Technology news

Image: Snapchat Snapchat offered an early look at its upcoming on-device AI model capable of transforming a user’s surroundings with augmented reality (AR). The new model will eventually let creators turn a text prompt into a custom lens — potentially opening the door for some wild looks to try on and send to friends.
You can see how this might look in the GIF below, which shows a person’s clothing and background transforming in real-time based on the prompt “50s sci-fi f

TNW Conference 2024 is finally here! As we here at The Next Web attend many conferences throughout the year (although few are as much fun and inspiring as our own, if we may say so ourselves ), we know that they can sometimes feel a little overwhelming with everything that is going on.  That’s why we have put together this handy overview of what to expect — and we can’t wait to see you there!  Time flies — TNW turns 18! This year, TNW Conference turns 18. What

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you’ve been putting off your next Windows update, now’s the time to install it. Last week, Microsoft patched a pretty nasty vulnerability in Windows 11 and 10 that could put your PC at risk when connected to a public Wi-Fi network, as spotted earlier by The Register.
The vulnerability (CVE-2024-30078) could let hackers deploy a malicious packet to devices connected to the same Wi-Fi networks in places like airports, coffee shops, hotels,

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s co-founder and former chief scientist, is starting a new AI company focused on safety. In a post on Wednesday, Sutskever revealed Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI), a startup with “one goal and one product:” creating a safe and powerful AI system.
The announcement describes SSI as a startup that “approaches safety and capabilities in tandem,” letting the company quickly advance its AI system while stil

Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California on Oct. 25, 2022. | Laura Dickinson/San Luis Obsipo Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Congress has passed a bill aimed at giving nuclear energy a boost in the US. The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act is now waiting for President Joe Biden’s signature to become law. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday, after the House of Representatives passed a similar bill in February.
The bi

Kids' online safety is a big issue in the U.S. and elsewhere. As of now, legislators push laws that seemingly make children safer online, but may actually lead to identity theft (like with age-verification bills) and block LGBTQ and other content (like with the Kids Online Safety Act).Over in the EU, a law is seeking to undermine end-to-end encryption in an attempt to stop CSAM (child sex abuse material). As The Verge reported, the chat control law proposes to scan messages, including ones that

You can even stack multiple codes if you want to get ready for the forthcoming onslaught of day-one releases. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Unless you’re flush with cash and time is only conceptual in your world, it may be tough to finance and find the time to enjoy all of the games announced during Microsoft’s recent Xbox Showcase. An XboxGame Pass Ultimate subscription can help, though, as it’ll provide day-one access to many of the titles currently in development

GET $220 OFF: As of June 19, a DJI Air 3 (DJI RC-N2) drone is available at Amazon for $879, down from $1,099. That's $220 off the list price.Opens in a new windowCredit: DJIOur pick: DJI Air 3 (DJI RC-N2) drone$879.00 at Amazon$1,099.00 Save $220.00Get DealWhether you're a videographer, hobbyist, real estate agent, or just someone who loves a good challenge, the drone you choose can make or break your experience (and the content you create). But with drone prices often costing thousands of dolla

SAVE 26%: The Logitech G Astro A30 Lightspeed gaming headset is on sale for $170.94 at Amazon, down from the list price of $229.99. That's a savings of $59.05.Opens in a new windowCredit: LogitechLogitech G Astro A30 Lightspeed wireless gaming headset$170.94 at Amazon $229.99 Save $59.05Get DealIt's one thing to use old headphones when listening to a podcast or taking the dog on a neighborhood walk, but it's another thing when it leads to a game gone awry. If your gaming headset is in need of an

SAVE $9: As of June 19, get the Anker 3-in-1 Power Bank at Amazon for $35.99 when you clip the on-page 20% off coupon. That's $9 off its normal price of $45.99. Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonAnker 3-in-1 Power Bank$35.99 at Amazon $44.99 Save $9.00Get DealWhen you're deciding what to take with you when traveling, convenience is one of the most important factors. That's why power banks are clutch travel accessories — you never know when you might need some emergency juice for your phon

Amazon deals of the day at a glance:OUR TOP PICKRoomba i3+ EVO and Braava Jet M6 Bundle$498.99 at Amazon(save $400.01)Get DealBEST SPEAKER DEALSoundcore Boom 2$99.99 at Amazon(save $30)Get DealBEST SSD DEALSamsung T7 Shield (1TB)$99.99 at Amazon(save $70)Get Deal
With Walmart on day three of its members-only savings event, we were expecting a week full of massive deals and healthy competition from Amazon. Instead, it's been a slow burn. That doesn't mean we didn't find impressive savings, though

California Governor Gavin Newsom attends an event with fellow governors in the East Room of the White House on February 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. | Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images California Governor Gavin Newsom has pledged to “get smartphones out of schools.”
“I look forward to working with the Legislature to restrict the use of smartphones during the school day. When children and teens are in school, they should be focused on their studies — not their screens,

In 2019, Candice Carty-Williams' hugely popular debut novel, Queenie, had readers trying to grapple with the complex heroine, the novel's titular protagonist. Some were perplexed, some enamoured, some deeply uncomfortable. Now, with Channel 4 and Hulu's TV adaptation, Queenie Jenkins is reaching new audiences wanting to unpack her, in all her glorious messiness.Queenie tells the story of a 25-year-old Black British Jamaican woman from south London trying to navigate a quarter-life crisis. L

 Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Ioanna and Andrii talk about the jumbo funding round for Mistral, how AI is impacting copywriters, and also — which TNW Conference sessions we’re looking forward to. The guest of the show is Crijn Bouman, CEO and co-founder of Roc

GET $91 OFF: As of June 19, you can get a Coway Airmega 400(G) smart air purifier at Amazon for just $359, down from $450.07. That's a 20% discount of $91.07. Opens in a new windowCredit: ConwayOur pick: Coway Airmega 400(G) Smart Air Purifier$359.00 at Amazon $450.07 Save $91.07Get DealWildfire season isn't approaching — it's already here. And if you live in an area prone to wildfires (or just wildfire smoke), you might want to take action to protect your home and family before the smoke

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Qualcomm’s shareholders have managed to achieve something that Apple and government regulators across the globe tried to and failed to do: get Qualcomm to pay up over its aggressive licensing practices.
In a court filing on Tuesday, Qualcomm said it would agree to pay $75 million to settle a lawsuit brought by shareholders, who claim that the company misled them about how its business practices worked and artificially inflated its stock price as a re

UP TO $11.14 OFF: As of June 19, get Elden Ring on sale ahead of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC launch this Friday. Get it at Amazon for PlayStation 5 for $49.94, or at Walmart for Xbox for $48.85. It's also on sale at multiple other retailers. 'Elden Ring' DealsBest "Elden Ring" PS5 Deal"Elden Ring"$49.94 at Amazon(Save $10.05)Get DealBest "Elden Ring" Xbox Deal"Elden Ring"$48.85 at Walmart(Save $11.14)Get Deal
Arise, ye Tarnished, and make sure you're ready for the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erd

TL;DR: Watch West Indies vs. England in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.It’s West Indies and England up next in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup and it’s not one to miss. The group 2 teams will go head to head in the second match of the Super Eights.West Indies last played Afghanistan, winning by an impressive 104 runs. Can the co-host nation keep their winning streak?If you wan

TL;DR: Watch South Africa vs. United States in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup for free on Disney+ Hotstar. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.We’re now into the second stage of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup and it’s been a great tournament so far. This year sees the debut of the new Super 8s format where the eight qualifying teams will be divided into two groups of four. Each team will play the others in their group once, and the top two

SAVE 38%: The Amazon Fire TV 50-inch 4-Series 4K UHD is just $279.99 for Prime members with code PRIME50. That's a $170 discount off the normal price of $449.99. Non-Prime members can also get the TV on sale for $329.99.Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonAmazon Fire TV 50-inch 4-Series 4K UHD$279.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $170.00Prime members use code PRIME50 at checkoutGet DealMany of us have settled for convenience when we should be demanding quality. If you've been streaming your favorite sho

Image: The Verge The European Union is getting closer to passing new rules that would mandate the bulk scanning of digital messages — including encrypted ones. On Thursday, EU governments will adopt a position on the proposed legislation, which is aimed at detecting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The vote will determine whether the proposal has enough support to move forward in the EU’s law-making process.
The law, first introduced in 2022, would implement an “upload moder

The Verge Pornhub plans to block access to its website in Indiana and Kentucky in response to age verification laws designed to prevent children from accessing adult websites. The website has now cut off access in at least half a dozen states in protest of similar age verification laws that have quickly spread across conservative-leaning US states.
Indiana will lose access on June 27th, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, and Kentucky will lose access on July 10th, according to Kentucky

The Verge Pornhub plans to block access to its website in Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, and Nebraska in response to age verification laws designed to prevent children from accessing adult websites. The website has now cut off access in more than half a dozen states in protest of similar age verification laws that have quickly spread across conservative-leaning US states.
Indiana, Idaho, and Kansas will lose access on June 27th, according to alerts on Pornhub’s website that were seen by

UPDATE: Jun. 19, 2024, 10:10 a.m. EDT This post has been updated to include some of Walmart+ Week's best deals.
If you're an avid Walmart shopper, you'll probably want to consider signing up for Walmart+. We know that having to sign up for yet another membership service sounds like a pain, but it may be worth it for you (don't worry, we'll tell you why). That's especially true now that Walmart+ Week is running from June 17 to 23, 2024.SEE ALSO:Our favorite tech gifts: Treat yourself to a new to

Pornhub will block Indiana and Kentucky next month, the latest in a growing list of blocked states thanks to age-verification laws.SEE ALSO:Texas says goodbye to Pornhub — and hello to the top 10 VPNs
In recent years, age-verification laws have been popping up across the U.S. They typically require visitors to websites with over one-third of adult content to show proof of age (such as ID) when attempting to view this content. As experts told Mashable last year, age-verification laws won't

If you’ve already secured your ticket for TNW Conference 2024 taking place June 20 – 21 in Amsterdam, you probably already have your eye on several fascinating talks set to take place (if not, get some inspiration from our team here, here, and here). But there’s a lot more you can and should take advantage of while you’re there. Here are a few things not to be missed: Secure a spot on one of our new TNW Tech Tours & Industry Meet-ups This year, we’re introducin

Illustration: The Verge AT&T is pushing prices up for customers who have stayed on old, retired “unlimited” data plans.In August, customers can expect to see their bills rise by up to $20 for plans with multiple lines. “This is the total monthly increase, not per line increase,” the company says on its website. Customers with just a single line of service will see their charges go up $10 each month.
AT&T says it’s offering customers more high-speed data and

One of the best lines from Bridgerton’s third instalment undoubtedly comes from one of the season’s MVPs: the series’ answer to Kris Jenner, Portia Featherington (Polly Walker). "You know what is romantic? Security," she scoffs at her daughter Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) dismissing her dreams of a storybook romance as an ultimate goal. Of course, Bridgerton is set in the Regency era, but this line resonates throughout the season.Penelope (aka Lady Whistledown) is one of the

Fitness and health tracking startup Circular today announced a host of new features including hardware upgrades for the latest version of its smart ring — the thinnest in the world. The upgrades arrive amid an escalating battle between smart ring manufacturers. While your FitBit and your Garmin and your Whoop bracelet wearables may all be easily distinguishable, you’d be forgiven for not immediately being able to tell the difference between the hardware of an Oura, Superhuman, or a

A new VR system that uses eye-tracking technology can calm children while they undergo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning. Developed by researchers at King’s College London, the method aims to mitigate children’s tendency to move during MRI scans. by engaging them in immersive virtual reality experiences. Compared to adults, children are less likely to remain still inside the scanner, often negatively influenced by the large size of the machine and the loud noises. As mo

Scientists have trained an AI algorithm to count the number of flowers on fruit trees using only smartphone images. The system could predict the size of a harvest months in advance — saving farmers time, money, and water.   Researchers from Chile, Spain, and the UK’s National Robotarium developed the algorithm. The Robotarium is a centre for robotics and AI based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The team looks to address a global problem. “In countries all across the world, f

As the rumor mill surrounding Apple's $3,500 Vision Pro heated up last year, we've repeatedly heard that Apple plans to follow up with two headsets: an even more powerful, next-generation version, and a cheaper variant that could get more user adoption. Now, according to a report from The Information, Apple has ditched plans to launch the more powerful device of the two, instead focusing solely on the cheaper version. SEE ALSO:VisionOS 2 for Apple Vision Pro announced at WWDC 2024, including ult

Existing Home Key-capable smart locks like this Aqara lock won’t work with the new hands-free unlock feature for Apple Home. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Last week, Apple announced it’s bringing hands-free unlocking for smart locks to Apple Home when iOS 18 arrives this fall. The new capability leverages the U1 ultra wideband (UWB) chip in many iPhones and Apple Watches to allow a smart lock to open automatically as you approach the front door — no tapping req

Existing Home Key-capable smart locks like this Aqara lock won’t work with the new hands-free unlock feature for Apple Home. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Last week, Apple announced it’s bringing hands-free unlocking for smart locks to Apple Home when iOS 18 arrives this fall. The new capability leverages the U1 ultra wideband (UWB) chip in many iPhones and Apple Watches to allow a smart lock to open automatically as you approach the front door — no tapping req