Amazon is reportedly using Chinese suppliers with ties to forced labor

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon is allegedly employing suppliers in China with links to forced labor, according to a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), a research group owned by the nonprofit watchdog organization Campaign for Accountability (via NBC News). The report accuses Amazon of continuing to work with these suppliers, despite evidence of their association with Uyghur labor camps.

China’s population of Uyghurs, the country’s Muslim ethnic minority, is largely concentrated in the Xinjiang region of China. Over several years, the group has been subject to a number of human rights abuses within the country, including internment camps, constant surveillance, mass sterilization, and forced labor. As the TTP notes, China uses what it calls “labor...

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Analogue says early Pocket preorders will ship by the end of March

If you’re in the first group, you Pocket should be coming soon. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Analogue has announced that it’ll be shipping out a new wave of Pocket handhelds at the end of March to people who got in early during its December presale. The company tweeted that Group A preorders will start to ship out the last week of March and would all be shipped by the end of the month.

That date means that Analogue is just making its first deadline on time — before the Game Boy throwback handheld officially went on sale in December, the company said that the people who ordered first would be getting their Pockets in “Q1 2022.” While that means the wait is close to over for those in Group A (I’ll admit I’ve been starting to check the calendar, muttering to myself, “You know, there’s not a lot of time left in Q1...”), some...

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Instagram’s standalone Boomerang and Hyperlapse apps are gone from the App Store and Google Play

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Instagram appears to have removed its standalone Boomerang and Hyperlapse apps from Apple’s App Store and Google Play, as reported by TechCrunch. The removal comes shortly after Instagram’s February 28th announcement that it would stop supporting the IGTV app, and the changes indicate that Instagram is opting to consolidate some of its separate offerings to focus on the main Instagram app.

According to Apptopia data shared with TechCrunch, both apps’ last day in the stores was March 1st. In my own checks of both app stores, I can’t find them. We’ve asked Instagram for details about the removals.

The Boomerang app, which was first released in 2015, created short, looping videos by taking a burst of photos that you could post on Instagram...

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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 need something with noise cancellation like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 to drown out your morning commute or a fitness-focused pair like the Beats Powerbeats Pro, there’s now a pair of wireless earbuds well suited for nearly every occasion. Some, like the UE Fits, even conform to the shape of your ear to provide a secure fit that’s uniquely yours.

Regardless of the brand or model that speaks to you, however, we’ve scoured the internet to find the best deals currently available on true wireless earbuds. Of course, if you’re still trying to find the right make and model for you, make sure to check out our guide to the best...

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Ubisoft and Take-Two are also blocking game sales in Russia

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Ubisoft and Take-Two Interactive are suspending game sales in Russia in light of its invasion of Ukraine, joining a growing list of companies that have decided to cut ties with the country (via Engadget).

In an updated post on its blog, Ubisoft announced its decision to pause sales in Russia, citing the “ongoing tragedy in Ukraine.” The blog post itself doesn’t go into detail about the ban, but a report from Bloomberg indicates it includes both physical and digital game sales.

Take-Two’s ban includes new game sales and installations

Take-Two has also decided to temporarily block new game sales and installations in both Russia and Belarus. The ban applies to all of Take-Two’s subsidiaries, including 2K Games and Rockstar, the developer...

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New Steam Deck orders won’t ship until at least October

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

If you’re interested in a Steam Deck but haven’t reserved one yet, you might want to make a reservation sometime soon. Valve has updated the Steam Deck page to show that any reservations placed now won’t be able to actually make an order until sometime “after Q3 2022,” which means you shouldn’t expect to get one of the handheld gaming PCs of your own until at least October.

If you have any interest in a Steam Deck, I recommend putting down the $5 required to make a reservation and secure your spot in line. While my colleague Sean Hollister explains in his review that the Steam Deck, at least right now, is “basically an early access game console,” there was a lot about the device he really liked, and hopefully, many of the kinks will be...

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Google says Chrome’s latest update is faster than Safari

They say recent updates have made a “substantial difference on Apple M1-based Macs.” | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google has said that the latest Chrome update, version M99, is setting records on Apple’s own Speedometer web benchmark and is even faster and more responsive on Macs than Safari. A post on the Chromium Blog breaks down the improvements made to Chrome’s speed over the past year or so when compiling JavaScript and rendering graphics.

According to Google, this all adds up to its browser being the fastest on M1 Macs, benchmarking around 7 percent faster than Safari. Chrome M99 also apparently set a speed record with a score of 300 on a benchmark created by Apple’s WebKit team, according to the blog post. The Speedometer benchmark is meant to simulate what it’s like to use a web app running using various technologies to see how responsive...

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The Muppets’ house band is getting its own Disney Plus show

Disney

Though most of Disney’s recent success with The Muppets has come by way of movies like Muppets Haunted Mansion, the studio is gearing up to produce another series featuring the puppet performers as they team up with a human friend.

Today, Disney announced its plans to produce The Muppets Mayhem, a new show from The Goldbergs creator Adam F. Goldberg, starring Canadian Lilly Singh alongside Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the Muppets’ longtime house band.

Can you picture THIS? #TheMuppetsMayhem, an all-new Original series starring Dr. Teeth and The @ElectricMayhem and featuring @Lilly Singh, is coming to #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/LK5rzTiFQE

— Disney+ (@disneyplus) March 7, 2022

Co-created and written by Goldberg,...

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Big Pixel update lets you type to talk during phone calls

You can type out a response, or choose from pre-written responses. | Image: Google

Google’s latest feature drop for its Pixel phones supercharges its Live Caption feature for phone calls, allowing you to avoid having to speak entirely. There are also new custom sticker options, YouTube watch party support in Duo, and a night photography mode for Snapchat. Google says the features are rolling out starting today on the Pixel 3A to 5A and will be coming to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro later this month.

Google’s Live Caption feature could previously turn incoming phone call audio into text, but it’s now being updated to work the other way around, so you’ll be able to type text and have Google’s software read it out in the phone call. A short GIF released by the company shows how the feature can be accessed from the volume button...

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Android 12L will come to Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft devices

Google

Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft are the first device manufacturers to commit to shipping Android 12L, the new version of Android designed to be better optimized for tablets and foldable devices. Google’s VP of engineering for Android, Andrei Popescu, announced the news in a blog post, saying that 12L would ship to devices from the three companies later this year.

Lenovo isn’t a surprise, since its P12 Pro tablet can already run a beta version of Android 12L. It’s not clear exactly which devices from the other two companies will get the update — presumably Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2 is one of them, while any number of Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets or Z Fold phones could potentially benefit from the new software.

Google

A...

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Russian Doll’s second season hits Netflix on April 20th

Netflix

Whatever plans you had for this year’s 4/20 are now probably going to involve the return of Netflix’s Russian Doll for its second season.

There’s a lot going on in the teaser trailer / announcement video for Russian Doll’s second season Netflix dropped this afternoon, but it’s difficult to tease out what’s going on aside from the fact that the universe is apparently back to fucking with Natasha Lyonne’s Nadia Vulvokov.

Though it seemed as if Nadia broke free from her Groundhog Day-style hell by the previous season’s finale, the new teaser strongly suggests that there’s more metaphysical mishigas afoot for her and Charlie Barnett’s Alan Zaveri. Mysterious and light on details as the new teaser is, it makes two things pretty clear about R...

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Coinbase says it’s blocking 25,000 Russia-linked crypto addresses

Illustration by James Bareham / The Verge

Coinbase says it’s currently blocking 25,000 cryptocurrency addresses linked to Russian people or entities, defending itself against claims that Russia could evade sanctions with crypto. In a blog post published yesterday, chief legal officer Paul Grewal outlined how the financial exchange is complying with new rules imposed amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. That includes using “sophisticated blockchain analytics” to identify accounts that are indirectly linked to banned users.

Coinbase indicated that the 25,000 blocked accounts were “related to Russian individuals or entities we believe to be engaging in illicit activity.” It didn’t specify when precisely they’d been blocked or how many of the restrictions were related to the...

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How to control your robot vacuum with Alexa

You can command your robot underlings with just your voice. | Image: iRobot

Connecting your robot vacuum to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant levels up your hands-free cleaning experience. Once set up, you won’t need to open an app on your smartphone or push a button on the bot to get the cleaning party started. With a voice assistant on tap, just say a command, and your bot will do.

Most robot vacuum manufacturers work with Alexa for voice control, although some have more features than others. The basics generally include start, stop, pause, and dock (or go home). But the premium experience includes specific room cleaning commands — so, for example, you can ask Alexa to tell your robot to clean the kitchen and the living room. This is only available on vacuums with the ability to map your home, such as the R...

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The best laptop you can buy in 2022

Image: William Joel/The Verge

The best laptops for you, from ultraportables to high-powered editing machines

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Biden administration accelerates plans to slash truck pollution

MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 05: Smoke pours from the exhaust pipes on a truck on November 05, 2019 in Miami, Florida.  | Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Biden administration today announced plans to drastically cut down truck pollution in the US. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule that would require new trucks to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent from current standards by 2031. Biden is also taking aim at greenhouse gas pollution by boosting efforts to switch out diesel-burning vehicles with electric or hydrogen-powered trucks and buses.

The moves reflect fast-moving technological advancements in zero-emissions heavy-duty vehicles, according to a White House fact sheet released today. It also follows an infusion of cash for cleaner-burning vehicles laid out in the bipartisan infrastructure law passed last year. The actions align with two...

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Apple TV Plus rolls out to Comcast’s X1 platform with up to three months of free trials

Apple TV Plus app on X1 | Image: Comcast

Last fall, Comcast announced Apple’s streaming TV network would appear on its X1 platform along with Netflix, Amazon, Disney Plus, Hulu, Spotify, and all the other services it already offers, and now the day is here. According to a press release, the Apple TV Plus rollout on Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex, and XClass TV starts today and should appear on eligible devices “in the coming days.”

More importantly, for anyone who has the eligible hardware connected, you can try Apple TV Plus for free. From March 15th through March 21st, Xfinity users can expect an “unprecedented preview” of Apple TV Plus’ original series and films available with no sign-up or sign-in necessary. If you’re not sure if it’s worth it after that (or just haven’t finished...

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These artists are making tiny ROMs that will probably outlive us all

Photo Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge, Images: 100rabbits

Come sail away with Hundred Rabbits

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Nothing can’t stop smartphone leaks

Is that... Nothing’s debut smartphone? | Image: @Evleaks

Last week, when TechCrunch reported that OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei’s new startup, Nothing, could be on the verge of announcing its first smartphone, it said it had seen a picture of Pei showing off a prototype of the unannounced device to Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon. Now, a very similar, if not the very same image, has been publicly posted to Twitter by prolific and reliable leaker Evan Blass.

Everything about this photo screams “tech trade show.” There’s the slick modern decoration, the pristine carpets, the reusable water bottle kept close at hand, and, of course, the unmistakable sign of pristine white sneakers worn with skinny jeans and a jacket. TechCrunch reported that the photo it saw was taken at Mobile World Congress in...

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How to turn on Facebook Protect

Last weekend, I was scrolling through my email, listening to the rain and wondering whether I was feeling too lazy to vacuum the rug, when I came across one with the subject line “Turn on Facebook Protect.”

“Your account requires advanced security from Facebook Protect,” it said and proceeded to tell me that if I didn’t enable Facebook Protect by a certain date, I would be locked out of my account until I enabled it. I was instructed to click on the big blue button labeled “Turn on Facebook Protect” to get started.

I was sure it was a phishing email. Until I found out it wasn’t.

It turned out that Facebook is pushing higher security for “certain people in the public eye,” and so is encouraging those on its list to adopt...

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The 5G iPhone SE will be for carriers, not customers

Apple is widely expected to release a new iPhone SE model this week, the company’s third — and its quickest update yet for its cheapest line of smartphones.

Apple’s release cycle for the SE line is accelerating: the original iPhone SE was released in 2016 as an entry-level option for the iPhone lineup, priced at just $399 — compared to the $649 iPhone 6s model that preceded it a few months before. The second-generation model followed four years later, in 2020.

Now, just two years later, Apple is preparing to release its third-generation iPhone SE, one that’s rumored to offer broadly the same design as the 2020 SE, but with an upgraded processor and camera from the 2020 model, along with 5G.

And it’s that final detail — the addition of...

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Ampler now offers five e-bikes for all types of riders

The all new Ampler Axel. | Image: Ampler

Ampler is back with two all-new pedal-assisted electric bikes — the Juna and Axel — that join updated versions of the company’s Curt, Stout, and Stellar. The five-strong lineup of relatively lightweight e-bikes offers something for everyone in a bid to appeal to all types of riders, of varying sizes and tastes, with designs that look like regular bicycles thanks to batteries integrated neatly into the downtubes.

I saw each of the new Amplers at a private event in the company’s new Amsterdam showroom and service center. Each e-bike — from the sporty Curt and Axel to the relaxed Juna and Stellar step-throughs to the sturdy Stout — expresses a maturity in form and function that you’d expect from a company that helped pioneer the...

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HyperX’s comfy Cloud II Wireless headset is $20 off

Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

HyperX’s best gaming gadgets don’t see discounts all that often, but there are some sizeable price cuts happening today at Amazon. Of the bunch, HyperX’s Cloud II Wireless is the one that I can easily recommend for people looking for a great wireless gaming headset that’s compatible with PC, PlayStation consoles, as well as the Nintendo Switch dock. You can get $20 off this model, which now costs $129.99.

Within the past year, the Cloud II Wireless has gotten pushed out of our buying guide of the best gaming headsets, but not because it’s a bad product. It’s because other models offer a bit more in terms of functionality at a lower cost. This one doesn’t have a game / chat audio dial, nor does it include the ability to connect over...

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Craig of the Creek’s creators open up about building a show with DIY in its heart

Matt Burnett and Ben Levin. | Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge, Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network

What happens when DIY and imagination collide

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Pixar’s Turning Red captures the wonder and horror of being a teen in 2002

Meilin in her panda form. | Pixar

Pixar’s latest feature is another stunner

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Bitsy is the small video game engine with a big community

Illustration by Álvaro Bernis / The Verge

Alongside digital DIY tools like Twine, Bitsy has made game-making genuinely approachable

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Razer brings its analog switches to a compact 60 percent keyboard

The keyboard has a compact layout that even omits dedicated arrow keys. | Image: Razer

If you were tempted by Razer’s analog keyboard last year but want something a little more compact, then the Huntsman Mini Analog might be worth a look. Razer says this is the first time it’s brought its Analog Optical Switches to a keyboard with a 60 percent layout, which means it doesn’t have a function row, numpad, or even arrow keys. The result is a very diminutive accessory, ideal for anyone with limited desk space.

Having analog switches means the keyboard can register a range of inputs beyond its keys being simply pressed or not-pressed. For example, Razer’s software lets you assign two commands to one key (one for a half press, or another for a full press), and you can also change each switch’s actuation point (aka how much you...

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Nintendo Switch Online 2.0 app update adds easier way to copy your friend code

The app’s iOS version. | Image: Nintendo

Nintendo has updated its Switch Online mobile apps for iOS and Android to version 2.0, which brings a tweaked design as well as some minor quality-of-life improvements. The app launched shortly after the Nintendo Switch in 2017. It’s designed to work in tandem with the console, offering features like online voice chat that aren’t available on the Switch itself.

For my money, the 2.0 update’s most interesting improvement is that it offers an easier way to find and share your friend code, the cumbersome 12-digit identifier that’s the primary way of adding friends on Nintendo’s online service. Instead of having to manually copy out the code from your Switch console itself before sharing it with a friend, the update lets you easily copy it...

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Samsung confirms hackers stole Galaxy source code

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Hackers have successfully stolen internal company data and source code for Galaxy devices from Samsung, the South Korean tech giant confirmed today.

News of the breach was first reported earlier this month, with a hacking outfit named Lapsus$ claiming responsibility. The group, which recently hacked Nvidia, shared screenshots purportedly showing roughly 200GB of stolen data, including source code used by Samsung for encryption and biometric unlocking functions on Galaxy hardware.

In a statement today, Samsung did not confirm or deny the identity of the hackers, nor whether or not they had stolen data related to encryption and biometrics. But, the company said that no personal data, belonging either to employees or customers, had been...

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Halo Infinite’s campaign co-op won’t arrive with season two in May

A screenshot of Halo Infinite’s campaign. | Image: 343 Industries

Halo Infinite’s second season won’t ship with online campaign co-op when it launches on May 3rd, 343 Industries announced. It’s set to launch “later” during season two, with no word on an exact release date.

“It’s going to take more time to land a high-quality, full-featured 4-player network co-op experience”

Joseph Staten, the head of creative on Halo Infinite says 343 is “aiming to deliver Campaign network co-op later in Season 2,” but won’t be bundling it at launch. It’s unclear whether split-screen and online campaign co-op will release simultaneously, though, as Staten only mentions network co-op as slated for release during season 2.

“It’s going to take more time to land a high-quality, full-featured 4-player network co-op...

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Netflix shuts down its services in Russia

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Netflix is suspending its services in Russia over the country’s invasion of Ukraine, as first reported by Variety.

“Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia”

“Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” Netflix spokesperson Emily Feingold said in a statement to The Verge.

Last week, Netflix said it wouldn’t comply with a new Russian law that requires large streamers to host 20 Russian propaganda channels, such as NTV and the state-backed Channel One. The streaming giant later announced that it’s halting all productions and acquisitions in Russia — Netflix had been working on four Russian originals at the time. According to Bloomberg, Netflix...

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