Sand mining is a huge problem, a new global map shows A dredger shoots sand onto a beach in France. The boat pumps sand from offshore sand bars before shooting it back onto beaches in an effort to fight erosion. | Image: NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP via Getty ImagesPeople are dredging an alarming amount of sand from the seafloor, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned today. An average of 6 …

How Afripods is trying to grow the podcast market in Africa “Sincerely Accra” is a part of the Gold Coast Report podcast network. | Image: GCRThis is Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up here for more. Hope everyone has had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend. For today’s issue of Hot Pod, I have a Q&A I conducted with Afripod’s chief content officer and head of st…

The multiplayer in Baldur’s Gate 3 sorely needs a dungeon master Not our finest moment. | Screenshot by Sean Hollister / The VergeBaldur’s Gate 3 sounds like a fantastic single-player experience. I wish I’d tried that instead of playing with my closest friends! This isn’t about difficulty: I fully expected to be beaten, shot, stabbed, and otherwise destroyed for taking on enemies too fast. I just wish develo…

Volkswagen’s electric GTI concept teases the future of hot hatches Image: VWHow do you tweak a classic hot hatch for the electric era? If you’re Volkswagen, you simply announce that the “I” in GTI now stands for “intelligence” instead of “injection” and call it a day. Just kidding. Obviously, VW went much further in unveiling the new GTI concept, or ID.GTI, which had its official debut at IAA Mobility in Muni…

Final Fantasy XVI just received a free content update and is now $20 off Clive, much like this deal, is on fire. | Image: Square EnixWith so many major game releases happening this year — and even this week — you could almost forget that a new mainline Final Fantasy dropped just a couple of months back. Well now, it’s already on a sizable sale. Final Fantasy XVI is selling for $49.99 ($20 off) at both Amazon and Best…

Google’s latest Android feature updates come with a refreshed logo That’s Android with a capital A, sir. | Image: GoogleGoogle is releasing a grab bag of updates to its mobile apps and services, including an At a Glance Google Assistant widget, enhancements to its Lookout visual accessibility app, and Zoom calls in Android Auto. This comes with a side of branding updates designed to remind us that Android is fu…

In a bid to please regulators, TikTok opens its first EU data center Illustration by Nick Barclay / The VergeTikTok has started transferring European user information to its newly launched data center in Ireland. In an update on Tuesday, TikTok says it’s working on opening two additional data centers in Europe, including one in Norway and another in Ireland. TikTok’s move to open a data center in Ireland comes as…

BMW expands its deal with Amazon Web Services to include autonomous vehicle data Image: Roberto Baldwin for The VergeBMW says it will use Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud software to manage data from its autonomous vehicles. The company has a preexisting deal with AWS to handle data from its connected cars. Now, the German automaker is expanding that deal to include data from its next-generation advanced driver-assist system…

How well does Starfield run on PC? Image: BethesdaStarfield needs a modern CPU for the very best settings and experience. Continue reading…

Microsoft to stop forcing Windows 11 users into Edge in EU countries Image: MicrosoftMicrosoft will finally stop forcing Windows 11 users in Europe into Edge if they click a link from the Windows Widgets panel or from search results. The software giant has started testing the changes to Windows 11 in recent test builds of the operating system, but the changes are restricted to countries within the European Econom…

It’s time to put oceans to the test in the climate fight, scientists say A rendering of what ocean-based climate tech could look like. Caltech researchers are developing technology to filter CO2 out of seawater to allow oceans to absorb even more of the greenhouse gas. | Image: CaltechMore than 200 scientists have signed onto a letter pushing for “responsible” research into ways to trap planet-heating carbon dioxide…

Ring’s former CEO is rebranding Latch to Door.com Image: LatchLatch, the commercial access company run by the founder of Ring, is expanding beyond smart locks. The company announced today that it’s rebranding to Door.com with the goal of offering an overarching platform that gives independent service workers, like drivers, housekeepers, and dog walkers, a platform to grow their businesses. Aft…

Facebook’s unloved ‘News’ tab is going away in Europe Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeMeta plans to “deprecate” the News tab in Facebook’s bookmarks section in the UK, France, and Germany. That’s typically been company speak for removing a feature. The changes are supposed to go into effect in early December, according to Meta. “As a company, we have to focus our time and resources on thing…

PowerA is adding the wrong kind of wireless to its wired Xbox controller It’s got nice features like hair-trigger lockouts, but what is up with these cheap-o looking LED strips? | Image: PowerAAccessory maker PowerA seems to know that RGB gamer lights are all the rage, but its new Xbox controller and LED strips have very strong “We have gamer lights at home!” vibes. PowerA’s new RGB-infused peripheral is the Advantag…

DLSS 3 mod for Starfield has a controversial DRM paywall Image: Bethesda SoftworksStarfield isn’t even officially out of early access yet, but one of its mods has already generated controversy within the community. The mod in question adds support for Nvidia’s DLSS 3 upscaling technology, which Bethesda omitted to include in Starfield in favor of AMD’s rival FSR 2. But users have been critical of modd…

Logitech’s latest Pro-branded gaming keyboard is wireless, RGB, and $199 The keyboard comes in a choice of black, white, or pink. | Image: LogitechLogitech has a new mechanical gaming keyboard it’s announcing today: the Logitech G Pro X TKL Lightspeed. It’s available now for $199 in a choice of three colors (black, white, and pink) and three switch types — linear GX Red, tactile GX Browns, and clicky GX Blues. The ke…

The new Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 gives me serious mouse envy The Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 mouse. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The VergeI called it the real magic mouse, but I can no longer look at my award-winning Logitech G502 Lightspeed quite the same way — because I’ve just been spoiled by a new mouse that’s roughly half its weight. Logitech has just announced the G Pro X Superlight 2, the fastest…

Apple and Microsoft reportedly want iMessage and Bing off the EU’s tech ‘gatekeeper’ list Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeMicrosoft and Apple are reportedly pushing to keep Bing and iMessage, respectively, off a list of “gatekeepers” subject to new European regulations. Financial Times reports that both companies are privately (and separately) arguing that their services aren’t large or powerful enough to justify earning the r…

Meta’s next Quest Pro might be a team-up with LG Photo by Adi Robertson / The VergeA Korean news report suggests Meta is partnering with LG to release a successor to its high-end Quest Pro virtual reality headset in 2025. As spotted by UploadVR, Maeil Business Newspaper writes that Meta has struck a deal for a joint venture with LG. The resulting headset is rumored to be priced at around $2,00…

The Audi Q6 E-tron has three screens taking up the entire dashboard The “Digital Stage” stretches across the entire dashboard. | Image: AudiThe Audi Q6 E-tron comes with not one, but three screens tacked on its dashboard. As you can see in the first images of the electric vehicle’s interior, the three-screen setup — dubbed the “Digital Stage”— stretches from the driver’s side to the front passenger, with each di…