Technology news

Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas tells The Verge that many people are using chatbots like regular search engines. It makes sense to offer information on things they look for, like restaurants, directly from the source. So it’s integrating Yelp’s maps, reviews, and other details in responses when people ask for restaurant recommendations.
“Our underlying motivation is that we started off as this tool that appealed to people doi

Image: The Verge This is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more.Hello! It’s been a bit since we checked in on the news. Today, I’ve got a look at the ongoing financial troubles at NPR member stations, the shutdown of Rooster Teeth, and the new season of Serial.
Woes mounting at NPR member stations: “Sponsorship dollars won’t return to previous levels.”
Two more public radio stations are discussing how the

Image: Bluesky Bluesky will soon let users customize how content is moderated in their feeds. The social platform announced that it’s open-sourcing its moderation tool, called Ozone, to let developers create additional moderation services that can be selected by users.
Bluesky already has a team dedicated to content moderation, along with its own set of rules users have to follow. However, the new system will let users expand what’s moderated to their liking, allowing them to subscri

Courtesy of Marvel Animation Marvel Studios has fired Beau DeMayo, the creator of the upcoming animated Disney Plus series X-Men ’97, according to The Hollywood Reporter. De Mayo previously produced and wrote for another Marvel show, Moon Knight, and has also worked on The Witcher, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The firing reportedly occurred early last week, and neither Marvel nor DeMayo’s representatives commented on the decision to the outle

Apple has recently been making big changes to how it runs its core platforms in order to comply with the EU's new Big Tech regulations known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA).After weeks of unveiling new – and often controversial – new policies, Apple announced one of its most significant DMA-inspired moves yet on Tuesday: Web distribution.This means that Apple will let app developers distribute their iOS apps to iPhone and iPad users directly through the developers' own websites.SEE

If the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) gets its way, Congress will grant it more than $107 billion to run its enforcement regime during the 2025 fiscal year. Buried in the lengthy budget request is $101 million to upgrade and maintain the network of surveillance towers scattered throughout the borderlands, first noted by The Intercept. According to its own official publications, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) hopes to fully integrate these systems through AI.
Politicians from both pa

Airplane manufacturing giant Boeing is going viral this week for all the wrong reasons. The company's fleet of commercial airplanes has been rife with safety issues, prompting widespread media attention and mounting concerns from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and flyers. Here's what you need to know. What is going on with Boeing planes, and what does John Oliver have to do with it?It's been a turbulent few weeks for Boeing planes, as several aircraft have experienced alarming issues

Reddit (RDDT) is set to go public soon and is as of now, one of the most highly anticipated initial public offerings (IPOs) of 2024. The social media company, led by CEO Steve Huffman, is seeking a $6.5 billion valuation and is aiming to raise up to $748 million in the company's public offering.Planned for March 21, the offering is imminent, and Reddit said last week that it will be selling 22 million shares at an expected price of $32.50 per share to help reach that aforementioned $748 million.

Photo by Paul Ellis / AFP via Getty Images Kate Middleton’s botched photo editing job seen around the world is more than just catnip for tabloids and TikTok conspiracy theorists. It’s also the most instructive illustration of the AI-flecked new reality we live in, a maelstrom formed when distrust and established processes converge and create chaos.
It’s hard to know what Middleton, aka the Princess of Wales and future Queen of England, was thinking when she allegedly edited her

Victims of nonconsensual deepfake porn are using the laws of copyright to take back ownership of their likenesses, according to a new investigation. In an analysis of copyright claims against websites known to share nonconsensual, digitally-altered videos, WIRED discovered thousands of women (including streamers, gamers, and other popular content creators) levying complaints to Google demanding the content be taken down. The publication documented more than 13,000 copyright claims (which include

Between tech behemoth Instagram copying its best features (successfully) and a potential ban looming, TikTok is being attacked on all fronts — but it's fighting back.TikTok might be developing a new "TikTok Photos" app, according to The SpAndroid, who spotted references to "TikTok Photos" in the back-end code of the current TikTok app. A potential new welcome message allegedly reads: "TikTok Photos will be launched soon, we hope to help you gain new audiences in the new app. If the switch

Opens in a new windowCredit: WondershareEasy-to-use video editing software$49.99 at Wondershare $69.99 Save $20.00Annual planGet DealCalling all vloggers, content creators, filmmakers, and anyone who wants to step up their social media game: To create next-level videos that engage your audience, you need to take advantage of AI-enabled video editing software, or risk falling behind. The catch is that many of the AI-loaded editing programs out there can be costly and a real headache to figure ou

The framed edition of the atomic purple Game Boy Color is nearly $30 off for a limited time. | Image: Grid Of all the tech-centric artwork I’ve seen over the years, few pieces have grabbed me as much as Grid Studio’s framed gadgets and gizmos. The company has been slinging the collage-like pieces for several years now, taking oft-forgotten devices once destined for the landfill and putting them on full display in classy shadowbox-style frames with exploded views. And now, thanks to i

Since its inception in 2014, dating app Bumble's schtick was that women users "make the first move" — meaning, only women users can message male matches first, and within 24 hours of matching at that. Over the years, however, the concept has somewhat eroded. It was always slippery for LGBTQ users, for example. Women can obviously message other women first, while men messaging other men would have to message first, too. Then in 2022, Bumble added more gender options which raised the questio

Helldivers 2 just got another balancing update — and it's made the galactic-wide fight for democracy even easier.Tweet may have been deletedArrowhead Studio's smash hit has a vast array of weapons meant to take on the Termanids and the Automatons. However, as many in the community will note, when it comes to enemies with armor, the arsenal becomes pretty ineffective. Until this recent update, the current meta for tackling larger enemies like the Charger or the Bile Titan involved a combo o

Apple has improved Apple Maps frequently over the years. Considering how widely criticized the app was when it first launched, Apple has been successful in rehabilitating its web mapping and direction app for iOS. It may now even be some iPhone users' map app of choice.However, Google Maps still reigns supreme in the category. Others prefer Waze, another navigation app from Google.Unfortunately, for those iPhone users that never quite warmed up to Apple Maps, there hasn't been a way to change iO

Depression affects approximately 280 million people all over the world, and disproportionately affects the female population — it is 50% more common in women than men. Treatments range from psychotherapy and lifestyle adjustments to antidepressants and more experimental concepts: brain stimulation therapies. Sooma, a medtech startup based in Helsinki, Finland, is focused on the latter. The company has developed a portable brain stimulation device for Transcranial Direct Current Stimulatio

SAVE $88.37: The AeroGarden Harvest Elite Slim indoor garden system is just $117.58 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $205.95. That's a 43% discount. Opens in a new windowCredit: AerogardenAeroGarden Harvest Elite Slim$117.58 at Amazon $205.95 Save $88.37Get DealFor some of us, one of life's greatest joys is gardening and growing our own vegetables. However, maintaining a thriving garden outside comes with some challenges, from unpredictable weather to pesky pests. Remove some of those ob

SAVE $300: As of March 12, the 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is on sale for $999. That's a discount of 27%. Opens in a new windowCredit: Best Buy15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)$999.00 at Best Buy $1,299.00 Save $300.00Get DealThe 15-inch M2 MacBook Air may have been discontinued after the announcement of the new M3 MacBook Air models, but that doesn't mean you can't still buy one. You won't find it available at the Apple Store, but you will find it if you head over to

Image: General Motors Driverless cars keep running into roadblocks — and bicyclists — so automakers are doubling down on partially automated systems, betting that customers will appreciate the novelty and convenience of a bunch of features that steer, accelerate, and brake for them.The industry insists these systems are safe; some executives even go so far as to call them safer than human driving. But a top consumer safety organization argues there is little evidence to support these

Most of us would agree we've made a purchase thanks to something we saw on TikTok or Instagram, from influencer-content to the slew of advertisements we see daily. Meta, parent company to Facebook and Instagram, is helping brands and retailers push our collective consumption further, with a bunch of new, AI-powered updates.SEE ALSO:Want to buy that viral TikTok Shop product? Think twice.
Some of these new tools come to Meta's Advantage Suite, built for businesses to improve their ads. Now brands

Circular displays plus the rotating bezel are the Samsung Galaxy Watch’s calling card. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 series isn’t likely to be the company’s most exciting wearable this year. That’ll be the Galaxy Ring. Maybe that’s why rumor has it that Samsung is looking to shake up its watch design. According to SamMobile, the company wants to go back to a squarish design a la the original Galaxy Gear.This reminds me of t

SAVE 46%: A certified refurbished Dyson Pure Cool DP04 purifying fan is just $189.99 at Dyson, marked down from the usual price of $349.99. That's a savings of $160. Opens in a new windowCredit: DysonRefurbished Dyson Pure Cool DP04 purifying fan$189.99 at Dyson $349.99 Save $160.00Get DealDaffodils, tulips, cherry blossoms, and lilacs are about to take center stage as spring season approaches. As beautiful as spring blossoms appear, their arrival means many of us enter allergy season. Whether t

SAVE UP TO $649.98: Through March 31, Verizon is running a promo that unlocks a free Nintendo Switch (a $299.99 value) plus your choice of a free Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go (a $349.99 value) or a $200 Target gift card when you switch to Verizon 5G Home Internet.Opens in a new windowCredit: NintendoNintendo Switch and Target gift card or ChromebookFree with Verizon 5G Home InternetGet DealNintendo Switch deals are nearly as elusive as a reliable release date for the Nintendo Switch 2. But amid

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Discord will soon allow developers to build new games and apps that can be used directly in its chat app. A selection of minigames and apps have been available to Discord users for months now, but starting March 18th, all Discord developers will get access to a new Embedded App SDK that lets them build these special embedded apps.
Discord has used its Activities feature to enable apps like YouTube, promote minigames like poker, and even encourage users to pl

SAVE $270: The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop is just $429.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $699.99. That's a 39% discount. Opens in a new windowCredit: SharkShark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop$429.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $270.00Get DealRobot vacuums can save a ton of time and hassle when it comes to cleaning the floors. Having a trustworthy robot vacuum to magically get rid of pet hair can be an incredible addition to any animal lover's home. And i

Roku has disclosed a breach that allowed hackers to gain access to 15,363 accounts and stored credit card information, as first reported by Bleeping Computer. In a notice sent to customers, Roku says hackers obtained login information and tried to purchase streaming subscriptions in a “limited number” of instances.
Hackers likely obtained account information exposed in previous data breaches of third-party services, Roku says. This kind of attack, called credential stuffing, involve

SAVE $160: As of March 12, the Google Pixel 8 is on sale at Woot! for $539.99, down from its original price of $699.99. That's a discount of 23% and the lowest price we've seen.Opens in a new windowCredit: Woot!Google Pixel 8$539.99 at Woot! $699.00 Save $159.01Get DealIf you're ready to grab a new smartphone to replace your old one, you might want to consider the Google Pixel 8. One of Google's flagship phones, this 2023 release proved that Google is still a formidable name in the smartphone sp

For many of us, gaming isn't just about pushing pixels on a screen. Gaming has been a significant part of my life since childhood, serving as both a source of entertainment and an opportunity to navigate challenges in a different context. And when I can’t make it to the boxing gym to shake off the day’s stress, gaming offers a therapeutic relief where I can immerse myself, temporarily leaving behind the pressures of life to come back with a clearer mind. As a New York City-based