Microsoft’s Copilot app is now available on iOS

Image: Microsoft


Just days after introducing a Copilot app on Android, Microsoft has rolled out an app for its AI chatbot on iOS and iPadOS. Both versions of the app are now available to download from the Apple App Store.


The app gives you access to Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) and works similarly to OpenAI’s ChatGPT mobile app. In addition to letting you ask questions, draft emails, and summarize text, you can also create images through an integration with the text-to-image generator DALL-E3.



Image: Microsoft




And, unlike the free version of ChatGPT which runs GPT-3.5, Copilot lets you access GPT-4, the latest large language model (LLM) from OpenAI, without having to pay for a subscription.


With Microsoft’s rebrand of Bing…



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Nvidia is releasing a slower RTX 4090 in China to comply with US restrictions

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge


Nvidia is launching a graphics card specifically for China to comply with US export controls. In a product page on the Chinese version of Nvidia’s website, the chipmaker introduces the RTX 4090D: a GPU that’s less powerful than the flagship RTX 4090 it sells elsewhere.


The RTX 4090D has fewer CUDA cores than its RTX 4090 counterpart, topping out at 14,592 as opposed to 16,384. It also has a slightly lower power draw at 425W instead of 450W. Although most of the other specs remain the same between the two versions of the chips, the RTX 4090D is still around “5% slower in gaming and creating,” a Nvidia spokesperson tells Reuters.



Image: Nvidia China




Nvidia launched the GPU after the US tightened export restrictions on…



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The fourth-gen Echo and latest Echo Show 8 are up to 50 percent off

Amazon’s new Echo Show 8 brings a faster chip, better speakers, and the most important update of all: widgets. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge


Happy Friday, folks! Well, now that Christmas is officially behind us, the deals are quickly drying up. Nonetheless, there are still a few deals worth busting out those newly minted gift cards for. Amazon’s latest Echo Show 8 has dropped to a new low, for example, while the Tile Mate has returned to its best price to date. There’s also a bunch of other stuff on sale right now, including a terrific pair of noise-canceling earbuds and OnePlus’ first mechanical keyboard, so let’s begin.


First off, Amazon has apparently decided to save some of its best deals for after the holiday season, or at least until after Christmas. Right now, the third-gen Echo Show 8 is on sale at Amazon for Prime members for $89.99 ($60 off). That’s a new all-time…



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Hey Alexa, quit it with the bootleg Viagra, says the FDA

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge


The FDA is warning Amazon to do something about “bootleg Viagra” found on its platform, misleadingly disguised as men’s energy or health supplements. In a letter to Amazon dated December 20th, the agency threatened legal action and listed seven different products available on the e-commerce platform with ingredients found in Viagra and Cialis. With outlandish names and brightly colored, cartoonish labels, it would be hard to confuse them with real-deal prescription drugs.


But a recent investigation by the FDA found several supplements or powders sold on the e-commerce platform contained either sildenafil or tadalafil (the active ingredients in Cialis and Viagra) and failed to disclose it: MANNERS Energy Boost, Round 2, WeFun, Genergy,…



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Microsoft’s next Surface laptops will reportedly be its first true ‘AI PCs’

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


Microsoft is getting ready to upgrade its Surface lineup with new AI-enabled features, according to a report from Windows Central. Unnamed sources told the outlet the upcoming Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 will come with a next-gen neural processing unit (NPU), along with Intel and Arm-based options.


Microsoft’s Arm-based devices will be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X chips, Windows Central reports. These PCs, codenamed CADMUS, will reportedly be designed to run the AI features Microsoft is packaging into a future release of Windows. They’ll also come with improvements to performance, battery life, and security on par with Apple silicon, according to Windows Central. Meanwhile, the Intel version of the devices will…



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How to change the ringtone on your Android phone

Image: The Verge


A recent discussion among friends wondered if anyone really used ringtones anymore. The idea was that most people (those who still use their phones to hold verbal conversations) either go with whatever ringtone their phone comes with or just use vibrations.


Once upon a time, ringtones were a thing. You could use them for amusement. (My favorite was a bored voice that said, “Ring. Ring. Ring.”) You could use them to know who was calling without having to look at the phone (so you knew when to pick up and when to let it go to voicemail). Now, maybe, not so much.







Still, Google recently added a bunch of new ringtones to its Pixel phones, so presumably, some of us are still playing around with these sounds. In case you count yourself in…



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Amazon plans to make its own hydrogen to power vehicles

A worker drives a Powered Industrial Truck at the Amazon fullfillment center May 3, 2018 in Aurora, Colorado. | Photo by Rick T. Wilking/Getty Images


Amazon is making plans to produce hydrogen fuel at its fulfillment centers. The retail behemoth partnered with hydrogen company Plug Power to install the first electrolyzer — equipment that can split water molecules to produce hydrogen — at a fulfillment center in Aurora, Colorado.


The electrolyzer will make fuel for around 225 fork lift trucks at the site, although Plug says it has the capacity to fuel up to 400 hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts. This is the first time Amazon has tried to make its own hydrogen on site, and it’s not likely to be the last.


“On-site production will make the use of hydrogen even more energy efficient for certain locations and types of facilities,” Asad Jafry, Amazon’s director of global hydrogen…



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Apple is now selling Apple Watches on its website again

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge


Apple has resumed selling the latest Apple Watches on its website after a federal appeals court paused a sales and import ban.


The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are now once again available on Apple’s website, a day after some physical Apple stores began selling the watches on December 27th. Apple previously told The Verge that the watches should be available widely in its physical stores by Saturday.


The US International Trade Commission issued the ban after finding that Apple had violated patents from medical device maker Masimo around a blood oxygen saturation feature included in the Series 9 and Ultra 2. Apple pulled both models from shelves and its website last week, ahead of the ban officially starting on December 26th.


Apple is…



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Apple resumes Apple Watch sales after ban is paused

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


You can once again buy the latest Apple Watches straight from Apple. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will be available again in some physical Apple stores starting today, with wider availability expected by Saturday. Online sales will resume tomorrow by 3PM ET, Apple spokesperson Nikki Rothberg told The Verge.


The restarting of sales comes hours after a federal appeals court paused a sales and import ban that covered both devices. Apple was banned from selling both products in the US after the US International Trade Commission found that the company had violated patents from the medical device maker Masimo.


The appeals court said that Apple could continue selling its watches temporarily, while the company waited to hear back on…



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How to take advantage of Chrome’s side panel

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge


When it comes to apps that I’ve used for over a year or so — such as the Chrome browser —I can be very boring. I get into the habit of using the app in a particular way, and after that, when interesting new features pop up, I’ll often put them aside to try out “some other time.” After all, if the app’s working for me as it is, why bother?


The problem is, I should bother — because sometimes those features can be very useful. For example, when I started using and saving tab groups in Chrome, it became much easier to find the tabs associated with a project, and to group them under a single tab temporarily when I didn’t need them. (Not that Chrome is the only browser that groups tabs these days; Safari and Edge, among other browsers, have…



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What If…? season 2 doesn’t get good until it really lets loose

Marvel Studios


What If’s second season is at its best when it’s exploring the edges of Marvel’s established cinematic canon.



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This heavy-duty battery pack for travelers is $80 off

The portable Zendure SuperTank Pro can juice up a pair of MacBook Pros and smartphones at the same time. | Photo by Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge


If your New Year’s Day plans involve going off-grid or some form of travel, a portable battery pack will come in handy when there are no outlets within reach. Right now, you can scoop up Zendure’s 100-watt SuperTank Pro charger for $149.99 ($80 off) at Amazon. That’s one of the charger’s best prices of the year and just $12 shy of its Black Friday price.


With four USB-C ports, the portable battery pack can quickly juice up all of your gadgets at once so you don’t need to stuff your bag with multiple chargers. It also delivers up to 100 watts of power, so you can quickly power up your smartphone, laptop, tablet, or Nintendo Switch. As an extra cool perk, it comes with a built-in OLED panel, so you can keep tabs on how quickly your…



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Apple Watch ban temporarily paused

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


Apple has won a temporary pause of the Apple Watch ban that went into effect on Tuesday. A federal appeals court ordered a halt on the import and sales bans today, after Apple requested that they be paused at least until US Customs can determine if changes it’s making to the Apple Watch would be enough to avoid the patent dispute that led to the ban. Customs is expected to issue its decision on January 12th.


The court’s order means that Apple can resume selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 for the moment. Both watches were pulled from its website last week and off of store shelves this week, as the ban went into effect. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it would resume sales.







Apple…



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10 great Windows PC games from 2023

The Verge / Image courtesy of Larian Studios


2023 is likely to go down in history as one of gaming’s greats, and at times it’s been challenging just to keep up. Baldur’s Gate 3 brought the 20-year-old PC franchise back with a bang, and smaller releases like Slay the Princess were a reminder of the important role PCs still hold for indie games.


Given how cross-platform the vast majority of games are these days, we’re not going to primarily focus on PC exclusives. Instead, the aim is to highlight a great selection of games that show off PC gaming at its best in 2023. So alongside games like Slay the Princess, which are only available on computer platforms, there are also titles that work particularly well with a mouse and keyboard (Baldur’s Gate 3) or which offer interesting…



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8 great series and movies to stream on Disney Plus

The Verge / Photo courtesy of Disney


Disney Plus is a service built primarily around the company’s core brands of Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney — and that hasn’t changed much this year. 2023’s new releases were still dominated by superheroes and Jedi, but there were some Na’vi and Time Lords thrown in for good measure. In fact, this year the service’s offerings were particularly solid for sci-fi fans, with stories spanning quite a few galaxies and timelines. If you’re new to Disney Plus, here are a few movies and shows to stream first.


Loki







Since its first season, filled with branching timelines and retrofuturistic tech, Loki has carved out its own distinct space within the MCU while still connecting to (and influencing) the broader multiverse. It’s something you can enjoy…



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The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement

Photo by Kena Betancur/VIEWpress


The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, claiming the two companies built their AI models by “copying and using millions” of the publication’s articles and now “directly compete” with its content as a result.


As outlined in the lawsuit, the Times alleges OpenAI and Microsoft’s large language models (LLMs), which power ChatGPT and Copilot, “can generate output that recites Times content verbatim, closely summarizes it, and mimics its expressive style.” This “undermine[s] and damage[s]” the Times’ relationship with readers, the outlet alleges, while also depriving it of “subscription, licensing, advertising, and affiliate revenue.”


The complaint also argues that these AI models “threaten high-quality…



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Apple appeals US ban on Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9

Image: Apple


Apple has filed an appeal to the International Trade Commission’s decision to ban U.S. sales of Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 models, court records show. Additionally, the company is requesting an emergency stay on the ban for at least two weeks until a decision is made on redesigned versions of the banned models.


“We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible,” Apple said in a statement to Reuters on Tuesday. Apple did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.







The models, which Apple says are their most popular, were banned after the ITC found that Apple…



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Microsoft Copilot is now available as a ChatGPT-like app on Android

Image: Microsoft


Microsoft has quietly launched a dedicated Copilot app for Android. The new app is available in the Google Play Store, offering access to Microsoft’s AI-powered Copilot without the need for the Bing mobile app. Spotted by Neowin, Copilot on Android has been available for nearly a week, but an iOS version isn’t available just yet.


Microsoft’s Copilot app on Android is very similar to ChatGPT, with access to chatbot capabilities, image generation through DALL-E 3, and the ability to draft text for emails and documents. It also includes free access to OpenAI’s latest GPT-4 model, something you have to pay for if you’re using ChatGPT.



Image: MicrosoftThe Copilot interface on Android


The launch of the Copilot app…



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8 great games for your Switch from 2023

The Verge / Image courtesy of Nintendo


It’s been a fantastic year for the Nintendo Switch. We got new Super Mario games, some great remasters, ports of a few games that previously blew up on PC, and, of course, an absolutely massive sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.


Even though the Nintendo Switch’s successor is likely just around the corner, there’s no shortage of great games to play on the Switch you might already own. Nintendo can take all the time it needs to launch its next console; whenever that comes out, I’ll probably still be working through quests in Tears of the Kingdom.


Here are some of the best Nintendo Switch games from 2023.

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Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp





Image: Nintendo




Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp packages up the…



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The best shows on Paramount Plus in 2023

The Verge / Photo courtesy of Paramount Plus and IMDB


I am a Paramount Plus apologist. I know — going by subscription numbers alone — that I have to be because people do not subscribe to the streaming service at the same rate as Netflix or Amazon Prime, but I spend more time in the Paramount Plus app than the other two. It’s got older shows like Star Trek, Frasier, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and newer splashy shows like… everything Taylor Sheridan produces and Frasier. It has a whole mess of football (American) and football (the rest of the world), and while bigger brands like Netflix are only now experimenting with live TV, Paramount Plus has been doing it from the get-go and doing it really well.


It is, I think, my desert island streaming service.


A lot of new shows aired on the…



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Apple is now banned from selling its latest Apple Watches in the US

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


Apple can no longer sell the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 in the US after President Joe Biden’s administration declined to veto the ban today.


Apple pulled both devices from its website on December 21st and from its store shelves after December 24th. A statement (via CNBC) from the Office of US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the agency “decided not to reverse the ITC’s [International Trade Commission] determination” after “careful consideration.”







The ITC issued the ban after finding that Apple infringed on blood oxygen saturation technology patented by a company called Masimo. It also ordered Apple to stop selling any previously-imported devices with the infringed-upon tech. While Apple attempted to block the decision while…



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10 great Game Pass games for your Xbox

The Verge / Photo courtesy of Bethesda Game Studios


Xbox Game Pass might have had a rather slow 2022, but its value has really paid off in 2023. There are more than 400 games to choose from, and I’ve honestly struggled to pick just 10 to recommend this year. For a monthly subscription fee of between $10.99 and $16.99, you get to play a wide range of games like Starfield, Sea of Stars, Tunic, and Inside.


If you’ve just got an Xbox, here’s a list of 10 great Xbox Game Pass games that are well worth your time over the holidays.




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Pentiment







Pentiment is a manuscript murder mystery set in the 16th century. In Pentiment, you play as Andreas Maler, a painter working on illustrated manuscripts in an abbey in Bavaria. The game plays out like a visual novel, where you’ll make decisions throughout…



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Here are over 40 last-minute gifts you can still nab before Christmas

A Disney Plus subscription provides access to the full catalog of Star Wars, including recent series like Ahsoka. | Image: Suzanne Tenner / Lucasfilm Ltd.


Yes, Christmas is tomorrow — and yes, we know you have yet to buy a gift. We understand that life gets busy, though, and sometimes it feels like the holidays creep up on you out of nowhere. But before you spiral into a full-blown panic attack, take a deep breath. Luckily for you, the internet is filled with a treasure trove of gift cards, subscriptions, and other great digital gifts you can buy as late as Christmas Day itself.







To help make your life a little easier, we’ve curated a list of some of the best digital gifts we’ve either used ourselves or gifted to our friends and family. We’ve organized the list by interests, too, so you can find the perfect present whether your loved one is into the arts, exercise, or something else…



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The PlayStation Portal is flawed but fun

It does one thing well, and yet there are other multi-use devices that are arguably better, but dammit sometimes I’m lazy.



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10 great shows from 2023 to watch on Hulu

The Verge / Photo Courtesy of IMDB and Hulu


Hulu got a big price hike this year, but it’s getting increasingly harder to cancel (at least for me) thanks to the overwhelming number of shows and movies to watch on the Disney-owned service. While those of us in the US can currently access Hulu separately from Disney Plus, things are about to change very soon.


Disney is planning to launch a combined Hulu and Disney Plus app for users who subscribe to both services, and it’s set to come out next year after some initial testing. Keep in mind that this won’t change the content available on either service, just how you access it. For now, though, here are some of the best shows released on Hulu this year.


Only Murders in the Building (Season 3)







Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin…



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Apple Watch ban: everything you need to know

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


Apple is banning new sales of the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US due to a patent dispute — here’s all the latest news.



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Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are still sitting at their lowest price to date

With superb ANC and dynamic, rich sound, Bose’s latest pair of earbuds are a bonafide hit. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge


Happy Saturday, dear readers! It’s been an extremely quiet week on the deals front, with the most notable discounts we’ve seen landing on Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air, GOTY contender Baldur’s Gate 3, and Belkin’s 3-in-1 MagSafe charger. Luckily, despite the lack of new deals, there are some solid holiday discounts still hanging around.







For instance, you can still snag the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target starting at $249 ($50 off), which remains the best price we’ve seen on the wireless earbuds since they made their debut earlier in the fall. They’re not all that different from last year’s QC Earbuds II in fit and finish, yet they add a new immersive audio component and improved fins that allow for…



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The Vergecast USB-C Holiday Spec-tacular

Illustration by Samar Haddad for The Verge


Happy holidays! Here is The Vergecast’s gift to you: over 90 minutes of audio content dedicated to USB-C.


Every holiday season, we think about what consumer technology standard has impacted our gadgets throughout the year — and without a doubt, 2023’s favorite standard has to be USB-C. We saw the iPhone 15 finally switch over to the Type C port, a glimpse of 240W USB-C PD chargers, dongles that can relieve mosquito bites, and whole bunch of high-powered GaN chargers. Though the adoption has been slow since its introduction in 2013, we’re almost at a point where we only need one cable to charge all our gadgets (2024 resolution?). So that’s what this year’s Vergecast Holiday Spec-tacular is all about.


The Verge’s Nilay Patel, David…



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8 fantastic shows from 2023 to stream on Netflix

The Verge / Photo courtesy of Netflix and IMDB


With shows like Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Blue Eye Samurai, and a wild new Castlevania spinoff, Netflix is still holding its own in the streaming wars.



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The Pixel 8 Pro’s videos get a whole lot brighter with video boost — if you use it right

Only the Pixel 8 Pro gets Video Boost, one of the AI camera features announced at its launch. | Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge


When Google introduced Night Sight on the Pixel 3, it was a revelation.


It was as if someone had literally turned on the lights in your low-light photos. Previously impossible shots became possible — no tripod or deer-in-the-headlights flash needed.


Five years later and taking photos in the dark is old hat — just about every phone up and down the price spectrum comes with some kind of night mode. Video, though, is a different story. Night modes for still photos capture multiple frames to create one brighter image, and it’s just not possible to copy and paste the mechanics of that feature to video which, by its nature, is already a series of images. The answer, as it seems to be lately, is to call on AI.


When the Pixel 8 Pro launched…



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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the quintessential DCEU movie

Warner Bros.


Because of its predictable story, and despite its occasionally gorgeous visuals, James Wan’s Aquaman sequel feels like the embodiment of everything that went wrong with the DC Extended Universe.



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The future of clean hydrogen in the US could hinge on a new tax credit

Joe Biden visits the Cummins Power Generation Facility in Fridley, Minnesota, on Monday, April 3rd, 2023. Last year, Cummins announced Fridley would be the site of its first electrolyzer manufacturing facility in the US. | Photo by Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via Getty Images


The Biden administration proposed new tax guidelines today aimed at making it cheaper to produce hydrogen as a less-polluting alternative to fossil fuels. The tax credit comes with strict stipulations around using newly constructed sources of clean energy to produce hydrogen, as opposed to more polluting sources.


The guidelines elicited strong reactions from clean energy advocates and industry today, some celebrating, others outraged. Some experts said new guardrails are needed to ensure that the Biden administration’s push to develop a domestic supply chain for hydrogen doesn’t inadvertently increase pollution. Meanwhile, clean energy trade groups argued that the tax credit is now too restrictive to allow clean hydrogen production to…



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Microsoft just paid $76 million for a Wisconsin pumpkin farm

Illustration: The Verge


A Wisconsin family has agreed to sell 407 acres of their land, which includes a local pumpkin farm attraction, to Microsoft — for a total of $76 million, reported the Milwaukee Business Journal. The local government initially offered the Creuziger family in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin about a third of that sum in 2017 as a part of an agreement with the Foxconn Technology Group. But the family refused, opting to hold out for a better offer.


“The family wishes the village and Microsoft well, and they would appreciate people respecting their privacy,” the family’s attorney David Barnes told the Business Journal.


The land, which also includes the Land of the Giants pumpkin farm and a nine-acre corn maze, neigbhors another 641 acres of land…



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The best deals on MacBooks right now

Apple’s pair of M2 MacBook Airs are some of our top choices among all laptops, and both are discounted. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


Apple sells MacBooks equipped with its own M-series chips in a wide range of sizes and price points. The offerings start with the 13-inch MacBook Air from 2020 at $999 and go all the way up to the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro starting at $2,499. But finding a deal on a current Mac with an M1, M2, or even the new M3 chip — as well as the higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max — is actually not that difficult.










While Macs may not experience perpetual discounts, it’s not uncommon to see various current models discounted by as much as $400. Alternatively, purchasing refurbished options directly from Apple is another way to save money without as much waiting for the changing winds of deals to blow your way. Apple’s refurbished store provides a…



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Humane’s AI Pin will start shipping in March

Image: Humane


Humane announced Friday that the AI Pin, its splashy AI-powered wearable, will start shipping in March 2024. People who placed priority orders will get their devices first, and Humane says it will ship orders based on the date of purchase, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter).


While Humane didn’t share a specific date for when orders would start shipping, the March timeframe is more specific than the early 2024 timeframe the company provided in November.




We are thrilled to announce that Ai Pin will start shipping in March 2024.


All of us here at Humane can’t wait for you to experience your Ai Pin, the world’s first wearable computer powered by Ai. We’re incredibly grateful for the enthusiasm and support, especially from our… p…





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Android phones may finally be getting a battery health indicator

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge


Google might finally start telling you when your Android phone has a degraded battery, Android expert Mishaal Rahman wrote in an article for Android Authority. Unlike iPhone users, who have been able to see their phone’s battery health stats from their settings for a long time, Android owners currently need a third-party app or must enter special command codes in order to check out their battery health.


This month’s Pixel Feature Drop already added new battery information; currently, it shows the manufacture date of your battery and its cycle count. But the Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 adds a hidden “battery health” page, Rahman says, and although it doesn’t yet include an actual battery health meter, code suggests that it could show…



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Apple pulls online sales of Apple Watches as US ban nears

Screenshot by Jay Peters / The Verge


It’s no longer possible to buy Apple’s latest flagship smartwatches, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, from the company’s online store. Apple has removed the devices from sale due to a forthcoming import ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that’s due to take full effect on December 26th. Both watches will disappear from Apple’s brick-and-mortar stores after December 24th.


The ban is the result of a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The ITC has ruled that the SpO2 sensor in Apple’s smartwatches infringes upon Masimo’s patents. On Wednesday, the ITC denied Apple’s motion to stay the ban while awaiting an appeal.


Because the patent dispute relates to the SpO2 sensor specifically, Apple…



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Substack says it will not remove or demonetize Nazi content

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More than 200 Substack authors asked the platform to explain why it’s “platforming and monetizing Nazis,” and now they have an answer straight from co-founder Hamish McKenzie:



I just want to make it clear that we don’t like Nazis either—we wish no-one held those views. But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don’t think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away—in fact, it makes it worse.



While McKenzie offers no evidence to back these ideas, this tracks with the company’s previous stance on taking a hands-off approach to moderation. In April, Substack CEO Chris Best appeared on the Decoder podcast and refused to answer moderation questions. “We’re not going to…



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Here are the best Kindle deals right now

Amazon’s note-taking Kindle Scribe is one of the few standalone models on sale ahead of the holiday. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge


When it comes to finding a device to use to read your ebooks, you have a few options to choose from. You can always buy a tablet or use your phone, but those devices are multipurpose and can be used for a ton of things, like surfing the web or doom-scrolling on Twitter. If you are looking for something to strictly read books, e-readers, while niche, are designed to store all of your books in a virtual library with limited functionality.







Amazon, one of the pioneers of the e-reader, has dominated the space for years with its ever-expanding Kindle lineup, which consists of several unique models with their own pros and cons. The bulk of the devices function as simple ebook readers; however, with the Kindle Scribe, Amazon looks to be moving…



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Teen GTA VI hacker sentenced to life in a secure hospital

Image: Rockstar Games


The 18-year-old Lapsus$ hacker who played a critical role in leaking Grand Theft Auto VI footage has been sentenced to life inside a hospital prison, according to a report from the BBC. A British judge ruled on Thursday that Arion Kurtaj is a high risk to the public because he still wants to commit cybercrimes.


In August, a London jury found that Kurtaj carried out cyberattacks against GTA VI developer Rockstar Games and other companies, including Uber and Nvidia. However, since Kurtaj has autism and was deemed unfit to stand trial, the jury was asked to determine whether he committed the acts in question, not whether he did so with criminal intent.







During Thursday’s hearing, the court heard Kurtaj “had been violent while in custody…



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Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount in discussions for a max merger

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Warner Bros. Discovery might merge with another entertainment giant: Paramount. Sources tell Axios that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav held talks with Paramount CEO Bob Bakish on Tuesday about a possible merger.


The meeting reportedly took place at Paramount’s headquarters in Times Square, with the two CEOs discussing how the companies could complement one another. That could include combining Max and Paramount Plus to compete with streaming rivals like Netflix and Disney Plus.


Zaslav also discussed a deal with Shari Redstone — the head of Paramount’s parent company, National Amusements — Axios reports.







We still don’t know whether Warner Bros. Discovery would buy Paramount or National Amusements if a merger actually does…



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Apple loses attempt to halt Apple Watch sales ban

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Apple has lost its bid to delay an import and sales ban on the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2. In a filing on Wednesday, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) denied Apple’s motion to stay the ban while awaiting an appeal.


On Monday, Apple announced its plans to pull the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from store shelves in response to an October ruling from the ITC, which said the company’s SpO2 sensors infringed on patents from medical device maker Masimo. The last day to purchase the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from Apple stores is December 24th, while the import ban officially goes into effect on December 26th. Apple is already exploring ways it can avoid the ban, including by implementing software changes, according to Bloomberg.







…



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Apple reportedly plans Vision Pro launch by February

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Apple’s June announcement that it would launch the Vision Pro headset “early next year” could be very early. As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports, things are lining up for the device to launch by February. He says we shouldn’t expect another launch event — which is understandable for a $3,499 device that will probably have a limited supply — but bringing this to market is a major undertaking that means preparing Apple Store employees to guide new users, adjust fitting, and deal with prescription lens options.


Launching the first new Apple hardware platform in years includes new software with visionOS, and Gurman is already pointing to its next version, which should arrive later in 2024 along with the usual Mac and iPhone software updates….



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Apple’s immersive next-gen CarPlay will start with Porsche and Aston Martin

Next-generation Apple CarPlay UI in an Aston Martin. | Image: Aston Martin


Apple said we’d get vehicle announcements tied to its “next generation” of wireless CarPlay by the end of 2023, and today, it delivered mock-ups of the dashboard-spanning UI styled for Porsche and Aston Martin. Instead of simply taking over the infotainment center and small segments of the in-dash areas, it seeks to overhaul all displays of the given vehicle.


The theme is distinct to each automaker and also gives CarPlay access to the vehicle’s features, like your radio and temperature settings. In the Porsche setup, there’s a three-dial layout with the speedometer on the left and a wallpaper made to match its houndstooth seat pattern.







In the Aston Martin layout, there’s a media display in the center, surrounded by the speedometer and…



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Belkin’s 3-in-1 charger with MagSafe has fallen to an all-time low

Belkin’s 3-in-1 charging stand makes for a great StandBy companion, regardless of whether you own an Apple Watch. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge


The Qi2-based chargers are certainly coming, but if you can’t wait for them to land next year, Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe is on sale now at Amazon in black for a new low of $110.99 ($39 off) or in white for just $9 more.







To this day, Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro remains our favorite MagSafe 3-in-1 stand for home use. The triple charging solution offers true 15W MagSafe charging speeds, the ability to fast-charge newer Apple Watch models starting with the Series 7, and support for iOS 17’s new StandBy mode, which gives you an easy way to turn your phone into a clock, calendar, or a nifty photo frame for your desk. It’s also outfitted with a 5W charging pad on the bottom, so you can juice a pair of wireless…



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The Verge’s 2023 home tech holiday gift guide

Photo Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales and Cath Virginia / The Verge


From color-changing lights to gadgets that’ll take care of dinner for you and your pets, here are some of our favorite smart home gifts.



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Ransomware gang ‘unseizes’ its site and issues new threats after FBI takedown

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The US Justice Department (DOJ) says the FBI has created a decryption tool that helped it return the data of over 500 ransomware victims as part of a multinational law enforcement push. It also wrote that the bureau had seized “several websites” operated by the ALPHV / Blackcat ransomware gang.


However, Bleeping Computer reports that by this afternoon, ALPHV / Blackcat claimed to have regained control of its site and that the FBI only had decryption keys for 400 or so companies, leaving more than 3,000 victims whose data remains encrypted. The gang also reportedly said that it was no longer restricting affiliates using its ransomware software from attacking critical infrastructure, including hospitals and nuclear power plants.


According…



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The Verge’s 2023 PC gift guide

Photo Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales and Cath Virginia / The Verge


The best tech gifts for those who spend way too much time sitting at a laptop or desktop PC — whether for work or leisure.



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Apple’s iPhone satellite system has a new option for roadside assistance

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If you have an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15, you can now use satellite connectivity to access Verizon’s roadside assistance service. In a support page spotted by MacRumors, Apple now says you can take advantage of the capability with devices running iOS 17.2 (or higher) and a Verizon SIM card.


Verizon’s roadside assistance program is run by the Allstate-owned Signature Motor Club and offers help when you’re having car trouble, even if you’re in a friend’s car or a rental. It includes vehicle towing up to 10 miles in any direction, winching, fuel delivery, jump starts, tire service, and more. While Verizon offers a $4.99 per line monthly subscription, it also offers flat fees for Verizon customers who use the service without a subscription.


A…



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Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi finally say they will use Tesla’s EV charging plug

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Volkswagen Group, which also owns Audi, Porsche, and Scout Motors, is finally doing what nearly every other automaker has already done: announce its intention to adopt Tesla’s electric vehicle charging standard.


VW said it is “exploring adapter solutions” so that its current EV owners can access Tesla’s Supercharger network and expects to have something to roll out by 2025. That same year, you’ll start to see new VW electric vehicles rolling off the assembly line with Tesla’s charging port natively installed. All told, VW says the deal will give its customers access to 15,000 Supercharger locations in North America.

VW said it is “exploring adapter solutions”



Of course, VW is incredibly late to this parade. Things started rolling in…



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