Google sues to stop the US from monitoring it like a bank Image: Hugo Herrera / The VergeThe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced on Friday it had placed Google Payment Corp. under federal supervision, reports Reuters. Google reportedly filed a lawsuit to block the CFPB’s order, which could result in routine inspections and monitoring like those imposed on banks. The agency found that …

How to stop the AI you’re using from training with your data Image: The VergeThere’s plenty to consider when it comes to deciding whether you want to engage with the many generative AI bots now available inside our apps. These include the ethics of copyright use, soaring energy demands, and the diminishing of human creativity, to begin with. Something else to bear in mind when engaging with these tools is…

Fortnite’s new mode is an FPS that’s a lot like Counter-Strike Image: Epic GamesEpic Games is about to let Fortnite creators publish experiences with first-person modes, and to help show what’s possible, Epic itself is introducing a tactical FPS shooter that seems like it will play a lot like Counter-Strike or Valorant. The new mode, called “Ballistic,” is “an adrenaline-filled, round-based 5v5 competitive …

The end of the ISS will usher in a more commercialized future in space Image: NASACan privately owned space stations replace the ISS? And what becomes of the research? Read the full story at The Verge.

Google’s AI weather prediction model is pretty darn good People shelter under umbrellas from the wind and rain as they cross a road near Shinjuku train station on October 12, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan ahead of Typhoon Hagibis’ expected landfal later in the evening. | Photo by Carl Court/Getty ImagesGenCast, a new AI model from Google DeepMind, is accurate enough to compete with traditional weather forecast…

Google Wallet’s new passport ID feature won’t help you enter the country Illustration: The VergeGoogle is now rolling out the ability to make a digital ID from your passport that you can store in Google Wallet and use at select TSA checkpoints — but only as a generic form of ID. It does not serve as a passport itself, Google spokesperson Liz Schulten tells The Verge: “The digital ID can’t be used at immigration and b…

Valve’s master plan for Steam Machines is finally coming into focus Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeIf I told you that Valve could make a play to dethrone the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox in your living room this next year while simultaneously challenging the Meta Quest as the gamer’s VR headset of choice, would you believe me? Because Valve may have a lot of SteamOS hardware on the way. If there’s fire …

Google’s Pixel 9A looks destined to ditch the camera bar Illustration: The VergeThere’ve already been renders of Google’s yet-to-be-announced Pixel 9A and one real-world sneak peek. Now we’re getting yet another look at an early prototype of Google’s next mid-range phone. X user fenibook has posted two shots of the phone, and it’s got the company’s usual markings that designate this as a still-under-d…

Large drones are flying over New Jersey at night and no one knows why Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty ImagesFor over a week, New Jersey residents have spotted unidentified aircraft in the northern part of the state, including Morris County and near Newark — and now the authorities are urging people to remain calm. The FBI’s Newark office, along with Morris County officials, recently issued a stateme…

Google Wallet can now be your passport at many airports Illustration: The VergeGoogle is now rolling out the ability to make a digital ID from your passport that you can store in Google Wallet and use at select TSA checkpoints. Here’s how to make the ID, per Google’s September blog post where it initially announced the feature: Select the prompt in the Google Wallet app to “create an ID pass with you…

Apple’s custom modems could put 5G in Macs and Vision Pro Image: The VergeApple has big plans for its rumored custom modems. Along with using them in iPhones and iPads, Apple also plans on putting the chip inside Macs and maybe even future versions of the Vision Pro, according to a report from Bloomberg. Macs with cellular connectivity reportedly won’t arrive before 2026, which is when Bloomberg expect…

T-Mobile is introducing ‘revamped’ 5G Home Internet plans T-Mobile would just love to sign you up on one of its new plans. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeT-Mobile is once again shuffling its 5G internet options, adding a streaming bundle to its priciest plan and introducing a new mid-tier option. The new plans start at $50 per month (including an autopay discount) and become available startin…

What Arm’s CEO makes of the Intel debacle Arm CEO Rene Haas. | Getty Images / The VergeArm CEO Rene Haas has a unique, bird’s eye view of the tech industry. His company’s chip designs are in the majority of devices you use on a daily basis, from your smartphone to your car. The SoftBank-backed company he leads is worth almost $150 billion, which is now considerably more than Intel. With…

Microsoft Surface rumors point to a big Copilot Plus refresh next year Photo by Chris Welch / The VergeMicrosoft’s first Copilot AI-ready Surface laptop arrived earlier this year, and now Windows Central reports that the rest of the lineup is due for a refresh in 2025. According to the report, we can expect new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop computers — and we’ve already seen a possible prototype pop up in October…

Asus teaser hints at ‘world’s first’ 27-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor Image: Asus via TFTCentralIt looks like Asus may be gearing up to release one of the first 4K OLED gaming monitors with a 27-inch display, as reported earlier by VideoCardz. In a now-removed teaser posted to Instagram, Asus mentioned a “ROG Swift OLED PG27UCDM” monitor, suggesting this display could be a smaller version of its existing Rog Swift…

TikTok divest-or-ban law upheld by federal court Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty ImagesA bill that could ban TikTok from the US unless its Chinese parent company divests it is constitutional, a panel of judges for the DC Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled. The decision comes soon before ByteDance’s January 19th deadline to sell the popular video app, or face its expulsio…

Netflix’s Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld is a fresh remix of Buffy-style monster slaying Image: NetflixJentry Chau vs. The Underworld’s first season feels like a classic monster slaying story remixed for a new generation. Though it has been decades since Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s final episode aired, the show’s lasting cultural impact can still be felt through the stories being told by people who were impacted by it. Netflix’s Jent…

Amazon just completed its first delivery by drone in Italy Image: AmazonAmazon completed its first drone flight test in Italy on Wednesday. The test used its MK30 drone, which can carry up to five pounds (or 2.27 kilograms) of packages through light rain and, in the US, is licensed to operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). Italian regulators ENAC and ENAV, which are like the US Federal Aviation Ad…

Researchers put bird legs on a drone so it can take off by jumping EPFL’s RAVEN drone trades traditional landing gear for a pair of legs that function similar to a bird’s. | Image: Alain HerzogResearchers from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland and UC Irvine have developed a drone capable of landing and taking off in areas that would otherwise leave a fixed-wing aircraft stranded…

Anthem BCBS is reversing its anesthesia policy after online outrage Beginning in February, health insurer Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield was planning to set a time limit for anesthesia coverage during surgeries and procedures. Now, following days of widespread outrage at the health insurance industry generally, Anthem is walking that policy back, the insurer announced on Thursday. In mid-November, the American So…