Google Docs will soon let you embed other apps into your documents

Illustration: The Verge

The @ symbol is about to become the most important feature in Google Docs. As Google continues to invest in making Workspace a more connected and powerful platform, it’s also opening Docs up to third-party developers in a big way. Going forward, all you’ll need to type is “@” and the name of a file or app you’re looking for, and you’ll be able to see and edit it from within Google Docs.

The feature is called “smart chips” and refers to essentially embedding other apps into Google Docs. The API that makes all this work is new — Google announced it at its Cloud Next conference along with a handful of partners. Asana users will be able to manage their tasks through an embed in Docs; you’ll be able to see visual previews of Miro and Figma...

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RGB gaming Chromebooks have arrived

Game! Hurray! | Image: Acer

Google and several laptop manufacturers have teamed up for an announcement this morning that will excite some and puzzle others: you can now buy a gaming Chromebook.

Actually, you can buy three. Starting today, you can order Acer’s Chromebook 516 GE for $649.99, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook for $599, and Asus’ Chromebook Vibe CX55 Flip for a to-be-announced price. These are Chromebook models specifically built and marketed for gaming.

What’s a bit counterintuitive about these “gaming” machines is that they, being Chromebooks, do not have discrete GPUs. We generally don’t consider a laptop to fall into the “gaming” category if it only has integrated graphics (and even today’s entry-level GPUs are a tough sell for many gamers).

G...

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Nvidia RTX 4090 review: a 4K beast

The RTX 40-series starts with a big performance leap

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The cruel temptation of the job offer scam

Vincent Kilbride / The Verge

Last month, I got the invitation of a lifetime in my inbox: Vogue wanted to purchase my freelance writing services to cover a fashion event in Canada. The email, with the subject line “Vogue Talent Recruiting Team,” arrived at a time when I was specifically looking for new assignments to dig into after I finished a six-month research contract. Surprisingly, editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful himself was reaching out to me by email to offer me an all-expenses paid trip to Toronto, plus payment for coverage of the event.

When I read the email again, I noticed something was off. Enninful’s email address wasn’t a standard Condé Nast address — it was a Gmail account. His name also didn’t appear on the “From:” space — instead,...

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The best gaming deals from Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale

The best deals on gaming accessories you can find during Prime Day Early Access | Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

Amazon’s Prime Day Early Access Sale is here, so let's scope out some sweet deals on gaming headsets, keyboards, and other cool accessories. Whether you’re gaming on a console or PC, there are plenty of awesome odds and ends to round out your setup at home. For a better view of what’s currently on sale make sure to check out our best deals from Amazon’s Prime Early Access sale.

We’re not holding our breath for discounts on next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, but we’re already finding great deals on gaming keyboards from Razer, HyperX headsets, and Bluetooth controllers from 8BitDo. Of course, we’ll be looking out for deals on anything that can make your gaming experience just a little more awesome. Let’s go!

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Chips, canvases, and chats: Google Workspace’s plan to crush Office

Illustration: The Verge

Google’s Cloud Next developer event is today, and the Google Workspace team is using the opportunity to announce a number of new tools across Gmail, Docs, Meet, and the rest of the Workspace ecosystem. Google is investing more in its “smart canvas” concept for Docs, letting users embed information and apps inside a document. It’s also releasing some new Meet features with hybrid work in mind, like automatic meeting transcriptions and an AI-powered framing tool for conference room cameras that aims to keep speakers in focus at all times.

Google Workspace also has a new leader: Aparna Pappu, who took the job as VP and GM of Workspace in July after Javier Soltero left the company. Pappu has been at Google since 2007, and did a long stint...

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Mark Zuckerberg is about to reveal Meta’s next VR headset

Mark Zuckerberg teasing Meta’s upcoming “Project Cambria” headset. | Image: Meta

He bet his company on building the metaverse a year ago by rebranding Facebook to Meta. Now it’s time for a progress update.

During Meta’s annual Connect conference later today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg will reveal “Project Cambria,” the high-end VR headset he has been teasing in interviews and social media posts all year. The device is expected to focus on more than just VR by adding mixed reality, technology that blends the virtual and physical. Face and eye tracking will also enable more realistic avatars and higher-fidelity graphics. Expect a price point that is significantly higher than the Quest 2’s $399 price tag.

Zuckerberg has been hyping the promise of virtual reality for a long time. But this year, he arguably has more to prove...

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The best deals from Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon is back with another Prime Day for 2022, and we’re here to highlight the deals that are worth your money. The Prime Early Access Sale is happening now through tomorrow, October 12th, and it’s an event that should serve as a good primer for the kinds of deals we might see during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In other words, you might be able to get some — or all — of your holiday shopping done, whether it’s all at Amazon or from one of the many other retailers that are serving up a rush of deals to compete.

What you’ll find below are the best deals from Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale. We’ve also rounded up all of the good deals cooking at Target, and plan to publish accompanying guides to the best competing sales at Best Buy...

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How to reset your Apple ID password

Vincent Kilbride / The Verge

If you have an Apple device, your Apple ID is likely used for a lot of important things, like accessing your App Store purchases and iCloud content, locating a lost device, and more. That’s why it’s important to have a strong password that’s stored in a safe place, such as a password manager.

However, accidents happen, and you may wind up locked out of your Apple account because of a forgotten password or some other mishap. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic — here’s how to get back in.

Reset your Apple ID password from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac

If you’re lucky and are already logged in to an Apple device with your Apple ID, it’s relatively easy to reset your Apple ID password.

On an iPhone or iPad device:

• Go to S...

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The iPad Air with M1 processor drops to a new low price of $519 at Amazon

The mid-range iPad Air comes with Apple’s highest-end processor for the current iPad line. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Deals on some of Apple’s latest iPads can sometimes be frequent and fierce. The latest one to see a sizable discount is the 2022 iPad Air, which Amazon is selling for $519 with its base 64GB of storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. That $80 discount is part of Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale, which just kicked off this morning and has numerous discounts running through tomorrow. This one, like many others, is exclusive to Amazon Prime subscribers. Though if you don’t do Prime, Best Buy is also discounting it for $519.99.

This iPad Air deal is the lowest price we’ve seen on the mid-range iPad. One of the standout features you get with this generation of Air is its M1 processor, borrowing the brains of the much pricier iPad Pros. This CPU gives...

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Intel NUCs are sizing up to accommodate bigger upgrades

The next-gen NUC Extreme PC (seen left) will still be compact, despite being significantly larger than its predecessors. | Image: Intel

Intel has teased its upcoming NUC 13 Extreme PC, the latest addition to the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) family of small-form-factor computers and barebone computer kits. The PC codenamed Raptor Canyon was revealed at TwitchCon this past weekend, as reported by VideoCardz, andnotably sports a significantly bigger design than its predecessor to support larger graphics cards.

A teardown of the upcoming PC was carried out on the convention floor, giving us an indication of its larger size compared to previous models within Intel’s NUC range. It confirmed that Raptor Canyon can support up to a full desktop Core i9 processor and up to 64GB of DDR5 memory. 2.5 and 3-slot graphics cards are also supported, with an unnamed Nvidia GeForce RTX 30...

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Delta Airlines will invest up to $200 million in Joby Aviation to create a ‘home-to-airport’ air taxi service

Delta Airlines will invest $60 million in Joby Aviation, a leading electric air taxi startup, to create a “home-to-airport” service using the startup’s five-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the companies announced Tuesday. Delta said its investment in Joby could go as high as $200 million if the company hits certain milestones.

The service, which will launch first in New York City and Los Angeles with other cities to follow, will be “mutually exclusive” across the US and UK for five years, with the option to extend that exclusivity for longer, the companies said. The home-to-airport service will exist in parallel to Joby’s currently nonexistent airport service, transporting passengers from cities to airports.

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GM created a new energy business to sell batteries and solar panels in bid to dethrone Tesla

GM Energy will sell EV chargers, external batteries, and other accessories for its electric vehicle owners. | GM

GM Energy is making a grab for a piece of the $150 billion energy generation and storage market. The automaker wants to shore up the grid in preparation for a tidal wave of new EVs.

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Roku could be setting its sights on the smart home

A pile of unannounced Roku-branded light strips spotted by a Redditor. | Image: u/Negative_Source_7316 / Reddit

Roku is about to make a big entrance into the smart home if a photo posted to Reddit and two shipping manifests spotted by ZatzNotFunny are to be believed.

The unannounced lineup reportedly consists of both white and color smart bulbs, a smart light strip, a smart plug, and indoor and outdoor internet-connected security cameras. Roku also appears to be planning to launch a dedicated Roku Smart Home channel, which will presumably let users control the devices from smart TVs and streaming boxes running the company’s operating system.

Not sure if anyone really cares, found some unannounced stuff the other day. fromRoku

As ZatzNotFunny and several Reddit commenters have pointed out, Roku appears to be leaning...

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CNN accused of rug pull as it abandons its NFT project

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On Monday afternoon, as pointed out by Parker Molloy, CNN ended its big Web3 project by announcing, “we have decided that it’s time to say goodbye to the Vault by CNN.”

You may have already forgotten about it, but Vault by CNN launched in the summer of 2021 as a marketplace for its own NFTs (non-fungible tokens) that would “offer collectors the opportunity to own a piece of history.” Sort of like NBA Top Shot except for media nerds instead of basketball nerds, it minted CNN reports of key events or artistic interpretations inspired by them, creating digital collectibles that owners could show off somehow or trade with others, like baseball cards. This idea apparently seemed more reasonable while cryptocurrency prices were sky-high, and...

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The Verge Guide to Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon Prime Day is no longer a once-per-year shopping event. This year, the company is hosting a second deal extravaganza for Prime members called the Prime Early Access Sale, which kicks off tomorrow, October 11th, and runs through Wednesday, October 12th. If it’s anything like the two-day shopping blitz that is Prime Day, it’ll be filled with some of the lowest prices we’ve seen on 4K TVs, Amazon Echo devices, noise-canceling headphones, gaming accessories, laptops, and more. We also expect to see competing deals at retailers like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart, all of which we’ll cover during the 48-hour window.

Like we’ve done in the past with Prime Day, we’ll be rounding up all of the details regarding Amazon’s fall sales event...

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China asked Elon Musk not to sell Starlink within the country

Laura Normand / The Verge

In an interview with the Financial Times last week, Elon Musk revealed that figures in the Chinese government have asked him directly to withhold Starlink access within China. Musk told FT that, in the publication’s summary, “Beijing has made clear its disapproval of his recent rollout of Starlink...in Ukraine” and “sought assurances he would not sell Starlink in China.”

It’s unclear from the description whether Musk agreed to Beijing’s request, but Starlink’s service map shows no plans to deploy in China. Adjacent countries like Taiwan, Mongolia and Vietnam are listed as “pending regulatory approval.”

Starlink’s service map shows no plans to deploy in China

Offering a connection to the internet that sidesteps conventional service...

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Here are the best Amazon Echo deals right now

The Echo Show 5 (left), Echo Show 8 (middle), and the Echo Show (right). | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Amazon’s current Echo lineup offers a broad selection of smart speakers and displays that can fit just about anywhere in your home. Whether you want to place a voice assistant in your living room, replace the bulletin board in your office, or pick up a touchscreen-enabled device to showcase recipes in the kitchen, there's an Echo device for just about every occasion and use case.

Regardless of why you might want one, there’s also always a way to save on an Echo device, from the last-gen Dot to the wall-mounted Echo Show 15. Even when they’re selling at full price, for instance, Amazon offers a 25 percent discount when you trade in select devices, meaning there are still other ways to save money when none of the models are on sale.

B...

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COVID misinfo is the biggest challenge for Twitter’s Birdwatch program, data shows

Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Shutterstock

Analysis by The Verge shows that Birdwatch users regularly tackle misinformation topics with the highest stakes, including pandemic response

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This is Microsoft’s Xbox game streaming device

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Microsoft’s head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has just revealed the company’s dedicated Xbox game streaming device. Spencer published a photo of the device on Twitter, where you can see it sitting on top of his shelf in his Microsoft office space. It’s a small white box, that resembles the look of the Xbox Series S and will be dedicated to accessing Xbox games over the company’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service.

Microsoft first announced it was planning an Xbox streaming device last year, and many had incorrectly assumed it would be a stick that would plug directly into a HDMI port. While Microsoft is still working on this Xbox streaming console, codenamed Keystone, it will be more of a box or puck-like device that attaches to monitors and TVs.

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All YouTube users will soon have an account handle — but some will get to pick theirs earlier

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

All YouTube users will soon get a new way of identifying themselves. The company announced today that @name handles will be used across the platform, a convention that’s common elsewhere on the internet but a departure for YouTube.

Every YouTube user will have a unique handle that applies across the platform, from channel pages to Shorts, YouTube’s TikTok competitor. Users can use a handle to mention others in comments, video descriptions, titles, and more, which YouTube says will make it easier for creators to reach audiences and increase visibility.

“We want to ensure creators can craft an identity as unique as their content, while giving viewers the confidence that they are interacting with their favorite creators,” YouTube says in...

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This clever bicycle bell hides an Apple AirTag

AirBell discreetly hides an Apple AirTag tracker to keep tabs on your bicycle. | Image: AirBell

Riding a city bike comes with two certainties: thieves will target you and tourists will walk in your path. AirBell addresses both issues by discreetly hiding one of Apple’s AirTag trackers inside a small mechanical bell with a loud and pleasant ding.

Bicycle theft is an unfortunate reality in many large cities, especially in Amsterdam where I live with my family of five. We use bikes as our primary means of transportation every day, rain or shine. We can’t afford to be without them. As such, I’ve already fitted a few of our bikes with water- and dust-resistant AirTag trackers that I MacGyvered under the saddles to avoid the tags being spotted. I’m constantly worried that the double-sided velcro tape will loosen now that the wet and cold...

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Wild Hearts’ monsters will make you feel threatened — even the cute ones

Image: EA

The creators of Wild Hearts, an upcoming hunting game from Dynasty Warriors studio Omega Force, really want you to feel threatened while playing. Much like the Monster Hunter series, the goal in Wild Hearts is to take down giant almost mythological creatures by cleverly using a variety of weapons and gadgets. Often when I play these games, I end up feeling guilty as I watch a dinosaur-like creature limp away while I stalk it with a giant sword in hand. But according to Wild Hearts director Kotaro Hirata, one of the key design goals was to avoid that feeling — and that goes for every creature you’ll come up against.

“We didn’t want the players to feel bad when they defeated a monster,” he tells The Verge. “We weren’t exactly going for...

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Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022) review: all-new Air

New design, new display, new processor, new price

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Amazon will invest €1 billion to electrify its delivery fleet in Europe

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon will spend €1 billion over five years to electrify its delivery fleet in Europe, the retail giant announced. The money will be used to “double” the number of EVs in Europe to 10,000 vans and 1,500 “electric heavy goods vehicles.” The company has said it aims to be net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

“Our transportation network is one of the most challenging areas of our business to decarbonize, and to achieve net-zero carbon will require a substantial and sustained investment,” Andy Jassy, Amazon CEO, said in a statement.

Jassy said that Amazon’s investment will hopefully spur the installation of more public EV chargers in Europe, as well as serve as an incentive to the auto industry to make more electric delivery vehicles.

“Our...

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The art behind NASA’s scientific space photos

Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Welcome to theaesthetics of space photography

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SteelSeries’ multi-platform Nova Pro Wireless headset is $100 off for the first time

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

We’re keeping our heads down to prep for Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale today, but there were some deals that we couldn’t help but tell you about. First off, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless gaming headset is $100 off at Best Buy and Amazon, at just $249.99. That price is still a pretty penny for a gaming headset, but there are some reasons why you might like this one as much as we do. It has active noise cancellation, and you can listen to three sources simultaneously (2.4GHz, Bluetooth, 3.5mm) through its included wireless screen-and-dial-equipped base station. To keep the headset going, you get two swappable batteries, one of which can be holstered in the base station to recharge.

It’s worth noting that this is the...

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I let Oddworld: Soulstorm ruin my life for a week

Image: Oddworld Inhabitants

My subconscious must have known that last month was the 25th anniversary of the release of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee because I suddenly and inexplicably became obsessed. I watched Let’s Plays and speedruns of the game. When I finished, I went immediately to the game’s sequel, Abe’s Exoddus, watching even more longplays and speedruns and scouring the Playstation and Xbox game stores for a port.

I couldn’t find one. (Lorne Lanning, if you’re reading this, can we please get Exoddus back out here?) So I settled for the next best thing: Oddworld: Soulstorm, which was released just last year. I had previously played New N’ Tasty, a remaster of Abe’s Oddysee, and more than playing Soulstorm — which is a reimagining of Exoddus — I only wanted to...

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Chromecast with Google TV HD review: easy entertainment

Priced at just $30, the new entry-level Chromecast shows how far Google has come since the original HDMI stick

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How to watch the Microsoft Surface event

Microsoft’s fall Surface event happens on October 12th. | Image: Microsoft

When is Microsoft’s Surface event?

Microsoft’s fall Surface event is set to happen on Wednesday, October 12th at 10AM ET, 7AM PST

How to watch the Microsoft Surface event live stream?

If you’re planning to tune in live, the best place to watch is from the official Microsoft landing page, which doesn’t offer much in the way of details but gives you the option of adding a convenient reminder to your Outlook calendar.

While there aren’t any official details on what Microsoft has planned, there are a handful of product announcements we plan to see at the event.

The free space on the bingo card for this event is a new Surface Pro 9 announcement with configurations that flex a combination of Intel and Arm hardware, with perhaps the addition...

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