Technology news

Eindhoven-based startup Photon IP has raised €4.75mn in seed funding as it looks to scale up its unique method for creating energy-efficient photonic chips.   AI systems, data centres, fibre-optic networks, and even some sensors rely on photonic chips to send and receive information using light. These chips are a big deal because they’re faster and use less energy than typical semiconductors, which transfer data through electricity.  But to make these high-perform

Illustration: The Verge Meta announced last week that it would be ditching fact-checkers in favor of X-like Community Notes, and self-described “leaker” Alessandro Paluzzi shared screenshots on Monday showing what the feature might look like in Threads.
Based on the screenshots, it appears you’ll be able to start the process of writing a Community Note from the three-dots menu on a post, which is where you can already access features like muting an account or reporting a post.

Image: Games Done Quick Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 has concluded, raising just over $2.5 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Every Games Done Quick event is worth tuning in to either live or later via VODs, but this AGDQ was uniquely fantastic, filled with runs that’ll go down as some of the best GDQ has to offer. Here are some of our favorites:New Super Mario Bros. WiiThe great thing about the speedrunning community is that it’s often not enough to be the fastest runner of

Photo Illustration by Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images RedNote, the Chinese social media app also known as Xiaohongshu, rose to the number one spot on the Apple App Store as a US ban closes in on TikTok. The app offers a mix of pictures, short-form videos, and text posts across “follow,” “explore,” and “nearby” feeds.
A cursory scroll through RedNote’s Explore page shows English-language posts scattered among those written in Chine

In 2020, amid a global pandemic that highlighted a staggering digital divide among Americans, the federal government pledged to do something. Its solution? Some promising tech subsidies and a wave of funding for internet access initiatives, specifically high speed broadband. This money included the government's promise to fix the missing middle miles of fiber optic connections that have for decades kept many Indigenous areas offline.At the time, the round of funding was a history-making inv

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Another day, another announcement from Nintendo that isn’t the next Switch. Today the company revealed that its alarm clock, Alarmo, will be available at select retailers starting this March. The announcement includes the US, UK, and Europe.The $99 alarm clock launched late last year, but is currently only available to those with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Today’s news opens that up to the larger public. The motion-controlled device lets u

The Verge eBay has “signed a definitive agreement” to buy online automotive transaction platform provider Caramel to help make buying and selling vehicles on the auction site “more simple than ever.”
Caramel has a site and app that helps private parties and independent dealers sell cars by handling the paperwork, ownership transfer, financing, shipping, insurance, and more. The company has several marketplace and auction partners as well.
Although eBay has hosted listings

Over the past few years, the market has been flooded with VR headsets, including the Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and numerous other contenders, as companies race to establish themselves in the space.At CES 2025, Sony unveiled the latest addition to this landscape — a brand-new VR headset and an entire line dedicated to spatial 3D content: Sony XYN.SEE ALSO:13 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right now, plus 1 coming soon
What sets the Sony XYN headset apart f

SAVE UP TO 44%: As of Jan. 13, every Amazon Fire tablet is back on sale. Find the new Fire HD 8 for 35% off, the budget-friendly Fire 7 for 44% off, and much more.The best Amazon Fire tablet deals at a glance:BEST OVERALLAmazon Fire HD 8$64.99(save $35)Get DealBEST BUDGET DEALAmazon Fire 7$44.99(save $35)Get DealBEST FOR KIDSAmazon Fire 7 Kids$59.99(save $40)Get Deal
We've said it before, but it bears repeating: iPads are not your only tablet option. Unless you're a diehard Apple fanatic or you

If the U.S. government wants to ban TikTok, Americans might flock to a different Chinese social media app. About a week before the potential ban, TikTokkers are posting about moving to RedNote, known in China as Xiaohongshu. So many are migrating to the app that it hit No. 1 on Apple's U.S. App Store on Monday. Yes, TikTok might really be on its way out. It's unclear exactly what would immediately happen to the app on the Jan. 19 deadline — it'll likely at least disappe

Image: Free Our Feeds Technology advocates and celebrities are backing the launch of Free Our Feeds, a campaign designed to “save social media from billionaire capture.” The project aims to raise $30 million over three years to support the development of a social media ecosystem powered by the AT Protocol, or the decentralized network powering Bluesky.
The raised funds will go toward launching a public interest foundation to support the project, while creating an “independently

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge Samsung is making the Galaxy Ring available to more people by adding size 14 and 15 rings to its options starting on January 22nd. With the expansion, which was rumored last month, the company says its ring sizes now run from five to 15, though it caveats that both size and color availability will vary by market.The new sizes bring the Galaxy Ring closer to competitor Oura, which already offers its smart ring in sizes four to 15. Samsung’s announcement di

SAVE 70%: Shop Kohl's Ultimate Clearance Event and save up to 70% on clothing, home goods, and more.Best Kohl's clearance deals as of Jan. 13: Best fitness deal Fitbit Inspire 3$79.99(save $20)Get DealBest tablet deal Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet (32GB)$94.99(save $45)Get DealBest speaker deal JBL Charge 5$139.99(save $40)Get Deal
Kohl’s just snuck up on us with an unexpected sales event: the Ultimate Clearance Event, where you can score up to 70% off everything from home goods to electronics.

Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX Virtual Assistant will use Google Gemini on the cloud. | Image: Mercedes-Benz / Google Google Cloud’s new Automotive AI Agent platform promises to “continue conversations and reference information” throughout users’ drives, and the first car announced with it is the new Mercedes CLA. That car has the next-generation MB.OS operating system with an upgraded MBUX Virtual Assistant.When Mercedes revealed it at CES in 2024, it didn’t say which

Save $100: Best Buy has USB-C Apple AirPods Pro down to $149.99 as a deal of the day on Jan. 13. That means this deal is available for today only, and nets you a 40% discount over buying new AirPods at their $249.99 full price.Opens in a new windowCredit: AppleRefurbished USB-C Apple AirPods Pro$149.99 at Best Buy $249.99 Save $100.00Get DealApple AirPods Pro are expensive, but they go on sale more than you'd think, so we almost always recommend buying them on sale. If the $179.99 sale price the

8BitDo’s mobile controller offers a little more grip than others we recommend. | Image: 8BitDo While the cradle-style Backbone One is a great mobile controller we often recommend, it’s not the right choice for everyone. Thankfully, 8BitDo’s Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is a cheaper alternative for Android users, one that’s available at Amazon in black for $39.99 ($10 off) for the first time. That’s well below the Backbone One’s $100 MSRP and its typical s

GET $800 OFF: The Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $599.99, saving you 57%, or $800. Opens in a new windowCredit: DreameDreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum$599.99 at Amazon $1,399.99 Save $800.00Get DealVacuum it and mop it, all without lifting a finger. The Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is a multi-functional robot vacuum that self deploys to take care of cleaning your home.Right now the Dreame L20 Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for a whopping $800 off — get it now

In 2018, after decades of research and tens of millions in funding, Russian astronauts attached a wildlife-tracking receiver to the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). The device received data from tagged animals across the planet and beamed it to a ground station in Moscow. From there, it went to an open-source database called Movebank.  The space tracker was the final piece of the puzzle for the ICARUS project, an international effort led by German biologist Martin Wikelsk

Image: The Verge Microsoft is creating a new engineering group that’s focused on artificial intelligence. Led by former Meta engineering chief Jay Parikh, the new CoreAI – Platform and Tools division will combine Microsoft’s Dev Div and AI platform teams together, alongside some employees on the Office of the CTO team, to focus on building an AI platform and tools for both Microsoft and its customers.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella outlined his vision for this new team in an inter

SAVE UP TO 50%: Shop Best Buy's Outlet sale and find headphones, laptops, appliances, and more up to 50% off.Best Outlet Sale DealsBest Apple DealApple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation$144.99 at Best Buy(Save $35)Get DealBest laptop dealAlienware m16 (AMD Ryzen 9 7000 Series, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)$2,239.99 at Best Buy(Save $560)Get DealBest smart watch dealsApple Watch Ultra (49 mm, GPS + Cellular)$499.99 at Best Buy(Save $299.01)Get Deal
Start the new year off right, by shopping exceptiona

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Jan. 13:OUR TOP PICKApple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi)$399(save $100)Get DealBUDGET TABLET DEALAmazon Fire 7 tablet$79.99(save $35)Get DealBEST SMART DISPLAY DEALAmazon Echo Show 5$69.99(save $20)Get DealBEST HOME DEALAeroGarden Harvest Elite$60(save $59.99)Get DealBEST SMARTWATCH DEALGarmin Instinct$179.99(save $70)Get Deal
Another week, another opportunity to snag some tech at discounted prices. We've scoured Amazon's daily deals pages to fi

GET $300 OFF: The Samsung Frame 55-inch QLED 4K Smart TV is on sale for $1,199.99 — save $300 or 20%.Opens in a new windowCredit: SamsungSamsung Frame 55-inch QLED 4K Smart TV$1,199.99 at Target$1,499.99 Save $300.00Get DealInnovation often springs from simple ideas. This is certainly true in the case of Samsung's Frame TV, which mimics a traditional picture frame and displays digital artwork or family photos when it's not streaming TV or movies.
Right now the Samsung Frame 55" QLED 4K Sma

SAVE $100: As of Jan. 13, you can get the Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) for its lowest price ever: $399. Opens in a new windowCredit: Apple Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi)$399.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $100.00Get DealIf you’ve been on the hunt for a new tablet, the iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) just hit a new all-time low price at Amazon. As of Jan. 13, you can snag this miniature tablet for just $399. That’s a $100 price cut or 20% off the list price. Note: This p

Save $100: As of Jan. 13 at Woot, you can grab the Shark FlexStyle for straight and wavy hair on sale for $199.99. That price saves you 33% on the multi-styler's $299.99 list price.Opens in a new windowCredit: SharkShark FlexStyle for straight and wavy hair $199.99 at Woot $299.99 Save $100.00Get DealIf you've been going back and forth on whether to splurge on a Dyson Airwrap or grab the cheaper Shark FlexStyle, this might be your sign: the Shark FlexStyle is currently a third of the price of th

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Last week, major location data broker Gravy Analytics disclosed a data breach that may have resulted in the theft of precise location data for millions of people, reports TechCrunch. That appears to include data from popular mobile games like Candy Crush, as well as dating apps, pregnancy tracking apps, and more, as 404 Media wrote on Thursday, following up its report of the breach two days earlier.
Baptiste Robert, CEO of digital security company Pred

SAVE UP TO 50%: On Jan. 13th, JBL Bluetooth speakers are on sale for up to 50% off or more at Woot!, including the popular JBL Charge 5, JBL Clip 5, and more.The best JBL deals at Woot!Best JBL deal for portable outdoor soundJBL Charge 5$124.95(Save $55)Get DealBest JBL deal for ultra-portable soundJBL Clip 5$49.95(Save $30)Get DealBest JBL speaker deal for around the houseJBL Flip 6$89.95(Save $30)Get Deal
Splashy sound that comes along for the ride, JBL Bluetooth speakers are famous for their

Mark Zuckerberg had some things to say about Apple on Joe Rogan's podcast.Meta's CEO made a noteworthy appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience" on Friday, which naturally spawned plenty of clips and quotes to discuss. The one we're focusing on concerns Apple, which Zuckerberg accused of lacking technical innovation since the iPhone's launch in 2007, per CNBC. According to Zuckerberg, the iPhone itself was a good thing for getting smartphones into people's hands, but Apple's business practic

Contrary to popular opinion, Valentine's Day doesn't have to be just for your significant other. It's totally okay to give a gift to a loved one whom you're not currently dating (and never will), because doing a nice thing for someone is... well, nice. That doesn't make shopping for Valentine's Day gifts for him any easier, though. Getting the right gifts for the men in your life is a tough task, especially with every brand under the sun practically screaming at you to buy whiskey stones and pow

SAVE $300: As of Jan. 13, you can get the Original Peloton Bike for $1,145 at Amazon. That's a 21% discount and $300 off the list price.Opens in a new windowCredit: Peloton Original Peloton Bike $1,145.00 at Amazon $1,445.00 Save $300.00Get DealWorking out is hard, and finding the motivation to do it consistently (especially when it’s cold outside) can be even harder. Fortunately, there are tons of indoor exercise equipment options out there to make the commitment easier and more enjoyable

Thin phones are back in fashion. Apple is rumored to launch a thinner version of the iPhone, called the iPhone Air, in the fall. But China's Oppo is trying to steal some of Apple's thunder with the Oppo Find N5, which the company claims will be the world's thinnest foldable phone. Oppo posted a teaser this week that indicated the Find N5 is indeed an extremely thin device, as it's significantly thinner than a common pencil.Oppo's chief product officer, Pete Lau, shared the image of the device on

Image: Adobe Adobe is launching new generative AI tools that can automate labor-intensive production tasks like editing large batches of images and translating video presentations. The most notable is “Firefly Bulk Create,” an app that allows users to quickly resize up to 10,000 images or replace all of their backgrounds in a single click instead of tediously editing each picture individually.
The tool was created by combining several of Adobe’s Firefly-powered APIs for develop

Image: The Verge Decentralized social network Mastodon has announced plans to transfer its ownership to a new nonprofit entity. Ownership of Mastodon will move away from the control of CEO Eugen Rochko, in contrast to the power exerted by other social media CEOs like Meta cofounder Mark Zuckerberg and X owner Elon Musk.
“Simply, we are going to transfer ownership of key Mastodon ecosystem and platform components to a new nonprofit organization,” Mastodon says in a blog post, “a

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Nvidia is cozying up to the incoming Trump administration after criticizing a new AI framework just announced by the Biden administration. The rules are meant to keep advanced chips and AI models under the control of the United States and its allies, but the President-elect will have the final decision on whether to enforce them.
If implemented, the “Interim Final Rule on Artificial Intelligence Diffusion” announced today would place new limita

Image: Sonos In 2024, Sonos gave everyone a valuable lesson on the worst way to introduce a redesigned app. It was too soon, too buggy, and too careless. In May 2024, Sonos released a completely rebuilt and overhauled mobile app for Android and iOS. The new software was meant to improve performance, make the app feel more customizable, and allow for new features in the future. But customers immediately complained about countless bugs, degraded Sonos speaker system performance, and features that

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Tom Conrad, a longtime veteran of the tech industry who joined Sonos’ board of directors in 2017, has been appointed interim CEO following today’s ouster of Patrick Spence. And in his first letter as the (temporary) new boss, Conrad hits on a number of things that will likely be music to the ears of rank-and-file Sonos employees.“I’ve heard from many of you about your own frustrations about how far we’ve drifted from our shared ideal

Image: Cath Virginia / The VergeAs chief executive, Spence oversaw many successful products. But there was no coming back from last year’s app debacle: it has finally led to his ouster. Sonos CEO Patrick Spence is resigning from the company today, effective immediately, with board member Tom Conrad filling the role of interim CEO. It’s the most dramatic development yet in an eight-month saga that has proven to be the most challenging time in Sonos’ history.The company’s d

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg at the Department of Transportation offices in Washington, DC. | Photo by Cheriss May for The VergeThe outgoing transportation secretary on EVs, robotaxis, Trump, Musk, and the work still left to do.The outlook for electric vehicles is looking really shaky. Sales are up for most companies not named “Tesla,” but with Donald Trump promising to eliminate all of the generous subsidies and tax credits put in place by the Biden administration, tha

Luther Vandross was a once in a generation musical talent. A new documentary film is coming our way, honouring the star and chronicling his story. Luther: Never Too Much, directed and executive produced by award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter, debuted at Sundance Film Festival last year and was aired on CNN on Sunday. Now, the film will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on Jan 30 for one night only, with a new trailer out today.Vandross' hits include the timeless bangers "Never Too Much," "Danc

SAVE $100: As of Jan. 13, the Beats Powerbeats Pro earbuds are on sale for $99.99 at Best Buy. This is $100 off their list price of $199.99.Opens in a new windowCredit: BeatsBeats Powerbeats Pro Totally Wireless Earbuds$99.99 at Best Buy $199.99 Save $100.00Get DealIf you set yourself a resolution to be more active this year, it's worth having a nice pair of earbuds to keep you entertained while you work out. If you're on the hunt for a new pair, look no further than the Beats Powerbeats Pro.At

Apple is preparing to launch three new Apple Watch models in 2025, but only one is getting a redesign.This is according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via MacRumors), who laid out what he knows about the company's plans in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. Reportedly, all three new models will launch in the second half of 2025 — likely during Apple's annual iPhone launch event, which typically takes place in September. The cheapest out of the three, Apple Watch SE, will have a

TL;DR: Live stream Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams for free on TVNZ+. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.The 2024/25 NFL season is slowly creeping towards its dramatic conclusion. There's only one game left from the NFL Wild Card Round, with the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Los Angeles Rams. Fans are set for an entertaining evening of top-quality football.Looking for the best way to watch Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams for free from a