Microsoft is hiking the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and launching a new ‘Standard’ tier Image: The VergeMicrosoft is planning to hike its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate pricing again in September, alongside launching a new “standard” subscription that doesn’t include day-one access to first-party Xbox games. The Xbox maker has started emailing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers warning of a price increase to $19.99 a month that starts on…

Instagram is sticking to short videos, says Adam Mosseri Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeInstagram isn’t going to focus on longform video because it might “undermine” the platform’s “core identity to connect people with friends,” Instagram boss Adam Mosseri says in a video. Yes, you can technically post Instagram videos to your feed that are as long as one hour, and yes, Instagram did try to pu…

The UK politician accused of being AI is actually a real person Image: The VergeMark Matlock, a political candidate for the right-wing Reform UK party, clarified in The Independent that he is a real person, not an AI bot, as some suspected. Perhaps it was the glossy, hyper-smooth skin in a campaign image or the fact that Matlock had apparently missed events like the election count — but earlier this week, a…

Super Mario Party is free when buying a pair of Joy-Con controllers The game is an oldie but goodie, especially with multiple people playing. | Screenshot: NintendoIf you have a sudden or anticipated need for Joy-Con replacements or additional controllers to supplement the pair that came with your Nintendo Switch, the ongoing Walmart Deals event is where you want to be. Until July 11th, the retailer is selling t…

DOJ seizes ‘bot farm’ operated by the Russian government Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeThe Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that it seized two domain names and more than 900 social media accounts it claims were part of an “AI-enhanced” Russian bot farm. Many of the accounts were designed to look like they belonged to Americans and posted content about the Russia-Ukraine war, includi…

Lithium-ion batteries have a forever chemical problem A broken cellphone with a rechargeable battery lies in a collection container for hazardous materials at a waste sorting facility. | Photo by Jens Büttner / picture alliance via Getty ImagesRechargeable lithium-ion batteries used in everyday gadgets, electric vehicles, and to store renewable energy could be a growing source of the “forever chemi…

The highlight of Summer Games Done Quick was a very good dog playing 16-bit baseball Photo: Games Done QuickSummer Games Done Quick concluded over the weekend, raising $2.5 million for Doctors Without Borders. While the figure didn’t break any records, the speedrunning charity event hit a major milestone, reaching a lifetime total of over $50 million raised across all events and charities in its 10-plus-year history. With the ge…

The Pixel Watch 3 could get ultra wideband and a brighter screen Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeGoogle’s Pixel Watch 3 may have a brighter 2,000-nit display with smaller bezels and an ultra wideband (UWB) chip, according to a new report from Android Authority. And it won’t just be a new display and chip — the Pixel Watch could be getting a battery boost, too. The rumored 45mm Pixel Watch will have…

The best deals you can get from Walmart’s rival Prime Day sale The second-gen AirPods Pro are one of several Apple devices that have dropped to an all-time low ahead of Prime Day. | Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeAmazon Prime Day may kick off on July 16th, but if you can’t wait or you’re not a Prime member, Walmart’s competing sales event is worth a look. Now until July 11th, the retailer is discounting a …

Apple’s Sunny is a grief-stricken crime dramedy with a smile on its face Image: Apple TV PlusApple’s new A24-produced dark comedy imagines an impeccably designed near future where humanity’s bugs are robots’ special features. Continue reading…

HP is ditching its bait-and-switch printer DRM — but only for LaserJets One of the affected HP LaserJet printers. | Image: HPLast May, I told you how HP’s bestselling printer can lock you to the company’s own subscription ink for life, with no way to cancel, with its dastardly HP Plus scheme. But HP has decided to remove those shackles from future laser printers, at least. “We will no longer be offering HP+ on any …

Google’s dark web monitoring service will soon be free for all users Illustration: The VergeSince last year, Google has monitored dark web leaks of stolen account information for Google One subscribers, such as phone numbers and physical addresses. But, starting later this month, Google’s dark web reports will be available to anyone with a Google account. According to a Google support page about the transition, t…

There’s an AMD Ryzen 7 PC hiding inside this folding keyboard You can fit this PC in your pocket. | Image: LinglongHeadless portable PCs packing everything except a display are growing in popularity among enthusiasts who don’t want to settle for a laptop they can’t easily upgrade — and now Chinese manufacturer Linglong is taking things further with this folding keyboard PC. Tom’s Hardware points to a prese…

The time heist begins in Time Bandits’ first Apple TV Plus trailer Image: AppleIn the official trailer for Time Bandits, the new Apple TV Plus series from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement seems to revel in every bit of the dreamlike pseudo-reality of the 1981 film it’s based on. The show focuses on a young kid named Kevin (Kal-El Tuck) who finds a time portal in his room and links up with a band of time-hoppin…

Razer beats Wooting to a speedy new keyboard feature for PC gaming Image: RazerRazer is launching a new Snap Tap mode for its Huntsman V3 Pro keyboards today that’s designed to appeal to competitive gamers. Snap Tap is very similar to Wooting’s promised Rappy Snappy feature and works by prioritizing the latest input between two selected keys to allow Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant players to counter-strafe more …

Extreme heat and Hurricane Beryl make a disaster pileup in Texas A flooded motel is seen after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Surfside Beach, Texas, on July 8th. | Photo by Mark Felix / AFP via Getty ImagesWidespread power outages in the wake of Hurricane Beryl pose a new threat as temperatures soar in Texas this week. Beryl tore through the Lone Star State yesterday, killing at least six people and knock…

FTC says anonymous messaging app failed to stop ‘rampant cyberbullying’ Image: The VergeAnonymous messaging app NGL will no longer be offered to kids under 18 after the company struck an agreement to settle a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. The novel settlement terms — which are still subject to approval by a judge — indicate the latest effort by the FTC to crac…

Republicans won’t stop trying to kill Biden’s EV tax credit Photo by Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty ImagesHouse Republicans advanced an effort to void the Biden administration’s EV tax credits, even as electric vehicle sales in the US continued to grow year over year. The House Ways and Means Committee voted in favor of a bill that would undo the federal EV tax credits, arguing that the rules would result i…

Sony’s DualSense Edge pro controller for the PS5 is now $24 off Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeSony’s pro-focused PlayStation 5 controller hardly ever drops from its high $199.99 price point, but thankfully today is a little different. You can get the DualSense Edge for $174.99 (about $24 off) via Walmart’s online-only deal, dropping the specialized gamepad down to its lowest price to date. The …

Vampire Survivors is coming to Apple Arcade This is a screenshot of Vampire Survivors on Steam, not an iOS device. It still effectively communicates the absolute chaos of actually playing the game. | Image: PoncleVampire Survivors, the hit bullet hell survival game where you take on hordes of pixelated monsters, is coming to Apple Arcade on August 1st, Apple announced on Tuesday. The game…