Apple’s second-gen HomePod in white is $20 off right now The second-gen HomePod looks just like the original, but it has an updated driver configuration and slightly better smart home applications. | Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeApple’s flagship HomePod smart speaker rarely goes on sale after returning from the grave, but right now, you can get the white version for $279.99 ($20 off) at B&H Photo. …

Project X is a tiny EV with swappable Gogoro batteries MIH’s Project X EV looks like a toy car, but full humans can fit inside. | Image: MIHDon’t give up on the dream of a small electric car just yet. At the Japan Mobility Show 2023, there’s a tiny car designed for city driving and powered by Gogoro scooter batteries that owners can swap out and drive away without waiting around at a typical EV char…

You can now build your own awesome Game Boy Mini Camera The Game Boy Mini Camera, by Christopher Graves. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeThe Game Boy Camera is remembered as a bulbous sphere that sat atop an absolute chonk of a portable gaming machine — but yours doesn’t need to be so huge! Remember the gorgeous Game Boy Mini Camera we introduced you to this summer? Christopher Graves is now ready…

Ticketmaster’s still hiding ticket fees, senator says Photo by Drew Angerer / Getty ImagesLive Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, promised to scrap the hidden fees plaguing its ticketing service earlier this year. But one senator says the company’s not doing nearly enough. In a letter to Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino Wednesday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called on the company to turn on a…

In the end, the FTX trial was about the friends screwed along the way A Greek tragedy in the Southern District of New York. | Photo Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Michael M. Santiago, Bloomberg, Klmax, Whyframestudio, Yevgen Romanenko, Pixhook, Peter Dazeley, Jimkruger, Getty ImagesThe prosecution’s case against Sam Bankman-Fried had a lot of collateral damage. Continue reading…

Samsung’s temporary cloud storage feature makes phone upgrades and repairs less stressful Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeSamsung is starting to roll out a “Temporary Cloud Backup” feature to Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets running on One UI 6, the company announced on Thursday. It’ll allow users to back up and transfer an unlimited number of photos, videos, and other data for up to 30 days for free. Giving customers a…

The UK’s controversial Online Safety Bill finally becomes law Illustration by Hugo Herrera for The VergeThe UK’s Online Safety Bill, a wide-ranging piece of legislation that aims to make the country “the safest place in the world to be online” received royal assent today and became law. The bill has been years in the making and attempts to introduce new obligations for how tech firms should design, operate…

Shutterstock will now let you transform real photos using AI Image: ShutterstockShutterstock will now let you edit its library of images using AI. In an update on Thursday, Shutterstock revealed a set of new AI-powered tools, like Magic Brush, which lets you tweak an image by brushing over an area and “describing what you want to add, replace or erase.” The AI image editor is still in beta and will also l…

Leica’s latest camera encrypts verification info into every photo Just like the M11, the M11-P comes in a black aluminum body that’s lighter in weight or a silver chromed brass that’s heavier. | Image: Leica CameraThe compact and discreet nature of Leica M rangefinder cameras once made them a popular choice for photojournalists, long before autofocus became pretty much a prerequisite. But while M cameras these…

The restaurant nearest Google Thai Food Near Me, Dentist Near Me, Notary Near Me, Plumber Near Me — businesses across the country picked names meant to outsmart Google Search. Does it actually work? Continue reading…

Google Maps is becoming more like Search — thanks to AI Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeGoogle is adding a range of new AI-powered features to Maps, including more immersive navigation, easier-to-follow driving directions, and better organized search results. The end result is an experience that will likely remind many users of Google Search. Some of this news has already been announced, like…

Ford is testing drone deliveries at the derelict train station in Detroit it’s rehabbing A drone flying outside of that abandoned train station that Ford wants to turn into an innovation hub. | Image: Michigan CentralDetroit’s Michigan Central Station, the once beautiful but now abandoned train station that Ford is rehabilitating into an innovation and technology hub, is about to be swarmed by drones. The Ford subsidiary that opera…

Ford and UAW reach tentative agreement to end strike Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty ImagesThe United Auto Workers (UAW) union and Ford have reached a tentative agreement to end the union’s six-week strike against the automaker. Last month, workers at Ford, GM, and Stellantis factories walked off the job in targeted work stoppages timed just as the large automakers shift to producing more electric …

Now Meta’s Quest 3 lets you choose: better battery life or better VR graphics? Stay immersed for a bit longer, but maybe not as immersed. | Photo by Becca Farsace / The VergeMeta is rolling out a software update that lets Quest 3 users eke out more battery life at the expense of graphics quality. In addition to this new Battery Saver mode, the v59 update also gives VR streamers a way to keep track of YouTube Live Chat wit…

Spotify is reportedly making major changes to its royalty model Image: The VergeBig changes are coming to Spotify’s royalty model, according to Music Business Worldwide (MBW). If and when they are implemented in early 2024, it will raise the bar for who gets paid from music streaming on the platform — and direct more money to major labels and artists. Two of the three proposed changes should be relatively un…

X is officially rolling out audio and video calls Illustration: The VergeX, the platform previously known as Twitter, is rolling out audio and video calls. Several users on the platform, including some of us here at The Verge, have received a notification when opening the app, stating: “Audio and video calls are here!” There’s also a new “Enable audio and video calling” toggle within the app’s …

Zuckerberg says Threads has almost 100 million monthly users Mark Zuckerberg. | Image: MetaThe rumors of Threads’ early demise have been exaggerated. Meta’s competitor to Elon Musk’s X has hit “just under” 100 million monthly users since it was released in early July, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Wednesday during his company’s quarterly earnings call. “We’re three months in now, and I’m very happy with …

Honor says its new phone lets you open apps with your eyes The Magic Capsule technology is coming to Honor’s next flagship. | Image: HonorWe were expecting — and we got — a lot of talk about generative AI this morning when Honor CEO George Zhao took the stage at Qualcomm’s 2023 Snapdragon Summit. But the announcement of its Honor 6 flagship came with a surprising detail: it includes a feature that lets …

Valve officially releases SteamVR 2.0 Image: ValveValve announced Wednesday that it has released SteamVR 2.0, launching the major update exactly a month after the surprise launch of the SteamVR 2.0 beta in September. “In this release we’re bringing all of what’s new and exciting on the Steam platform into VR,” Valve says in a Steam post. “This is our first big step in a larger ongoi…

Here’s your first look at Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater gameplay Image: KonamiFresh off the launch of the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, Konami is showing off a new look at the next major entry in the series. The previously announced remake of Metal Gear Solid 3 — which now has the fancy name Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater — was revealed mostly via a CG trailer. But the latest trailer is an …