Technology news

That’s too cold! | Image: Amazon I don’t know about you, but when I have a nasty case of the hot phone, I have to get rid of that heat this instant. Just kidding, I usually just put it down for a while or restart it when it’s being especially stubborn. But there are companies out there marketing a different solution: little stick-on phone-cooling fans that purport to draw all that heat away. And their product images are a little, uh, excessively icy.
How did it come to this? Wh

Image: Marvel Studios I’ve been making more of an effort to keep up with movies lately and even managed the rare feat of seeing one in an actual movie theater. I saw Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which stars Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Elza González, Babs Olusanmokun, and others in what I interpreted as a goofy spaghetti western / spy / heist film.I suppose it’s also a war movie, being based (very loosely) on a true story about a co

Ahead of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June — where AI is predicted to be a big talking point — Apple is reportedly intensifying its talks with OpenAI, according to Bloomberg.As Mashable has previously noted, Apple has been talking to several big AI companies in pursuit of a potential partnership for on-device chatbot capabilities. According to Bloomberg, Apple and OpenAI discussed a potential deal earlier this year. Those talks have since reopened, according to p

Meta has begun pushing AI on Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp — so much so that you can't turn Meta AI off. As it turns out, the tech giant's own features aren't the only AI proliferating on Meta's platforms. Explicit ads for AI "girlfriends" are populating Facebook and Instagram, Wired reported.Searches by Wired found that at least 29,000 ads for explicit AI "girlfriends" have been published on Meta platforms, most with sex-related messaging; at least 19,000 ads have the term "NSFW" and

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge It was Valentine’s Day when Meta’s ad platform started going off the rails. RC Williams, the co-founder of the Philadelphia-based marketing agency 1-800-D2C, had set one of Meta’s automated ad tools to run campaigns for two separate clients. But when he checked the platform that day, he found that Meta had blown through roughly 75 percent of the daily ad budgets for both clients in under a couple of hours.
Williams told The Verge that the ads&rs

Delta is about to get better on the iPad. | Image: Riley Testut The Delta emulator made a huge splash when it hit the Apple App Store earlier this month, quickly rocketing to the top spot in Apple’s free apps, where it remains today. Now, developer Riley Testut says an iPad-specific version is “near completion,” and will be released with Delta version 1.6. Testut says the app is already available for his Patreon supporters through “the regular AltStore,” which I tak

Image: Dan Seifert / The Verge Apple is preparing for its big AI coming out party in this year’s Worldwide Developer Conference; that much you can count on. But apparently, the company is going to start that party a little early with the OLED iPad Pro that it’s expected to unveil on May 7th. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, there’s “a strong possibility” the tablet will launch with an M4 chip and its accompanying neural engine, making it Apple’s &ld

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections &mdas

Mark Zuckerberg looks different. His hair is longer and less restrained. His clothes hang from his frame with an enviable ease, and a rotating repertoire of link chains adorn his neck. For years, Zuckerberg applied the same daily diet of dark wash jeans, gray fitted tees, dad sneakers, and a close, cropped haircut à la his idol Augustus Caesar. Now, it looks like he has taken a sartorial chill pill.Online, reactions have been positive enough that Zuckerberg has begun to engage in the disc

TL;DR: Through May 1, if your mom is into gardening or plants, this lifetime subscription to the Plantum AI Plant Identifier app could be a hit, and the Premium Plan is on sale for $16.97 (reg. $59).The art of being a great gift giver requires you to know something your loved one enjoys and then find something interesting along those lines. For instance, if your mom has a green thumb (or wants to), this subscription to the Plantum AI Plant Identifier app could be something she'd love for Mother'

TL;DR: Through May 1, order this AquaSprouts® aquaponics water garden for $127.99 with guaranteed delivery by Mother’s Day.Instead of getting Mom flowers that will just wilt away, you could get her a Mother’s Day gift that lasts — this aquaponic water garden. Whether she’s been flexing her green thumb, thinking of adopting a fish, or both, this is a meaningful gift that she could cherish for years. However, the fish part is optional.The AquaSprouts® fountain

TL;DR: Stream Game 4 of Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA playoffs for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.The NBA playoffs are in full swing, with everything still hanging in the balance in the first round. This is the moment when the biggest players need to stand up and be heard, and they don't come much bigger than the stars on show in the Mavericks vs. Clippers series.If you want to watch Game 4 of Dallas Mave

TL;DR: Watch Chennai Super Kings vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.Having kicked off in late March, cricket fans will be well and truly enthralled by the 2024 season of the IPL. Four weeks in and the excitement is only getting started as we approach the next fixture. So, who's next in line? The next match sees Chennai Super Kings go head to head against the Sunrisers Hyderabad; will SRH reign t

TL;DR: Through April 30, upgrade to Windows 10 Pro to add improved security tools and better integration with Microsoft 365 — only $29.97 if you. From basic integration with apps to software compatibility, upgrading your operating system could be a simple way to keep your older computer up to snuff for a while longer, and it doesn't have to be a major expense. Windows 10 Pro isn't the latest OS from Microsoft, but it's still a versatile operating system with a 64-bit architecture

TL;DR: Through April 30, get this Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychain in time for Mother's Day for just $18.99 (reg. $49).Many moms would rather not have all the traditional gifts like flowers or perfume. Some more practical women would like to be surprised with something they can get a lot of use out of. This Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychain might be such a gift if the mother in your life loves her Apple Watch. On sale for just $18.99 (reg. $49), it can easily clip onto a purse or b

TL;DR: Through April 30, save a little money by getting the 2019 version of Microsoft Office Professional Plus for Windows. It's on sale for just $29.97.If you could use some productivity support, a tried-and-true suite of apps from a big name in software could help. Create, organize, and more with the assistance of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows, and you can get it on sale for just $29.97 through April 30.Get access to tools to help you perform your best, whether profession

TL;DR: The Microsoft Excel: From Beginner to Advanced course is on sale for £16.09, saving you 75% on list price.Microsoft Excel shouldn't just be a "skill" you flex on your CV when you're trying to impress a potential employer. And while it does have lots of uses in the workplace, including sorting and managing raw data, it can also be incredibly useful in your daily life, like when you're figuring out your travel budget or visualising your fitness progress.But if you admittedly don't kno

TL;DR: Watch Gujarat Titans vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.The new season of the IPL is in full swing and is already displaying incredible talent and exciting competition. The latest game will see Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru take to the pitch as some of the best cricket players in the world go head-to-head. Want to catch the next fixture? You can watch Gujarat Tita

TL;DR: Stream Gloucester vs. Exeter Chiefs for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.There has been a lot of rugby on free-to-air channels recently, including massive games like Saracens vs. Harlequins and Sale Sharks vs. Exeter Chiefs. It's rare to see top-level sport available to watch for free, but the free games don't stop there. Fans can watch Gloucester vs. Exeter Chiefs for free from anywhere in the world with a simple hack.If you wan

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for April 27's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for April 28's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, ke

Screenshot: Wes Davis / The Verge The first race of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) took place on the Yas Marina Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula 1 track today, and I’m pleased to report that a race both began and ended. But the event was not without strife — far from it. During qualifying time trials, the driverless Dallara Super Formula racers outfitted with cameras and software seemed to struggle mightily to complete a full lap.
During the trials, cars randomly juked:Ima