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Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
For the third year in a row, Amazon is ringing in the fall with a second Prime Day event (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/17/24244180/amazon-october-prime-day-big-deal-days-fall-dates-2024). This year’s two-day shopping event — dubbed Prime Big Deal Days — will kick off on Tuesday, October 8th, and run through Wednesday, October 9th, giving Amazon Prime subscribers a chance to chip away at their holiday wishlist before Black Friday and Cyber Monday land later this year.
If the early deals Amazon already has on offer (https://www.theverge.com/24248182/amazon-october-prime-day-best-early-deals-echo-speakers-displays-fire-tablets-sale) are any indication, we can expect to see steep discounts across Amazon’s own devices, including Fire tablets, Echo speakers, Eero routers, Kindles, and more. We also anticipate Amazon slashing prices on a variety of other electronics, from noise-canceling headphones and laptops to video doorbells and some of our favorite... (https://www.theverge.com/22997597/best-robot-vacuum-cleaner)
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/24255302/amazon-prime-day-deals-tips-news-guide-2024-october)
Zillow will now display climate risks and make insurance recommendations for listings in the US. | Image: Zillow
Zillow has announced that its real estate property listings in the US will soon feature details about climate risks (https://investors.zillowgroup.com/investors/news-and-events/news/news-details/2024/Zillow-introduces-First-Streets-comprehensive-climate-risk-data-on-for-sale-listings-across-the-US/default.aspx), including the potential for wildfires, flooding, extreme temperatures, high winds, and poor air quality. Buyers will also see what types of insurance are required or recommended for a property.
The climate risk data, provided through a partnership with First Street (https://firststreet.org/), which specializes in “climate risk financial modeling,” will be introduced to the Zillow website and iOS app by the end of the year and will be available on Zillow’s Android app early next year.
In August, 16.7 percent of new listings on Zillow were at “major risk of wildfire,” while 12.8 percent had a major risk of flooding, says the company. To make potential...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255325/zillow-real-estate-climate-risk-insurance)
Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
Nvidia is reportedly planning to ship its upcoming GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card with 32GB of GDDR7 memory. Hardware leaker Kopite7kimi has published rumored specifications (https://x.com/kopite7kimi/status/1839343725727941060) for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 today, and both cards will reportedly be more power-hungry as Nvidia looks to debut more capable next-gen GPUs.
The RTX 5090 is said to have a 600-watt spec, although as VideoCardz points out it’s not clear if this refers to how much the entire GPU board draws, or how much power the chip itself consumes. Either way, it looks like the RTX 5090 will draw 150 watts more than the 450 watts that the RTX 4090 pulls. The RTX 5090 will also reportedly include 32GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, with 21,760 CUDA cores.
GeForce RTX 5090
P...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255234/nvidia-rtx-5090-5080-specs-leak)
Image: Edmund McMillen; The Verge
Pretty soon, Twitch users will no longer be able to express their sadness with the BibleThump emote. According to Twitch, on September 30th, its rights to display the popular crying pink blob will expire after over a decade of being one of the foundational Twitch emotes along with Kappa (https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/kappa), FrankerZ (https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/frankerz), and Pogchamp (https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/8/22220874/twitch-pogchamp-face-change-ryan-gootecks-gutierrez).
The end of the BibleThump Era (2013-2024) is nigh! On 9/30, the rights to our beloved emote expire. While this is sad news, we know that all emotes go to heaven. SPEAKING OF SAD - we’re going to need a new emote to spam these feelings…— Twitch (@Twitch) September 25, 2024 (https://twitter.com/Twitch/status/1839046682325168511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
The BibleThump emote comes from The Binding of Isaac, a 2011 roguelike created by Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl. In the game, you play as Isaac who...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255122/twitch-biblethump-emote-binding-of-isaac)
Image: Michael Straight via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2708551422650542&set=pcb.2708551592650525)
Michael Straight, a former jockey paralyzed from the waist down, was left unable to walk for two months after the company behind his $100,000 exoskeleton refused to fix a battery issue, as reported earlier by the Paulick Report and 404 Media. “I called [the company] thinking it was no big deal, yet I was told they stopped working on any machine that was 5 years or older,” Straight wrote on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mj.straight.9/posts/2708551592650525?ref=embed_post), referring to a wiring problem in the watch he wears to operate the machine.
“I find it very hard to believe after paying nearly $100,000 for the machine and training that a $20 battery for the watch is the reason I can’t walk anymore?” he wrote. Straight has been using the ReWalk exoskeleton since 2014 (https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/271877/paralyzed-14-years-straight-appreciates-good-moments), following a horseback riding accident...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255074/former-jockey-michael-straight-exoskeleton-repair-battery)
Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Getty Images
The head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee took a Zoom call with someone using deepfake technology to pose as a top Ukrainian official, The New York Times reports.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) received an email last Thursday that appeared to be from Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s former foreign minister, asking him to meet on Zoom. The person on the other end of the call reportedly looked and sounded like Kuleba but was acting strangely. He asked Cardin “politically charged questions in relation to the upcoming election,” according to an email Senate security officials sent legislators that was obtained by the Times. The fake Kuleba demanded that Cardin give his opinion on foreign policy questions, including whether he supported firing...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255179/deepfake-call-ukraine-senator-cardin-dmytro-kuleba)
Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge
The recently launched Google Nest Learning Thermostat has its first notable discount, as Wellbots (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellbots.com%2Fproducts%2Fgoogle-nest-learning-thermostat-4th-generation&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F9%2F26%2F24254879%2Fgoogle-nest-learning-thermostat-fourth-gen-elgato-stream-deck-deal-sale) is offering it in all three color options for $259.99 ($20 off) with checkout code NLT4VERGE. Google took nearly nine years to replace the last model with this sleeker, Pixel Watch-looking design, but you only had to wait about a month and a half to save a few bucks.
The new Nest isn’t just a prettier face, as it also brings Matter and Apple Home support — making it more flexible if you don’t want to solely live in Google’s smart home ecosystem. As indicated by its name, the Learning Thermostat familiarizes itself with your habits and preferences for how to heat and cool your home and starts to anticipate your needs to keep you comfy and...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254879/google-nest-learning-thermostat-fourth-gen-elgato-stream-deck-deal-sale)
Now there are two of them! | Image: Leica Camera
Leica’s Q series of full-frame compact cameras have had the same 28mm f/1.7 lens since the original in 2015 (https://www.theverge.com/2015/6/10/8754047/leica-q-camera-announcement-price-hands-on-launch), but now the company is shaking things up. The Leica Q3 43 launching today is nearly identical to the 60-megapixel Q3 (https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/25/23736639/leica-q3-camera-28mm-fixed-lens-compact-8k-availability-price-specs), but it’s got a 43mm f/2 lens for a tighter field of view that’s more appropriate for close-ups and portraits — and, of course, it’s even more expensive, coming in at $6,895 compared to the $6,295 standard model.
The Q3 43 has mostly the same specs since it’s basically a Q3 camera with a new aspherical APO-Summicron 43mm f/2 lens permanently attached and a gray leatherette (I imagine so deep-pocketed users who inevitably buy both can tell them apart in a bag). It uses the same backside-illuminated sensor with an...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254024/leica-q3-43-full-frame-fixed-lens-43mm-camera-price-specs)
Photo by Tommaso Boddi / Variety via Getty Images
Meta has cut deals for high-profile actors to lend their voices (https://www.theverge.com/e/24017461) to its Meta AI chatbot, with Kristen Bell among the initial set of voices. Bell lending her voice is a bit of a surprise. Back in June, she openly expressed opposition to Meta’s AI using her data.
She reposted a popular Instagram message declaring that she refused to consent to Meta using her content and likeness for training large language models and demanding that Instagram “get rid of the AI program.”
Kristen Bell / Instagram
The prompt claims that by reposting, users deny Meta permission to use their personal data for these purposes. Celebrities such as Jessica Chastain, Sarah Paulson, and Ashley Tisdale have reposted a recent version of this prompt (https://thetab.com/uk/2024/09/25/what-is-goodbye-meta-ai-post-instagram-hoax-388529) —...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24253834/kristen-bell-meta-ai-voice-connect)
If a place is caught using fake reviews, Google will temporarily limit its reviews entirely. | Image: The Verge
Google Maps is reeling in business pages engaging in fake reviews, and highlighting such activity to its users. Google will now impose restrictions against business profiles (https://support.google.com/business/answer/14114287) that violate the search giant’s Fake Engagement policy, such as temporarily removing reviews, blocking new reviews or ratings, and displaying a warning message on profiles that have had fake reviews deleted.
The business profile restrictions were introduced in the UK earlier this year, but Search Engine Roundtable notes that the support page was updated in mid-September to seemingly apply globally. For the moment, however, only users in the UK are seeing the business warnings, such as the example posted to X by Mike Blumenthal (https://x.com/mblumenthal/status/1835746813032177806).
Image: Google / Mike... (https://x.com/mblumenthal/status/1835746813032177806)
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254882/google-maps-removing-fake-business-reviews-warning-message)
Image: SteelSeries
SteelSeries has created new earbuds that are designed to pair with Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch consoles, or even PCs and mobile phones. The $159.99 Arctis GameBuds include active noise cancellation (ANC), Qi wireless charging, and the ability to instantly swap between mobile Bluetooth usage and console or PC gaming.
I’ve been trying them out for the past few days, and so far, I’m impressed, but I’ll need more time for a full review.
The Arctis GameBuds look very similar to most earbuds on the market, complete with a variety of silicone tips to fit different ear shapes. SteelSeries is using a four-microphone ANC system to block out sounds while you’re gaming, and there’s a transparency mode if you want to hear the environment...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24253924/steelseries-arctis-gamebuds-earbuds-pc-xbox-playstation-nintendo-switch-release-date-pricing)
The new Moonwalkers Aero are lighter than the originals and can be customized in different colors. | Image: Shift Robotics
Shift Robotics has launched a new version of its Moonwalkers shoes / motorized roller skates that claim to boost the speed of your natural walking gait.
Unlike the first generation, there are six wheels instead of 10 on the Moonwalkers Aero (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fshiftrobotics.io%2Fproducts%2Fmoonwalkers-aero&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F9%2F25%2F24254444%2Fshift-robotics-moonwalkers-aero-robot-shoes), which the company says makes them lighter and quieter. That makes them similar to, but not the same as, the industrial-focused Moonwalkers X (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1514734&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fshiftrobotics.io%2Fblogs%2Fnews%2Fintroducing-moonwalkers-x&referrer=theverge.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2024%2F9%2F25%2F24254444%2Fshift-robotics-moonwalkers-aero-robot-shoes) shoes it introduced earlier this year at CES (https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/3/24023910/moonwalker-x-robot-shoes-skates-ces-2024).
Their top speed is still 7mph, but they’re over a pound lighter on each foot — 4.2 pounds compared to 5.3 pounds — thanks to a new “magnesium alloy powertrain.” The Aero are also 20dB quieter as a result of there being eight fewer wheels underfoot and a new “Neodymium magnet based motor.”
Despite a streamlined...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254444/shift-robotics-moonwalkers-aero-robot-shoes)
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
DoNotPay, a company that claimed to offer the “world’s first robot lawyer,” has agreed to a $193,000 settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the agency announced on Tuesday (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/09/ftc-announces-crackdown-deceptive-ai-claims-schemes). The move is a part of Operation AI Comply, a new law enforcement effort from the FTC to crack down on companies that use AI services to deceive or defraud customers.
According to the FTC complaint (https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/DoNotPayInc-Complaint.pdf), DoNotPay said it would “replace the $200-billion-dollar legal industry with artificial intelligence” and that its “robot lawyers” could substitute for the expertise and output of a human lawyer in generating legal documents. However, the FTC says the company made the claim without any testing to back it up. In fact, the complaint says:
None of the Service’s...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254405/federal-trade-commission-donotpay-robot-lawyers-artificial-intelligence-scams)
Image: Cath Virginia. / The Verge
Between the Apple Watch Series 10, the Ultra 2, and the second-gen SE, there are more options than ever. We’ll help you sort through them.
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/23037217/best-apple-watch-series-se-ultra)
The Space Invaders: My Play Watch can be customized with various retro gaming-themed straps. | Image: F84
Taito Corporation, which gave the world Space Invaders over 45 years ago, has collaborated with the designers of Floor 84 Studio to create a watch that pairs retro gaming with basic health tracking capabilities. The Space Invaders: My Play Watch (https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240924896062/en/Blasting-Through-Time-SPACE-INVADERS%E2%84%A2-Joins-Forces-with-My-Play-Watch-and-Floor-84-Studio) is now available for $60 for the earliest backers of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/f84/space-invaderstm-my-play-watch?ref=hodqsx).
The My Play Watch was teased earlier this month (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/10/24240947/this-apple-watch-clones-best-feature-is-a-playable-version-of-space-invaders), but we now know more about what its creators say it can do. Its design looks inspired by, or directly lifted from, the Apple Watch, but with a 1.86-inch touchscreen display and a body that’s not as thin as the Series 10 (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/9/24236801/apple-watch-series-10-price-specs-features-release-date) or as thick as the Ultra 2 (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/19/24248380/apple-watch-ultra-2-black-smartwatch-wearables). It comes with two watch straps that match its retro gaming aesthetic, and it’s compatible with standard 22mm...
Continue reading… (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254312/space-invaders-my-play-watch-taito-kickstarter)
The Verge Guide to Amazon’s October Prime Day event
https://www.theverge.com/24255302/amazon-prime-day-deals-tips-news-guide-2024-october
Zillow will now show climate risks for property listings in the US
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255325/zillow-real-estate-climate-risk-insurance
Nvidia’s RTX 5090 will reportedly include 32GB of VRAM and hefty power requirements
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255234/nvidia-rtx-5090-5080-specs-leak
Twitch’s BibleThump will soon go to emote heaven
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255122/twitch-biblethump-emote-binding-of-isaac
An out-of-warranty battery almost left this paralyzed man’s exoskeleton useless
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255074/former-jockey-michael-straight-exoskeleton-repair-battery
A deepfake caller pretending to be a Ukrainian official almost tricked a US senator
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24255179/deepfake-call-ukraine-senator-cardin-dmytro-kuleba
Google’s new Nest Learning Thermostat is discounted for the first time
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254879/google-nest-learning-thermostat-fourth-gen-elgato-stream-deck-deal-sale
Leica made a second Q3 camera with a new lens and even higher price
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254024/leica-q3-43-full-frame-fixed-lens-43mm-camera-price-specs
Kristen Bell told Instagram to ‘get rid of AI’ before she became its official voice
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24253834/kristen-bell-meta-ai-voice-connect
Google Maps is cracking down on fake reviews
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24254882/google-maps-removing-fake-business-reviews-warning-message
SteelSeries is launching $160 gaming earbuds for your Xbox, PlayStation, or PC
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/26/24253924/steelseries-arctis-gamebuds-earbuds-pc-xbox-playstation-nintendo-switch-release-date-pricing
The Moonwalkers robot shoes are back, and they’re lighter this time
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254444/shift-robotics-moonwalkers-aero-robot-shoes
‘Robot lawyer’ company faces $193,000 fine as part of FTC’s AI crackdown
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254405/federal-trade-commission-donotpay-robot-lawyers-artificial-intelligence-scams
How to choose which Apple Watch to buy
https://www.theverge.com/23037217/best-apple-watch-series-se-ultra
This Apple Watch clone straps a retro gaming machine to your wrist
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254312/space-invaders-my-play-watch-taito-kickstarter