Technology news

I can’t afford an actual house in this hellish economy, so a virtual one will have to do. | Image: Snap Snapchat Plus subscribers are getting a new feature that allows you to design your own virtual house to show off on the Snap Map. You can view your house at any time by visiting the map, as can anyone you share your location with.Your customization options range from drabby shacks to extravagant multistory abodes and castles. It essentially lets you show off your location with a more inv

Illustration: The Verge If you’re on Mastodon, you might notice new author bylines appearing alongside articles — including those from The Verge. Click on the byline, and you’ll jump directly to the author’s fediverse account, allowing you to track their work wherever it’s posted.
For now, you’ll only see this feature on mastodon.social and other instances that use a recent Mastodon nightly release. You can see how author bylines appear beneath articles in thi

Did you purchase a MacBook with the defective butterfly keyboard between the years 2015 and 2019?If so, you may finally be getting a payout from Apple.As first noticed by MacRumors, the website for the MacBook Keyboard Litigation Settlement has finally been updated with news that the court issued a payment order last week."Payments will be issued for approved claims by August 2024," the updated statement said. Apple's butterfly keyboard settlementIn 2022, Apple agreed to a $50 million settlement

A European Commission (EU) investigation is spelling bad news for Facebook and Instagram.The EU has notified Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, that its "pay or consent" personalized advertising model violates the Digital Markets Act (DMA)."Our investigation aims to ensure contestability in markets where gatekeepers like Meta have been accumulating personal data of millions of EU citizens over many years," said the European Commission's Margrethe Vestager in a statement on Monda

Netflix subscribers clinging on to the streaming service's cheapest ad-free plan will need to upgrade or lose access to their favorite movies and TV shows.Social media users subscribed to Netflix's since-discontinued "Basic" plan are being told that their subscriptions will end — unless they move to a new plan. Reddit"Your last day to watch Netflix is July 13th," reads a on-screen message displayed to Netflix's Basic subscribers. "Choose a new plan to keep watching.”The message

Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, and in usual Prime Day fashion, the savings are already starting to trickle in. Lots of deals are ready to shop as we speak, especially when it comes to Apple's beloved MacBooks (including the new M3 models).SEE ALSO:Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner — here's how to find the best deals
Below, we've put together a list of all the early Prime Day MacBook deals that you can scoop up right now. We expect these prices to get even lower, but i

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Figma’s new tool Make Designs lets users quickly mock up apps using generative AI. Now, it’s getting delayed after the tool drafted designs that looked strikingly similar to Apple’s iOS weather app. Figma CEO Dylan Field posted a thread on X early Tuesday morning detailing the delay, putting the blame on himself for pushing the team to meet a deadline, and defending the company’s approach to developing its AI tools.
In posts on X, Andy All

Image: Netflix Netflix is launching Minesweeper as part of its selection of subscriber-only games, and it’s available now on Android and iOS.The classic puzzle game that most people know from Microsoft Minesweeper, available in Windows 11 and versions dating back to 1990, has a fresh coat of paint with colorful graphics and new modes. Netflix’s take on Minesweeper looks a whole lot like, well, Minesweeper, but it adds a Journey Mode that takes players to different levels across world

Self-care looks different for everyone, so it can be a little difficult to find just the right gift for someone with this goal in mind. There is no one-size-fits-all here.As with any type of present, keep your recipient's specific priorities and interests in mind as you search. If they're into art, you might get them an art kit or coloring book. Or maybe they're a dedicated homebody and would prefer an air purifier, essential oil diffuser, or plant.We've found more than 40 gifts ideal for anyone

Image: Bandai Namco Imagine if those aggressive salespeople at the Macy’s perfume counter were shoving napalm in your face instead of Chanel No. 5: that’s what it feels like playing with the new perfume bottle weapons in Shadow of the Erdtree.The early days after any Souls game release are always some of the best. The speedrunners and content creators have found the best / most busted builds, while the developers haven’t had the time to nerf them yet. People post all kinds of w

Illustration: The Verge Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have ballooned, according to the company’s latest environmental report, showing how much harder it’ll be for the company to meet its climate goals as it prioritizes AI.
Google has a goal of cutting its planet-heating pollution in half by 2030 compared to a 2019 baseline. But its total greenhouse gas emissions have actually grown by 48 percent since 2019. Last year alone, it produced 14.3 million metric tons of carbon dio

Image: The Verge A federal judge blocked a Mississippi law from taking effect that would have required age verification for all and parental consent for teens in order to make accounts on many social media sites.The preliminary injunction fell on the same day the Supreme Court issued a ruling in a pair of cases challenging social media laws in Florida and Texas that sought to regulate social media companies’ content moderation. SCOTUS sent the cases back to the lower courts but made clear

The current promo lets you secure a better rate than either of the monthly plans, but you’ll have to pay upfront. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge With a Paramount Plus price hike coming on August 20th, now might be a good time to secure a year’s worth of access to the streaming service. Thankfully, Paramount is offering new and returning subscribers 50 percent off its Paramount Plus with Showtime plan, dropping the price of an annual ad-free plan to $59.99 (down from $119.9

Best AirTag dealsBest AirTag 1-pack dealApple AirTag$24.99 at Amazon(Save $4.01)Get DealBest AirTag 4-pack dealApple AirTag, 4-pack$79.99 at Walmart(Save $19.01)Get Deal
Apple AirTags have benefitted from quite the flattering news cycle recently. And while you might not be looking to crack a case of theft, AirTags still help you find your belongings. Attach them to your keys, wallet, or anything else you might frequently misplace, and you can see their location on the Find My app.Ahead of Prime

UPDATE: Jul. 2, 2024, 1:00 p.m. EDT This list has been updated with the few Roomba deals live at Amazon in the first week of July. It will be updated accordingly as Amazon inevitably releases more Roomba deals leading up to Prime Day.The tea that is the failed acquisition of iRobot by Amazon must not have been too scalding, because Amazon still has a soft spot for Roomba deals.On and off throughout the year, Amazon drops prices on top Roombas (among other competitive robot vacuums) by up to 50%

The Pixel 9 could come with a new camera bump. | Image: OnLeaks via 91Mobiles The next generation of Pixel phones could come with new “Google AI” features, including one that sounds a little like Microsoft’s controversial Recall tool. As reported by Android Authority, Google is working on a “Pixel Screenshots” feature that can “save and process helpful details” from your screenshots, allowing you to search through them.
However, unlike Microsoft Recall,

Illustration: The Verge It hasn’t always been that simple to create a PDF using your phone. Several years ago, when I started handling my mother’s bills, I realized I needed a quick way to scan her documents while I was at her home. Rather than drag a scanner around, I found a handy Android app called Tiny Scanner that let me turn paper documents into easy-to-store PDFs using my phone’s camera.Later, Google introduced the beta of its own scanning app called Stack, so I began us

We've been begging for a pink iPhone for years around here, but Google may have just lapped Apple in that regard.Of course, that's only if you believe in video leaks. This latest one comes courtesy of @habibioud on X, who posted a 13-second clip purporting to show the upcoming Google Pixel 9. Seeing a not-yet-announced device is always exciting, but this time, it's especially so because of the alleged Pixel 9's vibrant hot pink colorway.SEE ALSO:Is iOS 18 available for iPhone 11? Tweet may have

The UK General Election is set to take place this week, and there's an exciting digital partnership playing to election content: Roblox and the BBC. The BBC is bringing Larry the Downing Street Cat — iconic Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office and pet-in-residence at the official home of the UK Prime Minister — to Roblox for this election. Larry, along with digital avatars of BBC presenters like Laura Kuenssberg, Clive Myrie, and Jeremy Vine, will appear in a game that requires players

Amazon deals of the day at a glance:OUR TOP PICKAmazon 75-inch Omni Fire TV$699.99 at Amazon(save $350)Get DealBEST TABLET DEALAmazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet with wireless charging dock$84.99 at Amazon(save $84.99)Get DealBEST VACUUM DEALShark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus Cordless Handheld Vacuum $69.99 at Amazon(save $20)Get DealBEST SECURITY DEALBlink Outdoor 4 (4th gen) 4-camera system$132.99 at Amazon(save $207)Get DealBEST LAPTOP DEALSamsung 14-inch Galaxy Book4 Pro (Intel Core 7 Ultra Processor

Best iPad dealsBest iPad 10th generation dealApple iPad 10th generation, 10.9-inch (A14, WiFi, 64GB)$324 at Amazon(Save $25)Get DealBest iPad Air dealApple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 1TB)$1,024 at Amazon(Save $75)Get DealBest iPad Pro dealApple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB)$928.99 at Amazon(Save $70.01)Get Deal
Ahead of Prime Day, which runs July 16 and 17, deals are sneakily sliding in. The next two weeks are a bit of a waiting game to see what sought-after products will go on sale. Luc

Astronomers say they've confirmed that three little red dots observed at the dawn of time by the James Webb Space Telescope are in fact galaxies, flouting theories about the early universe.Not only that, but researchers say those galaxies seem to host enormous supermassive black holes — perhaps 100 to 1,000 times more massive than the one occupying the center of our own Milky Way. Normally, black holes of this maturity and scale would not be found within young galaxies. The dots now h

A traffic warden during an eight-hour shift under the hot sun in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 12th, 2023, where temperatures reached 106 degrees Fahrenheit amid a heatwave. | Photo: Getty Images The Biden administration says it will propose new rules today to protect workers from the deadliest weather-related risk Americans face: extreme heat. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expected to post its new heat protections on the federal register to

You may be wondering, "Is iOS 18 available for iPhone 11?" As luck would have it, if you have an iPhone 11, your device does, indeed, make the cut for iOS 18.Of course, iOS 18 is available for newer devices like the iPhone 15, 14, and 13 and 12 series. However, phones like the iPhone 11 series, the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, iPhone XR are getting iOS 18 support, too. Plus, if you have an iPhone SE, you can upgrade to iOS 18 — but only if you have the second-generation model or newer.Still,

Maxxxine. | Image: A24 For the last few years, Ti West hasn’t stopped thinking about the horror villains Pearl and Maxine. Since 2020, the writer and director has been fully immersed in the genre-spanning franchise that started with the ’70s slasher flick X and continued with the technicolor prequel Pearl, which were filmed back-to-back in New Zealand during the pandemic and released in 2022. Now things culminate with the premiere of the series’ third act, the very ’80s t

Photo by John Thys / AFP via Getty Images On the heels of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s massive payday, the company released its latest quarterly production and delivery report, showing drops from last year in both production and deliveries.Tesla reported producing 410,831 vehicles over the three-month period that ended in June, a 14 percent drop compared to the second quarter of 2023. Tesla reported delivering 443,956 vehicles to customers during Q2 of 2024, a 4.76 percent drop from the 466,140 v

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Netflix is following through on its plan to phase out its cheapest ad-free tier for existing subscribers. As spotted in numerous posts on Reddit, Netflix is now asking some basic plan subscribers to choose a new plan to stay subscribed to Netflix.
One Reddit user received a notification on their Netflix app, saying “Your last day to watch Netflix is July 13th. Choose a new plan to keep watching.” Subscribers paying $9.99 / month for the basic p

Last month, Nvidia briefly became the world’s most valuable company, reaching a market capitalisation of $3.3tn. Behind the company’s meteoric rise to the top lies its market dominance in advanced AI chips. Once predominantly-known for its high-performance graphic processing units (GPUs) for gaming, Nvidia tapped its technological strengths to venture into the AI race. Its GPUs excel at parallel processing, simulations, and machine learning tasks, which makes them suitable for the t

Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge The Apple Vision Pro is many things. But for us, and for many other users, it’s one thing in particular: a really, really, really big screen. Since Apple started shipping its spatial computing headset five months ago today, we’ve tested the device as a TV, a computer monitor, a game console, a mega-chill way to relax on the beach, and much more.
On this episode of The Vergecast, we talk about the past, present, and future of the Vision Pro. We chat with

This HP OmniBook X laptop will have Apple shaking in its boots. Why? Because it’s packed with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip.“So what?” you may be thinking. “What’s the big hoopla regarding the Snapdragon X Elite chips?” Well, I’m glad you asked.For quite some time now, Qualcomm has been insinuating that Snapdragon X Elite-packed laptops are going to leave M3-based MacBooks in the dust. This is a bold claim to make because, let’s be honest, Win

As we enter July 2024, there's a shift happening in AI. There's a move from hype to reality, underscored by six critical debates shaping the enterprise landscape. These debates represent fault lines between the zealous believers in imminent superintelligence and those advocating for a more pragmatic approach to AI adoption. For enterprise leaders, understanding these debates is crucial. There are significant stakes for companies looking to exploit this powerful technology, even if it's not the g

Space and photography fans are in for a treat. The Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition has returned, with its sixteenth edition shortlist featuring a stunning array of photographs. London's Royal Museums Greenwich received a whopping 3,500 entries from both amateur and professional photographers globally, each of whom captured a breathtaking glimpse of space. The 30 shortlisted entries range from visuals from the Geminid meteor shower to an aurora in the shape of a dragon to ancient s

Time flies, and it's even more so apparent if you own a first-generation Apple HomePod or an iPhone X as those devices are now officially considered "vintage" products. Spotted by MacRumors, the "vintage" label, which now also applies to first-gen AirPods, basically means that Apple stopped distributing these products more than five, but less than seven years ago. As a reminder, products that Apple stopped distributing more than seven years ago are (sometimes) considered "obsolete."SEE ALSO:Appl

Spotify appears to be testing an emergency alert — but the whole thing is still in the very early stages.The music streamer is carrying out tests in Sweden, where its headquarters are located, with lines in the app's code referencing the new feature. A spokesperson from Spotify confirmed to Techcrunch that the test was happening, but that it was currently localised to Sweden only.SEE ALSO:Spotify has increased subscription prices in the US. Yes, again.
“At Spotify, we routinely condu