The Apple Airpods 4 with ANC are at their lowest price
The Apple Airpods 4 with active noise cancellation are now at their lowest price of $99 ($80 off) at Amazon and Walmart. The AirPods 4 offer upgraded sound quality, wireless charging, and a built-in speaker in the case that rings if you can’t find it. The ANC, while not the best on the market, is […]
The New York Times sues Perplexity for producing ‘verbatim’ copies of its work
The New York Times has escalated its legal battle against the AI startup Perplexity, as it’s now suing the AI “answer engine” for allegedly producing and profiting from responses that are “verbatim or substantially similar copies” of the publication’s work. The lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court on Friday, claims Perplexity “unlawfully crawls, […]
Elon Musk says Tesla drivers can text while driving, but they absolutely should not
I can’t believe I have to say this, but Tesla drivers should not start texting while driving, despite what Elon Musk says. Do not listen to the billionaire CEO of the company that makes your car. He will not be liable if there’s a crash — you will. Musk took a break from posting racist […]
Sony’s new PS5 DualSense controller might have way more battery life
It might not look much different on the outside, but the newest version of the PS5’s DualSense controller could feature a major improvement in battery life. Polish modder Modyfikator89 shared in a post on X that the new DualSense V2 variant, model number CFI-ZCT2W, lasted for more than 15 hours of continuous play in a […]
It’s code red for ChatGPT
A smidge over three years ago, OpenAI threw the rest of the tech industry into chaos. When ChatGPT launched, even billed as a "low-key research preview," it became immediately clear that OpenAI was showing the world a new way of computing. Lots of other companies, most notably Google, had to immediately scramble to catch up […]
This tiny magnetic e-reader sticks to the back of your iPhone
A Chinese company named Xteink has announced the X4, a compact e-reader with a 4.3-inch E Ink screen that’s more pocketable than the smallest Kindle or Kobo. Like a wireless power bank, the e-reader can magnetically attach to the back of an iPhone, Pixel 10, or any device that supports Qi2 or Apple’s MagSafe. If […]
13 years later, the bold and terrifying sci-fi game Routine is finally here
It has been 13 long years since Aaron Foster last spoke to The Verge. Back then, Foster's tiny, three-person studio Lunar Software was touting sci-fi horror game Routine with a striking vision: Foster hoped to suck players into the desolate eeriness of its moon base setting, which was equal parts immersive and grounded. Foster ended […]
Welcome to the wellness surveillance state
This is Optimizer, a weekly newsletter sent every Friday from Verge senior reviewer Victoria Song that dissects and discusses the latest phones, smartwatches, apps, and other gizmos that swear they're going to change your life. Optimizer arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 10AM ET. Opt in for Optimizer here. The other day I was staring […]
Meta strikes AI licensing deals with CNN, Fox News, and USA Today
On Friday, Meta announced that its AI chatbot will now respond with information from CNN, Fox News, USA Today, and People Inc.’s portfolio, as part of a new partnership with the companies. The deal comes as publishers continue to sue AI companies for stealing content. The New York Times filed a lawsuit against AI startup […]
Waymo’s robotaxis are under investigation for passing stopped school buses
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into Waymo following reports that the company’s robotaxis illegally drove past stopped school buses in Austin, Texas. In a letter sent to Waymo on Wednesday, the federal regulator’s Office of Defects Investigation asked for detailed information on Waymo’s fifth-generation self-driving system and expressed concern that […]