The Verge’s favorite gear for outdoor fun

It’s time to prepare for a summer outdoors.

Sumer is icumen in — or, in other words (and if you’re not Chaucer), “Get ready, summer’s around the corner!” Especially if you’ve been cooped up all winter watching the COVID stats and waiting for a chance to get outdoors, now’s the time to get ready to see the sky.

We asked the staff of The Verge to tell us about their favorite gear to help them enjoy the outdoors, whether it was on a bike, on a scooter, hiking, camping, or just hanging out and watching the world go by. Here’s what they reported.

Petzl Actik Core headlamp

Weighing in at 2.65 ounces, the Petzl Actik Core is notan ultra-light headlamp, but it makes up for that fact by being really bright — using two LEDs, it can pump out up to 450 lumens, which can really help if...

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Reddit adds comment searching to help improve search results

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Today, Reddit is updating its search feature to index comments. For the first time, users will have an option to pull results from replies to posts, making it less of a hassle to find something specific outside of general Reddit posts, communities, and people. The rollout is Reddit’s latest change to help users encounter content from outside their usual subreddits following the addition of a discovery tab on its mobile app in January.

Reddit says that in a user survey last year, the ability to search comments was one of the top results. During “limited initial testing,” Reddit claimed 26,000 users went on to use the feature against five billion comments. Right now, the new ability is available globally for users searching on Reddit’s...

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Crashing Elon Musk’s Cyber Rodeo at the Texas Gigafactory

When you’re in Austin and you hear there’s going to be a party

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Elon Musk offers to buy 100 percent of Twitter

Twitter’s possible new owner, Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is offering to buy 100 percent of the company in an updated 13D filing. He’s offering $54.20 per share in cash.

Musk is offering to “acquire all of the outstanding Common Stock of the Issuer not owned by the Reporting Person for all cash consideration valuing the Common Stock at $54.20 per share.” The proposal was delivered in a letter to Twitter on April 13th. Musk says Twitter needs to go private to go through the changes that need to be made.

“I would need to reconsider my position as shareholder,” says Musk if his offer is not accepted.

Twitter shares are up over 13 percent pre-market on the news.

Developing...

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Disconnected: Samsung.com sales reps say the system makes them work for free

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Independent contractors are pushed to handle customer service without compensation

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Amazon prices likely going up with new ‘fuel and inflation surcharge’

Increased fees to sellers will likely be passed on to buyers. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon is looking to offset costs to third-party sellers in the US resulting from soaring inflation and fuel prices. The new five percent “fuel and inflation surcharge” for sellers that use Amazon’s fulfillment services will go into effect starting April 28. Since most items purchased off Amazon are from third-party sellers, you can expect these new costs to be passed along to shoppers.

89 percent of Amazon’s over two million third-party sellers use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to leverage the retail giant’s supply chain, warehouses, and shipping operations, reports Jungle Scout research.

“We will be employing a fuel and inflation surcharge for the first time”

“In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as Covid-19 restrictions around the...

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You can now try 1Password’s customizable redesign on your iPhone and iPad

The app’s big redesign has come to iOS (at least for those brave enough to beta test). | Image: 1Password

1Password released an early access version of 1Password 8 for iOS on Wednesday, which brings a redesigned interface and new backend to iPhone and iPad users. The new version of the app, which 1Password says will eventually make its way to all its supported platforms, has been available in early access mode for Mac since August, and was released for Windows in November.

As a longtime user of 1Password 7, the redesign was immediately obvious when I opened the beta version of the app. As far as I can tell, almost every icon has been changed to be a little more fun and colorful, and the interface feels more modern now.

1Password 7 opened to a favorites screen with a few recently used passwords. Other than marking or unmarking logins as...

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Google has a secret iOS app to help you switch to Android

Google has quietly released a free app for iOS to help you easily carry over data from an iPhone to an Android device, as reported by 9to5Google. The Switch To Android app works wirelessly, meaning you won’t have to worry about connecting the two phones with a cable.

“The Switch to Android app from Google helps you quickly and securely move your most important data types — photos, videos, contacts, and calendar events — to a brand new Android device without fussy cables,” according to the app’s description on the App Store. That list does not include messages, so it appears the app won’t be able to transfer those, though it will walk you through how to turn off iMessage so “you don’t miss text messages from friends and family.”

9...

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Kia’s all-new 2023 Niro EV is practical by design

2023 Kia Niro EV

Kia is bringing its refreshed electrified Niro compact SUV lineup to North America for 2023 with new exterior styling and more interior space. The company is debuting three new Niro models at the New York International Auto Show this week: the hybrid Niro HEV, the plug-in hybrid Niro PHEV, and the fully electric Niro EV. Kia plans to release them nationwide, including the fully electric Niro EV that previously could only be purchased in select states.

The Niros all share dark-colored door cladding and an “aero blade” profile panel that combined give the car a swoosh-like appearance. New daytime running lights and a “tiger-nose” grille adorn the front, while the rear taillights are now boomerang-shaped and no longer intersect with the...

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Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept car traveled over 1,000 km on a single charge

Mercedes-Benz announced that its electric concept car, the Vision EQXX, successfully completed a long-range test of over 1,000 km on a single battery charge. It was among the longest distances covered by an electric vehicle on a single charge.

The trip took place across several European cities, starting in Germany, then on to Switzerland and Italy, and finally to its destination, the port town of Cassis near Marseille in the South of France. Temperatures ranged from 3 to 18 degrees Celsius (37 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit), and the vehicle traveled at an average speed of 54 mph.

The distance covered was “over” 1,000 km, or about 621 miles. That is more than twice the typical range that most EVs on the road today can travel. According to...

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TikTok is testing a dislike button for comments

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

TikTok is testing a feature that allows users to dislike individual comments on videos, the company confirmed today. In a blog post on safety and community guidelines enforcement, TikTok says individuals can flag comments they find “irrelevant or inappropriate” without the dislike being visible to others. Some users spotted different versions of the option earlier this year.

“This community feedback will add to the range of factors we already use to help keep the comment section consistently relevant and a place for genuine engagement,” TikTok says.

TikTok users already can dislike videos to signal to the app that they aren’t interested in the content. The comment dislike button appears to be available in addition to the option to...

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A new free app makes using iPads easier for people with hand tremors

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

A new free app called Staybl uses existing technologies in the iPad to make it easier to use for those dealing with involuntary hand tremors because of conditions like Parkinson’s disease.

Global advertising company Havas Creative’s offices in New York and Germany created the app after two years of work with experts from the German Parkinson’s Association and Parkinson’s patients in Germany and the US.

Their goal is to improve access to technology for those dealing with Parkinson’s disease and other health issues that cause tremors. While the app is currently only available for use on Apple’s iPad, its creators aim to bring it to other digital devices and platforms in the future.

“We always talk about how technology should improve our...

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Sony and Nintendo update gaming subscription auto-renewals after UK investigation

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Sony and Nintendo are making changes to their gaming subscriptions in the UK after working with a regulator in the country (via Engadget). The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has raised concerns about how people may be charged for subscriptions indefinitely until they proactively end them, which could mean they’re paying for services they don’t use.

For PlayStation Plus, “Sony has agreed to put in place measures to protect customers who haven’t used their memberships for a long time but are still paying,” the CMA said. “Sony will contact these customers to remind them how to stop payments and, if they continue not to use their memberships, Sony will ultimately stop taking further payments.” We’ve reached out to Sony to ask...

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How to turn your Android phone into a digital picture frame

Use your phone’s screen saver feature to show off your favorite images saved to your Google Photos. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

If you have more images in your Google Photos app than you know what to do with, why not put your phone to work displaying them? With a few simple steps, you can use your Android phone’s screen saver feature to turn your phone screen into a digital picture frame while it charges.

This works especially well for phones with wireless charging (so you can see your photos with the phone propped up on a charger), but it will work with any kind of charging mode or if you connect your phone to a dock. It’s built right into the operating system, and it’s a neat, easy way to show off some of your favorite photos.

I used a Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022) for the steps below, but the process is very similar on a Samsung or Pixel phone. You’ll need to...

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Ukraine says it stopped a Russian cyberattack on its power grid

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge

An attack on Ukraine’s power grid was foiled by cybersecurity analysts and officials, as reported by Reuters. After investigating the methods and software used by the attackers, cybersecurity firm ESET says that it was likely carried out by a hacking group called Sandworm, which The Record reports allegedly has ties to the Russian government.

The group planned to shut down computers that controlled substations and infrastructure belonging to a particular power company, according to the Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (or CERT-UA). The hackers meant to cut off power on April 8th while also wiping the computers that would be used to try and get the grid back online.

The attack involved malware that hasn’t been seen in the wild...

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Mask mandate for air travel and public transportation is extended again

Photo by Camilo Freedman/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The mask mandate for air travel and public transportation has been extended once again, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. The mandate, which was set to expire on April 18th, will be extended another two weeks as officials continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases across the country. The mandate was previously extended last month.

All airline passengers and public transportation riders will be required to wear a face covering at least through May 3rd after the Transportation Security Administration told the CDC they would be extending the mandate, _NBC_reports.

Airplanes and public transportation are some of the last places where Americans are still required to wear masks. Most states have lifted their...

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Someone plugged an entire 4K desktop graphics card into the Steam Deck

Image: ETA Prime

The $400-plus Steam Deck gaming handheld does not support external graphics cards. Valve has been clear on this point for months — you can’t magically plug in a dock and run _Cyberpunk_or Elden Ring at 4K. But ever since the company revealed that the Steam Deck’s storage plugs into a (relatively) easily accessible M.2 PCI-Express x4 socket, the PC gaming community has speculated that an eGPU module could totally fit there instead.

Now, YouTuber ETA Prime has actually done it, adding an AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, one of the highest-end graphics cards on the market.

It works, it runs, it plays games at 4K with maxed-out settings at framerates a vanilla Steam Deck could only dream of. But no, you probably shouldn’t do this at home! Not only...

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CD Projekt Red delays next-gen Witcher 3 again, this time indefinitely

It seems we’ll be waiting a little while longer for the next-gen update. | Image: CD Projekt Red

CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has once again delayed the release of its next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CDPR originally targeted a late-2021 release date for the free next-gen upgrade for the game, but the developer later pushed that to Q2 2022, and now, it’s unclear exactly when we might be able to play it.

“We have decided to have our in-house development team conduct the remaining work on the next-gen version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt,” CDPR said via the official The Witcher Twitter account. “We are currently evaluating the scope of work to be done and thus have to postpone Q2 release until further notice.” The change was made “based on recommendations from persons in charge of development,” according to a note for investors.

...

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The streaming service formerly known as IMDb TV is rebranding to ‘Amazon Freevee’

Freevee

After launching as “IMDb Freedive” back in 2019, IMDb TV quickly faded into the background of the ongoing streaming wars that parent company Amazon had already established a respectable foothold in. While that initial rebrand never quite managed to put the fledgling platform and its content on the map, Amazon’s just announced its plan to reintroduce the streamer yet again under new branding ahead of a massive content push.

Going forward, IMDb TV will be known as “Amazon Freevee,” a name meant to emphasize that the ad-supported platform is free to viewers. In a press release detailing its vision for Freevee’s future, director Ashraf Alkarmi framed the service as a supplemental platform meant to appeal to consumers interested in watching...

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California governor has been interfering in Activision Blizzard lawsuit

Brontë Wittpenn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

The state of California’s case against Activision Blizzard just took another blow. A report in Bloomberg alleges that the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom sought to “interfere” in the lawsuit between the state’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing and Activision Blizzard for sexual harassment and discrimination. When the suit’s head counsel Janette Wipper tried to maintain the department’s autonomy, she was allegedly fired, which prompted assistant chief counsel for the DFEH Melanie Proctor to resign in protest.

According to the Bloomberg report, Proctor sent an email to staff saying, “The Office of the Governor repeatedly demanded advance notice of litigation strategy and of next steps in the litigation. As we continued...

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Pokémon Go developer Niantic is making an AR pet game called Peridot

Niantic, the developer behind the blockbuster success Pokémon Go, has announced its next augmented reality game — and once again, it’s full of adorable creatures. Called Peridot, the game is all about caring for and breeding magical critters. Think of it like Pokémon Go crossed with a Tamagotchi, with some real-world and AR elements tossed in.

Here’s the basic premise, according to Niantic: “After thousands of years of slumber, Peridots are waking to a world vastly different from the one in which they used to roam, and they’ll need your help to protect them from extinction.” Practically speaking, this means you’ll be caring for creatures by training, feeding, and playing with them, helping them grow from cute little babies to full-grown...

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The best phone to buy right now

William Joel / The Verge

Buying a new phone can be a chore, but we’ve done the work for you

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The best Bluetooth speakers to buy right now

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Water resistance and lengthy battery life are now standard

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Alexa can’t make these otherwise great dumbbells smart

While voice commands worked, it was easier to adjust the weights myself

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Glorious’ Model I is an affordable gaming mouse with four thumb buttons

It’s available in black or white.

Glorious PC Gaming Race has announced the Model I, a lightweight wired mouse that’s both comfortable and capable. It costs $59.99, and it’s available in matte black or white. This new mouse is made for medium-to-large hands, and unlike the fan-favorite Model O and D, the Model I feels a little more ergonomic in my palm, with a thumb rest that widens the footprint of its bottom. Its design fills my hand in a similar way to Razer’s Basilisk mouse, and its size doesn’t get in my way of reaching its buttons. It feels wonderful to use.

Speaking of buttons, the Model I mouse features three thumb buttons nestled up against a semi-translucent strip where RGB LEDs shine through. Below that row of buttons, there’s a DPI clutch. The DPI clutch and...

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Ford’s F-150 Lightning launch event is set for April 26th

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Ford has made a lot of promises about its first electric F-150, and now the battery-powered pickup truck will begin deliveries in a couple of weeks. Ford CEO Jim Farley tweeted “it’s time,” announcing that the F-150 Lightning “strikes” on April 26th at 1:30PM ET.

As you’d expect for an electric vehicle launch, there is a countdown timer, but the question that anyone who pre-ordered will want to be answered is “when will I get my truck?” We know that Ford has already taken steps to prevent dealers from jacking up prices and to keep buyers from quickly reselling them to the highest bidder, but the supply will likely be tight, at least until it can reach production goals of 150,000 trucks per year.

⚡️ It’s time. #F150Lightning⚡️

4.26.2022h...

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Peacock’s new Queer as Folk reboot debuts this June

Devin was as Brodie in Peacock’s Queer as Folk. | Peacock

When Russell T. Davies’ original _Queer as Folk_first premiered on Channel 4 back in 1999, it made a name for itself with its frank and often joyful depictions of queer lives with a particular focus on sex. Showtime’s 2000 adaptation led with a similar focus that established its spin on Queer as Folkas a cultural phenomenon and changed the landscape of American TV. Now, Peacock’s banking that the _Queer as Folk_brand still has enough of that old magic to make its upcoming reboot stand out in an era when networks and streaming services have long since come around to the idea of telling sexy stories about queer club goers.

Today, Peacock released a new teaser along with details and a series of images from Stephen Dunn’s Queer as Folk, a...

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Dungeons & Dragons didn’t own its own digital toolset — but it will now

Image: Wizards of the Coast

Hasbro, the parent company of Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast, is acquiring D&D Beyond for $146.3 million in cash. The popular tabletop role-playing game has licensed D&D Beyond as its official subscription-based digital toolset since 2017.

D&D Beyond is the digital toolset for Dungeons & Dragons, where users can create characters and run campaigns with fellow players. It’s also where players can buy digital versions of Dungeons & Dragons books, in addition to the subscription fees. Wizards of the Coast is promising that all purchases made, characters created, and campaigns run are not going anywhere. The all-cash acquisition is, however, still subject to regulatory approvals.

You may have assumed that D&D Beyond was...

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Ancestry will tell you which genetics came from which parent

Photo by: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Consumer genetics and genealogy company Ancestry announced a new feature, called SideView, that will give customers information about which bits of their DNA — and which parts of their ethnicity — were inherited from each parent. The tool can do that without having genetic information from the parents, which Ancestry says is a first in the industry.

Separating out which parts of someone’s genome came from which parent has been a challenge for researchers, says Barry Starr, the director of scientific communications at Ancestry. “It’s a really big breakthrough for science in general,” he told The Verge. “That’s really something that no one else has been able to do without having a parent tested as well.” The feature willbe automatically...

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Behind Mark Zuckerberg’s big plans for AR glasses

Photo Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Photo by Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

Meta is racing to release its first AR glasses in 2024, but sources believe it’ll take a lot longer for them to become mainstream

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