Nothing Chats has already been pulled from Google Play over privacy issues Nothing Chats shown in a promotional image. | Image: NothingNothing has pulled the Nothing Chats beta from the Google Play store, saying it is “delaying the launch until further notice” while it fixes “several bugs.” The app promised to let Nothing Phone 2 users text with iMessage, but it required allowing Sunbird, who provides the platform, log…

Do Pixel 8 AI-edited photos have to be labeled as synthetic content on YouTube? YouTube is still figuring it out. Photo by Eddie Costas / The VergeGoogle is racing headlong into the AI future, and that means different parts of the company are destined to collide with one another — Search is now generating AI-powered summary results, but flooding the web with AI-generated text is going to make search that much harder, for example. It’s going to be messy and …

SpaceX’s second Starship flight test ends in an explosion minutes after launch Screenshot: Wes Davis / The VergeSpaceX’s massive Starship rocket just took off shortly after 8AM ET from the company’s Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. A few minutes after the launch and a planned “hot stage” separation, the Super Heavy booster exploded instead of continuing its planned descent and water landing, but Starship its…

SAG-AFTRA’s new contract hinges on studios acting responsibly with AI Illustration by William Joel / The VergeWhile a new tentative agreement with the AMPTP has given many people hope of SAG-AFTRA’s ongoing labor strike nearing its end, the contract’s verbiage regarding the use of artificial intelligence seems to be cause for concern. Continue reading…

OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman is leaving, too Illustration: The VergeSam Altman isn’t the only major OpenAI executive leaving the company on Friday. Hours after Altman was fired, with the board saying it “no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” co-founder and former board chair Greg Brockman revealed on X that he is also quitting. When OpenAI announced the “lead…

Sony announces The Last of Us Part II remaster for PS5 The Last of Us Part II Remastered | Image: Naughty DogNaughty Dog officially announced The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PS5 on Friday evening following a bunch of leaks about the game earlier in the day. The game will be released on January 19th, 2024 — just like the leaks said. The biggest new addition seems to be a “roguelike survival mod…

Turmoil at OpenAI: after firing Sam Altman, what’s next for the home of ChatGPT? Illustration: The VergeOpenAI’s board removed CEO Sam Altman, and the former chairman just quit. Now it’s unclear what the future holds for a leader in generative artificial intelligence tools. Continue reading…

Sam Altman fired as CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman. | OpenAISam Altman has been fired as CEO of OpenAI, the company announced on Friday. “Mr. Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” the company said in its bl…

Apple pulls its ads from X after Musk’s antisemitic posts Illustration: The VergeApple has reportedly followed IBM by pulling advertising from X, formerly Twitter, as the platform’s owner Elon Musk made posts agreeing with antisemitic conspiracy theories, supporting white pride, and continued a fight with the Anti-Defamation League. The nonprofit Media Matters highlighted his statements yesterday, as w…

Half-Life gets a big update for its 25th anniversary “Ivan the Space Biker” and “Proto-Barney,” who Valve says were used in the alpha builds of Half-Life. You can now play as them in multiplayer. | Image: Valve.Valve just released a 25th anniversary update for Half-Life that adds a whole bunch of new content, some welcome quality-of-life upgrades, and even Steam Deck support, according to an annou…

Screens are good, actually How exactly does this thing show me a funny cat picture so I can momentarily escape the drudgery of a visit to the DMV? | Image: HumaneLast week, Humane debuted its AI Pin as a phone replacement without a screen. You interact with it through voice, and a tiny projector displays things like media controls and incoming calls on the palm of your ha…

The best Black Friday deals on headphones and earbuds Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeThe hard-to-resist holiday sales have officially arrived, with many headphones and earbuds from the biggest tech brands discounted to their lowest prices ever for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And as you can see, a ton of deals are already available well ahead of both of those frenzied shopping days. If you’ve be…

Sonos speakers and soundbars are up to 25 percent off ahead of Black Friday The new Sonos Era 100 replaced the Sonos One when it was released early this year. | Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeOne of the best things about Black Friday is that we often find deals on products that rarely go on sale any other time of the year. Case in point? Sonos and other retailers have dropped some great deals on Sonos smart speakers an…

Cadillac’s new Optiq compact electric SUV will be its cheapest EV How cheap are you exactly, Optiq? | Image: CadillacCadillac announced a new electric vehicle model called Optiq, which it says will “act as the entry point” for the automaker’s EV lineup in the US. Previously, the $64,000 Cadillac Lyriq was the automaker’s cheapest electric vehicle option, so the Optiq’s price could start in the sub-$60,000 rang…

Tumblr is betting big on going small Illustration: The VergeThe social network failed to hit the growth targets its new owner set in 2019. But were they ever compatible with what Tumblr does best? Continue reading…

The best early Black Friday deals on Amazon devices Amazon’s quirky Echo Pop makes for a good budget-friendly gift… especially when it’s on sale for less than $20. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The VergeFor what feels like the billionth time this year, Amazon is once again throwing a massive sale on an assortment of its own devices. This time, however, it’s in honor of Black Friday, even…

This is the keyboard that will convert you to the low-profile life The Lofree Flow is a low-profile keyboard that types and sounds like a full-height one. Continue reading…

The Verge’s 2023 holiday gift guide for moms Photo Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales and Cath Virginia / The VergeA collection of cool, calming, and creative gifts to show your appreciation for that special maternal figure in your life. Continue reading…

The creators of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters aren’t just trying to make a Godzilla spinoff show Image: AppleMonarch co-creators Chris Black and Matt Fraction and director Matt Shakman open up about why their new MonsterVerse series is so focused on ordinary humans. Continue reading…

Joe Biden’s top climate adviser on how climate change will shape the US economy National climate advisor Ali Zaidi holds a press briefing on Thursday, December 16th, 2021, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House. | Image: White HouseClimate change is already taking its toll on the US economy, according to the most sweeping national assessment yet that was published earlier this week. Conducted every fou…