iOS 15.1’s first beta suggests we could see SharePlay soon

Image: Apple

SharePlay has returned in the iOS 15.1 beta, according to 9to5Mac, after Apple delayed the major iOS 15 feature to “later this fall” instead of having it launch alongside the OS upgrade as planned. It’s not the only feature that’s hasn’t made it to release yet, but it could be a useful one during the ongoing pandemic — it lets you watch videos, screen share, or listen to music with other people over a FaceTime call. Its existence in Tuesday’s new beta could indicate that it could be coming sooner than later, though that’s not a sure thing.

MacRumors reports that the 15.1 beta also lets users add their COVID vaccine card to the Wallet app, once you’ve first added it to Health. Similar to how Google’s version of this feature works, you’ll...

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The first patient testimony about a Theranos test result: a miscarriage that wasn’t

Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes. | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

‘You can’t provide accurate patient care with inaccurate results.’

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The best deals on true wireless earbuds right now

Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

When it comes to true wireless earbuds, there are a ton of brands and products to choose from. Whether you enjoy the unconventional design of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live or prefer Jabra’s compact Elite 75t, there’s a pair of wireless earbuds for just about everyone. Fortunately, many of the best wireless earbuds go on sale on a regular occurrence.

Regardless of which brand you prefer, we have compiled some of the best deals on wireless earbuds available right now. Of course, if you want to do more research before making a buying decision, we also encourage you to read our guide to the best wireless earbuds, which can help you determine which pair of earbuds are best for you.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge ...

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The Oversight Board wants answers about Facebook’s celebrity moderation program

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The Oversight Board, a semi-independent body that reviews Facebook’s moderation policies, announced on Tuesday that it wants more information about the “cross-check” system Facebook uses to “review content decisions relating to some high-profile users.” Cross-check is getting called into question because of a report from The Wall Street Journal that claimed the system lets high-profile users break the rules.

“In light of recent developments, we are looking into the degree to which Facebook has been fully forthcoming in its responses in relation to cross-check, including the practice of whitelisting,” the board writes. “We expect to receive a briefing from Facebook in the coming days and will be reporting what we hear from this as part of...

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Wyze’s new pan & tilt cam can see everywhere

Image: Wyze

Ubiquitous budget smart home company Wyze has released yet another new product — the Wyze Cam Pan v2. As the name implies, this is the second generation of one of Wyze’s earliest products — the Wyze Cam Pan that debuted three years ago. This new model is available now, costs $39.99 (plus $9.99 shipping), and adds color night vision, improved motion-tracking, and a siren to the mix.

There’s no change in form factor, and the Wyze Cam Pan v2 camera looks virtually identical to its (now-discontinued) predecessor. It’s a wired, indoor camera with 1080p HD video and two-way talk. But its main party trick is the ability to rotate on its base and capture a 360-degree view of your home from side-to-side and a 93-degree view vertically, so you can...

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Shang-Chi will start streaming on November 12th as part of Disney Plus Day

Photo: Marvel Studios

Disney is making Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsavailable to stream at no additional cost for subscribers as part of its newly announced Disney Plus Day, celebrating the second anniversary of Disney Plus on November 12th. Along with its latest Marvel blockbuster, the company is introducing new movies, shows, and Marvel and Star Wars specials as part of “a grand-scale celebration of our subscribers across the entire company,” says Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

Disney tells The Verge that both _Shang-Chi_and Jungle Cruisewill be available to stream at no additional cost for subscribers on November 12th. (Jungle Cruise is currently available on Premiere Access; Shang-Chi is only in theaters.) There will also be a special “celebrating...

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The Google Pixel 6 Pro may have been leaked in a brief hands-on video

Image: Google

Google got ahead of any possible news leaks about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro by announcing the phones back in August, including that they would run on the company’s long-in-development Tensor chip. But it’s possible that some leakers have recently got hold of an actual unit. A video posted to Twitter by @thisistechtoday may be showing off a pre-production version of the Pixel 6 Pro, complete with its triple rear camera array.

Of course, Google hasn’t been coy about sharing what the device will look like — even installing dummy units in its NYC store for people to ogle. To that end, the device that’s spun around in this short clip looks like what we’ve seen so far — the strange Google logo placeholder notwithstanding. The phone in this...

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At pivotal points in human spaceflight, NASA undergoes major reorganization

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The body of NASA tasked with managing human spaceflight is being split into two distinct directorates, the agency’s chief announced on Tuesday, embarking on a major reorganization that past officials have tried and failed to execute for years. The move comes as private companies like SpaceX demonstrate leaner methods of putting people in space and as NASA pushes ahead with ambitious plans to build settlements on the surface of the Moon in the next decade.

The breakup of NASA’s human exploration wing, called Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, will spawn two new bodies: first, the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, which will manage NASA’s most ambitious development programs like the Artemis program...

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Paramount Plus announces new streaming bundle with Showtime included

Image: Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus announced today that it’s launching a new streaming bundle for both its ad-supported and premium tiers that include Showtime.

Paramount Plus offers two subscription options: a pared-down essential plan with limited ads for $5 per month and an ad-free premium plan for $10 per month. ViacomCBS’s Showtime is offering the bundle at special introductory pricing of $10 per month and $13 per month, respectively.

Like other services similarly looking to lure subscribers by offering, for example, limited free-to-stream content or slashed promotional pricing, Paramount Plus hopes the package will help it win new customers. Tom Ryan, president and CEO of ViacomCBS streaming, said the company expects the “competitively priced bundle...

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How to get iOS 15 right now

Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge

iOS 15 is finally here, and while it can’t be called a revolutionary update, there are enough cool new features that you may not want to wait until Apple notifies you that the update is ready. It’s easy enough to get the update without waiting, though. Here’s what you do.

• Your phone is backed up, right?
• Go to “Settings” > “General” > “Software Update.”
• Give it a moment. If the update is ready for you, it may appear on your update screen. In that case, tap on “Install Now.” You’ll probably be asked for your passcode and will have to agree to Apple’s “Terms and Conditions.”

Your update to iOS 15 may be waiting for you.

You’ll have to agree to Apple’s “Terms and Conditions.”

• If you don’t...

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Twitch is finally making some friends in the music industry

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Twitch is attempting to mend fences with a big pillar of the music industry by announcing an agreement to “work together” with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). Details are vague right now, but the agreement says they plan to “build productive partnerships between the service and music publishers” after a year of conflict over music rights.

Twitch has long had a contentious relationship with the music industry, which has accused the company of allowing streamers to play copyrighted music without the appropriate licenses. Streamers have come under the eye of music publishers as well, with some being subject to waves of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices that resulted in Twitch deleting content from...

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Netflix is reportedly closing in on its biggest acquisition ever — the Roald Dahl catalog

Image: Netflix

Nearly three years after Netflix signed a deal with The Roald Dahl Story Company to create a universe of animated features based on the author’s books,Bloomberg reports the streamer is in talks to buy the works outright.

Reed Hastings and the Giant Acquisition

There’s no word on exactly how much it costs to own Willy Wonka, the BFG, Matilda, and all the rest, but in 2018, _The Hollywood Reporter_cited sources claiming that simply licensing 16 titles from the catalog cost Netflix more than $100 million. A deal for this catalog would likely rank as Netflix’s largest, and if it’s close enough that an announcement is possible within “days,” as the report suggests, we could hear more during Netflix’s Tudum fan event this weekend.

Under the...

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Windows 11 won’t stop older PCs, but it might make you sign this waiver

Image: Microsoft

Today, Microsoft officially reinstated its PC Health Check app for anyone to download, letting you easily see whether your computer is ready for Windows 11 ahead of its October 5th debut. (The company had previously removed the app because it was somewhat misleading, and when a more robust version returned in late August, it was only available to Windows Insiders.) You can find the app at the very bottom of this page if you scroll down, or click here if you don’t mind direct downloads.

But in some ways, the new PC Health Check app is still misleading because it suggests my perfectly good 7th-gen Core i7 desktop gaming PC isn’t ready for Windows 11, despite the fact that I’ve already installed Windows 11 and am running it with no issues....

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Apple updates macOS Safari with a new look, but you can turn off the big changes

Apple has released a redesigned version of Safari for macOS Big Sur and Catalina. The update, announced as part of the upcoming macOS Monterey, was released the same day as iOS and iPadOS 15, bringing the web browser’s new look and features across Apple’s platforms.

To update to the new Safari 15, you can go to System Preferences > Software Update, where it should automatically refresh and show up. Unlike updates to macOS, you shouldn’t have to reboot your computer after updating Safari.

The development behind this version of Safari has been interesting. The full OS update that it was originally a part of, which also brings features like Universal Control and Quick Notes, isn’t here yet, but Apple decided to ship the new Safari anyway....

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Sonos just fixed the main drawback of its excellent Roam portable speaker

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

I’m generally a big fan of the Sonos Roam, but in the months since the portable speaker was released, I’ve definitely come across one downside: subpar power management. When the device is sitting around idle, its battery drains much faster than I’d like — and more rapidly than most Bluetooth speakers. Sometimes that means a dead Roam at the very moment you want to use it most. This has led me to completely power off the speaker when it’s not being used, which is less than ideal for something that’s meant to slot into a multi-room sound system.

Thankfully, today, Sonos has made some improvements to address battery drain.

After installing the latest software update (with the Sonos app on Android or iOS), the Roam should last longer on a...

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Mercedes-Benz EQS will cost over $100,000 but is still cheaper than an S-Class

Mercedes-Benz just announced the pricing of its all-electric luxury sedan, the EQS, and not surprisingly, it starts north of $100,000. What is surprising, though, is that the starting price is cheaper than a gas-powered S-Class.

When it arrives at dealerships this fall, the EQS will start at $102,310. By comparison, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class starts at $111,350. This is a rare case of an electric vehicle selling cheaper than its gas equivalent.

This is a rare case of an electric vehicle selling cheaper than its gas equivalent.

Mercedes is offering three trim levels: Premium, Exclusive, and Pinnacle. Each trim comes in two versions, depending on the size of the infotainment screen: the 450+ sedan with a 12.8-inch portrait...

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As lawsuits pile up, Activision Blizzard loses its chief legal officer

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Another high-level Activision Blizzard employee has left the company. Claire Hart, Blizzard’s chief legal officer, announced in a LinkedIn post that her last day was Friday, September 17th.

“The past three years have been full of unexpected twists and turns, but I feel honored to have worked with and met so many great people at Blizzard and across the Activision Blizzard businesses,” Hunt said.

Those “unexpected twists and turns” might be an allusion to the series of legal troubles Activision Blizzard faces due to allegations of harassment, abuse, and discrimination. To date, Activision Blizzard is facing suits from:

• The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing for enabling a “culture of harassment.”
• Its own investors for...

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Facebook releases two new Portal video calling devices with focus on remote work

Facebook’s Portal Go and Portal Plus | Image: Facebook

Facebook on Tuesday announced two new Portal video calling devices, the first major refresh of the hardware lineup since 2019.

The new devices, the Portal Go and updated Portal Plus, retail for $199 and $349, respectively. The 10-inch Portal Go is an all-new, portable form factor wrapped in fabric with a standalone battery, while the latest Portal Plus introduces a sleeker design of the most expensive, 14-inch Portal that first debuted three years ago. Both devices are available now for preorder and start shipping on October 19th.

Like the rest of the lineup, the Portal Go features a wide-angle camera that automatically follows whoever is in focus, zooming and panning as they move in and out of the center of the frame. It’s the first...

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Roblox will start verifying the age of teenage players

Roblox’s age verification process involves scanning government-issued ID. | Image: Roblox

Roblox is rolling out an age verification feature that will allow players to confirm their age and gain access to features reserved for older players. Age verification will be optional, and Roblox tells _The Verge_it will “not retain any data” from the verification process, which requires showing a form of ID.

For now, only one feature requires age verification: Roblox’s new voice chat feature, Spacial Voice. During its initial beta test, it will only be available to players who verify they are at least 13 years old. (Roblox didn’t say whether it would later be available to users regardless of verification status.)

But the implication seems to be that other features — perhaps specific Roblox games or community tools — could be age-gated...

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The PS5 worked fine with the slowest compatible SSD we could find

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

If your PS5 is already running out of speedy solid state storage, there’s a fix. Sony’s new update for the PS5, released in full on September 14th, allows you to expand your paltry 667GB of usable space by popping in the same sort of M.2 SSD stick you might slip into your laptop or desktop PC. My colleague Mitchell has a PS5 SSD buying guide right here that meets all of Sony’s recommendations, such as speeds of at least 5,500MB/s. That might leave you wondering, though: what about slower SSDs?

That’s why we tracked down an ADATA XPG Gammix S50 Lite, one of the slowest compatible PCIe Gen4 drives we could find at 3,900MB/s reads and 3,200MB/s writes, and stuck it into a PS5 in August. And this week, _Digital Foundry_corroborated our...

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How to put the Windows 11 Start menu back where it belongs

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge

When you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, one of the first things you may do is wonder: where the heck is my Start menu? Traditionally, the Windows Start menu has been in the lower left corner of the screen, but when your new version of Windows appears, you’ll find the Start icon among a group of icons in the center of your taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

The Windows 11 Start menu is now a small icon in the center of the taskbar.

Click on the Start menu icon, and things will look very different as well. Instead of the large square Live Tiles that used to pop up, you have a much more modest set of app icons, mostly showing Microsoft-related apps, pinned to the main page. Click on “All apps” on the top...

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You can now preorder the new Kindle Paperwhite

The new e-reader is still waterproof and adds new features for an increased price. | Image: Amazon

Amazon has officially taken the wraps off of the 11th-gen Kindle Paperwhite ahead of the company’s fall event on September 28th, and preorders are now open directly from the retail giant. The new Kindle comes in three flavors: a standard model (with or without ads), a Signature Edition, and one designed for kids. All versions of the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite will launch on October 27th. Preorders are only open at Amazon as of right now, but we’ll update this post with more retailers as they become available.

The new baseline Kindle Paperwhite is the 11th-gen ad-supported model, which starts at $140. The price represents a $10 increase over its predecessor, though, the last-gen model has seen some larger discounts in recent months. We will...

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Demi Adejuyigbe reminds us that, once again, it’s September 21st

Image: Demi Adejuyigbe/YouTube

The 21st of September? Buddy, that’s today.

Lest you forget, comedian Demi Adejuyigbe has returned to memorialize Earth, Wind & Fire Day — more specifically September 21st, subject of the band’s evocative summer anthem “September.” For years, Adejuyigbe has jumped on the opportunity to mark the occasion with elaborate, often outrageous videos that have included everything from aerial banners to a mariachi band.

The videos have become such a reliable marker of the end of summer that Adejuyigbe was able to hit a goal of $50,000 for charity in just three hours last year, with the campaign ultimately generating more than $330,000 over the period of several days (more than $50,000 per charity listed).

Adejuyigbe’s video for 2021 hit the...

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A new cybersecurity center wants to protect medical devices against hacks

Photo Illustration by Matt Harbicht / Getty Images for Tandem Diabetes Care

It’s been around 10 years since security researcher Jay Radcliffe got up onstage at a conference and demonstrated that he was able to hack into his own insulin pump. If he’d wanted, he could have used the pump to deliver a lethal dose of the drug into his system. Instead, he demanded that medical companies take the security threat seriously.

That presentation and others like it were wake-up calls about the potential danger of connecting vulnerable medical devices to the internet, says Mike Johnson, a securities technologies expert at the University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute.

In the decade since, there’s been an explosion in the number of connected medical devices — drug infusion pumps, pacemakers, monitors — that...

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Facebook says it’s spent $13 billion on ‘safety and security’ since 2016

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Facebook says it’s spent over $13 billion on “safety and security” since 2016 and has 40,000 people dedicated to the area, offering a glimpse at its operations after a week of leaks published by The Wall Street Journal. The company used the numbers as an example of how it’s addressed problems on Facebook and Instagram, saying the Journal’s stories lacked “important context” about complex issues.

“In the past, we didn’t address safety and security challenges early enough in the product development process,” Facebook said in a blog post today. “But we have fundamentally changed that approach. Today, we embed teams focusing specifically on safety and security issues directly into product development teams, allowing us to address these...

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Specialized’s next-generation Turbo e-bikes are basically computers on wheels

Andrew J. Hawkins

Specialized is launching next-generation versions of two of its most popular electric bikes, the Turbo Vado and Turbo Como, as well as a brand new model, the Turbo Tero. And while the bikes themselves look fantastic, the big story is the upgraded technology operating within. That’s because Specialized has improved these e-bikes to the point where they are basically computers on wheels.

Specialized is making its e-bikes much smarter with a host of new features on the software side. That includes over-the-air software updates, meaning customers can enjoy new features as Specialized develops them over time. The company’s Mission Control app is designed to digitize the experience, providing a place where customers can receive OTA software...

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Visions is the most exciting Star Wars has been in a long time

“The Ninth Jedi” | Image: Lucasfilm

Producers at Lucasfilm explain how the anime anthology came about

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Here’s how the $329 iPad compares to its last-gen predecessor

Apple’s new iPad launches on September 24th at the same starting price as the last-gen model: $329. | Image: Apple

The iPhone 13 isn’t the only Apple device launching on September 24th — and we’re not just talking about the 2021 iPad Mini. The company also announced a new entry-level iPad during its recent “California Streaming” event, which comes outfitted with a new front-facing camera, a faster processor, and double the base storage. But are the improvements enough to justify an upgrade from last year’s iPad, or even picking it over its predecessor should you find the 2020 model on sale?

To answer those questions, we’ve put together a comparison outlining the similarities and differences between the 2020 iPad and the forthcoming model, ahead of our official review.

Image: Apple

The new iPad features a 12MP front camera,...

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Treasury sanctions cryptocurrency exchange to fight ransomware attacks

The Treasury Department issued its first sanctions against a cryptocurrency exchange on Tuesday as part of a series of actions targeting the use of digital currencies in ransomware attacks.

Tuesday’s sanctions will block all trades involving the cryptocurrency exchange Suex and US entities. According to the Treasury Department, around 40 percent of all Suex transactions involve illegal activities. The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is also issuing a new advisory warning that it may issue new sanctions against cryptocurrency exchanges, cyber insurance companies, and other financial institutions that facilitate ransomware payments.

“We will continue to crack down on malicious actors”

“Ransomware and cyber-attacks are...

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You can now pay $3.99 per month to hear Marvel podcasts early

SiriusXM

SiriusXM is using Apple Podcasts to sell more subscriptions, specifically subscriptions for Marvel content. The company launched a new Apple Podcast channel today for its Marvel content, along with a $3.99-per-month subscription offering called Marvel Podcasts Unlimited. Paying subscribers will receive early access to shows — they’ll be a week ahead of the wide release — along with exclusive titles, including Declassified, a narrative documentary about the history of Marvel Comics. (These benefits are also available to SiriusXM subscribers within the SXM app.)

Apple is the exclusive third-party partner for Sirius’ Marvel subscription product, meaning, at least for now, it won’t be available through any other membership product. This news...

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