'The Verge'

Android 16 is now available for early testers

Google has given us a glimpse at what’s coming in the next major version of Android. The first preview release for Android 16 is available for developers starting today, which expands the photo library and medical data-sharing capabilities in apps. A change moving Android’s release timeline forward was announced last month, which could help third-party… Read more

Leak: Valve is making a Steam Controller 2 and a ‘Roy’ for its Deckard

Two years ago, Valve told The Verge it wanted a successor to its cult classic Steam Controller, whose incredibly customizable buttons and touchpads paved the way for the Steam Deck handheld PC. Now, Valve watcher Brad Lynch claims a Steam Controller 2 — codename “Ibex” — is actually getting made. His sources tell him the… Read more

Google Gemini can remember things now

Google Gemini can now “remember” certain things about you, such as your interests and personal preferences. The change is rolling out to subscribers with access to Gemini Advanced, and it will allow the AI chatbot to tailor its responses based on your needs, according to Gemini’s most recent release notes. As noted by Google, you… Read more

Bose acquires premium audio brand McIntosh

Bose has acquired the high-end audio brand McIntosh — a move that Bose says will “significantly” expand its product lineup. The acquisition, which also includes McIntosh subsidiary Sonus faber, also “opens new opportunities in the automotive sector,” as both companies plan to work together to expand their in-car audio offerings: By leveraging Bose’s 40-plus years… Read more

Netflix has a perfectly timed Razzlekhan doc coming out in December

Netflix is releasing a documentary next month about Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein and Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan called Biggest Heist Ever — and the company’s timing couldn’t be better, as Lichtenstein and Morgan, a married couple, were both recently sentenced to prison for laundering stolen Bitcoin that would now be worth more than $11 billion. Based on… Read more

Google is further cracking down on sites publishing ‘parasite SEO’ content

Google is tightening its rules against “parasite SEO” content, or articles and pages that often have little to do with the site’s focus but that exploit the website’s Google ranking. An example of parasite SEO content is a news blog that publishes online shopping coupon codes in a hidden part of its website or an… Read more

Brazil leads new international effort against climate lies

Brazil and the United Nations launched a new international effort to combat disinformation on climate change. They announced the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change during the G20 Leaders’ Summit taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It’s a collaboration between governments and international organizations to boost research on misinformation swirling online and around… Read more

Windows 11’s taskbar is getting contacts, files, and calendar ‘companions’

Microsoft is creating a new companions experience for the Windows 11 taskbar that will surface important data with just a click. Microsoft 365 Companions will include contacts and people, files, or calendar appointments integrated into the taskbar of Windows 11. “We will bring Microsoft 365 People, Files, and Calendar to your taskbar so your Graph… Read more

The Verge’s favorite holiday gifts under $50

The holidays can be fun and all, but there’s nothing less fun than watching your savings dwindle and your blood pressure spike as you work your way through your holiday wish list. That’s why we’ve created this gift guide for the budget-conscious shopper. We at The Verge have tested a lot of pricey gadgets over… Read more

Sony’s new flagship A1 II has trickle-up features from cheaper cameras

Sony announced its new A1 II pro-focused mirrorless camera during today’s livestream from its Creative Space event in New York City. The camera has various speed and performance improvements over its predecessor, plus a fast new zoom lens to accompany it. The $6,499 A1 II sports a 50.1-megapixel full-frame stacked sensor that’s capable of shooting… Read more

A recent Chrome update broke text highlighting on a bunch of sites

A recent Chrome update broke text highlighting on a bunch of sites / We didn’t break your copy and paste on purpose, but it might be a little broken on sites including The Verge, Bloomberg, and X. Here’s what’s going on. By Wes Davis, a weekend editor who covers the latest in tech and entertainment…. Read more

Amazon Music Unlimited now includes a free audiobook each month

Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers can now get one free audiobook per month — similar to the freebie Spotify started tossing Premium listeners last year. The perk is available to Music Unlimited subscribers in the US, Canada, and the UK, offering access to Audible’s library of more than 1 million audiobooks. Amazon says individual subscribers and… Read more

Control 2 will be an action RPG

We already knew that the supernatural thriller Control was getting a sequel, but now Remedy has provided some more details on the game. Well, one major detail: Control 2 will be an action RPG, seemingly deviating from the action-adventure template set by the original. The news came during an investors presentation, in which the studio… Read more

If Netflix can’t make live work, can anyone?

If Netflix can’t make live work, can anyone? / On The Vergecast: the perils of streaming sports, notebooks past and future, and TikTok CarPlay. By David Pierce, editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech. Previously, at Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired. Nov 19, 2024, 2:10 PM UTC… Read more

Samsung finally starts Wear OS 5 rollout for older Galaxy Watches

There’s good news if you’ve got an older Samsung Galaxy Watch: the company announced today that it’s finally begun rolling out One UI 6 Watch to its older Wear OS smartwatches. One UI 6 Watch is Samsung’s take on Wear OS 5, and brings with it a host of new features. On the health and… Read more