The Verge
Asus’ Zenbook 14X isn’t the MacBook competitor it could be
The Zenbook wins in many categories — but loses badly in one
The VergeThe VergeElon Musk made his bid, and now he might actually have to lie in it
Twitter’s lawyers are being too mean to Elon Musk, say Elon Musk’s lawyers :( | Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images
Also, some career advice: run over your absentee boss
The VergeUK turns to tweets and livestreams to manage 5-mile queue for The Queen
A queue of mourners lining up to pay their respects. | Photo by Kirsty O’Connor/PA Images via Getty Images
The British have always had a reputation as a nation of queuers, but even by our standards these past few days have been a lot. As the late Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin sits in London’s Westminster Hall, thousands of people have queued up to pay their respects to the country’s longest serving monarch. To manage this miles-long line, which many have taken to simply calling The Queue, the British government has turned to platforms including Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram to provide up to the minute updates.
Although The Queue is currently at capacity, with the government advising new people not to join it, as of 9AM UK time this morning DCMS reported that it was 4.9 miles (nearly 8km) long , with an estimated queuing time of 14 hours....
The VergeWhy didn’t anyone tell me about this iOS screenshot trick?
The iPhone has another hidden screenshot trick. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
I feel exactly the same as a TikTok creator that uncovered a hidden trick to make the scribbles on your screenshots way neater: why did nobody tell me about this? Ramal Media posted a video on TikTok this week showing how you can easily hold down on scribbles you make on iPhone screenshots to make circles look perfect or arrows look like actual arrows instead of a mess.
In fact, most shapes work here. If you’re a fan of squares, rectangles, or even triangles, just simply draw them messily and then hold down to witness magic. I have no idea when Apple added this to the screenshot tool, but it’s been available since iOS 15 at least. A similar trick has also been available in the Notes app for a couple of years.
Make your...
The VergeUber apparently hacked by teen, employees thought it was a joke
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Uber says it’s investigating a “cybersecurity incident” amidst reports that the company’s internal systems have been breached. The alleged hacker, who claims to be an 18-year old, says they have administrator access to company tools including Slack, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform. The New York Times reports that the ride-hailing business has taken multiple internal systems, including Slack, offline while it investigates the breach.
When contacted for comment by The Verge, a spokesperson for the company declined to answer additional questions, and pointed to its statement on Twitter. “We are currently responding to a cybersecurity incident. We are in touch with law enforcement and will post additional updates here as they...
The VergeWiZ’s smart lights can now be motion sensors
SpaceSense will turn WiZ light bulbs into motion sensors. | Image: Signify
Motion-triggered smart lighting is pretty magical. Figuring out how to set up little white motion sensors all over your house to make it work is not. With its new SpaceSense feature, Signify may have come up with the perfect solution: let the light bulbs do the work.
SpaceSense is a software feature coming to Signify’s Wi-Fi smart lighting line WiZ later this month. It uses Wi-Fi sensing technology that detects changes in Wi-Fi signal strength caused by movement to turn lights on when someone walks into a room and off when motion stops. Wi-Fi sensing is already being used in some routers and security systems, and it was only a matter of time until a lighting company figured out how to apply it to their tech.
With WiZ, the sensing...
The VergeGavin Newsom signs California social media overhaul for minors
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, a law mandating additional safeguards for minors on social media. The bill, AB 2273, passed the state legislature in August, and it’s slated to go into effect on July 1st, 2024.
AB 2273’s supporters pitched it as a supplement to federal online child protection laws, which apply to children under 13. The law raises the age bar to 18, and it covers web services “likely” to get underage visitors, not just those aimed at kids. These sites must assess the potential harms for children on their platform, limit data collection and sharing for these users, and attempt to estimate the age of children on the platform. A press release from Newsom’s office...
The VergeThe FTC promises to investigate gig companies over wage-fixing
FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan glances at SEC Chairman Gary Gensler during a House Financial Services Committee hearing. | Photo by Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
The Federal Trade Commission voted today to put gig economy companies on notice, promising to protect gig workers from unfair contracts, pay, and hours.
In a 3-2 vote, Democratic FTC commissioners approved a new policy statement announcing that the agency would “use the full portfolio of laws it enforces to prevent unfair, deceptive, anticompetitive and otherwise unlawful practices affecting gig workers.”
Specifically, the FTC said it would go after companies that misrepresent a worker’s potential earnings or wrongfully use artificial intelligence to evaluate worker productivity. The agency also plans to investigate the industry for evidence of wage-fixing between companies.
“No matter how gig companies choose to classify them, gig...
The VergeNetflix’s latest Stephen King trailer focuses on Mr. Harrigan’s iPhone
Image: Netflix
Netflix has released the trailer for its latest Stephen King adaptation, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, which is based on the short story by the same name. In the trailer, we see Craig, played by Jaeden Martell (who starred in the recent It adaptationsand Knives Out), bonding with the titular Mr. Harrigan, an aging billionaire played by Donald Sutherland (President Snow in The Hunger Games and Mr. Bennet in 2005’s Pride and Prejudice).
According to Netflix’s description, the movie is about Craig and Mr. Harrigan’s bond over their first iPhones, which seemingly allow them to stay connected after the older man dies. The trailer, of course, seems much more sinister; the boy leaves a voicemail for the man after he’s dead, which leads to him getting...
The VergeAmazon is making a Blade Runner TV show
I wonder if they’ll find a way to include Harrison Ford. | Image: Alcon Entertainment
Amazon has officially picked up a series for Prime Video based on the hit Blade Runner movies, Deadline reports. The series is titled Blade Runner 2099, suggesting it will take place 50 years after Denis Villeneuve’s very good Blade Runner 2049. Ridley Scott, the director of the first Blade Runner, will serve as an executive producer.
The company isn’t sharing Blade Runner 2099 plot details just yet, so we don’t know much about what to expect beyond the later timeline. The show will “uphold the intellect, themes, and spirit of its film predecessors,” Amazon’s Vernon Sanders said in a statement provided to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, so I’m hoping the series will keep up the neo-noir sci-fi vibe from the two films.
We also...
The VergeRumble is ready for a $2 billion SPAC
Image: Shutterstock
The far-right’s favorite video sharing platform, Rumble, is set to go public next week after a successful shareholder vote on Thursday.
Rumble was founded in 2013 by CEO Chris Pavlovski as an alternative to Google’s algorithmic approach to surfacing content on YouTube. After operating largely under the radar, the platform has grown in popularity over the last few years, with users on the right seeking out content that’s been banned from YouTube, like Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast and Alex Jones’ Infowars show.
The blank check company Cantor Fitzgerald Acquisition Corp. VI is scheduled to take the company public in a deal worth over $2 billion on Monday under the ticker “RUM.”
Rumble has been one of the most successful alternative...
The VergeOctober 2nd is Overwatch’s last day on earth
Image: Blizzard
Despite an earlier promise that Overwatch and Overwatch 2 would peacefully coexist, we recently learned that there can be only one. And now we have a date for when Overwatch prime goes offline: October 2nd.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Overwatch commercial lead Jon Spector explained that on October 2nd, Overwatch prime will die, and for roughly 24 hours, the game will be offline to make way for Crystal Overwatch — err— Overwatch 2 on October 4th.
“So that means, as a practical point, that October 2nd really is the last day to go in and play Overwatch 1,” Spector told Eurogamer.
The arrival of Overwatch 2 brings with it significant and permanent changes to the game. With a little less than three weeks left, here’s a list of things...
The VergeStarlink is even in Antarctica now
You have to look real hard to spot what looks like the Dishy McFlatface terminal — it’s in the distance, just to the right of the roof’s apex. | Image: National Science Foundation
After its race with OneWeb to cover the North Pole and other Arctic areas with satellite internet, SpaceX has made it to the other extreme: the National Science Foundation (or NSF) is testing out one of its Starlink terminals at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The NSF says the increased bandwidth will help scientists working on the remote continent near the South Pole.
McMurdo, the most heavily populated Antarctic station, according to the NSF, with over 1,000 people living and working there during the summer, already had satellite internet, but it was rough, to say the least. Everyone at the base shares a 17 Mbps link, according to the United States Antarctic Program, which severely limits what people can do. The station actually blocks...
The VergeThe Biden administration’s big new plans for floating offshore wind turbines
In an aerial view, a wind turbine generates electricity at the Block Island Wind Farm on July 7th, 2022, near Block Island, Rhode Island. | Photo by John Moore / Getty Images
The Biden administration announced splashy new goals today aimed at positioning the US as a leader in the development of next-generation floating wind turbines. The announcement substantially expands Biden’s previous offshore wind ambitions by opening up new areas that traditional fixed-bottom turbines haven’t been able to reach.
Those turbines haven’t been able to conquer depths greater than 60 meters deep, where most of the world’s usable offshore wind resources can be found. Nearly 60 percent of the US’s offshore wind resources are at those depths. That includes much of the west coast, which has lagged behind the East Coast when it comes to offshore wind development because the Pacific Ocean drops off steeply close to the California...
The VergeCall of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is coming in November
Image: Activision Blizzard
At an event today, Activision showed off what it called “the future of Call of Duty.” That included another look at the upcoming Modern Warfare II, but just as significant were the first real details on the brand-new Warzone experience and its mobile counterpart.
Dubbed Warzone 2.0, the new version of the battle royale will launch on November 16th on console and PC and is described as “a fully revamped experience and the most ambitious release in Call of Duty history.” The map is set in a fictional desert region called Al Mazrah and will include new features like having multiple circles appear, forcing players in different directions, as well as AI enemies and some kind of sandbox mode. The new Warzone has been built on the same engine...
The VergeFord won’t say whether the new Mustang runs on Android
The 2024 Ford Mustang looks mostly the same on the outside, but the software got a glow-up. | Image: Ford
Ford announced the 2024 Mustang yesterday — maybe the last gas-powered one? — and while the vehicle is very similar in its design and shape to the last version, the operating system looks to be all-new, with sharp new graphics and a “digital cockpit inspired by fighter jets.”
It’s so new, apparently, that the company won’t tell us what software it’s running on.
On paper, the 2024 Ford Mustang’s 13.2-inch central touchscreen is running on Sync 4, Ford’s operating system that also powers its current lineup, including the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E. But videos from the reveal appear to show a user interface that looks entirely different from any Sync 4-equipped vehicle we’ve seen before.
the company won’t tell us what software...
The VergeThe best Chromebook deals you can get right now
Samsung’s vibrant Galaxy Chromebook 2 is on sale for $399.99 now. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
If you’re looking for an affordable laptop alternative, Chromebooks are a great option to consider. Yet there are several kinds on the market these days, and it can be overwhelming to pick the right for you and your needs. Some are better suited for basic work tasks, for example, while some of the higher-end models can even rival some of the best laptops you can buy. Moreover, just because one Chromebook has more features than the other doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you or the best value for your money.
That’s why we’ve curated this comprehensive list of the best Chromebook deals. Each varies in price and comes with its own strengths and weaknesses, but all of them come recommended for one reason or another. And if you’d like to do...
The VergeAmazon Echo may soon answer your questions with ads
Asking your Amazon Echo speaker questions could now result in ads rather than actual answers or advice. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge
A new Alexa feature has been announced at the Amazon Accelerate conference called “Customers Ask Alexa,” which allows brands to submit their own answers to questions you may ask the device.
One such example was “How can I remove pet hair from my carpet?” which would usually provide generic tips or advice pulled from the web. Now, as reported by TechCrunch, brands can submit their own answers (presumably in the form of recommending their own products) and link the inquirer to their Amazon storefront.
Voice interactions from Echo devices are already being used to target consumers with ads
Popping ads into top search results is nothing new, of course. It’s a huge part of Google’s business, and Apple has grown more aggressive with...
The VergeStreet Fighter 6 will let you make your own hot Ryu
A custom character in Street Fighter 6_._ | Image: Capcom
Street Fighter 6,the next major entry in Capcom’s long-running fighting game franchise, will let you make your very own fighter that you can use in the game’s single-player and multiplayer modes. That means if you don’t want to play as the super wide Ryu, you can make your own character to take into the ring instead.
It seems like there will be a lot of ways to customize your avatar. In a new trailer, Capcom showed off avatars with widely varying heights, skin tones, eye colors, and ages. They all had different clothes, too — I was a big fan of the angel wings on one character.
In Street Fighter 6’s World Tour story mode, you’ll then be able to take that character and explore a bustling city, challenge NPCs to fights, and battle...
The VergeTurtle Beach’s cloud-first controller is wired for your Xbox, wireless for your phone and PC
Turtle Beach includes a mobile phone clip with the Recon Cloud controller and claims its battery lasts up to 30 hours on Bluetooth. | Image: Turtle Beach
Turtle Beach has a new Xbox controller coming out next month, and it’s adding wireless functionality — though not in the way you might expect. The Recon Cloud is a new version of the Turtle Beach Recon wired USB-C controller, and in addition to a new “blue magma” colorway, it has Bluetooth connectivity for use with Android devices and Windows PCs.
The unusual aspect — especially for a controller that costs $99.99 — is that tying it to an Xbox console still requires plugging in a USB-C cable. It’s expected to ship on October 16th, and preorders can already be placed now on Turtle Beach’s site. That’s a much steeper cost than the standard $59.95 Recon, which frequently falls to around $45 when on sale.
The Recon Cloud has a built-in...
The VergeWe didn’t need another Pixelbook
RIP to a real one. | Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
Ever since the first Chromebook Pixel hit shelves in 2013, it’s had a special place in the ChromeOS community’s hearts. It wasn’t just a product — it was a sneak peek at what the Chromebook market could become.
Unfortunately for those fans, the Pixelbook line is no more. A new Pixelbook (the spiritual successor to the original Chromebook Pixel) was “far along in development and expected to debut next year,” my colleagues Alex Heath and David Pierce reported earlier this week. But the project has been cut “as part of recent cost-cutting measures.”
“We are committed to building and supporting a portfolio of Google products that are innovative and helpful for our users,” Google told The Verge in a statement. It would seem that this...
The VergeUncharted: Legacy of Thieves is coming to PC next month
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves | Image: Sony
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, which bundles Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy, will be released on PC on October 19th, Sony announced today. The remaster was released for PS5 in January, and while we knew a PC version was in development to release sometime this year, we didn’t have a definitive launch date until now.
The PC version of the collection will have a number of PC-specific enhancements, including a “reimagined UI,” ultrawide monitor support, and the ability to adjust the quality of things like models and textures, as outlined by Naughty Dog’s Rochelle Snyder in a blog post. The game will, of course, work with Sony’s DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers (though you’ll need a wired DualSense...
The VergeZoom is down so work is over for the day
Zoom is down right now, with users complaining of seeing “an error occurred” and not being able to launch meetings. Zoom’s main website, zoom.us, is currently displaying a 502 gateway error in what is a major Zoom outage occurring right now.
Zoom’s status page reveals there is a “major outage,” and many people are unable to attend meetings. “We have identified the issue starting and joining meetings,” explains Zoom’s status page at 11:30AM ET. “We will continue to investigate and provide updates as we have them.
It appears that some Zoom accounts are still able to connect using personal logins, but work and school accounts seem to be heavily affected. If you’re currently trying to get into a Zoom meeting, then there’s no ETA on when the...
The VergeThe DEA is investigating Done over ADHD drug prescriptions
Image: Wiki Commons
Telehealth startup Done, which prescribes ADHD medication like Adderall, is under investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The investigation is part of an ongoing crackdown on mental health companies using telemedicine to prescribe controlled substances, a category that includes stimulants like Adderall and addictive painkillers like OxyContin. The DEA is also investigating telehealth company Cerebral over its prescribing practices. That company announced it would stop prescribing drugs in that category in May.
Done told The Wall Street Journal that it hadn’t had any direct contact from the DEA and that it is committed to “complying with all applicable laws and regulations.”
Before the...
The VergeUnagi is canceling the Model Eleven scooter, its ‘full on urban assault vehicle’
The Model Eleven was Unagi’s most ambitious device ever, but it won’t actually ship. | Image: Unagi
Last year, the scooter maker Unagi launched an Indiegogo campaign for a vehicle it called Model Eleven. The campaign ultimately raised more than $700,000. Now, the company is saying it has canceled the Model Eleven entirely.
The Model Eleven, as Unagi initially described it, was going to be leaps and bounds beyond any scooter you’d seen on the road. The company billed it as “the smartest scooter on Earth” and promised scooter-specific directions via Google Maps, a camera system that could help riders detect obstacles and avoid crashes, a hot-swappable battery, a full suspension for more comfortable riding, and plenty more. It felt like Unagi’s swing at a luxury car and was priced accordingly: the base Model Eleven would start at $2,790.
S...
The VergeUnagi’s new electric scooter adds more range to woo more commuters
Unagi’s new Model One Voyager comes in several colors, including a new “Latte.” | Image: Unagi
Unagi, the electric scooter maker behind one of the better micromobilty vehicles on the market right now, has a new model ready for you. It’s called the Model One Voyager, and it’s meant to last longer, ride more smoothly, and be easier to use. The only thing is: Unagi doesn’t really want you to buy one. It would much rather you subscribe to one.
David Hyman, Unagi’s CEO, is absolutely convinced that subscription is the future of scooters. Not plunking down $1,000 for one and definitely not a ride-sharing one. “It was a total fluke that electric scooters started through ride-sharing,” he says over Zoom from his California home. Bird, Lime, and the rest got people used to the idea that a scooter could be a useful vehicle for getting...
The VergeLil Nas X is performing at the League of Legends World Championship
Lil Nas X. | Image: Riot Games
The opening ceremonies for the League of Legends World Championship are traditionally a big spectacle, featuring everything from augmented reality K-pop groups to rapping holograms. But this year’s edition will have an extra special guest: Lil Nas X.
Today, Riot announced a collaboration with Lil Nas X, which is highlighted by a performance at Worlds at the Chase Center in San Francisco on November 5th. Though there are no details on what to expect from the show, Lil Nas X confirmed in a statement that it would be “the biggest, coolest, sexiest Worlds in the history of all Worlds.” So it sounds like you might want to tune in.
Prior to that, on September 23rd, the artist will be releasing the annual Worlds anthem with a song called “Star...
The VergeSnapchat for web is now available to everyone
Snapchat for web allows chatting and video calling on a computer. | Image: Snapchat
Snapchat announced a new web app in July, marking the first time the platform was offered beyond mobile. Now, Snapchat says the web version — which was previously only available to paid subscribers — is open to all users.
The expanded availability was announced today in a round-up of new features for fall. On Snapchat for web, users can chat and video call with friends, with conversations syncing between devices. In an interview with The Verge in July, Snap’s head of messaging product, Nathan Boyd, said a web version of Snapchat was an “unmet opportunity” for the company.
The web version gives users more surface space to chat and video call with friends in the same window. One hundred million users call others using Snapchat every month,...
The VergeThis 48-inch OLED gaming monitor is just $599.99 after a rebate
The Aorus FO48U has features found on OLED panels that cost twice as much.
Sometimes you have to put in a little work for your deals, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It builds character... or something. If you’re willing to jump through a couple of hoops, you can currently get the 48-inch Gigabyte Aorus FO48U OLED gaming monitor for just $599.99 instead of its usual $999.99 price at Newegg. The process to get the maximum savings from this deal was brought to our attention by Slickdeals.
First, add the Aorus gaming monitor to your cart and apply the code DSABWA358 before checking out. You’ll still need to spend roughly $799.99 upfront, but you aren’t done yet. To cash in on the additional $200 mail-in rebate, follow the instructions on this document and mail it in before September 30th. The process...
The VergeUber’s posh electric car service is now available in 25 cities in North America
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Uber is bringing its upscale electric car service to more cities, announcing the launch of its Comfort Electric feature in 14 additional cities in North America, bringing the total number of markets to 25.
In May, Uber launched Comfort Electric in a handful of cities, the list of which has been steadily growing since then. Only premium EVs, like Tesla, Polestar, and Ford Mustang Mach-E, would be considered eligible for Comfort Electric trips. It will sit alongside the company’s other EV product, Uber Green, which gives drivers an extra fee (usually $1) to use electric vehicles.
Here are all 25 cities where Uber Comfort Electric is available:
Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore-Maryland, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Connecticut, Dallas, Denver,...