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Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020) review: just get a 4K model

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick is a $39.99 streaming dongle that’s aimed at people who haven’t yet made the upgrade to a 4K TV — and don’t intend to anytime soon. It maxes out at 1080p video… Read more

Scientists try to fix flat maps with new double-sided projections

A trio of scientists have devised a new way to try to represent our spherical planet as a flat picture with a new class of projection that involves printing the map as a double-sided circle, Phys.org reports. The Double-Sided Gott projections involve splitting a globe in two and printing the separate hemispheres on separate sides…. Read more

Tracking down mystery boats on the high seas

Out on the high seas, more than 200 miles from shore, seafood companies can operate with almost no oversight. These are ungoverned, international waters where it’s easier for companies to get away with overfishing and abuses like modern-day slavery. Scientists using new hacks for old technology are slowly changing that. Two decades ago, large vessels… Read more

Chrome OS now has a built-in screen recorder

Google has announced that a built-in screen recorder is coming to Chrome OS in March. Google hopes the tool will make it easier for students and teachers to record virtual lessons. “Teachers have long recorded lessons to help students do homework and study for tests, but in the past year it’s become downright critical for… Read more

Motorola One 5G Ace, Moto G Power, and G Play now available on Google Fi

Google Fi is adding three new Motorola phones: the One 5G Ace, Moto G Power (2021), and Moto G Play (2021). The devices are available for sale directly through the MVNO with the Ace priced at $279, the Moto G Power for $199, and the Moto G Play for $99. You’ll also find last year’s… Read more

A new kind of Verge Live event is coming March 1st

One of the internet’s foundational laws just turned 25 years old, and it’s never been more controversial. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects websites and apps from liability for user-generated content, helping to create the internet of today. But problems with online harassment and other crimes — plus mistrust of big services that… Read more

Google rebrands G Suite for Education to Google Workspace for Education

Google is announcing a swath of new features for its education-focused products today, including that G Suite for Education is being rebranded to Google Workspace for Education. The company first unveiled the Workspace branding for its office apps suite in October, but the education-focused suite had retained the G Suite branding until now. Among other… Read more

Epic Games Takes Antitrust Battle with Apple to the EU

Home News (Image credit: Epic Games) Today, Epic Games announced the expansion of its #FreeFortnite initiative, which alleges that App Store policies are anti-competitive, with an antitrust complaint against Apple to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition. #FreeFortnite started in August 2020 when Epic Games offered Fortnite players a 20% discount for purchasing V-Bucks, the… Read more

How to get more space in your Google storage

For many of us, Google storage is the modern-day hard drive. It’s the place where our most important thoughts, documents, and memories reside. But just like with a traditional hard drive, the space isn’t infinite, and running out of room can be a real problem. By default, Google gives you 15GB of space to use… Read more

Google Maps will now let you pay for public transportation and parking through its app

Google Maps is adding a couple of new useful features: the ability to pay for parking or buy a train ticket right from the app. Google Maps is integrating two mobile parking payment services into its app, Passport and ParkMobile. Both offer the ability to find, pay for, and replenish parking meters or parking lot… Read more

How to check how much free Google storage you have left

It seems like the days of free apps are slowly grinding to a halt. Just recently, password manager LastPass announced that it was drastically limiting the usefulness of its free app, and now, Google has sent out emails reaffirming that it is ending its free unlimited photo storage policy: Starting June 1, 2021, all new… Read more

Epic Games brings Apple fight to the EU with new antitrust complaint

Fortnite developer Epic Games has made a formal antitrust complaint about Apple to the European Commission, the company announced today. Epic alleges that Apple’s “carefully designed anti-competitive restrictions” have “completely eliminated competition in app distribution and payment processes.” It says this leads to consumers playing higher prices, and gives Apple too much control over developers… Read more

Google reportedly shut down its Stadia studios a week after praising them

Google made the surprise announcement on February 1st that it would be shuttering its in-house Stadia game development studios. But the news wasn’t just a surprise to Stadia customers; it was a bolt from the blue for the Stadia development team, which, just a week prior, had been told that the studios were making “great… Read more

Apple won’t have to allow App Store alternatives on iOS after North Dakota bill fails

A North Dakota bill that would have drastically altered the way app store operators like Apple and Google manage their digital marketplaces has failed to garner enough votes, failing in the state senate by an 11-36 vote on Tuesday, according to North Dakota House of Representatives member Karla Rose Hanson. The bill, SB 2333, stirred… Read more

Pokémon’s League of Legends-style spinoff is getting an Android beta in March

If you are interested in testing out Pokémon Unite, a spinoff that has gameplay similar to League of Legends, you may be in luck. Today, the Pokémon Company announced it’ll host a regional beta test for Pokémon Unite in Canada next month. The beta test will be exclusive to Android users, and registration is available… Read more