Indie developers got tired of waiting for a new Star Fox, so they’re making their own
Nostalgia remains a powerful force. So much so that, in exploring the echoes of a late-'90s childhood spent skimming the water of Corneria and sneering "cocky little freaks!" in time with a monkey encased in a Gundam suit, I'm simultaneously describing playing Star Fox 64 (Lylat Wars if you're nasty) in 1997 and streaming it […]
Why is Apple asking me to pay more for Big Tech’s AI obsession?
Tim Cook recently said price increases were "unavoidable" and described the company's pricing as "unsustainable." The 16-inch MacBook Pro saw its price go up by $300. The 11-inch iPad Air went from $599 to $749. Even the HomePod Mini got a $30 bump to $129. Cook squarely placed the blame at the feet of the […]
Inside the room where the smart home industry is still betting on Matter
Four years ago, overlooking a canal in Amsterdam, the smart home industry collectively launched Matter, the one interoperability standard to rule them all. Heralded as the solution to the industry's struggles, Matter was built on open standards and existing technologies and is the result of years of collaboration between traditional rivals, including Apple, Google, Amazon, […]
This puzzle game’s simple premise hides surprising depth
What's the Password? has a simple concept: To solve each of the game's more than 100 puzzles, you have to type in the right four-digit password on a number pad. That might sound like a limited constraint. But the simplicity gives solo developer Dan DiIorio, better known as TrampolineTales, lots of room to play with […]
This might be the new best smart speaker
Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 134, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, hope you're okay in all this heat, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I've been reading about Polymarket lies and Jalen Brunson and […]
Anthropic’s Mythos 5 is back
After a rollercoaster negotiation process with the Trump administration that dragged on for two weeks, Anthropic's Mythos 5 is finally back in action - at least, somewhat, for a select group of organizations, according to a letter from the government to Anthropic that was viewed by The Verge. Fable 5, however - the public-facing Mythos-class […]
My favorite Govee smart lamps are at their lowest prices ever for Prime Day
We’ve already rounded up the best Philips Hue deals of Prime Day, but if you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly, Govee’s latest sale is worth checking out. The company has heavily discounted several of its color-changing smart lamps, including the Table Lamp 2 ($53.99, down from $79.99), Floor Lamp Basic ($59.99, regularly $99.99), the […
After covering Prime Day for 36 hours over four days, this is the one thing I bought
We’ve covered so many deals during Prime Day that my head is spinning. But after four days of doing our damndest to try and help folks save money, the thing I’m most hyped for is a simple tool for fixing my most egregious mistakes. I bought a pair of Vampliers. If you’re unfamiliar, Vampliers are […]
Our favorite Prime Day gadgets under $100 you don’t need but will really want
Prime Day has a funny way of convincing you to buy things you weren’t shopping for in the first place. You sign on intending to buy something sensible you actually need, like a pack of USB-C cables, and an hour later you’ve also added a gadget that can press your coffee maker’s power button and […]
The World Cup puts the US’s nightmarish immigration policies front and center
While European tourists marvel at ranch dressing, Buc-ee's, and other wonders of Middle America, would-be World Cup attendees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have experienced a different American pastime: exclusion. President Donald Trump's nakedly racist immigration policies have prevented scores of people from traveling to the United States for the event - even, […]