Technology News

Carolyn Marvin was arrested in Philadelphia, charged with disorderly conduct for blocking an Uber delivery robot. She refused to move, stating her protest against robots taking human delivery jobs. This incident represents a direct confrontation between a citizen protesting automation and law enforcement, resulting in legal action over public obstruction. It highlights growing tensions regarding job displacement by AI-powered services.

Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York's 15th congressional district introduced the "Power To The Players Act" in Congress. This proposed legislation aims to direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish regulations. These regulations would guarantee consumers true ownership of video games they purchase, rather than the current model of merely licensing access. The bill seeks to redefine consumer rights

The Legion Go S with SteamOS is a pretty solid alternative to the $789 Steam Deck OLED. It runs identical software, but ships in a design with two-stage triggers, a bigger eight-inch IPS screen (1080p and up to 120Hz versus 800p and 90Hz in the Deck OLED), and it’s got double the RAM and storage (32GB and 1TB, respectively), not to mention a slightly faster processor in the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. At $999.99, its current discounted price at Best Buy, it’s worth considering if you’re deciding on a hand

J Mascis on stage during Dinosaur Jr.’s Baby’s Alright show in NYC. | Photo: Terrence O’Brien Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis is known as something of a slacker guitar god. He stands stoically onstage, barely moving, as he seemingly effortlessly works through deft guitar solos and lopsided riffs. Unfortunately, Mascis has developed a similar reputation as an interview subject, quietly sitting and offering deft nonanswers. That's not to say that Mascis can't be funny or charming. As our intervie

During a rally on Saturday, October 17th, in Highland Heights, Kentucky, Donald Trump bragged about how much more powerful and influential he was during his second term. While listing off his accomplishments, he mentioned his decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario. "This is a much more powerful term. I can do stuff that's unbelievable … I called Google, Google Maps. See, Google wouldn't have taken my call in the first term. Now they kiss my ass." Trump seems to be implying t

Back in February, I went to Los Angeles to take in some art and stayed in Koreatown. Down the street from my hotel, there was this little coffee shop - Stagger - that is, I think, best known for its matcha, which is good. But the drink I unexpectedly found myself obsessed with was their cream top, an iced Americano with, yep, vanilla cream on top. When I got back to Oakland, I kept thinking about how badly I wanted one. For more than 20 years, I've been drinking my coffee - iced or otherwise - b

It used to be so easy to get away with things in school. The teacher, after all, was always turned around writing at the chalkboard! But then came a bit of technology, previously mostly used for military purposes, called the overhead projector. It would change far more than just the disciplinary record of students everywhere. In this episode of Version History, we tell the story of the overhead projector. David Pierce is joined by The Verge's Jake Kastrenakes and Stanford professor Antero Garcia

AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 8: Tesla Cybercabs are lined up on a lot at Tesla Giga Texas in Austin, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. | Image: Getty Images This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on autonomous vehicles, policy, and road rules, follow Andrew J. Hawkins. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started The first state to pass a law legalizing self-driving cars operating on

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during the inaugural parade inside Capitol One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Just ahead of the wider release of Alex Gibney's Musk documentary, TikTok has banned the film's social media account from its platform. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film's distribu

Mercedes-AMG has unveiled its first dedicated electric SUV, the 2028 GT SUV. This new model follows the GT four-door coupe, expanding the performance brand's electric vehicle offerings. It features over 1,150 horsepower and ultra-fast charging capabilities, marking a significant step in AMG's transition to high-performance electric vehicles. This development signals a shift in luxury performance automotive design and market focus.

In 2024, Elon Musk promised to give away $1 million a day to a randomly selected registered voter in a swing state. That prompted legal challenges, raised questions about its legality, and drew lawsuits from two Arizona residents claiming the lottery was a fraud. Musk has now agreed to settle the two lawsuits filed in Austin, Texas, though the details of the settlement have not been made public. The plaintiffs claim that when Musk announced the sweepstakes, he falsely claimed the prizes would be

After backlash, Meta is updating its terms again to remove language that suggested it could scrape content from sites, including news sites, to train its AI. Specifically, the following language no longer appears on the commercial terms page: … Meta may use any content from such domains, web pages, or URLs to provide, develop, improve, research, train, and maintain the integrity of, the Meta Company Products, services, and features provided under these Commercial Terms and any other applicable s

Pikmin preparing to do battle with a Bulborb | Image: Nintendo If you’re wondering what video game to play this weekend, my colleague Sheena Vasani spotted a discounted Nintendo Switch title with instant digital delivery. Walmart has the digital version of Pikmin 4 for Switch discounted to $39.88, just over $20 lower than its usual price. This version of the game follows the same puzzle formula as previous titles in the series, but adds in a dog companion for an extra layer of complexity and a

It's hard to overstate Jad Abumrad's impact on the podcasting world. He created and hosted Dolly Parton's America and Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, two Peabody Award-winning shows that offered unprecedented looks at the lives of two of the most important music icons of the last century. Before that, though, he created Radiolab, an experimental NPR show that leaned heavily on creative sound design and eventually helped redefine what a podcast could be. In the early days of podcasting, shows were often

Today, I’m talking with Walter Piecyk, a partner and analyst at LightShed Partners who covers tech, media, and telecom, about SpaceX’s recently announced plan to become a major wireless carrier. Last week, SpaceX agreed to buy a big chunk of low-band spectrum to expand the Starlink network, spectrum that’s been traded around the telecom business for decades now. SpaceX’s ambitious plan is to use that spectrum to help build “the world’s most advanced mobile network.” Verge subscribers, don’t f

Autonomous agents are the hottest thing in AI. OpenAI, Meta, Google, Instinct, and others promise their agents can scour the internet on your behalf, doing anything from booking a dinner reservation and cleaning out your inbox to buying new shoes. But what happens when the rest of the internet won't play nice? In recent weeks, users of services like Meta's Muse, xAI's Grok, OpenAI's Dots, and Instinct have reported blocks preventing their AI agents from performing tasks across top websites. Yelp

Bose has me thinking I’m in my 20s again with its wired earbuds. After Apple courageously removed the headphone jack from the iPhone in 2016, most people switched to Bluetooth earbuds and never looked back. But their wired counterparts have stuck around, and their sales even went up this year after five years of decline. Part of the resurgence can be tied to the fact that they're cool now with younger generations - following the revival of tape decks and vinyl. Celebrities have been spotted we

The HomeView can simplify online recipe formatting into easy-to-follow steps. | Image: Apple When Apple revealed the HomeView to the world, it did so with an unusual ad for the company: Instead of pristine, polished tech in immaculate rooms, it's a three-minute look at the messy, frantic morning routine of a family of five. Apple's new smart display sits in the center of the chaos on the kitchen table, helping the family check their calendars, send messages, and pull up a French toast recipe i

Apple announced a new Apple TV 4K, set for November 13th release, priced significantly higher than its 2022 predecessor. Amazon is now offering the first, albeit small, discount on this forthcoming streaming device. This marks the initial price adjustment for the updated model, which will be available next month, impacting early adopters considering the premium cost.

Apple recently announced its HomeView smart home device, sparking questions about its app ecosystem. Despite powerful computing capabilities and constant power connection, the device's potential for running a variety of applications remains unclear. This raises concerns about its utility beyond basic smart home functions, potentially limiting its broader appeal and integration within the smart home market. The Verge highlights this

Analogue announced new versions of its Super Nt and Mega Sg retro consoles today with a "reworked industrial design" and built-in wireless connectivity for controllers and accessories. Like the original versions, the new Super Nt Plus and Mega Sg Plus are able to play Nintendo and Sega Genesis cartridges using an FPGA processor that perfectly recreates the functionality of Nintendo and Sega's 16-bit consoles without the need for emulation. Although neither of the new consoles allows SNES or Gen

After a Chrome clone was spotted on the Play Store earlier this week, a user on Reddit says they're seeing a fake version of WhatsApp in a "sponsored" slot above the real version. As reported earlier by Android Authority, the WhatsApp dupe has racked up over 500,000 downloads and, at the time of writing, its Play Store listing is still live. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The WhatsApp clone is from a developer going by "Agment Assets sallu" who doesn't currently hav

Nvidia’s new SoC is available in Windows laptops from six different manufacturers. We’ve collectively tested four of them so far. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Nvidia's RTX Spark N1X processor is finally here, and we've been collectively testing a small fortune's worth of powerful laptops sporting this new "superchip." RTX Spark is designed to be a high-performing Arm-based SoC for laptops and small desktop computers, rivaling the best from Apple, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. It ha

Last night, Elon Musk gave the people what they want: a car driving vertically up a multi-story ramp, launching off the edge, executing a mid-air "kickflip" over a lineup of Teslas, and landing via cold-gas thrusters. That's what the people want, right? "We were promised flying cars," sure, but isn't the operative word in that statement "we"? Because as far as I can tell, everything we saw last night - while extremely cool and incredibly impressive - won't result in a real, production-ready car

Meta's new terms appear to give it permission to crawl and scrape websites "associated" with the businesses that use its platforms - including online publishers, according to a report from Nieman Lab. The new terms, which go into effect on October 30th, say Meta can use this outside content to "develop, improve, research," and "train" its AI products. While Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts says that the company is just "consolidating" its commercial and self-serve ad terms, legal experts tell Ni

There's a new storage upgrade option for smartphones compatible with wireless chargers and other magnetic accessories, but it won't help if you've run out of room for apps, pics, and videos. The MagSafe Flex Pouch looks like a magnetic wallet for pairing a small stack of credit cards to your phone, but its storage capacity goes well beyond a few thin plastic cards thanks to an extremely stretchy silicone pouch. The MagSafe Flex Pouch's creators, a company called Ninja Labs, has a bunch of sugges

Delivery estimates for the iPhone Duo slipped into next year in less than an hour after Apple opened preorders for it at 8AM ET on Friday. At the time of writing we are seeing late January delivery dates for every configuration on Apple's website. The foldable is slated to launch in stores on October 23rd, and Apple typically reserves some units for in-store availability. So while online orders are delayed, you might be able to get one sooner in-person at an Apple Store. The long delay could be

When the midrange Sony Xperia 10 VI was announced over two years ago with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset and Android 14, Sony promised three major OS updates which would have included this year's Android 17 release. However, according to a notice posted to the company's UK support site, the Xperia 10 VI won't be getting Android 17 after all. In the notice Sony explains that a "detailed technical assessment" revealed that "limitations related to the device's storage configuration" mean the

Withings, a smart health device manufacturer, now requires new users of its fitness-tracking smartwatches and scales to pay $100 annually. This fee enables data synchronization with third-party applications such as Apple Health and Google Health. The change, confirmed on Withings' support forums, impacts how new customers access and manage their personal health data across different platforms, introducing a recurring cost

Meta announced its Muse Spark Open AI model, touted as the "most capable US open-weight model to date." The company also stated it's the "the first model in its class." Notably, Meta and Apple are collaborating to optimize Muse AI models for improved performance on Macs, specifically mentioning M5 Ultra Mac Studios. This partnership aims to enhance AI capabilities on

This render with a transparent background is the closest we’ll ever come to touching one of these things. | Image: Sony Sony has announced a trio of new Walkman portable media players that start at an already absurd $1,899.99 for the NW-ZX900 and climb all the way up to $5,899 for the gold-plated NW-WM1ZM3. Sandwiched in between is the $2,999.99 Walkman NW-WM1AM3, which is nearly identical to the WM1ZM3, just minus the gaudy gold shell. All three devices are aimed squarely at the audiophile m

Alienware’s 34-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor. The Alienware AW3426DW is discounted to $742.22 at Amazon, just over $50 off its usual price of $799.99. It’s not quite the lowest price we’ve seen on this well-equipped gaming monitor, but still a decent discount. The 34-inch screen just came out a couple months ago, and is equipped with Penta Tandem quantum dots for bolder colors than you’ll find on other QD-OLED panel. And of course, it provides the deep blacks and high contrast expected of the di

Volvo plans to launch hands-free, point-to-point driving by 2030, powered by Nvidia's latest AI technology. The Chinese-owned, Swedish-designed automaker said Thursday it would use Nvidia's autonomous driving stack to power a new partially automated driving system similar to Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised). Volvo says the new point-to-point system will be Level 2++, meaning it can handle complex urban environments, including traffic lights, stop signs, and unprotected left turns without

Google is updating its AI search results to make inline links appear "higher up in responses more frequently," according to a blog post. The company's search results from AI Overviews and AI Mode give you answers in a customized view instead of the traditional list of links, but there are concerns that the format reduces traffic to publishers. Google says it's been making "continued and substantial increases to the presence of inline links in our AI experiences," and this new change will help en

If you missed out on Prime Day’s headphones deals, you’re in luck. Sony’s latest flagship headphones are selling for even less than they did during Amazon’s big fall sale. As part of B&H Photo’s Deals of the Day, you can currently pick up Sony’s WH-1000XM6 noise-canceling headphones in silver for just $328 at checkout ($130 off) for the rest of the day. That’s one of the best prices we’ve seen, and much cheaper than what you’ll typically pay at major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, even duri

There's a growing trend in the consumer tech world: gadgets designed to spy on everything and everyone around you, regardless of whether or not anyone else actually consented to it. Now, with the advent of "AI personal assistants" like Meta's Muse, you're being cheerfully asked not just to give up your own data, but also the information of your friends, family, the person you went on a Hinge date with five years ago - and virtually anyone else you've ever come in contact with. Since Muse was rel

E Ink announced the next generation of its Kaleido color e-paper screen technology today, delivering several welcome improvements. The company's existing Kaleido 3 displays can be found in e-readers and tablets from companies like Kobo, PocketBook, and Boox, while Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft uses a customized version to improve performance. The new Kaleido 4 technology addresses some of Kaleido 3's shortcomings with improved color reproduction, better contrast, and faster screen refreshes. Other E

An Nvidia RTX Spark chip aboard an Asus laptop motherboard. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge Fourteen years ago this month, Microsoft released an Nvidia-powered Windows PC that would become one of the greatest tech flops in modern history. The original Microsoft Surface, which ran a stripped-down version of Windows on an Nvidia Tegra chip, bombed so hard that Microsoft had to write off $900 million in inventory. The problem was that Nvidia's Arm chip couldn't run existing Windows apps. Bu

New York Attorney General Letitia James, alongside 40 bipartisan Attorneys General, has revealed a multi-state investigation into Character.AI. With the company facing bankruptcy, the AGs are now seeking to mandate protections for consumer data that might be sold during the bankruptcy proceedings. This intervention aims to safeguard user information amidst the company's financial collapse, highlighting concerns over data handling during

Apple released a new Apple TV 4K, four years after its predecessor. The device and remote retain their previous appearance and largely similar features. While it includes a new chip, it disappoints enthusiasts by omitting anticipated upgrades such as 4K/120Hz support and advanced audio passthrough. Expectations for significant advancements were high given the long wait between models.

YouTube is adding a "Made with AI" label to tracks that were "altered or fully generated" using AI, with a similar approach to its existing process for applying AI labels to videos. It doesn't sound like this will apply to any and all use of AI tools in making music, but according to YouTube, it includes things like "using a generative model to create the composition and vocals." In its rules for music partners who upload their songs, YouTube lays out how to disclose generative AI use, and says

While we cover a lot of deals on specific products, it’s rare that we find worthwhile savings on gift cards that let you save on essentially anything the store sells. However, until October 19th, you can save up to twenty percent on gift cards when you buy them through the Google Play store. There are a variety of discounts and retailers available, including 20 percent off $50 at Barnes and Noble, 20 percent off $100 at REI, and 10 percent off $100 at GameStop. You don’t need an Android phone or

There's an entire cottage industry of iPod mods out there, but Sprout Pi and Sprout Pico are two of the few full motherboard replacements that combine many of the most popular mods into a single upgrade. Both versions add Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, a microSD card slot, FLAC playback, and more. And while cracking open an iPod will never not be intimidating, at least the Sprout doesn't require any soldering. The firmware allows audio over USB for wired headsets, as well as over the original 3.5mm j

Anbernic shared a new video of its upcoming dual-screen handheld it announced last week showing the device playing 3DS, Xbox, and PS3 games through emulation. While competitors like Ayaneo have been making dual-screen handhelds for a few years, Anbernic only recently introduced its own dual-screen devices including the RG DS and RG DS Plus. Those handhelds are designed to be modern replacements for the Nintendo DS, but the new RG DDS, short for "Dream Dual Screen," has a faster processor and dis

This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest gizmos and potions that swear they're going to change your life. Opt in for Optimizer here. For the past 100 days or so, my mornings have had a new rhythm. When I wake up, the first thing I have to do is feed my digital twin. It consumes my metabolic data, and its first "meal" of the day is my body composition data, sent straight from a smart scale. Once that's logged in th

OpenAI claims a former employee took more than 100 files related to its product plans before joining Apple. In a document filed on Wednesday, OpenAI accuses the unnamed employee of sending this information to a personal account and then presenting it to Apple leadership, including the vice president of the company's operations in Asia. The filing, reported earlier by Reuters, is tied to a legal battle between Apple and OpenAI over trade secrets - but this time, OpenAI is doing the accusing. It a

If you don't get AppleCare Plus for the iPhone Duo, any repairs are going to be pretty expensive. Apple published the estimated repair costs for the iPhone Duo without AppleCare Plus today, as reported by MacRumors, and they can be high: Battery service, for example, will cost $229, inner display damage will cost $999, and "other damage" costs $1,499. Here's Apple's estimated costs for various repairs if you don't have AppleCare Plus: Cover layer damage $49 Back glass damage $199 Battery service

Rivian spinoff Mind Robotics, a secretive robotics startup, appointed Doug Field as president. Field, formerly Apple's VP of special projects and de facto head of its Project Titan autonomous vehicle effort, now leads Mind Robotics. This leadership change brings a high-profile executive with significant experience in advanced technology and automotive development to the emerging company, signaling a strategic move for

The author, using Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses, describes daily activities like running, ordering coffee, and calling a friend. The article's title indicates a personal preference for the audio functionalities over the integrated camera. This suggests a user experience where the camera feature, often a primary focus for smart glasses, is not missed, highlighting the utility of audio-centric smart eyewear in

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it's evaluating allegations that Tesla's 1,000 or so robotaxis using its automated driving system are exceeding "posted speed limits in active school zones." Waymo's robotaxis have also faced similar inquiries, including for illegally passing school buses and hitting a child near a California elementary school. NHTSA: The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a DP on September 23, 2026, requesting an investigation into model year (