Technology news

Image: The Verge Browser bloat has long been a problem, but now Microsoft is doing something about it, and not by reducing features but by speeding the browser up. The company is working to make Edge’s user interface more responsive, starting with its Browser Essentials menu.
This menu — which displays information about Edge’s performance — is now 42 percent faster, thanks to a WebUI 2.0 architecture migration. You can see how much faster the Browser Essentials menu loads

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Microsoft has added an official Copilot bot within the messaging app Telegram, which lets users search, ask questions, and converse with the AI chatbot.Copilot for Telegram is currently in beta but is free for Telegram users on mobile or desktop. People can chat with Copilot for Telegram like a regular conversation on the messaging app. Copilot for Telegram is an official Microsoft bot (make sure it’s the one with the checkmark and the username @Copi

Illustration: The Verge Google’s search algorithm is perhaps the most consequential system on the internet, dictating what sites live and die and what content on the web looks like. But how exactly Google ranks websites has long been a mystery, pieced together by journalists, researchers, and people working in search engine optimization.
Now, an explosive leak that purports to show thousands of pages of internal documents appears to offer an unprecedented look under the hood of how Search

Illustration: The Verge Google’s search algorithm is perhaps the most consequential system on the internet, dictating what sites live and die and what content on the web looks like. But how exactly Google ranks websites has long been a mystery, pieced together by journalists, researchers, and people working in search engine optimization.
Now, an explosive leak that purports to show thousands of pages of internal documents appears to offer an unprecedented look under the hood of how Search

The NPU inside Copilot Plus PCs takes the stage at a Microsoft Surface and AI event. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge When you launch a game on a Snapdragon on a Windows laptop, you might get an AI frame rate boost from Microsoft’s mysterious Auto Super Resolution (Auto SR) feature. But while Microsoft hasn’t fully explained how the feature works, The Verge can now confirm it’s not Qualcomm technology, not exclusive to Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X chips, and not excl

Image: Hugo Herrera / The Verge PayPal is launching an advertising platform built on a trove of customer transaction data. The company’s new advertising business will encompass purchase information and customer spending habits from PayPal and its sister app Venmo, according to The Wall Street Journal.
PayPal has brought on Mark Grether, the former vice president and general manager of Uber Advertising, to lead its advertising business. “If you’re someone who’s buying prod

With tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI all recently sharing big AI updates at their events, one company has been conspicuously absent from the AI conversation: Apple.However, we now have new information from Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman regarding a completely new AI feature likely coming to the next iPhone update, iOS 18.According to Gurman, Apple is currently developing a program on the iPhone that will allow users to create custom emojis using generative AI.SEE ALSO:iOS 1

Image: Lego If your little Lego town has grown big enough, it may be time to add an officially sanctioned Lego Apple Store, something that’s vaguely possible if a recently submitted fan build gets the requisite 10,000 votes for Lego to consider it. The immaculately detailed creation has what most people would expect from a modern Apple Store: floor-to-ceiling glass front, tables full of Macs and iPhones, and shelves resplendent with neatly arranged white boxes.
One of the project’s d

Illustration: The Verge Jan Leike, a key OpenAI researcher who resigned earlier this month citing “safety concerns,” has joined competitor Anthropic to “work on scalable oversight, weak-to-strong generalization, and automated alignment research,” according to Leike’s post on X.
Anthropic has positioned itself to be the antithesis of OpenAI: a public benefit corporation dedicated to cautious progress. It was founded by ex-OpenAI employees who departed, according to t

If you're wondering, "What is my number?", don't feel bad. Some people forget their numbers every now and then — no need to feel ashamed.The good news is, though, that finding out your own phone number is extremely easy. In fact, it's nestled in the settings menu of your phone right now — if you know where to look. Here's how to find out your own phone number.SEE ALSO:How to cancel Peacock
'What's my number?' How to find out your phone number on iPhoneFor Apple owners, finding out on

Image: YouTube Everybody’s getting into gaming these days. YouTube joins the slowly growing list of companies with gaming initiatives, rolling out its Playables program across mobile and desktop. To play, simply visit YouTube’s website or Android / iOS app and look for Playables in the sidebar. YouTube will let players save their progress and keep track of high scores. There are over 75 games to choose from, including chess and crossword games to more popular casual mobile titles lik

TL;DR: Through May 31, the Toybox 3D Printer Deluxe Bundle is now $90 off the usual price at just $348.99 during this Memorial Day sale. Are you prepared for the long days of summer? You can get ahead of the dreaded summer boredom this Memorial Day with some help from the Toybox 3D Printer. It allows children to harness the power of their imaginations as they try to create whatever toys they can dream up. Just in time for summer break, you can score a deal on not only the Toybox 3

TL;DR: Through May 31, the Ninja Dragon Blade K 4K Drone with 4-Way Anti-Collision and Optical Flow is on sale for $69.97 for Memorial Day. Whether you’re a lover of flying gadgets or a photographer trying to get some creative aerial shots, drones can be a ton of fun. The Ninja Dragon Blade K might become your newest obsession with its dual 4K HD camera and that's built for capturing high-quality stills and videos — just $69.97 for a limited time.Drones are being flown by adults

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge In 2020, Epic Games sued Apple for antitrust violations. It’s been years since the trial wrapped and judgment was rendered, but for the past few weeks, Apple and Epic Games have been back in front of Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers once more. Gonzalez Rogers mostly ruled in favor of Apple last time. Things might not go so well for the company this time.
As a reminder, this whole case got started when Epic challenged Apple’s up to 30 percent fees to devel

TL;DR: Through May 31, get 50% savings on a grade-A refurbished Apple MacBook Air. It's available for $299.97 (reg. $599) through May 31.With the unofficial kickoff to summer here, many of us are looking for ways to save money while still investing in tools that enhance our productivity and connectivity. This year, why not take advantage of a 50% savings on a refurbished Apple MacBook Air? By saving on this reliable, powerful laptop, you might have more to spend on fun summer activities.It's fro

TL;DR: Keep your tech accessories in order with the BentoStack device and tech accessory organizer. It's been price-dropped to $29.97 (reg. $49), until May 31. These days most people have an overwhelming amount of devices and accessories to manage, and keeping them organized can be a challenge. The BentoStack organizer is a simple solution to keeping your Apple gadgets safe and neatly stored.  This organizing solution could work for anyone who’s constantly on the go and it includ

Disney's massively expensive and spectacularly wrongheaded Star Wars hotel closed last year. But in the previous week or so, a video went viral detailing just how bad it really was. The reason? Well, it's an incredibly detailed breakdown, and it was released on YouTube by Jenny Nicholson, a popular creator with over 1 million subscribers. The video is over 4 hours long. That'd be like watching the entirety of The Irishman and then an episode of The Office. I've seen reactions to this video, espe

If you own an Android phone and use Windows, you may be envious of the interconnectivity between iPhones and Macs. However, a new feature, according to Windows Central, is improving the integration between both platforms.Windows users in the Release Preview Channel, which grants access to experimental features before they roll out widely, can now take advantage of optical character recognition (OCR) within the Windows Phone Link app. In other words, you can have your PC scan photos taken on your

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Opera browser users can get more up-to-date information and more conversational responses as it integrates Google’s Gemini AI models into its existing Aria AI extension.Aria, released last year, acts like an AI assistant to answer user queries, write code, and perform other tasks. According to Opera, Aria does not rely on one AI model to respond to users but chooses the AI model it feels will work best for the specific task. With this new integration

UPDATE: May. 28, 2024, 11:47 a.m. EDT We've refreshed this list with the hottest Memorial Day deals that are still live.Looking for a new laptop? Even though Memorial Day is officially over, the deals are still live. There are plenty of laptop deals at a variety of retailers to shop now:Best Memorial Day Laptop Deals Best Laptop DealHP Envy 17 (17.3-inch, Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1 TB SSD)$1,079.99 at Best Buy (save $270)Get DealBest Budget Laptop DealAcer Aspire 3 (15.6-inch, AMD Ryzen 7, 16GB

SAVE $49.01: The Apple iPad (10th Gen, WiFi, 64GB) is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon with the on-page coupon, marked down from the normal price of $349. That's a 14% discount.Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleApple iPad (10th Gen, WiFi, 64GB)$299.99 at Amazon $349.00 Save $49.01with on-page couponGet DealWhile notorious for quality and advance tech, Apple products are also notorious for eye-watering prices. But if you're willing to grab an Apple product that isn't the latest model, you could be i

UPDATE: May. 28, 2024, 12:00 p.m. EDT We've updated this page with the latest deals on outdoor gear as more Memorial Day deals go live.Don't miss out on the best Memorial Day outdoor deals that are still live as of May 28, with sales on camping and hiking gear, coolers, stoves, and much more.The best Memorial Day outdoor deals at a glance:Best camping gear dealMountain Summit Gear Northwood Series II 4-Person Backpacking Tent$112.73 at REI(save $172.26)Get DealBest hiking gear dealPatagonia Fie

Image: Porsche Porsche has announced the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, its first hybrid electric model, a car that it says can go from zero to 60mph in 2.9 seconds and tops out at 194mph.There’s also some new tech in the dash, including an all-digital instrument cluster on a 12.6-inched curved display that now shows information from CarPlay, which it says is “integrated more deeply into the vehicle.”But Porsche’s “all-digital cockpit” doesn’t appear to b

At just $300, Apple’s entry-level iPad offers even better value if you’re looking for a powerful tablet for basic entertainment purposes and light productivity. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge I got a nice sunrise surprise this morning. Sure, trees and power lines in my little corner of Texas were being hewn to the ground by the storms ripping across the central South, and I’m still without power as of this writing — but I have just enough juice in my power bank to inf

At just $299.99, Apple’s entry-level iPad offers even better value if you’re looking for a powerful tablet for basic entertainment purposes and light productivity. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge I got a nice sunrise surprise this morning. Sure, trees and power lines in my little corner of Texas were being hewn to the ground by the storms ripping across the central South, and I’m still without power as of this writing — but I have just enough juice in my power bank to

SAVE UP TO $400.99: As of May 28, several j-Series Roombas have dropped back to to record low pricing at Amazon, with discounts ranging between 29% and 44% off.Best Roomba deals this weekMost advanced RoombaiRobot Roomba Combo j9+$999 at Amazon(save $400.99)Get DealNext best mopping RoombaiRobot Roomba Combo j7+$699 at Amazon($400.99)Get DealMost powerful Roomba under $600iRobot Roomba j9+$599 at Amazon($300.99)Get DealCheapest mopping Roomba with obstacle avoidanceiRobot Roomba Combo j5+$449 at

Climate and fintech startup Cloover has announced a funding round of $114mn (€105mn) to further boost Europe’s switch to renewable energy. The Berlin-based startup was founded in 2022 by Peder Broms, Jodok Betschart, Tony Kirmo, and Valentin Gönczy. Their vision is to facilitate the energy transition, with a particular focus on residential solar power. Clover has built a platform that connects installers, prosumers, manufacturers, energy providers, and investors. It enables vend

OpenAI is digging its heels deeper into industry self governance as the company announces a revamped safety and security team, following several public resignations and the dissolution of its former oversight body.The Safety and Security Committee, as its been renamed, is led by board members and directors Bret Taylor (Sierra), Adam D’Angelo (Quora), Nicole Seligman, and — of course — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Other members include internal "OpenAI technical and policy experts," i

Pick up a new pair of headphones for less with the deals that are still live from Amazon's Memorial Day sale. UPDATE: May. 28, 2024, 11:45 a.m. EDT This post has been updated with the latest deals. Best Memorial Day headphone deals at AmazonBest noise-canceling headphones dealApple AirPods Max (pink)From $489 at Amazon(save $60)Get DealBest earbuds dealBeats Powerbeats Pro$199.95 at Amazon(save $50)Get DealBest over-ear headphones dealBeats Solo4 with AppleCare+$178.95 at Amazon(save $50)Get Dea

SAVE 53%: The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds are on sale for $69.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $149.99. That's an $80 discount.Opens in a new windowCredit: SamsungSamsung Galaxy Buds 2 earbuds$69.99 at Amazon $149.99 Save $80.00Get DealA solid pair of earbuds can become as integrated into daily life as your phone or laptop. If your current pair of earbuds are running out of battery often or you're walking around with just one, having lost the other long ago, it's probably time for a

Image: The Verge More than 77 percent of people who participated in a big Apple-sponsored study have experienced tinnitus at some point in their lives, according to preliminary data. Around 15 percent say they’re affected daily by tinnitus, perceiving ringing or other sounds that other people can’t hear.
In one of the largest surveys of its kind, researchers at the University of Michigan gathered data from more than 160,000 participants who responded to survey questions and completed

Amazon deals of the day at a glance:OUR TOP PICK2022 Apple iPad 10th gen (64GB, WiFi)$299.99 at Amazon(save $49.01 with on-page coupon)Get DealBEST EARBUDS DEALSamsung Galaxy Buds 2 $69.99 at Amazon (save $80)Get DealBEST FIRE TABLET DEALAmazon Fire HD 10 tablet$84.99 at Amazon(save $80)Get DealBEST TV DEALAmazon 50-inch 4-Series Fire TV$279.99 at Amazon(save $170 with on-page Prime exclusive coupon)Get Deal
If you missed out on all the big Memorial Day sales over the three-day weekend, you'll b

There are a lot of streaming service subscriptions out there, and sometimes it's hard to keep up. If you're a Peacock user and want to cancel your subscription, there's an easy way to do it on your desktop. You'll find a step-by-step guide below.SEE ALSO:The best movies on Peacock for the perfect night in
You can also check out the Mashable guides to canceling Netflix, Hulu, Apple+, Prime Video, and Disney+.How to cancel PeacockTotal Time2 minutesWhat You NeedPeacock loginStep 1:Go to Peacock's

UPDATE: May. 28, 2024, 10:15 a.m. EDT We've updated this page with the Memorial Day deals and offerings that are still live on robot vacuums and mops.Don't feel like vacuuming the whole house on your own anymore? Let these robot vacuums that are still on sale for Memorial Day do the work: The best Memorial Day robot vacuum dealsBest Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum DealShark AI Ultra voice control robot vacuum$349.99 at Amazon(Save $249.01)Get DealBest Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum + Mop Combo DealiRobo

Google announced a suite of new Chromebook features Tuesday, including new generative AI tools and a centerstage spot for its Gemini chatbot on Chromebook Plus models. In turn, we're also getting some new Chromebook hardware that ships with those features at launch.Read on for a brief overview of all the new Chromebooks that are available now (or will be very soon).New ChromebooksWith a detachable keyboard and a compact frame, the new Asus Chromebook CM30 will be easy to bring on the go.Credit:

Lego’s Great Deku Tree set. | Image: Lego The rumors were true: Lego is finally making a Legend of Zelda set. The Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 includes 2,500 pieces, is available for preorder now for $299.99, and will start shipping out in September.The set covers two different Zelda games: Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild, letting you build the Great Deku Tree in green summer foliage or pink spring cherry blossoms. It features several versions of Link, including Link as a child and an adu

UPDATE: May. 28, 2024, 9:24 a.m. EDT While the Amazon Memorial Day Sale is officially over, we're still seeing plenty of great deals. We've updated this post to reflect the best deals and promotions still around post Memorial Day.If you spent the weekend at the lake, in the mountains, or having a calm weekend with family, and thought nothing of sales, you didn't miss out. While the Memorial Day deals have officially ended, we're still seeing some great sale prices. Here are some of the best Ama

Image: Google Google announced Tuesday it’s adding Gemini and AI features from its other devices to Chromebook Plus laptops, including a few from Asus and HP already on the market and brand-new ones from Acer. These and future Chromebook Plus laptops will support new features like Google’s “Help me write” tool and the ability to make custom wallpaper with generative AI. Magic Editor on Google Photos is coming to Chromebook Plus, too, which has also started to appear on ol

The Walmart Memorial Day sale has deals on tech, beauty, vacuums, and outdoor goods. Check out our standout picks below: UPDATE: May. 27, 2024, 8:52 a.m. EDT This article has been updated with the latest deals at Walmart heading into Memorial Day weekend.Best Walmart Memorial Day deals 2024Best tech dealApple iPad Air (M1, WiFi, 64GB)$399 at Walmart(Save $170)Get DealBest beauty tech dealRefurbished Dyson Airwrap Multi-styler Complete Long $349.99 at Walmart(Save $150)Get DealBest outdoor dealOz

Illustration: The Verge OpenAI is forming a new safety team, and it’s led by CEO Sam Altman, along with board members Adam D’Angelo and Nicole Seligman. The committee will make recommendations on “critical safety and security decisions for OpenAI projects and operations” — a concern several key AI researchers shared when leaving the company this month.
For its first task, the new team will “evaluate and further develop OpenAI’s processes and safeguards.&