The newest trailer for Netflix’s Resident Evil show is all Umbrella Corporation PR spin

A T-virus-infected dog. | Netflix

It’s never good when the Umbrella Corporation decides to set up shop and convince locals that the company’s arrival isn’t something to be worried about. To their credit, most of the citizens of New Raccoon City in the latest trailer for Netflix’s upcoming Resident Evil series likely don’t know just how much danger Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick) has put them all in.

Albert’s daughters Jade (Ella Balinska) and Billie (Siena Agudong) do, though, and the new trailer introduces them at a time when Umbrella’s working hard to keep the truth of what kind of work Wesker and the rest of its employees do. Though the Umbrella Corporation of the future sees itself as a different kind of pharmaceutical giant destined to save the world, most everything...

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Live Activities is a new iOS 16 feature meant to improve notifications

New Live Activities feature in iOS 16 | Image: Apple

Apple has revealed the changes iOS 16 will make to notifications, its most significant update to the area since iOS 12 was released in 2018. That update allowed automatic grouping of app notifications, but now, with iOS 16, it’s getting even more organized.

There’s a completely redesigned Lock Screen, customizable with widgets that look just like Apple Watch complications. Notifications in the Lock Screen now roll in from the bottom and can be hidden on the bottom of the Lock Screen.

ios16, notifications

Notifications in iOS 16 appear like a carousel from the bottom of the Lock Screen.

The newest feature is called Live Activities, it can pin notifications that act like widgets such as live sports scores from...

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Apple iOS 16 brings massive improvements to lock screen and messages

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2022 kicked off as it usually does — with details aplenty about its next operating system upgrade: iOS 16. It will debut this fall after spending the summer in beta testing, offering more personalization options and an improved lock screen with widgets.

The lock screen is at the center of Apple’s iOS 16 updates, starting with the ability to customize fonts and colors used. It will be possible to add widgets, and create multiple lock screens that you can switch between by swiping across the screen. Apple-supplied wallpapers get a refresh too, with animated and Pride-themed choices.

Notifications appear on the lock screen differently, too. Instead of piling up across the screen, they “roll in” at the...

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Pixel update squeezes more useful information into the lock screen

A video feed from a Nest Doorbell shown on the Pixel lock screen. | Image: Google

Google’s latest feature drop for Pixel phones adds yet more features to At a Glance, a widget designed to surface important information on home and lock screens. There’s also a new shortcut that offers easier access to vaccine cards and a new music remix app created in collaboration with Teenage Engineering. The update will begin rolling out today for the Pixel 4 and up.

The At a Glance widget is one of the Pixel’s signature features, offering a quick summary of important information on the home and lock screen. With this latest update, it’ll be able to display a video feed from a connected Nest Doorbell directly on the lock screen, so you won’t have to open a notification to see who’s calling. It’ll also be able to remind you to turn...

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New One Piece teaser shows off how Netflix’s adaptation will bring Eiichiro Oda’s art to life

Concept art of The Going Merry. | Netflix

Though Netflix’s upcoming One Piece series is still shooting, co-showrunners Matt Owens and Steve Maeda, and actor Iñaki Godoy, joined this year’s Netflix Geeked Week to hype up their new show, and give fans a look at what they’ve been cooking up. While the trio didn’t have much to share in the way of fresh shots from the series itself, the new behind-the-scenes production video Netflix dropped made clear that its One Piece may be bringing a level of heat that the streamer’s other live-action anime adaptations have been lacking.

In the video, Owens and Maeda dig into how, because of the fantastical, heightened nature of the world Eiichiro Oda created with the original One Piece manga, they felt it was necessary that many of the show’s...

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Diablo Immortal looks pretty weird on some Samsung devices

This definitely isn’t what the game is supposed to look like. | Image: u/copalse on Reddit

Diablo Immortal apparently has some wild visual glitches on some Samsung devices with Exynos chips, which in some cases render the game largely unplayable. It’s hard to explain just how weird some of the issues are, so I recommend you look for yourself in these two videos from users on Reddit.

This game is fromDiabloImmortal

Blizzard released Diablo Immortal, the latest game in the popular dungeon-crawling franchise, on iOS, Android, and PC last week. Unlike previous entries, Diablo Immortal is free to play, and in addition to these strange glitches, Blizzard has come under scrutiny for how much it costs to fully upgrade your character.

Fortunately, Blizzard is aware of the visual problems, according...

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Axon halts Taser drone project as majority of ethics board resigns

Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

After fierce pushback, development is being halted on a Taser-wielding drone proposed as a solution to mass shootings in schools.

On Sunday, Axon, the maker of the Taser stun gun, announced that it was pausing work on its drone-mounted Taser project just days after the idea was presented to the public. The announcement marks the end – at least for now – of a project that was widely seen as unfeasible at best, and at worst, a dystopian extension to an already fatal line of police weaponry.

The Taser drone concept was originally announced by Axon on June 2nd. Just over a week after the Uvalde shooting, CEO Rick Smith tweeted that the company was developing a “remotely operated, non-lethal drone system” and wanted to start discussions on...

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WWDC 2022 keynote live blog

Image: Apple

Join us for Apple’s latest in iOS, macOS, and much more

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iFixit uses its tools to dismantle Apple’s self-service iPhone repair tools

The kit Apple sent to The Verge_’s Sean Hollister, just to replace his iPhone 13 mini’s battery._ | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge

iFixit regularly performs dissections of the latest Apple gadgets, but this time, the repair resource site pitted its tools against other tools by taking apart Apple’s new iPhone self-service repair kit (via iMore). The take-apart process on Apple’s repair tools was documented and posted on iFixit’s YouTube channel, giving an inside look at the display press, battery press, and heated display removal contraptions.

The video starts off with a take-apart of the display press, which has a really smoothly operating handle that the iFixit host was most fond of, describing it as a “swan takes flight every time it glides up.” The handle is smooth because it uses ball bearings that move on a circulating track like a conveyor belt as the press...

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Mike Flanagan’s The Midnight Club is summoning something shady in its first teaser

Netflix

All of the young people who check in to the Rotterdam Home hospice know that they aren’t long for this world, but in the first teaser trailer for Netflix’s The Midnight Clubfrom Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong, the prospect of dying isn’t what has everyone on edge. Because of their terminal illnesses, it’s easy for seven kids at the center of The Midnight Club to make a pact that the first of them to die will be sure to contact the others from beyond the veil and confirm suspicion that ghosts are real.

But when a member of the Midnight Club actually passes on, the sudden onset of inexplicable, otherworldly occurrences makes clear that the kids have been flirting with forces they don’t really understand — ones that might take the Midnight...

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Go read this report on an AI shopping app that was actually just using humans

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

If you can’t be bothered to fill out your credit card and address details when shopping for jeans online, the Nate app sounds like a service you might want. The company bills itself as an “artificial intelligence startup” that uses AI to auto-fill customer information for $1 per transaction, saving shoppers a few minutes when completing purchases through the Nate app.

But instead of using high-tech methods to complete purchases, Nate transactions were often handled manually by workers in the Philippines, according to a deep dive by The Information. Speaking to two people with direct access to Nate’s internal data, The Information reports that “the share of transactions Nate handled manually rather than automatically ranged between 60...

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Wednesday’s first trailer is here to get you through yet another Monday

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams. | Netflix

Though the Wednesday Addams we all know and fear has always been someone who revels in the macabre, in Netflix’s upcoming Wednesday series from Tim Burton, the morose style icon may be turning a new leaf just as she heads off to high school. To kick off this year’s Netflix Geeked Week, the streamer debuted its first Wednesday teaser trailer, introducing actor Jenna Ortega (X, Scream) as the series’ titular hellspawn as well as her good friend Thing, a living, disembodied hand, portrayed by Victor Dorobantu.

Learning how to control her burgeoning psychic powers is the main reason Wednesday’s mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and father Gomez (Luis Guzmán) ship her off to Nevermore Academy. But, as more and more of the people around...

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Google to pay $100 million to Illinois residents for Photos’ face grouping feature

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google has agreed to pay $100 million to Illinois residents to settle a class-action lawsuit over one of its facial recognition features in Google Photos (via Gizmodo). The complaint alleges Google’s face grouping tool, which automatically identifies your face in photos and videos uploaded to Photos, violates Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).

Introduced in 2008, the BIPA bars companies from collecting and storing any sort of biometric data, including a “retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry” without making an individual aware in writing about why it’s collecting this kind of data as well as how long it plans on storing it. Google “is in direct violation” of this law, the...

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The Sony LinkBuds just got their first discount at Amazon

Sony’s unconventional LinkBuds just got their first price break on Amazon | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

We’re kicking off the week here at The Verge Deals with a pair of solid discounts on Sony earbuds. First off, Amazon is currently offering the first-ever discount on the Sony LinkBuds. Normally available for $179.99, you can currently get a pair for $158 at Amazon. This isn’t a massive discount, but it’s the lowest price we’ve seen yet for these unique earbuds.

The Sony LinkBuds are a clear departure from conventional earbuds, using an “open-style” donut-shaped design instead of the more typical silicone ear tips. This allows for better spatial awareness and, for some people, a more comfortable fit. And the LinkBuds provide crisp sound quality and excellent voice call performance. Though, as a result of their design, they aren’t very...

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Strange World’s first trailer shows off a bizarre, beautiful sci-fi universe

The first trailer for Strange World, the next animated feature from Disney, looks like a pulp paperback novel cover brought to life.

It’s as beautiful as it is strange, with gooey aliens, walking mountains, and lots more sci-fi oddities. Disney describes it as a story that “journeys deep into an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest — and by far — most crucial mission.” It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and has some notable names helming it as well, including director Don Hall (Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) and co-director and writer Qui Nguyen (Raya).

Strange World is slated to premiere on November 23rd, though it’s...

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What unions could mean for Apple with Zoe Schiffer

Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

Verge labor reporter on the fight to unionize

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Elon Musk threatens to scrap Twitter deal over ‘breach’ of agreement

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images

Elon Musk says that Twitter is in “clear material breach” of their $44 billion acquisition deal and that he could “terminate” the agreement in response. In a letter sent to Twitter this morning, Musk’s legal team claims that Twitter has failed to provide him with information on the service’s spam bot problem and that he’s entitled to receive that information under the deal agreement.

“Mr. Musk believes the company is actively resisting and thwarting his information rights (and the company’s corresponding obligations) under the merger agreement,” the lawyers write. The letter says Musk could choose “not to consummate the transaction” because of the alleged breach of contract.

Musk has been complaining about bots since shortly after he...

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LastPass’ mobile app offers access to your desktop vault without a master password

A screenshot of the LastPass vault, where users’ passwords are stored. | Image: LastPass

Password manager LastPass is rolling out a new “passwordless” method to access its desktop vault today.

Previously, users had to type in their master password to unlock the company’s desktop vault (and its stored passwords). Now, they’ll be able to authenticate access via the company’s mobile app. Presumably, this will include the option to use your phone’s biometric login features, like face and fingerprint unlock, though LastPass has not been completely clear how this will work in practice.

“Get instant access to the accounts used every day — without ever having to enter a password”

LastPass is characterizing this as a “passwordless” login, but it’s important to note that your master password isn’t going anywhere anytime soon....

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Google contractors say a recruiting company has been systematically skimming their pay

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

‘Unless you initiate the investigation and make the case, nothing happens,’ one contractor says

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NFTs, explained

Illustration by Mengxin Li / The Verge

There’s nothing like an explosion of blockchain news to leave you thinking, “Um… what’s going on here?” That’s the feeling I’ve experienced while reading about Grimes getting millions of dollars for NFTs or about Nyan Cat being sold as one.

In the year since NFTs exploded in popularity, the situation has only gotten more complicated. Pictures of apes have sold for tens of millions of dollars, there’s been an endless supply of headlines about million-dollar hacks of NFT projects, and corporate cash grabs have only gotten worse.

All this news may have left you wondering: what is an NFT, anyhow?

After countless hours of research and discussions (most of which were against my will), I think I know. I also think I’m going to cry.

Okay, let’s...

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How to create an NFT — and why you may not want to

Illustration by Mengxin Li / The Verge

NFTs have become a cultural phenomenon over the past year, constantly making headlines as celebrities dabble in the space and as shenanigans, scams, and legal fights ensue. While it’s hard to tell if they will retain or regain their popularity after a market slump or two, there are still plenty of reasons someone might want to try their hand at making one. Who can resist a field that creators have made millions from?

We’re going to go over how to create an NFT using two of the most popular marketplaces, but before we get to that point, let’s cover some of the basics of what an NFT is and the decisions you may have to make before deciding to sell one. (If you’re relatively up to speed, you can go to Step 3 to begin the journey of actually...

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Some NFT influencers want you to ignore the hype

Illustration by Mengxin Li / The Verge

When he started a YouTube channel in 2019, Jesse Hall decided not to tell his wife and kids until he’d gained a small following. Within a few weeks, he had a few hundred people subscribing to his coding tutorials — a success, in his mind. But it wasn’t until he started exploring NFTs that his audience exploded, quickly growing from thousands of subscribers to hundreds of thousands.

“I’m by nature very much an introvert, and this has really brought me more out of my shell than I ever have been,” Hall said. “And I’ve learned that I really like to teach.”

The crypto space tends to be dominated by enthusiastic boosters promising huge returns to anyone savvy enough to buy in — even as headlines fill with stories of crash after crash. But...

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How to watch Apple’s WWDC22 keynote

The online-only conference kicks off on Monday, June 6th, 2022 | Image: Apple

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) has arrived. The free virtual conference is set to kick off on Monday, June 6th, with the developer keynote and end on Friday, June 10th.

The conference will include the latest news related to Apple software, bringing new updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Apple’s 2021 event saw new updates to FaceTime, including SharePlay, widgets on the homescreen in iPad OS 15, and the promise of talking to Siri without an internet connection.

This year, we’re expecting changes to notifications in iOS and possibly even some hardware news, including a new Mac Pro.

When does Apple’s WWDC keynote start?

The event keynote will stream Monday, June 6th, 2022, at 10AM PT / 1PM ET.

A...

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Microsoft tests Windows 11 store that won’t update apps if you’re using them

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is testing some updates to the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 that will improve how updates are handled. Currently, some store apps will close and reopen while they’re being updated, which means you could lose work if you opened the Microsoft Store and selected update apps. Microsoft is now testing a change to the Store that will skip over updates for apps that are open instead.

The store update also includes faster navigation, which should make it a little smoother to find apps to download and install on Windows 11. Alongside these navigation improvements, Microsoft is also introducing native Arm64 support, so the Microsoft Store will be a lot faster on devices like the Surface Pro X.

Image: Microsoft

F...

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I Am Groot animated series arrives on Disney Plus in August

Image: Disney

I Am Groot willhit Disney Plus on August 10th. The animated series of shorts centers around none other than the Baby Groot himself, with Vin Diesel reprising his role as the voice of the adorable anthropomorphic sapling.

Marvel Studios teased the upcoming series in a tweet, showing off an official poster with Baby Groot chilling out atop one of the headphones attached to Peter Quill’s (played by Chris Pratt) iconic Walkman. He rests beside a palm tree-shaped air freshener — that shows just how tiny he really is — with two, four-eyed penguin-like creatures (that are somehow even smaller than Baby Groot) peeking out from behind.We haven't seen these two mischievous-looking creatures in any of The Guardians of the Galaxy films, but it...

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Crypto winter has come, and Coinbase is in trouble

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Coinbase is pulling back on its hiring efforts. In a memo posted to Coinbase’s site, chief people officer L.J. Brock announced that Coinbase is putting a pause on hiring new employees, as well as rescinding several job offers already accepted by prospective workers, citing “current market conditions and ongoing business prioritization efforts.”

The shift comes as the cryptocurrency market continues to trend downwards, dragging the supposedly immovable stablecoins, which are pegged to a fiat currency or commodity, with it. Coinbase started to slow hiring in mid-May to make sure the company is “best positioned to succeed during and after the current downturn,” but this move halts hiring completely. Brock notes that the freeze will also...

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All the news coming out of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference

Apple continues with the Memoji developer art it started in 2020. | Image: Apple

The conference runs from June 6th to June 10th

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The new MacBook Air might come with a long wait time

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Apple is poised to reveal a new MacBook Air at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, but even if it does, you may not be able to immediately buy one. According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, COVID-19 shutdowns at the Chinese plants that make MacBooks might mean a limited supply of new devices or a release date that’s further off.

China’s zero-COVID policy has led to the temporary closure of factories that make Apple products, including Pegatron and Quanta. Although China has begun to relax some of the movement restrictions it initially reinstated in March, some neighborhoods in Shanghai still remain under lockdown.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to ship about six to seven million new MacBook...

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We’re still waiting for the laptop’s big year

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

After a long, long month of laptop releases, Computex 2022 is finally over. In some ways, it’s the Computex that wasn’t.

The early part of this year was an exciting time to be a laptop reporter. Every company and its mother announced that big ideas were on the way. Wacky products abounded, from monitors to phones. LG Display (which supplied the 13.3-inch panel for Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold) showed off a 17-inch foldable OLED screen. We saw RGB, OLEDs, and haptics galore. Chipmakers promised architectural innovations and performance gains. We were told that these were all coming soon.

At the end of May was Computex, the biggest laptop-specific show of the year. (Well, it really was all of May — since many global attendees couldn’t get to...

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Chinese astronauts arrive at Tiangong space station to prepare for its completion

A Long March 2F rocket with the Shenzhou 14 spacecraft takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. | Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, arrived at the Tianhe core module of the unfinished Tiangong space station on Sunday morning, where they’ll stay for six months to help finish its construction (via Space.com). The Shenzhou 14 spacecraft took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on Saturday at 10:44PM ET (10:44AM local time) and docked with Tianhe at 5:42AM ET (5:42PM local time).

The three-person crew includes Chen Dong, Cai Xuzhe, and Liu Yang, who originally made history as the first Chinese woman in space during the country’s Shenzhou 9 mission in 2012. While they’re in orbit, the crew is expected to conduct several spacewalks and prepare the station for the arrival of two additional lab modules,...

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