Technology news

Image: Sony Sony announced a collection of black PlayStation 5 accessories in the midst of CES last week, and you can now preorder them ahead of their release date on February 20th. The new DualSense Edge controller ($199.99), Pulse Elite headset ($149.99), Pulse Explore wireless earbuds ($199.99), and PlayStation Portal ($199.99) are all available for preorder from Sony, Amazon, and a string of other retailers starting today.Sony’s new PS5 accessories are just as sleek as the black DualSe

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge General Motors and its subsidiary OnStar are banned from selling customer geolocation and driving behavior data for five years, the Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday.The settlement comes after a New York Times investigation found that GM had been collecting micro-details about its customers’ driving habits, including acceleration, braking, and trip length — and then selling it to insurance companies and third-party data brokers like Lex

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images The Biden administration says it will leave it to incoming President Donald Trump to figure out how to deal with the mess of the TikTok ban, ABC News reports.
“Our position on this has been clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership,” a White House official told ABC News. “Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to

Image: SpaceX SpaceX’s next big launch is here. On Thursday at 5:37PM ET, Elon Musk’s space company will attempt to launch Starship for its 7th test flight from Boca Chica, Texas. You can watch the livestream from SpaceX’s YouTube channel, on X, or its website.
At 403 feet tall, Starship is the biggest launch vehicle ever. It’s made up of two parts: the Starship spacecraft, which is designed to carry crew and cargo into orbit, and the Super Heavy Booster, which comes with

Screenshot: SpaceX SpaceX successfully caught its Super Heavy booster for the second time. During Starship’s 7th test flight from Boca Chica, Texas, Super Heavy descended into the launch tower’s “chopstick” arms, allowing it to grab the booster.
Despite the successful catch, SpaceX lost communications with the Starship spacecraft mounted atop the booster. “It successfully separated from the super heavy booster, but during that ascent phase, a couple of the engines d

Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge Apple has temporarily stopped showing notification summaries for news and entertainment apps as part of the iOS 18.3 developer beta released Thursday, according to reports from MacRumors and 9to5Mac. The Apple Intelligence-powered feature was criticized after it inaccurately summarized content from outlets such as the BBC.
Apple will reenable the notifications “with a future software update” as it continues to work on the feature, 9to5Mac reports. I

On Jan. 15, 2025, the Supreme Court heard a case about age-verification laws, Free Speech v. Paxton. Its decision will significantly impact online free speech. Age-verification laws vary by state but typically require users to submit identification in order to visit sites the states deem to have over one-third of explicit content hosted. ID can include submitting one's driver's license, a digital ID, or a facial scan. Since 2022, 19 states have passed age-verification laws, and al

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge I’m not the first to note the irony of TikTok users flooding RedNote this week. The TikTok divest-or-ban rule was supposed to drive Americans away from a foreign-owned social network that was subject to influence or data harvesting by the Chinese government. Instead, it pushed them onto a different foreign-owned social network that poses the exact same hypothetical risks — and that might be subject to the exact same kind of ban.
TikTok faces a ban und

Illustration: Hugo Herrera / The Verge Two major tech trade groups are challenging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) effort to treat payment apps and digital wallets like banks. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, DC, NetChoice and TechNet claim that the CFPB’s digital payment regulation, announced on November 21st, 2024, is arbitrary and capricious.“The CFPB’s unlawful power grab undermines the rule of law, further bloats the administrative

Photo by Amy T. Zielinski/Getty Images David Lynch, the director behind Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and other unsettling works, has died, his family confirmed in a post on his official Facebook page. He was 78 years old.
The post announcing his passing didn’t list a cause of death. But last August, Lynch revealed that he had been diagnosed with emphysema “from my many years of smoking.” At the time, he told Sight and Sound that he could no longer “go out&rd

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Tesla is declaring the Cybertruck to be “America’s bestselling electric pickup truck in 2024.” And yet, for the first time, the company is offering discounts of up to $2,600 on the low-poly truck, a sign that demand may not be as strong as Tesla would like you to think.The discounts, which appear on the company’s inventory webpage, are as high as $1,600 for brand-new Cybertrucks and up to $2,600 for slightly used demo version

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images Tesla is declaring the Cybertruck to be “America’s bestselling electric pickup truck in 2024.” And yet for the first time, the company offering discounts of up to $2,600 on the low-poly truck, a sign that demand may not be as strong as Tesla would like you to think.The discounts, which appear on the company’s inventory webpage, are as high as $1,600 for brand new Cybertrucks, and up to $2,600 for slightly used demo versions o

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge More than 700,000 US-based users have downloaded RedNote, a popular Chinese social app, as the TikTok ban deadline looms — but they may find themselves looking for yet another TikTok alternative soon. A US official told CBS News that Xiaohongshu, the app more commonly referred to as RedNote, has many of the same issues that caused Congress to ban TikTok and that the app could eventually face a similar ban unless it divests from its China-based parent compan

It looks like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk won't be the only tech CEOs attending President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday. According to The New York Times, Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, will also attend.This comes as the Supreme Court continues to debate the fate of Chew's app in the U.S., which could result in 170 million people losing access to it. If the court upholds the ban, as other courts have done, it will go into effect on Su

Image: Microsoft Microsoft is bundling its AI-powered Office features into Microsoft 365 Personal and Home subscriptions, but it’s also raising prices as a result. Previously, Microsoft 365 subscribers had to pay an extra $20 per month to get Copilot inside Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as part of a Copilot Pro subscription, but Microsoft is now adding these AI features to Microsoft 365 apps for an extra $3 per month. Existing subscribers can opt out of the AI features and n

Image: The Verge, Nintendo Nintendo has finally revealed its new console, debuting the Switch 2 with a short video that went heavy on visuals but light on information. The video was paired with a brief follow-up press release from Nintendo that also didn’t go into much detail, with the company ostensibly saving all the juicy stuff for the Switch 2 Direct set to take place on April 2nd. While we wait for official word, here are the burning questions we still have about the Nintendo Switch 2

Red Dye No. 3 is used in certain candy, desserts, frostings, and other treats. | Photo by Lisa Wiltse/Corbis via Getty Images The US Food and Drug Administration is banning the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, drinks, and medication, the agency announced Wednesday. The dye, which the FDA says gives certain candies, cakes, and frostings a “bright, cherry-red color,” was found to cause cancer in male rats.
Food manufacturers in the US now have until January 15th, 2027 to reformulate their

Illustration: The Verge In a bid to get even more people regularly coming back to the theater, AMC is rolling out a new set of perks for the cheapest (read: free) tier of its loyalty rewards program.
Though AMC doesn’t seem to be getting rid of the original Insider level of its AMC Stubs membership, the theater chain announced today that it’s introducing a new Premiere Go! tier that will offer subscribers even more benefits. In addition to discounted tickets on Tuesdays, free (large)

SAVE $570: As of Jan. 16, get a like new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra from Woot for $849.99, which is $570 off its new price of $1,419.99. That's a discount of 43%. Opens in a new windowCredit: WootSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra$849.99 at Woot $1,419.99 Save $570.00Like New ConditionGet DealIf it's time to toss your old smartphone and upgrade to a new one, you might want to think about skipping a trip to your carrier and buying online. Often you can save hundreds just by opting for a different color, amou

With CES 2025 behind us, you might think that you'd have a break from big tech company announcements.Well, think again! Samsung's very own event, Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025, is just around the corner: January 22 at 1pm ET to be exact.While Samsung focused on "AI for All" at CES, showcasing mostly their latest home appliances and the AI-integrations in these products, the company held off on any announcements for their flagship line of smartphones, tablets, and other connected mobile devic

SAVE $100: The Garmin Venu 3S smartwatch (41mm, Ivory) is on sale at Amazon for $349.99, down from the normal price of $449.99. That's a 22% discount that matches the lowest price we've ever spotted at Amazon.Opens in a new windowCredit: GarminGamin Venu 3S (41mm, Ivory)$349.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $100.00Get DealIf you're just getting back into the swing of the work/life schedule after the holidays, you might still be considering resolutions for 2025. It's never too late to set some goals for

The Roborock Q5 Max Plus can’t mop, but it’s great for dry spills on carpets and hard flooring. | Image: Roborock
While you can pay close to $1,000 or more for a fancier robot vacuum with bells and whistles like mopping and AI object avoidance, sometimes, all you may need is a solid roamer with powerful suction. That’s exactly what the Roborock Q5 Max Plus is, and the all-time low price of $279.99 ($170 off) at Amazon and Roborock right now appropriately reflects that.The Robor

Image: The Verge, Nintendo Nintendo has finally revealed the Switch 2 — but it didn’t reveal everything. Even still, the new console looks pretty much like a bigger, more refined Switch. Sure, that’s the straightforward and expected move from Nintendo. But it’s also exactly what I’ve been waiting for.
The first Switch was a revelation. When it launched, I marveled over being able to play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on my TV and then take the console out

SAVE $100: As of Jan. 16, get the Beats Solo 4 Minecraft Edition headphones at Target for $99.99, down from their usual price of $199.99. That's a 50% discount. Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonBeats Solo 4 Minecraft Edition$99.99 at Amazon $199.99 Save $100.00Get DealLooking for a new pair of headphones? Love gaming? It's time to high-tail it on over to Target to take advantage of this deal. As of Jan. 16, you can get the Beats Solo 4 Minecraft Edition headphones at Target for $99.99. That's

Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol / Anadolu via Getty Images Now that New York City has finally flipped the switch on congestion pricing, the big question is: Will it work? And if so, how well?
To find out, all eyes turned to an unassuming new web tool called the Congestion Pricing Tracker. The brainchild of two college-age brothers, the tracker uses real-time traffic data from Google Maps to calculate traffic times for chosen routes and days. The data is presented as a line graph of traffic times be

PREORDER NOW: PlayStation just dropped its Midnight Black collection. Preorder controllers, headphones, and console covers now, all available in Midnight Black.PlayStation Midnight Black CollectionAmazonPlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller$199.99 at AmazonPre-Order HereTargetPlayStation Portal Remote Player$199.99 at TargetPre-Order HereTargetPlayStation Pulse Elite$149.99 at TargetPre-Order HereTargetPlayStation Pulse Explore$199.99 at AmazonPre-Order HerePlayStationPlayStation 5 Cons

Yet another deal has been signed between a publisher and a GenAI leader. Paris startup Mistral and news outlet Agence France-Presse (AFP) announced today that they are combining their services to improve AI responses. The deal provides Mistral’s chatbot — imaginatively named Le Chat — with access to all of AFP’s text stories.  According to Mistral, the integration will bring “enhanced factuality” to the AI assistant. “Partnering with a globally tru

Microsoft will stop supporting Office apps on Windows 10 this year. Also it really wants you to upgrade to Windows 11. According to a Microsoft blog post, the company will end support for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 on Oct. 14, 2025. That includes Office apps: Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneDrive. SEE ALSO:Microsoft wants you to upgrade to Windows 11 or buy a new computer
But that doesn't mean your apps will stop working when the deadline hits. A Microsoft support

Wrestler-turned-actor John Cena (Peacemaker, Ricky Stanicky) adds "talk show host" to his resume with the release of his upcoming Roku series What Drives You, which should appeal to car lovers and wrestling fans.SEE ALSO:2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them
In What Drives You, Cena meets up with celebrities at their homes, studios, and garages to learn about their favorite cars, take them out for a spin, and hear stories about why these vehicles mean so mu

PREORDER: As of Jan. 16, the new Lego Twilight The Cullen House set ($219.99) is available for preorder through the Lego Store. Shipping is expected to begin Feb. 1, and orders placed before Jan. 28 will quality for a free Valentine's Day Box set.Opens in a new windowCredit: Lego / LionsgateTwilight The Cullen House set$219.99 at Lego Store Pre-Order HereIt's been over 12 years (4,444 days to be exact) since we were treated to the last Twilight film. If you've been dreaming about the romantasy s

SAVE $50.95: As of Jan. 16, get the Beats Pill portable speaker for $99.99, down from its usual price of $149.95. That's a discount of 33%. Opens in a new windowCredit: AmazonBeats Pill$99.99 at Amazon $149.95 Save $49.96Get DealIf you're the type of person who likes to take music with you wherever you go, you're probably eyeing a powerful, portable speaker. They're super versatile and great for sharing music and podcasts with others, or enjoying those things at a higher volume than what your ph

Image: The Verge, Nintendo You can always count on Nintendo for a surprise. This is the company that followed the Game Boy with a strange dual-screened handheld and broke out of its GameCube slump with a console focused on motion controls. It’s the company that lost its lead with the Wii U and then gambled on another innovation — the portable hybrid known as the Switch — to ultimately get back on top. All of those were big, risky swings that seemingly exemplified the company&rs

Jeff Bezos' new rocket, taller than the Statue of Liberty, has blasted into space.The giant 320-foot-tall New Glenn rocket, named for legendary U.S. astronaut John Glenn, achieved a successful maiden launch after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station just after 2 a.m. ET on Jan. 16, 2025. The Blue Origin rocket, designed to have a reusable first stage powered by seven powerful engines, provides valuable competition in the rapidly-evolving rocket industry. The rocket has been in devel