Technology news

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge DirecTV has dropped its plans to acquire Dish, the company announced Thursday. The deal would’ve created a TV service megamerger, but it fell through after Dish bondholders rejected the takeover.
In September, DirecTV reached an agreement to acquire Dish, Sling TV, and EchoStar’s TV business for just one dollar, while also taking on Dish’s $9.75 billion in debt. However, Dish bondholders — or the investors who lend money to a compan

The Spectra smartwatch is now available for preorder through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. | Image: Pocuter The Spectra is a new smartwatch designed from the ground up to be hackable and easy to repair. It was created by Pocuter, a company that has spent the last few years honing an expertise in building small electronics like its tiny Pocuter One computer. What makes the Spectra unique is that it’s repairable, yet with a design that mirrors the Apple Watch which is much harder to g

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Sling TV is increasing its monthly subscription prices by $5.99 for all of its plans starting in December. The streaming TV provider said “rising costs” are to blame for the price hikes without specifying why — presumably, not all six of those bucks are intended to pay for its “arcade” library of interactive games that just added Pac-Man and Trivia Crack.
There are two packages: Sling Orange, which includes Disney and ESPN networks,

Far-right influencer and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate has become the target of an anonymous hacktivist group. Sensitive data from hundreds of thousands of subscribers to Tate’s “online university” was stolen.On Thursday, hackers announced their breach of Tate's "The Real World" website by flooding the private members' chatroom with pro-feminist emojis and transgender pride flags, as first reported by DailyDot. The hackers also uploaded an emoji featuring an AI-generate

Strava is the de facto fitness data middleman. | Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge A few days ago, Strava upset its users over some restrictive API changes. It might seem odd for one app’s users to fume over an API, but at the heart of the matter is the inherent messiness of fitness data.
Here’s a typical scenario. Say you’re all in on Garmin’s platform. You use their watches for running and strength training. Then, you pick up a Peloton bike for indoor cycling. Well, Ga

A quick look at the best Black Friday Roomba dealsBest standalone Roomba dealiRobot Roomba Combo j5$299.99(save $230)Get DealBest self-emptying Roomba dealiRobot Roomba Combo i5+$299(save $250.99)Get Deal
So many robot vacuums go on sale for Black Friday that decision fatigue is imminent — unless you're specifically set on a Roomba, that is.Roombas do tend to run slightly more expensive than competitors with the same features, so November is a wise time to buy one — Black Friday

Gemini could spring into action soon. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google released the first Android 16 developer preview earlier this week and keen-eyed observers are already uncovering interesting tidbits, including one that hints about a much more useful future for Google’s AI assistant. In Android Authority, Mishaal Rahman writes about a mysterious new API in Android 16 called “app functions,” which appears to give Gemini Assistant agentic-like abilities to tak

Image: The Verge A New York judge has determined that SiriusXM’s “long and burdensome” cancellation process is illegal. In a ruling on Thursday, Judge Lyle Frank found SiriusXM violates a federal law that requires companies to make it easy to cancel a subscription.
The decision comes nearly one year after New York Attorney General Leticia James sued SiriusXM over claims the company makes subscriptions difficult to cancel. Following an investigation, the Office of the Attorney G

Google's Pixel Tablet once felt like a solid contender in a crowded market. But apparently, it didn’t make enough of a splash, as the follow-up might have been canceled.Android Authority reported on Thursday that the so-called Pixel Tablet 2 has been canceled internally at Google before it was ever officially announced. The timing on this report is a bit strange for multiple reasons. Firstly, just last week, Android Authority reported that the Pixel Tablet 2 was in the works, boasting upgr

Photo by Patrick George for The Verge Hyundai is recalling over 145,000 Ioniq and Genesis vehicles due to a 12-volt battery charging issue that could cause the EVs to lose drive power and increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA says the cause is the vehicles' Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), which is likely to get damaged due to an internal electrical fault.
Upon failure of the ICCU, a series of driver warnings appear, and the vehicle activates a “fail-safe” driving mode that slo

Stay safe on the road this holiday season with a dash cam. These models are on sale ahead of Black Friday now: Best Black Friday dash cam dealsBest Dash Cam DealNextbase 622GW$249.99(Save $108)Get DealBest Mid-Range Dash Cam DealVantrue N4$181.99(Save $108)Get DealBest Budget Dash Cam DealGarmin Mini 2$99.99(Save $30)Get Deal
If you're planning on doing some holiday travel this month or next, you're going to need to watch out for others on the road even more than you normally would. The hustle a

The best Black Friday streaming deals at a glance:BEST OVERALLParamount+ with Showtime (Prime Video add-on)$2.99 per month for two months(save $20)Get DealBEST FOR HORROR FANSAMC+ Ad-Free (Prime Video add-on)$2.25 per month for two months(save $13.48)Get DealBEST FOR NEW THEATRICAL RELEASESMGM+ (Prime Video add-on)$1.75 per month for two months(save $10.48)Get DealBEST FOR CHRISTMAS ADDICTSHallmark+ (Prime Video add-on)$2 per month for two months(save $11.98)Get Deal
'Tis the season for streamin

Image: Getty Baidu’s robotaxi division, Apollo Go, just rolled out its latest robotaxi across multiple cities in China, and if stakeholders in the US aren’t nervous yet, they should be.
The RT6 is the sixth generation of Apollo Go’s driverless vehicle, which made its official debut in May 2024. It’s a purpose-built, Level 4 autonomous vehicle, meaning it’s built without the need for a human driver. And here’s the thing that should make US competitors nervous:

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is releasing the first preview of its Recall AI feature for Copilot Plus PCs today. After a series of delays, Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel can now install a new build of Windows 11 that includes Recall and Click to Do — a feature that’s very similar to Google’s Circle to Search.
Recall takes screenshots of almost everything you do on a Copilot Plus PC to make it searchable and easy to recall a memory or retrace your steps. If you enable snapsho

Apple’s promised Siri overhaul likely won’t be fully realized until 2026.A new report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple is working on a Siri LLM to compete with ChatGPT. But it won't be ready until the iOS 19 and macOS 16 software updates, likely announced in 2025 and released in spring 2026. The tech giant has been scrambling to update its dated voice assistant in the generative AI era, which has seen the rise of ChatGPT and competitors like Google Gemini. SEE ALSO:Apple's sma

Image: Plex Plex is beginning to test its “newly reimagined Plex experience,” which will be available first on mobile and is coming to TV platforms “very soon.” Plex says the new experience has been in development for almost two years and is “designed to bring everything you love into one seamless interface.” But don’t worry — while the new version of the app is currently missing some features, Plex says it will be “closing those gaps”

Best Black Friday monitor deals 2024Best monitor deal LG 27MS500-B 27-inch FHD Monitor$99.99(save $30)Get DealBest gaming monitor dealSamsung Odyssey BG65 32-inch Curved Gaming Monitor$349.99(save $350)Get Deal
It's not even officially Black Friday yet, and the deals for monitors are honestly good enough to start shopping right now. Whether you're looking to add a little something to your work-from-home setup or hoping to give your gaming experience a serious upgrade, there are a ton of live dea

SAVE 80%: Wayfair is offering up to 80% off during its early Black Friday sale. Shop mattresses, furniture, and more.Best Wayfair Black Friday dealsBest mattress deal Sealy Cool 12-inch Medium Hybrid Mattress (Queen)$449.99 at Wayfair (save $650)Get DealBest kitchen deal Ninja Professional 72-ounce countertop blender$59.99(save $40)Get DealBest holiday decor deal Holiday Aisle pre-lit 7.5-foot flocked artificial Christmas tree$169.99(save $246.90)Get Deal
It’s official: Every retailer on t

GET 20% OFF: Ruggable Holiday Steals Sale is offering 20% off on gorgeous winter rugs with code HOLLY24.Opens in a new windowCredit: RuggableRuggable Holiday Steals SaleTake 20% off select rugs with code HOLLY24Shop NowReady for a holiday home redo? Ruggable’s Holiday Steals Sale is here just in time. Ruggable is the go-to for washable rugs that bridge the gap between durability and design. The Ruggable Holiday Steals Sale features winter designs like the Morris & Co. Blackthorn Forest

Genmoji is one of the most highly anticipated Apple Intelligence features arriving to iOS 18. A portmanteau of "generative AI" and "emoji," Genmoji allows you to create your own emoji with text prompts. But the question is, when is Genmoji coming out?As of this writing, Genmoji is currently available for testing via a beta version of iOS 18. We have a guide on how to use Genmoji, which includes steps on how to get on the Apple Intelligence waitlist — a necessary step for experimenters befo

UPDATE: Nov. 22, 2024, 11:30 a.m. EST This story has been updated with new deals now that Amazon's Black Friday sale has officially started.The best Black Friday robot vacuum deals at a glanceBest non self-emptying dealEufy L60$179.99 at Amazon(save $100)Get DealBest budget self-emptying dealiRobot Roomba Combo i5+$299 at Amazon(save $250.99)Get DealBest premium dealRoborock Qrevo S$459.99 at Amazon(save $340)Get Deal
Yet another Black Friday is basically here, with its arrival often bringing f

UPDATE: Nov. 22, 2024, 11:20 a.m. EST This story has been updated with Best Buy's top Black Friday deals on gaming accessories and unlocked phones, plus new FAQs about its Black Friday hours and Cyber Monday sale.Best Buy's top Black Friday deals at a glance:Best Apple dealApple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)$749(save $250)Get DealBest 4K TV dealHisense 85-inch QD6 QLED 4K Google TV$649.99(save $450)Get DealBest fitness tracker dealOura Ring Starting at $249(save up to $200)Get

The best early Black Friday printer and scanner dealsBest printer-scanner combo dealEpson EcoTank ET-280$179.99(Save $50)Get DealBest budget printer-scanner combo dealCanon PIXMA MG3620 $39.99(Save $40)Get DealBest laser printer dealCanon imageCLASS LBP122dw$89.99(Save $90)Get Deal
Nothing makes your home office official like a printer. Whether you’re after a laser printer built for speed and efficiency or an inkjet printer that delivers rich graphics on demand, modern printers and scanner

If the last 12 months of film and television are anything to go by, female protagonists are truly entering their villain era.From psychological romantic thrillers like Rose Glass's Love Lies Bleeding and Zoe Kravitz's Blink Twice to horror romps including Zelda Williams' Lisa Frankenstein and Coraline Fargeat's The Substance, women are done playing by the rules. Films like these frequently harness the palpable feminine rage in the world and use horror genre tropes like severe trauma and stalk-an

Did you know ChatGPT can help you find your celebrity look-alike? With just a few selfies, this AI tool can pinpoint your famous doppelgänger in seconds.But here’s the catch: ChatGPT’s default interface doesn’t support celebrity look-alike detection. Believe me, I’ve tried. When I attempted to uncover my A-list twin through the standard ChatGPT window, I was met with this disappointing response: “I cannot determine your celebrity look-a-like from the photo.&rdq

Best Early Black Friday DealsBest Apple dealApple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)$749 at Amazon(Save $250)Get DealBest robot vacuum dealRoborock Qrevo S$459.99 at Amazon(Save $340)Get DealBest headphone dealBose QuietComfort headphones$199 at Amazon(Save $150)Get DealBest Kindle dealAmazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition$154.99 at Amazon(Save $45)Get DealBest laptop dealApple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)$1,399 at Amazon(Save $200)Get DealBest Echo dealAmazon

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Nov. 22:OUR TOP PICKApple AirPods Pro 2$159.99(save $89.01)Get DealBEST OUTDOOR DEALYeti Roadie 24 cooler$200(save $50)Get DealBEST KIDS DEALAmazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro$109.99(save $80)Get DealBEST TABLET DEALSamsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE (256GB, WiFi)$299.99(save $220)Get Deal
Amazon's official Black Friday deals are in full swing. The sale kicked off Thursday, Nov. 21 and runs through Cyber Monday on Dec. 2. If you've been hoping to snag some high-qua

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The young streamer behind a viral meme coin called Quant was doxxed by the crypto community after he ripped off investors, as reported by Decrypt and The Crypto Times. During a livestream earlier this week, the kid giddily watched the price of his meme coin go up before selling his stake for $30,000 and flipping off viewers, causing its price to plummet.
The young investor, who reports claim is 13 years old, started gaining attention after his post on X we

The SonarPen 2 includes upgraded features like USB-C and finer pen tips. | Image: Greenbulb In 2018, the SonarPen debuted as a cheaper alternative to the Apple Pencil by using audio signals transmitted to the iPad over a cable instead of Bluetooth. Its creators are back with an upgraded USB-C version that introduces additional functionality, including tilt detection and an improved tip that now closely resembles the Apple Pencil’s.
The SonarPen 2 is currently available for preorder through

GET $99 OFF: As of Nov. 22, you can get an Apple iPad (10th Generation) for just $249.99. That's 29% off the original price or $99 off.Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleApple iPad (10th Generation)$249.99 at Amazon $349.00 Save $99.01Get DealAn iPad for $250? Yes. When you shop today, an on-page coupon drops the already discounted price of the Apple iPad (10th Generation) to $249.99.This iPad isn’t just affordable, it’s also loaded. An A14 Bionic chip runs things under the hood, whil

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have laid out their plans for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a currently nonexistent entity they say will “cut the federal government down to size.” Though DOGE isn’t a real department — and may in fact just be President-elect Donald Trump’s way of placating Musk by giving him the appearance of a real job — it represents a long-running right-wing attempt to gut the ci

Image: The Verge Meta is promising “long-overdue improvements” to its X competitor, Threads, including more precise search features and expanded trending topics.
First, users will be able to search for posts within a specific date range or from a single account — similar to what X’s search allows. Threads is also testing a new trending page in the US that includes additional topics to follow as well as AI-generated summaries of what other users are talking about.Instagram

GET $100 OFF: As of Nov. 22, you can get a GoPro Hero13 Bundle for $349.99 and Best Buy will throw a $25 gift card in too. That's 22% off the original price of $449.99.Opens in a new windowCredit: GoProGoPro HERO13 Black Action Camera Bundle$349.99 at Best Buy $449.99 Save $100.00Get DealAdventure season is all year ‘round when you’re sporting a GoPro. Thick snow banks, crystal lagoons, and dusty mountain bike rides in the American West are all fair game. The GoPro Hero 13 bundle com

Audi RS E-tron GT Performance starts at $167,000 before destination charges. | Image: Audi Audi is giving its all-electric E-tron GT sports sedan higher performance, more battery range, and faster charging speeds for the 2025 model year. It’s also increasing its starting price.
The lineup now includes a new entry S E-tron GT model that starts at $125,500 before destination charges, a far cry from the already expensive $100,000 base it previously sold since the beginning in 2022. There&rsqu

Audi RS E-tron GT Performance starts at $167,000 before destination charges. | Image: Audi Audi is giving its all-electric E-tron GT sports sedan higher performance, more battery range, and faster charging speeds for the 2025 model year. It’s also increasing its starting price.
The lineup now includes a new entry S E-tron GT model that starts at $125,500 before destination charges, a far cry from the already expensive $100,000 base model it’s sold since the beginning of 2022. There&r

SAVE $1,400: As of Nov. 22, you can snag a 100-inch Hisense TV at Best Buy for $1,599.99. That's $1,400 off the list price. Opens in a new windowCredit: HisenseHisense 100-inch Class QD7 Series QLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV (2024)$1,599.99 at Best Buy$2,999.99 Save $1,400.00Get DealIf you’ve been dying to set up a home theatre but couldn’t stomach the price tag, Best Buy has a crazy deal on a 100-inch Hisense that could make your dream a reality. As of Nov. 22, you can get your hands o