Alexa is the best frenemy I’ve ever had
My Alexa-enabled smart display turned from a device I distrusted to — at one point — my sole source of support. Now, I’ve formed a reluctant friendship with this bizarre thing.
My Alexa-enabled smart display turned from a device I distrusted to — at one point — my sole source of support. Now, I’ve formed a reluctant friendship with this bizarre thing.
Feed refreshed
A reader tipped us off that Evernote, which was acquired by Bending Spoons, had informed them that their Evernote Plus plan had been shifted to an Evernote Personal plan instead. Here’s an excerpt from the email they shared with us:
Going forward, the cost of your Monthly subscription will be updated to match the current Evernote Personal subscription price of 14.99 USD per Month. This price will take effect on your next renewal, 10/19/2023.
Long-time subscribers at The Verge haven’t received this email. Users on Reddit have reported receiving similar messages, though some have been told by Evernote support that the switch was a mistake.
We’ve reached out to Evernote for confirmation.
The Basic Apple Guy did it with an iPhone 15 Pro and tossed it up on Threads.
We’ve been pretty into cursed images the last few days. First, it was a Steam Deck as a DVD player, then an iPad as a Samsung Dex display.
Microsoft’s spec sheet shows it’s a “Intel Gen3 Movidius 3700VC VPU AI Accelerator.” Intel’s website reveals that it’s a discrete chip roughly the size of my pinky’s fingertip at 14mm x 14mm.
It’s a PCIe Gen 3 device, so don’t be surprised if it comes on its own tiny SSD-sized M.2 expansion card. Here’s a whitepaper about its siblings. Meteor Lake won’t need a separate NPU like this:
Consumers, states, and the FTC are taking marketing claims from wellness companies more seriously — and, increasingly, there are legal consequences.
The lawsuits come as online promoters move from endorsing other companies’ products to creating and pushing their own. Meanwhile regulators are looking more closely at influencer marketing, which is expected to exceed $21 billion this year, according to an industry report.
Amazon and Microsoft both had big device launches this week — and both were actually big AI launches. What’s next for gadgets, when AI seems to be the present and future of everything? Do you still need a laptop with a plinth? (Spoiler alert: yes. You do.)
We also talk YouTube, Xbox leaks, and Ed Sheeran. Cotton Eye Joe 2.0 is here, and it’s everywhere.
Here’s a roundup of all the news from Microsoft’s September event.
Now that the update’s launch on September 26th was announced during Thursday’s Surface, Windows, and AI showcase event, Microsoft released Windows 11 Build 22621.2361 (KB5030310) to the Release Preview Channel of its Insiders test program.
This version 22H2 update adds the Copilot AI sidebar to Windows, the Windows Backup dedicated app, managing saved Passkey authentication under account settings, and more. Check out our video below as Tom Warren explains the biggest news from Microsoft’s event and what changes Copilot is bringing to Windows.
It’s a convoluted story! Intel paid a $1.4B fine in 2009, lost its challenge in 2014, won its challenge in 2022, and today the EU says it still owes a fine of $400 million (via AP).
[European Commission - European Commission]
The biggest changes to Microsoft’s high-end laptop are on the inside — but the device itself still looks good.
We’re a couple of days away from the OSIRIS-REx mission dropping off a capsule containing pieces of the asteroid Bennu that it snatched in 2021.
Right now, a NASA press conference is letting the media ask questions of the project’s leaders about what to expect this weekend.
Not going to lie: the iPhone 15 makes me want a dumb phone even more. Once again, we’ve got a new and even more capable iPhone. Yet with all those new exciting features, I can’t help but think Apple’s just given us a shinier new distraction. That’s why now, more than ever, I wish dumb phones would make a comeback.
It is frankly shameful that Judge Amit Mehta still hasn’t ruled on opening up access to documents in this industry-shaking trial, let alone made it clear when any of the trial itself would be open to the public. Today, Apple’s John Giannandrea testified in closed court while reporters waited outside with no communication from the court at all. Ridiculous.
The phenomenal cast of Baldur’s Gate 3 is now live on Twitch playing a Dungeons and Dragons one shot as their characters. I don’t typically watch D&D actual plays, (sorry Critical Role fans) but I will be present and seated for this because I love all my murder hobo companions and I can’t get enough of them.
8
Verge Score
Spatial audio and voice call improvements are the main new features, but these earbuds are largely identical to last year’s QuietComfort Earbuds II otherwise.
MySmartPrice shared official-looking renders of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and some of the colors that the phones will apparently come in. The article includes three colors for each phone, and you should check the galleries for yourself to see what Google might have in store at its Pixel launch event on October 4th.
Below, I’ve included an image of my favorite color of the lot: a Pixel 8 Pro in a nice porcelain. And check out our storystream to see more leaks about the phones.
We’ve literally just now gotten word that Unity has changed its disastrous new pricing model after developers' protests, which you can read about from Ash Parrish here.
Also, here’s her very first appearance on The Verge’s video channels (Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube), explaining why it’s all such a big deal. Give her a warm welcome!
In an interview with Brian Tong on the Apple Blitz XL podcast, Apple VP of sensing and connectivity Ron Huang explains that while the second-gen AirPods Pro earbuds also have the H2 chip just like its new USB-C model, the new ones are capable of communicating at 5GHz instead of just 2GHz.
He says that’s why the new USB-C AirPods Pro earbuds have enough bandwidth to do lossless audio wirelessly when combined with the upcoming Vision Pro.
Apple:
The H2 chip in the latest AirPods Pro and Apple Vision Pro, combined with a groundbreaking wireless audio protocol, unlocks powerful 20-bit, 48 kHz Lossless Audio with a massive reduction in audio latency
Dex remains undefeated.
(Orion app for the iPad > USB-C capture dongle > HDMI cable > USB-C hub > Galaxy Z Fold 5)
Note: If you buy something from these links, we might get affiliate revenue.
8
Verge Score
Apple didn’t choose the USB-C life, but boy are we glad it got here anyway.
AI-generated imagery is the new clip art, and Microsoft’s now making it dead easy to add to your chats — just swipe and type in SwiftKey to generate AI art on iPhone or Android.
Samsung’s keyboard has SwiftKey under the hood, so this is likely coming to a lot of phones. Microsoft’s also rolling out some “AI stickers” and “AI camera lenses,” but they’re pretty meh right now.
Have you seen how much work goes into a Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew? I have. They have to get a blender dirty every! Single! Time! It would have been the bane of my existence as a barista.
Starbucks is apparently implementing a new high-tech system to simplify the drink-making process. If this means making a PSL is a little less tedious, then I’m all for it.
“We were never meant to see our faces this much,” argues a Dazed essay. The increase in video conferencing may also mean an increase in body dysmorphic disorder, one survey of more than 7,000 people suggests. (The survey also found an increased use of fillers in people aged 18 to 24.) Personally, I find it helpful to turn off self-view in video calls and insist on phone calls as often as possible.
Ruby Franke, a parenting YouTuber, has been charged with child abuse. And now some fans are questioning the genre:
Franke is part of a sprawling family social media apparatus in which her parents and all four of her siblings have their own dedicated YouTube channels, with combined followers around 5.5 million and views in the billions. Halterman found their content fascinating. It even made her feel closer to her faith, as both she and the Frankes are Mormon. “They looked perfect,” she says. But since Franke’s arrest, Halterman wonders if her interest in family vloggers is part of the problem. “I now see it for what it is — exploitation of these minor [children] and voyeurism on my part.”
[The Washington Post]
Seriously, he had to unlock the door to greet customers. Amusing start to iPhone 15 launch day.
Alert — if you resold your Taylor Swift tickets you bought on Ticketmaster, you may be on the hook for the profits. Ticketmaster has turned your info over to the IRS already, thanks to a new law, and:
The average price for Taylor Swift tickets sold in the U.S. on StubHub was $1,095, with the best seats going for thousands of dollars, according to the company, which operates an online market for people to resell and buy tickets.
Also, the number of fan resellers skyrocketed.
[The Wall Street Journal]
Smelt it dealt it.
(The app to do it is call Thwip.)
Better known as the Ayaneo Slide, the company’s first handheld gaming PC with a keyboard (despite GPD filling the gap with many, many QWERTY-equipped entries, including the upcoming Win Mini) is among a slew of Steam Deck rivals with AMD’s 7000-series chip built-in, as well as a 6-inch 1080p screen, and Hall effect joystick / trigger setup.
The full details and price haven’t been revealed yet, but Ayaneo’s Indiegogo page is taking sign-ups for people who want alerts to lock in the lowest price possible right away.
Hundreds of governments and thousands of protesters descended upon New York City this week to ramp up action on climate change.