Can Nintendo’s Alarmo run Doom? You bet it can

This, but blasting demons. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

What do John Deere tractors, Ikea smart bulbs, Lego bricks, and the MacBook Pro Touch Bar have in common? They can all run Doom, and naturally, so can Nintendo’s adorable Alarmo alarm clock. It was only a matter of time before someone pulled that off, but what I didn’t expect was that when it happened, it would be playable.

That’s exactly what hacker GaryOberNicht, who recently figured out how to run custom firmware on the Alarmo, did in a video posted to Mastodon and their X account yesterday. In it, they play by turning or pressing the mushroom-shaped blob on top of the Alarmo to move and pressing the other buttons to shoot or open doors. Here, have a look:

Gary said it’s “possible to load the shareware version of Doom entirely from...

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Your favorite musician’s favorite TikTok show

Image: Samar Haddad / The Verge

Guess the artist, win five bucks. Whether you’re a random person on the streets of New York, an A-list celebrity, or the sitting Vice President of the United States, that’s the pitch behind one of the most fun music shows on social media. You show up, you get some headphones and a microphone, and you hope you know what song is playing.

The show is called Track Star, and it’s hosted by Jack Coyne. On this episode of The Vergecast, the first in our three-part miniseries about the future of music, Coyne joins the show to tell us the story of Track Star.

We talk about the show’s beginnings as a trivia show about New York called Public Opinion, how Coyne and his co-creators figured out the show’s structure and pace, how he thinks about his...

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US immigration policy has a huge blind spot: climate change

Activists gather in New York City in August 2024. | Photo: Luis Yañez

Joe Biden raised hopes that the US would finally plan for climate-displaced migrants. Today, it’s still a glaring hole in climate and immigration policy.

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Rolls-Royce’s first electric vehicle sounds like no other

Tim Stevens

My favorite feature of the new $420,000, all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre isn’t the cosseting ride quality or the illuminated stars embedded in the headliner of the insanely ornate interior. It isn’t the 577 horsepower or the 266 miles of range. It’s neither the “yes, that’s the spot” massaging seats nor the curbside presence of that upright, chromed front grille. It isn’t even the aerodynamically refined yet classically styled Spirit of Ecstasy statuette perched atop.

My favorite feature of the Spectre is the sound it makes. As an EV, it doesn’t really make any engine sound on its own. It’s a rolling cocoon made inherently anti-acoustic thanks to the tireless work of some surely big-eared scientists. So, to inject a little more life...

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The AI search engines are here — and getting better

Image: David Pierce / The Verge

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 59, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, so psyched you found us, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been reading about HotWired and DRAM and Mike Solana, watching The Diplomat, jamming to Dua Lipa’s Tiny Desk concert, trying Smashing for news reading and cool-stuff discovery, testing my bandwidth caps downloading Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and listening to all six hours of the Acquired Meta episode.

I also have for you some interesting new AI search products, some new Apple gear, a couple of documentaries to watch this weekend, a calendar app for Windows, and much more.

Oh, and thanks to everyone...

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Here are the best AirPods deals you can get right now

The new AirPods 4 deliver better sound and voice call quality than prior models. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

If you know where to look, you can often score discounts on Apple’s ever-popular AirPods. Although we’ve yet to see major deals on the new AirPods 4 and the updated AirPods Max, both the second- and third-gen AirPods can still often be found at a steep discount. The same goes for the original Max, which are nearly indistinguishable from the previous model aside from the addition of USB-C.

Here, we’ve rounded up the best deals currently available on each model, including the second-gen and third-gen AirPods, both iterations of the AirPods 4, the latest AirPods Pro with USB-C, and the last-gen AirPods Max.

The best AirPods (second-gen) deals

Before they were discontinued alongside the AirPods 4 announcement, the second-gen AirPods were...

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Trailers of the week: Squid Game, Presence, and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Screenshot: YouTube

With all the noise from the lead-up to the 2024 US Presidential election next week, you’d be forgiven for having missed some of the trailers that came out over the last few days. Not to worry; I’ve got you covered for some of the best ones.

This week’s trailers included a teaser for Netflix’s second season of Squid Game, a new haunted house horror film from Steven Soderbergh, and a look at Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Daniel Craig showed up in a trailer for a new A24 movie called Queer.

Squid Game season 2

Squid Game is finally returning for its second season soon, and in a new teaser, Lee Jung-jae’s Gi-hun looks like he’s preparing to stage an uprising. Whatever happens, it looks like the season will be a bloody, violent return for the...

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Kindle Colorsoft owners complain of a yellow bar on the e-reader’s screen

Image: David Pierce / The Verge

People have started receiving their orders of Amazon’s first color e-reader, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, and many say they’re disappointed to find a yellow, discolored strip at the bottom of the display. Complaints about the $279.99 e-reader’s display have spread online and dragged down its Amazon star rating, and some report customer service reps say a fix is on the way.

A Reddit user posted a thread with images (see below), saying it’s most obvious when the Kindle “is supposed to be evenly lit and colored like a piece of paper.” Many others with the same issue say they’ve exchanged their Colorsoft for a new one or simply returned it. Another said they only noticed it while using the device’s edge lighting.

It’s possible...

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The best wireless earbuds to buy right now

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

The best from Apple, Bose, Samsung, Sony, Beats, Google, and more.

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Apple’s AirTags have dropped to one of their best prices to date

Let’s face it, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better location tracker if you’re tapped into the Apple ecosystem. | Photo: Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, meaning airports everywhere are about to get slammed. Thankfully, if you plan on flying out of town this holiday season, Apple’s AirTags can help you speed through the baggage claim with some extra piece of mind. A four-pack normally goes for $99, but right now, you can buy them for just under $74 at Walmart and Best Buy — a mere $1 shy of their best price to date.

If you own an iPhone, Apple’s AirTags are the best Bluetooth trackers you can buy. They offer impressively precise tracking thanks to Apple’s ultra wideband chip and their ability to tap into Apple’s vast Find My system, which lets them cover a broader range than Bluetooth alone. You can also share them with up to five people — assuming...

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Invincible Fight Girl’s creator wants to keep the dream of serialized animation alive

Adult Swim

Juston Gordon-Montgomery sees his new shonen-inspired Adult Swim series as a gateway to the world of wrestling.

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Windblown shows how good roguelikes can be with friends

Image: Motion Twin

Some of the most beloved roguelikes are single-player — the likes of Hades, Balatro, and Dead Cells are all solo titles. But Windblown, the new roguelike from Motion Twin, the studio that created Dead Cells, showed me just how cool it can be to play a roguelike with other people.

In Windblown, your character, one of a few adorable animal adventurers like an axolotl or a bat, is shot out of a cannon into a mysterious giant tornado to fight your way through various zones. Like Dead Cells, you can equip up to two main weapons. I typically have one for close-range bouts and another for long-distance attacks. But with every weapon, you’re also able to pull off a combo that uses a special move from the other weapon called an “Alterattack.”

H...

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For sale, a good night’s sleep, just $4,700

Cat not included.

Using the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra has given me the best sleep of my life. I just can’t get over the price and subscription.

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Is Amazon’s robotaxi company trying to sidestep federal safety laws?

Image: Zoox

This week, Zoox cofounder and CTO Jesse Levinson announced at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 that it would start rolling out its purpose-built autonomous vehicles in San Francisco and Las Vegas in the coming weeks.

But little was said about the ongoing investigation into the Amazon-owned company’s claims that its vehicles — which are shaped like giant toasters and lack traditional controls like steering wheels and pedals — comply with federal safety rules.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has an open investigation into Zoox’s claim that its vehicles are self-certified, a spokesperson confirmed this week. And NHTSA has not granted the company an exemption from these rules. The spokesperson declined to comment on the...

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An Okta login bug bypassed checking passwords on some long usernames

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty Images

On Friday evening, Okta posted an odd update to its list of security advisories. The latest entry reveals that under specific circumstances, someone could’ve logged in by entering anything for a password, but only if the account’s username had over 52 characters.

According to the note people reported receiving, other requirements to exploit the vulnerability included Okta checking the cache from a previous successful login, and that an organization’s authentication policy didn’t add extra conditions like requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Here are the details that are currently available:

On October 30, 2024, a vulnerability was internally identified in generating the cache key for AD/LDAP DelAuth. The Bcrypt algorithm was...

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Some iPhone 14 Plus phones have a camera issue, but Apple may fix it for free

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Apple announced a new service program to fix iPhone 14 Plus phones that have rear cameras that won’t show a preview.

Here’s Apple’s specific definition of the affected phones, according to the service program page:

Apple has determined that the rear camera on a very small percentage of iPhone 14 Plus devices may exhibit no preview. Affected devices were manufactured between April 10, 2023 to April 28, 2024.

If your iPhone 14 Plus is affected — and you can enter your serial number on the program page to see if yours is — Apple says it or an Authorized Service Provider will service your phone for free. If you’ve already paid to have the camera repaired, Apple says to reach out to ask if you can get a refund.

Eligible phones will be...

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Hyundai’s cutesy Inster EV doesn’t need to be quick

This will fit in most parking spots. | Image: Hyundai

The reviews for Hyundai’s little electric SUV that could are trickling in, and it’s clear that the Inster is a delightful way to move about town — regardless of its lack of quickness compared to other similarly-sized EVs. The Inster’s top speed for the long-range version is about 93 miles per hour (or 150 km/h), and it has a zero to 62 mph (100km/h) acceleration in 10.6 seconds, according to the specs Hyundai published today.

Hyundai also revealed more details about the Inster’s price, with European reviewers saying it’s expensive compared to similar competition at £23,495 (about $25,477). In the US, however, that’s a price we can only dream about since our most affordable options include the $35,000 Chevy Equinox EV or the hope Tesla...

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Fortnite kicked off its remixed Chapter 2 season with a Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice concert

Image: Epic Games

Fortnite is rewinding the clock once again. After a bit of teasing, Epic is about to kick off a new period in the battle royale game dubbed The Remix: Chapter 2 — and it’s not only looking back in time, it’s integrating music in an ambitious new way.

The launch of the remixed season was preceded by a musical event, similar to the Eminem concert that teased a new era for Fortnite. This time around, Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice took the stage — both in the game and IRL at Times Square in New York — and once the season kicks off, the musical aspects will go a step farther.

Image: Epic Games

As the name implies, the new mini season brings back many of the characters, gameplay elements, and locations of the game’s second...

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Bose is taking up to 40 percent off headphones ahead of Black Friday

Thanks to their superb ANC, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are our No. 1 pick when it’s time to hop aboard a plane. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Well, the early Black Friday deals took less than a day to begin. Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe’s, and a number of other major retailers have officially begun running their holiday promotions in anticipation of the annual shopping event, though few of them are offering discounts as steep as Bose. For a limited time, you can grab the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for an all-time low of $329 ($100 off) or the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for $229 ($100 off) via the same retailers (Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy).

Unsurprisingly, the QC Ultra Headphones and QC Ultra Earbuds are incredibly similar, form factor notwithstanding. Both offer exceptional comfort and best-in-class noise cancellation, allowing you to...

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Agatha All Along rushed its journey down the ‘Witches’ Road’

Image: Disney Plus / Marvel

But Marvel’s WandaVision follow-up stuck the landing by spelling out the secrets that were hiding in plain sight.

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Hyundai knows how to make a good-looking hydrogen concept car

Image: Hyundai

Hyundai is one of several automakers working to make hydrogen-powered electric vehicles a thing, and a good first step is making sure they’re not ugly. I think the designers hit the target with the “Art of Steel” design language used in the Initium concept SUV revealed this week at an event in Korea. It seems to borrow some of the fearlessly angular and retro-inspired looks it’s teased over the years on other vehicles like the N Vision 74 concept and the Seven (which will eventually become the Ioniq 9).

According to Hyundai's estimates, the Initium can drive more than 400 miles (650km) on a single refuel — about 30 miles further than its production Nexo fuel cell SUV. Hyundai says the Initium is a “preview” of an upcoming fuel cell EV it...

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Star Wars: Skeleton Crew looks like a wild ride in new trailer

Image: Disney

Disney released a new trailer for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, its new Star Wars Disney Plus show premiering next month, and it looks like the show is going to be pretty fun.

“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy,” according to Disney’s official description. “Finding their way home — and meeting unlikely allies and enemies — will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.”

One of the people the kids meet along the way is the mysterious Jod, who is played by Jude Law.

Skeleton Crew was originally announced in 2022 with an intended release of 2023. That obviously didn’t happen, but Disney confirmed...

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Meta’s new OS update for Quest includes a redesign and train mode

Photo by David Pierce / The Verge

Meta is introducing some big changes with its Quest v71 update, including a redesign of Meta Horizon OS, a calendar app, and the ability to use Travel Mode on a train. The update will start rolling out gradually next week.

Let’s start with the redesign. Meta says that it’s “tweaking the look and feel of Horizon OS” and that new headsets will use an “improved” light theme by default. (Dark mode fans, fear not: the dark theme is still present, and if you’re already using it, Meta won’t switch you over automatically.) Meta has “also made assorted changes to the way panels look and behave, where the control bar resides, the colors of various UI elements, and so on,” according to a blog post. And the Settings menu has “a new look and layout”...

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Schwinn resurrected its classic ‘70s Hurricane as a modern e-bike

The Hurricane Compact Electric Bike offers a range of 30 miles. | Image: Schwinn

The Schwinn Hurricane, an iconic kids bike of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, could soon be a staple of the suburbs once again thanks to an electric revival. The new Schwinn Hurricane Compact Electric Bike isn’t an exact dupe of the original, but shares a lot of the classic’s styling, with the added convenience of an electric motor and a rechargeable battery.

The electric Hurricane is designed for riders 13 years and older who weigh up to 260lb, but its smaller frame and 14-inch aluminum wheels make it better suited for teens. It’s available now through Schwinn’s website for $599.99.

That’s not necessarily cheap as smaller bikes go, but it is cheaper than e-bikes from brands like Juiced Bikes and Super73 which have already attracted the...

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You can now try Microsoft’s more modern Windows Hello UI

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is modernizing how its Windows Hello authentication, which includes facial and fingerprint recognition, works in Windows 11. The revamp to the Windows Hello experience is now in beta testing with Windows Insiders, and includes visual changes, new iconography, and improvements to passkeys.

Not only will this new UI appear on the Windows 11 login screen, but also when you’re using passkeys to sign into websites and apps. “We redesigned Windows security credential user experiences for passkey creating a cleaner experience that supports secured and quick authentication,” explains the Windows team. “Users will now be able to switch between authentication options and select passkey / devices more intuitively.”

Image:...

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Intel’s future laptops will have memory sticks again

Image: Intel

Intel is rolling back one of the biggest changes to its laptop chips in years. Remember how this fall’s Lunar Lake laptops ditched the idea of memory sticks, putting a fixed amount of RAM on the processor package instead? Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger now says that turned out to be a financial mistake, and Intel won’t do it again. Oh, and he may be axing desktop GPUs, too.

Future Intel generations of chips, including Panther Lake and Nova Lake, won’t have baked-on memory. “It’s not a good way to run the business, so it really is for us a one-off with Lunar Lake,” said Gelsinger on Intel’s Q3 2024 earnings call, as spotted by VideoCardz.

“We’ll build it in a more traditional way with memory off-package, and the CPU and I/O capabilities in the...

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Sony names new PlayStation leaders following Jim Ryan’s retirement

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Sony is appointing co-CEOs Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino to lead its PlayStation business from June 1st. Hermen Hulst, who currently serves as PlayStation studios chief, will be appointed as CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) studio business group. Hideaki Nishino will be appointed CEO of SIE’s platform business group, and both will report up to Sony CFO and SIE chairman Hiroki Totoki.

The unusual appointment of co-CEOs comes just months after former PlayStation boss Jim Ryan retired. Totoki had been serving as interim CEO of SIE and was working to find the successor for the SIE CEO role, but Sony has now decided it wants to split up responsibilities for leading its PlayStation business across platform and games. Both...

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The WashG1 is Dyson’s first mop

The Dyson WashG1 can wipe up wet messes. | Image: Dyson

Dyson’s newest device for dealing with dirt in your home is a mechanical mop. Unlike the British engineering company’s flagship fans, hair dryers, and vacuums, the new Dyson WashG1 floor washing machine doesn’t use precision-engineered fans or a fine-tuned Hyperdymium motor. Instead, the mop relies on mechanical agitation to clean up wet spills, picks up dirt and debris, and gives your hard floors a really good wash.

The WashG1 wet floor cleaner — aka mop — costs $699.99 and is the company’s first dedicated mopping device. The cordless, battery-powered mop is slated for release this fall, and you can sign up to be notified when the world’s fanciest mop arrives on Dyson’s site.

While it’s definitely fancy, this isn’t a smart mop —...

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TikTok is testing AI-generated search results

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge

TikTok is testing a more robust search results page, including using generative AI. The feature appears to be a new and is called “search highlights.”

A snippet of AI results appear at the top of some search results pages, and clicking into the section opens a new page with the full response. In quick tests, I was able to find AI results for queries about recipes or topics like “best laptops 2024.”

Screenshot: TikTok

Clicking the result takes you to a full screen page.

A page explaining the results says that the material is generated using ChatGPT, and that TikTok displays the content “when [the algorithm] finds them relevant to your search.” The feature appears to be limited so far: not all queries have AI...

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AI gun detection company name-dropped Disney in its successful pitch to NYC

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images

When New York City Mayor Eric Adams was first introduced to a representative from Evolv, the AI gun detection company, he was given a list of places the scanners could be used, including hospitals, schools, Times Square, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. What seems to have persuaded Adams, according to emails obtained by Wired, was Evolv’s disclosure of another major client: Disney.

“As I mentioned, Linda Reid, VP Security for Walt Disney World (Florida) has known us since 2014 and deployed many of our systems at the Parks and Disney Springs,” Evolv co-founder Anil Chitkara wrote in an email to Adams’ office on February 7th, 2022. “They’ve had success screening for weapons with Evolv Express … There may be some interesting parallels...

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