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Nintendo finally adds Bluetooth audio to the Switch in new software update

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

Nintendo has surprise-announced that Bluetooth audio support has come to the Switch through a software update. The ability to use Bluetooth headphones to listen to game audio has been a conspicuously missing feature since the console launched in 2017, so it’s great to finally have it — though there are some limitations.

According to a Nintendo support article, you’ll be limited to using two wireless controllers if you’ve got a Bluetooth headset attached. The system also won’t support Bluetooth microphones, which isn’t necessarily surprising given that Nintendo’s own voice chat system relies on an app running on your phone. Still, it’s a bummer for people who play games with their own built-in voice chat abilities.

The latest #...

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Where are Apple’s new Macs? Here’s what we’re still expecting Apple to announce this year

It uses TouchID for biometrics. Overall the hardware is identical to the last model

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Apple’s “California Streaming” event was packed with announcements, from the iPhone 13 and forthcoming Apple Watch Series 7 to a sixth-gen iPad Mini. We expected much of this, yet, there were a number of things we had anticipated that Apple might announce but didn’t, including new MacBook Pros and next-gen AirPods.

However, it looks like there’s still hope they may make an appearance soon, especially given that October is historically when Apple will showcase new Macs. According to Bloomberg’s reliable Apple-watcher, Mark Gurman, Apple will likely hold at least one more online event within the next “several weeks,” which means Apple may still reveal the no-shows from today before the end of 2021. Here are some of the more noteworthy...

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The Holmes trial gets into the Excel nitty-gritty

Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Attends Criminal Trial

Getty

But will the technical jargon overwhelm the jurors?

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Should you wait for the Apple Watch Series 7?

The Apple Watch Series 7 has a larger display, and looks like an Apple Watch. | Image: Apple

One of the big rumors heating up before Apple’s “California Streaming” iPhone announcement event about the Apple Watch Series 7 wound up fizzling out as soon as the new smartwatch was unveiled. The speculation was that Apple would perform the most significant overhaul of its smartwatch ever, aligning its design with that of the iPhone 12 and 13 — namely, flat sides and a more squared-off look with a larger display and smaller bezels. We got the larger display and slimmer bezels part, but the Apple Watch Series 7 still mostly looks like its predecessors at casual glance.

The biggest change to the Series 7 is indeed physically bigger: the display. Apple increased the screen sizes to 41mm and 45mm, and with a thicker glass top the display...

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xCloud and Xbox Remote Play are officially available on Windows

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft has announced that its xCloud service, officially known as Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Remote Play are now available to everyone with the Xbox app on Windows 10 (or 11). These features on PC rolled out to Xbox Insiders as a beta last month, and have been available on phones for a while, but them being officially available on PC is nice to see too. It’s giving you another option for how you want to play, whether the game is running on your personal console or Microsoft’s servers.

Xbox Cloud Gaming, which seems like a natural fit for PCs that don’t have the power to run the games themselves, has been available on Windows for a few months through web browsers, but it’s a nice step forward that the service is now in a native app,...

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How the iPhone 13, Mini, Pro and Max compare to Android rivals — and vs. iPhone 12

Image: Apple

Apple has announced its new iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini,iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, which feature better cameras, 120Hz screens, new processors (which Apple claims are the fastest in a phone, period), better battery life, and smaller notches compared to their predecessors. But should you upgrade from the iPhone 12, and is Apple beating the Android competition? Here’s how Apple stacks up to Samsung, OnePlus, Google, and its own previous devices on paper.

One thing to keep in mind before we dive in is that specs don’t tell the whole story. There’s the obvious difficult comparisons (how does an Apple A15 chip stack up against a Snapdragon 888, and how do you compare traditional phones to folding ones), as well as the small details...

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Apple’s updated leather MagSafe wallet supports Find My location tracking

Apple introduced an updated version of its MagSafe leather wallet today with new colors and support for an additional feature: tracking in the Find My app. Apple’s location tracking service recently expanded with the addition of AirTags, and now the company is apparently working some version of the same functionality into its more low-tech accessories.

That might seem like the continuous tracking AirTags offers, but Apple’s description points to something simpler. The company writes that the wallet “supports Find My, so you can be notified of your wallet’s last known location if it gets separated from your phone.” That’s helpful, but possibly not useful if someone moves your wallet after it’s separated.

It seems like MagSafe is the key

A...

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The Apple Watch’s new sizes make shopping for bands more confusing

Apple Watch

Apple

The Apple Watch Series 7 was one of the many announcements made during Apple’s “California Streaming” event, sharing the stage alongside the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, a new iPad Mini with USB-C charging, and more. The watch comes in new 41mm and 45mm case sizing, moving away from the 40mm and 44mm sizing that has been the standard for the last few generations of Apple Watch.

As expected, Apple updated its online inventory of Watch bands accordingly for the new sizes. But many of them no longer list options for the 38, 40, 42, and 44mm sizing options for all of the bands. While it might appear at first that Apple has unceremoniously eradicated support for all previous models, don’t worry, it didn’t do that. However, the company did make it...

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Apple drops the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone XR from its lineup

iPhone XR

iPhone XR | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

As a slew of new iPhones come in, several models go out. This year, Apple pulled the plug on a couple of familiar standbys to make room for the iPhone 13, as MacRumors points out.

The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max have disappeared from Apple’s online store outside of refurb models. This is customary for Pro models when the lineup is refreshed, even though they’ve been shipping for less than a year. If you absolutely must spend more than $1,000 on a brand-new iPhone that isn’t the iPhone 13 (or you love that dark blue colorway), your options today are carriers and third-party retail shops.

While the devices are likely to appear as cut-rate options at places like Woot from time to time, Apple’s retail option cuts out the option of buying...

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Razer made gamer thimbles

razer gaming finger sleeves

The most 2021 gaming apparel yet | Razer

What makes a gamer? I’ll tell you. It’s having the right attitude, the skills to dominate, and of course, the right tech. You won’t get ahead without the best, well, you name it.

Razer has already produced gaming monitors, headsets, mice, keyboards, toasters, Chroma-enabled mug holders, chairs, controllers, plush animals, clothing, laptops, desktops, headphones, glasses that are also headphones, and truthfully, a lot more. If you’re still not getting the results you’ve worked for? Don’t worry, the company somehow still isn’t at a loss as to what to put out next to maximize your potential.

Razer

Pros know that this is elite form

The latest essential gamer gear is hardcore thimbles that cost $9.99, with two...

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Apple’s big event today stressed its major focus on streaming

Image: Apple

Apple’s big product event today was all about iPhones, iPads, and the latest generation of its smartwatch — but make no mistake, it also underscored Apple’s increasingly aggressive push to dominate streaming.

Apple wasted no time on Tuesday showcasing its quickly expanding and award-winning roster of originals on Apple TV Plus, with Apple boss Tim Cook kicking off the “California Streaming” event with a highlight reel of fall premieres and soon-to-debut titles. Cook gave a nod to the more than 130 wins and 500-plus award nominations for the service’s original films and series since launching in 2019, taking time to specifically herald the success of critical darling Ted Lasso, which recently swooped up a record-breaking 20 Emmy...

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Activision Blizzard sued again, this time for labor violations

Blizzard Orc statue

The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees, known as CODE-CWA, has filed suit against Activision Blizzard for unfair labor practices.

As first reported by Protocol, this new suit, filed with the National Labor Relations Board, alleges Activision Blizzard engaged in intimidation and coercive tactics as employees fought to openly discuss pay discrepancy and their desire to end forced arbitration. CODE-CWA, a digital workers rights and labor organizer, filed the suit on behalf of A Better ABK — a group of Activision Blizzard employees working toward improving working conditions at what is one of the largest video game publishers in the US.

In July, the state of California sued Activision Blizzard for enabling a culture of “constant...

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How to preorder the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13

All of the colors of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini. | Apple

Apple announced a fleet of new products at its “California Streaming” event. Chief among them — you guessed it — was the iPhone 13. This one is coming in various sizes and colors, but with smaller notches, the new A15 Bionic chipset, and with redesigned and improved cameras located around the back. Going from smallest to largest, Apple will soon release the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and finally the iPhone 13 Pro Max. With the Pro and Pro Max, you’ll be able to get the first iPhone ever to ship with 1TB of storage, along with 120Hz refresh rate displays.

If you’re looking forward to ordering any of the four iPhone 13 models, the good news is you won’t have to wait long to both preorder and receive your new phone. The...

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How to preorder Apple’s new iPad and iPad Mini

Image: Apple

As expected, Apple’s “California Streaming” was loaded with a flurry of announcements, from the iPhone 13 to the Apple Watch Series 7. Apple also used its annual fall showcase to introduce its latest slates, specifically the 9th Gen iPad and all-new iPad Mini, the latter of which is a follow-up to the 2019 iPad Mini that takes heavy design cues from last year’s iPad Air. The new models are set to launch on Friday, September 24th, starting at $329 and $499, respectively, with preorders beginning today.

Where to buy the all-new iPad Mini

Spec-wise, the new iPad Mini is a far cry from the original iPad Mini model and one of the bigger revamps to come to Apple’s smallest tablet since it made its debut in 2012. The sixth-gen model features...

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The 8 biggest announcements from Apple’s iPhone 13 event

The iPhone 13 lineup. | Image: Apple

Apple just finished its “California Streaming” event, and it announced a whole lot of new products, including the iPhone 13 lineup of smartphones, Apple Watches with bigger screen, and new iPads.

If you’re looking for a quick recap of the biggest news from the show, we’ve got you covered right here.

Image: Apple

The iPhone 13.

The iPhone 13 has a familiar design with a smaller notch

Apple’s new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini look very similar to the iPhone 12, but have a smaller notch and a diagonal camera array. They’re equipped with the new A15 Bionic chip and have an improved dual-camera system on the back. Apple is also promising longer battery life than the iPhone 12.

The iPhone 13 Mini starts at $729, and...

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Apple is releasing watchOS 8 on September 20th

Apple is releasing the next version of its smartwatch operating system, watchOS 8, on September 20th. The company first introduced the new free update at WWDC 2021 and has been testing it in public beta over the summer alongside iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey.

watchOS 8 is a modest change to the Apple Watch, but it still has some nice additions. Apple is adding support for new iOS 15 features like Focus mode for more granular control over app notifications and new types of keys and ID cards in Apple Wallet.

The new watchOS is also getting new watchfaces to take advantage of the Apple Watch Series 7’s larger screen and new workout types for Pilates and tai chi (along with other updates to Apple Fitness Plus). The Apple Watch is...

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Apple is releasing iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 on September 20th

Photo by Chaim Gartenberg

Apple says it’s releasing iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 on September 20th. The company announced the new free operating system updates at WWDC 2021 earlier in June and offered public betas over the summer.

Both of the new versions of iOS and iPadOS offer a grab bag of features. The headliners include changes to notifications like the addition of notification summaries, Focus modes for creating distinct lists of apps and notifications allowed to reach users at different times of the day, improvements to FaceTime that include the ability to invite Android and Windows users to calls for the first time, and a new look for Safari.

A features grab bag

On the iPad, iPadOS 15 finally brings iOS 14 features like the app library and resizable widgets, and...

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Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro is the first iPhone with 1TB of storage

Apple announced its new iPhone 13 Pro handset today during the company’s California Streaming event. It’s the first iPhone to ship with 1TB of storage as an option, allowing owners to store double the maximum capacity of 512GB on the regular iPhone 13.

Apple has previously offered 1TB for iPad storage but has kept the 512GB maximum on the iPhone Pro side until today. Rumors had suggested we’d get a 1TB iPhone this year, and it comes two years after Samsung shipped its Galaxy S10 Plus with a 1TB storage option for $1,600.

Apple is also bumping iPhone storage on the standard models. The base iPhone 13 model will now ship with 128GB instead of the 64GB storage found on the iPhone 12.

Apple’s iPhone Pro 13 will start at $999 and is shipping...

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The iPhone 13’s new camera tricks include cinematic video and macro photography

With a design that’s largely similar to last year’s phones, Apple is leaning on big upgrades inside the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro lineups to get people excited. Some of the most substantial improvements to the 2021 iPhones are found in the camera(s), and the company today announced several new features that will produce better still photographs and videos on the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

The first is a new “cinematic mode” for video that replicates the rack focus effect commonly seen in movies. The iPhone 13 smoothly transitions between forefront and background focus based on what’s occurring in the frame. The system is intelligent enough to change focus when a subject looks away from the phone....

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Apple Fitness Plus is getting Group Workouts and Pilates

Image: Apple

Apple has announced a Group Workouts feature for Apple Fitness Plus. Fitness Plus will also be coming to 15 new countries, including Brazil, France, Mexico, and Russia, and workouts will be getting subtitles in six languages. There are new workouts, including guided meditation, Pilates, and programs to help you prepare for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding.

Group Workouts will let Fitness Plus subscribers do a workout with a friend (or a group of up to 32 people), starting it through an iMessage or FaceTime call. On your screen, you’ll be able to see both the instructor and the people you’re sharing the workout with. (Hopefully Apple will include an option to turn your camera off if it gets too embarrassing.) You’ll also see...

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iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max announced with high refresh rate 120Hz displays

Apple has officially announced the high-end part of the iPhone 13 lineup: the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. It’s got a faster A15 Bionic chip, three all-new cameras, and an improved display with up to a 120Hz ProMotion high refresh rate display that can go as bright as 1,000 nits.

The OLED screens on both models are the same sizes as last year at 6.1 and 6.7 inches but with slightly smaller notches that should allow for more space in the iOS status bar.

Apple says the phones have an all-new three-camera system. The ultrawide should offer better low-light photography, and the telephoto now goes up to 3x zoom, enabling 6x optical zoom across the three cameras. All three cameras now have night mode, and there’s a new macro mode for...

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iPhone 13 announced with redesigned camera array and smaller notch

Apple’s iPhone 13 has officially arrived — the baseline, most mainstream model that will set the bar for Apple’s 2021 phone lineup.

As with last year, the entry-level iPhone 13 will come in two versions: the 6.1-inch “regular” model and the smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 13 Mini. The screen is still an OLED panel, the sides still aluminum sandwiched between two slabs of glass.

Pricing starts at $799 for the iPhone 13 and $699 for the smaller iPhone 13 Mini. Storage options for this year’s models have been bumped up, with Apple offering 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations for the two models.

There’s not much in the way of radical new features or changes here; instead, the iPhone 13 is closer to Apple’s old “S”-year model of...

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The Apple Watch Series 7 has a brand-new look

Apple

The Apple Watch Series 7 looks a little different than its predecessors. The display now goes virtually to the edge of the case. That means while the watch isn’t much bigger, everything on it should be more readable.

The bezels around the display are slimmer at just 1.7mm, and the always-on screen mode is 70 percent brighter. Apple claims you can cram 50 percent more text onto the display than the Series 6. The new display also means new ways to interact, with a full keyboard that will support swiping.

Image: Apple

The Series 7 on the right isn’t that much larger, but it should feel bigger, thanks to much smaller bezels.

There’s a new set of watchfaces to take advantage of the larger screen, including a more...

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All-new iPad Mini announced with 5G, USB-C, and larger 8.3-inch display

Apple has announced its all-new iPad Mini. It features a new enclosure with narrower bezels and rounded corners. The big news is that it’s larger than the iPad Mini 5 with an 8.3-inch display (up from its predecessor’s 7.9-inch panel), making the device even more viable as a driver for multitasking or schoolwork. Apple says the screen can reach 500 nits of brightness.

The iPad Mini is currently Apple’s smallest tablet, even with the bump in size. Apple was rumored to have been considering a Mini LED display on the new iPad, similar to that of its largest iPad Pro. Those appear to have missed the mark; the new Mini sports a regular Liquid Retina display.

The iPad Mini’s design has remained largely consistent since its 2012...

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Apple announces new entry-level iPad with A13 Bionic chip

Apple has just announced the latest version of its most popular tablet: the standard iPad. This new model is the ninth generation of the iPad that first debuted in 2010, and it features a new processor called the A13 Bionic. Additionally, there’s a new 12-megapixel front camera that supports the Center Stage feature that debuted with the iPad Pro last year. The rest of the 9th Gen iPad will look very familiar to anyone that’s seen an iPad in the past few years, complete with the same home button, bezels, and single rear camera we’ve seen before.

Developing… we’re adding more to this post, but you can follow along with ouriPhone 13 and Apple Watch event live blogto get the news even faster.

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Valve’s Steam Deck is now real enough to send to developers

Image: Valve

Valve’s foray into video game handhelds, the Steam Deck, has started shipping out to developers. The company opened up requests for early versions of the device on September 2nd to developers, and now it seems like those devices are heading out.

The Steam Decks shipping out are “engineering verification test builds” according to Valve, and are “functionally identical” to the version of the device that will be shipped to customers. As Valve explains: “the dev-kit program gives us the chance to guide game developers through the process of getting their games on Steam Deck while also continuing to gather their feedback as we prepare for the official launch at the end of the year.”

Image: Valve

Steam Decks preparing...

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Tonal will offer Peloton-like live classes starting in October

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Tonal, which offers an at-home connected strength training machine, is adding to its library of on-demand exercise programs by introducing a Peloton-like live classes service called Tonal Live. Classes start streaming on October 20th.

During classes, coaches will give you pacing cues, feedback on your workout, and shoutouts, according to a press release. The machine’s homescreen and app are also getting a redesign that “allows for the discovery and a schedule of Live workouts, an on-demand library of past Live workouts, and the ability to preview the movements in a workout.” Tonal is also adding a “Social Zone” where users can interact.

The addition of live classes fixes a notable gap in Tonal’s offerings. Former Verge staffer Natt Garun...

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Apple iPhone 13 and Apple Watch live blog: ‘California Streaming’

Apple Store, San Francisco

On such a winter’s day

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Razer’s Wolverine V2 Chroma is an elegant, customizable wired controller

Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma

Razer

A year after the launch of Razer’s $100 Wolverine V2 Xbox controller, today the company has announced a $150 version with more features called the Wolverine V2 Chroma. The new name is a giveaway to one of the additions: a strip of Chroma RGB lighting near each of the two grips that can be programmed to your liking via its accessory companion app on an Xbox or PC.

This controller is actually replacing the Wolverine Ultimate that was released in late 2017. Like the older controller, the Wolverine V2 Chroma has swappable thumb sticks like those included with the Xbox Elite controllers and Scuf’s Instinct, trigger stops to shorten the throw of triggers, and six remappable macro buttons (including four paddles on the back) that can be...

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The investigation into Tesla Autopilot’s emergency vehicle problem is getting bigger

Tesla Motors Inc. Tests Self-Driving Technology

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is requesting advanced driver assist data from 12 automakers as it seeks to expand its investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot. The government is probing a dozen incidents involving Teslas crashing into emergency vehicles.

According to Automotive News, the agency’s Office of Defects Investigation sent letters to a dozen major automakers, including Ford, General Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen, requesting information regarding their Level 2 driver assist systems, in which the vehicle can simultaneously control steering, braking, and acceleration under specific circumstances.

Automakers are being asked to provide the number of vehicles with Level 2 systems that have been manufactured in the...

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