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At the rally protesting Trump’s arrest, everyone was a content creator.
The VergeThe VergeKratos bears it all in God of War Ragnarök’s New Game Plus mode
Image: Sony Santa Monica Studio
Starting today, you can embark on a New Game Plus journey in God of War Ragnarök. More than just a restart of the story campaign, the update adds new sets of armor that can be equipped to modify your combat experience to make the game more challenging.
New Game Plus starts you off with all your weapons, armors, and enchantments but with a slight catch: you can’t access areas with the Hex or Sonic arrows or the Draupnir spear before reaching the part in the story where those weapons would be unlocked. It’s a bit of a bummer because there was no way in Helheim I could be bothered to go back to any of those areas once I got the necessary equipment. It, therefore, would have been really nice to be able to unlock those areas as I progressed...
The VergeStreet Fighter is the latest game franchise to be turned into a new live-action movie
It’s a great time to be a Ken. | Image: Capcom
The Street Fighter franchise is getting a new movie. Capcom announced on Wednesday that it’s working on the film in partnership with Legendary Entertainment, with “more news to come in the future” about the project.
The new film isn’t a total surprise. On April 3rd, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Legendary acquired the film and TV rights to the series. But now we officially know there’s a new movie to look forward to at some point down the line. And while you wait, you might want to catch up on the other Street Fighter movies that have come out: the famous “but for me, it was Tuesday” meme was spoken by Raúl Juliá’s M. Bison in the 1994 Street Fighter film, for example, and there was a Chun-Li-focused movie released in 2009.
A...
The VergeHBO Max’s Clone High teaser reminds us that everything that’s old is new again
Twenty years ago, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence’s Clone Highended on a cliffhanger that left all of its teenaged clones of famous historical figures flash-frozen by John Stamos on their prom night. Today, HBO Max decided to start thawing those same clones out.
Ahead of its debut this spring, HBO Max just dropped the first teaser trailer for the Clone High revival, which seems like it’s going to pick right back up where the original MTV series left off.
Though Gandhi won’t be coming back in the new show, all it takes is a little bit of heat from a set of blow-dryers to unfreeze the teenaged versions of Abe Lincoln (Will Forte), Joan of Arc (Nicole Sullivan), JFK (Chris Miller), and Cleopatra (Mitra Jouhari) — all of...
The VergeDiablo IV’s endgame looks expansive (and a bit confusing)
Image: Blizzard
Diablo IV’s dungeons are gonna be a nightmare after players complete the campaign. The developers just released a new video outlining the game’s endgame progression, and it’s filled with all sorts of somewhat bewildering things like paragon systems, world tiers, nightmare dungeons, and more.
Players will level up their characters via a bog standard skill tree. The video shows that, once players have hit max level, completed the campaign, and completed the capstone dungeon at the end of the game, they’ll get access to an expanded skill board that reminds me a bit of Final Fantasy X’s sphere grid. So even though your character is at the highest level achievable, there will still be a system in place to make them more powerful. The board...
The VergeGoogle is trying to make sure apps let you delete your account
Illustration: The Verge
Google is introducing a new Play Store rule that will require apps to have a “readily discoverable option” for deleting your account, both in the app itself and on the web. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company says the change is meant to give users “greater clarity and control over their in-app data.”
The rule will apply to apps that let you create an account, and Google is trying to make sure that users won’t have to redownload an app because they deleted it before requesting that their account also be deleted. The company plans to add a field to the Google Play Store that will link users to the web address for account deletion.
GIF: Google
A mock-up of what the data deletion section of the Play Store may...
The VergeThe former chief of Google’s now-shuttered Stadia service reportedly left the company
Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Phil Harrison, who headed up Google’s now-shuttered cloud gaming service Stadia, is no longer at Google, according to Business Insider. Stadia was officially shut down in January, and Harrison apparently left at around that same time.
Harrison’s quiet departure marks a muted end to his time at the search giant. He joined the company in January 2018, and while he didn’t specify what he was working on at the time, it was easy to guess that he was probably doing something with gaming: Harrison worked at Sony Computer Entertainment (now Sony Interactive Entertainment) for 15 years, was on the advisory board for the cloud gaming service Gaikai, and led Microsoft’s Xbox and Interactive Entertainment business in Europe from 2012 to 2015. And lo...
The VergeHere are the best AirPods deals you can get right now
Apple’s second-gen AirPods Pro are $50 off, matching their all-time low.
If you know where to look, there are often some great discounts available on Apple’s ever-popular AirPods. Since Apple launched the third-gen AirPods toward the end of 2021, we’ve seen the starting price of the second-gen, entry-level model slowly dip to around $100. And now that you can buy the second-gen AirPods Pro at most retailers, we’re seeing even better discounts on the last-gen Pro and other models. Even other Apple earbuds, including the fitness-focused Beats Fit Pro, are on sale right now for as low as $144.95 ($55 off).
Below, we’ve curated the best deals currently available on each model, including the entry-level AirPods, the AirPods Pro, the third-gen AirPods, and the AirPods Max.
The best entry-level AirPods...
The VergeJeep is doubling down on plug-in hybrids with the 2024 Wrangler 4xe
Image: Jeep
Jeep’s wildly popular plug-in hybrid Wrangler SUV is getting an upgrade. The automaker is rolling out two new trim levels for the 2024 model year, as well as a host of new tech features that it says are designed to chart a path to a completely electrified lineup by 2025.
This represents the first major update to the hybrid Wrangler since the first 4xe (pronounced “four by E”) version rolled out in 2021. Jeep is hoping to capitalize on the Wrangler 4xe’s popularity with its adventure-minded customers. According to Stellantis, roughly 1 in 4 Jeep Wranglers sold last year was a plug-in hybrid. That amounted to more than 43,000 Wrangler 4xe models sold in 2022, which was up 46 percent compared to 2021.
Jeep’s hoping to keep the momentum...
The VergeThis electric snot sucker is my new favorite gadget
Move over, NoseFrida. This random Amazon snot sucker is my new go-to. | Image: Allison Johnson / The Verge
I have a growing list of recommendations for new parents that exists mainly in my own head. Highlights include “just get the velcro swaddles” and “infant Tylenol is exactly the same as children’s Tylenol, it just costs more and there’s less of it.” But as of this weekend, there’s one thing right at the top of the list: get an electric snot sucker. Forget the NoseFrida, definitely forget the weird little bulb syringe they send you home from the hospital with. This stupid little gadget has possibly saved the last shred of my sanity.
To be a new parent is to quickly become acquainted with an entire new world of gadgets and gear. Sure, there are some people who can take a relaxed approach to baby gear — “Our parents didn’t need all that...
The VergeSubstack is getting tweets — err, ‘Notes’
Here’s what Substack’s Notes feed will look like. | Image: Substack
Substack is getting a new tweet-like feature called “Notes,” the company announced on Wednesday. The feature will let users publish small posts about things like “posts, quotes, comments, images, and links,” according to a blog post from Substack co-founders Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi.
Notesappear in their own dedicated tab, and the feed looks pretty similar to what you might see on Twitter or other social media platforms. On individual posts, for example, you can see familiar icons for likes, replies, and reshares (which Substack will be calling “restacks”). We asked if there is a character limit for Notes, but Substack spokesperson Helen Tobin declined to share details about that.
The Notes tab also has two feeds...
The VergeResident Evil 4 remake updates its Spanish — but not everyone will see it
Image: Capcom
The game takes strides toward a more authentic Spanish experience but is let down by subtitles that don’t translate everything.
The VergeHow to use Nearby Share for Windows
Illustration: Samar Haddad / The Verge
While my personal computers have mostly been Windows and my phones Android, I do use a Mac for work, and I’ve always been envious of the ease with which people in the Apple ecosystem can move files from one device to another using AirDrop. Google introduced a similar feature called Nearby Share in 2020, but it only shared files between Google products. Now, Windows has finally introduced its version of Nearby Share, currently in beta, allowing you to easily move files between Windows and Android systems.
I installed the beta of Nearby Share to a Windows 11 system and used it to move photos between that and my Pixel 6, and it worked like a charm. Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to set up Nearby Share for Windows. (Note:...
The VergeStartup founder accused of tricking JPMorgan charged with $175 million fraud
Photo by Erik McGregor / LightRocket via Getty Images
Former Frank CEO Charlie Javice has been charged with defrauding JPMorgan Chase after the bank acquired her financial aid startup for $175 million in 2021. In a complaint filed on Tuesday, the Department of Justice accuses the fintech founder of “falsely and dramatically inflating” the number of clients her startup served to “fraudulently induce” JPMorgan Chase into acquiring the company.
The 31-year-old Javice, who was included in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in 2019, created Frank in 2016 with the stated goal of simplifying the financial aid process for students and maximizing the amount of aid they received.
A list of 4.25 million users allegedly contains fewer than 300,000 real accounts
Javice later became a managing director at JPMorgan...
The VergeHere are the best iPad deals right now
Select iPad models go on sale quite regularly. | Image: Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
While the best iPad deals come around during major sale events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon Prime Day, you can still find plenty of great discounts at all times of the year if you know where to look. Whether you’re after the high-end iPad Pro or the most affordable entry-level iPad, there’s likely a sale going on somewhere that you may be interested in.
Of course, it’s difficult to know exactly where you can find the most notable deals unless you’re scouring the major retailers on a daily basis. But that’s often what our deal hunters at The Verge are doing each and every day, so let us help you out. Below, we’ve listed the best deals you can get on each iPad model that is currently available, including the latest ones...
The VergeMy bad VR trip
Image: Mengxin Li / The Verge
I ripped off the headset, afraid I was going to throw up. I shouted for help. My partner found me in the fetal position in a cold sweat on the bathroom floor.
I had spent just an hour in the metaverse dressing my avatar, making faces in the virtual mirror, and learning to raise my virtual wristwatch to adjust system settings. Now, I couldn’t open my eyes without seeing the virtual grid echoed in the tile floor, demarcating the boundary where I had crossed into unsafe territory.
I had been aware that nausea was a potential risk of VR. I had read accounts of cybersickness, motion sickness, “VR hangovers.” I’d even known that women are more likely to experience disorientation in VR because of subtle physiological differences from men....
The VergeRam 1500 REV swings for the fences with an estimated 500 miles of range
Image: Ram
For better or worse, Americans love big trucks. Big tires, big grilles, big payloads — all things that sell extremely well, despite their big (re: negative) impact on the environment and road safety. So, of course, electric trucks were going to be big, too.
The Ram 1500 REV, which made its debut in concept form during CES earlier this year, stands ready to be one of the biggest electric trucks available when it goes on sale next year. Not just in size but in weight, range, and technological capabilities, too. In addition to a 168 kWh battery version that can get up to 350 miles of range, Ram says it will also sell a 229 kWh version for an industry-leading 500 miles of range.
Most electric vehicles on the market today have a range that...
The VergeWhy journalists can’t quit Twitter
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
On Tuesday, Donald Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a series of hush-money payments related to the 2016 US presidential campaign. His arraignment was carried live on cable news and National Public radio, but I learned of the day’s events where I still see almost everything first: Twitter, which, despite its perilous decline under Elon Musk, remains home base for the US press corps even as the site itself increasingly orients itself to make fools of them.
In December, I predicted that 2023 would be the year that the media would begin its divorce from Twitter. “Elon Musk’s continued promotion of right-wing causes and personalities will push away more and more high-profile users, who...
The VergeLego’s X-Wing Starfighter gets a refresh in time for Star Wars Day
Image: Lego
This is the third time we’ve seen the T-65 X-Wing Starfighter in brick form, and it’s Lego’s most detailed yet. The 1,949-piece X-Wing costs $239.99 and joins the other sets in the Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series, which include the behemoths that are the 7,541-piece UCS Millennium Falcon and the 6,785-piece UCS AT-AT.
Equipped with 4L4 fusil thrust engines and the KX9 laser cannons, the design of Lego’s latest UCS X-Wing kit doesn’t deviate much from its previous iterations. However, it does feature several hundred more pieces when compared to the 1,304-piece X-Wing set released in 2000 and the 1,559-piece one from 2013. The new X-Wing measures 10.5 inches in height and 21.5 inches in length once complete.
I...
The VergeVizio’s Atmos-ready M-Series 5.1.2 soundbar is on sale for $100 off
The M512a-H6 doesn’t offer a ton of features, but it comes with a subwoofer and a pair of low-profile rear speakers. | Image: Vizio
Want to level up your TV experience without paying a couple thousand for a premium surround sound system? Well then, a competent soundbar like Vizio’s M-Series 5.1.2 is probably your best bet. Vizio’s Atmos-ready model can likely deliver better sound than your TV’s built-in speakers for less than $500 — which is why it remains one of our favorite models. What’s more, it’s currently on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $399.99 ($100 off), which is one of its better prices to date.
Along with the soundbar itself, that price includes a six-inch wireless subwoofer, the kind you’d normally have to buy separately. That’s in addition to two upfiring rear speakers that support Dolby Atmos, allowing for a more immersive experience when watching...
The VergeI really missed Advance Wars
Image: Nintendo
There was a period of time when my Game Boy Advance was used almost exclusively for turn-based strategy games. Many, many hours were lost to Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics, but the game that sucked me in the most was Advance Wars and its sequel. There was something about its cartoonish take on warfare that made it feel like you were playing a tabletop game, moving little pieces around a board, and its small scale was a perfect fit for playing on the go. Advance Wars is also one of those Nintendo franchises that’s been largely dormant for a long time — and it turns out, I really missed it.
I realized this while playing through the opening missions of Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, an awkwardly titled remake that bundles together...
The VergeAMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D: your next gaming CPU
AMD’s 3D V-Cache strikes again with an impressive CPU for gaming.
The VergeMetaverse Fashion Week had big brands but few people
Vogue Singapore_’s Metaverse Fashion Week booth. That portal took you to another_ metaverse on an entirely different platform. | Screenshot: Jay Peters / The Verge
Decentraland’s Metaverse Fashion Week featured virtual clothes and exhibits from some major names in fashion, but it was lonely, difficult to navigate, and pretty boring.
The VergeCould a new PlayStation handheld be built for Remote Play? I like the idea
Sony’s last gaming handheld, the PlayStation Vita. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
A new report from Tom Henderson at Insider Gamingclaims Sony is developing a new PlayStation gaming handheld. But if you’re hoping for a successor to the PlayStation Vita then you might be disappointed.
Henderson reports that rather than developing a portable console that lets you play games natively, Sony’s “Q Lite” handheld is designed primarily to work with the Remote Play feature on the PlayStation 5 and stream games from the console over the internet. While Remote Play can be used outside of the home, Insider Gaming specifically notes the handheld is not meant for cloud streaming, so it sounds like it could be pitched primarily as a peripheral for PS4 and PS5 owners.
In terms of hardware, the Q Lite will reportedly come equipped...
The VergeMicrosoft is making it easier to block annoying autoplay videos in Edge
Image: The Verge
Microsoft Edge is getting a block feature for autoplay videos. Microsoft has started testing the new block addition with Edge testers in the Canary channel, providing a this new option alongside existing allow and limit options for auto playing web videos.
The Microsoft Edge team says it has “heard your requests for strict blocking of media autoplay” after previously only offering a “limit” option that lets media autoplay depending on whether you’ve visited the page in the past and how you’ve interacted with it. The more restrictive block option is currently being rolled out. “We have started making the feature available to some of our Canary users and will continue to make it available to more customers over the coming weeks,” says...
The VergeThe color quiz
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You’ve probably opened Facebook and Twitter tens of thousands of times in your life. But can you tell which hues of blue their logos are or the specific shades of the other apps you — and millions of other people — open every day?
Tech branding is ubiquitous across the websites, apps, and ads you see every day. So let’s see how well you know the logos of some of the most familiar platforms on the web. (And if your score can beat the average Verge staffer’s.)
Social media tends to skew blue — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Tumblr all use varying shades of it. Blue is also the world’s first recorded favorite color, based on polls taken in the...
The VergeKobo launches the Kobo Elipsa 2E, a huge e-reader you can also write on
Image: Kobo
Kobo’s launching a new 10.3-inch E Ink e-reader and writing device, the Kobo Elipsa 2E, on April 19th. The new Kindle Scribe and Onyx Boox Nova Air C rival will retail for $399.99 and comes with an upgraded stylus that you can use to write directly on the pages of ebooks and documents.
Those eager to get their hands on Kobo’s latest e-reader can preorder it from Kobo starting today. As an added incentive, the Rakuten-owned Kobo’s throwing in a $25 Kobo e-gift card for customers preordering the device in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
On paper, the Kobo Elipsa 2E appears to be a minor upgrade from its predecessor, the Kobo Elipsa. They both sell for $399 bundled with a stylus, though only the original Elipsa throws in an included...
The VergeKobo’s all-you-can-read subscription coming to the US could challenge Amazon
Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge
Kobo is bringing its Kobo Plus service, which lets you read unlimited ebooks and audiobooks for a flat monthly fee, to the US. There are three different plans available; for $7.99 a month, you can get access to ebooks or audiobooks with the “Read” and “Listen” plans, or you can get both for $9.99 a month.
You can access the books through Kobo’s e-readers (though do note that not all of them support audiobooks) or the company’s iOS, Android, and desktop apps. You also don’t have to be constantly connected to Wi-Fi to read them — a Kobo FAQ says that “you can read a maximum of 15 Kobo Plus books while offline over a 30-day period.”
Kobo Plus has been around for a while in a few countries, including Canada, New Zealand, and Portugal, but...
The VergeSpotify shows how the live audio boom has gone bust
Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge
This is Hot Pod_,_ The Verge_’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry._ Sign up here for more.
Lots of news to start off the week. Let’s get right into it: Spotify Live gets the ax, the Obamas land another podcast deal, and iHeart signs a top wellness podcast.
Spotify Live is shutting down, and what remains of live audio is sparse
In the latest sign that live audio is well and truly on its way out, Music Ally reports that Spotify is shutting down its Spotify Live app. On the app, which still has a handful of chat rooms going, users get a notification saying that the service will go away at the end of the month.
“After a period of experimentation and learnings around how Spotify users interact with live audio, we’ve made the...
The VergeMore patches are rolling out for The Last Of Us’ infected PC port
Screenshot: Tom Warren / The Verge
Naughty Dog and Nvidia have released more hotfixes for The Last of Us Part I’s PC port in an attempt to fix various crashes and other bugs that have plagued the game since it launched a week ago. Nvidia says its hotfix driver Version 531.58 is meant to make the game more stable when running on RTX 30-series graphics cards, and in the patch notes for v1.0.1.7 of the game, Naughty Dog says it and co-developer Iron Galaxy are “closely watching player reports to support future improvements and patches.”
The changelog also mentions improvements beyond just fixing various crashes. Resetting the graphics options to default should now work, an issue where the game wouldn’t read Xbox controller stick inputs properly has been fixed, and there are...