How to download an archive of your Twitter data

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

These days, there seems to be an almost daily upheavals at Twitter. You may be thinking about leaving the social network, or you may be determined to stay and see what happens. In either case, when an online app is experiencing that kind of sturm und drang, it’s usually a good idea to back up your data — just in case. In Twitter’s case, that means downloading an archive of your data.

According to Twitter’s support page, your archive will include your account info, and history, any apps and devices you used to access it, any accounts you’ve blocked or muted, all the interests and other ad data that Twitter has listed for you, and your tweet history.

It’s very simple to apply for a download of your archived material in Twitter.

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Hot damn, the Surface Pro 9’s battery is easier to replace

The battery in the Surface Pro 9 is now held by screws instead of adhesives, making it a cinch to swap. | Image: iFixit

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9 has a new and attractive design on the outside, but a new iFixit teardown shows that its insides are more inviting, too. The newest of the company’s 2-in-1s now has a screwed-in battery module as opposed to an adhered one. Between that and other components having become more modular over the years, repairability is actually achievable.

In the past, the most daunting part of previous Surface tablet repairs was just getting it open: the glass had little flex for prying and would easily crack when attempting to open it after heating it. Now, as demonstrated in the iFixit video, we can see that the glass edges are a lot more forgiving against the force needed to lift it, making the adhesives easier to tear and...

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As FTX sinks, other crypto exchanges are showing their coins

You say you have my money? Prove it. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

As FTX, formerly the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, files for bankruptcy and halts withdrawals, other exchanges are working hard to assure customers that they won’t be meeting the same fate. Binance, Crypto.com, and others have started releasing partial looks at their books, while Coinbase executives are on a media tour telling investors that it’s safe to store money with their company.

The moves are meant to assure people that their money isn’t being used on other investments and is instead held one to one. In other words, the exchanges want you to know that if you deposit a Bitcoin with them, they’ll keep a Bitcoin in reserve. That’s in contrast with FTX, which reportedly loaned billions of dollars in customer...

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TikTok is testing its long-awaited in-app shopping feature

Nick Barclay / The Verge

TikTok’s in-app shopping feature is finally beginning to roll out in the US market. The company began testing its TikTok Shop feature this week, as first reported by Semafor, which allows users to purchase items directly inside the TikTok app.

E-commerce has long been a focus for TikTok, but it’s had a slower start in the US than in other regions like Asia. The company had previously experimented with a Shopify shopping tab and is gearing up to bring live shopping features to the US after a reportedly slow start earlier this year.

TikTok spokesperson Laura Perez confirmed that the new feature is being tested in the US but didn’t provide additional details. It was previously limited to the UK, Indonesia, and other countries in Southeast...

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Volkswagen built a Star Trek captain’s chair that goes 12mph

Image: Volkswagen

Are you proud of your office chair? Does it complete your gaming battlestation perhaps? Prepare to be filled with seething jealousy when you see what Volkswagen Norway has created.

As a marketing exercise, the automaker claims to have built an office chair that not only looks worthy of a Star Trek captain but alsocandrive around the office on its own five wheels — at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour (roughly 12mph), blisteringly fast for a seat, much less one with several swiveling wheels.

The company says it can travel a distance of 12 kilometers (roughly 7.5 miles) on its swappable battery.

GIF by Sean Hollister / The Verge

Volkswagen’s driving office chair even has a tow hitch.

That’s not all:...

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At the Overwatch League grand finals, a candy bar was the real winner

Image: Joe Brady

The Overwatch League 2022 grand finals were last week, concluding a season that was one of OWL’s most successful. Fans broke viewership records, there were several successful live events, and on the whole, folks were simply jazzed to see competitive Overwatch played in a brand-new game. And though the San Francisco Shock were thankfully (blessedly, praise Jesus-ly) kept from a third championship, the real winners weren’t the triumphant Dallas Fuel, but curiously, one of the worst candy bars on the planet: Butterfingers.

Image: Ash Parrish / The Verge

A wild Butterfinger at one of the Overwatch League booths at the 2022 grand finals.

Before this season’s playoffs, the Overwatch League was going through a bit...

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The best early Black Friday deals you can already get

You can save $300 right now on LG’s C2 OLED when you buy the 55-inch configuration. | Image: LG

Want to get a head start on your holiday shopping before the Black Friday madness begins? Despite the fact it’s still a few weeks away, many major retailers are already launching early Black Friday sales, making the days leading up to the shopping event an ideal time to avoid the rush.

While it’s possible prices will go even lower once the big day finally rolls around, the discounts we’re currently seeing are nothing to sneeze at. Target, Best Buy, and Walmart are offering some seriously steep discounts on a number of popular tech and gadgets, ranging from Apple devices to TVs, tablets, smart displays, and more.

To make your life a little easier, we’ve curated a list of some of the best deals available so far. These are the cream of...

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Elon Musk’s lawyer: Twitter employees aren’t personally at risk over its liabilities to the FTC

Alex Spiro, leader of Elon Musk’s team of attorneys, leaves the US District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles on December 6th, 2019. | Image: APU GOMES/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro, who worked for months arguing Musk should be allowed to break his agreement to buy Twitter for $44 billion, is now reassuring Twitter employees that they will not be personally liable if the company violates a 20-year FTC consent decree, according to an email obtained by The Verge.

As employees have had to reckon with massive layoffs and general instability at the company, there have been fears that Twitter staffers working on security and privacy could be in some legal danger for potential violations of the decree.

“It is the company’s obligation. It is the company’s burden. It is the company’s liability.”

A company lawyer even suggested in Twitter’s Slack that employees investigate whistleblower...

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Tesla opens up its charging connector in a bid to become the North American standard

Image: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Tesla is opening up its charging system, but not in the way that helps people who own electric vehicles that aren’t Teslas.

The automaker is renaming its Tesla connector the “North American Charging Standard” (NACS) and is pitting it against the current CCS combo charging standard. CCS is the agreed-upon standard that every manufacturer selling in North America has adopted for DC fast charging.

In a new blog, Tesla says that its connector is “half the size, and twice as powerful” as CCS and points out that it’s “the most common charging standard” by a degree of 2 to 1. Tesla currently sells more EVs than any other manufacturer in the US, but other automakers are starting to catch up. According to the Department of Energy, there are...

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Another major ad agency recommends pausing Twitter ad campaigns

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Omnicom, one of the world’s biggest ad firms, representing brands like McDonald’s, Apple, and PepsiCo, is recommending clients pause spending on Twitter, according to an internal memo obtained by The Verge.

Omnicom Media Group is recommending clients “pause activity on Twitter in the short term,” according to a note titled “Twitter - Continued Brand Safety Concerns.” The memo cites recent events in the last few days that have “potential serious implications” for brands running ads on the platform.

“The risk to our clients’ brand safety has risen sharply to a level most would find unacceptable”

The memo cites the deep layoffs of Twitter trust and safety teams, the resignations of high-profile executives, and the slew of “verified”...

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How to replace your Wi-Fi router without disconnecting all your devices

Samar Haddad / The Verge

When it’s finally time to get a new Wi-Fi router, there’s no need to panic. Whether you’ve switched internet service providers or you’ve decided to get something snappier, snazzier, and more reliable than whatever piece of plastic your ISP handed you, upgrading your router doesn’t have to be a headache.

If you have a smart home like I do, you may be dreading the thought of having to manually update every light bulb, light switch, and security camera in your home to the new network. (As of today, I have 112 devices on my network.) While typing a new password into a laptop or iPad is pretty easy, when it comes to smart home devices, you have to open each app for every smart device and go through the sometimes painful process of updating...

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Man arrested in Canada for alleged participation in LockBit ransomware campaign

The 33-year-old Mikhail Vasiliev is currently in Canadian custody awaiting extradition to the United States. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Russian-Canadian national Mikhail Vasiliev was arrested in Canada on Wednesday over his alleged participation in the LockBit ransomware campaign, which has claimed at least 1,000 victims in the United States.

Thirty-three-year-old Vasiliev is charged with “conspiracy to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands” and, if convicted, faces a maximum of five years in prison. Vasiliev is currently in Canadian custody awaiting extradition to the United States.

Evidence for the charges was collected during two separate police raids on the suspect’s home

The criminal complaint describes two separate police raids of his Ontario home — first in August 2022 and then again the following October. During the first search,...

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Kevin Conroy, the iconic voice of Batman, has died

Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images

Kevin Conroy, the voice actor who was the Batman for a generation, passed away at the age of 66, The Verge has confirmed. In an email seen by The Verge, DC public relations wrote, “It is with profound sadness that I send this to you today. Kevin Conroy, the quintessential voice of Batman, a dear friend to so many of us, has passed away.”

Conroy enjoyed a prolific acting career across stage and screen, but he is best known for voicing Batman, one of the most popular and captivating superheroes ever, starting with Batman: The Animated Series in 1992. He would go on to voice the Caped Crusader in many other animated series and video games, including Justice League, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Batman Beyond, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm,...

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Waymo’s driverless taxis keep making incremental progress, while others flounder

Image: Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images

Waymo keeps (driverless) trucking along.

The Alphabet division made a couple of announcements this week meant to highlight the progress — albeit incremental — of its robotaxis. The first was that, starting this week, anyone who downloads the company’s app can now hail one of Waymo’s driverless vehicles in downtown Phoenix. (The service was previously only available to the company’s “Trusted Tester” program of people from a wait list who sign nondisclosure agreements to get early access to Waymo’s vehicles in new service areas.)

The second was that the California Department of Motor Vehicles approved an amendment to Waymo’s permit to include driverless vehicles, which means the company has the green light to deploy fully autonomous...

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Warrior Nun is schlocky nuns, guns, and demon fun

Nuns with swords. | Image: Maria Heras / Netflix

It was when the stately nun grabbed a gun and proceeded to take out a room full of demon-infested priests that I knew Netflix’s Warrior Nun had finally figured out what kind of show it was — and that show was entertaining as hell.

Warrior Nun, the Netflix show about a young woman resurrected from the dead and imbued with superpowers by the halo of an angel to battle the forces of evil (yes, really), first premiered back in 2020. That first season was fine. It was watchable while you’re doing laundry or playing a video game, but with a first half so excruciatingly slow, I wasn’t about to suggest it to friends or family. The second season premiered on November 10th and is much more sure of itself.

It feels as if one of the more...

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So long, and thanks for all the fail whales

Twitter, as we knew it, is dead. Long live Twitter. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Good morning! I wish the circumstances were better, but it’s so nice to see so many familiar avatars. Oh, and hello to the Blue subscribers in the front row. I know Twitter would have appreciated your support. We’re gathered here today, of course, to remember our beloved social media platform. Twitter, as we knew it, passed from this earthly realm on October 27th, the day that a billionaire with terrible ideas and a worse sense of humor purchased it.

Personally, I have so much to thank Twitter for. Sure, it rewired my brain into a little tweet factory, constantly auditioning summaries of every unusual thing that happened to me to test their tweet-worthiness. And so what if it turned my attention span into Swiss cheese? Twitter was there...

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How Microsoft finally landed helicopters and gliders for Flight Simulator

Image: Microsoft

Helicopters and gliders arrive in Microsoft Flight Simulator’s 40th Anniversary Update. Developers at Asobo and Microsoft have spent a lot of time getting the details right.

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FTX files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as CEO Sam Bankman-Fried resigns

Illustration: The Verge

Crypto’s no-good, very bad 2022 got even worse as FTX (along with its international platform, the independent FTX.us exchange, and Alameda Research), previously the world’s third-largest crypto exchange by volume, couldn’t come up with the money to satisfy customers’ withdrawal requests and then suffered an aborted acquisition attempt by a competitor.

Now, the company is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States while announcing that founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has resigned from his post. Seamus Hughes pointed out that the bankruptcy filing itself is now available (pdf), and it lists a total of 134 corporate entities included in today’s announcement, as well as the appointment of crypto investor Stephen Neal as...

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Meta Quest Pro review: get me out of here

Meta’s $1,499 headset is better at showcasing VR’s weaknesses than its new strengths.

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The 2022 Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is revisiting its best price at Best Buy

The ROG Zephyrus G14 offers some impressive specs at an impressive price point. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Even with just two weeks left until Black Friday, our post today proves that there’s always room for more deals. We’ve rolled out a pretty healthy spread of sales today, but there’s way more to show than what we’ve featured here. To make sure you don’t miss out, make sure to check out our early Black Friday deals pages, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow @VergeDeals on Twitter (it’s really us, we swear).

Our first deal today is revisiting the lowest price ever for the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop at Best Buy. This configuration of the G14 is typically priced at $1,649.99 but is currently on sale for $1,299.99, matching its best price yet. Featuring an excellent 16:10 display with a 2560 x 1600 resolution with a 120Hz refresh...

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The Verge’s 2022 gaming holiday gift guide

Photography by Joel Goldberg for The Verge

An expertly crafted collection of all of our favorite games and accessories for the special gamer in your life.

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Remedy confirms Control 2 is in the works

The original Control_._ | Image: Remedy Entertainment

A sequel to the 2019 supernatural thriller Control is in development. Developer Remedy Entertainment confirmed the news today, saying that Control 2 would be a joint project with publisher 505 Games (which published the original Control). The sequel is currently in the “concept stage,” but Remedy says it will launch on the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X / S.

We don’t know much about the game, but the studio did share this single piece of concept art:

Image: Remedy Entertainment

Concept art from Control 2_._

Along with this message from game director Mikael Kasurinen:

With Control, we leaped into the unknown. We wanted to create something new. Something different and unexpected. A world like no other. Thank you,...

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How to disable fertility tracking features in iOS

Apple’s Cycle Tracking is completely optional, especially advanced features like retrospective ovulation estimates and cycle deviation detection. | Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

When Apple first launched Cycle Tracking for periods in its Health app, the feature was fairly basic. It didn’t do much besides let you log your period — and even then, you couldn’t log factors like pregnancy or birth control. However, the company recently added advanced features that can help retroactively identify when a person ovulates and detect cycle deviations.

While these tools might be helpful, it’s understandable if you’re leery of sharing biometric information for this particular purpose in the post-Roe era. If that’s the case, you can easily disable those features.

Apple’s retrospective ovulation estimates are based on temperature data. That means you need an Apple Watch Series 8 or Ultra, which are currently the only Apple...

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Elon Musk learns the hard way that being a Twitter troll is way more fun than being a mod

How many billions can users troll him out of? | Illustration by Laura Normand / The Verge

The most expensive forum drama of all time?

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GM reveals first four SUVs getting access to expanded Super Cruise driver-assist network

GM has confirmed that its Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance system will be made available to a total of 22 vehicles globally by the end of 2023. | Image: General Motors

General Motors has announced the first vehicles to access its recently-expanded Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance system (ADAS).

Super Cruise is available only on certain roads, with GM announcing an expansion to its network back in August. The expansion doubled the size of the Super Cruise network in North America and Canada, which covers over 400,000 miles of roads. Now, GM has revealed the first vehicles to have access to this expansion:

• 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe – High Country and Premier trims
• 2023 Chevrolet Suburban – High Country and Premier trims
• 2023 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade-V
• 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate

Access will only be available to models built on October 3, 2022 or later, with these vehicles...

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Twitter Blue signups disappear a day after fakes and mayhem

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Twitter users are reporting that the option to sign up for the company’s new $7.99 subscription service, Twitter Blue, has disappeared from the platform’s iOS app just days after the service launched.

You could previously subscribe to Twitter Blue from the sidebar in the iOS app (the service has yet to launch for Android users), but users this morning reported that the option has disappeared. For those for whom the link is still available, trying to sign up only returns an error message. “Thank you for your interest!” it reads. “Twitter Blue will be available in your country in the future. Please check back later.”

Image: Tom Warren / The Verge

Trying to sign up for Twitter Blue in the UK this morning, Friday...

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Atari 50 is an incredible playable tour through video game history

Atari Karts on the Jaguar. | Image: Atari

The new retro collection is a cross between an interactive documentary and a virtual museum exhibition.

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Ash Ketchum is finally the very best

He did it. | Image: The Pokémon Company

The day has finally come: famed pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum is the very best. The moment, 25 seasons in the making, happened earlier this morning in the latest episode of the Netflix series Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, when Ash won the “Masters Eight Tournament of the Pokémon World Coronation Series,” making him the top trainer in the world. The episode aired first in Japan and will be coming to the rest of the world “in the future.”

As fans of the Pokémon animated series already know, being the very best, like no one ever was, has always been the goal for Ash and his pal Pikachu since the show debuted in 1997. Just look how happy he looks holding that trophy. If nothing else, the win is a great lesson in perseverance. There’s currently...

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Twitter reactivated the ‘Official’ gray check for accounts that are actually verified

But is it officially official this time, or will it get axed again in a few hours? Vote now! | Image: Twitter

Okay, so Twitter broke its own verification system by making the blue check — previously a signal that the account had provided information about its owner’s identity — available for purchase. Yesterday, which is approximately a month ago in Elon Musk time, a solution rolled out: gray checks that indicated that the account was official. By the end of the day, those checks had been rolled back.

Got all that? Great. After a great deal of impersonation, hoaxing, and other brand-unsafe behavior from the newly-purchased blue checks, the gray “official” checks are back.

Brands such as Coca-Cola, Twitter, Wired, and Ars Technica have the new-old gray checks (but not @Verge, which is, we promise, our real one, unlike this impostor account). This...

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Elon Musk details his plan to turn Twitter into a bank

A penny for your tweets. | Illustration by Laura Normand / The Verge

Elon Musk seems intent on turning Twitter into a bank, complete with what he describes as a “high-yield money market account,” debit cards, checks, and loans. He described his plans during a last-minute meeting with staff today, and you can read a full transcript of that here.

Musk broached the topic of payments during his introduction, saying that “I think there’s this transformative opportunity in payments,” adding that the goal is “enabling people on Twitter to able to send money anywhere in the world instantly and in real-time. We just want to make it as useful as possible.” He said that the feature, along with “video content and compensating content creators” and improving search, is a “high priority.”

Musk says he’ll do a lot of...

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