Let’s all play the Phone Challenge That’s right, my phone and I have had an important relationship talk. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeLately, I have been playing a game with myself, and I’d like to invite all of you to play with me. It’s called the Phone Challenge. As readers of this fine blog establishment know, I spend all day reading the entire internet and writing…

Google’s $99 a night company hotel advertises ‘no commute’ as a perk Illustration: The VergeGoogle is offering its employees a new incentive to come into its Mountain View, California office: discounted hotel stays. The company is promoting $99 per night rates for its on-campus hotel to help remote employees transition into a hybrid working schedule, according to a report from CNBC. Materials sent to Google emplo…

Meta’s Quest 3 headset might be coming out sometime soon Image: MetaMeta’s Quest 3 VR headset might be available to purchase sometime soon. A new Meta-made VR headset has just shown up in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) database, meaning the device can be sold in the US. As noted by UploadVR, an image of the FCC label on this device doesn’t actually include the words “Quest 3.” But given…

Apple’s AirTags are on sale for $25 a pop at Amazon and Walmart Apple’s AirTags remain the best Bluetooth trackers you can get if you’re an iPhone user. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeWhether you often travel for work or are college-bound, Apple’s AirTags are a useful gadget that can help you keep track of your belongings. Unfortunately, we don’t often see them dip below their full MSRP of $29, which is …

Cadillac’s bespoke Celestiq EV will cost $340,000 Image: Emme HallCadillac’s attempt to dethrone Rolls-Royce as the top dog in ultra-luxury vehicles now has its own price tag. The 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, the automaker’s bespoke, customizable, electric fastback sedan, will start — start! — at $340,000. And that’s before all the pricy options and add-ons that one may consider, meaning the Celest…

The LK-99 ‘superconductor’ went viral — here’s what the experts think A screenshot of a video showing LK-99 partially levitating. A group of researchers who developed the material say it’s evidence that LK-99 is the world’s first room temperature superconductor. Experts are skeptical. | Image: A screenshot taken of a video uploaded to ScienceCast by Hyun-Tak KimIf LK-99 is the real deal, it could be a game-change…

Evo 2023: how (and what) to watch Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty ImagesEvo 2023 — the world’s premier fighting game tournament — kicks off today at 1PM ET and lasts until Sunday night. This year is shaping up to be the tournament’s biggest year ever, with several games, including Street Fighter 6, breaking their all-time records for number of participants. Whether you’re watching …

How to take control of your Windows notifications Illustration by Samar Haddad / The VergeMost of us are used to managing notifications (or trying to) on our smartphones, but Windows can throw up plenty of pings and alerts of its own as well. Some of those will be useful and necessary, but if you’re trying to get stuff done, regular interruptions are likely to throw you off track and get in the…

The Google Pixel Tablet is discounted for the very first time, saving you $60 Photo by Dan Seifert / The VergeIt seems to be a day of Google deals. In addition to sales on the Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro, the recently launched Google Pixel Tablet is seeing its first discount. You can get Google’s 11-inch tablet, complete with its included magnetic charging / speaker dock, for $439 ($60 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Goo…

The best mechanical keyboards to buy right now Image: Hugo Herrera / The VergeWhether wired, wireless, or low profile, here are our picks for the best readily available boards. Continue reading…

Coinbase argues it doesn’t trade securities, so the SEC’s lawsuit should be dismissed Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeCoinbase is asking a judge to dismiss the Securities and Exchange Commission’s lawsuit against it. In a motion filed on Friday, Coinbase maintains that it doesn’t trade securities, rendering the SEC’s arguments invalid. The SEC sued Coinbase in June, alleging that the crypto exchange broke securities laws b…

A summer binge-watching guide The Haunting of Hill House | Image: NetflixOur curated list of 10 series that are either complete or have a promising future ahead of them. Perfect for those long, hot summer nights. Continue reading…

TikTok’s algorithm will be optional in Europe Illustration by Nick Barclay / The VergeTikTok users in Europe will be able to switch off the personalized algorithm behind its For You and Live feeds as the company makes changes to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). According to TikTok, disabling this function will show users “popular videos from both the places where they live a…

Google’s Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro are $60 off for Verge readers The Google Pixel Watch is a terrific smartwatch for Android users, with Fitbit integration and a beautiful display. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeYes, there’s a new and improved Android smartwatch in town: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. It’s a good wearable, but because certain features like EKGs are limited to Samsung phone owners, …

How the Kids Online Safety Act puts us all at risk Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeThis is Platformer, a newsletter on the intersection of Silicon Valley and democracy from Casey Newton and Zoë Schiffer. Sign up here. Today let’s talk about a right we currently take for granted that may soon disappear: the ability to browse and post to most websites anonymously. In May, Utah became the s…

The Google Inbox email successor is finally ready for Android Great news for Android users who are still mourning the loss of Google Inbox. | Image: ShortwaveShortwave — an email app for iOS and the web that serves as the spiritual successor to Google Inbox — has fully arrived on Android devices following 18 months of beta testing. Version 1.0 of Shortwave is available to download via Google Play. The basi…

Fisker shows off ambitious EV lineup, starting at $29,900 Image: FiskerFisker showed off a series of prototype vehicles at its first “Product Vision Day” event, outlining the EV startup’s wide-ranging roadmap for the coming years. These included the sub-$30,000 Pear SUV, the Ronin sports car, Alaska pickup truck, and a new off-road package for the Ocean SUV that Fisker just started delivering a few sho…

‘Every single’ Amazon team is working on generative AI, says CEO Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge“Every single one” of Amazon’s businesses has “multiple generative AI initiatives going right now,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said on the company’s Q2 2023 earnings call on Thursday. The company offers infrastructure and services via AWS that can help power many generative artificial intelligence applications, …

The best deals on 4K TVs We’ve got deals on all sorts of TVs, ranging from affordable (yet feature-packed) models to high-end OLED and Mini LEDs that will really wow you. | Image: Chris Welch / The VergeThings are looking bright for those who want to nab a great TV in 2023 at a substantial discount. Although some new models announced during CES 2023 have recently arrive…

A beginner’s guide to beginning Baldur’s Gate 3 Image: Larian StudiosThere’s a lot of ground to cover for such an expansive game, but here are some tips to get you started in your adventure. Continue reading…