Sony announces new PlayStation Plus subscriptions, its answer to Xbox Game Pass

Sony is announcing new versions of its PlayStation Plus subscriptions today, its long-rumored answer to Xbox Game Pass. PlayStation Plus is now a combination of Sony’s two current subscription services, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now. Two new PlayStation Plus subscription options will include access to multiplayer gaming alongside a catalog of select PlayStation games to install or stream.

These new tiers will start to becoming available in June in Asia, followed by North America, Europe, and the rest of the world. As part of the launch, PlayStation Now will no longer be available as a standalone service.

PlayStation Plus Essential is priced at $9.99 monthly and will include the same PlayStation Plus benefits that exist today with...

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Artist Jeff Koons aims to send sculptures to the Moon on commercial lunar lander

An artistic rendering of the Intuitive Machines lander on the Moon

Later this year, American artist Jeff Koons will be displaying some of his latest sculptures in their most exotic location yet: the surface of the Moon. Thanks to a new collaboration, Koons will create some new sculptures that will travel to the lunar surface on a robotic lunar lander made by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines.

Intuitive Machines’ lander is called Nova-C, which the company has been developing in partnership with NASA. For the last few years, NASA has been actively working toward sending humans back to the Moon through its Artemis program. And as part of that effort, NASA has been working with commercial companies to develop a whole fleet of vehicles — from smaller robotic landers and rovers to landers capable of...

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Otter.ai adds AI-generated meeting summaries and new home feed

Otter.ai made its name as a slick, AI-powered transcription service. But as this type of automated transcription becomes more commonplace, the company is expanding its remit — adding a host of features, including AI-generated meeting summaries, with the aim of turning users’ Otter accounts into collaborative hubs for work.

The goal is to make Otter bigger than transcriptions and cater to the company’s growing number of enterprise customers. “A year ago, most of [our customers] were individuals, but more and more professionals are using it,” Otter.ai CEO Sam Liang told The Verge in an interview. “The new Otter makes it a one-stop for all your meeting contents and collaboration needs.”

When accessing accounts on the web, Otter users will...

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Russia’s Yandex lays off two dozen US-based workers from its robot and self-driving teams

Yandex, a multi-billion dollar tech company based in Russia, had been operating autonomous vehicles in Michigan before the invasion of Ukraine. | Yandex

Yandex, the multi-billion dollar Russian tech company that’s been operating a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in Ann Arbor, Michigan, laid off over two dozen US-based workers earlier this month, claiming that its vehicle licenses were suspended by Michigan’s state regulators, The Verge has learned. But Michigan says this just isn’t true.

In the days following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Yandex paused its AV testing in Ann Arbor, as well as its tests with six-wheeled delivery robots at several college campuses in Ohio and Arizona. But the pause was only supposed to be temporary — the company said it hoped to resume those operations at a later date.

Yandex claims it was informed on March 9th that its vehicle licenses were suspended...

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Microsoft starts testing Minecraft ray tracing on Xbox

Microsoft has started testing ray tracing support for _Minecraft_on Xbox Series X / S consoles. A new Minecraft Preview build is available to Xbox Insiders, and it includes limited ray tracing support. The latest test build is also marked as optimized for Xbox Series X / S, suggesting that a next-gen patch is coming soon.

I’ve been testing out the latest Minecraft Preview, and have been able to successfully enable some ray tracing support. It’s not a simple switch, though. Minecraft’s ray tracing is enabled through additional resource packs, and there’s no easy way of downloading and installing these in the Xbox version of the game right now. There’s a workaround, though. You can host a _Minecraft_session on a Windows PC with the packs...

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Apex Legends next-gen console updates with 4K and HDR launch tomorrow

Image: Respawn Entertainment

Respawn Entertainment has confirmed that _Apex Legends_upgrades for the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S consoles will launch tomorrow with the new Warriors collection event. Until now, the battle royale shooter has shared versions across the console generations. But when the update is released — usually around 1PM ET — console players will finally be able to join those on PC with support for natively rendered 4K (except on the Series S), HDR, better shadow maps, and greater level of detail distances.

All versions on consoles are still limited to 60Hz, with 120Hz gameplay listed as an upgrade coming in the future (however, once the PS5 supports 120Hz output, it will be able to force it even on games that don’t have support built-in if you want...

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The best Sonos speaker and soundbar deals

The Sonos Roam launched last year is now on sale in refurbished condition at Best Buy. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Most would agree that Sonos offers some of the best speakers and soundbars currently on the market. That’s because Sonos makes speakers that — more often than not — boast great sound quality, support for all the major streaming platforms, and simple multi-room functionality. Unfortunately, however, all of those perks often come at a high price. Sonos products aren’t cheap, and, outside of the occasional rogue discount, they rarely go on sale. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save at least a few dollars on Sonos gear.

If you’re comfortable buying refurbished, for example, you could save a decent amount. We also occasionally see sales on Sonos’ collaborative series with Ikea and discounted bundles that include Sonos...

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Rode’s first pair of headphones offer a comfortable and balanced way to monitor audio

The NTH-100 offers a great option for audio mixing

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MIT is reinstating SAT and ACT requirements for incoming students

MIT will once again require standardized test scores for admission | Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said Monday it’s reinstating requirements that students provide scores from the SAT or ACT standardized tests for future admissions. At the start of the pandemic, many schools waived standardized test requirements for incoming students or, like MIT, made reporting them optional.

The temporary change was meant to relieve some of the unprecedented stresses and obstacles students graduating from US high schools in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were facing. In 2020, the College Board, which administers the SAT, said millions of students had been unable to take the test as scheduled in the spring of 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. It asked colleges and universities to be flexible in their admissions...

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A new bill would launch a large-scale test of digital dollars

Graphics by Michele Doying / The Verge

2A US lawmaker has proposed a large-scale trial of government-backed digital cash. The Electronic Currency and Secure Hardware (ECASH) Act, introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to publicly test an “electronic version” of the US dollar. While the bill’s odds of passing likely remain low, it demonstrates governments’ increasing interest in launching alternatives to cryptocurrency.

The ECASH Act would require the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a program called the Electronic Currency Innovation Program (ECIP). ECIP would oversee a series of pilot programs for what the bill dubs “e-cash”: Treasury Department-issued legal tender that can be used without private intermediaries like banks...

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TikTok is testing a ‘Watch History’ so you can finally find that video you saw

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

TikTok appears to be testing a new Watch History feature that should save you from the mental anguish of trying to locate that video you could’ve sworn you saved, as reported by TechCrunch. It looks like TikTok may finally give us a straightforward way to browse through a running list of the videos we’ve seen on the app.

NEW! TikTok Watch History https://t.co/vxXy9L0VJb

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) March 26, 2022

Social media consultant Matt Navarra retweeted findings from Twitter user Hammod Oh, who frequently unearths upcoming features on various social platforms. Oh’s screenshot indicates the “Watch History” option will appear under the “Content and Activity” heading of your settings.

There still aren’t many details about what...

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Asus says its RTX graphics cards could be up to 25 percent cheaper

That could mean hundreds of dollars in savings — if everything goes smoothly. | Image: Asus

Asus says it’ll be lowering the price of its RTX 30-series cards (it lists the 3050, 3060, 3070, 3080, and 3090) by up to 25 percent. To list some examples based on Best Buy’s pricing, a 25 percent price reduction would take a Tuf 3060 12GB from $550 to $412.50, a Strix 3070 8GB from $825 to $618.75, and a Tuf 3080 12GB from a whopping $1,500 to $1,125 (though do note that Asus is saying the reductions will be _up to_25 percent, and it hasn’t released details for any specific cards).

The company says that consumers will see the lower prices “starting on April 1st, 2022” and coming to “different models throughout the springtime.”

The explanation is likely tariffs, not tricks

Yes, I also narrowed my eyes and furrowed my brow when I heard...

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Go read this story about Russian cross-stitch stores getting banned from Etsy

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is affecting an unexpected community: cross-stitchers who buy patterns on Etsy. Slatepublished a piece describing how American cross-stitchers have been “devastated” by Etsy’s recent suspension of Russian storefronts, including cross-stitch patterns shops that are — to the surprise of some crafters — heavily concentrated in Russia.

Cross-stitch is a type of hand embroidery where crafters stitch designs on to fabric with X’s, often using a pattern as a reference. Designs range from fairly simple or incredibly intricate, and they start as low as $3 but can go for “much more” for complex pieces. Etsy is a popular place for cross-stitchers to find digital patterns, and a few weeks ago, cross-stitchers on Reddit b...

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Bored Ape Yacht Club’s newest merch drop can only be bought with ApeCoin

Image: ApeCoin DAO

Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT holders can buy new merchandise items from Yuga Labs — but they can only use the newly-launched ApeCoin to do it, according to an announcement in the BAYC Discord server. Yuga Labs, which has a large stake in the organization backing ApeCoin, will get more ApeCoin (and more control over the organization) as NFT holders pay for their merch.

That is, assuming they can. Continuing cryptocurrency’s trend of “money but worse,” users complained they were having trouble checking out.

Hey everyone, we’re aware of the Coinbase Commerce issues during merch store checkout. They are working on a resolution now. If you encountered payment problems we’ll be following up with next steps soon.

— Bored Ape Yacht Club...

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Security experts say new EU rules will damage WhatsApp encryption

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On March 24th, EU governing bodies announced that they had reached a deal on the most sweeping legislation to target Big Tech in Europe, known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Seen as an ambitious law with far-reaching implications, the most eye-catching measure in the bill would require that every large tech company — defined as having a market capitalization of more than €75 billion or a user base of more than 45 million people in the EU — create products that are interoperable with smaller platforms. For messaging apps, that would mean letting end-to-end encrypted services like WhatsApp mingle with less secure protocols like SMS — which security experts worry will undermine hard-won gains in the field of message encryption.

The main...

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Apple is reportedly already cutting iPhone SE production plans by 20 percent

The iPhone SE might not be meeting Apple’s sales expectations. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

While luxury electronics like the PS5 and graphics cards may still be selling out left and right, the demand may not be as high for easier-to-make budget offerings. According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Apple will be making 20 percent fewer iPhone SEs in the next quarter than it originally planned and 10 million fewer AirPods for all of 2022. Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo provided specific numbers in his note about the demand for the SE, saying that he expects Apple to ship 15 to 20 million SEs in 2022, as opposed to his previous estimate of 25-30 million (that’s somewhere between a 22 and 66 percent decrease for the year).

The reports don’t point to supply chain issues or chip shortages, which have plagued much of the electronics...

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Apple’s $55 million fine over in-app payments for Dutch dating apps could start growing faster

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Apple could pay an even larger periodic fine if the Dutch competition regulator doesn’t approve of its latest proposal to address its demands to allow dating apps to use alternate formats of payments. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has fined Apple the maximum of €50 million (~$55 million USD) for failing to satisfy its order, and the fine on Monday marks Apple’s 10th penalty.

Apple’s new proposal, submitted on the 27th, is currently under review by the ACM, which says it may force Apple to pay another round of fines “with possible higher penalties.” The Dutch regulator has been levying its fines in weekly €5 million (~$5.5 million USD) increments, but the ACM makes it clear that this amount is subject to...

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SpaceX pausing production of new Crew Dragon spacecraft

SpaceX

SpaceX says it will no longer build new vehicles of its Crew Dragon capsule, the spacecraft the company uses to take humans to and from the International Space Station, according to a report in Reuters. The plan for now is to cap the Crew Dragon fleet for carrying humans at four, which SpaceX will re-fly again and again to get crews to space.

“We are finishing our final [capsule], but we still are manufacturing components, because we’ll be refurbishing,” SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell told Reuters. After each flight of a Crew Dragon, the spacecraft must go through a refurbishment process in Florida, where certain hardware is tweaked or swapped out to make the vehicle flight-ready again. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.

“...

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Here’s where you can buy a Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch OLED model boasts a vibrant, 7-inch display and slate of minor upgrades. | Image: Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch was, like most consoles during the pandemic, once in short supply. Thankfully, retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart now routinely stock the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and upgraded Switch OLED model in multiple color configurations, giving those who struck out ample opportunity to purchase Nintendo’s versatile console.

If you’re not sure where you can pick up a Switch as of right now, we’ve vetted stock and rounded up where you can purchase the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch Lite, and the Nintendo Switch OLED model online and in-store. We’ve also scoured the web for any bundle that seems like a good deal, as well as discounts that might be applicable.

Where can I buy a Nintendo Switch right now?

• If...

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Microsoft’s high-end Surface Pro 8 has hit its lowest price ever at Best Buy

You can currently save $300 on the Surface Pro 8 at Best Buy. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

Monday doesn’t have to be all bad, especially when we’ve collected some of the best deals on the internet to ease you into your week. Take the latest version of the Microsoft Surface Pro 8, for instance, which you can currently grab in a high-end configuration at Best Buy for $1,299.99 instead of $1,599.99. This powerful tablet comes equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage that can be supplemented with SD cards if you need a little extra space. The 13-inch, 120Hz display on the Pro 8 also features 2880x1920 resolution but can also be paired with an external monitor, thanks to its pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports. It even has a 3.5mm audio jack if you’re still using headphones that plug into something,...

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Mountain Everest Max review: peak performance

A keyboard with a lot of great ideas, well executed

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One Piece is getting an RPG with a new story from series creator Eiichiro Oda

Bandai Namco

One Piece is getting a new video game. During a video presentation celebrating the 25th anniversary of One Piece, Bandai Namco announced that the celebrated manga / anime series will be getting a new RPG with an original story written by series creator Eiichiro Oda.

One Piece Odyssey is a new open-world game in which the Straw Hats have treasures to find a mysterious island to explore. The game is being developed by ILCA, a Japanese studio that recently worked on the _Pokemon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl_remakes, as well as Dragon Quest XI and Nier Replicant. Though the announcement trailer didn’t show too much outside of cutscenes and exploration, we do know that there will be turn-based combat and that players will have the crew...

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How to clear up space on your iPhone when you’re running out of storage

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Our iPhones are so much more than just phones. Sure, they’re where we store our photos, books, music, and movies, but they also have the apps we use daily for work, socializing, ordering groceries, transportation, managing finances, and even our health. Used for so many different things, it’s easy to quickly take up all of the phone’s storage — which can become a nightmare.

But don’t panic. If you’re on the verge of running out of space, you’re not doomed, and you don’t necessarily need to delete every photo or upgrade your phone. Here we’ll guide you through nine things you can do to create space, many of which are free, quick, and easy.

First, figure out what’s eating up your storage

Check what’s taking up the most of the space on...

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Chipolo Card Spot review: a less creepy AirTag

Find My adds a ton of perks to this item tracker

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Ex-Google CEO funneled money into the White House science office

Eric Schmidt speaks at a technology summit in Washington, DC. | Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s foundation poured money into the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy over the past year, according to a report from Politico. The foundation’s close ties with the office raised ethics concerns with internal watchdogs.

Schmidt held a number of roles at Google and parent company Alphabet, including CEO, executive chairman, and technical advisor. He stepped down from that last role in 2020. Now, he sits on the boards and invests in tech companies, including a number focused on artificial intelligence. The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) directs science funding and helps steer AI policy — one of the reasons Rachel Wallace, then the office’s general counsel, raised concerns...

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Intel’s unlocked Core i9-12900KS processor claims to be the ‘world’s fastest desktop processor’ with 5.5GHz speeds

Intel has officially announced its new Core i9-12900KS processor, an unlocked version of its flagship Core i9-12900K that ups the maximum boosted clock speed even higher to 5.5GHz for what the company claims is “the world’s fastest desktop processor” and “the ultimate gaming experience.”

The Core i9-12900KS has a lot in common with its predecessors’ hardware, including the same 16 cores (split up between eight Performance-cores and eight Efficient-cores) and 24 threads and 30MB of L3 cache memory. But Intel has boosted the base power from 125W to 150W and allowed the Core i9-12900KS to run unlocked, allowing it to hit up to 5.5GHz on up to two cores (compared to the maximum 5.2GHz speed on the regular i9-12900K).

For those keeping track...

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My own phone number is now spam texting me

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

This morning, I received a very blatant spam text offering me “a little gift” for supposedly paying my phone bill. Normally I’d groan, roll my eyes, and quickly delete such a thing, but there was something different about this particular message: it was spoofed as coming from my own phone number. As best my iPhone could tell, it was a legitimate message from me to myself. Tapping into the sender details took me to my own contact card.

Equally frustrating was that I had no obvious way of reporting the alarming spoof to my carrier, Verizon Wireless. Spoofed calls and texts are nothing new; most people face a constant deluge of spam calls that appear on caller ID as from a number similar to their own. But this was the first time I actually...

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What’s the best student laptop? We asked students

The Dell XPS 13 is one of the best laptops for high school and college students. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Shopping for a laptop can be stressful — doubly stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Kids of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs. And as the choices for best laptop and best Chromebook evolve, so do students’ needs. So I spoke to some experts on the subject: students themselves.

My recommendations here are meant to accommodate a variety of preferences and price ranges. But they’re a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive list: every student is different. Before making a decision, you’ll want to make sure you read reviews and try out devices yourself if you can. I’ll do my best to keep this article up to date with items that are in stock.

Best laptop...

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Samsung’s M8 monitor comes with a webcam, speakers, and smart TV features for $700

The white-colored model costs $700, while the others cost $30 more. | Samsung

Samsung’s latest smart monitor, the 32-inch 4K M8, is now available to reserve in four colors: white, blue, green, and pink. The white-colored option will cost $699.99, while the other colors cost $30 more. Samsung announced the M8 during CES 2022, though it didn’t share a price or that it would arrive in multiple colorways. The company still hasn’t shared a release date. And for now, you can only reserve — not outright purchase — an M8 monitor. After you reserve by entering your e-mail address, you’ll eventually be able to preorder one, and Samsung says your purchase will include a $100 Samsung credit to use in the future.

Its colorful design and thin profile could make the M8 fit in with a group of M1 iMacs. Compared to a more relevant...

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Reddit is bringing back r/Place, its April Fools’ Day art experiment

Reddit has brought back its April Fools’ Day project. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Reddit said Monday that it’s bringing back its r/Place April Fools’ Day experience for four days beginning April 1st. Alex Le, Reddit executive vice president for strategy and special projects said in a blog post that the move was meant to showcase “the magic of online communities, conversation, and collaboration.”

The r/Place board, which launched on April 1st, 2017 featured a large, white pixel grid on which logged-in Reddit users could place colored pixels one at a time every five minutes just by tapping on it. It was wildly popular, attracting some 16 million tiles from more than 1 million users (but of course had its share of weird and crude images as well).

For the latest iteration of r/Place, which begins April 1st at 9AM ET, log...

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