NHTSA finally releases new rules for self-driving cars — but there’s a twist Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty ImagesThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a new “voluntary national framework for the evaluation and oversight” of autonomous vehicles, a bureaucratic first step that could eventually open the floodgates for fully driverless cars. But there’s a twist: the agency wants self-dri…

OpenAI teases new reasoning model—but don’t expect to try it soon Image: Alex Parkin / The VergeFor the last day of ship-mas, OpenAI previewed a new set of frontier “reasoning” models dubbed o3 and o3-mini. The Verge first reported that a new reasoning model would be coming during this event. The company isn’t releasing these models today (and admits final results may evolve with more post-training). However, …

YouTube is cracking down on clickbait Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeYouTube is taking a tougher stance on clickbait, saying it will remove content with titles or thumbnails that promise viewers “something that the video doesn’t deliver,” as spotted earlier by TechCrunch. This change will “slowly” roll out in India first, according to YouTube’s blog post, but will “expand to…

This 240W USB-C cable’s connector both rotates and bends Sanwa Supply’s new USB-C cable’s design solves a common point of cable failure. | Image: Sanwa SupplyJapanese accessory maker Sanwa Supply has released a new 240W USB-C cable with a flexible design that could help prevent damage, as spotted by Tom’s Hardware. The USB-C connectors on either end of the cable can rotate 360 degrees and bend from si…

The AI talent wars are just getting started Naveen Rao, VP of AI at Databricks. | Naveen Rao / The VergeFor my last issue of the year, I’m focusing on the AI talent war, which is a theme I’ve been covering since this newsletter launched almost two years ago. And keep reading for the latest from inside Google and Meta this week. But first, I need your questions for a mailbag issue I’m plan…

Here are the shipping and return policies for all the big-name retailers Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty ImagesAs people scramble for last-minute gifts and late-year bargains, everyone is double-checking their lists and figuring out the fastest way to get their purchases. Thankfully, many retailers are offering generous shipping policies for their products, with some offering free two-day shipping or even same-day deliver…

Netflix will stream the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty ImagesNetflix’s push into live sports has snagged another major event. Today the streamer announced that it has acquired US streaming rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in both 2027 and 2031. FIFA is calling the deal “a landmark announcement for women’s football.” The 2027 edition of the tourna…

Robert Eggers wants you to see his Nosferatu as both a lover and a biter Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesTo get Nosferatu’s nightmarish love triangle right, Robert Eggers looked to Wuthering Heights for inspiration. Though the Dark Universe might be dead, Robert Eggers has crafted something like its spiritual successor with a series of disturbing horror features. The Witch left you wondering how real it…

Answering your biggest Decoder questions Photo illustration: The VergeOur end-of-year special, featuring guest Nilay Patel.  Read the full story at The Verge.

The Verge’s 2024 in review Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesLooking back at a very busy year. Read the full story at The Verge.

How to screen calls on an iPhone Illustration by Samar Haddad / The VergeLife’s busy enough without wasting time on calls that are trying to scam you or sell to you. Unfortunately, stats from Hiya show that 28 percent of the calls you get are going to be suspected spam or fraud. On an iPhone, you don’t have the option to have an AI assistant answer calls for you, as you can on…

We repaired an iPhone to see if iOS 18 fixes iPhone repair Image: Alex Parkin/ The VergeWe started making this video with one question in mind: “What makes iPhone repair so difficult?” And immediately the answer was: a lot. I’ve never repaired a phone before, so I was particularly nervous that the first one I was opening was an iPhone. This wasn’t just because I didn’t want to destroy a phone with a mis…

The MacBook Pro with M4 is matching its record low with $200 off The 14-inch MacBook Pro looks just as nicely as it performs. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergeIn recent years, base MacBook Pro models have felt like an automatic skip. It made more sense to pay just a few hundred more for upgrades that truly justify the “Pro” moniker, or save money by stepping down to a MacBook Air without many sac…

Google Fiber’s internet plans are getting simpler Image: The VergeGoogle Fiber is changing up its internet plans in Huntsville, Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee. The new Core 1 Gig, Home 3 Gig, and Edge 8 Gig plans appear to have launched last month and streamline the company’s existing options, as spotted earlier by 9to5Google. These options replace the 1 Gig, 2 Gig, 5 Gig, and 8 Gig plans cur…

Senators rip into automakers for selling customer data and blocking right to repair Image: GettyA bipartisan group of senators is calling out the auto industry for its “hypocritical, profit-driven” opposition to national right-to-repair legislation, while also selling customer data to insurance companies and other third-party interests. In a letter sent to the CEOs of the top automakers, the trio of legislators — Sens. Elizabe…

The Vergecast Matter Holiday Spec-tacular Image: Alex Parkin / The VergeHappy holidays! ‘Tis the season for trimming trees, hanging lights, baking cookies… and spending two weeks at home trying to figure out why you can’t get the lights to automatically come on at night, and which of those stupid bulbs is causing all the rest to not work. Truly the most wonderful time of the year. Eve…

Bluesky now has a mentions tab in your notifications area Image: Cath Virginia / The VergeBluesky now has a specific tab for mentions in your notifications as part of the app’s just-released 1.96 update. With the mentions tab, it’s much easier to see your replies or conversations you’ve been tagged in on the platform. Speaking of replies, update 1.96 lets you easily access settings that let you control…

Home Assistant’s new voice assistant answers to ‘Hey Jarvis’ The Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition is the first hardware from the open-source smart home platform that’s designed for voice control. | Image: Nabu CasaThere’s a new voice assistant in town, and this one can work locally in your home without phoning home to its corporate overloads. This week, the popular hobbyist smart home platform Home As…

Google Keep might be joining the ranks of Android system apps Illustration: The VergeGoogle Keep is being upgraded to a system app on Android 16 devices, joining the ranks of other Android apps that provide essential services like calling and messaging, reports Android Police. Google’s free note-taking app appears as a system app on the latest Android 16 beta, Android 16 Developer Preview 2. Anyone upgradi…

Dune: Prophecy is getting a second season on HBO Image: HBOThe first season of Dune: Prophecy is about to wrap up — but there’s more on the way. Ahead of the finale on December 22nd, HBO has confirmed than the prequel series has been renewed for a second season. The show premiered in November, and takes place 10,000 years before the events of the Dune movies from Denis Villeneuve. It stars Emi…