Where to preorder the Google Pixel Fold

Suddenly, June can’t come soon enough. | Image: Google

During Google’s I/O keynote in May, Google introduced both its new flagship foldable and midrange slab phone offerings: the Pixel Fold and the Pixel 7A. These were some of the showcase device announcements at the tech giant’s big spring event, which was accompanied by other Android and AI-related news.

The Pixel Fold is a new ultra-flagship addition to the Pixel lineup, one that represents Google’s first attempt at a foldable phone and takes a page from Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 in the “it’s a regular-ish phone that also unfolds into a small tablet” department. It runs a whopping $1,799 and is due out in July. Here’s what you need to know and where you can preorder one for yourself.

Where to preorder the Google Pixel Fold

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Andrew Tate has been indicted in Romania on charges of human trafficking

Andrew and Tristan Tate, seen here leaving a Bucharest jail in March, have been indicted in Romania for multiple crimes. | Image: Daniel Mihailescu / AFP via Getty Images

Social media influencer Andrew Tate was indicted in Romania on charges of human trafficking, rape, and the creation of a criminal organization, Romanian authorities announced today_._ Authorities also proposed extending the house arrest of Tate, his brother, Tristan Tate, and two associates who were also charged.

Tate and the other defendants are alleged to have recruited seven people by misleading them about an intent “to establish a marriage/cohabitation relationship,” according to the Romanian law enforcement agency Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). They were later held against their will and, through “physical violence and mental pressure,” sexually exploited on video for distribution on social...

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OpenAI lobbied the EU to avoid harsher AI regulations

OpenAI suggested changes to the proposed EU AI Act to avoid its AI systems being subject to strict safety and transparency obligations. | Illustration: The Verge

OpenAI has been lobbying the European Union to water down incoming AI legislation. According to documents from the European Commission obtained by Time, the ChatGPT creator requested that lawmakers make several amendments to a draft version of the EU AI Act — an upcoming law designed to better regulate the use of artificial intelligence — before it was approved by the European Parliament on June 14th. Some changes suggested by OpenAI were eventually incorporated into the legislation.

Prior to its approval, lawmakers debated expanding terms within the AI Act to designate all general-purpose AI systems (GPAIs) such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL-E as “high risk” under the act’s risk categorizations. Doing so would hold them to the most...

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Kraven the Hunter’s first trailer is really just a Rhino delivery system

Sony has every reason in the world to want to keep building out its own cinematic universe of superhero features around Spider-Man, his amazing friends, and the villains that want to kill him, but the first trailer for director J.C. Chandor’s Kraven the Hunter movie doesn’t exactly inspire hope for what the studio’s dropping next.

Rather than giving the nerds what they want and just pitting its titular big game hunter against Spider-Man, Kraven the Hunter will tell the dark and rather tragic story of how Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) became a psychopathic leather enthusiast with a taste for human blood. In Marvel’s comics, Kraven’s known as something of a fashion-forward criminal who — in addition to murdering Spider-Man — is...

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Razer Blade 14 (2023) review: this pricing is silly

This is a nice laptop with a somewhat confusing price.

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Elgato’s Cam Link 4K, which connects your camera to your computer, is now just $86.99

The Cam Link is a tiny adapter, making it great for both laptops and desktops. | Image: Elgato

The Elgato Cam Link 4K,an HDMI-to-USB dongle that seamlessly connects your compatible mirrorless camera, DSLR, or action cam is an essential piece of kit for many streamers and Twitch creators. It is now on sale for one of its lowest prices of $86.99 ($13 off) at Best Buy and Amazon.

Elgato’s Cam Link 4K is incredibly simple to use if your full-size camera is one of the many on its compatibility list. If so, you just plug it into your Windows or Mac computer and see your camera come up in the OS as a webcam source — which can go straight into streaming software like OBS or even video conference calls from Zoom and Google Meet. You’ll generally get higher-quality video than any regular webcam, and using larger sensor cameras with it will...

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Rivian is the latest EV maker to adopt Tesla’s charging standard

Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images

Rivian announced it would adopt Tesla’s electric vehicle charging standard for its future lineup of vehicles. The deal grants Rivian owners access to thousands of Tesla Supercharger stations across the country and puts Tesla one step closer to becoming the de facto EV charging standard in the US.

Starting in 2024, Rivian will offer adapters to its customers so they can access Tesla Supercharger stations, which use the company’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug and outlet. And in 2025, Rivian will begin to manufacture its R1T trucks and R1S SUVs with Tesla’s charging port, obviating the need for an adapter.

“This agreement makes electric vehicle ownership simpler by offering more ways to fast charge your Rivian vehicle and...

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Apple just fixed the most annoying part of its Self Service Repair program

Illustration: The Verge

Apple will expand its Self Service Repair program to cover recent products, including the iPhone 14 lineup and M2-based MacBooks, starting on June 21st. But perhaps more importantly, the company seems to be responding to feedback by eliminating needless friction from the process. The “System Configuration” validation step that’s required after repairs — and involves calling Apple on the phone — has been criticized as burdensome. With the new changes, you won’t have to call the company’s repair support team anymore.

“Self Service Repair users can now initiate System Configuration by placing their devices into Diagnostics mode and following onscreen prompts,” Apple wrote in today’s press release. “Users no longer need to contact the Self...

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Nintendo is holding a 40-minute-long Nintendo Direct tomorrow

Image: Nintendo

It seems that Nintendo might’ve been feeling a little left out. Following a busy few weeks of gaming news, which included showcases from Xbox and PlayStation, along with Summer Game Fest, we now have an impending Nintendo Direct. And it’s happening very soon: the event will stream on June 21st at 10AM ET.

The timing makes a lot of sense, as following the launch of Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo’s lineup for 2023 is pretty sparse. There’s Pikmin 4 on July 21st, the first expansion for Pokémon Violet and Scarlet, and... that’s about it. The Switch’s holiday should look a lot clearer tomorrow, though, as Nintendo says the Direct will feature “roughly 40 minutes of information focused mainly on Nintendo Switch titles launching this year,”...

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Cadillac’s electric Escalade will debut August 9th

Cadillac Escalade IQ is going to be a really big EV. | Image: GM

Big electric SUVs are taking over, and Cadillac’s stressfully large SUV is being redesigned to be part of that movement. The automaker has new teaser footage of the Escalade IQ, which was first announced last month, and is planning to fully reveal the full-size SUV on August 9th.

The new Escalade IQ footage gives only a few glimpses of the behemoth three-row, including an extruded taillight / spoiler wedge and animated front LEDs that are spread like a wing from the bottom of the grille and tessellated on the sides. The footage also has a close-up of what are likely to be huge 22-inch wheels mounted on Michelin Primacy LTX tires, and there’s a close pan of the planar roof and antenna.

The IQ’s fascia has even more LEDs on the left and...

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is on sale

A worthwhile Zelda deal has dropped. | Image: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been dominating the gaming zeitgeist since its release in May, but it’s finally time for a wave of patient deal hunters to descend on Hyrule. Amazon and Walmart are now discounting the Nintendo title that normally runs $69.99, selling it for around $59.99. Full disclosure: the Walmart deal is through a third-party seller, but that doesn’t give me too much cause for concern given that it has mostly positive ratings and is fulfilled by the major retailer.

There has been a way to get the digital version of the game for cheaper this whole time, but if you prefer a physical cartridge for your Nintendo Switch games, this deal is the way to go. Though, if prior Zelda discounts are anything to go by...

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The government is helping Big Telecom squeeze out city-run broadband

Illustration by Hugo Herrera for The Verge

President Joe Biden’s internet access plan will hand $41.6 billion to internet service providers. In many places, that money will get funneled into private hands.

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Inside the AI Factory

Illustration by Richard Parry for The Verge

As the technology becomes ubiquitous, a vast tasker underclass is emerging — and not going anywhere.

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Spotify’s long-anticipated HiFi tier might require a more expensive subscription

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge

Spotify is reportedly planning to include lossless audio streaming in a new, more expensive subscription tier codenamed “Supremium” internally, according to Bloomberg. The lossless streaming feature was first announced in February 2021 as “Spotify HiFi,” but is still yet to release over two years later. Bloomberg reports that the new more expensive plan could release later this year, initially in non-US markets.

The pricing of Spotify HiFi has been a source of much speculation in the years since its announcement, especially after competitors Amazon Music and Apple Music started offering lossless streaming as part of their standard plans at no additional charge. Bloomberg reports that Spotify delayed the release of HiFi after Amazon and...

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Vimeo’s new AI script generator will write corporate marketing filler in seconds

Video platform Vimeo is integrating new AI tools for paying users, including an AI script generation feature powered by OpenAI’s tech. The company is promoting the tools as a way for users to “create a fully produced video in minutes,” and stressing the utility for corporate customers — potential use-cases range “from quickly creating highlight reels, to hosting virtual events or company meetings, to exporting quote clips for short marketing videos.”

There are three new features. A script generator that generates scripts “based on a brief description and key inputs like tone and length.” A teleprompter, which has no real AI component, but lets users adjust timing and font size. And a text-based video editor, which automatically...

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WhatsApp can now silence calls from unknown numbers

The new option is available from the privacy menu in settings. | Image: WhatsApp / Meta

WhatsApp’s latest feature can automatically mute incoming calls if they’re from an unknown number, the service announced today. The setting is available by going into WhatsApp’s settings, hitting “Privacy,” selecting “Calls,” and turning on the “Silence Unknown Callers” toggle. WhatsApp says the feature will help “screen out spam, scams, and calls from unknown people for increased protection.”

When enabled, the feature silences all signs of incoming calls from unknown numbers including both sound and visual alerts in the app. However, silenced calls will still appear in your recent calls list with a “silenced unknown caller” note next to them, in case you want to call back.

The addition of the feature comes after reports of an...

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Google Pixel Tablet review: the dock makes all the difference

Google’s first tablet in many years doesn’t try to reinvent what tablets are good for. Instead, it leans into being a good media consumption device and can be a useful smart display when you’re not holding it.

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Nothing Phone 2: a roundup of every tease about the upcoming phone

The rear of 2022’s Nothing Phone 1. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Our constantly updated list of all the teases Nothing has released about its second phone.

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Reddit hackers demand $4.5 million ransom and API pricing changes

Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

A ransomware group is claiming responsibility for a hack on Reddit’s systems earlier this year — and demanding not just money but policy changes.

BlackCat, a ransomware group, says it was behind the February phishing attack on Reddit, as previously reported by Bleeping Computer. In a post shared by researcher Dominic Alvieri, BlackCat claims to have stolen 80GB of data from Reddit and threatens to release it publicly if demands aren’t met. The group wants a $4.5 million payout in exchange for the data and also demands Reddit roll back its planned API pricing changes that spurred user and moderator protests last week.

At the time of the hack, Reddit said hackers had used a “sophisticated and highly-targeted” phishing attack to get access...

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Breville Joule Turbo review: sous vide with speed

Sous vide cooking can produce perfect meats every time, but it takes a long time to do so. Breville’s new Joule Turbo can pull the same tricks in as little as half the time.

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Amazon insists striking delivery drivers don’t really work for Amazon

Amazon delivery drivers strike for the first time. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

On Thursday, Motherboard reported that Amazon delivery drivers in Palmdale, California have gone on strike, a first for the company. The drivers, who unionized with the Teamsters in April and were recognized by Amazon “Delivery Service Partner” (DSP) Battle-Tested Strategies in May, are demanding better pay and improved safety conditions. The 84 striking workers walked out on Thursday.

Happening Now!
Amazon #Teamsters in Palmdale, CA are walking out today in the fight for good jobs at Amazon.

The unfair labor practice strike by Amazon drivers and dispatchers is the first strike of its kind in the US: https://t.co/lcA903tIBM #1u pic.twitter.com/AJ2Anooq2l

— Teamsters (@Teamsters) June 15, 2023

Motherboard’s original article used the...

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Spotify’s covid moderation spotlighted as Joe Rogan and Elon Musk push for ‘debate’

Nick Barclay / The Verge

After Baylor microbiology professor and public health advocate Peter Hotez, MD Ph.D. tweeted out a Motherboardarticle about Spotify’s lack of moderation over Joe Rogan’s misinformation article, Rogan challenged him to debate Robert F Kennedy, Jr. Rogan also proposed a $100,000 donation to a charity of Hotez’s choosing.

Twitter’s owner Elon Musk joined the fray, accusing Hotez of “hating charity” by not accepting the debate, and after hours of Elon and Rogan stans taunting Hotez, the professor tweeted, “I was just was stalked in front of my home by a couple of antivaxers taunting me to debate RFKJr.”

That adds a troubling new dynamic to this story, particularly in the context of the Motherboard story that started this, which touched on...

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Microsoft says June Outlook outages were a DDoS attack

Microsoft Outlook was subjected to a DDoS attack. | Illustration: The Verge

In early June, complaints began cropping up on Twitter that Outlook was down for as many as 18,000 users at the peak of what, it turns out, was a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack, according to a story in The Associated Press (AP) this morning. Microsoft acknowledged the attack in a blog post on Friday, offering some technical details and recommendations for guarding against such attacks in the future.

The blog doesn’t mention whether the company got things under control or whether the attack abated on its own. But on Twitter, the Microsoft 365 Status account tweeted about the outage as it occurred on June 5th, then again later that day, finally seeming to get things under control the next morning:

We continue to observe...

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Shutterless cameras deserve good shutter sounds

The Nikon Z9’s stacked sensor doesn’t require a mechanical shutter, but that doesn’t mean its users don’t need good feedback from their cameras. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge

Snapping a camera’s shutter to take a picture is one of the best feelings in photography. You get a timeless, tactile feedback as you capture every decisive moment with a satisfying auditory “click” sound. But we’re slowly losing this hallmark of picture-taking. Not only because smartphones are replacing full-size cameras for most people but because more cameras are being built without mechanical shutters at all.

Nikon’s flagship Z9 and newer Z8 cameras forego traditional shutters entirely, so instead of hearing and feeling a mechanical action, you either hear nothing at all or are played the sound of a fake shutter. Just this week, Nikon released firmware 4.0 for the Z9, which added a slew of new features, including extra shutter sounds:...

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Netflix finally shows off its swashbuckling One Piece series in first trailer

Image: Netflix

It’s been a long time coming, but Netflix is finally ready to show off its upcoming adaptation of One Piece — we got the very first trailer at the streamer’s Tudum event today. The clip shows off around 90 seconds of the live-action pirate series, featuring the main cast — which includes Iñaki Godoy in the lead role — as well as giant sea monsters and a very stretchy arm.

Just as important: the eight-episode series now has a premiere date. It’ll start streaming on Netflix on August 31st.

Based on Eiichiro Oda’s long-running manga and anime, the live-action adaptation was first announced back in 2020. Since then, we’ve seen small teases, but this trailer is our first proper glimpse at the show. Last month Oda penned a letter saying that...

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Netflix’s very brief Avatar: The Last Airbender teaser promises a 2024 premiere

Image: Netflix

Netflix has been very quiet about its live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. And while the new teaser trailer released at its Tudum event doesn’t show much at all, it does confirm the series will start streaming in 2024.

The show has been in the works for some time, first announced in 2018, and has gone through a few issues — including having Last Airbender series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko leave the project over creative differences. Since then, Netflix has announced some of the cast and the technology powering the show, but we have yet to see it in action via a trailer.

But hey, at least we got our first images today:

Meet Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender,...

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Netflix’s 3 Body Problem starts streaming in January — check out the first trailer

Image: Netflix

As promised, one of big highlights of Netflix’s Tudum event was our first look at the streamer’s much-anticipated adaptation ofauthor Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem. The teaser trailer provides just a brief — but still incredibly impressive — glimpse at the sci-fi epic, based on the trilogy of books. It also includes an important tidbit of info: the series will start streaming in January 2024.

The adaptation was first announced in 2020, with Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss leading the project. (Glass Onion and Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, meanwhile, is among the team of producers.) If you’re new to Liu’s work — the series is called Remembrance of Earth’s Past, and The Three-Body Problem is the first...

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Two of the biggest Reddit communities reopened in the funniest way possible

Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images

Two huge subreddits, r/pics and r/gifs, now only allow posts about comedian and Last Week Tonight host John Oliver. Both have reopened after going dark as part of the ongoing protests toward Reddit, and after each subreddit polled users, the new rules are now in place.

“As many of you are aware, we recently held a poll to decide on the future of the subreddit,” wrote r/gifs moderator u/IronSentinel. “This initiative was prompted by statements from Reddit’s CEO, who suggested that the desires of the platform’s everyday users were being eclipsed by those of moderators.” Moderators of thousands of subreddits set their communities to private to protest upcoming API changes that will force beloved third-party apps to shut down, but CEO Steve...

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The Squid Game reality show hits Netflix in November

Image: Netflix

More than a year after it was first announced and after reports of some dangerous conditions on set, we now know when Netflix’s Squid Game reality show will start streaming. During its Tudum livestream, the company revealed that the series — called Squid Game: The Challenge — will hit the service in November. We also got the first teaser for the competition show, which doesn’t show much but does confirm that Red Light, Green Light will make an appearance.

The reality spinoff may be dangerous and not particularly in the spirit of the original Squid Game story, but it also feels somewhat inevitable given the now-franchise’s success. Netflix has said that Squid Game was its biggest-ever launch for a series, and naturally, a second season is...

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Google’s ‘smart chips’ now let you view third party app data inside Google Docs

Third-party smart clips are now available for Google Docs. | Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge

You can now embed third-party app “smart chips” into your Google Doc after the company announced yesterday that the feature is now available for both Google Workspace users and those with personal Google accounts. Google announced it was opening the feature to third parties last year as part of its ongoing “smart canvas” revamp of its office suite that has brought other features like a pageless layout to Google Docs.

To use third-party smart chips, you’ll first have to have an admin or user install the app’s add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Then, you can simply grab a share link from the third-party app source and paste it into your doc. From there, you’ll be prompted to hit the tab key, which pops the smart chip into the...

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