Amazon reportedly in talks to bundle mobile phone service as Prime perk

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon is reportedly considering offering mobile connectivity to its customers alongside a US Prime subscription, according to a report from Bloomberg. It’s said to have held negotiations with existing US carriers, including Verizon, T-Mobile, Dish, and occasionally, AT&T about using their networks to offer mobile connectivity, which would then be available to Prime subscribers either as part of their existing subscription or for a nominal $10 a month fee.

In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Bradley Mattinger denied that the company is currently actively planning to add wireless connectivity to Prime. “We are always exploring adding even more benefits for Prime members, but don’t have plans to add wireless at this time,” Mattinger said....

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Don’t judge Apple’s VR headset too soon

Illustration: The Verge

Just when the metaverse had mostly faded from the headlines, a heavily rumored new product launch appears poised to bring it roaring back. Today let’s talk about what’s happened in the world of virtual and mixed reality since last we left it and whether Apple can find mainstream uses for headsets that go beyond the games that have defined it so far.

Monday marks the start of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference. Unlike most years, when coming software updates dominate the keynote, this year hardware is expected to take center stage. After more than seven years of development, Apple is reportedly set to unveil the Reality Pro, a roughly $3,000 headset that aims to serve a variety of productivity uses. (Apple almost certainly will not...

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Telly dual-screen TV first look: it’s free and may be the future

More than 250,000 people have signed up in hopes of getting Telly’s unique TV. There’s something to this concept, but plenty of unknowns remain.

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Apple transformed the iPhone 10 years ago — and we’re still feeling it today

This is what iOS 7 looked like in September 2013 — three months after Apple first announced it. | Image: Apple

iOS 7 brought a bold new design, but much of what was introduced in that release still serves as the foundation for what we see on our iPhones today.

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An app might rewrite this clickbait headline — here’s why

Image: Artifact

The Artifact news app only just started letting users mark articles as clickbait, but starting Friday, the app will actually be able to rewrite clickbait-y headlines for you in real time with some help from OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model. If enough people mark a story as having a clickbait headline, Artifact might start showing an AI-rewritten headline to all users.

It’s a fascinating — and fast — evolution of a feature that only rolled out last week to Artifact, the new app from Instagram’s co-founders that’s kind of like a TikTok for text.

In an interview with The Verge, Artifact co-founder Kevin Systrom says that the app has already seen “tons” of people use the clickbait marker. “It’s clear that people are passionate about...

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UK car rental service delivers your car via remote control

Fetch is currently available in Milton Keynes and plans to eventually expand to nearby locations like Luton and Northampton. | Image: BBC / Imperium Drive

A new car rental service has launched in the UK that aims to deliver vehicles directly to customers without a driver inside. Instead of relying on autonomous driving technology, Fetch — a service launched by British startup Imperium Drive — remotely pilots its fleet of electric cars from the comfort of the company’s head office, providing a ‘driverless vehicle’ experience with the added safety of technically still having a human driver in control.

At the moment, however, vehicles are being delivered with a “safety driver” sitting behind the wheel who can take control of the car if necessary. Fetch hopes to go fully remote after 18 months of demonstrated success.

Fetch claims its driverless system has driven over 1,000 miles without a...

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This DIY kit lets you use an old Nintendo 64 controller wirelessly with the Switch

In case you missed it, last week 8BitDo announced a new DIY kit that lets you turn an original Nintendo 64 controller into a wireless gamepad for the Nintendo Switch. It could be an ideal project if you want a more authentic way to play classic Nintendo 64 games on your modern console, or maybe try out some modern games with a retro gamepad.

Nintendo sells a wireless Nintendo 64 controller of its own. But despite releasing over a year and a half ago, the official version can be annoyingly hard to come by. The $49.99 controller often sells out quickly whenever new stock is available, and availability is limited to subscribers of Nintendo’s online service. 8BitDo’s kit, meanwhile, gives you the warm fuzzy feeling of upcycling old hardware...

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Meta will test blocking news for some Canadians ahead of new law

Nick Barclay / The Verge

Meta will test blocking news content for some users in Canada in response to the country’s Online News Act, the company has announced. The test is expected to impact between one and five percent of the company’s users across Facebook and Instagram, according to ABC News, with affected users being unable to see or share news content on the platforms. Both Canadian and international news outlets will be impacted.

The tests come ahead of a permanent block if the Online News Act passes. The legislation, also known as Bill C-18, is designed to force platforms like Meta and Google to negotiate with Canadian news publishers to pay them for content, but Meta has said it would rather block news content in the country entirely rather than be...

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Microsoft Paint finally gets a dark mode for Windows 11

Microsoft has finally started testing a new dark mode for its Paint app in Windows 11. The software giant originally teased a dark mode addition nearly two years ago, and it’s now being tested in both Canary and Dev Channels for Windows Insiders.

Like most other apps in Windows 11 that support dark modes, Paint will automatically switch over based on your system theme or you can manually enable the dark mode in the new settings page inside Paint.

Image: Microsoft

The new zoom improvements in Paint.

“We are also rolling out improvements to the zoom controls as well to give you more flexibility and control over the view of your content on the canvas,” explains Dave Grochocki, principal program lead for built-in...

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VW ID Buzz debuts three-row electric Microbus for the US with more power and space

The long wheelbase version of the ID Buzz is coming to the US in 2024. | Image: VW

We finally have details on the electric Microbus that’s coming to North America, and nearly all of it is positive news.

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Twitter head of trust and safety Ella Irwin has resigned

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

Twitter head of trust and safety Ella Irwin has resigned, she confirmed to Reuters, marking the departure of one of Elon Musk’s most important executives at Twitter. Irwin took over from Yoel Roth in November after Roth’s resignation earlier that month. Fortune’s Kylie Robison reported earlier on Thursday that Irwin’s Slack account appeared to be deactivated.

In her months-long tenure, Irwin oversaw some turbulent cycles at Twitter, including periods where Twitter has come under scrutiny for not doing enough to curb child exploitation. Irwin herself shared internal Twitter information with Bari Weiss as part of the “Twitter Files” reports and reportedly directed banning Twitter accounts that shared information about Musk’s private jet.

...

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Read the emails: Valve helped Nintendo kick the Dolphin Emulator off Steam

The Dolphin Emulator logo, on a black background. | Logo: Dolphin

Did you hear the one about how Nintendo blocked the Dolphin Emulator from making its way to Steam, purportedly with a DMCA takedown? That’s not the whole story.

According to copies of communication that the Dolphin Team provided to The Verge, Valve helped Nintendo kick Dolphin out — first by bringing the Wii and GameCube emulator to Nintendo’s attention in the first place, and second by unilaterally deciding to pull the plug without giving Dolphin an out.

“We operate Steam as an open platform, but that relies on creators shipping only things they have the legal right to distribute”

Valve doesn’t dispute this. “Given Nintendo’s history of taking action against some emulators, we brought this to their attention proactively after the...

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Here are the best AirPods deals you can get right now

Apple’s second-gen AirPods Pro are currently $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.

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 AirPods (second-gen) deals

In 2021, Apple lowered the list price of the second-gen AirPods — now the entry-level model — from $159 to $129. It now only sells...

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iHeartMedia tells employees to steer clear of ChatGPT

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

This story first appeared in Hot Pod Insider, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more.

iHeartMedia is joining companies like Apple, Spotify, and Verizon in restricting employee use of OpenAI’s ChatGPT — as well as banning the use of the AI model on company devices. According to an internal memo obtained by Hot Pod, iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman and CFO Rich Bressler sent an email yesterday to company employees instructing them not to use ChatGPT in order to prevent data leaks of iHeartMedia’s proprietary information. The news was first reported by RBR.

The leaders wrote that “as tempting as it is,” iHeartMedia employees were not to use ChatGPT or similar AI tools on company devices or to do...

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Quest 3 won’t replace Quest 2 for ‘quite a while,’ confirms Meta

Quest 2 vs. Quest 3. | Image: Meta

Is it really a good idea to buy a Meta Quest 2 for $299 now that the $499 Quest 3 is on the way? Won’t Meta stop supporting the old headset with games?

You shouldn’t be worried about that anytime soon, according to the company’s CTO. “The games we announced in the Gaming Showcase are all playable on both Quest 2 and 3, and we expect that to remain the norm for quite a while,” Meta CTO and VR / AR leader Andrew “Boz” Bosworth tells me.

The games we announced in the Gaming Showcase are all playable on both Quest 2 and 3, and we expect that to remain the norm for quite a while. Of course mixed reality and high power titles may start to target Quest 3 over time

— Boz (@boztank) June 1, 2023

He’s not ruling out the possibility of Quest...

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Walmart’s taking a rare $20 off of a set of four AirTags

Apple’s tiny location trackers can help you keep better tabs on your belongings, including keys. | Image: Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

The busy summer travel season has already begun, so you might want to prepare for rounds of flight delays, crowds, and the potential for lost luggage. Luckily, you can prepare for the chaos ahead of time with today’s Walmart deal on a pack of Apple AirTags. The retailer is selling four AirTags for $79.99 ($20 off), which is just $5 shy of the all-time low set during Black Friday. Be aware that when this deal has come around in the past, it’s been quite fleeting, so try not to sit on the fence deciding for too long.

An AirTag is an accessory you’ll want to pack because it just makes traveling less stressful. The ultra wideband Bluetooth trackers help you keep track of your belongings so you can quickly pick up your luggage from baggage...

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The Rock is coming back for another Fast & Furious movie — because of course he is

Photo by Bob Levey / Getty Images

Back in 2021, Hobbs & Shawstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson swore up and down that his beef with his longtime Fast & Furiousco-star Vin Diesel had gotten so serious that he would never make another movie for the core franchise. That already dubious assertion has only grown more so over time. But in case there was still anyone out there assuming they’d never see Johnson’s Luke Hobbs flood a car’s engine with nitrous oxide again, there’s some good news coming your way.

In a turn of events that would best be described as “predictable,” Johnson announced today in a lengthy Twitter video that he has signed on for a new movie in the Fast & Furious universe that won’t be another Hobbs & Shaw or Universal’s already announced Fast X sequel.

_“D_e...

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AI boosters need to learn how to edit

What’s she smiling at, anyway? | Photo by Li Yang / China News Service via Getty Images

I feel a little insane typing this because it is so incredibly obvious, but I guess it needs to be said: part of creativity is knowing when to stop.

Over and over, from AI art proponents, I’ve heard that we can simply extend a beloved piece of art — whether that’s the Mona Lisa or the cover of Abbey Road — to infinity. And in some ways, I’m sympathetic! One of the first ways we locate our creativity is by extending a work we loved; I wrote my very first short story in the universe of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Catwings around the age of six. It is possibly still kicking around in my dad’s attic somewhere.

For those of you who are thinking creatively for the first time, I’d like to introduce you to the idea of the edit

Derivative work is...

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Nuclear fusion startups set to receive $46 million from the Department of Energy

US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announces a major scientific breakthrough from researchers at Nuclear Security and National Nuclear Security Administrations Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Washington, DC, on December 13th, 2022. | Photo by Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images

The Department of Energy is pumping $46 million into eight companies developing nuclear fusion power plants, which has been an elusive clean energy dream for scientists for over half a century. Now, after a big scientific breakthrough in December, the Biden administration aims to achieve “a pilot-scale demonstration of fusion” on an incredibly fast timeline that’s “within a decade.”

The funding announced yesterday is a big bet on what’s considered the “Holy Grail” of clean energy. Generating electricity from nuclear power plants mimics the way stars create their own energy. And while some researchers are optimistic about the timeline Biden’s proposing, many experts say it will likely be several decades before these futuristic power...

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The Motorola Razr Plus’ new cover screen is a big deal

The Razr Plus’ cover screen is the biggest on a flip-style phone right now.

Moto is adding two new foldables, led by the Razr Plus. Its 3.6-inch cover screen makes it more than just a nostalgic tribute to your favorite 2000s flip phone.

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These robot vacuums are getting smarter

The latest robot vacuums have new tricks, like this Ecovacs model that lifts its mop 9mm off the floor. | Image: Ecovacs

Those of you concerned about artificially intelligent robots taking over the world should really be keeping an eye on robot vacuums. I swear these things are breeding. This week, two of the big brand names in the robotic floor cleaning space announced the latest, cheaper versions of their flagship robot vacuums: Ecovacs’ $1,099 Deebot T20 Omni and Roborock’s $1,299 S7 Max Ultra.

Roborock is also adding the $899.99 Q Revo to its midrange line, which does basically all the things its flagship model does for $400 less. All three models will be available to buy later this month. Earlier this year, Ecovacs added the budget Deebot N10 Plus, T9 Plus, and T10 Omni to its line. In January, Roborock launched its S8 series featuring the S8, S8...

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The biggest announcements from Meta’s Quest Gaming Showcase

Image: Meta

Meta has just wrapped its latest Quest Gaming Showcase, where it previewed a bunch of virtual reality games coming to its Quest headsets. This year could prove to be an important one for Meta in gaming: it just announced the Quest 3, and with Sony’s recent launch of the PSVR 2 and Apple’s rumored headset likely having some major games of its own, there’s growing competition for VR gamers. But for players invested in Meta’s VR platform, it seems like there will be some good games to look forward to.

Below are some of the most notable announcements from the show. If you want to see the full list of what was revealed, check out Meta’s blog post.

Asgard’s Wrath 2 looks like a massive RPG adventure

Image: Meta

One of...

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The best Father’s Day gifts on a budget

Illustration by William Joel / The Verge

We’ve rounded up a number of inexpensive gifts that dad will love, from portable speakers to camping stoves.

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Fold the phone: all the foldables coming in 2023

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 next to the Google Pixel Fold | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Phone makers are going all in on folding screens, with everything from tiny flip phones to larger devices that unpack tablet screens contained inside.

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The feature-rich Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is $35 off

It lacks a share button, but the Elite Series 2 makes up for it with a whole lot of customizable options. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is down to one of its lowest prices: $144.99 ($35 off) at Amazon and direct from Microsoft. In the past, it was common for this premium gamepad to fall as low as $140, but since that’s become much less frequent, this second-best price is a welcome treat.

Microsoft’s flagship controller for Xbox Series X / S consoles and the PC may have had its share of quality issues, but it remains our fave if you value a pad with handy functions like four optional rear paddles, software fine-tuning, and swappable D-pad and thumbsticks. It also has a built-in battery that charges via USB-C, which is a nice upgrade over the AA batteries that standard Xbox controllers still use to this day. And while the Elite...

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Epic now rewards Fortnite creators for how long people play their experiences

Image: Epic Games

Fortnite developer Epic Games is adding a new “time played” metric to the calculations that determine how much creators are paid for the Fortnite experiences (called “islands”) that they make. Time played will be measured alongside the player popularity and player retention metrics Epic introduced when it rolled out its updated creator payouts system in March.

This is the first major adjustment to the updated payouts system that Epic introduced alongside its Unreal Editor for Fortnite. Those tools offer a lot of new ways to make games and virtual worlds, and the new payouts system gives 40 percent of the game’s net revenues back to creators (though Epic is competing for that money as well). Epic’s hope is that the tools and the revised...

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The AI revolution is about to take over your web browser

Tools like SigmaOS’s Airis can rewrite all your text — and even whole webpages. | Image: SigmaOS

AI assistants are shaping up to be the biggest thing in browsers since the tab was invented. Companies big and small are looking for ways to bring chatbots into your experience but also to go even deeper than that. Pretty soon, your browser might be able to automatically change the way a page looks and works and even rewrite the words on the page to suit your particular needs.

One of the most ambitious implementations I’ve seen is from a company called SigmaOS, which bills itself as a browser for the ultra-productive set. It has lots of organization tools and some truly wacky ideas about keyboard shortcuts and tab management — and now, it’s launching a new AI assistant called Airis that works across the browser. (It’s pronounced like...

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One Piece, 3 Body Problem, and The Last Airbender are all coming to Netflix’s Tudum

Every year, Netflix fires up the Tudum hype machine in hopes of working fans into trailer-fueled frenzies that turn them into walking, talking spokespeople for the streaming platform. The trailer for Tudum itself — which is to say a trailer for a Brazil-based event full of trailers — probably won’t get your heart rate up, but the list of shows and movies being spotlighted at the presentation just might.

In all likelihood, Netflix won’t reveal all that much from its new adaptations of One Piece, 3 Body Problem, and Avatar: The Last Airbender or from features like director Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies. But those are previews that are probably going to stand out the most on June 17th as stars from a broad range of Netflix’s projects descend...

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EA Sports is teaming up with Nike’s NFT sneaker project

Future EA Sports releases like EA FC (which is set to replace the FIFA brand name) is a likely candidate for Nike’s collectible NFT “wearables.” | Image: Electronic Arts

EA and Nike have just announced a partnership that will bring select virtual assets created by .Swoosh, Nike’s Web3 marketplace platform, to future EA Sports titles. No specific games have been mentioned, and neither company has provided much information regarding what we can expect, though the creations will include virtual footwear and apparel.

But the partnership with EA seems to fulfill promises laid out by Nike back in November when the shoe brand first launched .Swoosh. At that time, Nike suggested that its virtual apparel could eventually be equipped in video games and “other immersive experiences.”

.Swoosh’s first NFT drop of virtual sneakers surpassed $1 million in sales despite various delays and technical issues

A recent NFT...

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Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 gets Discord-like communities and an AI art tool

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is greatly improving its free version of Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 today. The built-in Teams app will now include support for Microsoft’s communities feature inside Teams, the company’s answer to Facebook and Discord. It’s also getting support for Microsoft Designer, the AI art tool that lets you generate images for things like event invitations or social media posts using text prompts.

Microsoft Teams communities originally launched in December for family and friends — or small community groups and businesses — to organize through meetings, calendars, and chat. It’s Microsoft’s answer to what you might find on Facebook or how people use Discord, WhatsApp, Reddit, and many other services for organizing groups.

...

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