Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 finally gets USB audio support a decade after it was released

Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 has one of the most iconic synthesizers around since it was first released over a decade ago, but the music-making machine is still getting new features: the company just announced its 243rd firmware update that adds USB audio support to the OP-1 for the first time.

The added feature turns the OP-1 into a full-fledged external audio unit. That means you can directly send audio from an OP-1 to DAW software like Ableton Live, Pro Tools, or Logic Pro on a PC or Mac or mobile versions of those applications on iOS and Android (like Garageband) without having to use any workarounds or hacks. Additionally, you’ll be able to sample and record on the OP-1 directly from a connected USB audio device.

Send audio right to...

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EU proposes phasing out new internal combustion cars by 2035

Photo by Michael Kappeler / picture alliance via Getty Images

The European Union has proposed phasing out gas-powered internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035, part of a sweeping new plan to drastically reduce carbon emissions on the continent.

If passed, the legislation would require a 55 percent cut in overall CO2 emissions from new vehicles by 2030 compared to current levels. As it stands, the EU only currently requires a 37.5 percent cut by 2030 — which is weaker than even the United States is targeting. By 2035, though, the EU proposes a 100 percent cut, effectively banning new gas and even hybrid cars.

The effective ban would be an effective tool for cleaning up air pollution, as passenger cars make up about 12 percent of the total CO2 emissions in the EU. It would also be a big boost to...

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How to find and create live videos on TikTok

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

If you’re just starting to explore TikTok and you want to do a live video (as opposed to the usual recorded TikTok video), I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.

You can’t — at least, not yet.

Unlike Facebook / Instagram, which let anyone create a live video, TikTok only makes live videos available if you’re 16 years old or older and have more than 1,000 followers. Once you qualify, though, it’s a relatively simple process.

But before we go into making a live broadcast, here’s a quick tip on how to find one. Note that, at present, you can only see live feeds from people you are following, so if you are really into live broadcasts, the best thing to do is follow a bunch of people.

To find a live video

• Tap the Inbox icon at the bottom...

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The new Razer Blade 17 packs more GPU power into the same slim chassis

Image: Razer

Razer’s largest laptop is getting big upgrades. The new mid-2021 refresh of the Blade 17 will add newer CPUs, higher-powered GPUs, and an updated webcam.

The new Blade 17, which drops the “Pro” designation of earlier models, catches the larger laptop up to the Blade 15 Advanced released earlier this year. It now comes equipped with the same Intel 11th Gen H-Series processors, with a choice of the Core i7 11800H (2.3GHz base clock, 4.6GHz boost clock), or the top-tier Core i9 11900H (2.5GHz base, 4.9GHz boost), which isn’t available on Razer’s smaller models.

The laptop also features GPUs from Nvidia’s latest RTX lineup, including the 3060, 3070, and the 3080, with up to 16GB of video memory. Crucially, Razer has increased the Blade 17’s...

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Microsoft puts PCs in the cloud with Windows 365

Microsoft is putting Windows in the cloud. Windows 365 is a new service that will let businesses access Cloud PCs from anywhere, streaming a version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 in a web browser. While virtualization and remote access to PCs has existed for more than a decade, Microsoft is betting on Windows 365 to offer Cloud PCs to businesses just as they shift toward a mix of office and remote work.

Windows 365 will work on any modern web browser or through Microsoft’s Remote Desktop app, allowing users to access their Cloud PC from a variety of devices. “Windows 365 provides an instant-on boot experience,” according to Wangui McKelvey, a general manager for Microsoft 365. This instant access lets workers stream their Windows session...

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Microsoft is changing the way it buys renewable energy

Solar panels that were installed on four buildings on the Microsoft Corp. campus in Mountain View, California, Wednesday, April 25, 2007.  | Photo by Tony Avelar/Bloomberg via Getty Images

With a new strategy for how it purchases renewable energy, Microsoft hopes to push electricity grids to get clean. The tech giant is now focused on making a local impact in the places where it operates.

Since 2012, the company has purchased enough renewable energy to match how much juice it uses to power its operations globally. But Microsoft isn’t actually running on renewables 100 percent of the time. All of thoseclean energy purchases don’t necessarily connectto the same electricity grids that the company is plugged into.

Clean energy purchases don’t necessarily connectto the same electricity grids that the company is plugged into

That could change if Microsoft is successful in its new goal. By 2030, it wants to make sure that...

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Facebook says FTC chair shouldn’t help decide the future of its antitrust case

Photo by Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images

Facebook has asked recently confirmed Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan to recuse herself from the agency’s antitrust fight against Facebook, claiming her previous criticism of the company disqualifies her from fairly judging its conduct.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Facebook’s petition, which was filed with the FTC today. In the petition, Facebook attorneys write that “Chair Khan has consistently and very publicly concluded that Facebook is guilty of violating the antitrust laws. She has built her career, in large part, by singling out Facebook as a professed antitrust violator.” Facebook cites Khan’s previous anti-monopoly work at the nonprofit Open Markets Institute, her contribution to a congressional antitrust...

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Taking NYC’s temperature with a thermal camera

The urban heat island effect can be deadly

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TVA TemPad review: who needs TikTok when you can control time and space?

Loki’s signature gadget, reviewed

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Apple’s educational ‘Today at Apple’ classes are launching on YouTube with a Peanuts-themed session

Learn how to draw yourself as a_Peanuts_character in the first “Today at Apple” YouTube session. | Image: Apple

Apple is bringing its educational “Today at Apple” classes to YouTube, the company announced Wednesday. The first episode will show you how to draw yourself as a Peanuts character in the company’s Pages app.

The session features two people who work on the Apple TV Plus show The Snoopy Show — showrunner Mark Evestaff and storyboard artist Krista Porter — and it’s hosted by an Apple Store employee named Anthony. I’ve watched the nearly 10-minute episode, and it’s a pretty easy guide to follow about turning yourself into a Peanuts cartoon. Unsurprisingly, it’s packed with Apple technologies; Anthony and Porter draw on iPads using Apple Pencils, and they’re collaborating in the same Pages document.

“Today at Apple” first launched in 2017

A...

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Netflix Kids’ new Top 10 row makes content discovery a little easier

Netflix Kids will now have its own top 10 row. | Image: Netflix

Netflix is launching two new tools this week that should help make finding age-appropriate content a little easier to discover within the kids version of its streaming service.

Today, Netflix is introducing a new Top 10 row for age-restricted profiles, borrowing one of the most useful tools for discovery from the adult version of the service. Netflix’s existing top 10 tool works by surfacing the most popular titles on the service, often new and original titles, which can make finding something to stream a lot less of a headache. Launching in 93 countries, the row will be updated daily and will feature both shows and movies with the regional equivalent of a PG and below rating. Additionally, titles that make the cut will display a “Top...

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Skyward Sword HD is just the thing to hold you over until Breath of the Wild 2

Breath of the Wild changed a lot about The Legend of Zelda. Most importantly, it made the fantasy realm of Hyrule more open, increasing the sense of pure adventure. If you saw something off on the horizon — a crumbling ruin, a giant mountain, whatever — you could find your own way there, rather than following a path laid out by the game’s developers. It’s what made the game so refreshing, but it could also make going back to older entries challenging.

At least, that was my fear playing Skyward Sword, which originally launched a decade ago and is coming to the Switch this week. Aside from a few quality-of-life tweaks, slightly updated visuals, and the very welcome addition of a motion control-free control scheme, the new version is the...

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Amazon is crowdfunding these Diane von Furstenberg Echo Dots

Amazon is launching the next line of products for its Build It crowdfunding platform. The company has collaborated with fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg on a range of Echo Dot smart speakers that’ll only go on sale if enough people pre-order them within 30 days.

That’s by no means a given. Amazon launched the Build It program earlier this year with three Alexa-powered devices — a nutrition scale, a cuckoo clock, and a sticky note printer — and only the last of those reached its goal in time. Amazon currently estimates that the Smart Sticky Note Printer will ship between July and September, but if you didn’t get in on the Build It campaign, you can’t pre-order it right now.

The Echo Dot x Diane von Furstenberg range comes in three...

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HyperX’s excellent Cloud Alpha S gaming headset is just $90 at Amazon

Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

The gaming industry saw explosive growth in 2020, with more than half of US residents turning to video games as a way to pass the time, socialize, and generally entertain themselves during the pandemic. If you’re new to the whole gaming thing, however, you might want to consider picking up a capable headset before jumping into competitive play. Thankfully, everything in HyperX’s headset lineup is consistently reliable, with the Cloud Alpha S being a solid choice for those looking for clean sound, comfort, and a subtle look that should mesh well with just about anything. Right now, the jet black model is on sale at Amazon for $90, nearly matching the best price we’ve seen on the wired headset. Read our review.

Like HyperX, Blue is a...

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Facebook’s satellite internet team joins Amazon

An artistic rendering of a satellite in orbit. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon has acquired a team of employees from Facebook focused on delivering internet connectivity from low Earth orbit satellites, The Information reports. Amazon paid Facebook an undisclosed sum as part of the acquisition, which saw more than a dozen Los Angeles-based employees switch companies in April to work on Project Kuiper. A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the news to The Information.

The move brings an end to Facebook’s efforts to deliver internet connectivity to remote areas via its own satellites. When it confirmed the initiative in 2018 the company said that it believed the technology would make it possible “to bring broadband connectivity to rural regions where internet connectivity is lacking or non-existent.” Facebook had...

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Loki Easter egg officially confirms a second season

Disney’s Loki_TV show is getting a second season, according to a scene appended to the sixth and final episode of its first season. The confirmation, first spotted by Variety,_ comes mid-way through the episode’s credits at the 42 minute and 48 second mark, when a stamp appears on screen which simply reads “Loki will return in season 2.”

Loki is the third Marvel show to have premiered on Disney Plus, and the first to have had a second season officially confirmed. _WandaVision_star Elizabeth Olsen has confirmed that the show, which premiered in January this year, isn’t due to receive a second season. Meanwhile it’s currently unclear whether _The Falcon and the Winter Soldier_will return for a second season, especially given the show leads...

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Democrats have a new plan to legalize marijuana federally

Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

On Wednesday, Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a discussion draft of legislation that proposes sweeping reform to marijuana policy in the US. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would decriminalize marijuana federally, expunge federal non-violent cannabis convictions (and encourage states to do the same), and create “new grant programs to fund nonprofits that provide services to those adversely impacted by the War on Drugs.”

In the introduction to the 30-page draft legislation, the senators note that adult use of cannabis is already legal in 18 states, Washington D.C., the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. Medicinal marijuana is even more widespread, legal in 37 states, Puerto...

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Retail stores are packed with unchecked facial recognition, civil rights organizations say

More than 35 organizations are demanding top US retailers cease using facial recognition to identify shoppers and employees in their stores, which companies have used to deter theft and identify shoplifters.

The campaign is aptly named Ban Facial Recognition in Stores, and has identified stores that have committed to not using facial recognition, like Walmart, Home Depot, and Target. It is now pressuring companies currently using the technology, or those who might use it in the future. Some companies that are currently using the technology, according to the website, include Apple, Lowe’s, Albertsons, Macy’s, and Ace Hardware.

Companies that might use it in the future include McDonalds, Walgreens, and 7-Eleven. A full list can be found...

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iPhone 13 rumors grow more certain ahead of September launch

Last year’s iPhone 12 Pro. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Apple’s flagship 2021 iPhones will come in the same sizes as last year’s models, but with a smaller display notch, according to a new report from Bloomberg. This mirrors previouspredictions from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to Bloomberg, this year’s phones will be an iterative upgrade over the iPhone 12 series, and will include incremental improvements to their processors, cameras, and displays when they’re announced in September.

_Bloomberg_reports that “at least one” of the four new devices will include an LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) display. It’s a technology Apple has previously used with its smartwatches to dynamically adjust their screen refresh rates to conserve battery. That lines up with a previous prediction...

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iPhone 12 reverse wireless charging can power up Apple’s new MagSafe battery pack

Photo: Apple

Apple surprised us Tuesday by simply putting its latest iPhone accessory on sale. The $99 MagSafe Battery Pack isn’t the first power cell we’ve seen that uses Apple’s new magnetic system to connect with the iPhone 12 family (Anker offers a 5,000mAh pack with slower 5W charging for $45.99), but it is the first one from Apple and can charge at up to 15W while it’s plugged in.

MacRumors and 9to5Mac point out a support document that helps answer a few questions we immediately had about the device, including confirmation that this will unlock the iPhone 12’s “secret” reverse charging feature. While iFixit didn’t spot any additional hardware to add wireless charging, FCC filings revealed the company’s plan to let you charge accessories while...

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Space startup Momentus charged by SEC with misleading investors

Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday charged embattled space infrastructure startup Momentus Space and its founder, Mikhail Kokorich, with allegedly misleading investors about its propulsion technology and downplaying regulators’ national security concerns associated with Kokorich, who is Russian.

The SEC also charged the company, Stable Road Acquisition Corp, that was going to acquire Momentus as part of a deal to take the startup public (and sidestep the IPO process). Stable Road Acquisition Corp is a SPAC, a company that exists only to buy another company; the CEO of Stable Road, Brian Kabot, and its sponsor SRC-NI have also been charged by the SEC. Everyone except Kokorich has settled the charges with the SEC and paid a...

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Google is capping Meet’s formerly unlimited group video calls to an hour for free accounts

Image: Google

Google has brought an end to its effectively “unlimited” group video calls in Meet for free Gmail accounts, according to support pages spotted by 9to5Google. Now users with free accounts logging on to Meet will have group calls capped at an hour rather than the previous 24-hour meeting duration.

Google’s unlimited group meeting offer was helpful because so many traditionally in-person functions moved online due to COVID-19. Not having to worry about a call cutting out or creating new meeting links meant you could leave your video call on during long family get-togethers.

One-on-one calls are still unlimited

Meet was opened up to non-enterprise users in April last year to better compete with Zoom, and at the time Google promised to keep...

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Mercedes-Benz’s new Roadster has a flippy touchscreen

Large touchscreens are commonplace in new cars these days, and the bigger these rectangular screens get, the fewer things you can do with the hardware to really differentiate from the competition. Perhaps that’s why, in the new 2022 AMG SL Roadster, Mercedes-Benz is taking the screen out of the dashboard, anchoring it to the center console, and letting it electronically flip up and down.

That’s right, Mercedes-Benz’s newest car has a flippy screen. The company said it designed the 11.9-inch portrait touchscreen this way in order to help fight glare — the AMG SL Roadster is a convertible, after all — but it’s also clearly a flashy parlor trick that seems to say, “Hey, we did something different from Tesla.”

The new AMG SL Roadster also...

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Facebook groups can now designate Group Experts

Image: Facebook

Facebook is introducing a new feature called “Group Experts” today, which will allow admins to designate which members are highly knowledgeable about the group’s topic.

Beyond the bragging rights, Group Experts will have a badge next to their name emblazoned with the proof of their elevated status. This badge will show up on posts, comments, and in the Q&A feature.

Group Experts will be selected by group administrators, and experts will only be given this extraordinary power once they have accepted the nomination. Admins can revoke the expert status, as well.

Facebook is testing ways to make it easier for admins to find these experts, by prompting specific users, currently in the gaming and fitness spaces, to add which games or...

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The Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con drift problem, explained

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

Nintendo Switch owners have been experiencing problems with the console’s removable Joy-Con controllers for years now, with users reporting weird joystick drifting problems that cause false inputs and have been steadily growing over time as original Switch machines grow older.

Ever since a report by Kotaku from July 2019 shined a light on the Joy-Con drift issue, Nintendo has changed its policies significantly. The company will now repair drifting Joy-Con controllers for free, even if your controllers are outside the regular warranty. But Nintendo hasn’t changed the design of the controllers, and it’s still an issue today, even on the refreshed Switch models that launched last year.

If you’re looking for more information on the...

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Google fined €500 million in France over bad faith negotiations with news outlets

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google is being charged with a historic €500 million ($589 million) fine from the French Competition Authority (FCA) for failing to comply with an April 2020 order to negotiate fairly with news publishers over the use of, and payment for, their articles and other content (via CNBC).

News publishers gained the ability to request payment for the use of their content on third-party platforms with the passage of the European Union’s controversial Copyright Directive, which was adopted by France in 2019 and generally tries to shift power toward content producers rather than the platforms that reshare their work. Article 11 of the directive, colloquially called the “Link Tax,” gives publishers the right to ask for payment for snippets of...

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Twitter will let you change who can reply to a tweet after you post it

Tap the three dots menu to change who can reply to your tweet. | Image: Twitter

Twitter is rolling out the ability to let you change who can reply to a tweet after you have posted it, the company announced Tuesday. You could already limit who replied to your tweets thanks to a feature rolled out widely in August, but you had to set that preference while writing the tweet — with this update, you can change who can reply at a later time, which could be a helpful way to reduce harassment. The feature will be available globally on iOS, Android, and the web.

To change who can reply, click or tap the three-dot menu on a tweet and look for the option in the menu that appears. You can make it so that everyone can reply, only people you follow can reply, or only people you mention in your tweet can reply.

Your Tweets =...

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GM drops wireless charging from some SUVs due to chip shortage

General Motors is dropping wireless smartphone charging from some new SUVs because of the global microchip shortage. It’s the latest feature to get the axe at the company due to the low supply of semiconductors, as GM has already pulled HD radio from some models, along with auto start-stop and a fuel management module that made pickup trucks slightly cleaner and more efficient.

Certain trims of the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, as well as the 2021 GMC Yukon, made after July 12th will no longer include a wireless charging pad, as was first reported by the GM Authority blog. But GM tells The Verge that certain 2022 Buick Enclaves, Chevy Traverses, and Cadillac XT5s and XT6s made after August 2nd are also affected.

Buyers of these...

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Discord buys AI anti-harassment company

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Discord has purchased a company working on AI tools to help detect harassment online. The company, Sentropy, monitors online networks for abuse and harassment, then offers users a way to block problematic users and filter out messages they don’t want to see. Its first product, Sentropy Protect, was initially focused on helping users clean up their Twitter feeds.

The company is now shutting down its independent tools and joining Discord, where it plans to help the hugely popular chat app “expand and evolve its [trust and safety] capabilities.”

It could be a good pairing. Discord has a huge network, with more than 150 million monthly users, and servers can be a real challenge to moderate. The service is made up of more than 19 million...

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Quibi’s zombie corpse rises again to claim eight Emmy nominations

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Quibi wasn’t long for this world, but its spirit refuses to let us move on from its chaotic memory. Despite shutting down in December, the doomed streaming service scooped up several Emmy nominations today for its shortform originals across three categories.

The service received eight nominations for three of its series, including Die Hart, Mapleworth Murders, and _Reno 911!_As was the case when a handful of Quibi originals were nominated for Emmy awards last year, the service cleaned up in shortform content categories, which makes a lot of sense considering it doesn’t exactly have a ton of competition in the arena. Its nominations by category are as follows:

Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series

Pete Devon in Bonding...

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