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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Pet products and services giant Petco disclosed a data breach on Wednesday in a filing with California’s attorney general, which the company says involves the personal information of its customers. The state published a sample of the notification letter that Petco is sending to customers affected by the breach. In the letter, Petco said that … Read more
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 … Read more
In one of the most groundbreaking deals the streaming world has ever seen, Netflix announced on Friday its acquisition of Warner Bros. with an enterprise value of $82.7 billion. This agreement involves both HBO Max and the HBO studio, marking one of the largest mergers in Hollywood’s history. By making this move, Netflix is not … Read more
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 … Read more
Every week since Pluribus’ premiere, I’ve presented a handful of burning questions I have about what’s coming next. And most of the time I really want to know the answer. This is a show where mysteries are baked into the premise, with a slow-burn structure that can make it very satisfying when the answers start … Read more
Washington lawmakers had barely finished processing the news that Congress would not put a state AI law ban into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) when a new rumor began trickling out of the White House on Wednesday: President Donald Trump would, indeed, sign an executive order that would ostensibly assign the federal government the … Read more