Technology news

Illustration: The Verge Caller ID company Truecaller will let users create an AI version of their voice to answer calls.
Truecaller is an app that identifies and blocks spam calls that some people prefer over their phone’s default system. Now the service will let users with access to its AI Assistant to record their voice. The company partnered with Microsoft’s Azure AI Speech, which will learn from the recorded clip to generate an AI version of the user’s voice.
“This gr

Illustration: The Verge OpenAI has struck a deal with News Corp, the media company that owns The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, The Daily Telegraph, and others. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI’s deal with News Corp could be worth over $250 million in the next five years “in the form of cash and credits for use of OpenAI technology.”
The multi-year agreement gives OpenAI access to current and archived articles from News Corp publications for AI training a

Illustration: The Verge After threatening to remove links to California news outlets due to a new bill in the state, Google could cut back its investments in the industry even more. The tech giant has told nonprofit newsrooms that it could halt funding to the Google News Initiative, which provides more than $300 million in funding across thousands of news outlets, according to a report from Axios.
Google issued the warning in response to another California bill aimed at helping local news outlet

Photo by Taylor Hill / WireImage OpenAI could face legal consequences for making a ChatGPT voice that sounds a lot like Scarlett Johansson — whether the company did so intentionally or not. And the fact that OpenAI’s CEO referenced those similarities? That only makes matters worse, intellectual property lawyers tell The Verge.
“There are a few courses of actions she can take, but case law supports her position,” says Purvi Patel Albers, partner at the law firm Haynes Boon

After automatically switching on the adaptive audio mode, Google will group participants in the same room together in the people panel under “merged audio.”| Image: Google Google has introduced “adaptive audio,” a new Google Meet feature that offers Google Workspace users an alternative to dedicated videoconferencing equipment — if their package includes access to new AI features.Once it’s rolled out, Google Meet will be able to automatically detect multiple l

Image: Bluesky Bluesky will now let you send a direct message to other users. For now, you can only send messages containing text, but Bluesky is working on adding support for images and videos.
To send a DM, select the chat icon at the bottom of your screen on mobile or hit the chat bubble in your sidebar on desktop. Once you create a new chat, search for the user you want to talk to, write your message, and hit send. Just keep in mind that DMs on Bluesky aren’t end-to-end encrypted just

The iRobot Select subscription plan that launched with the Roomba j7 Plus has been suspended. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge iRobot has ended its robot vacuum subscription service iRobot Select, which got you a high-end Roomba for less money upfront. But along with free replacement parts and accessories and the option to upgrade every three years, the program also enabled iRobot to shut down the vacuum remotely if you stopped paying.
iRobot Select launched in 2021 along with the

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images The chair of the Federal Communications Commission introduced a proposal Wednesday that could require political advertisers to disclose when they use AI-generated content on radio and TV ads.
If the proposal is implemented, the FCC will seek comment on whether to require on-air and written disclosure of AI-generated content in political ads and will propose to apply these disclosure requirements to certain mediums. In a press r

Not everyone is a fan of AI Overviews. | Screenshot: Emma Roth / The Verge If you’ve searched for something on Google lately, you might’ve noticed a wall of text that appears before the actual search results. This feature, called AI Overviews, offers an AI-generated answer to certain queries. But it also pushes your list of links further down the page, which makes it a bit annoying to scroll past when you want to do your own research — and it will get even more annoying once Go

Tired of using the same set of emoji? Great news. There may be more soon.On its website, the Unicode Consortium (a non-profit organization that, among many other things, decides which emoji make it onto people's phones) posted some samples of the next batch of emoji that could come to iOS and Android soon. As BGR pointed out, the most likely launch period for these is early next year, based on historical precedent. SEE ALSO:Your future iPhone may have a screen that heals itself
Which new emojis

Judge Mellor ruled that Craig Wright (pictured) lied “extensively and repeatedly” about being Satoshi Nakamoto. | Photo by Dan Kitwood / Getty Images Australian computer scientist Craig Wright lied “extensively and repeatedly” to courts and committed forgery “on a grand scale” in efforts to falsely claim that he invented Bitcoin, a judge at London’s High Court ruled on Monday.
Wright has long claimed to be “Satoshi Nakamoto” — the pseud

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is releasing its next Windows 11 update to its Release Preview ring today. It’s the final ring of testing before the 24H2 update will be available to all Windows 11 users. The update includes HDR background support, energy saver, Sudo for Windows, Rust in the Windows kernel, and more.Microsoft will officially roll the update out through Windows Update later this year, but you can grab the final version through the Windows Insider option inside the Windows Update

Hmm, should I get cash back or more travel points? | Image: Google Google is adding the ability to see what shopping rewards and savings options you have on your saved credit cards as you check out using Google Pay. The feature is out today on select cards from American Express and Capital One, and it’s coming to more cards in the future.
You can see the benefits during checkout when prompted to enter a card number. A drop-down menu appears showing your card options along with a new descri

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge A pair of legislators have a plan to save Section 230: kill it so that Congress is forced to come up with a better version.
That was the topic of discussion at a hearing on Wednesday in the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on communications and technology. It came on the heels of the committee leaders’ proposal for the sunset, which they announced in a Wall Street Journal op-ed last week. E&C Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Ranking Me

Last week, Korean girl group aespa dropped a stellar new single, "Supernova," that likened their fizzling intensity to that of an exploding star. As the music video for the tune racked up millions of views, NASA's Webb Telescope jumped in to share an image of the youngest known remnant of a real-life supernova — the 340-year-old Cassiopeia A — on X.NASA loves using pop music to teach the chronically online about the wonders of our universe (the X account recently also referenced "Sup

An area of dense primary forest in the Loango National Park, Gabon, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022.  | Photo: Getty Images Some of the biggest names in tech are joining forces to try something that many before them have failed to do: use trees to cancel out their greenhouse gas emissions. Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce are creating the Symbiosis Coalition as an effort to support “nature-based” projects aimed at taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.It’s a tacti

Photo: Marvel Studios The MCU’s Scarlet Witch may be dead, but Marvel’s keeping more of WandaVision’s story going with yet another spinoff, this time focused on Paul Bettany’s Vision.
Variety reports that Star Trek: Picard executive producer Terry Matalas has signed on to showrun a currently unnamed Disney Plus Marvel series revolving around Vision (Bettany), the synthezoid Avenger who died in Infinity War and was subsequently resurrected in WandaVision. Back in 2022, Dea

Apple has been the subject of numerous rumors regarding its potential foldable devices, but the wait may seem worthwhile. A newly discovered patent hints at a unique feature that could set future Apple apart in the foldable phone market.SEE ALSO:iOS 18: A mysterious new audio feature is reportedly coming to Apple Music
Are self-healing screens coming to iPhone?According to Android Authority, a patent was filed with the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) detailing a device with a self-healing fol

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses can now post Instagram stories directly to your Instagram account without the need for you to bring out a phone. The feature is one of several updates the company is now starting to roll out to the glasses, including support for Amazon Music and the meditation app Calm.
The Instagram support will allow users to prompt the glasses to post to the app before or after taking a picture. They can say, “Hey Meta, share

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge T-Mobile has begun notifying customers that it’s hiking their rates by as much as $5 per line per month. The company’s help account on X confirmed the price increase, telling one person that it was “adjusting prices to respond to rising costs.” Reports suggest the hike applies to older plans, including One, Magenta, Magenta 55 Plus / Military, and Simple Choice, but the full extent isn’t known.
T-Mobile told employees that it

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Microsoft's new AI-powered computer history feature, Recall, has been receiving criticism among PC users for being very Black Mirror-like.However, it's not just critics who are coming after Microsoft over Recall. The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is now investigating the company's new AI feature, too.SEE ALSO:Microsoft's new AI 'Recall' feature is like hitting 'CTRL + H' on your entire digital life
The ICO is an independent public authority that reports to the Parliament of the Un

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SAVE $138.01: The Jabra Evolve2 65 Flex headset is on sale for $190.99 at Amazon, down from the usual price of $329. That's a 42% discount, or a savings of $138.01.Opens in a new windowCredit: JabraJabra Evolve2 65 Flex headset$190.99 at Amazon $329.00 Save $138.01Get DealVirtual meetings might not be anyone's favorite activity, but they're undeniably part of our modern work culture. Some of us spend all day on work calls, while others only have a few meetings per month. Regardless of how often

The European spec ID.7 electric sedan. | Image: The Verge Volkswagen’s impressive ID.7 all-electric sedan — a vehicle type that is increasingly uncommon in the US — won’t be showing up on our shores anytime soon, the automaker announced on Wednesday. It cites changes in “market dynamics” as a reason as well as strong SUV sales in the US.
The ID.7, which launched in Europe in 2023, was supposed to be VW’s first electric non-SUV slated for the US market. T

The iOS 18 update might come with an Apple Music release related to the existing Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos feature. According to AppleInsider, the tech giant is planning to introduce something called "Passthrough" for its music app. The details are unclear, but it's said to be related to spatial audio, an immersive type of audio mixing that plays music so that it sounds like it's coming from all around you, whether it's through headphones (AirPods or Beats), speakers, Apple devices (iPhone,

DeepL, the Cologne-based unicorn that has been rivalling machine translation giants such as Google Translate, today announced a new investment of $300mn (€277mn), reaching a $2bn valuation. Born from online dictionary Linguee, the startup was founded in 2017 by Jarek Kutylowski, who’s also serving as the company’s CEO. DeepL offers free and premium AI translation services, with a special focus on B2B products, where the company sees the biggest demand. It now covers 32 language

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Image: Entertainment Weekly / Netflix A new actor, but the same white wig. We already knew that Liam Hemsworth was taking over as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher, replacing Henry Cavill. But now we have our first (official, anyway) look at the actor in the role, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. And he looks like, well, Liam Hemsworth with Geralt’s iconic white hair. It’s not clear if the shift between actors will be referenced in the show itself, but thi

It’s been a busy week for AI policymakers. The EU has sealed the deal on its AI Act. Meanwhile, in Seoul, South Korea, 16 world-leading companies have signed the “Frontier AI Safety Commitments,” and a group of countries have promised to work together on mitigating risks associated with the technology.  To say that the past year was the one when the world woke up to AI would be an understatement. The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 catapulted a previously behind-the-scenes

UPDATE: May. 22, 2024, 11:25 a.m. EDT This story has been updated with an additional preorder listing at B&H Photo.Everywhere you can pre-order the new Microsoft Surface Laptop:Best BuyMicrosoft Surface Laptop 7th EditionStarting at $999.99(includes free 50-inch Insignia 4K TV; paid My Best Buy membership required)Pre-order NowB&H PhotoMicrosoft Surface Laptop 7th EditionStarting at $999.99Pre-order NowMicrosoft StoreMicrosoft Surface Laptop 7th EditionStarting at $999.99Pre-order Now
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Here are a few examples showing how Spotify Mix can be changed to suit different playlist covers. | Image: Spotify Spotify’s latest update is visibly changing the audio streaming service to improve the experience for your eyeballs, rather than your ears. Spotify Mix — the company’s new bespoke typeface — is being rolled out starting today, replacing the Circular typeface variant that Spotify currently uses across its app and desktop experiences.
The confusing name is an h

The European Space Agency (ESA) has enlisted two companies to develop cargo shuttle vehicles for low Earth orbit. ESA awarded the new contracts to the Exploration Company in Germany and Thales Alenia Space in Italy. The services are due to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). Once the ISS is retired in 2030, they could also send cargo to the space station’s successors. ESA even envisions the shuttles taking people to the cosmos. “The LEO Cargo Return Service pr

The Amazon Echo Show 8 is an Alexa-enabled smart speaker. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge It’s no secret that Amazon is busy overhauling Alexa with generative AI, but a new report from CNBC reveals that the company plans to make people pay extra for it. When Amazon launches its “more conversational” version of Alexa to the public later this year, the company will reportedly make users pay for a subscription separate from its $139 membership to Prime.
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Go ahead, put as many Goombas as you want here. | Screenshot: YouTube Nintendo’s Super Mario Maker series of games lets you create your own sidescrolling platformer levels using sprites and 3D objects from several entries in the franchise. It’s created a deeply devoted fan base, but it’s only ever let you make sidescrolling levels. Now, a pair of fans have changed that with Mario Builder 64, a new way to make and play your own Super Mario 64 levels — and do so on Nintendo

UPDATE: May. 22, 2024, 10:30 a.m. EDT This story has been updated with additional preorder listings at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.Everywhere you can pre-order the new Microsoft Surface Pro:AmazonMicrosoft Surface Pro 11th EditionStarting at $999.99Pre-order NowBest BuyMicrosoft Surface Pro 11th EditionStarting at $999.99(includes free 50-inch Insignia 4K TV; paid My Best Buy membership required)Pre-order NowB&H PhotoMicrosoft Surface Pro 11th EditionStarting at $999.99Pre-order Now

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Chip machine-maker ASML reportedly has the power to remotely disable its equipment in TSMC’s fabs, should China invade Taiwan. TSMC is the biggest client of ASML’s EUV lithography systems, which use extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths to manufacture the highest grade of semiconductors. These chips enable a wide range of use cases, from smart tech like phones and car electronics to (most importantly) AI and military applications. EUVs are the most advanced machines on the market &m

Nothing’s official just yet, though. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge The Samsung Galaxy Ring might end up costing around $300 to $350. As far as smart rings go, that’s par for the course. It might also come with a monthly subscription of $10 or less. That, unfortunately, is also increasingly common for wearable tech.None of this is official yet. The rumored prices were posted by leaker Yogesh Brar on X and have been making the rounds in the hours since. But say it were true, i

A level 2 ChargePoint station might attract new guests to this Airbnb location. | Image: ChargePoint Airbnb is partnering with ChargePoint to provide hosts a discounted option to buy, install, and manage a home EV charger that can help attract EV owners as guests.
Airbnb hosts can purchase these special EV charging packages through a new dedicated online store that offers the charging hardware, installation services, and support services, all in one place. Hosts will get up to 36 percent off the

UPDATE: May. 22, 2024, 10:10 a.m. EDT This story has been updated with an additional preorder listing at Best Buy.Everywhere you can pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge:Best BuySamsung Galaxy Book4 EdgeStarting at $1,349.99(includes free 50-inch Samsung 4K TV; paid My Best Buy membership required)Pre-order NowSamsung.comSamsung Galaxy Book4 EdgeStarting at $1,349.99(includes free 50-inch Samsung 4K TV)Pre-order Now
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The Panasonic Lumix S9 is a new $1,500 full-frame camera that comes in four colors. LUTs. The people want LUTs! Or at least that is what Panasonic thinks with its new $1,500 Lumix S9. The S9 is a full-frame, interchangeable lens, mirrorless camera that has most of the guts of the Lumix S5 II, but with a new slimmed-down body and a dedicated “LUT” button on the back.The “LUT” button on the S9 is located above the articulating screen.
A LUT, which stands for “Look Up