Overwatch 2’s next beta kicks off at the end of June, and it’s coming to PlayStation and Xbox

Overwatch 2. | Image: Blizzard

Blizzard is hosting another Overwatch 2 beta later this month ahead of the game’s newly announced October early access release date. The new beta begins June 28th, and it will be available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

You’ll be able to sign up for the beta beginning June 16th, and that same day, Blizzard plans to share more details about what you can expect in it. The company has already teased two tidbits: you’ll be able to play as the new hero Junker Queen, and there will be a new map to try out. An earlier closed beta kicked off in April, but it was limited to PCs.

#Overwatch2 Beta begins June 28

PC & Console
Junker Queen & a New Map
✋ Sign-Ups & more details coming June 16 pic.twitter.com/XPJOhfeVjE

— Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) J...

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Qualcomm’s $1,500 phone for Snapdragon superfans is falling behind on software

The Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders. | Image: Qualcomm

Qualcomm, the company that produces Snapdragon processors, wanted to go big for the launch of its first smartphone, slapping a $1,500 price tag on an Asus-designed device that supposedly caters to the geekiest of Snapdragon fans. But, almost a year after its release, the dream phone for superfans is still running Android 11 and hasn’t received a security patch past January’s update, as first reported by XDA Developers (via Android Police).

In a Reddit thread pointed out by XDA, users question whether the device, dubbed the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders, has been abandoned by Qualcomm. The last software update for the device occurred in March (18.1055.2201.203), and while it mentions “updated Android security patch,” it reportedly...

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Congress might finally have a deal on data privacy

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

For decades, lawmakers have pushed for a comprehensive federal law protecting user data — but it has never survived the chaos of a deeply divided Congress. But on Tuesday, the Energy and Commerce Committee held its first hearing to discuss a new proposal lawmakers believe could actually cross the finish line.

Called the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, the proposal marks a major step forward in congressional data privacy negotiations. For years now, any measure that would set a national standard for user data protections has fallen short of final approval due to partisan disagreements. From Republicans withholding their support for bills allowing states — like California — to roll out their own rules to Democrats demanding a...

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Microsoft is working on games for Microsoft Teams

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft has started working on bringing casual games to its Microsoft Teams service. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the software maker has started testing games like Solitaire, Connect 4, and Wordament inside Microsoft Teams. The casual games are designed to allow colleagues to play against each other during meetings.

While you won’t be playing Halo or Forza inside Teams anytime soon, Microsoft is clearly looking at games as another way to improve the meetings experience as businesses continue to balance the needs of hybrid and remote work.

Microsoft has a bigger vision for games inside Teams

Microsoft is only testing casual games internally from its Casual Games offering right now, and the company could...

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OpenSea says its latest update could ‘significantly’ lower fees

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

OpenSea is announcing that users buying and selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its platform could see fees drop by around 35 percent. This is thanks to the fact that the company is upgrading the protocol that underpins its marketplace, migrating to a platform called Seaport to handle its transactions. Offering lower gas fees may be a way for OpenSea to differentiate itself from the other NFT marketplaces that are competing with it (though not always successfully). The change does, however, come at a rough time in the crypto market overall.

Seaport is an open-source project OpenSea announced last month, and the company says it’s significantly more efficient than its old system when it comes to dealing with the blockchain. (The Seaport...

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Meta adds parental controls to Quest VR headsets

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Meta is adding parental controls to all Quest virtual reality headsets, letting guardians check underage users’ screen time and receive alerts or approval requests for purchases. The news comes alongside an expansion of parental control options on Instagram as well as new safety features in its Horizon Worlds VR social platform, which is expanding to the UK this week.

As outlined in a blog post and first introduced in March, Meta’s new options are similar to those found on phones. Using them requires linking a teen’s Facebook account — which is required to use the headset — with that of a parent or guardian. (Children under 13 aren’t supposed to use the Quest, and people under 18 can’t access Horizon Worlds, so these features are meant...

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Apple will stream every Major League Soccer match for 10 years starting in 2023

Apple will offer streams of every Major League Soccer (MLS) match from early 2023 through 2032 in the Apple TV app, the two organizations announced in a major deal revealed Tuesday. While some games may still air on linear TV networks like ESPN and Fox, this gives Apple the global exclusive on an NFL Sunday Ticket-style offering for the league.

To watch the matches, fans will be able to subscribe to a new, currently unnamed MLS streaming service that will be available “exclusively through the Apple TV app,” according to Apple’s press release. A “broad selection” of MLS and Leagues Cup matches will be available to Apple TV Plus subscribers, “with a limited number of matches available for free.” If you’re a full-season ticket holder,...

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Instagram will start nudging teens away from content they continuously browse through

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

After Instagram announced a new initiative meant to “nudge” teen users away from harmful content last year, the platform says it’s finally rolling out the feature in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If a teen’s spending too long on Instagram’s Explore page looking at posts with a particular theme, the platform will display a notification suggesting that they look at other types of posts instead.

Instagram says the feature “is designed to encourage teens to discover something new and excludes certain topics that may be associated with appearance comparison.” As shown in an image of the feature, users will receive a notification that prompts them to “Choose what to explore next” with a variety of posts they can...

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Chevy is auctioning off a Corvette NFT, and the winning bidder gets the car, too

Chevrolet is the latest automaker to jump on the non-fungible token bandwagon, but it’s taking a slightly different approach. Chevy announced plans to auction off a Corvette-themed NFT, but the winner bidder won’t just get recorded on the blockchain, they’ll also get the actual sports car inspired by the artwork.

The NFT, which depicts a lime green Corvette Z06 blasting through a cyberpunk landscape, was created by artist Nick Sullo, who goes by xsullo online. The upcoming auction pairs Sullo’s NFT with a custom-painted 2023 Corvette Z06 color-matched to the art.

In case you need a refresher, the new Z06 is Chevy’s shot-across-the-bow for all the other supercar manufacturers out there with Italian names. Its the first ‘Vette to feature...

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Apple’s M2-equipped 13-inch MacBook Pro opens for preorders on June 17th

13-inch M2 MacBook Pro. | Image: Apple

During its WWDC 2022 event last week, Apple revealed its M2 chip and the redesigned MacBook Air, which got most of the attention, though it won’t be the first laptop with the new CPU that you can buy. Apple will also offer the M2 inside the familiar frame of its still Touch Bar-equipped 13-inch Macbook Pro, which will be available for preorders starting this Friday, June 17th, before the new MacBook Air goes on sale in July.

We have a comparison chart ready so that you can reference this laptop’s capabilities versus the new Air as well as the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops that were updated last year to offer M1 Max and M1 Ultra CPU options. Apple suggests active cooling, which the Air doesn’t have, as a reason to choose this model...

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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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Ford is telling its dealers to stop selling the Mustang Mach-E over safety concerns

Photo by Sean O’Kane / The Verge

Ford issued a stop-sale order to its dealers for the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover over concerns that a safety defect may render the vehicle immobile, CNBCreports.

The malfunction involves a potential overheating of the vehicle’s battery high voltage contactors, which can lead to the vehicle failing to start or losing power while in motion. It’s the latest hiccup to affect Ford’s rollout of its mass-market electric vehicle that has helped propel the automaker to second place in EV sales behind Tesla.

The affected vehicles include model year 2021 and 2022 vehicles built between May 27th, 2020, through May 24th, 2022, at the automaker’s Cuautitlan plant in Mexico — potentially every Mustang Mach-E produced so far. It’s unclear...

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8BitDo announces Bluetooth controller for gamers with limited mobility

The 8BitDo Lite SE has an anti-slip backing, and all its buttons are on the front for easier access. | 8BitDo

8BitDo is launching a Bluetooth controller for gamers with limited mobility, developed in coordination with a dad and his young son who has spinal muscular atrophy type 2. The Lite SE works with Nintendo Switch and Android and is available for preorder at 8BitDo for $34.99, with a ship date of July 15th.

The Lite SE — which looks a lot like the Lite controller 8BitDo launched in 2019 — is designed to be used either handheld or flat on a table. The trigger and bumper buttons are gone, replaced with L1, L2, R1, and R2 buttons on the front of the controller. L3 and R3 have their own buttons rather than relying on an analog stick click, and all of the inputs are more sensitive and easier to press. There’s an anti-slip mat built into the...

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How fandom built the internet as we know it, with Kaitlyn Tiffany

Photo Illustration by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

Her new book on the long history of fangirls, from the Beatles to One Direction

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Sonos Voice Control review: a speedy, private, music-focused assistant

Sonos’ assistant only takes music requests, and that actually works out in its favor

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How do you solve a problem like content moderation?

I hope everyone had a glorious weekend and a survivable Monday, despite looming economic catastrophe. I am trying not to think too hard about it, so good thing I had a newsletter to write!

Today, Spotify gets some advice on content moderation, TED launches a new subscription service, and Acast enables its podcasters to sell NFTs.

As Spotify grows its stable of creators, it taps experts to consult on content moderation

If there was one big takeaway from Spotify’s presentation for investors last week, it was that Spotify is going all-in on creator content. The “Spotify machine,” as CEO Daniel Ek deemed his company, will move into new verticals and bring millions of new creators onto the platform. That kind of scale may be good for the...

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WhatsApp now lets you transfer your chat history from Android to iPhone

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

WhatsApp is adding the ability to transfer your conversation history from Android to iPhone after previously only allowing users to transfer chats the other way (from iPhone to Android). The functionality was announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Facebook post. Early signs of the feature, which is rolling out in beta for now, were previously spotted by WABetaInfo.

The update helps with a long-standing WhatsApp issue, which is that it’s historically been difficult to transfer chats between the two mobile operating systems. It’s easy to transfer chats from one iOS device to another or from one Android device to another but generally not between the two different operating systems.

The transfer process only works on new or...

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Doctor Donor Fertility Fraud

When Arianna Huhn experienced complications with her first pregnancy, she signed up for a clinical trial, one that required her to submit family DNA samples for research. Her parents, Gail and George Fogelman, agreed. But shortly after, they asked her to jump on a call with them, alone, without her husband.

On the phone, Huhn noticed that her dad was choked up and unable to speak. Her mother took the lead. “There’s something that we have been hiding from you,” she said. “Your dad is not your genetic father.”

In the late ‘70s, Huhn’s parents had experienced issues when they were trying to conceive. So they opted for artificial insemination, as suggested by their gynecologist and fertility doctor. Dr. Benjamin Fiorica told them that...

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Disney Plus is now live in more than 50 new countries and territories

If you’re just getting Disney Plus access, Ms. Marvel is a good place to start. | Image: Marvel Studios

Disney Plus is continuing its global expansion this week. Variety reports the service is now online in Greece, Turkey, Poland, and a number of other central European countries as part of a broader rollout over the last two weeks including 42 new countries and 11 territories across Europe, Africa, and West Asia. You can see the full list and local pricing here.

For viewers in those countries, it means a slew of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney content is coming your way. (Our recommendation? Get into Ms. Marvel as soon as you can... and maybe wait on Moon Knight.) For Disney, it’s another key way to grow its streaming service. Disney Plus has about 87.6 million subscribers — plus another 50.1 million who subscribe to Disney Plus...

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Firefox boosts privacy by giving ‘total cookie protection’ to all users by default

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The Firefox browser, already known for its privacy protections, is about to become even more private thanks to a new cookie-restricting feature announced by Mozilla on Tuesday.

The design change, labeled “total cookie protection,” aims to give enhanced protection against online tracking by limiting the ability of websites to read cookies created by third-party services. According to a blog post from Mozilla, access to any given cookie will be restricted to the website that deposited the cookie in a user’s browser, so a cookie created by one website or service will not be readable by other websites that a user visits.

Mozilla’s blog post describes the new feature in terms of a separate “cookie jar” for each website, preventing trackers...

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Anker’s noise-canceling Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds are just $70

You can buy a pair of Anker’s Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro for just $69.99 for the first time. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

It’s not every day when you can buy a pair of decent wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation for less than $100, which is why today’s deal on Anker’s Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro is such a standout. For a limited time, you can buy the excellent, budget-friendly earbuds at Amazon and Best Buy for just $69.99, a new record low, instead of $129.99.

The earbuds sound good considering the low price, and they boast solid voice call quality. You can even adjust the balance of the noise cancellation effect. The box also comes with a variety of ear tips, allowing for a more comfortable fit, while the buds themselves offer other niceties, including a wireless charging case, an IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating, and customizable EQ...

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Fortnite is adding a grappling hook

Fortnite is adding yet another way to get around the battle royale island. As part of the first patch for Chapter 3: Season 3, the game is adding a grappling hook called a grapple glove. And, as we all know, a grappling hook makes everything better.

Here’s the basic description:

To begin swinging, shoot its grappling hook at a hard surface like a cliff, prop, or building. Each successive swing gets faster until the third swing and beyond, when you’ll be at max speed. If you miss a shot and land on the ground, you’ll have a brief window of time to shoot the grappling hook and come back swinging. You’ll have an even longer window if you slide out of a swing, so don’t be afraid to combo some slides into your swinging action. But don’t...

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Coinbase is laying off 1,100 employees as Bitcoin prices continue to fall

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Just four months ago, Coinbase reportedly spent $14 million on a Super Bowl ad that consisted almost entirely of a colorful QR code bouncing around the screen, pointing viewers to a website where they could get $15 in Bitcoin just by signing up. Now, its fortunes have turned so sharply that it will lay off about 1,100 employees, or 18 percent of its workforce, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

In a post on the company blog, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong first blamed changing economic conditions that may lead to a “crypto winter” and waited until his third bullet point to mention that the company has “over-hired,” citing its attempt to take advantage of “new use cases enabled by crypto getting traction...

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Adobe plans to make Photoshop on the web free to everyone

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Adobe has started testing a free-to-use version of Photoshop on the web and plans to open the service up to everyone as a way to introduce more users to the app.

The company is now testing the free version in Canada, where users are able to access Photoshop on the web through a free Adobe account. Adobe describes the service as “freemium” and eventually plans to gate off some features that will be exclusive to paying subscribers. Enough tools will be freely available to perform what Adobe considers to be Photoshop’s core functions.

“We want to make [Photoshop] more accessible and easier for more people to try it out and experience the product,” says Maria Yap, Adobe’s VP of digital imaging.

Image: Adobe

Photoshop...

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Lightroom can now edit video, too

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Lightroom, Adobe’s photo editing app, is getting a surprising new feature: the ability to edit video.

With an update rolling out this week, Lightroom users will be able to work with the app’s existing controls to color grade their videos. Lightroom’s controls are, in my experience at least, a lot more intuitive for adjusting how an image looks than traditional color grading tools in video apps; combined with users’ familiarity with the controls, the new feature should be a powerful option for anyone who wants to change up how a video looks.

Image: Adobe

Color grading video in Lightroom.

That all said, Lightroom is not transforming into a video app (and, in fact, it could already import videos, just not edit...

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HyperX’s Cloud Mix Buds deliver the goods but not the comfort

Its debut true wireless earbuds left me wanting more

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Elon Musk to answer Twitter employee questions at company meeting on Thursday

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images

Elon Musk will attend a virtual all-hands meeting with Twitter employees this Thursday, during which he’ll field questions from the company he’s in the process of buying. His attendance was announced in an email from Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal on Monday seen by Business Insider. Employees will be able to submit questions in advance of the meeting. It will be the first time Musk has addressed Twitter’s nervous employees directly since announcing plans for the $44 billion takeover.

The meeting has the chance to be fractious. In Twitter’s internal Slack channels, the Tesla CEO’s attempt to buy the company has reportedly been met with a negative response, and employees are concerned about the effect a privately-owned Twitter could have on...

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Horizon Worlds’ voice mode can turn strangers’ speech into pleasant gibberish

An icon will appear when a user can’t hear strangers’ voices. | Image: Meta

Meta is adding a new “voice mode” to Horizon Worlds that garbles any voice chat coming from non-friends on the VR social platform, the company has announced. By default you’ll still hear all nearby users at the same volume but turning on the “garble voices” toggle will replace them with “unintelligible, friendly sounds.” The feature will roll out in the coming weeks, according to Meta.

According to a screenshot of the toggle shared by Meta, the feature can be used to make users “feel more comfortable or safe.” It follows a series of reports about harassment that users have experienced on the social VR platform, which came out of beta late last year. In February, Meta introduced a “personal boundary” system in February that’s on by...

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Google Maps now estimates toll charges for your journey

Google Maps’ toll estimates in action. | Image: Google

A new Google Maps feature that estimates the amount you’ll have to pay in tolls to drive a given route has started appearing in the Android and iOS apps, according to Google. Android Police reports seeing the new toll pricing in the app, though it’s not yet visible on a pair of devices we’ve tried along the same route. The toll feature was first announced by Google in April.

Google says that displayed toll pricing is based on “trusted information from local tolling authorities,” and takes toll passes and time of day into account when calculating the total cost. There’s also still a toggle to “avoid tolls” when calculating routes. Google Maps has previously been able to alert you when a toll is payable overall on a journey, but not...

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A One Punch Man live-action movie is in the works

Image: Viz Media

One Punch Man is getting a live-action film adaptation through Sony Pictures that will bring our beloved bald-headed hero, Saitama, and his mechanical sidekick Genos, to life on the big screen, according to a report from Deadline.

The production team sounds solid, with Fast & Furious director Justin Lin on deck, along with scriptwriters Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, who previously worked on Venom and Jumanji: The Next Level. Arad Productions, a studio that has credits in Spider-Man: Homecoming and the live-action Ghost in the Shell will serve as the producers. The One Punch Man adaption could go into production by the end of this year, Deadline reports.

Anime fans have been burned by live-action adaptions in the past

There still...

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