Sleep gadgets to help you catch those Zzzs Sleep trackers, earbuds, and smart beds | Kristen Radtke / The VergeSleep tech is more than tracking. It can also help you fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up earlier. Continue reading…

How tree trimming became the latest Hollywood drama Photo by Mario Tama / Getty ImagesDon’t get it twisted: trees are a crucial lifeline during a severe heatwave like the one gripping the US right now. So the tree trimming controversy that unfolded this week during the screenwriters and actors strike is anything but trivial. In case you missed it, union members of the Writers Guild of America (WG…

Reddit’s r/Place is going about as well as expected A screenshot of r/Place. | Screenshot by Jay Peters / The VergeReddit officially launched the 2023 edition of its r/Place collaborative art project on Thursday morning, and so far, it’s already littered with messages protesting Reddit and Reddit’s CEO. You can see the current iteration of the canvas on the r/Place subreddit or by following the p…

The best Chromebook for 2023 Illustration by William Joel / The VergeThe best Chromebook for anyone who wants Chrome OS on their laptop Continue reading…

Best gaming laptop in 2023: seven laptops to get your game on All the best gaming laptops at every size and price Continue reading…

ChatGPT can now remember who you are and what you want Image: The VergeThe newest feature of ChatGPT is designed to help you type a little less. It’s called “custom instructions,” and it gives you a place to tell your chatbot the things it should always know about you and how you’d like it to respond to your questions. The feature is in beta, works everywhere ChatGPT does — it should be particularly…

Neopets is moving into a ‘new era’ — and leaving NFTs and the metaverse behind Screenshot by Jay Peters / The VergeIt might be time to log into your Neopets account again. Neopets, a virtual pet website that first launched in 1999, certainly isn’t the phenomenon that it was in the early days of the internet. I have fond memories of the site — as a kid, I remember spending hours taking care of my dog-like Lupe character — b…

Tesla’s Cybertruck didn’t always look so cyberpunk The photo shared by Isaacson showing concept images of the Cybertruck, and the pop culture that inspired them. Click to see full-sized image. | Image: Walter IsaacsonElon Musk biographer Walter Isaacson has shared a photograph of the Tesla CEO during an early meeting about the Cybertruck that sheds interesting light on the alternative designs co…

President Joe Biden wanted Gigi Sohn to fix America’s internet — what went wrong? ‘Dark money’ and the never-ending election cycle kept a qualified consumer advocate out of the Federal Communications Commission. Continue reading…

YouTube Premium now costs an extra $2 each month Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeYouTube Premium’s price has increased to $13.99 a month in the US, a $2 increase compared to what it used to cost. That’s according to Google’s signup page for the service, which has been quietly updated to reflect the new pricing, which was first spotted by 9to5Google. Alongside the monthly price increase,…

Google’s rumored ‘Genesis’ AI tool for journalists could probably write this article Illustration: The VergeThe New York Times cites anonymous sources in a report saying Google demonstrated Genesis for media execs from the Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal owner News Corp, presenting “responsible” technology that takes in facts and spits out news copy. Two execs mentioned in the article “said it seemed to take for …

Reddit protest updates: news on the apps shutting down and Reddit’s fights with mods Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeChanges to the Reddit API have forced beloved apps like Apollo to shut down, and following the protests, mods are feeling threatened by Reddit. Continue reading…

Netflix is sticking to ‘sports-adjacent’ streaming instead of live sports, for now Image: NetflixThere seems to be a lot of focus on streaming live sports, but based on comments from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, it appears the company plans to largely stay out of that game for the moment. “We really think that we can have a really strong offering for sports fans on Netflix without having to be part of the difficulty of the eco…

They made a movie of that nightmarish ‘Dear David’ Twitter thread, and yes, there’s a trailer Screenshot by Alex Cranz/The VergeBack in 2017, illustrator and former BuzzFeed employee Adam Ellis penned a truly terrifying multi-month Twitter thread about his home potentially being haunted by a tiny ghost child. I reread the thread just before writing this article, and I’d like to confirm that even six years later, it is supremely creepy. I…

Tesla in discussion to license Full Self-Driving software to another automaker Photo by Loren Grush / The VergeTesla is in “discussion” to license its Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assist technology to another major automaker, Elon Musk said in an earnings call Wednesday. He did not reveal the name of the company, though he did say that licensing FSD was always part of the plan. “We’re not we’re not trying to keep this t…

Blizzard nerfs Diablo IV character builds ahead of new season launch Mom took away your favorite toy because she said you weren’t playing fair. | Image: BlizzardNothing brings together a community of gamers quite like a balancing patch to their favorite numbers-go-up game, does it? That’s what Blizzard’s new version 1.1.0 patch is doing for Diablo IV players, and the chorus being sung in unison by hardcore player…

Tesla’s Cybertruck is less than 19 feet long so it can fit in your garage A Cybertruck being tested “around the world” for final certification and validation. | Image: TeslaTesla revealed new measurements for its long-delayed Cybertruck in its Q2 earnings report. The polarizing truck will be less than 19 feet long and will have a bed that’s longer than six feet, which is shorter than Ford’s best-selling F-150 Lighting…

Your Starbucks order is not ready Oh, goody! Wait, I’ve ordered nothing. | Screenshot: Umar Shakir / The VergeIt’s been a long time since I personally ordered from Starbucks, but today, I thought the streak was broken when my iPhone buzzed with a gleeful “Your order is ready!” notification. But wait a minute — I didn’t order anything! I turned to social media and quickly found…

Reddit is now inviting mods to participate in weekly ‘feedback sessions’ Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeReddit has had something of a contentious relationship with many of its moderators as of late, but now, the company is trying to make amends. A Reddit admin (employee) identifying themselves as the company’s VP of community reached out to moderators through a new post on Wednesday, inviting them to particip…

Amazon says it’ll ditch plastic padded mailers An Amazon Prime packet at a plastic scrapyard in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India. | Image: Prashanth Vishwanathan / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAmazon says it’ll eventually quit sending packages in plastic padded bags in an effort to cut down on packaging waste, according to a sustainability report the company released Tuesday. “We ar…