The Build livestream was muted and the camera pointed down, but…
AMD’s new RX 9060 XT looks set to challenge Nvidia’s RTX 5060
https://www.theverge.com/news/670285/amd-radeon-rx-9060-xt-announcement-computex
Published: May 21, 2025 05:12
AMD is officially announcing its Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU at Computex today. Like the number implies, this graphics card will challenge Nvidia’s recently released RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti, with AMD offering models with 8GB or 16GB of VRAM. AMD is launching…
Fortnite is finally back on US iPhones
https://www.theverge.com/news/661290/fortnite-ios-iphone-epic-games-back-apple-app-store
Published: May 20, 2025 23:32
Fortnite is once again available on the iOS App Store in the US, according to Epic Games. You can get it from the App Store here. Epic says it has returned to the Epic Games Store and AltStore as well. Apple kicked Fortnite off the App Store nearly five…
We tried on Google’s prototype AI smart glasses
Published: May 20, 2025 22:31
Here in sunny Mountain View, California, I am sequestered in a teeny-tiny box. Outside, there's a long line of tech journalists, and we are all here for one thing: to try out Project Moohan and Google's Android XR smart glasses prototypes. (The Project…
Google starts beta testing Android 16’s youthful new look
https://www.theverge.com/news/671153/google-beta-android-16-material-3-expressive-design-rollout
Published: May 20, 2025 21:14
Google has announced it’s rolling out the colorful new Android 16 interface for beta testers as reported by 9to5Google. The QPR1 beta includes the company’s Material 3 Expressive design language revealed officially last week and includes new visuals for…
Lost in Cult’s new Editions publishing label focuses on art and indie games preservation
https://www.theverge.com/news/671051/lost-in-cult-editions-physical-game-releases
Published: May 20, 2025 19:58
Editions is the name of a new game publishing label launched by Lost in Cult, the same company known for making gorgeous books about video games, like Outer Wilds: Design Works. The new label’s aim is to preserve indie games, including some that haven’t…
The FDA is making it more difficult for Americans to get vaccinated for covid
https://www.theverge.com/news/670980/fda-vaccine-approval-covid-trump-rfk
Published: May 20, 2025 19:39
The Trump administration is working to limit access to covid booster shots by creating more regulatory hoops for companies developing vaccines for “healthy persons.” The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it’s only prioritizing covid vaccine approvals…
The 15 biggest announcements at Google I/O 2025
https://www.theverge.com/news/669408/google-io-2025-biggest-announcements-ai-gemini
Published: May 20, 2025 19:32
Google just wrapped up its big keynote at I/O 2025. As expected, it was full of AI-related announcements, ranging from updates across Google’s image and video generation models to new features in Search and Gmail. But there were some surprises, too, like a…
Google will let you ‘try on’ clothes with AI
https://www.theverge.com/news/670346/google-try-on-clothes-ai-shopping-io-2025
Published: May 20, 2025 18:07
Google is taking its virtual try-on feature to a new level. Instead of seeing what a piece of clothing might look like on a wide range of models, it’s now testing a feature that lets you upload a photo of yourself to see how it might look on you. The new…
Google has a new tool just for making AI videos
https://www.theverge.com/news/670181/google-deepmind-ai-videos-app-flow-veo-3-2-imagen-4-io-2025
Published: May 20, 2025 17:47
Google wants to make it easier to create AI-generated videos, and it has a new tool to do it. It’s called Flow, and Google is announcing it alongside its new Veo 3 video generation model, more controls for its Veo 2 model, and a new image generation model,…
Xreal teases Project Aura smart glasses for Android XR
https://www.theverge.com/news/669338/xreal-project-aura-smart-glasses-android-xr
Published: May 20, 2025 17:45
The Google smart glasses era is back, sort of. Today, Google and Xreal announced a strategic partnership for a new Android XR device called Project Aura at the Google I/O developer conference. This is officially the second Android XR device since the…
Android XR is getting stylish partners in Warby Parker and Gentle Monster
Published: May 20, 2025 17:45
Google’s second era of smart glasses is off to a chic start. At its I/O developer conference today, Google announced that it’ll be partnering with Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker to create smart glasses that people will actually want to wear. The…
Google says its new image AI can actually spell
https://www.theverge.com/news/670364/google-imagen-4-image-generation-spell-io-2025
Published: May 20, 2025 17:45
Google is launching a new version of its image generation model, called Imagen 4, and the company says that it offers “stunning quality” and “superior typography.” “Our latest Imagen model combines speed with precision to create stunning images,” Eli…
Google Chrome will be able to automatically change your bad passwords
https://www.theverge.com/news/670208/google-chrome-passwords-auto-update-io-2025
Published: May 20, 2025 17:45
Google is going to let Chrome’s password manager automatically change your password when it detects one that is weak, the company announced at its Google I/O conference. “When Chrome detects a compromised password during sign-in, Google Password Manager…
Google’s Gemini AI is coming to Chrome
https://www.theverge.com/news/670201/google-gemini-chrome-ai-io-2025
Published: May 20, 2025 17:45
Google is adding its Gemini AI assistant to Chrome, the company announced at Google I/O on Tuesday. Initially, Gemini will be able to “clarify complex information on any webpage you’re reading or summarize information,” according to a blog post from…
Google I/O 2025: All the news and announcements
https://www.theverge.com/google/670250/google-io-news-announcements-gemini-ai-android-xr
Published: May 20, 2025 16:31
Google I/O starts today, and would you believe it? They’re going to talk about AI. After getting everything Android out of the way in last week’s dedicated Android Show, we’re expecting today’s I/O developer conference keynote to be one big AI show.…
~ 259 additional posts are not shown ~