Model rocket enthusiasts are learning how to do vertical landings It took Aryan Kapoor three years to land a model rocket vertically. | Screenshot: YouTubeJoe Barnard (or BPS.Space) and Aryan Kapoor are two model rocket enthusiasts who’ve spent years working to advance the hobby with innovative ways to precisely steer model rockets and land them vertically instead of just watching them parachute back to Earth …

This climate tech startup wants to capture carbon and help data centers cool down 280 Earth’s pilot carbon removal facility in The Dalles, Oregon. | Image: 280 EarthData centers are a growing climate problem, especially as all the energy needed to train AI models inflates tech companies’ carbon footprints. A startup that spun out of Google’s “moonshot factory” X says its technology can provide a potential solution. It can pul…

Google says Gemini AI is making its robots smarter DeepMind found “preliminary evidence” that Gemini enables its robots to plan how to undertake complex tasks from simple instructions. | Image: Google DeepMindGoogle is training its robots with Gemini AI so they can get better at navigation and completing tasks. The DeepMind robotics team explained in a new research paper how using Gemini 1.5 Pro…

How to manage a road trip move Image: Jackson Gibbs for The VergeUprooting your life and moving hundreds — or thousands — of miles isn’t easy. Here’s how to make sense of it all. Continue reading…

This is Sonos’ next flagship soundbar Illustration: The VergeAs Sonos continues chipping away at fixing bugs and improving the performance of its poorly received mobile app redesign, the company also remains focused on several new hardware products. Among them is an ultrapremium soundbar that will serve as a successor to the current Sonos Arc — and likely at a higher price. Codename…

AI design apps made my new apartment look odd Image: Jackson Gibbs for The VergeI thought AI apps could help design my space, but they’re not quite ready yet. Continue reading…

UEFA, Instagram, and X ruin a killer Euro 2024 celebration The Killers marked England’s victory against The Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals with a bright(side) bang. | Image: The KillersThe Killers assisted UK fans in celebrating England’s Euro 2024 semifinal victory yesterday by pausing their gig at London’s O2 Arena to project the final moments of the game behind the band. Viral videos across…

Shuttered auto plants will become EV factories thanks to $1.7 billion Biden program Stellantis’ idled Belvidere Assembly Plant is one of the factories that will have new life as an EV facility thanks to $334 million in grant money. | Image: GettyThe Biden administration announced $1.7 billion to convert endangered or shuttered plants into electric vehicle manufacturing facilities. Eleven auto factories across eight states tha…

Starlink Mini is now available for anyone in the US to roam The Starlink Mini can be powered by a portable USB battery. | Image: SpaceXSpaceX’s Starlink Mini dish — which Elon Musk says “will change the world” — is now available to anyone in the US. The diminutive internet-from-space kit neatly integrates the dish and Wi-Fi router into a weatherproof package that’s significantly smaller and uses less pow…

Florida’s digital ID app has suddenly disappeared Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeThe Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has shut down its digital ID app, Florida Smart ID, for iPhones and Android phones. The department emailed users asking them to delete the app and said it’s looking for another vendor to help it revive the service by “early 2025,” acco…

Redbox’s disc rentals are over Photo by Mario Tama/Getty ImagesA judge overseeing Redbox owner Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s bankruptcy case granted a request Wednesday to convert it from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to Lowpass’ Janko Roettgers and The Wall Street Journal. The company’s lawyers said Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment will lay…

Early Apple tech bloggers are shocked to find their name and work have been AI-zombified Christina Warren hasn’t worked at this website since 2009, and that’s not her face. | Screenshot by Christina WarrenAn old Apple blog and the blog’s former authors have become the latest victims of AI-written sludge. TUAW (“The Unofficial Apple Weblog”) was shut down by AOL in 2015, but this past year, a new owner scooped up the domain and began…

Amazon’s carbon emissions fell last year Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeAmazon’s carbon emissions decreased slightly in 2023 after the company ramped up renewable energy purchases and cut down on pollution from construction, hardware, and equipment, according to its latest sustainability report. Back in 2019, Amazon pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Despite th…

Delta’s latest update lets iPad users emulate multiple games at once The Delta emulator app now provides native iPadOS support. | Image: Riley TestutThe Delta iOS app has released a new update that introduces the retro gaming emulator’s redesigned logo, alongside native iPad support that allows users to play multiple games simultaneously. Users in the EU can download the update immediately via AltStore PAL, but e…

The Animal Crossing-inspired Nintendo Switch Lite is down to its best price yet Walmart’s exclusive Switch Lite deal includes a digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. | Image: NintendoFrom terrific deals on MacBooks to the Super Mario Party Joy-Con bundle, Walmart’s rival Prime Day sale has surprised us with some pretty good deals. Today, we’re highlighting another one that’s perfect if you’re looking for something …

Meta will now let young kids chat in VR — but only with their parents’ approval Illustration by Nick Barclay / The VergeMeta will now let kids interact with other users in virtual reality, but only if they get parental approval. An upcoming change will let parents individually approve each user their 10- to 12-year-old can call, chat with, and join VR experiences with on Quest. Previously, Meta didn’t allow kids in that age…

Here’s where you can preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeIn addition to three new wearables (the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch 7, and Watch Ultra) and a new pair of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Samsung has unpacked details on its two newest foldable smartphones: the Galaxy Z Fold 6 ($1,899.99) and Galaxy Z Flip 6 ($1,099.99). Both bring minimal improvements over their predecessors ye…

Amazon’s new Echo Spot is already almost half off for Prime Day Image: AmazonAmazon’s Prime Day is less than a week away, and alongside early deals on its smart home devices, Amazon has started selling the days-old Echo Spot for $44.99 ($35 off), exclusively for Prime members. Like its predecessor, the new Spot is a combination smart speaker and alarm clock, but it drops the camera that nobody liked puttin…

Bose is adding multipoint pairing to its latest earbuds Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeBose is updating its two most recent pairs of earbuds, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the Ultra Open Earbuds, to add support for multipoint Bluetooth. A new software update rolling out to both products will enable them to pair with two devices at the same time for easier multitasking. The update, which will t…

CNN announces more layoffs as it preps for a future beyond cable TV CNN’s first subscription offering will arrive later this year. | Photo by Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto via Getty ImagesCNN is cutting jobs and restructuring its news operations as part of ongoing efforts by the company to boost its digital offerings and be less dependent on its cable news channel. The changes, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter fr…