The Verge
The 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 VergeThe VergeNASA’s new mission will study microscopic plankton and aerosols from space
A rendering of the PACE spacecraft as seen from afar. | Image: NASA
Who knew you could see plankton from space? NASA, of course. The space agency successfully launched a new mission today called PACE — short for the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem satellite — that will study its namesake.
It’ll examine microscopic plants and particles — things so small they’re invisible to the naked eye — from hundreds of miles above Earth. The goal is to better understand how such teeny tiny things can actually impact the whole planet.
“PACE will help us learn, like never before, how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, said in a press release.
The goal is to better understand how such teeny tiny things can actually...
The VergeMicrosoft is bringing Linux’s sudo command to Windows 11
Image: Cory Hendrixson (YouTube)
Windows 11 will soon have a built-in sudo command designed for developers. Sudo, short for “superuser do,” is widely used on Unix-based operating systems like Linux and macOS to run programs with higher security privileges or as another user. It’s useful for developers wanting to test scripts, for example.
Microsoft is using sudo inside Windows to let developers run elevated tools directly from an unelevated console session. “It is an ergonomic and familiar solution for users who want to elevate a command without having to first open a new elevated console,” explains Jordi Adoumie, a product manager at Microsoft.
Image: Microsoft
Sudo can be controlled in developer settings in a future version of Windows 11.
S...
The VergeFortnite is winning the metaverse
Lego Fortnite. | Image: Epic Games
In 2021, Facebook’s parent company got a new name and a new goal. “Over time, I hope we are seen as a metaverse company,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the time. He later called the metaverse “the successor to the mobile internet” and noted that the concept would be so big that it was too much for any one company to take on, spanning an entire industry.
That hasn’t happened yet. Even Meta employees barely use the company’s flagship metaverse app, Horizon Worlds, and over the last few years, Zuckerberg’s definition of the metaverse seems to have shifted from a Ready Player One-style virtual world to one that blends the real and the virtual as new buzzwords like AI have taken root. Either way, this vision of the internet hasn’t exactly...
The VergeThe Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the best noise-canceling pair we’ve tested, are at their lowest price
You can use the $50 to add the wireless charging functionality these earbuds should have shipped with. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
There are no better earbuds for muting the world than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which remain our pick for the best noise-canceling earbuds. While there aren’t enough meaningful changes for QuietComfort Earbuds II owners to upgrade, the $249 price ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose makes them easier to recommend for newcomers or those whose QC II buds have failing batteries. Coincidentally, the original QuietComfort Earbuds II are also discounted by $80, bringing them down to $199 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose.
It’s been hard for Bose fans to swallow the $299 upgrade pill for the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which unceremoniously kicked the QuietComfort Earbuds II off their perch to become the company’s marquee earbuds....
The VergeThe FCC bans robocalls with AI-generated voices
Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The Federal Communications Commission is making it illegal for robocalls to use AI-generated voices. The ruling, issued on Thursday, gives state attorneys general the ability to take action against callers using AI voice cloning tech.
As outlined in the ruling, AI-generated voices are now considered “an artificial or prerecorded voice” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This restricts callers from using AI-generated voices for non-emergency purposes or without prior consent. The TCPA includes bans on a variety of automated call practices, including using an “artificial or prerecorded voice” to deliver messages, but it wasn’t explicitly stated whether this included AI-powered voice cloning. The new ruling clarifies that...
The VergeDrop’s swap-top keyboard lets you match your case to your caps
The keyboard comes with a black top case by default, but Drop sells other colors like white (pictured).
Sure, other mechanical keyboards let you swap out their keycaps and switches, but what if you want to change their overall color? That’s where Drop’s CSTM65 has you covered.
The VergeCowboy expands at-home e-bike services to more riders
A technician will be dispatched to your location for prices starting at €69/£69. | Image: Cowboy
Cowboy, the boutique Belgian maker of e-bikes, is taking the training wheels off its On-Demand offering of ad hoc services previously being tested in just a few cities.
That means owners of Cowboy e-bikes across Europe can now request flat tire fixes, bike setup, general maintenance, and the installation of child seats or rear racks right in the Cowboy app with prices starting at €69 / £69. Best of all, you don’t have to visit one of the company’s bike store partners since a technician will be dispatched directly to your doorstep. The On-Demand service is meant to complement Cowboy Care, the company’s subscription maintenance service.
Image: Cowboy
Appointments can be booked and managed directly in the Cowboy...
The VergeFunimation is shutting down — and taking your digital library with it
Image: Toei Animation
Funimation is shutting down on April 2nd, 2024. The anime streaming service will start migrating existing subscribers to Crunchyroll — a move that will not only affect subscription prices, but will also wipe digital libraries.
A support page on Funimation’s website says the service will automatically transfer existing subscribers to Crunchyroll, noting that the transfer “may vary depending on your specific payment platform, subscription type and region.” But the page — unhelpfully — doesn’t say how much subscribers will have to pay following the transition, only that legacy subscribers will see a price increase. You’ll have to check your email to see how much you’ll have to pay.
Screenshot by Emma Roth / The Verge
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The VergeDyson’s new high-tech hairdryer is for the pros
Dyson’s new Supersonic r will have RFID attachments. | Image: Dyson
Dyson first launched its Supersonic hairdryer in 2016, but the high-tech hairdryer hasn’t really changed much since then — until now. Just in time for New York Fashion Week, Dyson is announcing the Supersonic r, an upgraded $569.99 hairdryer for professional stylists.
Right away, you can tell the Supersonic r is, well, r-shaped. Steve Williamson, Dyson’s hair care category manager, says that’s to accommodate the different ways pros use hairdryers compared to how you or I might use one. In short, the Supersonic r had to be lighter and more maneuverable. Compared to the original Supersonic, the r is 30 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter, weighing 325g or 11oz.
“If you’re using it at home, maybe you do a half-hour blow dry session....
The VergeUber ends the year in the black for the first time ever
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Well, it only took 15 years, but better late than never.
For the first time in its history, Uber ended the year having made more money than it spent on its ridehailing and delivery operations. As noted by Business Insider, the company reported an operating profit of $1.1 billion in 2023, compared to a $1.8 billion loss in 2022. Moreover, Uber said it made a net income of $1.9 billion after losing a whopping $9.1 billion in 2022.
“Looking back, 2023 was an inflection point for Uber,” CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an earnings call this week, “proving that we can continue to generate strong profitable growth at scale.”
“Looking back, 2023 was an inflection point for Uber”
Under Khosrowshahi, Uber has made steady progress in the years...
The VergeJBL Authentics 300 smart speaker review: two assistants at once
JBL is the first to make Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant coexist on the same speaker, and it works quite well. But the price you pay for that convenience feels a little uneven.
The VergeKnuckles is ready to box in new trailer for his Paramount Plus spinoff series
Paramount’s most recent Sonic movie really reinforced how its titular hedgehog is nothing without his friends, but the studio’s new Knuckles spinoff series starring Idris Elba looks like it’ll be a lesson in how echidnas handle business (mostly) by themselves.
Set between the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the upcoming third movie, Knuckles zooms in on Knuckles’ (Idris Elba) new life in Green Hills, Montana, where he, Sonic (Ben Schwartz), and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) have become a kind of alien family. After years of trying to be a good parental figure to Sonic, Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter) couldn’t be happier to have people like Knuckles around, if only because he can actually keep up with the hedgehog. But as good as...
The VergeYou can stream the Super Bowl for free with this one-month Paramount Plus deal
Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
You don’t need to sign up for a pricey cable package just to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday. Plenty of streaming services from Fubo to Philo TV are offering free trials, with Paramount Plus arguably offering the best deal.
Now through February 10th, new subscribers can get a free month of ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime included when they use the code JUNE. In case you read this too late and miss that deadline, Paramount Plus will once again offer the same deal on the day of the Super Bowl itself for one day when you use the code GOAT.
The promotion means you’ll have access to a whole library of content to keep you entertained once the Big Game is over. In addition to live sports, Paramount Plus and Showtime’s catalog includes...
The VergeThis iPod-like button could be a great smart home controller
With customizable icons and an intuitive click wheel, the Linxura solves a big problem with smart buttons. But it needs to dial up its integrations before it’s worth your money.
The VergeIs this image a pair of shoes or a sponge? TikTok isn’t sure
Photo by Jean Chung / Getty Images
TikTok isn’t just a place to offload your celebrity opinions, give strangers a complete home tour, or share a DIY hack. Each video — at least in TikTok’s view — is also a possible advertisement.
As I was scrolling through my feed this week, a video from an account I don’t follow popped up discussing actor Hunter Schafer’s Grammys afterparty outfit. The account has a modest 43,000 followers, and the video has less than 8,000 views. It followed the typical outfit breakdown format: identifying the designer of Schafer’s dress, showing a few different angles, and adding close-up shots of her shoes.
As the video was ending, a button popped up prompting me to view items in TikTok Shop related to the shoes. The blue and orange embellished heels...
The VergeGoogle’s AI now goes by a new name: Gemini
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Google is famous for having a million similar products with confusingly different names and seemingly nothing in common. (Can I interest you in a messaging app?) But when it comes to its AI work, going forward there is only one name that matters: Gemini.
The company announced on Thursday that it is renaming its Bard chatbot to Gemini, releasing a dedicated Gemini app for Android, and even folding all its Duet AI features in Google Workspace into the Gemini brand. It also announced that Gemini Ultra 1.0 — the largest and most capable version of Google’s large language model — is being released to the public.
Gemini’s mobile apps will likely be the place most people encounter the new tool. If you download the new app on Android, it can...
The VergeApple moves away from iTunes on PC with new Windows apps
Illustration: The Verge
Apple is officially launching its Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Devices apps on Windows this week. The apps were originally launched in preview last year, but Apple has now removed the preview tag after working with Microsoft to launch the apps.
The trio of apps, in combination with an overhauled iCloud for Windows app, are designed to move Windows users away from the reliance of iTunes, according to MacRumors. If you use Apple TV, Apple Music, and Apple Devices then iTunes is only required for access to podcasts and audiobooks on Windows.
Image: Apple
The Apple TV app on Windows.
The Apple Music app provides access to the iTunes library, alongside song and album purchases. Apple TV also lets Windows users...
The VergeiOS 17.4 could fix Apple’s awkward video reactions feature
The animations are fine for FaceTime, but maybe not a therapy telehealth app. | Image: Apple
Apple looks ready to give developers more control over its video emoji reactions feature in upcoming iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 updates, MacRumors reports. The feature, which was introduced with the release of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 last year (as well as in macOS 14), automatically shows 3D animations like fireworks and lasers when an Apple device’s camera sees participants making certain hand gestures on a call. iOS 17.4 reportedly offers a new API to let third-party developers turn off the feature.
The update appears to be in response to reports from last year that the chipper 3D animations — which are turned on by default — could trigger in inappropriate situations like online therapy sessions. That’s because as well as appearing in...
The VergeMeta’s not happy with its bill for enforcing the EU’s tough new DSA
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge
Meta is challenging a fee it must pay EU regulators tasked with enforcing tough new content moderation rules required by the Digital Services Act (DSA), Reuters reports. Although the fee is capped at 0.05 percent of a company’s profits, Meta isn’t happy that loss-making companies won’t have to pay while it’s on the hook for a reported €11 million.
“We disagree with the methodology used to calculate these fees,” Meta’s EMEA policy comms spokesperson Ben Walters tells The Verge. “Currently, companies that record a loss don’t have to pay, even if they have a large user base or represent a greater regulatory burden, which means some companies pay nothing, leaving others to pay a disproportionate amount of the total.”
“Some companies pay...
The VergeESR Qi2 wireless car charger review: goodbye Mag$afe
It’s just as fast, the magnet is just as strong, but it costs half as much as those proprietary Apple mounts.
The VergeGoogle’s use of student data could effectively ban Chromebooks from Denmark schools
Illustration: The Verge
Danish privacy regulator Datatilsysnet has ruled that cities in Denmark need considerably more assurances about privacy to use Google service that may expose children’s data, reports BleepingComputer. The agency found (translated) that Google uses student data from Chromebooks and Google Workplace for Education “for its own purposes,” which isn’t allowed under European privacy law.
Municipalities will need to explain by March 1st how they plan to comply with the order to stop transferring data to Google, and won’t be able to do so at all starting August 1st, which could mean phasing out Chromebooks entirely.
The regulator ruled that municipalities aren’t allowed to send Google data unless the laws change or Google provides a way to...
The VergeDisney Plus will start its password-sharing crackdown this summer
Nick Barclay / The Verge
Disney’s password-sharing crackdown will officially begin this spring. During an earnings call on Wednesday, Disney chief financial officer Hugh Johnston said Disney Plus accounts “suspected of improper sharing” will see an option to sign up for their own subscription.
Disney will also start letting account holders add people outside their household for an “additional fee” — but it didn’t say how much that will cost. “We want to reach as large an audience as possible with our outstanding content,” Johnston said. “We’re looking forward to rolling out this new functionality to improve the overall customer experience and grow our subscriber base.”
This year, both Disney Plus and Hulu have updated their terms of service to ban users from...
The VergeTaylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film is coming to Disney Plus
Photo by Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
Disney has won the streaming competition for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film. This afternoon the company announced that Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) will be available exclusively on the service starting March 15th.
This is being billed as “the concert film in its entirety for the first time,” since this version will include “Cardigan” and four additional acoustic songs that weren’t part of the theatrical film or the video-on-demand rental, which itself tacked on several bonus tracks.
The Eras Tour film grossed over $260 million worldwide at the box office, enough to make it the top-selling concert film of all time. It was released for digital rental in December, and now is finally making the move to a streaming...
The VergeDisney invests $1.5 billion in Epic to create ‘persistent universe’ tied to Fortnite
Image: Epic Games
Disney and Fortnite maker Epic Games are teaming up to build what’s being described as an “expansive and open games and entertainment universe.” As part of the announcement, Disney revealed that it is investing $1.5 billion in an equity stake in Epic.
Details on what this metaverse-like project will look like are sparse, but here’s how Disney explains it:
In addition to being a world-class games experience and interoperating with Fortnite, the new persistent universe will offer a multitude of opportunities for consumers to play, watch, shop and engage with content, characters, and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and more. Players, gamers, and fans will be able to create their own stories and experiences, express...
The VergeI see your 67W USB-C charger and raise you one with a tiny Macintosh screen
The Sharge Retro 67 and Retro 35 chargers.
When my colleague Chris Welch shared his favorite USB-C travel charger with the world last week, I took it as a challenge. I humbly submit that my charger is just as small and powerful as his Belkin — and it has a built-in screen and power meter so you can see how well your gadgets are charging!
Oh, and it looks like a tiny Macintosh computer, in case that floats your boat. My boat is floating.
Sharge sent a review unit of the $70 Sharge Retro 67 about a year ago, and I liked it so much, I bought one myself. Like my colleague’s $45 Belkin BoostCharge 67W, it’s a three-port USB-C PD and PPS charger with folding prongs, one that can put out...
The VergeApple made an AI image tool that lets you make edits by describing them
Illustration: The Verge
Apple researchers released a new model that lets users describe in plain language what they want to change in a photo without ever touching photo editing software.
The MGIE model, which Apple worked on with the University of California, Santa Barbara, can crop, resize, flip, and add filters to images all through text prompts.
MGIE, which stands for MLLM-Guided Image Editing, can be applied to simple and more complex image editing tasks like modifying specific objects in a photo to make them a different shape or come off brighter. The model blends two different uses of multimodal language models. First, it learns how to interpret user prompts. Then it “imagines” what the edit would look like (asking for a bluer sky in a photo becomes...
The VergeToyota overcomes its EV skepticism to announce a three-row electric SUV for the US
Toyota is investing $1.3 billion in its Kentucky plant to support the production of EVs.
Toyota is pumping $1.3 billion into its factory in Kentucky for “future electrification efforts,” including the production of a currently unnamed three-row electric SUV for the US market. The news comes as a bit of a surprise, as the largest automaker in the world is also one of the most hostile toward the industry-wide shift to EVs.
Toyota says the money will fund an EV assembly line at its Kentucky plant, as well as battery pack assembly with EV batteries supplied by its facility in North Carolina. The company has said it would invest a total of $17 billion in its US operations to support the shift to EVs.
Of course, this may come as cold comfort to environmentalists, who have been battling the automaker for years over its anti-EV...
The VergeHow to keep your art out of AI generators
Here’s how to opt-out where you can, and fight back where you can’t. | Samar Haddad / The Verge
AI-generated imagery feels inescapable. It’s in the video games you play, in the movies you watch, and has flooded social media platforms. It’s even been used to promote the physical hardware that real, human artists use to create digital paintings and illustrations, to the immense frustration of those who already feel displaced by the technology.
The pervasive nature of it seems especially egregious to creators who are fighting to stop their works from being used, without consent or compensation, to improve the very thing that threatens to disrupt their careers and livelihoods. The data pools that go into training generative AI models often contain images that are indiscriminately scraped from the internet, and some AI image generator...
The VergeX hits number one in App Store as leaked Drake nude goes viral
Illustration: The Verge
X hit the number one slot among free apps on Apple’s App Store Wednesday, just as another celebrity image scandal was going viral on its platform.
The hashtag “drakevideo” was trending as of Wednesday in the US, after a video that users speculated to be the rapper Drake half nude and engaged in a sexual act spread across the service.
The incident comes less than two weeks after X struggled to stop the spread of another salacious celebrity image. In late January, fake, AI-generated explicit images of Taylor Swift circulated on the platform, leading the company to at one point block all searches for the artist’s name.
But the scandals hardly seemed to hurt X in terms of downloads. X owner Elon Musk bragged about the app’s ascension to the...