Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II reach a record-low $169.95 The QuietComfort Earbuds II are no longer the best from Bose, but they’re still some of the best buds money can buy. | Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeI’m reeling from a weekend of “guess that pop.” Was it the endless stream of fireworks this time? Or gun-toting Texans spending their ammunition celebratorily in defiance of rules prohibiting such…

Affinity’s Adobe-rivaling creative suite is now free for six months Affinity says users are under “no obligation” to purchase the software after taking out the six month free trial. | Image: AffinityDesign software developer Serif has launched a new six-month free trial for its Affinity creative suite, which is well regarded as being one of the few viable alternatives to Adobe’s professional design apps. The off…

Tesla’s Model Y ‘Juniper’ redesign might come soon Tesla’s apparent “Juniper” Model Y refresh in the wild. | Image: Reddit user JacklJackAn apparent “Juniper” Tesla Model Y was spotted under the veil in California, reigniting reports that the automaker is prepping a redesign of its popular electric SUV. A new image was posted on Reddit showing a black Model Y with its front and rear bumpers cov…

The witch is back in Agatha All Along’s first trailer Courtesy of Marvel TelevisionThe months Marvel spent trotting out new names for Agatha All Along made it hard to get a read on what to expect from the studio’s first WandaVision spinoff, but it seems like a promising horror turn from the looks of its first trailer. Though WandaVision’s finale made it seem as if Agatha Harkness might be left in a…

Amazon’s Echo Spot is back with better sound and no camera Echo Spot | Image: AmazonAhead of Prime Day 2024, Amazon has launched an updated version of its Alexa-connected smart speaker / alarm clock, the Echo Spot. Similar to the one that launched in 2017, it’s designed to sit on your nightstand and offer control via a small touchscreen or with voice commands, but Amazon has addressed our biggest gripe …

How Japan has avoided the gaming industry’s persistent layoffs Image: Tokyo Game ShowWorkers in the country enjoy greater protection thanks to employment laws, but that doesn’t mean Japan is anything close to a proletariat utopia. Continue reading…

EVs are taking on combustion engines in a rallycross ‘Battle of Technologies’ Image: FIA World Rallycross ChampionshipAfter two seasons of all-electric racing, the World Rallycross Championship (or World RX) held its first mixed powertrain races between electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) cars this weekend in Höljes, Sweden. Unlike traditional point-to-point rally racing, rallycross puts those cars on a circuit,…

Nothing’s CMF launches new supercheap earbuds and a smartwatch Image: CMFNothing’s affordability-focused subbrand, CMF, launched more than just a $199 smartphone today. It also debuted a new pair of $59 wireless earbuds and a $69 smartwatch that incorporate the unique flair that Nothing has become known for. The Buds Pro 2 are CMF’s follow-up to the earbuds it released last year. Unlike CMF’s first iteratio…

Canva CEO Melanie Perkins thinks the design world needs more alternatives to Adobe Photo illustration by The Verge / Photo: CanvaTo her, AI is just an extension of what Canva has always done: make accessible design tools that cost less than Adobe’s. Continue reading…

Paramount agrees to sweetened Skydance merger deal Skydance founder David Ellison is set to become Paramount’s new chairman and chief executive. | Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesParamount Global has agreed to merge with Skydance Media in a deal that will see the joint enterprise, temporarily dubbed “New Paramount,” valued at approximately $28 billion. As part of the two-s…

Microsoft’s Notepad gets spellcheck and autocorrect 40 years after launch Screenshot by Tom Warren / The VergeMicrosoft is finally rolling out spellcheck and autocorrect for its Notepad app in Windows 11, more than 40 years after the simple text editor was first introduced in Windows in 1983. The software giant started testing both features in March, and has now quietly started enabling them for all Windows 11 users i…

These apps helped me tame the chaos of a sudden move Image: Jackson Gibbs for The VergeFrom note-taking apps to all-in-one browser tab managers, here are some of the tools that kept me, a massive mess, organized. Continue reading…

The best way to get rid of all the clutter you don’t need Image: Jackson Gibbs for The VergeMoving often means downsizing, and fast. Enter: Facebook Marketplace and Buy Nothing. Continue reading…

The Verge’s guide to moving Image: Jackson Gibbs for The VergeMoving is one of the most stressful events that can happen in your life. It takes a lot of time and effort, it’s expensive, it’s complicated, and there’s just a ton to do. It’s not just a matter of finding a place you can afford, signing the lease or arranging for a mortgage, and figuring out how to get your st…

Nothing’s CMF Phone 1 is proof that gadgets can still be fun Honestly, this is Nothing’s best idea yet.I’ve never had so much fun taking a phone apart. That’s a misleading statement; I haven’t really taken any phones apart lately, but when CMF’s Phone 1 arrived, that’s the first thing I did. Because this one, my friends, is built different. It won’t be widely available in the US, but if you’re game, you c…

Boeing accepts guilty plea deal over 737 Max crashes Boeing’s plea deal must receive the approval of a federal judge to take effect. | Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesBoeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge related to a pair of crashes of its 737 Max planes, as part of a plea deal with the US Department of Justice. Lawyers for the victims’ families plan to object to the d…

Asus is adding RGB Windows Dynamic Lighting support to its latest motherboards You can now control the ROG lighting in Windows. | Photo by Tom Warren / The VergeAsus is planning to support Microsoft’s new Dynamic Lighting feature that allows Windows 11 users to control a motherboard’s RGB lighting without needing a separate app. Asus has started testing new beta BIOS updates for both of its AMD 600 and Intel 700 series mot…

Apple Intelligence and a better Siri may be coming to iPhones this spring Better Siri might be here by the spring. | Screenshot: YouTubeSiri will finally get better in spring 2025 when Apple makes its Apple Intelligence AI system available to everyone via its iOS 18.4 update, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest Power On newsletter. That’s more specific than Apple has been — so far, it’s only said the fl…

The Apple Watch Series 10 may get an Ultra-sized screen Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeHere’s some potentially good news for Apple Watch owners who have Apple Watch Ultra screen envy: the Apple Watch Series 10 — may get the same size screen as the company’s 49mm outdoorsy watch. That’s in addition to other possible improvements, like a thinner case and a new chip that could “lay the groun…

What to expect at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in July Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event is coming up fast at 9AM ET on July 10th in Paris, France. The company isn’t being coy about at least a couple of things it’s talking about — the graphic in its announcement video clearly hints at foldables, and the video’s description reads in part, “Galaxy AI is here.” You can watch the stream either on You…