The Verge
What a new book reveals about Facebook and Russian interference
Illustration by William Joel / The Verge
An Ugly Truth tracks the last five years of Facebook scandals
The VergeThe VergeCandace Parker becomes first woman to feature on NBA 2K cover
Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images
Candace Parker has become the first WNBA player to appear on the cover of an NBA 2K game. The Chicago Sky forward, a six-time WNBA All-Star, two-time WNBA MVP, and 2016 WNBA Finals MVP, is featured on the cover of the WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition of NBA 2K22, which will be released on September 10th.
“I grew up a video game fanatic, that’s what I did, to the point where my brothers would give me the fake controller when I was younger where I think I was playing and I wasn’t,” Parker tells ESPN. “All I wanted to do was just be like them. As a kid growing up, you dream of having your own shoe and dream of being in a video game. Those are an athlete as a kid’s dreams. To be able to experience that, I don’t take it lightly.”
E...
The VergeAmazon adds AirPlay 2 and HomeKit to two Fire TV Edition TVs
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Amazon is adding support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit to two of its Fire TV Edition TVs in a free update, the company announced on Wednesday. Both the 2020 Toshiba 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with Dolby Vision and the 2020 Insignia 4K UHD Smart TV will receive the features, before they arrive on Amazon’s less expensive Fire TV sticks and set-top boxes.
On these specific TV sets, AirPlay 2 should function the same on Apple’s own Apple TV, allowing you to send audio and video from your phone, tablet, or computer to the big screen and control playback from your device. Integrating with HomeKit, Apple’s smart home ecosystem, requires a little extra legwork: you’ll have to enable HomeKit in your TV’s settings under Display & Sounds > AirPlay & HomeKit...
The VergeNetflix snags former EA, Oculus exec to lead its video game efforts
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
A report this spring from The Information said that Netflix was seeking an executive to lead its push into gaming, with an eye toward offering an Apple Arcade or Xbox Game Pass-like subscription bundle. Now, as first reported by Bloomberg, the streaming company has hired Mike Verdu as its vice president of game development reporting to COO Greg Peters. A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the hire to_The Verge_.
Verdu is a former exec who has experience with mobile gaming companies like Zynga, ran EA Mobile for a year, and most recently has been working at Facebook acquiring a series of Oculus game developers like BigBox VR, maker of Population: One.
On its last earnings call in April (PDF), Peters said “...we’re in the business of creating...
The VergeMicrosoft attributes new SolarWinds attack to a Chinese hacker group
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) reported on Tuesday that SolarWinds software was attacked with a zero-day exploit by a group of hackers it calls “DEV-0322.” The hackers were focused on SolarWinds’ Serv-U FTP software, with the presumed goal of accessing the company’s clients in the US defense industry.
The zero-day attack was first spotted in a routine Microsoft 365 Defender scan. The software noticed an “anomalous malicious process” that Microsoft explains in more detail in its blog, but it seems the hackers were attempting to make themselves Serv-U administrators, among other suspicious activity.
Update Serv-U as soon as possible
SolarWinds reported the zero-day exploit on Friday, July 9th, explaining that all of the...
The VergeOnePlus says the base OnePlus 9 Pro actually won’t be sold in North America
Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge
The OnePlus 9 Pro went on sale on April 2nd, but to date, the $969 base model, which comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, hasn’t been available to actually buy in North America. The company had told Android Police on April 3rd that the base version was still on the way, but now, according to a new statement given to Android Police, it actually won’t make its way to the US or Canada due to “unforeseen supply constraints.”
Here’s the full statement, from Android Police:
“The OnePlus 9 Pro 8x128 GB variant was originally set to be sold in North America for $969. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen supply constraints specific to North American devices, we recently concluded it is no longer possible to bring this configuration to the...
The VergeGM says two Chevy Bolts caught fire after getting recall fix
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
General Motors said Wednesday that two recent Bolt EV fires happened in vehicles that had already received the fix meant to prevent the battery pack from igniting, raising new questions about the recall announced last year. In the meantime, the automaker is warning owners of 2017-2019 model year Bolts not to charge the electric cars overnight, and to park them outside in case they catch fire.
GM recalled nearly 69,000 Bolt EVs in November 2020 after a handful of reports of fires that apparently started in the electric vehicles’ battery packs. The company warned owners at the time to park their Bolts outside until it could figure out the cause of the fires and settle on a fix, but it didn’t say anything at the time about not charging...
The VergePlex’s free TV service gets 15 new channels
Image: Plex
Plex, the popular build-your-own streaming service, has added 15 new channels to its ad-supported streaming offering for free TV.
All of the new channels available on Plex’s free Live TV feed arrive on the service today, and most will be available globally (though a spokesperson told The Verge that some are available in Latin America or the US only). Plex originally launched the free TV feature last year as a collection of pre-programmed, continuous channels rather than traditional over-the-air streams. So it’s not quite live TV, but it does offer a similar linear experience if you’re just looking to throw something on.
Of these new channels, some notable additions include MMA TV, USA Today, USA Today Sportswire, and the Tribeca Channel....
The VergeHere are the best Kindle deals right now
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
When it comes to finding a device to use to read your ebooks, you have a few options to choose from. You can always buy a tablet or use your smartphone, but those devices are multipurpose and can be used for a ton of things, like surfing the web or doom-scrolling on Twitter. If you are looking for something to strictly read books, e-readers, while niche, are designed to store all of your books in a virtual library with limited functionality.
Amazon, having helped pioneer the e-reader, has dominated the space for years with its Kindle lineup, which consists of three unique models with their own pros and cons.
Below, we’ve listed each model currently available for purchase. Sometimes, there isn’t a deal for one, or any, of the products....
The VergeWhatsApp multi-device beta allows four devices at once even without a phone
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Until now, using WhatsApp web on your desktop or any other device has required having a phone that’s powered on and connected, but a new beta test is trying out support for multiple devices without needing a phone in the mix. In a June interview, WhatsApp head Will Cathcart and his boss, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, commented on the technical challenge of maintaining end-to-end encryption. With a blog post today, Cathcart explains more about what has been done behind the scenes to maintain security.
Image: Facebook
WhatsApp’s message architecture.
As the image comparing the legacy and new systems (above) tries to explain, previously, a user’s phone managed the key determining their identity and ability to...
The VergeFacebook is giving up on brain-typing as an AR glasses interface
Facebook’s prototype brain-computer interface headset. | Image: Facebook Reality Labs
A Facebook-backed initiative aiming to let people type by thinking has concluded with new findings published today.
Project Steno was a multi-year collaboration between Facebook and the University of California San Francisco’s Chang Lab, aiming to create a system that translates brain activity into words. A new research paper, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, shows potential for implementing the technology for people with speech impairments.
But alongside the research, Facebook made clear it is backing off the idea of a commercial head-mounted brain-reading device, and building out wrist-worn interfaces instead. The new research has no clear applicability for a mass-market tech product, and in a press release, Facebook...
The VergeYouTube borrows three more features from Twitch
YouTube now supports creating clips from live streams. | Image: YouTube
YouTube is adding a trio of new features for live-streaming today that are all standbys for streamers on Twitch. Streamers will now be able to limit their chats to subscribers only, they’ll be able to create polls inside of their chats, and they and their viewers will now be able to create clips from popular gaming streams.
These features have been around for a while on Twitch, and they’re all important tools to let streamers engage with their community. Limiting chats to subscribers only can help as a moderation tool by weeding out people who are just popping by, and it gives streamers another tool to encourage their viewers to start paying. And polls are useful for engaging with the often-chaotic chatrooms, giving streamers a simple...
The VergeApple’s latest iOS and macOS betas undo some of Safari’s controversial new design
Apple has released its third developer betas for the upcoming iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, and they bring some much-needed fixes to Safari — namely, undoing some of the more controversial changes introduced in the earlier betas. For macOS, that means a normal tab bar that goes back to the previous design, while iOS is getting a more consistent design when it comes to the URL bar.
iOS 15 is still sticking with its new tab view and the moved URL bar on the bottom of the display, but the latest beta docked it there permanently, instead of bouncing it to the top of the screen when you selected it. Apple’s also added a new refresh option to the pop-over menu when you tap and hold the URL bar. Together, the changes help make the new design a...
The VergeThe company that graded the million-dollar copy of Super Mario 64 has a new owner
Wata Games, the company that graded the recent record-breaking copies of The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario 64, has been acquired by Collectors Universe, which grades coins, trading cards, and other collectibles and memorabilia. The purchase signals video games’ growing prominence in the world of collectibles, which has seen significant interest recently due to the skyrocketing value of things like Pokémon cards.
“Collectibles across categories, including trading cards and sports memorabilia, are now firmly considered an alternative investment class by both hobbyists and investors,” said Nat Turner, executive chair of Collectors Universe, in a press release. “With those categories seeing a stratospheric rise recently, we’ve identified...
The VergeNeurocracy is future fiction in the form of Wikipedia
How Half-Life and Deus Ex laid the foundation for a Wikipedia-style murder mystery game
The VergeHere are the best Apple Watch deals right now
The Product Red edition of the Series 6 is one of many Apple Watches currently on sale. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Thinking about picking up a new Apple Watch? It’s never a bad idea to wait until there’s a good deal, and thankfully, those happen with some regularity.
There are currently three Apple Watch models to choose from, all of which support watchOS 7. The latest model — and the highest end — is the Apple Watch Series 6 with GPS and cellular connectivity, which starts at $399. If that seems too expensive, you can save about $120 by opting for an Apple Watch SE, which also launched in the fall.
Finally, there’s the three-year-old Series 3, the most affordable Apple Watch to date. It has a starting retail price of $199, but it frequently goes on sale. However, if you want something more future-proof, you may want to consider the other two...
The VergeMicrosoft threatens to resurrect Clippy as an Office emoji
Microsoft is threatening to bring back its ~~annoying~~ loveable Clippy character. The software giant claims it will replace the paperclip emoji in Microsoft Office with Clippy if the tweet below gets 20,000 likes. The tweet has already passed 9,000 likes, so Clippy could be about to return as a more innocent emoji.
Born in Office 97, Clippy originally appeared as an assistant to offer help and tips for using Microsoft Office. You either loved or hated its Groucho eyebrows and persistence, and Microsoft eventually killed off Clippy in Office XP in 2001.
If this gets 20k likes, we’ll replace the paperclip emoji in Microsoft 365 with Clippy. pic.twitter.com/6T8ziboguC
— Microsoft (@Microsoft) July 14, 2021
The famous paperclip nearly made...
The VergeAmazon reportedly worked on an Alexa wearable for kids
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Amazon toyed with yet another way of ingratiating itself into the lives of you and your family through an Alexa-enabled wearable for kids, _Bloomberg_reports. The device was considered for Amazon’s 2020 product roadmap, according to documents Bloomberg viewed, and it would have added to the company’s growing stable of kid-focused tech products.
The $99 wearable, codenamed “Seeker,” would reportedly feature GPS, voice activation (presumably for some kind of Alexa features), and be targeted for children ages four to 12. The finer details of the physical design of the device seem like they were still up in the air. Bloomberg writes the wearable could have come as a clip, keychain, or wristband. The goal seemed to be delivering exclusive A...
The VergeAT&T says it will bring mmWave 5G to seven US airports this year
The company is partnering with Boingo to deploy 5G Plus in parts of US airports. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
AT&T has announced a partnership with Boingo Wireless to bring its fast mmWave 5G — which it calls 5G Plus — to more US airports, with a goal of seven by the end of the year and 25 by the end of 2022. That’s counting its first deployment in Tampa International Airport earlier this year. There’s a little bit of a catch, though; travelers will only find 5G Plus in certain areas of the airport, like major gates and concessions areas. Still, it’s one place where range-limited but powerful mmWave might actually make sense. When else do you need to download an entire movie while you wait for your latte?
Boingo is known for providing Wi-Fi to air travelers, but what AT&T is deploying isn’t 5G-branded Wi-Fi. Any AT&T subscriber with the right...
The VergeHere are the best AirPods deals you can get right now
Apple’s AirPods Pro wireless earbuds | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Apple’s AirPods are among the most popular headphones on the market. Both the AirPods and AirPods Pro are compact, easy to pair with your devices, and offer reliable connectivity, which isn’t always the case with even the best true wireless earbuds. The AirPods Max, the latest pair of headphones to join the AirPods lineup, are just as dependable, albeit at a higher price.
Luckily, many of the most popular models routinely undergo a price cut. There are often sizable discounts on the base model as well as the more expensive AirPods Pro and Max, which offer noise cancellation and better sound quality than the standard second-gen model.
Here, we’ll run through the best AirPods deals available, including those on the AirPods AirPods Pro and...
The VergeLoki: the latest news and reviews for the Marvel show on Disney Plus
Photo: Marvel Studios
Stay up to date with the trickster god
The VergeLoki’s first season is the best of Marvel without the baggage
Photo: Marvel Studios
The most standalone MCU series yet
The VergeTwitter is shutting down Fleets, its expiring tweets feature
Twitter just rolled out Fleets to everyone in November. | Twitter
Say goodbye to Fleets, the row of fullscreen tweets at the top of the Twitter timeline that expire after 24 hours. The ephemeral tweet format is shutting down due to low usage after launching widely just eight months ago.
Starting on August 3rd, users will instead just see active Spaces — Twitter’s live audio chat rooms — at the top of their timelines. And the composer for traditional tweets will be updated with more camera editing features from Fleets, like text-formatting and GIF stickers over photos.
Twitter’s decision to axe Fleets is not just an admission that the feature didn’t work, but that the company still hasn’t figured out how to get people tweeting more. For years, Twitter has struggled to get new users to post regularly and...
The VergeFacebook will pay $1 billion to creators through 2022
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Facebook plans to pay out $1 billion to creators over the next year and a half as part of an effort to court content makers to its many services. The money will be awarded to creators who use Facebook products in different ways: on Facebook, creators can get a cash bonus for running ads on their videos or reaching certain tipping milestones during livestreams; on Instagram, creators can get paid for enabling ads on their IGTV videos, getting tipped in livestreams, or creating popular videos on Reels.
The money is available to creators on an invitation-only basis for now, and new options for making money will be announced later. Facebook indicated it would expand availability to more creators later in the year, launching a “dedicated...
The VergeAndroid 12 Beta 3 has a wild new way to handle auto-rotation
Google is releasing the latest beta for Android 12 right on schedule. Beta 3 for Android 12 continues adding features, including scrolling screenshots, faster on-device universal search for apps, improved auto-rotate, and more. Google says this version of Android 12 has the “Android 12 APIs and the official SDK,” which means there shouldn’t be major feature changes in the upcoming betas. That should mean Android 12 is still on track for a fall release.
The most interesting new feature in Android 12 Beta 3 is “better, faster auto-rotate.” Google is now using the front-facing camera and face detection to determine what orientation you’re trying to hold the phone (instead of just depending on the accelerometer).
“This is especially helpful...
The VergeClubhouse launches its DM feature Backchannel
Backchannel, Clubhouse’s messaging feature | Image: Clubhouse
Now, you can slide into people’s Clubhouse DMs. The social audio company is launching its direct messaging feature, Backchannel, today for all users on both iOS and Android. For now, users can chat one-on-one, in groups, and send links. They cannot yet send images or videos, but a spokesperson says that functionality is coming, along with a “few other features.” There will also be an optional secondary inbox where message requests will live.
The functionality is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app. We can’t say this development is much of a surprise, though: Clubhouse a...
The VergeChrome will soon let you turn on an HTTPS-first mode
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Google is working to make browsing more secure by soon offering an HTTPS-first option, which will try to upgrade page loads to HTTPS, the company announced on Wednesday. If you flip this option on, the browser will also show a full-page warning when you try to load up a site that doesn’t support HTTPS. The company is also announcing that it’s “re-examining” the lock icon in the URL bar and plans to experiment with a change to how that looks.
HTTPS is a more secure version of HTTP (yes, the “S” stands for “secure”), and many of the websites you visit every day likely already support it. Since HTTPS encrypts your traffic, it’s a helpful privacy tool for when you’re using public Wi-Fi or to keep your ISP from snooping on the contents of...
The VergeAn AI model shows health centers in California aren’t prepared for power outages
Wildfires in the West can lead to power outages.
There are around 20 federally qualified health centers in the areas touched by the Lava, Tennant, and Salt fires, which started in Northern California at the end of June. The centers are part of the state’s healthcare safety net and offer primary care to low-income patients in the area. Despite the fire risk to the facilities, none of those 20 centers had backup generators, says Andrew Schroeder, who runs analytics programs at the humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief.
That’s key information for officials and aid groups: if the power went out because of the fires, those centers might not be able to keep medications and vaccines refrigerated or turn on computer systems with patient medical records. But before May, that’s not...
The VergeEuropean Union proposes roadmap for slashing greenhouse gas emissions
Frans Timmermans, vice president of the European Commission, Adina Valean, transport commissioner of the European Union (EU), Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, Paolo Gentiloni, economy commissioner of the European Union (EU), Kadri Simson, energy commissioner of the European Union (EU), and Janusz Wojciechowski, agriculture commissioner of the European Union (EU), (left to right) as the European Union (EU) unveils a landmark climate plan in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. The EU is set to transform every corner of its economy — from how people heat their home to the cars they drive — as the bloc uses a massive overhaul of rules to position itself as a global leader on climate change. | Thierry Monasse/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The European Union put out a sweeping set of proposals today that could drastically cut its greenhouse gas emissions if the plan ultimately becomes law. Internal combustion vehicles would be phased out by 2035, and it would rope industries like aviation and shipping, which were previously exempt from some EU climate policies, into compliance. The bloc also intends to influence polluters outside its borders by potentially making importers pay for their pollution.
All in all, it’s a roadmap to achieving a goal that Europeans have been hashing out for years. In 2019, the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, put forward a “Green Deal” to get the continent to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Reaching that target...
The VergeLG’s rollable OLED TV is finally coming to the US for a staggering $100,000
Image: LG
LG’s futuristic rollable OLED 4K TV is coming to the US for an eye-popping price of $100,000. First introduced as a stunning prototype at CES 2018 (and then turned into a real product the next year), the 65-inch set can roll itself up and then back down to fully disappear into its housing unit.
That cabinet also contains a front-firing Dolby Atmos sound system. The OLED R has a middle mode between being fully unfurled and rolled down. LG calls this Line View, and you can use it to display a clock, photos, music controls, and so on.
GIF: The Verge
This is what the back of the OLED R looks like when rolling down.
From a picture quality perspective, the OLED R has technically already been surpassed by newer LG...