The latest Kindle Paperwhite returns to its best price yet

Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite currently starts at $104.99 instead of $139.99 at multiple retailers. | Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The

If you weren’t able to take advantage of the great discount that we saw on the new Kindle Paperwhite during Black Friday 2021, you now have a second chance. The 2021 Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best e-readers on the market, and right now, it’s also available at its best price ever. Typically selling for $139.99, you can buy the new Paperwhite in the ad-supported configuration at Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy for $104.99. The ad-free version is also on sale at Amazon for $119.99 instead of $159.99.

The battery in the latest Kindle Paperwhite can last for months, so you can enjoy reading for hours on end without having to worry about running out of battery. When you do run out, however, you can easily recharge the device thanks to its...

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Eero’s new Wi-Fi 6E mesh router supports over gigabit speeds and costs under $500

The new Eero Pro 6E is the company’s first 6GHz Wi-Fi-compatible router. | Image: Eero

Amazon-owned Eero jumped into the Wi-Fi 6E fray today with the announcement of its first Wi-Fi 6E-enabled mesh Wi-Fi system. The tri-band Eero Pro 6E router adds access to the new 6GHz Wi-Fi band, supports wireless speeds up to 1.3 Gbps, and claims coverage for over 100 devices simultaneously. The 6GHz band is touted as a spacious new Wi-Fi “traffic lane” that should enable faster speeds and less congestion across your home network.

The Eero Pro 6E starts at $299 for a single router and goes up to $699 for a full three-unit mesh system. The new model brings with it a shakeup to the entire Eero line — there’s also a new dual-band Eero 6 Plus system that offers gigabit speeds at a lower price (starting at $139), and a price cut to the...

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Snap buys brain-computer interface startup for future AR glasses

Snap will discontinue the selling of NextMind’s developer kit pictured above. | NextMind

Meta, Apple, and a slew of other tech companies are building augmented reality glasses with displays that place computing on the world around you. The idea is that this type of product will one day become useful in a similar way to how smartphones transformed what computers can do. But how do you control smart glasses with a screen you can’t touch and no mouse or keyboard?

It’s a big problem the industry has yet to solve, but there’s a growing consensus that some type of brain computer interface will be the answer. To that end, Snap said on Wednesday that it has acquired NextMind, the Paris-based neurotech startup behind a headband that lets the wearer control aspects of a computer — like aiming a gun in a video game or unlocking the...

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Here’s how an algorithm guides a medical decision

Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

Artificial intelligence algorithms are everywhere in healthcare. They sort through patients’ data to predict who will develop medical conditions like heart disease or diabetes, they help doctors figure out which people in an emergency room are the sickest, and they screen medical images to find evidence of diseases. But even as AI algorithms become more important to medicine, they’re often invisible to people receiving care.

Artificial intelligence tools are complicated computer programs that suck in vast amounts of data, search for patterns or trajectories, and make a prediction or recommendation to help guide a decision. Sometimes, the way algorithms process all of the information they’re taking in is a black box — inscrutable even...

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Kirby and the Forgotten Land is as sweet and slight as cotton candy

Nintendo

A very joyful game belies a kinda empty one

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An official NFL game is coming to Meta Quest and PSVR

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

The National Football League is stepping into virtual reality with the announcement of a new official VR game. It will be developed in partnership with sports technology company StatusPro, which makes use of player data for an AR training tool already used by NFL teams. The plan is for the game to become an annual series, like EA’s Madden series.

There aren’t many details on the game itself, including what it’ll be called or when it’ll be available. The NFL’s press release describes it as a first-person simulation gaming title that will be released on Meta Quest and PlayStation VR. (No word on whether that means PSVR2.)

“We are seeing a growing number of fans engaging with VR.”

There are other VR football games already available, like...

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Google tidies up its smart home app

The redesigned feed. | Image: Google

Google wants to tidy up the event feed in its Home app to make it easier to see what’s happening in your smart home. An update coming later this month will feature a “clutter free layout,” the search giant says, and it will group related entries to avoid you having to scroll through “a list of repetitive events.” The above screenshot released by the company shows a more concise, streamlined design.

Alongside this feed update, the company has officially announced a new centralized privacy section, as well as the updated controls that started appearing last week. The privacy section is launching this week, and allows you to manage household settings like presence sensing and offers an easy view of your data. Meanwhile, the new smart home...

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DJI drones, Ukraine, and Russia — what we know about AeroScope

Photography by Vjeran Pavic / Treatment by Alex Castro / The Verge

Why DJI’s drones are a hot-button issue in the Ukraine-Russia war

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The PS5’s variable refresh rate feature is coming soon and works on any game

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Sony is planning to release a Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) feature for the PlayStation 5 “in the coming months.” The long-awaited VRR feature will sync the refresh rate of a display to the PS5’s graphical output, and will reduce visual artifacts, screen tearing, and frame pacing issues. You’ll even be able to use the new VRR feature with games that don’t officially support it. The news comes as Sony announced the availability of new PS5 and PS4 software updates.

“Gameplay in many PS5 titles feels smoother as scenes render instantly, graphics look crisper, and input lag is reduced,” says the PlayStation team in a blog post. “Previously released PS5 games can be fully optimized for VRR through a game patch and future games may include VRR...

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YouTube is taking on over-the-air TV with nearly 4,000 free episodes of TV

YouTube is the latest company to offer free shows TV with ads. The video giant says you’ll now be able to stream nearly 4,000 episodes of TV for free, as long as you’re also willing to watch ads during the show. Shows available include Hell’s Kitchen, Andromeda, and _Heartland,_and you’ll be able to watch them in the US on the web, mobile devices, and “most connected TVs via the YouTube TV app,” YouTube says in a blog post.

With the new free TV shows, YouTube is taking on a number of major competitors. One is over-the-air television — by offering free TV on demand, YouTube is likely hoping that you’ll see what’s available on its platform instead of channel surfing to see what else might be on.

There are already many options for streaming...

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Microsoft confirms Lapsus$ hackers stole source code via ‘limited’ access

Malware makers have already exploited other certificates released by Lapsus$. | Image by Alex Castro / The Verge

The hacking group Lapsus$, known for claiming to have hacked Nvidia, Samsung, and more, this week claimed it has even hacked Microsoft. The group posted a file that it claimed contains partial source code for Bing and Cortana in an archive holding nearly 37GB of data.

On Tuesday evening, after investigating, Microsoft confirmed the group that it calls DEV-0537 compromised “a single account” and stole parts of source code for some of its products. A blog post on its security site says Microsoft investigators have been tracking the Lapsus$ group for weeks, and details some of the methods they’ve used to compromise victims’ systems. According to the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC), “the objective of DEV-0537 actors is to gain...

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Starlink hikes prices for monthly service and starter kit, even if you put down a deposit

A Starlink terminal being used in Ukraine | Photo credit should read Nina Lyashonok/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

SpaceX’s internet-from-space program Starlink is increasing prices for both the purchase of Starlink kits and for the monthly service, according to a new email sent out to customers this afternoon reviewed by The Verge. The company says the “sole purpose of these adjustments is to keep pace with rising inflation.”

Originally, opting into Starlink required a $499 upfront purchase of a starter kit with all the necessary supplies, including a user terminal, or antenna, for connecting with SpaceX’s satellites. Customers would then pay a $99 monthly charge to keep the service running. Now, the new monthly price going forward will be $110. All new orders of the Starlink kit will now cost $599, and anyone who put down a deposit for the original...

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Sonos might make your next TV streaming OS

Imagine if the Sonos Beam had its own TV interface | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Sonos is known for its whole-home audio systems and its soundbars, but now the company is hiring for a new home theater project that’s sure to give you more control from the couch. The speculation comes from the mention of a new “Home Theater OS” project being revealed in new Sonos job postings, as reported by Protocol.

The most revealing job posting is perhaps the “Head of Partnerships, Home Theatre” position:

The Head of Partnerships for our Next Generation Sonos Home Theater OS will play a pivotal role in connecting users to the content and services they love with Sonos quality experiences they’ve come to expect.

_Protocol_points out that Nick Millington, who is Sonos’ chief innovation officer, personally promoted the “Head of...

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The NFL now lets teams chase blockchain sponsors but bans specific crypto and fan token deals

The NFL is already invested in NFTs. | Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The National Football League will now allow teams to secure sponsorships with blockchain companies. However, it will still prohibit them from promoting specific cryptocurrencies and fan tokens, according to a report from CNBC. This reverses the NFL’s previous decision to bar teams from cryptocurrency sponsorships completely.

In an internal memo viewed by CNBC, the NFL says it will permit “promotional relationships without undertaking excessive regulator or brand risk,” which won’t include stadium signage. It also maintains that “clubs will continue to be prohibited from directly promoting cryptocurrency.”

Blockchain sponsorships can only last three years

Sponsorships between teams and blockchain companies can only last a maximum of three...

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Best gaming laptop in 2022: seven laptops to get your game on

The best gaming laptop is the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales/ The Verge

The best gaming laptop at every size and price

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Well, Apple’s having another outage

The company faced a much larger outage yesterday. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

A few of Apple’s services are experiencing another outage, just one day after a good chunk of Apple’s services and online infrastructure were knocked offline on Monday. Currently, Apple’s system status page says that Apple Music, Podcasts, Books, and the App Store are the ones having issues since 5:09PM ET. It lists the issue as ongoing and says that “some users are affected.”

Thankfully, iMessage, iCloud, Apple Maps, and Apple TV seem to be working fine, but those looking for an app or song may be out of luck. Apple also warns that there are issues with Weather, Apple Card, Game Center, and the iCloud Web Apps, which may be “slow or unavailable.”

While Apple Music worked fine for at least two Verge staff members (one reported it being...

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Kickstarter CEO Aziz Hasan is stepping down

Kickstarter CEO Aziz Hasan is stepping down. In a blog titled “Moving Forward, with Gratitude,” Hasan says COO Sean Leow will be interim CEO and that the search for a permanent replacement is already underway.

In an interview with Fast Company, Hasan says “personal reflections” and a desire to spend more time with his family informed his decision to leave Kickstarter after three years.

“I am so proud of the work we’ve done together,” Hasan writes. “Leading such a passionate, skilled, and dedicated team through intense moments of change, milestone victories, and complex challenges has been a humbling and rewarding experience.”

He touted the company’s successes under his leadership, including reaching $6 billion raised in pledges by 20...

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Google won’t give old Pixels the best 5G, even though it admits it could

Google doesn’t have plans to support C-Band on the Pixel 5A. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Google says it doesn’t plan to update the software for the Pixel 4a 5G, 5, or 5a to support C-band 5G in the US, despite also saying that the phones have the necessary hardware and that the functionality will work in other countries. Google hasn’t explained this decision, which it announced in a post on the Pixel support forums (h/t to Android Police for spotting that post). Google _has_updated its latest Pixels in the US, the 6 and 6 Pro, with C-band via a software update, but not those older phones.

The post says that the earlier Pixel models “have C-band capable hardware and are enabled for operation in certain countries” but that the company does “not have any plans to support C-band operation in the US” for those earlier Pixel...

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Twitter will now let you record a GIF right from the iOS app’s camera

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Twitter may have just rolled back a really bad product decision, but on Tuesday, it added a very good one: you can make GIFs right from the in-app camera on iOS. The new feature could be a useful way to share short clips to your timeline without having to upload a full video.

Here’s a GIF I recorded from my iPhone 12 Mini just before writing this story if you want to get an idea of how one of these GIFs looks:

✌️ pic.twitter.com/0USszZDQBZ

— Jay Peters (@jaypeters) March 22, 2022

Recording the GIF was easy. In the iOS app, I hit the new tweet button, tapped the photo icon, then the camera icon, made sure I was on the GIF mode, and pressed and held the record button. (Twitter has posted a handy GIF of its own demonstrating the steps.)...

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Here are the best iPad deals right now

Select iPad models go on sale quite regularly. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

While some of the best iPad deals happen around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can still find plenty of great discounts if you know where to look. Whether you’re after the high-end iPad Pro, or the most affordable Apple tablet, the entry-level iPad, there’s likely a sale going on somewhere you may be interested in.

Of course, it’s difficult to know exactly where you can find the most notable deals unless you’re scouring the major retailers on a daily basis. But that’s often what our deal hunters at _The Verge_are doing each and every day, so let us help you out. Below, we’ve listed the best deals you can get on each iPad model that is currently available, some of which are outgoing models with freshly introduced replacements.

The...

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Bored Ape Yacht Club creator raises $450 million to build an NFT metaverse

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Yuga Labs, the owner of three of the biggest NFT brands on the market, has raised $450 million in funding at a $4 billion valuation, the company announced today. The team behind Bored Ape Yacht Club plans to use the money to build a media empire around NFTs, starting with games and its own metaverse project.

The team describes its metaverse project, called Otherside, as an MMORPG meant to connect the broader NFT universe. They hope to create “an interoperable world” that is “gamified” and “completely decentralized,” says Wylie Aronow, a co-founder of Bored Ape Yacht Club who goes by the pseudonym Gordon Goner. “We think the real Ready Player One experience will be player run.”

The announcement comes just weeks after Yuga Labs made a...

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Uber is temporarily removing the ability to split fares

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Uber plans to temporarily remove the ability to split fares sometime next month, as reported by Mashable. The company is “in the process of reworking how riders split fares,” Uber said in a statement shared with Mashable and also given to The Verge. “We know this is a popular feature, so rest assured that we are planning to roll out a new, improved version in the coming months.”

The company also sent an email to some customers informing them of the change, though it seems the email was partially incorrect. “We are sorry to let you know that from March 21st, we are discontinuing the ‘Split fare’ feature, which allows you to share the price of a trip with other riders,” according to a screenshot of the email included in Mashable’s...

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Twitch rolls out improved reporting and appeals features

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Twitch is overhauling its safety tools, improving its reporting process, and adding a new appeals portal.

Over the next few weeks, Twitch will slowly roll out improved reporting tools, simplifying the process by which streamers and viewers can report content. The new process includes a search function so users can find the specific reason for their report and a suite of menus for the type of content getting flagged. The updated reporting tools will hit web first, with the mobile rollout happening at an unspecified later date.

In addition to better reporting features, Twitch is also adding a new appeals portal, offering greater transparency into the appeals process. In the past, to contest a ban or suspension, a streamer would submit an...

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Netflix is getting three more mobile games, including its first FPS

Netflix has announced three more mobile games that you’ll soon be able to play on iOS or Android with a subscription to the streaming service, including the first FPS that’s available as part of its lineup.

_This Is A True Story_is a “lush narrative puzzle game” created to “share a true story of a Sub-Saharan African woman’s daily struggle to get water for her family,” according to Netflix. The game was made by developer Frosty Pop in collaboration with Charity: Water. Shatter Remastered is an updated take of the hit brick-breaking game that first released on PS3 in 2009. And in Into The Dead 2: Unleashed, a hybrid FPS / runner game, you’ll have to survive waves of zombies.

_This Is A True Story_and Shatter Remastered will be available on...

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Roblox’s Game Fund games don’t look like most Roblox titles

A screenshot from a trailer for_Rolling Thunder._ | Image: Roblox

Last July, Roblox announced the Game Fund, a program to give developers funding and support for Roblox experiences. Timed with the Game Developers Conference this week, the company is using those funded games to showcase the range of experiences possible with its tools.

There are a few parts to what Roblox is announcing on Tuesday. One is that Roblox is revealing for the first time that it’s investing $25 million as part of the Game Fund. Roblox had previously said it would be giving $500,000 minimum in each Roblox experience it selected for the Game Fund, but now we know how much will be given out in total.

Roblox has already announced three games getting support from the fund — Winds of Fortune, Rolling Thunder, and neonKnights — and...

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Fortnite has been building towards no building for years

It all started with swimming. When Fortnite ushered in its second chapter with the dramatic implosion of the game’s original island, it also added in a seemingly small feature: players could finally swim. But since then, the shooter has slowly morphed by continually making the game faster and more mobile. It may have come as a shock to some when building — one of the defining traits of Fortnite since its inception — was removed as part of the current season (even though it’s likely a temporary change). But it’s a shift that’s been a long time coming.

Ever since players could swim, developer Epic has continuously added new ways for people to get around in the game. There have been vehicles like planes and cars, zip lines and launch pads...

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Lucid Motors will use Nvidia’s auto-grade chips to power autonomous driving

Photo by Andrew Hawkins / The Verge

Lucid Motors will use Nvidia’s auto-grade computer chips in its vehicles to enable advanced driver assistance and autonomous driving features, the companies announced Tuesday. The automaker’s current and future lineup will be built on Nvidia’s end-to-end Drive Hyperion platform.

Hyperion is the latest iteration of Nvidia’s Drive platform that allows automakers to customize their own driving features. And Orin is the chipmaker’s system-on-a-chip, similar to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving chip or Intel’s Mobileye EyeQ. This new hardware will form the basis for a new suite of driving features, including advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), automated parking, and autonomous driving, the companies said.

Hyperion is the latest iteration of...

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Fringe YouTubers are profiting off-platform

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

YouTube has made a habit of stripping ads from problematic channels as a way to discourage controversial or offensive content without outright banning it. But the creators of those channels can still use their videos to promote other streams of income, like donation links and merch sales. Now, a new study shows that those options have not just allowed problematic channels to continue but may also be encouraging them to create more videos on YouTube.

A new peer-reviewed study by researchers at Cornell Tech in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) found that YouTubers, including fringe creators making alt-right and anti-feminist videos, use their channels to promote their other income streams...

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Zoom’s new virtual avatars let you show up to your next meeting as a dog

Hopping over to my next meeting as a rabbit. | Image: Zoom

Zoom will let you show up to your next meeting as a rabbit, fox, dog, or another type of animal, using its new Avatars feature that replaces you with a virtual character that copies your expressions, Memoji-style. The company says this feature, which is included in the Zoom 5.10 update, will only let you become an animal at launch, but that new avatar options will be added in the future.

Zoom sees this feature as useful for a lot of different scenarios — in its press release, it mentions showing up with an avatar filter on could “bring some fun to your team-building meetings” or help pediatricians seem less intimidating to young children. There’s also the idea that it could help alleviate Zoom fatigue. At least one study has indicated...

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Google Photos updates its library and sharing tabs to make photos easier to find

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Google Photos is getting a pretty significant layout change that should make it easier to find the photos and albums you’re looking for in the library and sharing tabs.

The update transforms the current library tab layout from a mishmash of albums, favorites, and on-device folders to a grid or list view that you can sort through by category. Meanwhile, the Photos sharing tab will now have sections specifically for partner sharing, shared albums, and conversations. Google says the changes to the sharing tab are arriving on Android this week but are “coming soon” to iOS.

Image: Google

Google is introducing grid and list view layouts for its library tab.

Aside from that, Photos is also getting a cool feature...

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