Netflix is reopening a movie theater in SoCal this month

Netflix will reopen the Bay Theatre at Palisades Village in Southern California beginning October 22nd, becoming the third physical theater with which the streamer has announced a partnership.

The theater will reopen this weekend with Jeymes Samuel’s The Harder They Fall — a Western starring Zazie Beetz, Regina King, and Idris Elba, among other notable stars — beginning with multiple showings starting Friday. Adult tickets are currently listed for $12 each, while discounted and children’s tickets cost $10. Free first-come, first-served tickets to Netflix animated titles Vivoand_The Mitchells vs. The Machines_ will also be available at the box office today through Thursday, October 21st from 3PM to 6PM PT.

The company previously reopened...

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Where to get the new 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pros

As expected, Apple’s “Unleashed” event brought a number of new additions to Apple’s lineup, including a pair of new laptops in the form of new versions of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, as well as a third-generation of AirPods.

Both versions of the 2021 MacBook Pro are configurable with the newly announced M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, which build greatly on the improvements made by the M1 CPU that debuted last year. Besides the beefier processor, the new versions of the MacBook Pro have enhanced GPU performance, battery life, and a host of new connectivity options, including a trio of Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI output, and an SD card reader in addition to a Magsafe 3 connector.

The 16-inch model starts at $2,499, and the 14-inch model...

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Listen to the sick Mac sound effect song that Apple opened its keynote with

Apple kicked off its MacBook Pro keynote a little differently today: with a sweet remix of classic Apple sound effects from the past 45 years of the company’s history, created by artist A. G. Cook — using Apple’s Pro Display XDR, MacBook Pro, and Logic Pro, of course.

The song itself is called “Start Up” and is a surprisingly chill listening experience. The video’s fun, too, featuring a wide array of Apple hardware from throughout the years, including old iBooks and the sadly defunct iPod Hi-Fi.

The full list of sound effects trend toward Apple’s more recent hardware, of course, but there are a few classic Easter eggs, too. The full list of sound effects, provided by Apple, is below:

• iMac G3 startup
• MacBook Pro startup
• A...

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How to preorder Apple’s third-gen AirPods

Apple’s third generation of AirPods will be available on October 26th for $179. | Apple

The tech world may be abuzz regarding the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, but the new AirPods — announced during Apple’s “Unleashed” event today — have also conjured up a storm. Apple has finally announced a new pair of true wireless earbuds set to launch on October 26th for $179, while lowering the price of the entry-level AirPods 2 to $129.

As expected, the third-generation AirPods mirror their sleeker sibling, the AirPods Pro, mostly in its new design and in some functionality, barring the active noise cancellation. For the first time since 2016, the AirPods include a wider, Pro-like charging case and shorter steams. They also boast Pro features like Adaptive EQ, which customizes your audio experience, and an intuitive force sensor for...

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Apple quietly added a MagSafe charging case to its AirPods Pro, too

Apple just announced its third-generation AirPods with a new charging case that works with its MagSafe magnetic charging system, but the company also quietly announced that, starting today, it’ll also be including the new case with its pricier $250 AirPods Pro model, too.

The new case doesn’t claim to charge Apple’s AirPod products any faster; it just has the magnets needed to attach to Apple’s MagSafe charging puck for easier alignment when charging. AirPods already worked with MagSafe, thanks to the broader Qi charging spec, so it’s more of a slight convenience than anything else, but it's good to see Apple expanding MagSafe to more products.

Unfortunately, Apple also isn’t taking the opportunity here to add a reverse wireless...

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Apple’s second-gen AirPods got a permanent $30 price cut

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Apple announced its third-generation AirPods during today’s big hardware event: a $179 set of earbuds that are much closer to the AirPods Pro in terms of features and design. Though, it’s not all bad news if you don’t want to spend that much on AirPods. As a result of this new set, Apple has permanently slashed the price of its second-gen AirPods that include a wired charging case from $159 to $129.

The model that includes a wireless charging case is no longer available for purchase (through Apple, at least). It does, however, still sell the wireless charging case separately for $79, but I really wouldn’t encourage buying that versus just getting the new, third-generation AirPods.

Apple currently has a lineup of AirPods that starts at...

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Netflix trans employees and allies release a list of demands ahead of the walkout

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The trans employee resource group at Netflix has released a list of demands for the company ahead of Wednesday’s walkout. “We want the company to adopt measures in the areas of content investment, employee relations and safety, and harm reduction, all of which are necessary to avoid future instances of platforming transphobia and hate speech,” employees wrote in a press release, which has not yet been made public but was supplied to The Verge.

The news comes after weeks of controversy due to Netflix executives continuing to support Dave Chappelle and his comedy special The Closer, which many LGBTQ people and allies have criticized as transphobic.

Last week, Netflix fired a leader of the trans ERG who was helping to organize the walkout....

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The 8 biggest announcements from Apple’s Unleashed event

Tim Cook speaking at Apple’s Unleashed event. | Image: Apple

Apple has just finished its October 2021 event, which was full of news and announcements from the company — including the long-awaited M1-equipped MacBook Pros. There was a whole lot of news, so if you want to get caught up on the biggest updates from the show, you can catch up with our roundup right here.

Image: Apple

Apple’s new MacBook Pros.

Apple announced two MacBook Pros with an all-new design

Apple revealed a brand-new set of MacBook Pros, available in 14-inch and 16-inch models. The Touch Bar is gone, replaced with a full-size function row. Many ports are back; there’s an HDMI port, three Thunderbolt ports, an SD card slot, a headphone jack, and the return of the MagSafe charger. The 14-inch model...

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macOS Monterey is officially launching on October 25th

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Following several beta releases, Apple announced that the next version of its macOS software, macOS Monterey, is about to release. It’ll be rolling out as an update starting on Monday, October 25th.

My colleague Monica Chin previewed the public beta software earlier this year, highlighting Monterey’s improvements to Facetime. The software will bring other exciting features like SharePlay and Universal Control, which will enable Mac and iPad users to move files seamlessly between devices, but perhaps not at launch. In its press release for the new, redesigned MacBook Pros, Apple says that those features are coming “later this fall.” Additionally, Apple made significant tweaks to Safari, its own web browser, for Monterey, but it has since...

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Apple’s new M1 MacBook Pros are the first with mini LED 120Hz refresh displays

Apple has just announced its redesigned MacBook Pros, powered by its newly revealed M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and featuring a huge jump in display technology for the company’s laptops, with Mini LED displays that support Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion technology.

The larger 16-inch MacBook Pro has a 16.2-inch display with a 3456 x 2234 resolution, while the 14-inch model has a 14.2-inch panel at 3024 x 1964. Both sizes feature the same Mini LED technology that Apple debuted on the iPad Pro earlier this year, which offers local dimming on a level beyond traditional LED displays (although it’s still not quite on the level of OLED panels used by competitors like Samsung.)

The new displays also feature Apple’s 120Hz “ProMotion” technology, which...

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Apple brings MagSafe 3 to the new MacBook Pro

MagSafe 3 | Image: Apple

Apple ditched MagSafe five years ago when it moved to USB-C charging on its new laptops, but MagSafe 3 brings the familiar quick-release connector back to this latest lineup of MacBook Pro laptops.

Image: Apple

Apple MacBook Pro ports with MagSafe 3

Other than their M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, the new 14-inch and 16-inch computers ditch the much-hated Touch Bar in favor of physical keys and bring back the additional ports (HDMI, SDXC) power users love. A less familiar addition is the new notch atop those Mini LED-packed 120Hz displays.

But for the clumsy people with cable-strewn desks, the return of MagSafe — what we’ve seen on iPhones just isn’t the same — might be the most important feature. According to Apple,...

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Foxconn reveals three ‘Foxtron’-branded electric vehicle prototypes

The Foxtron Model E sedan. | Images: Foxconn

iPhone assembler Foxconn has revealed three prototype electric vehicles as part of its effort to become a major player in the automotive industry. The Taiwanese conglomerate showed off an SUV it calls the Model C, a sedan it calls the Model E, and a bus dubbed the Model T, all under a new “Foxtron” branding.

While Ford may take issue with the naming convention, it doesn’t seem that Foxconn plans to make these specific vehicles itself. Rather, it wants them to be seen as reference designs, examples of the types of vehicles that can be built on the EV platform it’s been developing, and advertisements for the automotive components and software it plans to sell. In fact, Foxconn didn’t even build the prototypes — the were made by Taiwanese...

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Apple announces 16-inch MacBook Pro with new M1 Pro and M1 Max processors

Apple has introduced its new 16-inch MacBook Pro, promising an upgrade in both design and performance. Models will be available in silver and space gray next week, with a starting price of $2,499.

The new Pro is configurable with the M1 Pro and the M1 Max, Apple’s new 10-core processors with eight “high-performance” cores and two “high-efficiency” cores. The M1 Max has double the Pro’s GPU cores (32 to the Pro’s 16) and double the memory bandwidth, as well as 64GB of unified memory (the Pro has 32GB).

The chassis has also received a modern redesign. The device is 4.7 pounds and 16.8mm thick, with a 16.2-inch display. The Touch Bar has been replaced by physical keys, and there’s an HDMI port on the right side in addition to a Thunderbolt...

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Apple’s new MacBook Pro has a notch

Apple is bringing the notch to its pro laptops.

Apple is adding a notch on the display of its new MacBook Pro models. It’s a cut-out that will house the camera system, much like how Apple moved to a notch design for its iPhone X launch in 2017. The surprising addition of the notch comes in the new 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch models, both of which are equipped with updated Apple M1 silicon inside.

Both the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are completely redesigned, and the bezels have been trimmed down thanks to this notch. The bezels at the side are 3.5mm — that’s 24 percent thinner than before — and up top, it’s 60 percent thinner. The macOS menu bar now wraps around the camera, and it seems to look a lot better with dark mode enabled so the notch isn’t as noticeable.

...

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Apple announces new 14-inch MacBook Pro with a notch

Apple has announced a redesigned MacBook Pro, which now includes a 14-inch screen, Apple’s new M1 Pro and Max chips, a notch, and a wider selection of ports in addition to the standard Thunderbolt ones — it brings back the HDMI port and SD card reader and adds a MagSafe 3 connector for charging (though you can also charge it with the Thunderbolt ports if your house is littered with USB-C power bricks). It starts at $1,999 and can be ordered “today.”

It has a 14.2” 120Hz ProMotion MiniLED display, which Apple is branding as “Liquid Retina Pro XDR.” It has slimmer bezels than the previous generation but also includes a notch, which houses a 1080p webcam but not Apple’s FaceID system. Resolution-wise, the 14-inch model runs at 3024 by 1964,...

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Apple’s HomePod Mini gets three new color options

Apple’s HomePod Mini ... now in color.

With Siri now socializing on other smart speakers, Apple took to the stage at its October event to announce a new look for its HomePod Mini smart speaker. In addition to white and black (space gray), you will soon be able to pick up a HomePod Mini in yellow, orange, and blue.

The new, colorful smart speakers cost the same, $99, and will be available in November.

Developing… we’re adding more to this post, but you can follow along with ourMacBook Pro event live blogto get the news even faster.

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Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max processors take its in-house Arm-based chips to new heights

Apple has officially announced its most powerful chips ever: the M1 Pro and M1 Max, souped-up versions of the M1 chip that it debuted last fall and the heart of its new MacBook Pro models.

The original M1 chip was announced a little less than a year ago as Apple’s first in-house, Arm-based chip for laptops. At launch, it was featured in Apple’s revamped MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the entry-level Mac Mini, in addition to the 2021 iMac and iPad Pro refreshes.

But as good as the M1 chip was, it was only a solution for replacing Intel on Apple’s entry-to-mid level hardware, with its high-end MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini models (meant for developers, programmers, graphic designers, and other more demanding workloads) all...

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Amazon threatened with criminal probe over reported search and product discrimination

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

House lawmakers are giving Amazon one last chance to correct the record on whether it uses seller data to copy popular third-party products and manipulate marketplace search results in light of recent reporting.

In the Monday letter addressed to Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy, lawmakers called on the company to provide “exculpatory evidence” to corroborate congressional testimony that directly conflicts with recent reporting regarding the use of third-party seller data. Specifically, lawmakers called out Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for statements made in a 2020 hearing, claiming that the ecommerce giant “prohibits the use of anonymized data, if related to a single seller, when making decisions to launch private brand products.”

That...

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Apple Music’s new voice-only plan costs $4.99 per month

Apple Music Voice Plan lets you access music through Siri. | Image: Apple

Apple unveiled a new Voice plan for Apple Music during its Unleashed event on Monday that will be $4.99 per month. You can use only your voice and its Siri voice assistant to access all Apple Music content across Apple devices. It will be available later this fall in 17 countries.

“Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together,” Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, said in a press release. And non-subscribers can sign up for a free, seven-day trial without auto-renewal to check out Voice before they commit.

Users can subscribe to the plan with Siri by saying, “Hey Siri, start my Apple Music Voice trial,” or by signing up through the Apple Music app. Once subscribed, users can...

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Apple announces third-generation AirPods for $179

Image: Apple

Apple has just introduced its third-generation AirPods, the latest set of the company’s massively popular true wireless earbuds. With a new design that blends aspects of the prior AirPods and AirPods Pro, the third-gen AirPods retain a hard plastic, one-size-fits-most fit in the ear. But the form factor is seeing significant change for the first time since 2016: the new earbuds have much shorter stems than before. Priced at $179, the third-generation AirPods will be available to preorder today and will go on sale next week.

They’re now water and sweat resistant. Battery life has been extended to 6 hours of continuous listening. With the case, you’ll get a total of 30 hours. The new third-gen AirPods have a redesigned custom driver and...

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NASA’s newly launched Lucy spacecraft is having issues with one of its solar panels

One of Lucy’s solar panels fully deployed before its launch | Image: Lockheed Martin

A robotic spacecraft that NASA just launched to explore clusters of asteroids around Jupiter may be in some slight trouble on its journey through space. The space probe, named Lucy, is having issues with one of its two main solar panels, which are critical for gathering rays from the Sun and generating power for the spacecraft on its 12-year trip through the Solar System.

NASA launched Lucy early in the morning on Saturday, October 16th, on top of an Atlas V rocket from Florida. The launch was deemed a success, putting Lucy on its trajectory to reach Jupiter’s asteroids, named the Trojans, by 2027.

“In the current spacecraft attitude, Lucy can continue to operate.”

But on Sunday, NASA announced that one of Lucy’s 24-foot-wide solar...

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Someone unboxed the Pixel 6 early and didn’t bother to turn it on

Pixel 6 color choices | Image: Google

Google’s upcoming phones have made early appearances in leaks over, and over, and over, and over, and over again, so it’s really no surprise that someone seems to have obtained a retail-boxed Pixel 6 unit ahead of the fall launch event tomorrow.

In a video posted initially to TikTok, then deleted but still available on Twitter, @CristianDimboiu takes a literal approach to unboxing by removing the “Sorta Seafoam” green device from its carrier without going any further. You won’t see the screen turn on or see the screen at all.

Google Pixel 6 - World First Unboxing #Pixel6#GooglePixel6#Pixel6Launchpic.twitter.com/0z6wttnVp7

— Chris DB (@CristianDimboiu) October 18, 2021

Fortunately, Google apparently ships its new phone upside down...

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Third-party health apps are vulnerable to hacks, report finds

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Third-party health apps that pull patient data from electronic health record systems are vulnerable to hacks, according to a new report. The electronic health records themselves, which are housed at health centers and subject to the federal privacy law HIPAA, are well protected. But as soon as a patient gives permission for their data to leave the health record and head toward a third-party app — like programs that track people’s medications, for example — it’s easy for hackers to access.

Hospitals and health care systems are a major target for hackers, and attacks have only escalated over the past few years. Patient health data is some of the most valuable information to hackers: each record can be worth hundreds of dollars on the...

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Apple’s 2021 MacBook Pro event live blog

Apple’s event invitation

Apple says something is getting “unleashed.”

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Disney’s latest delays include Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Thor, and Indiana Jones 5

Marvel Entertainment

Disney has just announced delays for its 2022 Marvel films, along with the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones movie, all of which have been pushed back to later in the year or moved to 2023.

The Marvel movie shifts are the usual chain reaction delay: to push back one movie means pushing back all of them, so there’s a domino effect in pushing everything back a bit:

• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is moving from March 25th, 2022 to May 6th (when Thor: Love and Thunder was originally intended to be released).
• Thor: Love and Thunder, in turn, moves from May 6th to July 8th (when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was originally scheduled).
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is moving from July 8th to November 11th (when Captain Marvel...

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Microsoft execs reportedly warned Bill Gates years ago to stop emailing a female employee

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates | Photo by Indraneel Chowdhury/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Over 10 years before his departure from Microsoft’s board amid an investigation over an affair with an employee, former CEO Bill Gates was warned by two company executives about inappropriate emails between him and another woman, The Wall Street Journal reported.

While he was still an employee at Microsoft and serving as chairman of the board, Gates and a female employee exchanged “flirtatious” emails and propositioned the employee, the Journal reported. He was married at the time. When confronted by two company executives, Gates reportedly didn’t deny the exchanges and said he would stop the interaction. The executives informed some members of Microsoft’s board, but the board ultimately decided that since there was no physical...

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Amazon’s Zoox will test its autonomous vehicles on Seattle’s rainy streets

Zoox, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Amazon, said it will test its vehicles on the hilly, rain-drenched streets of Seattle. The company also plans on opening an office there in 2022.

Seattle will be the third city to host Zoox’s autonomous vehicles, after San Francisco and Las Vegas. The company said it will deploy a small number of vehicles to “get the lay of the land” before deciding how to expand its operations there.

“We’re excited to be testing in Seattle. The data we’re gathering will be invaluable for the continued development of our AI stack,” said Jesse Levinson, CTO and co-founder of Zoox, in a statement.

“The data we’re gathering will be invaluable for the continued development of our AI stack”

Zoox will use Toyota...

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Elden Ring has been delayed, but only by a month

Elden Ring, the newest FromSoftware title created in collaboration with Game of Thrones torture artist / author George R. R. Martin, has been delayed. Bandai Namco announced that the game’s January 22nd release date would be moved back a month explaining that “the depth and strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations.”

Important message:

ELDEN RING will release on Feb 25, 2022, as the depth & strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations. Thank you for your trust & patience. We look forward to seeing you experience the game in the Closed Network Test in Nov.

The #ELDENRING Team

— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) October 18, 2021

To take some of the sting out of the delay, Bandai Namco also announced players can...

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Toyota has gone from lobbying against EVs to spending billions on battery development

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Toyota, the largest automaker in the world, announced that it will spend $3.4 billion on “automative batteries” in the US through 2030 — a little more than two months after it was revealed that the company was quietly lobbying elected officials in Washington, DC to slow the transition to electric vehicles.

As part of the deal, Toyota will build a new $1.29 billion factory in the US to make batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, which the company says will generate 1,750 new jobs. The automaker is the latest to announce plans to shore up battery manufacturing in the US, which has been a key goal of the Biden administration’s effort to speed up the switch to EVs.

Of course, Toyota wasn’t always so bullish about electric vehicles

Of...

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The PS5 is the first console to outsell the Nintendo Switch in nearly three years

Sony has sold more than 10 million PS5s so far. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Sony’s PS5 has become the first console to outsell the Nintendo Switch in the US in nearly three years. The PS5 outsold the Switch in September in the US, according to data from retail analytics firm The NPD Group. Nintendo’s Switch had been the bestselling console in the US for 33 months in a row, even outselling both the PS5 and Xbox Series X during their launch periods.

That extraordinary run has come to an end. “PlayStation 5 was the best-selling hardware platform of September in both units and dollars,” explains NPD’s Mat Piscatella. “PlayStation 5 is the best-selling hardware platform of 2021 year-to-date in dollars, while Nintendo Switch leads in units.” The NPD Group only tracks sales in the US, so it leaves out big markets like...

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