Technology news

Not long after Microsoft’s Xbox One S hit stores, Sony will be releasing its own slimmed down version of its gaming console. Pictures of the updated PlayStation 4 console have appeared in an online auction, showing off some changes to the device, including what appears to be a matte finish.
The seller provided The Verge with some images of the console, which show off a slimmer version of the PS4, with rounded corners. Pictures of the packaging show that this particular model has a 500 GB h

Cadillac unveiled the Escala concept, a vision for its new flagship sedan, at a private estate during Monterey Car Week. In it, Cadillac has shed its hard lines and opted for a more fluid form language on the exterior that looks less conceptual and closer to actual real world product. The body shape is sculptural, finessed and longer than the current CT6 flagship — 210.5 versus 204.1 inches — offset by glass and vivid LED nuances.Cadillac CEO Johan de Nysschen introduced the vehicle

Gadget Thirst Trap rounds up the weirdest gadgets of the week that made us thirsty for more. Be sure to follow The Verge (verge) on Snapchat for the video edition.KushionThe Kushion
It’s a pillow. It’s a speaker. It’s a pillow speaker. I have so many questions about the Kushion, but mainly, I’m in awe at its marketing materials. Its creators describe it as "bold, fearless, and powerful" in addition to a lot of other adjectives. They also make sure to clarify that it&rsquo

Lyft is not happy with Travis Kalanick and Uber. Last week, Lyft found itself the subject of several stories claiming the company was involved in active but unsuccessful acquisition talks with a number of firms. Naturally, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick seized the opportunity to zing his competition.
Kalanick told Uber investors that his company wouldn’t pay more than $2 billion for Lyft, his largest competitor. However, even so, Bloomberg reported, Kalanick said he wouldn’t pursue an acqu

North Korea is a notoriously isolated country. Sanctions have closed off most trade, and the nation limits its citizens access to the internet. Despite those hurtles, DPRK residents reportedly now have access to their own streaming video service, according to NK News.
Called Manbang (which means ‘everywhere’ or ‘every direction’) streaming service was unveiled by the Korea Central Television. It allows viewers in the country to replay documentaries and other programs, and

In a lot of ways, Final Fantasy XV resembles a typical fantasy epic. You have a band of warriors, led by a brooding prince, traveling the world on a lengthy quest. There’s a serious king doing everything he can to keep his people safe amongst the violent drama of warring factions. But it’s also really, really weird, with trailers that focus on everything from camping trips to luxury cars (that can also transform into planes) to shopping in a convenience store.
This mixture of goofy a

At a recent press conference, Bill Hill, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development, noted that the agency is looking to turn over the International Space Station to a privately held-company in the next decade.
"NASA’s trying to develop economic development in low-earth orbit"
During a panel discussion on NASA’s plans for a mission to Mars, Hill discussed some of the agency’s long term plans for reaching the red planet. These plans include c

Sony's latest aftermarket head unit will support both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The XAV-AX100 features a 6.4-inch display and comes with Bluetooth and an input for a rearview camera. Notably it doesn't come with an auxiliary port, so if your phone doesn't support Android Auto or CarPlay you may be stuck with crappy Bluetooth audio or listening to the radio.The XAV-AX100 also only comes with one USB port, which is in the back of the unit, which could make charging your phone difficult

Sony's latest aftermarket head unit will support both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The XAV-AX100 features a 6.4-inch display and comes with Bluetooth and an input for a rearview camera. Notably it doesn't come with an auxiliary port, so if your phone doesn't support Android Auto or CarPlay you may be stuck with crappy Bluetooth audio or listening to the radio.The XAV-AX100 also only comes with one USB port, which is in the back of the unit, which could make charging your phone difficult

In June, Lyft sought advice from investment firm Qatalyst, reportedly in an attempt to get another company to buy it. Now we know which companies Lyft was targeting. According to a report in The New York Times, Lyft held acquisition talks with General Motors, Apple, Google, Amazon, Uber and Didi Chuxing. It’s not known how much Lyft was attempting to sell itself for, but it’s most recent valuation was $5.5 billion. Its most serious interest came from GM, which (obviously) didn&

For professionals with a coding background, job opportunities are virtually endless. If you’re looking for a new job or career upgrade in a web-based industry, the Pay What You Want: Complete Developer Bundle can help you out — all at a price you choose. This online training is now available for a limited time only, courtesy of TNW Deals. In this bundle, you’ll get a comprehensive background in web, game and mobile design, giving you the skills you need to qualify for success

This year’s Hugo Awards were awarded last night at MidAmeriCon II in Kansas City, with works such as N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season and Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti walking away with the top prizes. You can read the entire list of winners here, but this year’s awards require a careful look.
The immediate takeaway from last night’s awards is that like last year, a slate of works pushed onto the ballot by a coordinated campaign has considerable trouble actually succeeding,

This year’s Hugo Awards were awarded last night at MidAmeriCon II in Kansas City, with works such as N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season and Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti walking away with the top prizes. You can read the entire list of winners here, but this year’s awards require a careful look.
Like last year, a group of fans calling themselves the Sad Puppies and Rabid Puppies created their own recommended lists that they urged their collective of followers to vote on. Upset with

The Australian sporting community is reeling after a spectator allegedly threw a banana at Indigenous Australian player Eddie Betts during an Australian Football League (AFL) game in Adelaide Saturday.
Betts, who plays for the Adelaide Football Club, was apparently targeted by a Port Adelaide supporter. 
SEE ALSO: Black Lives Matter reveals a six-point plan to combat systemic racism
A video posted to Facebook of the incident shows a woman holding up her middle finger at a group of Adelaide

Frank Ocean has finally stopped toying with our emotions. After four long years and many delays, the enigmatic singer has given the clamouring masses not one, but two new albums.
His second studio effort Blond was released Saturday on Apple Music, following a surprise 45-minute visual album Endless that debuted on the streaming service late Thursday.
SEE ALSO: 10 WTF moments from Frank Ocean's NSFW 'Nikes' music video
The album, coming in at more than one hour in length, features top notch colla

This year’s World Science Fiction convention, MidAmeriCon II, is currently being held in Kansas City, Missouri. And during tonight’s Hugo Awards ceremony, voters largely rejected the slated works that had been placed on the ballot.
The Hugo Award is one of the major awards for speculative fiction novels, shorter stories, magazines, editors, and other works. Unlike the Nebula Awards, which are voted upon by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), the Hugo

Winning gold in the 5,000-meter final Saturday, Britain's Mohamed "Mo" Farah doubled his Olympic wins for double the glory.
In Rio de Janiero, he became the first man in 40 years to win gold medals in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races in two separate Olympic Games. His victories in Rio follow wins in both events at the 2012 London Games.
SEE ALSO: The Rio Olympics coverage is rife with sexism and here's what needs to change
"It's pretty amazing. I never, ever dreamed of someone calling me th

It wasn't beautiful and it certainly wasn't easy, but Brazil beat Germany in a gut-churning penalty shootout Saturday to win its first-ever soccer gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 
The win on home soil represents partial redemption for the world's iconic soccer nation after Germany destroyed Brazil in Brazil 7-1 to win their 2014 World Cup semifinal. Saturday's Olympics gold erases nothing and is far from a permanent fix — simply qualifying for the 2018 World Cup wil

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen some really impressive demonstrations of the capabilities of Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality all-in-one headset.
The system costs $3,000, so it only makes financial sense to buy one right now for certain applications, like construction. The HoloLens holds the potential to save money during the planning and construction of anything from a Mars rover to a bathroom. While it is expensive, the headset is able to understand its location wireless

GUEST: In case you haven’t noticed, the bots aren’t coming — they’ve already arrived.
For ordering tacos, hailing an Uber, or even helping with your healthcare, chances are there’s a chatbot residing in your messaging app of choice, whether that’s Facebook Messenger, Slack, or WeChat.
Chatbots aren’t just for big name tech brands and retail — small businesses stand to gain plenty from them, as well. And it’s not just about main

When the NBA stars of Team USA take the court in Rio de Janeiro for Sunday's Olympics gold medal game against Serbia, they'll be wearing plastic bottles. Plastic bottles that have been steam-blasted, chopped into tiny pieces, melted, then turned into thread that is turned into yarn — but plastic bottles, nonetheless. 
The recycled material is made by Nike, which produces the U.S. Olympic Team's basketball uniforms. Next year, Nike becomes the NBA's official apparel provider, taking ov

Local courts that jail poor defendants because they can't afford to pay bail are unlawfully discriminating against the poor, federal attorneys say in a legal brief in a Georgia lawsuit.
The U.S. Justice Department says such policies are unconstitutional.
SEE ALSO: 'Serial' podcast's Adnan Syed to get new trial after 16 years in prison
The federal brief was filed Thursday with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the lawsuit of a north Georgia man who spent six days in jail in the city of Ca

GUEST: Even though the name “Silicon Valley” represents to the world the epicenter of the technology industry, statistically speaking, most tech businesses are not located in the area. Increasingly, the Valley’s companies are shifting key operations outside the United States.
Qualified software engineers are rare anywhere, but this scarcity is particularly acute right here in the epicenter. We simply are not training enough of them locally. So what will happen?
E

If you're among those impressed by the performances of the child actors on the breakout Netflix hit Stranger Things, good news: they're just as awesome in real life. 
Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler on the series, posted his push-up challenge completion on Instagram earlier this week, knocking out the push-ups in short order. 
SEE ALSO: What is the 22 push-up challenge?In similar fashion, co-star Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the powerful character Eleven, also participated. She