'The Verge'

Augmented reality needs an iPhone moment

As Apple prepares its long-rumored jump into augmented reality on Monday, doubts have shadowed every step of the way. There are reports of frequent changes in direction and skepticism inside Apple’s ranks. The device has allegedly been hard to manufacture and required numerous compromises. The process has taken years longer than Apple expected. And at… Read more

Blaseball season is over for good

Born during covid, Blaseball was a bizarre text-only fantasy baseball simulator that imagined, essentially, baseball as played in a world of otherworldly horrors. I regret that I never got to play Blaseball, and now it looks like I won’t get to because developer The Game Band is shutting it down. The company is laying off… Read more

Star Wars: KOTOR II for the Switch won’t get its game-finishing DLC

The Nintendo Switch port of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II is not getting the free Restored Content DLC that developer Aspyr Media promised at launch, the company announced late yesterday on Twitter. Instead, the studio is offering a consolation prize of free Star Wars game keys for anyone who has bought the… Read more

If Apple wants its headset to win, it needs to reinvent the app

If Apple’s mixed reality headset is going to succeed, it’s going to be because of the apps. On Monday, Apple will take the stage at its 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference to talk about FaceTime and Apple Books and all the other cool built-in stuff you’ll be able to do with its ski goggles strapped to… Read more

Half a year later, the Pixel 7 Pro is a smartphone that isn’t a lot wiser

It was a fairly unexciting conclusion. When I reviewed the Google Pixel 7 Pro last year, I walked away with the impression of a phone that was a bit better in some important ways but wasn’t quite the superintelligent, time-saving device that Google claimed it was. It was just a good smartphone, not a smarter… Read more

Tesla claims every new Model 3 now qualifies for $7,500 EV tax credit in US

The starting price of a Tesla Model 3 — after federal tax credits — may once again be below the fabled $35,000 mark. Tesla’s website now claims every new Model 3 is eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit in the United States, after those credits were previously cut in half on April 18th… Read more

GPD’s G1 is the impressively small dock that could jumpstart eGPUs in the handheld era

GPD is crowdfunding a new compact external GPU docking station that can both boost the gaming capabilities of some laptops and handheld gaming PCs, and also help anchor them to a desk for mobile workers (via Liliputing). The company is calling it the G1, and it includes an AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT chip with… Read more

Microsoft will end support for Cortana on Windows later this year

Skip to main content / As Microsoft builds out its suite of AI-powered tools, Cortana appears to have outlived its usefulness. By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Jun 2, 2023, 8:37 PM UTC|… Read more

The Diablo IV (not) review

This is not a review of Diablo IV. It can’t be. During the review period, the game was missing a key feature: the shop. Which, if you consider what happened the last time (and with Diablo Immortal), being able to evaluate Diablo IV’s microtransactions should naturally be a key component of a full review. I… Read more

Some other ideas for bundling with Amazon Prime

Skip to main content By Elizabeth Lopatto, a reporter who writes about tech, money, and human behavior. She joined The Verge in 2014 as science editor. Previously, she was a reporter at Bloomberg. Jun 2, 2023, 8:03 PM UTC| More bang for your buck!Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge Right, so Amazon is reportedly in… Read more

A fully transparent Steam Deck could soon be yours with these new front plates

“My favorite new Steam Deck mod is this $30 see-through heatsink backplate,” I wrote in January. “Wake me up when someone makes a transparent front shell,” some readers told me. Well, your nap is nearly over: Jsaux just confirmed to Overkill.wtf that a transparent front shell is on the way, providing the image you see… Read more

Climate change makes food scarce, but Yellowstone bears are staying fat

Yellowstone’s grizzly bears have managed to stay just as fat over the years regardless of growing environmental stressors, according to new research. Fat is life for a bear; it needs lots of fat to make it through months-long winter hibernation and have healthy cubs. That’s why scientists monitoring the bears in and around Yellowstone National… Read more

Searching Gmail on your phone is (hopefully) about to get way better

When it comes to Gmail, I’m a native app loyalist. Try as I might to explore third-party clients for Android or iPhone — and yes, even my Mac — I always come back around to Google’s own app for simplicity’s sake. So anytime the company says meaningful improvements are coming, it’s cause for celebration. This… Read more

Judge throws out DC’s privacy lawsuit against Meta

Skip to main content / A Superior Court judge ruled that Meta ‘did not materially mislead consumers as to their response to Cambridge Analytica.’ By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Jun 2, 2023,… Read more

Amazon reportedly in talks to bundle mobile phone service as Prime perk

Amazon is reportedly considering offering mobile connectivity to its customers alongside a US Prime subscription, according to a report from Bloomberg. It’s said to have held negotiations with existing US carriers, including Verizon, T-Mobile, Dish, and occasionally, AT&T about using their networks to offer mobile connectivity, which would then be available to Prime subscribers either… Read more