The Verge
The best Android phone to buy in 2023
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Whether you want everything but the kitchen sink or top-tier performance for a midtier price, you’ve got options.
The VergeThe VergeRaise your hand to speak, please
Video conference service Google Meet is adding gesture recognition to make it easier to ask a question during a video call. | Image: Google
Google Meet can now recognize when your physical hand is raised on camera during group video calls and alert the host. This means you don’t have to fiddle with clicking the “hand raise” button on the screen and accidentally send a clapping emoji to everyone in the call (I speak from experience).
In a blog post published today, Google announced the feature is now rolling out to Google Workspace business and education users. It uses gesture detection to recognize when your hand is raised and alerts the meeting host that you want to speak. A hand-raised icon in your video window will also show to other participants. Essentially, it does the same thing as clicking the hand raise button, but in a more natural way.
For it to work, you’ll...
The VergeThe best iPhones
Navigate Apple’s lengthy iPhone product catalog like a pro. | Image: The Verge
Whether you want a battery that lasts for days or the very best deal, we’ve got some recommendations for an iPhone you’ll love.
The VergeThe best phone to buy right now
Photo Illustration by William Joel / The Verge
Bad news: flagship phones cost a small fortune these days. Good news: we can help you pick the right one and get the most for your money.
The VergeBinance criminal settlement could include a $4 billion fine and CEO’s guilty plea
Nick Barclay / The Verge
Binance owner and CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has agreed to step down and plead guilty to breaking anti-money laundering laws, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. This comes as part of the major settlement the Department of Justice is expected to announce this afternoon, which will reportedly require Binance to fork over $4.3 billion in fines.
Even though Zhao can no longer assume an executive role at Binance, the WSJ reports the terms of the agreement will let Zhao keep his majority ownership of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Zhao is expected to enter his plea at a Seattle court on Tuesday, with sentencing to come at a later date. Richard Teng, Binance’s head of regional markets, is in the running to...
The VergeA24’s Dream Scenario is a shapeshifting parable about our obsessions with viral fame
Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews. | Image: A24
Writer / director Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario capitalizes on Nicolas Cage’s status as a living legend to tell a brilliant story about the perils of fame.
The VergeBad business is breaking the smart home — good regulation can fix it
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
Business arrangements and opaque contracts have broken the pitch of the smart home. Better regulation can fix this problem.
The Verge8BitDo’s NES-style keyboard has returned to its lowest price yet
8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard is a unique gift under $100 that’s perfect for Nintendo fans. | Photo by Jon Porter / The Verge
Let’s be honest: most keyboards are boring necessities that you’re not likely to find at the top of anybody’s Christmas wishlist. But every now and then, a keyboard comes along that’s so cool, anyone could get excited about it. 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard is one of those unicorns, and right now, it’s down to an all-time low of $89.99 ($10 off) at Amazon.
Inspired by Nintendo, the Bluetooth mechanical keyboard sports a pair of massive red programmable buttons similar to the ones found on the old-school NES controllers. It’s comfortable, too, thanks to clicky, hot-swappable switches you can replace when you want to change up the feel. The keyboard offers a standard tenkeyless layout, so it lacks a numpad, but if you don’t need...
The VergeApple’s AirTag drops to a rare low price
Our favorite Bluetooth tracker for iPhone owners is available starting at just $23.99 for a single AirTag. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
It’s the time of year again when utter chaos descends upon airports nationwide. That means the chances of losing your luggage are higher than usual, so it’s worth preparing for the commotion if you’re planning to travel.
Right now, you can buy a single AirTag for just $23.99 ($5 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Target, which is a rare discount that’s just $1 shy of the tracker’s all-time low price. If you want to buy even more AirTags, retailers are also selling a four-pack for $79.99 (Amazon, Walmart, and Target), about $20 off, which is $5 shy of their best price yet.
If you own an iPhone, the AirTag is hands-down the best Bluetooth tracker you can buy for keeping tabs on suitcases, backpacks, purses, keys, and other goods. And it does it...
The VergeWhat’s on your desk, Nathan Edwards?
Photo by Nathan Edwards / The Verge
Two desks, three computers, and countless keyboards.
The VergeThe Verge’s 2023 holiday gift guide for kids
Photo Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales and Cath Virginia / The Verge
Let us help you find all kinds of gifts for all kinds of kiddos.
The VergeFortnite OG will end with a Big Bang
Image: Epic Games
Fortnite is currently saturated in nostalgia, thanks to the backwards-looking Fortnite OG. But that’s about to change very soon: the battle royale’s next major live event promises “a new beginning” for the game. There aren’t many other details, but the event is called The Big Bang, and it kicks off on December 2nd at 2PM ET; as with past events, developer Epic recommends players show up at least 30 minutes early so they don’t miss out.
The vibe of The Big Bang feels reminiscent of the black hole event in 2019, which wiped out the original battle royale island, paving the way for Fortnite to constantly reinvent itself with new chapters. The island has been changed multiple times since; one time it flipped over, another time it simply...
The VergeSunbird is shutting down its iMessage app for Android
Sunbird powered Nothing Chats, which gave iMessage to Nothing Phone 2, but at a severe privacy cost. | Image: Nothing
Sunbird, the app that brings iMessage to Android, has temporarily shut down the service over “security concerns,” as first reported by 9to5Google. In a notice to users, Sunbird says it has “decided to pause Sunbird usage for now” while it investigates reports that its messages aren’t actually end-to-end encrypted.
Sunbird launched in 2022 as a messaging app that attempts to put the blue versus green bubble battle to rest. It has only been available to those who sign up for its waitlist, touting numerous privacy features, like end-to-end encryption, no message data collection, and no ads.
Last week, Sunbird partnered with Nothing, the phone brand owned by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, on the launch of Nothing Chats. The Sunbird-powered...
The VergeThe best laptop you can buy in 2023
Illustration by William Joel / The Verge
The best laptops for you, from ultraportables to gaming machines, MacBooks to Chromebooks.
The VergeThe World Press Photo Contest’s updated AI rules help define what a modern photograph is
“Here, The Doors Don’t Know Me” by Mohamed Mahdy (pictured) was the winning Open Format entry in 2023. | Image: Mohamed Mahdy / Magnum Foundation / World Press Photo Foundation
The World Press Photo Contest has updated its entry rules to exclude submissions for AI-generated imagery, just days after announcing that such images could be entered into its Open Format competition category. The World Press Photo Foundation initially said it would welcome AI-generated submissions — a decision met with immediate backlash from photojournalists who said allowing artificially created images into a contest for photojournalists responsible for documenting real-world events was “anathema to everything our industry does.”
The foundation has since rolled back its new AI submission guidance and updated contest rules to bar AI-generated images from its Open Format category. “Thanks to the honest and thoughtful feedback over the...
The VergeInsta360’s new GoPro-like action cams have flippy screens
The new Insta360 Ace (right) and Ace Pro (left). | Image: Insta360
Insta360’s new action cameras borrow the blocky design of GoPro’s popular Hero series but add the ability to flip up that large 2.4-inch rear touchscreen for easy vlogging. The company’s new “Ace” camera starts at $379.99 for the regular model, and there’s a flagship “Pro” version for $449.99. The higher-end one is equipped with a Leica Summarit lens and a large 1/1.3-inch image sensor for excellent low-light performance and up to 8K at 24 frames per second recording. Both versions are available now.
The standard Ace camera model comes with a smaller 1/2-inch image sensor, but it supports recording up to 6K at 30 frames per second, and both models can shoot 4K at a high-speed 120 frames per second and take 48MP pictures. They also have...
The VergeThis mechanical keyboard has a headphone jack you might actually want to use
The FiiO KB3 has a built-in DAC and headphone amp. | Image: FiiO
The KB3 is a new mechanical keyboard from audio brand FiiO with a built-in headphone jack that stands a good chance of sounding better than the existing 3.5mm output on your desktop computer or laptop. That’s because the headphone jack isn’t just passing through analog audio from your computer, it’s plugged into a combination DAC and headphone amp that’s integrated into the keyboard itself.
So rather than having a headphone cable snaking across your desk to reach your machine, or cluttering up your workspace with a separate DAC and headphone amplifier, all these devices can theoretically be built right into the keyboard that’s sitting underneath your hands. And it comes from a company which knows a thing or two about audio (even if its...
The VergeBraun: Designed to Keep is a book worth holding onto
The cover is adorned with the legendary clockface found on AB1 alarm clock (1987) designed by Dietrich Lubs.
A century of design — with and without Dieter Rams — giving credit where credit is due.
The VergeX sues Media Matters to silence moderation criticism
Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge; Getty Images
X, formerly Twitter, has followed through with owner Elon Musk’s threat to sue the left-leaning nonprofit Media Matters. Media Matters reported last week that X “has been placing ads for major brands” like Apple and IBM “next to content that touts Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.” Musk and X CEO Linda Yaccarino have dubbed the report unrepresentative of X’s general user experience. Several companies nonetheless pulled ads after that report and Musk’s direct endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory — and Musk’s lawsuit claims Media Matters is legally liable for X’s loss.
Nearly simultaneously, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Media Matters for “potential fraudulent activity.” Musk posted the news on...
The VergeIs Sam Altman joining Microsoft? Satya Nadella doesn’t seem to know
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on stage at OpenAI’s first developer conference. | Image: Getty
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced late last night that former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman were both joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team, an announcement that sent Microsoft’s stock price soaring. Now, less than 24 hours later, following The Verge reporting that Sam Altman is still trying to return as OpenAI CEO, Nadella doesn’t seem so sure.
“[We’re] committed to OpenAI and Sam, irrespective of what configuration,” said Nadella in an interview with CNBC’s Jon Fortt, adding that Microsoft “chose to explicitly partner with OpenAI [and] obviously that depends on the people at OpenAI staying there or coming to Microsoft, so I’m open to both options.” Nadella added that “obviously we...
The VergeJoe Biden’s birthday gift to himself is a Threads account
Joe Biden arriving to pardon the National Thanksgiving turkeys on November 20, 2023. | Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
US President Joe Biden signed up for a Threads account today, as did the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the second gentleman, Douglas Emhoff.
Biden’s first post on Meta’s X (formerly Twitter) competitor harkens back to his 2020 presidential victory speech with references to the country’s divisions and its current “inflection point.” Harris gestured to her travels throughout the US and her having met “over 100” world leaders, and Emhoff wrote about gender equity and “countering hate of all kinds.”
Meanwhile, the White House wrote, “The wait is Joe-ver.” Yes, I suppose it is. Former President Obama also posted a birthday message to Biden on Threads today.
Biden and company signing up is a good sign for the platform....
The VergeLinda Yaccarino: advertisers fleeing from X are just “temporarily paused investments”
Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Vox Media
Last week, Elon Musk appeared to endorse antisemitic conspiracy theories and posted about supporting white pride on his social platform X, formerly Twitter. Musk’s tweets were then highlighted by a Media Matters article that found advertising from major companies had shown up next to pro-Nazi content. Major advertisers then halted their ad spends on the platform. To address the controversy, CEO Linda Yaccarino sent a memo titled “Our Work Is Meaningful,” reiterating her commitment to X.
As pressure mounts for the company to distance itself from supporting antisemitism, Forbes reported that advertisers are urging Yaccarino to resign as well. A former NBCUniversal chairperson with close ties to the ad industry, Yaccarino had been brought...
The VergeA secret Google deal let Spotify completely bypass Android’s app store fees
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Music streaming service Spotify struck a seemingly unique and highly generous deal with Google for Android-based payments, according to new testimony in the Epic v. Google trial. On the stand, Google head of global partnerships Don Harrison confirmed Spotify paid a 0 percent commission when users chose to buy subscriptions through Spotify’s own system. If the users picked Google as their payment processor, Spotify handed over 4 percent — dramatically less than Google’s more common 15 percent fee.
Google fought to keep the Spotify numbers private during its antitrust fight with Epic, saying they could damage negotiations with other app developers who might want more generous rates. Google’s User Choice Billing program, launched in 2022,...
The VergeThe best wireless earbuds to buy right now
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The best from Apple, Bose, Samsung, Sony, Beats, Google, and more
The VergeWorlds 2023 had K-pop stars, an AR boy band, and one big screen
NewJeans performs at the 2023 League of Legends World Championship in Seoul. | Image: Christina Oh / Riot Games
The opening ceremony for the annual League of Legends championship was another impressive blend of music and tech.
The VergeSam Altman is still trying to return as OpenAI CEO
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Sam Altman’s surprise move to Microsoft after his shock firing at OpenAI isn’t a done deal. He and co-founder Greg Brockman are still open to returning to OpenAI if the remaining board members who fired him step aside, multiple sources tell The Verge.
The promised mass exodus of virtually every OpenAI employee, including board member and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever who led the move to depose Altman, means that there is more pressure on the board than ever, with only two of the three remaining board members needing to flip. Altman just posted on X that “we are all going to work together some way or other,” which we are told is meant to indicate that the fight continues.
we have more unity and commitment and focus than ever before.
w...
The VergeWhy the latest temperature check on climate change is still terrifying
Image: Hugo Herrera / The Verge
The latest numbers are in for how much our planet is projected to heat up this century, and it’s got me sweating.
Look, I am not a numbers person. And if I didn’t write about climate change for a living, this latest report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) wouldn’t hit the same. It says that this century, global temperatures are on track to reach between 2.5 and 2.9 degrees Celsius above where they were prior to the Industrial Revolution. That statement’s a snooze, right? Well, here’s why I’m stress-eating Corn Pops while writing this.
It felt like 139.5 degrees Fahrenheit (59.7 degrees Celsius) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday. That was the heat index, a measure of both heat and humidity that’s crucial because...
The VergeThe new Samsung Galaxy Buds FE are $30 off ahead of Black Friday
The Buds FE come in a simple black or white. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
Early Black Friday deals keep coming in hot, and even new devices that were released mere weeks ago are getting price slashes. Case in point: Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds FE earbuds in white or black are selling for a nice $69.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung — a whole $30 / 30 percent off. These noise-canceling earbuds offer a good value at their full price of $99.99, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to save even more.
The Galaxy Buds FE are kind of a reincarnation of the older Galaxy Buds Plus, especially in the design and fit department. The new Buds FE sport wing tips that may offer a more secure fit in your ears (depending on your ear shapes, of course). But the real appeal here is that you get some solid audio performance and good...
The VergeAmazon’s offering free courses on generative AI
Amazon’s Skill Builder site. | Image: Amazon
Amazon is starting to offer free educational courses on generative AI with an aim to extend “critical skills” to adults and young learners everywhere. The company’s initiative, called “AI Ready,” is an extension of current AWS-based AI skills training programs offered by Amazon but now includes eight free courses that cover AI project management and development. Amazon says 21 million people have already trained on AWS cloud computing skills through its programs, and it hopes 2 million will use its AI courses by 2025.
Amazon says that demand for talent for AI jobs is increasing, and companies are willing to pay higher salaries for those with the skills, but the courses are also geared toward promoting Amazon’s own AI products. Amazon...
The VergeGM’s big bet on driverless cars turns sour
Then Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt introducing the company’s driverless Origin shuttle. | Photo By Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Two years ago, General Motors presented a vision for the future that involved “zero crashes, zero traffic, and zero emissions.” Today, that future seems further away than ever.
The automaker’s driverless car subsidiary, Cruise, announced last night the resignation of Kyle Vogt as CEO. The decision came over a month after an incident in which a hit-and-run victim became pinned under a Cruise vehicle and then was dragged 20 feet to the side of the road. As a result, California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise’s permit to operate driverless cars in the state.
The company subsequently paused driverless operations nationwide, appointed a new chief safety officer, recalled all 950 of its vehicles, and retained an outside group...