The Verge
The M3 MacBook Air has a familiar look
They look the same. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
The midnight color still smudges, but the M3 processor gives it a speed boost.
The VergeThe VergeAdobe adds generative AI to new Express mobile app that’s free to try
Adobe Express users can use the new mobile beta to collaborate with desktop Express users on the same projects. | Image: Adobe
Adobe has released a new app for Adobe Express, its cloud-based mobile design platform, bringing the same creative, editing, and Firefly-powered generative AI features enjoyed by desktop users to iOS and Android devices. Available to try for free today in beta, the new Adobe Express app allows users to easily produce creative assets like social media posts, posters, and website banners, with Creative Cloud members able to access and edit Photoshop and Illustrator files directly within the mobile app.
The Adobe Express beta is a free download, with premium features like the Firefly-powered Generative Fill and Text to Image effects available at no additional cost while the app is in testing. Adobe hasn’t announced when it’ll be generally...
The VergeLeica put all of its best specs into the new $6,995 SL3
The new $6,995 Leica SL3 has a 60-megapixel sensor. | Image: Becca Farsace / The Verge
Today, Leica announced the new SL3, the latest version of its full-frame mirrorless camera system that succeeds the SL2 from 2019. Inside its all-metal body are the guts of the Leica Q3 that launched last spring. It includes a 60-megapixel sensor, improved autofocus, and the ability to shoot video in 8K. But what sets the SL3 apart is hardware that’s better suited for pros, including a very large hand grip for extended use and IP54 water resistance for more peace of mind out in the elements.
There is no mistaking that the SL3 is a Leica with that huge logo on the front.
Outside of specs, what sets the SL3 apart from the SL2 is a slightly smaller size, although it’s still very large and in charge, and hardware tuned...
The VergeSmart home hubs: what they are and why you need one
Illustration by Adrián Astorgano
If you’re planning a truly smart home, then you’re going to need a smart hub. Here’s what you need to know.
The VergeHello and goodbye to the MacBook Air
Image: Alex Parkin / The Verge
Apple announced two new MacBook Air models this week, with spec upgrades across the board — and a bunch of confusing ideas about how your laptop can be great at AI. We’ll see how all of that shakes out in our review, but there’s little question that the Air will still be one of the best laptops you can buy. But these new models, and the final death of the wedge design, raise some questions. Questions like: what does the “Air” even mean anymore? And: was Apple right to try to kill the MacBook Air altogether a bunch of years ago?
On this episode of _The Vergecast (_which is a day early because we’re all about to head to SXSW — come hang with us!), we decide the new Airs don’t warrant too much discussion before proceeding to talk about them...
The VergeHow smart home technology made my home more accessible
Illustration by Adrián Astorgano
When it comes to smart home technology, what many reviewers and users may see as convenience, other people see as accessibility. In other words, using one’s phone or voice to flip a light switch may be convenient for you because you don’t need to get up. For me and other disabled people, this makes it accessible.
The best illustration of this concept involves the AmazonBasics microwave. The Alexa-powered device (which, as far as can be determined, has not been available for sale for over a year) was admittedly a bit gimmicky. Why would you want to talk to your microwave to heat your food? The controls are right there. But while it is true that the microwave is pretty mediocre — my partner constantly bemoans how small and...
The VergeMicrosoft confirms Surface and Windows AI event for March 21st
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Microsoft has quietly announced a “digital event” for Surface, Windows, and Copilot later this month. The March 21st “new era of work” event is targeted at Microsoft’s business customers and will feature new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 devices for businesses, as we reported earlier this week, with a focus on Microsoft’s upcoming AI improvements to Windows 11.
The Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 commercial versions will be minor spec bumps, according to sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans. Microsoft will also offer an OLED display on the Surface Pro 10 for consumers, which the company is expected to reveal later this spring.
The Surface Laptop 6 may include a new design
The new Surface Laptop 6 could be the most...
The VergeNikon is acquiring RED cameras
Nikon will now own RED’s catalog of professional film cameras, like the V-RAPTOR XL platform (pictured). | Image: RED
Nikon is acquiring RED, the company founded by Jim Jannard (founder of Oakley) and best known for digital cinema cameras including the RED One 4K and V-Raptor X. Exact terms of the deal were not disclosed in Nikon’s press release, which outlined how RED will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the camera company.
Nikon hopes to use the deal to expand into the professional digital cinema camera market, drawing from RED’s “knowledge in cinema cameras, including unique image compression technology and color science.” RED currently has around 220 employees, per Nikon’s press release, and has its headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California.
Although best known for its digital cinema cameras, RED attempted to expand into the smartphone market...
The VergeSwitchBot’s robot hand to unlock your door gets a big upgrade
The new retrofit smart door lock from SwitchBot has a sleeker look than its predecessor. | Image: SwitchBot
SwitchBot has launched a new version of its retrofit smart lock. The SwitchBot Lock Pro ($119.99) offers a few upgrades over the company’s first lock, the SwitchBot Lock, including an aluminum alloy body, a more secure installation, and a new quick key lock / unlock mechanism.
The SwitchBot Lock Pro costs $119.99 (£139.99 / €139.99) — or $199.99 (£239.99 / €239.99) if you want the keypad and Matter hub bundle. This adds fingerprint, NFC tag, and keypad unlocking via the Bluetooth keypad, plus the hub brings compatibility with all the major smart home platforms through Matter and control of the lock when you’re away from home.
Rather than replacing your entire deadbolt, as most smart locks do, a retrofit lock turns the existing mechanism...
The VergeSpaceX allegedly fostered serial sexual abuse, according to this lawsuit
SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, in 2021. | Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
A SpaceX employee says that she spent seven years working at the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California enduring sexual abuse, unequal pay, discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation, in a new lawsuit against the company. But her story paints a much graver picture than those individual words can convey, describing widespread harassment and coordinated action to not only enable but also later give cover for sexual coercion, by a man she says was her direct supervisor.
The employee, Michelle Dopak, also claims that SpaceX’s president and vice president of the company ignored her pleas for action. The details of her complaint are especially grim; while they echo the 2021 stories of five former SpaceX employees and eight...
The VergeTarget will launch unlimited rush shipping subscription to rival Amazon Prime
Target is launching Target Circle 360, a $99 annual subscription that will offer free, unlimited delivery and rush shipping on online orders. First announced during Target’s earnings call on Tuesday, the new plan will rival similar offerings by Walmart and Amazon that axe shipping costs for an annual fee. Target Circle 360 members will receive free two-day shipping and free same-day delivery on orders $35 and up. The plan will debut on Aprill 7, and will be priced at $49 until May 18 as a launch promotion.
This isn’t Target’s first entry into paid subscriptions. In fact, Target Circle 360 doesn’t appear to be a new plan as much as a rebranding and upgrade of its current delivery offerings. Shipt, which is owned by Target, already offers...
The VergeThe biggest stories from Hot Pod Summit
Ira Glass and Ariel Shapiro on stage at Hot Pod Summit. | Alexa Hoyer
This is Hot Pod_,_ The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more.
Hello! I have almost recovered from Hot Pod Summit. Thank you so much to everyone who came out this year. People from across the industry showed up ready to talk business, and we had a lot of lively and challenging discussions about advertising and business models. Did we solve all of the podcasting’s troubles? Hardly, but I know I am feeling more optimistic about the future of the industry. Below, I have some key takeaways from the events of the day.
I also made my first appearance at On Air Fest interviewing Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner. It was a lot of fun to talk craft (plus business, obviously) and get his perspective...
The VergeGoogle engineer indicted over allegedly stealing AI trade secrets for China
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
A federal grand jury has indicted a Google engineer, Linwei Ding, aka Leon Ding, for allegedly stealing trade secrets around Google’s AI chip software and hardware on March 5th, before he was arrested Wednesday morning in Newark, California. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said in a statement that Ding “stole from Google over 500 confidential files containing AI trade secrets while covertly working for China-based companies seeking an edge in the AI technology race.”
Much of the stolen data allegedly revolves around Google’s tensor processing unit (TPU) chips. Google’s TPU chips power many of its AI workloads and, in conjunction with Nvidia GPUs, can train and run AI models like Gemini. The company has also offered access to the...
The VergeThe best ebook reader to buy right now
Image: Will Joel / The Verge
From reading in the bath to scribbling notes in the margins, from diving into the Amazon ecosystem to avoiding it outright, there’s an e-reader for everyone.
The VergeHere are the best Apple Watch deals right now
The entry-level Apple Watch SE is a gateway smartwatch if there ever was one. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
In September, Apple launched its latest batch of smartwatches, introducing the Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799) alongside the new Apple Watch Series 9 ($399). Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE ($249), but the introduction of the new wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models on the market than ever before — and a lot more deals to be had.
But with all of those options, which one should you pick? Generally speaking, you want to buy the newest watch you can afford so that it continues to receive software updates from Apple. The latest update, watchOS 10, launched in September on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, though no one can say with certainty whether the Series 4 will get the...
The VergeLinkedIn is down
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Just one day after Meta’s network went offline for a while, LinkedIn is now inaccessible around the world, cutting off job listings, resumes, and even influencers. DownDetector started noting reports of problems after 3:45PM ET.
Both the apps and website are offline, while LinkedIn’s status page confirms the issues with a message posted at 4:04PM ET saying, “Some members may be experiencing issues on LinkedIn. We’re actively working on this and will provide updates as we have them. Thanks for your patience!” The most recent update, posted at 4:25PM ET says, “We are continuing to investigate this issue.”
It's not you, it's us. You may be experiencing issues when you try to visit LinkedIn. Our teams are working to resolve this and you...
The VergeMeta explains how WhatsApp’s encrypted chats will work with third-party services
Illustration: The Verge
Now that the EU’s new rules for digital “gatekeepers” are live, Meta is ready to tell everyone how WhatsApp and Messenger will offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) while complying with the Digital Markets Act’s (DMA) third-party chat requirements.
The DMA requires that Meta “must be ready to enable interoperability with other services within three months of receiving a request,” but according to the blog post, actually turning it on for public use could take longer than that. The requirements also only mandate support for one-on-one chats and sharing files like images, videos, or voice messages “in year one” of the new regulation before they expand over time to include group chats and calls.
Meta says third-party providers will have to...
The VergeThe M2 MacBook Air is already on sale for $100 less than its new starting price
The M2 MacBook Air is still a great value when it can be had for under $1,000. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
With the launch of the M3 MacBook Air, Apple is finally phasing out the aging M1 model. The latter has arguably been Apple’s best product from a value standpoint over the past few years, and now, the M2 MacBook Air seems poised to pick up where it left off. We’re already seeing retailers like B&H Photo offering the best price we’ve seen on the 13-inch base model with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an eight-core M2. It’s down to $899, which is $200 off the original MSRP and $100 cheaper than its new $999 starting price. You can also step up to 16GB of RAM for $1,149 ($150 off) or get it with 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM for $1,299 ($200 off).
The M2 MacBook Air isn’t majorly different from its predecessor (save for ditching the t...
The VergeTwitch is focused on mobile and streamer collaboration in 2024
Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge
Twitch has published an open letter from CEO Dan Clancy highlighting the plans the streaming platform has for the upcoming year. “This letter gives an early peek at some of the things we are doing in 2024 to help improve the service to better meet your needs,” Clancy wrote. Those plans include updates to its mobile platform, its collaboration tools, its sponsorship partners, and more. You can read all about them here, and Clancy is planning a livestream today at 3:30PM ET to talk more about the open letter.
In 2024 we’re focused on building products, tools, and programs to help you grow your communities and make streaming more rewarding, fun, and safe. Read the new open letter from Twitch CEO Dan Clancy to see some of the work we’re...
The VergeSEC says companies must disclose their greenhouse gas emissions — but not all of them
SEC Chairman Gary Gensler participates in a meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council at the U.S. Treasury on July 28, 2023 in Washington, DC. | Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted new rules that compel large companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and tell investors how their business is affected by climate change.
The new rules are weaker than what the SEC initially proposed in March 2022, which would have included a fuller picture of a company’s carbon footprint. Initially, it wanted each company to share pollution stemming from its operations, as well as emissions from its supply chain and the use of its products. Under the rules finalized today, companies won’t have to measure and disclose pollution from their supply chain and products — even though those emissions are often the biggest chunk of a company’s carbon footprint.
As a result,...
The VergeEpic says its iOS game store plans are stalled because Apple banned its developer account
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Epic’s plans to release its own third-party app store on iOS in the EU could be in trouble after Apple terminated the developer account it planned to use. In a blog post published today, the company shared a letter sent by Apple’s lawyers, which called Epic “verifiably untrustworthy” and said Apple does not believe that Epic will comply with its contractual commitments under its developer agreement.
“Please be advised that Apple has, effective immediately, terminated the Developer Program membership of Epic Games Sweden AB,” the letter — which is dated March 2nd — states. It cites Apple’s “contractual right” to terminate its Developer Program License Agreement with the company at “Apple’s sole discretion.”
While Apple’s termination of...
The VergeMicrosoft AI engineer warns FTC about Copilot Designer safety concerns
Illustration: The Verge
A Microsoft engineer is bringing safety concerns about the company’s AI image generator to the Federal Trade Commission, according to a report from CNBC. Shane Jones, who has worked for Microsoft for six years, wrote a letter to the FTC, stating that Microsoft “refused” to take down Copilot Designer despite repeated warnings that the tool is capable of generating harmful images.
When testing Copilot Designer for safety issues and flaws, Jones found that the tool generated “demons and monsters alongside terminology related to abortion rights, teenagers with assault rifles, sexualized images of women in violent tableaus, and underage drinking and drug use,” CNBC reports.
Additionally, Copilot Designer reportedly generated images of Disney...
The VergeGhost of Tsushima is coming to PC in May
Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The flood of PlayStation exclusives coming to the PC continues. This time, it’s the director’s cut of the samurai drama Ghost of Tsushima, which is launching on PC on May 16th. This version of the game includes the main campaign, as well as the Iki Island expansion and multiplayer mode called Legends.
Aside from that, Sony says that the PC port will feature “unlocked frame rates, a variety of graphics settings and presets, and customizable mouse and keyboard controls,” and is “fully optimized for 21:9 and 32:9 resolutions and even supports 48:9 resolutions for triple monitor setups.” The port is being handled by Nixxes, a studio Sony acquired in 2021.
The news shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as Sony has made the PC into a key part...
The VergeCities are sinking, and it’s making them more vulnerable to climate change
Lake Borgne on August 23, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Louisiana’s combination of rising waters and sinking land give it one of the highest rates of relative sea level rise on the planet. | Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images
America’s coastal cities are sinking, putting more people at risk for flooding than urban planners might have expected with sea level rise alone.
The gradual sinking of land, also known as land subsidence, could cause flooding to reach far more communities than previously anticipated, according to new research published today in the journal Nature. The study looked at 32 major cities along the US shoreline, and forecasted future flooding with climate change. In a worst-case scenario without adequate flood defenses, up to one in 50 people and one in 35 properties in those cities could face flooding during high tide by 2050.
Cities need to prepare for the double whammy, the researchers contend. The problem is twofold — sinking cities and...
The VergeNetflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender has been renewed for two more seasons
Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi. | Netflix
The season 1 finale of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbendermade it fairly clear that more episodes were probably on the way, and now the streamer’s making it official.
Netflix announced today that it has greenlit Albert Kim’s take on Avatar: The Last Airbender for another two seasons that will “bring The Legend of Aang to its proper conclusion.” Netflix also shared a new teaser image suggesting that, like the animated series, the live-action show’s second and third seasons will focus on Team Avatar’s adventures in the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, respectively.
There’s no word yet on when production on the new seasons will begin or when we might expect to see them on Netflix.
The VergeThe German Tesla plant fire is claimed by far-left ‘Volcano Group’
Tesla’s Gigafactory has been targeted by environmental activists who oppose plans to expand the facility. | Photo by Sean Gallup / Getty Images
A group of left-wing extremists has claimed responsibility for the suspected arson attack that shut down the Tesla Gigafactory outside of Berlin on Tuesday.
The group, which calls itself “Vulkangruppe Tesla Abschalten” (also known as “Vulcan Group” or “Volcano Group”), said in a statement posted to Kontrapolis.info that it aimed to cause “the largest possible blackout of the Gigafactory,” citing environmental and labor concerns as motivations behind the attack. (Google Translate was used to translate the letter from German to English. All quotes in this article are from that translation.)
Production was halted at the factory after the attack on a nearby electricity pylon cut power to the facility. Reuters reports that production isn’t...
The VergeIn a rare move, Alan Wake 2’s minimum PC requirements have been lowered
Image: Remedy
Remedy is lowering the official minimum system requirements for Alan Wake 2 on PC. The sequel launched in October without full support for Nvidia’s GTX 10-series of GPUs because Remedy opted for mesh shading that’s part of DirectX 12 Ultimate and not supported by GPUs like Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD’s RX 5600 XT.
Now, Remedy has “optimized rendering for GPU’s that don’t support mesh shaders,” meaning the minimum GPU requirements now include the GeForce GTX 1070 and Radeon RX 5600 XT instead of the more powerful GeForce RTX 2060 and Radeon RX 6600. That’s good news for owners of older PC gaming rigs, especially as Alan Wake 2 had some pretty hefty GPU requirements to begin with.
We've been optimizing the PC version of Alan Wake 2,...
The VergeRivian blazed a trail with its adventure EVs — can it stay on top?
Can the Rivian R2 save the day? | Image: Rivian
The company’s promise — and its future — rests with its next product, the more affordable R2 vehicle.
The VergeMy smart kitchen: the good, the bad, and the future
Illustration by Adrián Astorgano
When The Verge’s smart home reporter got the chance to design her kitchen, she went all in on smart connected appliances.
The VergeHow my smart home helps care for my pets
Illustration by Adrián Astorgano
From security cameras to temperature sensors, pet feeders to smart sprinklers, here’s the pet tech I use to look after my critters.