Xiaomi 17 is a small(ish) phone with a big(ish) battery
Xiaomi has just given a global launch to two of its latest flagship phones, the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra, along with a Leica-branded Leitzphone edition of the Ultra. There's no sign, however, of the 17 Pro, which launched in China with an additional display mounted next to the rear cameras. The 17 and 17 […]
The Witcher is a perfect fit for Reigns’ Tinder-like roleplaying
I never knew how easy it was to die in an orgy. But that's just one of the many threats facing Geralt of Rivia in his latest adventure. The studio behind the Reigns series of Tinder-like choose-your-own-adventure games has now adapted The Witcher, following a handful of original titles and a take on Game of […]
A legendary weather app makes a comeback
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 117, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, please send Android tips, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been reading about Eileen Gu and Ozempic and fancy grocery stores, trying […]
Tenways nearly perfects the shareable city e-bike
Good electric bikes are expensive. So why not buy one and share it? That's the idea behind the Tenways CGO Compact e-bike I've been sharing with my wife and teenage daughter for the last two weeks. It adapts in seconds without any tools to comfortably fit riders of varying heights thanks to its low-entry frame, […]
NASA is pushing back its plans for a Moon landing
NASA announced at a press conference on Friday that it's delaying its plans for a Moon landing until Artemis IV in 2028. The Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027, was originally going to attempt to land on the Moon but will now be a test flight instead. NASA also says it's "increasing its cadence of […]
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth designates Anthropic a supply chain risk
Nearly two hours after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he was banning Anthropic products from the federal government, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took it one step further and announced that he was now designating the AI company as a "supply-chain risk". The decision could immediately impact numerous major tech companies that […]
Warner Bros. Discovery agrees to $110 billion Paramount merger
Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance's merger agreement is now official. On Friday, the two companies announced plans to merge into a massive media company that will fold WBD's studio, linear channels, streaming service, and gaming segment into Paramount. Though WBD initially signed onto an $83 billion agreement to merge part of Warner Bros. with […]
Trump orders federal agencies to drop Anthropic’s AI
On Friday afternoon, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, accusing Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, of attempting to "STRONG-ARM" the Pentagon and directing federal agencies to "IMMEDIATELY CEASE" use of its products. At issue is Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's refusal of an updated agreement with the US military agreeing to "any lawful use" of […]
The Trump phone sure looks a lot like this HTC handset
Where's the Trump phone? We're going to keep talking about it every week. We've reached out, as usual, to ask about the Trump phone's whereabouts, and have stopped getting a response. This week, thanks to a reader tip, we think we've found the original phone the T1 is based on. A long time ago, back […]
CISA is getting a new acting director after less than a year
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, is getting a new acting director, as reported by ABC, less than a year after Madhu Gottumukkala took charge of the agency as deputy director and acting director in May 2025. CISA's executive assistant director for cybersecurity, Nick […]