Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Zoom has issued a patch for a bug on macOS that could allow a hacker to take control of a user’s operating system (via MacRumors). In an update on its security bulletin, Zoom acknowledges the issue (CVE-2022-28756) and says a fix is included in version 5.11.5 of the app on Mac, which you can (and should) download now.
Patrick Wardle, a security researcher and founder of the Objective-See Foundation, a nonprofit that creates open-source macOS security tools, first uncovered the flaw and presented it at the Def Con hacking conference last week. My colleague, Corin Faife, attended the event and reported on Wardle’s findings.
As Corin explains, the exploit targets the Zoom installer, which requires special user permissions to run. By...
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Reddit now lets users purchase Ethereum cryptocurrency on the platform through an integration with FTX, the crypto exchange owned by billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried. In a press release, FTX announced that Reddit users can now use the firm’s payment system, FTX Pay, when managing their blockchain-based community points.
Reddit first rolled out community points in 2020 as a way to reward users for interacting with a community. These points exist on the Ethereum blockchain and are stored in the “Vault,” a user’s blockchain-based wallet that also holds the collectible NFT (non-fungible token) avatars that Reddit introduced last month.
Reddit displays a user’s community points next to their username as a measure of their reputation, but also...
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Apple could eventually bring ads to more of the apps that come pre-installed on your iPhone and other Apple devices, including Maps, Books, and Podcasts. According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has internally tested search ads in Maps, which could display recommendations when you search for restaurants, stores, or other nearby businesses.
Apple already implements a similar advertising model on the App Store, as developers can pay to have their app promoted on a search page for a particular query, like “puzzle games” or “photo editor.” As noted by Gurman, ads on Maps could work in the same way, with businesses paying to appear at the top of search results when users enter certain search terms.
Gurman believes that Apple...
I just played some Halo on an original Xbox, and it was still very good. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Moments after booting up Halo: Combat Evolved with some friends, stepping onto the legendary Blood Gulch map, and dying nearly instantly from a few well-placed pistol shots, I remembered exactly why wires are good.
When my friends brought two original Xbox consoles along for a beach weekend, I expected that there would be some hassle getting them to work for our planned six-player matches. The game and consoles are more than 20 years old, likely predating even the dusty flat-screen TVs we were playing on. But to my surprise, just a few minutes after we had set up the consoles and connected them for system link play, we plugged in some controllers, made a Halo lobby, and began trash talking each other across the entire house.
Modern...
Leveling up your home theater experience
Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images
Elon Musk pitched sustainable energy, brain implants, and space exploration in an article published in a Chinese magazine run by the country’s internet watchdog and censorship agency, according to a translation from Yang Liu, a reporter for the Chinese state press agency, Xinhua. (via WSJ reporter Karen Hao).
Formed in 2013, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is in charge of creating and enforcing policies surrounding online content, user data, and digital security. The CAC later created a magazine that, according to China Media Project senior researcher, Stella Chen, typically includes regulatory announcements and research on internet policy. The magazine was initially called New Media before it was rebranded as China...
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Uber is ending its free loyalty program, Uber Rewards, so it can turn its attention to its subscription-based Uber One membership. In an email sent to customers, Uber explains that users can still earn points until the end of August, and that the last day to redeem points is October 31st.
“Thank you for being part of Uber Rewards,” the email reads. “It’s been a great ride, but we’ve decided to end Rewards soon, as we shift our focus to our new Uber One membership program.”
Screenshot: Uber via Michael Konen
The email sent to Uber Rewards users.
Uber has since posted an update about the loyalty program’s imminent shutdown, which will take place on November 1st, 2022. Launched in 2018, Uber Rewards is a free...
The fate of Warner Bros. DC Comics movies is looking grim
Verge readers can save up to $200 on iRobot’s Roomba j7 and Roomba i3 Plus EVO for a limited time. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
Great news, folks! Wellbots is currently taking up to $200 off cat Ubers — err, robot vacuums. OK, it may not be the most exciting news of the week, but most people would agree that there is nothing remotely fun about cleaning. Luckily, robot vacuums like iRobot’s Roomba j7 and Roomba i3 Plus EVO can expedite the entire process and make it a lot less hands-on.
Right now, you can buy the Roomba j7 — our favorite robot vacuum — for just $399 ($200 off) at Wellbots when you use promo code THEVERGE200 at checkout, which matches the robovac’s lowest price to date. The vacuum offers a wealth of great features, including scheduling, obstacle avoidance, the ability to map out your home’s layout, and Alexa, Google, and Siri support so you can...
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is meant to appeal to serious outdoors athletes, but relies on a touchscreen. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
Earlier this week, Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. It’s Samsung’s most durable smartwatch ever and at Unpacked it was clear that the company intends the watch to appeal to outdoor athletes. Apple also revealed at WWDC that watchOS 9 will feature a ton of new running metrics, adding fuel to rumors that a rugged Apple Watch may be on the way. It’s clear that both companies are looking to lure in users from the Garmin and Polar crowd — but aside from battery life and durability, there’s another obstacle that could derail these efforts. Touchscreens.
For better or worse, Apple and Samsung have relied on touchscreen navigation on their smartwatches. That’s fine for casual exercise, or for the average person who isn’t traversing all...