You can now apply for a refund from Epic Games’ Fortnite FTC settlement Image: Epic GamesYou can now apply to receive a refund from Fortnite maker Epic Games’ $245 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC alleged that Fortnite players bought in-game goods on accident because of design tricks, and the two parties agreed to the settlement, which was announced as part of a broader $520 millio…

iFixit retroactively dings the iPhone 14 over Apple’s parts pairing requirement Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeiFixit is dropping the repairability score on the iPhone 14. While the organization originally gave the phone a seven out of 10 to indicate high repairability, iFixit has lowered that rating to a four after taking into account parts pairing requirements that make fixing the device a hassle. When iFixit …

Microsoft leaked its own Xbox documents, court says Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeMicrosoft is responsible for the huge trove of leaked documents that revealed things like a new disc-less Xbox Series X design, unannounced games from Bethesda, and executive musings about buying Nintendo, according to a new filing from the FTC v. Microsoft judge on Tuesday. In the filing, Judge Jacqueline …

Intel will launch Meteor Lake on December 14th — this is Intel’s Core Ultra An artistic rendition of Intel’s next chip. | Image: IntelFor many months, Intel has spared no opportunity to remind us that its Meteor Lake chips would be the ones to watch — its first CPU with different chiplets for each component; its first on its Intel 4 process node; its first with a dedicated AI coprocessor inside. Today, Intel is revealin…

After 10 years covering startups, former TechCrunch editor-in-chief Matthew Panzarino tells us what’s next Photo illustration by Alex Parkin / The VergeIt’s been a rocky and chaotic decade — and now digital media is on the brink of yet another existential crisis thanks to generative AI. Continue reading…

H&M is the latest brand to charge for returns — and that might be good for the planet Photo by Christopher Dilts / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe latest fashion trend in the UK seems to be brands charging customers to return items. While that sucks for consumer pocketbooks, it probably has a positive environmental impact. Free returns come with an environmental cost, namely more pollution and waste. H&M is the latest brand to star…

Digimarc adds copyright information to digital data Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeSoftware company Digimarc will now let copyright owners add more information to their work, which the company said will improve how AI models treat copyright in training data. In a statement, Digimarc said its new Digimarc Validate service lets users include ownership identification in the metadata. The co…

Google quietly raised ad prices to boost search revenue, says executive Illustration by Cath Virginia / The VergeAs the second week of the US v. Google antitrust trial gets underway, the Department of Justice is focusing on the real moneymaker behind Google Search: ads. It alleges that Google’s dominance lets it raise prices for advertisers with few repercussions — a claim backed up by Google ads executive Jerry Dis…

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is building an expensive new AI GPU cluster for medical research Photo by Lane Turner / The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesMark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s foundation is funding the construction of a massive computing system for medical research. It’ll be made up of more than 1,000 GPUs. And these aren’t just any graphics card — they’re top-of-the-line H100 GPUs that are highly sought after for AI-focused s…

YouTube stops letting Russell Brand earn money on the platform Screenshot by Emma Roth / The VergeYouTube has blocked Russell Brand from making money off the videos posted to his channel, as reported earlier by The New York Times. The decision to demonetize Brand’s account comes just days after several reports detailing sexual assault allegations against the actor emerged. Last week, a joint investigation f…

Samsung’s new Amex card works with SmartThings Find, but it’s only in South Korea Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeSamsung has debuted the IoT card, a credit card that works with SmartThings Find, the company’s version of Find My (via SamMobile). That’s great if you live in South Korea, where the company offers it in partnership with KB Kookmin Card and American Express — so far, Samsung hasn’t announced a similar offer…

Netgear’s expensive new Orbi might have the cure to mesh Wi-Fi’s weakest link It might be a little premature to purchase this given Wi-Fi 7 devices aren’t expected until 2024. | Image: NetgearWhile many people are still considering whether they should upgrade their wireless network to the Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E standards, Netgear is already trying to tempt consumers with the technology’s future successor. Announced in a pre…

AT&T helped connect the first satellite 5G phone call AST SpaceMobile used an ordinary Samsung Galaxy S22 to make the call. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The VergeAST SpaceMobile — a cellular satellite company backed by AT&T — has placed a satellite call over 5G, marking the “first ever” 5G connection between an unmodified smartphone and a satellite in space. To conduct the test, AST SpaceMobile use…

Natural Cycles gets FDA clearance to use Apple Watch temperature data for birth control Temperature data from the Apple Watch can now be used to power Natural Cycles’ digital birth control feature. | Image: Natural CyclesThe FDA has cleared the Apple Watch for use with Natural Cycles, a digital birth control app. This means Natural Cycles users who own an Apple Watch Series 8, 9, Ultra, or Ultra 2 can now import their temperature d…

Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus review: mainstream crossovers Apple’s standard iPhone gets a lot of nice upgrades this year, but it’s not anything we haven’t seen before. Continue reading…

Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max review: by the numbers Apple didn’t choose the USB-C life, but boy are we glad it got here anyway. Continue reading…

Ray tracing is improved with Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5, and it’s cruising to Cyberpunk 2077 this week Image: CD Projekt RedCyberpunk 2077 will become the first game to support Nvidia DLSS 3.5, the latest version of the chipmaker’s upscaling technology. The update will arrive on September 21st with Update 2.0 — just days before the launch of the game’s Phantom Liberty expansion. DLSS 3.5 uses a new technology called Ray Reconstruction, which Nvid…

Dream Scenario’s new trailer makes viral fame seem like the nightmare it is Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews in Dream Scenario. | Image: A24For many people, the concept of achieving viral fame has become the definition of success worth aspiring to — if not for simple popularity, then for the brand deals and endorsements that can come along with it. But in the first trailer for A24’s mind-bending new comedy Dream Scenario f…

What to expect from Microsoft’s ‘special’ Surface and AI event Image: MicrosoftMicrosoft is holding a “special event” in New York City later this week where it’s expected to debut three new Surface devices and AI-powered features for Windows, Office, Bing, Surface, and more. The event is taking place just days after Panos Panay, Microsoft’s former head of Windows and Surface, resigned in a surprise announce…

Arlo’s new line of cameras come at a more affordable price Arlo’s new line of Essential cameras and doorbells includes a wired/wireless video doorbell. | Image: ArloArlo announced the second generation of its Essential camera and doorbell line on Tuesday, and they all have more affordable starting prices than their predecessors. The lineup includes a new XL outdoor camera, a new outdoor camera, a new in…