Ikea’s new Dirigera smart home hub is twice the price of the old gateway

Ikea’s new Dirigera hub is coming soon. | Image: Ikea

It looks like Ikea’s new Dirigera smart home hub is coming this November for €59.99 (around $59), twice as much as the existing Trådfri gateway sells for in Europe and a month later than promised.

Tech Gaming Report spotted a sales page for the Dirigera hub, which replaces the gateway for Ikea’s smart home ecosystem, on the German Ikea site. We then found pages for the hub on Spanish and Norwegian Ikea websites, too. A note on the Norwegian site that it’s a “new and better replacement for TRÅDFRI gateway. Sales start in November.”

When The Verge spoke to Ikea about the new hub earlier this summer, pricing was still TBD, but we knew it would cost more than the Trådfri gateway, which currently sells for €29 (about $29). “It is a little...

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How to watch the Google Pixel launch event

Illustration: The Verge

Last May, at Google’s annual developer conference, Google I/O 2022, there were hints about the company’s upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro phones. Now, five months later, at Google’s Pixel launch event this coming Thursday, we are finally going to be introduced to them. Of course, there won’t be all that many surprises; there have been quite a few hints floating around about their cameras, displays, size, and price. But it will be interesting to see how many of these rumors are correct.

Perhaps more interesting is the new Pixel Watch, which is also expected to be introduced and which may mean that Google is finally offering a smartwatch that could be a real contender. Other announcements may include a new Tensor G2 chip, an improved tablet,...

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The concert of the future is already happening in the metaverse

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

A few weeks ago, I went to a Charlie Puth concert from my computer. The concert was in Fortnite, in the new State Farm Park arena in the iHeartland area of the game’s island. For a half hour or so, I watched and listened to Puth play the hits, as I also flew and parkour’d around the island playing the iHeartLand mini games.

This is the concert, or at least a concert, of the future: more interactive, more immersive, and taking place in purely digital spaces. For artists of all genres and statures, “What’s up, Roblox!” is the new “What’s up, Cleveland!”

Digital concerts are nothing new, of course. But starting with Travis Scott’s Fortnite show in 2020, the music industry has taken new notice of platforms like Fortnite, Roblox, and M...

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The Verge’s 2022 Fall Gift Guide

Kristen Radtke / The Verge

Our fall gift guide includes plenty of ideas for enjoying the turning of the season, whether you want to admire it outside or bundled up at home.

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Inside one of the world’s first human composting facilities

Photo by Meron Menghistab for The Verge

Rachel Gerberding has a green thumb. So when her mother died this April, Gerberding decided to compost her. Gerberding, who lives in Washington state in a house surrounded by flowers, had heard about a newly legal method to turn human remains into soil. “I was like, ‘Mom, it would be such a wonderful thing for me — to be able to just walk through [my garden] and be like, ‘Oh, hi, Mom,’” Gerberding, 48, said, recounting their conversation. Sharon Gerberding, who had previously planned on a simple cremation, agreed: “I’m going to be dead,” she told Rachel. “Do whatever you want!”

That’s why Sharon, who died from complications of multiple sclerosis, was laid to rest in an industrial park 30 minutes south of Seattle. On a chilly spring day,...

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Watch the first full trailer for Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever poster | Image: Marvel

The latest trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever shows a kingdom in mourning with the passing of King T’Challa (played by the late Chadwick Boseman) and opens with Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) holding the Black Panther’s helmet.

It also gives us a closer glimpse at a new underwater nation, called Talokan, led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta), a “feather serpent god,” along with a look at Dominique Thorne in Iron Man-style armor that suggests a major role for Ironheart in this flick.

#WakandaForever. November 11. pic.twitter.com/KoZK1BMRcW

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 3, 2022

It closes with a shot of a new Black Panther without telling us who is in the suit, but from the poster and what’s shown in the trailer, you can...

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Google’s Pixel 6A is $100 off right before the Pixel 7 launch

The Pixel 6A comes in three colors: chalk, sage, and charcoal. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Later this week, Google will reveal the full details, including price, specs, and a release date for its Pixel 7 phones and the Pixel Watch. You better believe we’ll have the event covered from every angle. But if you’re looking for a deal on an existing model, Google’s Pixel 6A is $100 off its usual $449 price, beating the lowest price by a fairly wide margin. You can pick up the Pixel 6A in a variety of colors for $349 unlocked at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

There are a few reasons why the Pixel 6A may be the ideal choice for some people — even compared to the newer Pixel 7 phones once they release. Price, for one, is key. Next, it has a smaller 6.1-inch 1080p OLED that’s easier to hold in the hand or more easily slipped into a...

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No Man’s Sky’s Switch launch was a chance to ‘focus on some of the fundamentals’

No Man’s Sky running on a Nintendo Switch | Image: Hello Games

Sean Murray from Hello Games talks about bringing the game to the Nintendo Switch, as well as the other changes players can expect with No Man’s Sky’s big 4.0 update on October 7th

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Kim Kardashian pays $1.26 million after being charged with illegally promoting crypto scheme

Kim Kardashian asked her followers, “Are you guys into crypto???” | Photo by Gotham/GC IMages

Kim Kardashian has paid $1.26 million after being charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with unlawfully promoting a crypto investment scheme on Instagram.

The SEC says Kardashian failed to disclose the fact that she was paid $250,000 to promote EthereumMax tokens last June. In a series of posts to her Instagram story, Kardashian asked her followers, “Are you guys into crypto??? This is not financial advice but sharing what my friends just told me about the ethereum max token!” Her followers were then encouraged to head to the EthereumMax website and “join the E-Max community.”

Kardashian included a number of hashtags in the posts, including “#ad,” suggesting that the stories were a paid promotion. But the SEC says this...

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A ransomware gang is releasing hacked data on LA schoolchildren

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Sensitive information about students from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) began to appear online on Saturday after a cybercriminal gang posted data obtained in a ransomware attack.

The publication of the data was confirmed by LAUSD superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho in a statement released by tweet on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, as expected, data was recently released by a criminal organization,” the statement said. “In partnership with law enforcement, our experts are analyzing the full extent of this data release.”

The ransomware attack that targeted LAUSD — the second-largest school district in the US — occurred four weeks ago over Labor Day weekend. Although it was not immediately attributed by official sources, many...

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Apple SIM can no longer activate new cellular data plans on iPads

Support for new cellular plan activation using Apple’s own SIM was removed on October 1st. | Image: MacRumors

Apple SIM technology is no longer available to activate new cellular data plans on iPads. The Apple SIM, first introduced by Apple in 2014, is a programmable SIM card that could be configured with different operator profiles, eliminating the need to buy a physical SIM from the carrier itself. The change was first spotted by MacRumors.

Apple quietly made the announcement via its cellular data support page, which says that support for new activations using both the standard Apple SIM and embedded Apple SIM would stop from October 1st, 2022. Apple recommends that anyone affected by the change should contact their carrier for details on how to activate a cellular data plan on their iPad.

The Apple SIM always seemed like a temporary solution...

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Boeing-backed Wisk Aero reveals a four-seater autonomous air taxi

Air taxi startup Wisk Aero unveiled its sixth-generation aircraft, an all-electric four-seater that can fly without a human pilot. The Boeing-backed company said it will seek approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to carry passengers as part of a commercial air taxi service.

Wisk, which was formed in 2019 as a joint venture between Boeing and Kitty Hawk, the flying taxi company bankrolled by Google co-founder Larry Page that recently shut down, is in a race to become the first so-called Advanced Air Mobility company to get the green light from the FAA for passenger testing. Wisk claims that its sixth-generation aircraft is the first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) candidate for type certification.

Under FAA...

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Tim Cook is latest CEO to question the ‘metaverse’

Tim Cook at the recent iPhone 14 launch. | Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

While Meta funnels billions into CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s pitch for the metaverse, Apple CEO Tim Cook thinks most people couldn’t even define the metaverse, let alone spend long periods of time living their lives inside of it.

“I always think it’s important that people understand what something is,” Cook told Dutch publication Bright (via Google Translate). “And I’m really not sure the average person can tell you what the metaverse is.” In other words, despite persistent reports of Apple’s interest in building all manner of AR and VR hardware, Cook isn’t ready to claim that the company is working towards any so-called “metaverse.”

Mark Zuckerberg has a different view. Earlier this year, the Meta CEO told his employees that the company is...

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Maserati’s GranTurismo Folgore will be its first EV

The Folgore EV is one of three GranTurismo models coming. | Image: Maserati

Maserati is releasing new details on its redesigned GranTurismo luxury performance coupe, and offers some fresh tidbits on the upcoming all-electric version of it. Announced in March, The GranTurismo Folgore will be the automaker’s first EV, and will launch ahead of its Grecale electric crossover SUV announced earlier this year. It’s all part of the company’s plan to offer electric versions of every Maserati model by 2025 and shift to EV-only sales by 2030.

Today we learn that the GranTurismo Folgore powertrain will be backed by three 300kW permanent magnet electric motors. It’s built on an 800-volt architecture that enables the car to fast charge at 270kW, similar to the Lucid Air and Porsche Taycan. Maserati is also releasing two...

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ESPN, Disney, and other networks have returned to Dish and Sling TV

Disney’s networks are back for Dish satellite and Sling TV customers. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Dish and Disney have reached a “handshake deal” to immediately bring Disney’s collection of cable networks back to Dish satellite and Sling TV customers. The two companies confirmed the agreement late on Sunday night. “We are pleased to restore our portfolio of networks on a temporary basis while both parties work to finalize a new deal,” Disney said in a statement.

Dish and Sling TV subscribers have now regained access to ESPN (and its related networks), along with other channels such as The Disney Channel, FX, National Geographic, local ABC programming in select markets, and more. The blackout lasted two days, and although it included college football on Saturday, the two companies have resolved the situation in time for ESPN’s next...

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A new Facebook Marketplace rule could make it harder to find legit car listings

Nick Barclay / The Verge

As if buying a used car isn’t hard enough, the misleading dealership listings that clutter up selling platforms like Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp don’t make things any easier. In an update first spotted by a user on Reddit, Meta announced that it’s limiting dealerships’ ability to list cars on Marketplace, but this likely doesn’t mean those pesky listings will disappear for good (via Jalopnik).

If you’ve ever shopped for a used car online, you probably know the kinds of dealership listings I’m talking about. They often show only a car’s required down payment, or — even more annoyingly — list vehicles at $1 in an attempt to grab your attention.

But starting January 30th, 2023, dealerships will run into a roadblock when trying to post...

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Tesla delivered a record 343,830 vehicles during the third quarter of 2022

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Tesla delivered a record 343,830 vehicles in the third quarter of 2022, a sign that the Elon Musk-owned company has bounced back from a slower second quarter related to COVID-related factory shutdowns.

In a report on the automaker’s site, Tesla says the Model S and X made up 18,672 of its quarterly deliveries, while the Model 3 and Y accounted for 325,158. Tesla made a total of 365,923 cars during the quarter, leaving about 20,000 cars in its inventory.

The automaker clarifies that some of these electric vehicles (EVs) were “in transit at the end of the quarter,” adding that they “have been ordered and will be delivered to customers upon arrival at their destination.” Tesla also notes that it had been difficult to “secure vehicle...

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Coinbase pauses transactions in US to address bank transfer issues

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Coinbase has temporarily stopped transactions for users in the US due to an issue preventing the company from processing withdrawals or deposits involving bank accounts. Problems started around 7AM ET, but the company announced at around 8:30AM ET that it’s working on a fix.

“We are currently unable to take payments or make withdrawals involving US bank accounts. Our team is aware of this issue and is working on getting everything back to normal as soon as possible,” Coinbase explains on its status page, adding that users can still use a debit card or PayPal account to buy crypto.

We're currently experiencing technical issues creating ACH transfers. Rest assured, your funds are safe. Our team will provide an update here and on our...

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Intel’s self-driving company Mobileye files for an IPO

A Mobileye self-driving vehicle. | Image: Mobileye, an Intel company

Intel’s self-driving technology firm Mobileye has filed for an initial public offering (IPO), according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (via CNBC). The Israel-based company, which Intel acquired for $15.3 billion in 2017, specializes in making the chips and software that powers autonomous vehicles.

According to Bloomberg, Intel initially expected the IPO to value Mobileye at $50 billion, but later lowered its expectations to around $30 billion. Mobileye’s SEC filing indicates steady revenue growth over the past few years, jumping from $879 million in 2019 to $967 million in 2020, and topping out at $1.4 billion in 2021. The filing doesn’t provide any information on how much a share could cost.

Founded in 1999 by...

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NASA’s Artemis I launch has officially been delayed until November

NASA called off last week’s Artemis I launch due to Hurricane Ian. | Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

The long-anticipated launch of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket has been pushed back to mid-November after NASA waved off its September 27th launch plans in the wake of Hurricane Ian (via Space.com). The space agency announced on Friday that it’s aiming to squeeze in the Artemis I launch between November 12th and November 27th.

While there was initially a slight chance that NASA’s next launch attempt could take place in October, that was ultimately scrapped after NASA decided to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to shield it from the storm. NASA successfully secured the rocket on Tuesday after an hours-long trek to the VAB.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, but weakened...

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Dish and Sling TV drop Disney, ESPN, and others due to contract dispute

Alex Castro / The Verge

Dish and its Sling TV streaming service have dropped Disney’s package of channels after the companies couldn’t come to a contract agreement (via Deadline). In an announcement on its site, Dish says the Disney Channel, ESPN, FX, Freeform, National Geographic, and some local ABC networks are no longer available on its services after its contract expired early this morning.

Dish blames the dispute on Disney, claiming the company demanded a $1 billion fee increase and “walked away from the negotiation table.” The satellite provider adds that Disney wanted Dish to include ESPN, ESPN2, and local ABC channels at an added cost in packages that don’t carry them.

Our contract has expired with The Walt Disney Company. Our goal and priority is to...

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The latest Pixel Watch leak shows band styles, watch faces, and more

Braided, silicone, and leather Pixel Watch band styles. | Image: Slashleaks via OnLeaks

As if the launch of the Pixel Watch hasn’t been spoiled by enough leaks already, a new set of images shared with Slashleaks by reliable leaker OnLeaks (via 9to5Google), show the smartwatch in even more detail just days ahead of Google’s launch event. This expands on what we’ve already seen in a brief ad from Google released last week, revealing an array of band styles, more watch faces, as well as some other features the watch could come with.

For starters, the Pixel Watch could offer silicone band styles in black, eggshell, dark gray, and silver, as well as three braided options in orange, green, and black. It also looks like Google’s planning to offer two different leather band styles, including a sleek set in orange, black, and...

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TikTok’s reportedly still planning to launch live shopping in the US

Nick Barclay / The Verge

TikTok might not be giving up on live shopping in the US after all. According to a report from the Financial Times, the company’s looking to partner with TalkShopLive to launch live shopping features in North America.

TalkShopLive is a live shopping platform based in Los Angeles and, as pointed out by the FT, is used by companies like Walmart and Microsoft’s MSN to hold shopping livestreams. Through the partnership, TikTok could reportedly leverage TalkShopLive’s technology to allow creators to host live shopping sessions on TikTok, while also giving brands the option to simultaneously broadcast the stream to their own websites.

Back in July, a report from FT indicated that TikTok was scaling back live shopping in the US and Europe after...

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On smartphone cameras, the Seattle Mariners, and disappointment

The iPhone 14 Pro has one of the best smartphone camera systems money can buy, but it still has its limitations. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

There’s the smell of sizzling sausage, car exhaust, and late-season playoff hopes in the air on Tuesday night as I cross the street toward the stadium. I’m carrying a neon green Mariners fanny pack across my chest (that’s how the kids are wearing them, right?!?) loaded with the essentials: my ID, Kleenex, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and an iPhone 14 Pro. The roof of T-Mobile Park hangs open over the adjacent railway, looming like the Death Star, and I head toward an entrance with a few things on my agenda, in no particular order:

• Cheer on the Mariners as they ~~definitely~~ ~~hopefully~~ please dear god end a 20-year playoff drought (Editor’s Note: They did, in fact, end the drought last night)
• Collect the Mariners-branded flannel shirt my...

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The package-tracking Eufy Dual video doorbell is $50 off and doesn’t require a monthly fee

The Eufy Dual utilizes a second lens, aimed downward, for watching over packages. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

It’s the first of October, which means it’s officially Spooky Season. And while I’m sure all of us are excited to put up our fearsome 12-foot skeletons, there’s nothing fun about the fear of having a package stolen off your porch. A video doorbell is a good way to keep a watchful eye over your front stoop.

The wired version of the Eufy Dual video doorbell is on sale at Amazon or direct from Eufy for $149.99 ($50 off). Amazon requires you to click the $50 on-page coupon, while Eufy has a coupon code of WSCP856PGC to use at checkout for the discounted price. The appeal of the Eufy is that it has two separate lenses, one for seeing who is at your door and one focused on the doorstep clearly showing any packages left there.

However, the...

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Tesla now has 160,000 customers running its Full Self Driving beta

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Tesla's Optimus robot prototype was not the only thing the company shared on Friday evening during its AI Day presentation. Autopilot director Ashok Elluswamy took the stage during Tesla's AI day to talk about how the company's Full Self Driving software has improved. He revealed that there are now 160,000 customers running the beta software, compared to 2,000 from this time last year.

In total, Tesla says there have been 35 software releases of FSD. In a Q&A at the end of the presentation, Musk made another prediction — he's made a few before — that the technology would be ready for a worldwide rollout by the end of this year but acknowledged the regulatory and testing hurdles that remained before that happens.

Image:...

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils prototype of humanoid Optimus robot

Tesla’s Optimus robot has been revealed on stage at AI day. | Image: Tesla

Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed a prototype of a humanoid robot that he said utilizes the company’s AI software, as well as the sensors that power its advanced driver assist features. At the start of Tesla’s 2022 AI Day presentation, Musk acknowledged that last year they had “a guy in a suit” but promised something much more impressive today.

According to Musk, it can do more than what has been shown, but “the first time it walked without a tether was tonight on stage.” Musk said they’re targeting a price of “probably less than $20,000.”

Image: Tesla

Tesla “Optimus” robot at AI Day 2022

The back doors of the stage opened to reveal a deconstructed Optimus that walked forward and did a “raise the roof” dance move....

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Warner Bros. Discovery is ‘absolutely not for sale,’ says CEO

My “We Are Not For Sale” shirt has people asking a lot of questions already answered by my shirt. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO David Zaslav seems to be trying to squash rumors that he wants to sell the company to the likes of Comcast. According to a report from Deadline, he told employees that “we are not for sale, absolutely, not for sale,” during a Zoom call on Wednesday attended by staff from all over the company.

While he reportedly didn’t address any specific rumors, a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter seems to be the likely target of his comments. Earlier this month, the outlet suggested that “top industry execs” were “convinced” that Warner Bros. was on the brink of merging with Comcast, owners of NBCUniversal and the Peacock streaming service (and, disclosure, an investor in Vox Media, The Verge’s parent company). One...

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Twitch begins testing paid ‘Elevated Chat’ feature

Nick Barclay / The Verge

Twitch will begin testing a way for its users to boost their chat messages on the platform. Called “Elevated Chat,” the “experiment” is meant to let users elevate their chat messages for a specific time using a one-time fee. The fees are presented in five different tiers ranging from 30 seconds to two and a half minutes, with fees ranging from $5 to $100.

The feature is currently available for a “limited number of channels” on the platform. The option to elevate chats may appear at either the top of the chat or at the bottom of a video, and a user can purchase an Elevated Chat depending on how long they want to keep their message up.

According to Game Developer, multiple people can elevate their chat message at once, but it is on a...

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Stadia’s shutdown shocked developers, too

Google announced the shutdown of Stadia with little warning. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

News that Google would be closing down Stadia was a big surprise for everyone, including the developers making games for the platform

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