Google Docs adds 40 new templates to spruce up your documents Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeGoogle Docs is rolling out 40 new templates to make your documents more visually appealing. The new pageless templates cover a wider range of scenarios, whether you’re writing a blog post, creating a project roadmap, or making an interview guide. Google says its “high-quality, visually modern” templates com…

Cyberpunk 2077 just got a whole bunch of new ways to customize your character Image: CD Projekt RedCyberpunk 2077’s new 2.2 update is out now, and it adds a lot of new ways to customize your character and your cars as well as some improvements to photo mode. For character customization, developer CD Projekt Red is introducing a bunch of additional options to make your V, as detailed in a blog post. One of those changes is…

Lucid’s Gravity SUV gets an EPA-estimated range of 450 miles Image: LucidLucid Motors began manufacturing its Gravity SUV last week, and now the EPA has finalized the vehicle’s all-electric range, which is 450 miles on a full charge. The new official estimate is slightly above the 440 miles originally advertised by Lucid. The company’s Air sedan can go up to 512 miles, depending on the trim. Lucid CEO Pet…

California could become the first state to require social media warning labels Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeA new California bill could require social media platforms to display warning labels about the potential risk to kids and teens. The bill (AB 56), introduced by Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, is meant to help address “the growing mental health crisis” amon…

Instagram will let creators test experimental reels on random people Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The VergeInstagram is allowing creators to test their reel ideas on new audiences before sharing them with followers. Trial reels will be shown to non-followers first, providing engagement data including views, likes, comments, and shares approximately 24 hours after publishing to help creators determine whether …

Character.AI sued again over ‘harmful’ messages sent to teens Image: Cath Virginia / The VergeChatbot service Character.AI is facing another lawsuit for allegedly hurting teens’ mental health, this time after a teenager said it led him to self-harm. The suit, filed in Texas on behalf of the 17-year-old and his family, targets Character.AI and its cofounders’ former workplace, Google, with claims including …

The dead are still raging in 28 Years Later’s first trailer SonyIt feels like we only just heard that Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s 28 Years Later was in development, but the long-awaited sequel already has a full-length trailer and a solid release date. Set almost 30 years after the initial outbreak of the rage virus, 28 Years Later focuses on the lives of a new group of survivors who have managed to …

The Vergecast Vergecast, part two Image: Alex Parkin / The VergeEvery once in a while, we turn The Vergecast inward. Not only are we constantly covering and discussing what’s happening in the tech and media worlds, we’re also living it ourselves. We’re trying to navigate changes in platforms and economies, and figure out the best ways to do our work and share it with you. And it…

Fortnite FTC refunds are starting to show up Image: Epic GamesFortnite players have finally started receiving refunds as part of a settlement Epic Games reached with the Federal Trade Commission, which claimed the developer tricked players into making in-game purchases. So far, the FTC says it sent out more than 600,000 payments totaling $72 million, and many players, including some of us …

Solos challenges Meta’s Ray-Bans with $299 ChatGPT smart glasses Image: SolosSolos’ camera-equipped smart glasses have arrived to provide some much-needed competition against Meta’s Ray-Bans. The AirGo Vision is available now starting at $299 — the same price as the Ray-Ban Meta eyewear tech — and features integration with OpenAI’s GPT-4o AI model to identify and answer questions about the people, objects, an…

I want to push the big red AC buttons on Genki’s USB-C packed power strip Genki’s Moonbase charger can delivery up to 140W of power through one of its USB-C ports. | Image: GenkiGenki has announced its first power strip, capable of charging up to seven devices simultaneously using three AC outlets and four USB-C ports. The Moonbase can deliver up to 240W of power through its USB-C ports — maxing out at 140W to a singl…

Amazon’s online car dealership with Hyundai is now live Today, for the first time, you can buy a car — yes, a whole car — on Amazon. Same-day delivery not guaranteed. The e-commerce giant’s first foray into car shopping is called Amazon Auto. The company is partnering with Hyundai dealers in 48 cities in the US to list vehicles on the site. Customers can browse, order, find financing, and arrange de…

Yelp’s new AI-powered review filters will show more of what you want to know Image: YelpYelp is introducing some new AI features that aim to help users discover new establishments and narrow down customer reviews. The AI-powered “Review Insights,” announced today as part of Yelp’s end-of-year product release, quickly summarize how customers feel about certain aspects of a business, such as food quality, service, ambiance…

Google reveals quantum computing chip with ‘breakthrough’ achievements Image: GoogleGoogle’s quantum computing lab just achieved a major milestone. On Monday, the company revealed that its new quantum computing chip, Willow, is capable of performing a computing challenge in less than five minutes — a process Google says would take one of the world’s fastest supercomputers 10 septillion years, or longer than the age…

The Suicide Squad game’s final season is coming less than a year after launch Image: Warner Bros. GamesSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League only came out in February, but the game’s final season, which starts tomorrow, is going to be its last. Season 4 Episode 7 launches on Tuesday, and Episode 8, which is set to release on January 14th, 2025, will “serve as the last seasonal Episode for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice …

Apple Pay’s first competitor on the iPhone has arrived in Norway iPhone owners in Norway can now select Vipps as their default mobile payment app. | Image: VippsA Norwegian payment app called Vipps is the first service to take advantage of a new, more open iOS ecosystem thanks to EU regulations. Starting today, Norwegians can use Vipps for tap-to-pay transactions and online payments, and they can even set the…

Manchester City is letting fans design its new kit with AI Will Manchester City’s next uniform feature AI-generated cats? | Screenshot: Puma AI CreatorManchester City is holding a competition that asks fans to generate its future kit design with AI. Players will wear the winning design during the 2026-2027 season as City’s official third kit, and it will even be sold to fans. The club partnered with Pum…

Scientists advise EU to halt solar geoengineering A thin layer of ice thaws on a puddle in the sunshine in Bavaria, Marktoberdorf. | Photo: Getty ImagesScientific advisers to the European Commission are calling for a moratorium across the EU on efforts to artificially cool Earth through solar geoengineering. That includes controversial technologies used to reflect sunlight back into space, pri…

Meta’s new Quest update has faster hand tracking and at-a-glance PC connections Photo: David Pierce / The VergeMeta has announced the v72 Quest update, and it’s packed with features like faster hand tracking, an easier way to pair your headset with a Windows 11 PC, and better support for showing your keyboard while you’re in full virtual reality. The update is rolling out gradually, which also goes for certain features so y…

Spotify shuts down Car Thing, and now owners have one last chance at a refund Photo by Ashley Carman / The VergeSpotify has officially shut down its Car Thing accessory that offered simple and slick control over music and playlists while driving, and it’s giving owners just over a month (January 14th) to reach out to the company and get a refund. The device started to display its final words early today as enthusiasts mou…