How Microsoft can turn Windows PCs into an Xbox Illustration: The VergeLenovo’s mysterious “future of gaming handhelds” event at CES delivered confirmation this week that Microsoft is combining “the best of Xbox and Windows together” for handhelds. Microsoft’s VP of Next Generation, Jason Ronald, spoke to my colleague Sean Hollister after the event to reveal that not only are big changes comi…

You’ll finally be able to buy the Super Retro Champ that plays SNES and Genesis carts The Super Retro Champ plays classic 16-bit titles from the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. | Image: My ArcadeFirst announced at CES four years ago, My Arcade’s Super Retro Champ was a chunky handheld that could play classic 16-bit titles using original Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges. The console didn’t end up launching, but at CES 2…

What it will take for TikTok to survive in the US Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case against the TikTok divest-or-ban bill on Friday, which will determine the future of the app in the US.  Read the full story at The Verge.

Ubisoft delays Assassin’s Creed Shadows again Image: UbisoftUbisoft announced a “strategic update” today, and the changes include a delay for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the upcoming entry in the franchise that takes place in feudal Japan, from February 14th to March 20th. “As part of the renewed focus on gameplay quality and engaging Day-1 experiences, it has been decided to provide an addit…

Nintendo’s next Lego console will be a Game Boy Image: Nintendo / LegoWhile we’re all waiting for official news about the Switch 2, Nintendo has gone ahead and announced a very different kind of console. The company is teasing a collaboration with Lego that will see the original grey brick known as a Game Boy rendered in Lego blocks. There are no details yet, aside from the fact that it’ll be…

The best chargers at CES 2025 Image: UgreenIf there were some common themes among the chargers and portable power solutions announced at CES this year, it would be more power and more convenience through built-in cables. It’s not a new idea, but with most devices now being USB-C-compatible, it’s easier for companies to integrate charging cables without having to accommodate …

Amazon is selling the tech behind its $50 billion ad business to other retailers Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeAmazon’s massive advertising business, which is only surpassed in the US by Google and Meta, is about to get bigger. In addition to selling ads on its sprawling marketplace, it will now let other retailers use the technology powering its $50 billion business on their own websites, as reported earlier by Adw…

Freewrite’s latest keyboard has a mechanical word-counter to track your writing The Astrohaus Wordrunner keyboard will be available through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in February. | Image: AstrohausAstrohaus has announced a new addition to its distraction-reducing Freewrite line of writing tools at CES. Unlike its previous all-in-one devices that pair a keyboard with basic monochromatic screens, its new Freewrite W…

The Switch 2 is almost here — but PC handhelds are giving it big competition Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergeThe first Nintendo Switch basically had the road to itself, and Nintendo instantly proved just how awesome a hybrid console and handheld could be, leading to massive success. The next Switch is imminent, but it will launch into a world that’s packed with very capable handheld gaming PCs that could pres…

The touchless smart locks are here Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesSmart lock companies have spent 2024 crafting nifty ways for you to gain entry into your home, including iPhone-tapping Home Key options from Aqara, a palm scanner from Philips, keypad and fingerprint smart locks from August, and even a Face ID-style one from Lockly. These all sound pretty futuristic…

Netflix’s Sakamoto Days turns a hitman into a small business owner in new trailer Netflix / TMS EntertainmentThough Yuto Suzuki’s manga Sakamoto Days hasn’t been publishing for all that long, an animated adaptation of the series is already making its way to Netflix in just a few days. Set in a world where it’s not uncommon for people to have superhuman abilities, Sakamoto Days tells the story of Taro Sakamoto (Tomokazu Sugita…

Mercedes-Benz EV owners can start using Tesla Superchargers in February Image: Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz said that its electric vehicles will be able to access Tesla’s Supercharger network starting in February. By now you should be familiar with how this goes: a manufacturer announces Supercharger access, first through the use of NACS-to-CCS adapters and then later with native NACS integration. The adapters are ava…

Perplexity partners with Tripadvisor to source hotel info from real people Image: The VergeThe AI search engine Perplexity is launching an integration with Tripadvisor that will add more information about hotels. Now, when you search for places to stay, Perplexity will present you with a neatly organized list of hotels, alongside summaries of why it chose them using information sourced from Tripadvisor. In an example s…

Microsoft’s Xbox Developer Direct returns on January 23rd with a ‘brand new game’ Image: MicrosoftMicrosoft is holding another Xbox Developer Direct event on January 23rd. It’s the third Developer Direct in a row, making it an annual look at what’s ahead for Xbox for the year. Like last year’s event, Microsoft will provide some updates on Xbox games that are planned for release in 2025, including feature South of Midnight, Cl…

VLC player demos real-time AI subtitling for videos Image: VideoLANThe popular open-source VLC video player was demonstrated on the floor of CES 2025 with automatic AI subtitling and translation, generated locally and offline in real-time. Parent organization VideoLAN shared a video on Tuesday in which president Jean-Baptiste Kempf shows off the new feature, which uses open-source AI models to ge…

LA residents find a lifeline in this free wildfire-tracking app Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeWatch Duty, a nonprofit-run app that tracks wildfires with live maps and alerts, has shot to the top of Apple’s App Store charts this week as Californian residents look to navigate catastrophic blazes devastating the area. The app launched in 2021 and is now available in 22 states, providing evacuation warn…

Meta is highlighting a splintering global approach to online speech Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesMeta’s overhaul of its content moderation and fact-checking policies in the US is bringing into focus a key geopolitical tension likely to grow under the incoming Trump administration: the regulation of speech online. CEO Mark Zuckerberg made no secret of his attempt to align his interests with those…

This robovac has an arm — and legs, too This robot vacuum from Dreame has a robotic arm that can pick up items and use tools from its toolbox (pictured in the background) to clean more areas of your home. | Image: The VergeI’ll see your arm and raise you an arm and two legs. It was the battle of the bots on the CES show floor as robot vacuum manufacturers Dreame and Roborock each adde…

Apple says Siri isn’t sending your conversations to advertisers Illustration: The VergeApple is refuting rumors that it ever let advertisers target users based on Siri recordings in a statement published Wednesday evening describing how Siri works and what it does with data. The section specifically responding to the rumors reads: Apple has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it ava…

Google can turn your Discover feed into an AI-generated podcast Illustration: The VergeGoogle is testing an experimental AI feature that creates a personalized podcast using your Search and Discover feed history. The Daily Listen feature in Google’s Search Labs is rolling out to Android and iOS users in the US according to 9to5Google, and works similarly to the Audio Overviews feature for Google’s NotebookLM…